#Product Development California

[onenettvchannel]

BREAKING NEWS: The 2nd Season of Panty and Stocking anime is being produced by a new Japanese Animation Studio after Gainax

(Prepared by Marco Diaz / News Reporter of Disney XD News & Urban Streets / News Intern of The Equestrian Inquirer for OneNETnews)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- After a decade and a half from Season 1 in 2010... Studio TRIGGER, a prominent player in the Japanese anime industry, is making waves with its new animation studio and acquisition of the rights to Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt (PSG) from the now-defunct Gainax.

(Event Schedule Photo via Anime Expo website)

During a recent screening and anime panel by Studio TRIGGER, a reliable source obtained exclusively to OneNETnews, in partnership with Crunchyroll that a new anime project is currently in production. The event took place last Saturday afternoon (July 1st, 2023 at 1:45pm -- Pacific local time). The production reportedly includes a first trailer and key visuals.

Some may recall Anime News Network's previous expo coverage of a lost media context from an anime panel in 2022 at the Anime Expo, an annual event held inside the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC).

(Contributed Photo)

(via Studio TRIGGER Channel / YT Video)

This year's 50-minute anime panel at the 2023 expo will feature a re-screening of a teaser trailer to the public, followed by its release on YouTube the next day on Sunday (July 2nd, 2023).

The aforesaid anime has garnered a cult following for its blend of s*xu*l fanservice, crude language and adult humor. It is less likely to have a private lovemaking, chick magnet or both. While romance and attraction are present, the focus lies more on the comedic elements, including the characters' interactions with Miss Anarchy sisters and Briefers Rock. Action and adventure are also play a significant role in the series.

Looking beyond the current production of Season 2, Studio TRIGGER is actively brainstorming ideas for future seasons. The studio may greenlight up to 8 additional seasons or less, depending on factors such as hiring more Japanese and international freelanced animators and voice acting talent. However, the expensive nature of animation budgets and television broadcasting in Japan poses challenges during the production process.

The original anime was directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi at Gainax, with Masahiko Otsuka serving as the assistant director. Yo Yoshinari contributed concept art, Atsushi Nishigori handled the main character designs and Takahashi Taku composed the music with the TCY Crew. OneNETnews cannot independently verify the authenticity of these individuals.

(Shop Listings via Twitter PHOTO / PR for Studio TRIGGER)

To support the 2nd season of PSG, Studio TRIGGER has introduced online shopping merchandise through its official store, which was featured at this year's expo in Los Angeles, California, United States of America (U.S.A.). For viewers seeking an uncensored experience, Anime Theater-X (AT-X) television may provide the best option, as they cater to premium cable channels and paid online streaming services in Japan. Some international viewers do not really like the censored versions due to legal and personal reasons, catering to specific adult audiences.

(Digital Poster Photo via Hiroyuki Imaishi / PR for Studio TRIGGER)

Fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming airing of Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt (PSG) in Japan, with international releases, such as simuldubs on Crunchyroll for example, following several weeks later. The production of Season 2 is currently ongoing, immediately after the American anime expo event.

Crunchyroll is an affiliate broadcast firm on this Internet TV Station and News Organization of OneNETtv Channel & OneNETnews.

RELATED ARTICLE: [Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt has now greenlighted to Season 2 at the Anime Expo 2022 in Los Angeles City]

PHOTO COURTESY: Studio TRIGGER via Anime Expo 2023 BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SPECIAL THANKS to Kwok-Wai Hanson of AniTrendz News Bureau and Missael Soto of KNBC-TV's NBC 4: Los Angeles for contributing a news tip!

SOURCE: *https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/the-scene-entertainment/la-anime-expo-2023/3180503/ [Referenced News Article via KNBC-TV's NBC 4: Los Angeles] *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRAizecWL8Q [Referenced Explanatory YT Video via Saberspark - PSG could NEVER be made today] *https://natalie.mu/comic/news/531175 [Referenced News Article via Comic Natalie] *https://anitrendz.net/news/2023/07/01/panty-and-stocking-new-anime-project-by-trigger-in-production/ [Referenced News Article via AniTrendz] *https://4nn.cx/.199878 [Referenced News Article via Anime News Network] *https://animecorner.me/trigger-acquires-rights-to-panty-stocking-with-garterbelt-reveals-visual-for-new-anime-project/ [Referenced News Article via Anime Corner] *https://www.anime-expo.org/2023/06/19/trigger-panels/ [Referenced Event Listings via Anime Expo] *https://www.anime-expo.org/ax/schedule-2023/ [Referenced Scheduled Panel Listings via Anime Expo] *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Trigger *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainax *https://trigger-global.ecq.sc/catalogsearch/result/index/?q=panty&trigger_catalog_sakuhin=1590 [Referenced Shopping Listings via TRIGGER Online Shop] and *https://desuarchive.org/a/thread/254362749 [Referenced Forum Discussion via 4chan's /a/]

-- OneNETnews Team

FINAL UPDATE (as of July 10th, 2023 at 4:30am MNL): Added as final for shop listings’ image at the Studio TRIGGER official store. Purchase responsibly, mga ka-Bandera.

[xpbrandai]

Uncover valuable insights with AI-powered product surveys before your relaunch. Gain a deeper understanding of customer preferences, identify potential issues, and optimize your product for success. AI analyzes large datasets, providing actionable insights and predictive analyses to refine your relaunch strategy, saving you time and resources.

[eov-blogs]

A basic introduction to Next.js

What is Next.js? 

Next.js is a latest and popular React framework for building full-stack web applications. You use React Components to build user interfaces, and Next.js for additional features and optimizations. Next.js also abstract and automatically configures tooling needed for React, like bundling, compiling, and more. This allows you to focus on building your application instead of spending time with configuration.     

Whether you’re an individual developer or part of a larger team, Next.js can help you build interactive, dynamic, and fast React applications. 

What are the benefits of using Next.js over React?  

Faster Initial Page Loads: Next.js supports server-side rendering (SSR), which means that the initial HTML of your pages is rendered on the server before being sent to the client. This can significantly improve the performance of your pages, especially for SEO and for users with slow internet connections.

Static site generation: Next.js also supports static site generation (SSG), which means that you can pre-render your pages at build time. This can further improve the performance of your pages, as the client will not have to wait for the pages to be rendered on the server. 

Improved SEO: Because Next.js supports SSR and SSG, search engines can easily crawl and index your content, leading to better search engine rankings compared to client-side-rendered applications. SSR also makes your pages more SEO-friendly, as search engines can index the rendered HTML. This can help your pages rank higher in search results. 

Built-in routing: Next.js comes with a file-based routing system, which makes it easy to create complex and dynamic routes without the need for additional routing libraries. In React, you’d typically need a separate routing library like React Router. 

Automatic Code Splitting: Next.js automatically splits your JavaScript code into smaller chunks that are loaded only when needed. This reduces the initial load time and helps improve performance.  

API Routes: You can create API endpoints directly within your Next.js application using the /pages/api directory, simplifying serverless API development. 

Hot Module Replacement (HMR): Next.js supports HMR, which allows you to see changes in your code without a full-page refresh during development. 

Internationalization (i18n): Next.js offers built-in support for internationalization, making it easier to create multilingual websites. 

Image Optimization: It includes automatic image optimization, where images are optimized and served in various formats (e.g., WebP) for better performance. 

What are the additional Key Features of Next.js?  

Hot Module Replacement (HMR): Next.js supports HMR, allowing for instant code changes during development without a full-page refresh. This speeds up the development process and enhances the developer experience.

Production-Ready Optimizations: Next.js includes built-in optimizations for production deployments, such as automatic code splitting, asset optimization, and serverless deployments. This ensures that your application is production-ready with minimal effort. 

Data Fetching: Next.js provides multiple methods for data fetching, including getServerSideProps, getStaticProps, and getInitialProps, making it easy to fetch data on both the server and the client side. 

Internationalization: Next.js offers built-in support for internationalization, making it easier to create multilingual applications. 

Environment Variables: You can use environment variables in Next.js to manage configuration options securely and efficiently. 

CSS Support: Next.js allows you to use various CSS solutions, including CSS Modules, styled-components, and more. It also offers automatic CSS code splitting. 

Middleware Support: You can use middleware functions to customize the behavior of the server, making it versatile for handling various scenarios and authentication. 

Error Handling: Next.js provides robust error handling capabilities, including custom error pages and error boundary components to gracefully handle errors in your application. 

Community and Ecosystem: Next.js has a thriving community, a rich ecosystem of plugins and extensions, and is backed by Vercel, a cloud platform for deploying Next.js applications, which simplifies deployment and scaling. 

Automatic Static Optimization: Next.js automatically optimizes the delivery of static assets like images, fonts, and JavaScript files to improve performance. 

Conclusion 

Next.js is a React framework that offers advantages over plain React, including server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), automatic code splitting, SEO-friendliness, and built-in features for routing, CSS, and API handling. It’s suitable for a wide range of applications, from static websites to dynamic web apps, eCommerce sites, content management systems, and more. Next.js simplifies development tasks, improves performance, and enhances SEO, making it a valuable tool in the React ecosystem. 

In our subsequent blogs, we will cover more on how we have sought help of Next.js to deliver software products to our clients. If you are looking for app development partners, feel free to contact our team now!

[pegasusone0]

Product development company california

Product development company california

Pegasus One is a product development company in California that specializes in creating innovative solutions to complex problems. We offer comprehensive product design, engineering, and development services to help you bring your ideas to life. Get started today!

[fratboykate]

I'm totally in support of the writers in theory but I'm trying to understand more of what you're fighting for because I've seen some people on twitter claim writers make more money a week than most of us make in a month so I'm trying to understand what the issue is. Also if that info is accurate. This is a genuine question. Not trying to have a "gotcha moment". I really want to hear from a writer.

people have always had wild misconceptions about how much a writer earns because of their lack of understanding of how the industry actually works. there's so many posts about how "you guys make 5k a week. what more do you want?!" yeah...let's do some math on that.

5k a week for 14 weeks (and that's a long room. a lot of rooms these days are 8-10 weeks. those are the dreaded mini-rooms we're trying to kill) is $70,000. for roughly three months of work. you'd think we're cooking with gas...BUT HOLD UP. that's gross! let's see everything that has to come out of that check:

10% to our agent

10% to our manager

5% to our entertainment attorney

5% to our business manager (not everyone has one but a lot of us do. i do, so that's literally 30% immediately off the top of every check)

most of these breakdowns ive seen downplay taxes severely. someone made one that says writers pay 5% in taxes and i would like to ask them "in what universe?". that doesn't even cover state taxes. the way taxes work in the industry is really complicated, but the short of it is most of us have companies for tax reasons so we aren't taxed like people on w2s/1099. if we did we'd be even more fucked. basically every production hires a writer's company instead of the writer as an individual. so they engage our companies for our services and then at the end of the year we (the company) pay taxes as corporations or llcs (depending on what the writer chose to go with). my company is registered as a "corporation" so let's go with those rates. california's corporate rate is 9% and the federal corporate tax rate is 21%. there's other expenses with running a business like fees and other shit so my business managers/accountants/bookkeepers have recommended i save between 35-40% of everything i make for when tax season comes.

you see where the math is at already??? 25-30% in commissions and then 35-40% in taxes. on the lower end you're at THE VERY LEAST looking at 60% of that check gone. 70% worst case scenario. suddenly those $70,000 people claim we make are actually down to $28,000 as the take home pay. and that's if you're only losing 60%. it goes down to $21,000 if it's 70%.

lets pretend you worked a long 14 week room (that's the longest room ive ever worked btw) and let's also be generous and say you only have 60% in expenses so the take home is $28,000. average rent in los angeles is around $2,800-$3,000. if you're paying $2,800 in rent that means you need AT LEAST $4,000 a month to have a semi decent life since you need to also cover groceries, gas, medical expenses, toiletries, phone, internet, utilities, rental and car insurances, car payments, student loan payments, etc etc etc. and again, this is los angeles. everything is more expensive so you're living BARE BONES on 4k. and these are numbers as a single person. im not even taking having children into account. so those $28,000 you take home might cover your life for 6-7 months. 3 of which you're in the room working. the reality is that once that room ends, you might not work in a room again for 6-9-12 months (i have friends whose last jobs were over 18 months ago) and you now only have about 3 months left of savings to hold you over. we have to make that money stretch while we do all the endless free development we do for studios and until we get our next paying job. so...3 months left of enough money to cover your expenses -> possible 9 months of not having a job. this is how writers end up on food stamps or applying to work at target.

this is why we're fighting for better rates and better residuals. residuals were a thing writers used to rely on to get them through the unemployment periods. residual checks have gone down from 20k to $0.03 cents. im not joking.

they've decimated our regular pay and then destroyed residuals. we have nothing left. so don't believe it when they tell you writers are being greedy. writers are simply fighting to be able to make a middle class living. we're not asking them to become poor for our sake. we're asking for raises that amount to 2% of their profit. TWO PERCENT. this is a fight for writing even being a career in five years instead of something you do on the side while you work retail to pay your bills. if you think shows are bad now imagine when your writer has to do it as a hobby because they need a real job to pay their bills and support a family. (which none of us can currently afford to have btw)

support writers. stop being bootlickers for billion dollar corporations. stop caring about fictional people more than you care about the real people that write them. if we don't win this fight it truly is game over. the industry as you know it is gone.

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

You may notice I frequently comment on the assumptions people make about animal facilities based on their branding. Frequently, people assume accredited facilities are inherently better for animals than unaccredited facilities, or assume sanctuaries are inherently more moral / better at caring for their animals than zoos.

I want to show you an example of why I am always, always skeptical of these assumptions.

If you’re in the California area, you might have heard about Hank the Tank - who is actually a Henrietta, btw - the 500 pound nuisance bear from Lake Tahoe who broke into 21 homes in search of food. She was recently captured by wildlife officials and moved to a sanctuary in Colorado. The Wild Animal Sanctuary has three main facilities, two in Colorado and one in TX. To give you some context, it’s the biggest carnivore sanctuary in the country - they advertise somewhere between 300-500 animals, mostly large carnivores, between their properties. It’s where most of the Tiger King cats went. It’s PETA’s preferred placement for confiscated exotic animals. So, obviously, it’s got to be great, right? Except… take a look at what they posted about Henrietta’s arrival.

Here’s their post about Henrietta’s arrival at the Refuge, the large facility in Colorado that isn’t open to the public. Let’s take a closer look at that food trough…

What do we see here? An entire rotisserie chicken that is either blackened or highly seasoned, and a whole ham. Maybe a second chicken underneath the pile, I can’t quite tell. The sanctuary gets the majority of their bear food donated from groceries stores once it’s past the sell-by date, so we know those are older meats and they’re full of a ton of salt. Then, for fruit and veg, there’s a cantaloupe, mango, corn, avocado, grapes, and apples. Maybe a pepper or two, it’s hard to tell. That’s a lot of sugar and not a lot of fiber or roughage.

But… on top of it and to the right… are those Twizzlers?

Yes.

The sanctuary confirmed on Facebook that they fed this recently rescued obese bear what looks like almost an entire pack of Twizzlers.

I don’t know of any world in which it’s appropriate to feed candy to a bear. Maybe a piece or two as a really high value reinforcer for hard behaviors (that isn’t relevant here, it’s openly against this sanctuary’s ethos to do any husbandry or medical training). An entire pack of Twizzlers is just appalling. But it’s not uncommon for this facility! I have a book written about their operations and animal care (that I bought at their gift shop this spring) which openly discusses how the bears get fed bread, doughnuts, marshmallows, and all sorts of incredibly unhealthy food that comes in with the grocery donations.

But hey, this is apparently fine for the bears, according to the sanctuary’s founder. He was quoted in that same book as saying “Bears are the only animal I know of that can eat insane amounts of sugar and it never hurts them. It does not hurt their organs. They do not get clogged arteries. They do not have high blood pressure. In the wild they eat all these sweet berries in the fall, and they convert sugar to fat… so the more sugar they get the better… we would all love to have a system like that!”

Now while it’s true that bears have physiological adaptations that modulate their insulin production and sensitivity in ways that appear to prevent them from from developing diabetes, that does’t mean it’s healthy for them to regularly eat processed carbohydrates, sugar, and general junk food. And remember - Henrietta gained her fame because of how incredibly overweight she already is, and because she was seeking out human food, According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a healthy weight for a normal adult black bear is between 100-300 pounds. So, obviously, the best thing to do is… continue to feed her candy.

Then, later on in the book, it details how they have to bribe a camel to sit tight for a regular medical examination (since they don’t train for medical behaviors) by letting him drink a can of Mountain Dew each time.

If a zoo was known publicly to be feeding their animals Mountain Dew or a couple Twizzlers - even just once, on a rare occasion - they’d be eviscerated in the media and by public opinion. But feeding out inappropriate junk food appears to be a pretty common practice at this place, and it just goes unscrutinized because everyone assumes sanctuaries are inherently better for animals.

So, long story short, never make assumptions about the quality of a facility based on it’s branding or accreditation. (TWAS is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries). If you have concerns about the ethics or practices of a facility, always try to put your preconceptions aside, go and see for yourself, and think critically about what you see and what you’re told.

[psychotrenny]

It’s fucking insane to me how normal Yankee Liberals are about Hawaii. As in like the way they just treat it as an unremarkable fact that their nation controls the island. Like the annexation of Hawaii wasn’t just any old example of Settler-Colonialism, the subjugation of a decentralised non-urbanised people that could be just dismissed as mere “tribes” or what have you. Not to say that such forms of “typical” Settler Colonialism are any less abhorrent or disgusting, just easier to justify from a Liberal point of view. Easier to claim that they weren’t *really* using the land properly or that they were an hopelessly and eternally backwards who only really benefitted from their conquest or that they were doomed and dying anyway and their fate was a mere tragic inevitability not worth dwelling on or… Point is all these arguments are all wrong and stupid and cruel but they can serve well enough to downplay or justify such atrocities in the eyes of Imperial Core Liberals.

But like with Hawaii you don’t have that. The Kingdom of Hawai’i was a sovereign state that was internationally recognised as such by the Great Powers of Europe even at the very height of Western Imperialism. Literacy rates were high and compulsory education was introduced in 1841 (pre-dating the US by 77 years), healthcare was given to all Hawai’ian subjects free of charge, Christianity was dominant (so even the most ardent Imperialist couldn’t claim that the people were in the thrall of some “barbaric superstition” that necessitated the “civilising influence” of empire) and it had a well-developed Capitalist economy dominated by Sugar production.  Like even if we take the Western model of statehood as the be all end all of what separates the civilised from the savage (to be clear hear you really fucking shouldn’t, but many people do so for a second that’s the frame of reference we’ll employ) then Hawai’i was very much unambiguously the former.  But that didn’t stop the US from shamelessly interfering it’s politics Indeed those aformentioned markers of Western-Style “civilisation” and “development” came with the price of allow US missionaries and investors to settler in the islands and become very wealthy and influential. For decades the US used the threat of force to influence the policy decisions of the kingdom, going as far as to regularly send warships in a classic display of “gunboat diplomacy”. In 1887 a US settler militia called the First Honolulu Rifles staged a coup where they forced Kalākaua to accept a new Constitution that heavily favoured the interests of USamerican settlers who had grown very wealthy through their investment in sugar production on the island.  It stripped the Monarchy of much of its power and introducing requirements for voting that heavily favoured US settlers; re-introducing wealth/property requirements that were now higher than even, allowing resident aliens to vote and just outright banning any Asian immigrants from voting (which at that point had as much to do with plain racial hatred as it did to any acting threat they might have posed). This wasn’t enough for the Yanks and 6 years later a group of 13 US settlers known as the “Committee of Safety” outright overthrew the newly crowned Queen Liliʻuokalani when she refused to co-operate. It existed briefly as an “Independent” USamerican dominated republic before the US government decided to official annex it in 1898 (similar to what you saw with Texas or California).

While incredibly controversial at the time due to both strategic concerns with the annexation of ultramarine territories and some level of outrage at the shameless take-over of a sovereign nation (hence the time gap between the coup and the actual annexation), nowadays Yanks enjoy their control over the island without the slightest care in the world. They even turned it into a tourist destination, a heavily romanticised one that not only receives many millions of visitors every year but is constantly mentioned in the popular culture the US then proceeds to export all over the world, literally revelling in their land that is by literally any definition (even the most nakedly pro-imperialist) stolen. The land itself is severely exploited to the point of significant ecological damage, the indigenous peoples too are exploited as many of them live in poverty while US investors grow wealthy from their land and labour. Even their very culture is stolen and monetised, the most marketable parts bastardised into cheap kitsch and the rest of it left to rot, only kept alive through over a century of continued resistance from the indigenous peoples. It’s a very common story of course, but I think it stands out with how utterly ghoulish it is even under the most Liberal of consistently applied worldviews. It would be like if in say 2007 someone set up Disneyland in Bagdad. And yet by the vast majority of the US (and by extension the vassals states whose view of the situation is filtered through the lens of US media and propaganda) it isn’t seen that way. Hawaii is just the 50th state, the only state outside North America and in the tropics (hahaha ain’t that a neat little fact. Geography is so fun J), an island paradise perfect to visit with the whole family and yet still as American as Apple Pie. Even many self-described “progressives” talk about it in this way, at most mentioning the plight of the indigenous Hawaiians with minimal though as to how this situation came about. Like while the story of Hawaii is far from unique; even in terms of the US doing colonialism to Westernised peoples you examples such as the ethnic cleansing of the Five Civilised Tribes from the Eastern USA, it still stands out to me with the sheer level of international recognition and Western-style development that the Kingdom of Hawai’i possessed. Like it’s just such an obvious example of the naked greed at the heart of the USamerican empire, and how utterly bullshit talk of a “civilising mission” and “spreading democracy” is. No matter what they may claim, no matter what excuses they may trot out, Imperialist rapacity has no limits.

[appsvoltllc]

What is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)? And What are the benefits of developing an MVP and how much does it cost?

What is the Minimum Viable Product?

A Minimum Viable Product means a product with limited essential features that can solve users’ primary problems. This method will give insight into how to allocate resources in order to achieve your organization's goals as a whole.

What are the benefits of developing an MVP?

Here are the main benefits:-

1. Product viability

2.Cost-effectiveness. 

3. Test your product in real market conditions.

4. Early feedback 

5. shortest time to market release possible

6. Potential investments

7. Comprehensive software documentation, including a product roadmap

8. Market research, crash tests, and expert advice from seasoned professionals.

A real-life example of MVP?

Airbnb is one of the most successful MVPs. Airbnb was initially an Air Mattress, Bed & Breakfast. In 2008, two designers wanted to see if homeowners were willing to rent out their homes. To try this idea, they built a "Minimum Viable Product" website featuring photos of their apartment. After successfully getting guests, they created AirBnB, a platform where homeowners can rent out their properties. And now, it has a 4 million plus listing of properties and a $30 billion company.

How much does it cost to develop an MVP?

In any new product development, the cost is the most frequent question discussed. The cost of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is dependent on a number of factors, and it is difficult to provide accurate numbers.

The type of the MVP affects its prices too. Non-functional prototypes or low-code solutions might be developed with less capital investment, while other MVPs may require a slightly more substantial amount.

Moreover, the development model you choose has a major role in deciding the cost of MVP. If you decide to develop in-house or hire a team in the US, the hourly rate starts from $150 to $200 USD per hour. And Offshore development teams charge $40 to $60 USD per hour. So even if it takes around 500 hours to develop an MVP, the cost of development in the US will be $75,000 to $100,000 USD, while the Offshore Development team develops the MVP for approximately $20,000 to $30,000 USD. You need to consider various factors while selecting the MVP development model. Appsvolt offers a mix of onshore and offshore IT Staff Augmentation services to keep the initial development costs low while maintaining quality. 

 Do you have a product idea in your mind?

At Appsvolt, we will assist you in identifying User Flow and Core features that can be included in the MVP. Our Design & Development team will make sure to have an attractive UI/UX with a quality product. 

[synergytop]

SynergyTop is the best custom software development company in California. They provide services in eCommerce development, mobile app development, erp implementations, from product design to development and maintenance. Contact: 619-349-4911, to get the services or drop your query at info@synergytop.com.

[harmonictechnicality]

model!steve and voice actor!Eddie (part 2)

part 1 here | ao3 link here | the temp is up on this one so like... dni if under 18 pls

Steve spends a lot of his spare time at the gym. Comes with the territory of modeling or whatever. Gotta keep himself strong, without developing bulging muscles. Gotta keep himself toned, without becoming too lean. Somewhat of a balancing act to this media fuckery circus.

Times are changing, yeah maybe. But not for puffy-lipped preps with killer bone structure. Steve still falls under the category of stereotypical Pretty Boy, and he’s chill with that. Fucking owns it.

Most days…

He’s currently cooling down on the treadmill - brisk walk, almost a jog. It’s a good pace for multitasking some adult shit that he needs to get done. Staying hydrated, keeping his photoshoot calendar up-to-date, answering a few emails. Yada yada.

Steve takes a swig of his seaweed (more like arsenic) smoothie. Opens the top email that reads:

The Fallen King - Final Commercial Cut

Right. Steve almost forgot about this particular shoot. Well, tried to repress the thoughts of that mega-douche director who kept referring to Steve’s ass as ‘prime real estate.’ Fucking creep.

He scrolls down to the attached file and slides his headphones back over his ears.

The ad opens with a wide shot of Steve draped over the throne, fog swelling around the bottom of the screen. The music is an eerie cello solo, set to a heavy bassline. 

Just another oversexualized cologne campaign, he thinks. Probably will barely feature the product because they paid big money for Steve’s body. Gotta get their fill of it (ha, they fucking wish Steve would fill them up).

But then the narration rolls into his ears and the room does a somersault. Practically inverts it’s axis at the sound dripping in Steve’s ears:

‘The mighty will fall from grace…’

“Oh shit.” Steve almost wipes out on the treadmill, has to catch his fall on the side bars. His knees are tingling, calves molten and shaky. Already half hard, which is definitely going to be a problem in these flimsy, mesh gym shorts.

‘Forbidden love and public slander…’

But that voice. That tone. That sinful register set in the minor key of Holy Fuck.

‘Will bring them to their knees.’

Alright, that fucking does it. Steve pauses the video before he’s fully tenting-out in a goddamn fitness center. Packs up his shit, chucks the sludge smoothie in the trash, and finds an empty stall. Emphatically locks it.

“Agh, damnit!” Steve's thumb slips over the screen and exits out of the video. It scrolls back to the top of the email - a new message has been added to the chain.

Seriously, what obnoxious fucker does ‘Reply All’ these days?

The new message reads:

Great work, team. (Sorry for being such a vocal slut.)

(… Not that sorry though.) - Eddie Munson

That’s right - the voice artist. Almost didn’t recognize the voice, but the repressed memory of that day comes flying to the surface when Steve sees the name. 

He recalls the guy being objectively cute too. Not in the California ‘sun-kissed skin’ kind of way. More in the Seattle ‘rain forces me to be a pale homebody’ kind of way. His eyes were something else though. They reminded Steve of the sepia tone filters he used in his early modeling portfolio. No way in hell Steve could ever forget knockout eyes like that.

The locker room is empty. Steve reopens the video, raises the volume high enough to mute out the thin hum from the air conditioning unit. Only wants to hear Eddie’s voice. That’s it. 

He’s already touching himself when the first phrase falls out of the headphones. Can’t even help it now that he’s alone. It’s all too good. Works himself up all stuffy and sensitive by the time the new part comes up:

‘Drenched in their guilt. Soaked in their shame.’

Fucking christ.

‘Choking on worthless confessions…’

Nope. Nope. Absolutely not. Choking? Worthless? What is this, a sado hotline? Steve feels the heat spreading on his neck, flushed over in a non-exercise way. There’s a thump in his dick, has to squeeze his fingers around it. Like his body needs a reminder to calm the fuck down.

‘Until all that is left of them is desolate darkness.’

Pretty sure the raspy exhale after every phrase is going to do Steve in, saturate his last ounce of dignity with want. Eddie’s breathing is taking Steve’s breath away, and that’s an outright mindfuck. Earfuck. 

Something is getting fucked, and somehow, Steve still needs more.

While the song sustains, Steve strokes himself to the percussive rhythm. 

‘The Fallen King. The scent of secrets.’

The hiss on the last syllable fades into the music till everything fizzles out, going dead silent.

Well, everything goes silent except for Steve, who is utterly rattled. Can hear his dense breath and it’s way too noisy for a public space. The pulse in his neck is irregular, hitched the fuck up. His smartwatch is buzzing, alerting him that his heart rate is elevated, which duh. His whole body feels like it underwent some sexual awakening in the middle of a fitness center. 

And, sure. That’s a common place for people to realize how gay and desperate they are, but not like this. Not with zero visuals of sweaty bodies. 

Before he starts the video over to… finish the job, a phone call lights up his screen. Because of course it does.

He reads the name and swipes it open. “What’s up, Buckley?”

“I need coffee.” Robin whines, already pouting into the phone speaker no doubt. 

“You always need coffee.”

“Yeah but like… it tastes better when you buy me coffee.”

“Oh, so you want to mooch off of your own client?” Steve teases because he can. They can annoy the shit out of each other and write it off as endearment. “Pretty unprofessional of you, Ms. Manager.”

Robin groans. Makes it a long one too - probably to show off both her annoyance and lung capacity. “Fuck all the way off, you were my friend first. Always friends first.”

“Always friends first.” Steve agrees. She’s right, usually is about most things. Robin has been his manager since his last agency went bankrupt from pouring their funds into promoting Fyre Fest. And everyone knows that turned out to be an entire fuckshow.

Honestly, it’s easier this way - Robin being his manager. They get to hang out more, he has more input on gigs that he’s interested in…

Interested in. Huh. The metaphorical lightbulb flicks on in Steve’s voice-drunk brain. Having his best friend as his manager is also convenient when Steve needs the phone number of a certain co-worker.

“Alright, fine.” Steve has a sly grin on as he talks. “I’ll bring over some coffee.”

“Thank god.”

“If!”

“Ugh.”

He huffs out a laugh. “If you can send me the cast and crew contact sheet from the Fallen King commercial.”

“Ew, why?” Robin asks, sounds totally repulsed. Valid, that shoot was Objectification Station.

But truly, Steve’s not in the mood to make up an excuse. He’s sore and sweaty and half-hard. So he just gets to the damn point. “Look, do you want coffee or not?”

“Okay okay.” That’s one way to speed up the process. Caffeine threats - works every time. “Dropping the file to you now.” 

“You’re the best.” Steve sings.

“I know, I know.” And the line clicks dead.

Okay. This is not a booty call, it’s not.

Steve is just texting a semi-stranger to tell him that his voice is potentially the hottest thing he’s ever heard. Okay, he’ll definitely phrase it better than that, maybe throw a few emojis in there to normalize the tone. Soften it up to sound very un-stalkery.

Yeah. Not a booty call. And if Eddie happens to send an audio message, and Steve happens to jerk off to it… still not a booty call, right?

Pathetic, maybe. But not basic, thank fuck.

He types, then re-types the message out way too many times before settling on this:

Steve: Great work on the commercial voiceover! Got ur number from the call sheet. hope that’s cool.

Steve hits send before realizing he didn’t have the goddamn common sense to introduce himself. He’s not even a rookie at hookups, why is he suddenly so frazzled by this guy?

“This is Steve by the way…” he mumbles into an audio message. Hits send, then quickly makes another:

“The… model guy.”

The model guy? What in the flustered hell is going on with him?

A chime notification goes off maybe two minutes after Steve sends the last message. Which is like… hot. Shameless fast texters are a millennial turn-on, for sure.

It’s a voice text, so Steve takes thirty seconds to calm down whatever involuntary throb just happened in his sweatpants. He sucks in some air and presses play:

“Pretty sure all the kids these days just send a ‘u up’ message to people they wanna dick down at midnight.”

Damn. Eddie’s voice sounds totally different, but just as sexy. Like amateur porn sexy. Is amateur audio porn a thing? It should be.

Steve quickly saves the audio file and types back.

Steve:  Ok pls don’t mention ‘kids’ while I’m trying to flirt with u

Eddie: Waitwaitwait So we're definitely flirting right now? I actually interpreted that correctly?

Steve: Like u said It’s midnight So… *shrug emoji*

And a phone call comes through. Eddie’s contact name flashing in a harsh light, too blinding and too unexpected. Steve’s heart is hammering at his rib cage, suddenly so fucking nervous. He waits until the last ring to answer, buys himself some time cause god knows, he needs it.

Steve takes a breath and swallows. “He-”

“Okay, so you do realize this is the sewer rat voice actor guy from the commercial shoot, right?” Eddie interrupts, sounds out of breath. “And not like… a fellow model or Timothee Chalamet’s cousin or something?”

That earns a hearty laugh and eye-roll from Steve. “He is so not my type.”

“Thought he was everyone’s type.”

“Nah.” Steve rolls onto his belly, very giddy and disarmed by the ease of the exchange. His nerves are set aside, replaced with his usual confidence. “More into sewer rat voice actor guys.”

“That… is some very specific criteria.” Eddie coughs or maybe it's just a dry laugh. He sounds pleased as hell, so laugh seems more likely. “Holy shit, I’m flirting with a model!”

“You’re cute." Steve should not be so charmed right now, but the impulsive honesty is really doing it for him. "Dorky, but cute.” 

Eddie mumbles something incoherent, then clears his throat. Speaks quieter this time. “So why’d you text?”

“So why’d you call?”

“Just, uh… needed confirmation that this is real life.”

Steve lets out a ‘hmm,’ thinks of a proper response to that. “If I was there, I could pinch you. Ya know... so you’d know it’s real.” Okay. Maybe not proper, but whatever. It’s late. His brain is half scrambled from hormones and exhaustion, cut him some slack.

“Would do a lot more than pinch you if you were actually here.” And sure, Eddie might have mumbled that, but Steve clearly heard it. He heard exactly what Eddie just suggested.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Fuck, we’re doing this?” Eddie whispers.

Steve turns onto his back again, lets his hand wander down. “If you’re into that. Like hearing your voice, Eddie.”

“Like hearing you say my name like that.” And Eddie sounds like he means it. His tone is smoothing over, the same way it did in the narration. “You sound so worked up already.”

Steve moans, chest falling hard enough that the phone slips. Has to reposition it to get all that good vocal seduction back in his ear.

“God, wish I could see what you look like right now.” Eddie exhales, getting that nice rasp that Steve likes so much. It’s sultry and rich. Breathless at just the right moments. “Bet you’re lying down, aren’t you? Phone wedged between your neck and ear cause your hands are too busy to hold it properly. Am I right?”

“Yeah.” Steve pushes past the waistband of his sweatpants, then his boxers.

Eddie hums. Growls. “The things I’d do to you like that. Lying down, looking so eager to please. Saw how good you are at taking direction that day of the shoot. Does that apply in the bedroom too, baby?”

“It… fuck.” Steve strokes himself slowly. Can barely get the words out cause it feels like he's chewing on Eddie's voice. Swallowing every syllable. “Yeah, it does.”

“See - that’s the problem, isn’t it?”

“Problem?”

“That I don’t know what you’re into. How you like it.”

“Pretty open to… trying things.” Steve reassures, eyes closing to soak in every sensation. “Just keep talking.”

And thank all that is holy, Eddie does just that. He keeps talking. “Can’t stop thinking about that pretty neck of yours. How I’d kiss it, suck on it till your skin goes tender and soft under my lips. Till your head rolls back like it did in that video.”

Eddie's words are syrup. Heavy and tempting. “I’d let you rest it on my shoulder while I get my hands all over you. See what sweet spots drive you wild, get you to squirm for me.”

Steve's grip tightens, pumping at a pace that’s close to getting fucked. A pace that makes it easier to pretend that it’s Eddie’s hand wrapped around him, making his vision blurred and spotty - even with his eyes screwed shut.

“Eddie, you’re… oh my god.” Steve whines, knows it must be pretty fucking loud with the speaker smushed against his cheek. “You’re so good at this.”

Eddie shushes him, sounds like he’s snickering a bit. “I’d tease you like that until your thighs start to tremble. Until you beg me to go further. End the torture.”

“Fucking christ…please.” Guess Steve really is that good at taking direction. Or maybe he’s extra easy for guys that turn his brain into liquor. Too busy begging to know which one it might be. “Keep going.”

Eddie’s laugh is dark and rough. “Sounds nice hearing you beg like that. Like sin.”

Feels like sin too. 

Steve’s fingers are slicked nicely with precome. The friction of his palm is making everything warmer, better. And stirring all of those feelings up with Eddie’s voice? Fucking hell, Steve is close. He’s so damn- “Okay, okay. If we don’t stop, I’m gonna-”

“I know.” Eddie purrs, sweetly mean. “Thought that was the point.”

“Cannot believe I'm about to say this, but maybe…” Steve has to dig his hand out from his boxers to complete the sentence. Knocks his head against the wall because his behavior is totally batshit right now. “Maybe I want to see you again first? Is that weird?”

His skin sort of tingles from going this long without finishing. Never solved the blue-balling issue back at the gym either, so Steve’s on the verge of climax insanity right now. Didn’t think he’d discover an edging kink at the ripe age of twenty-five, but eureka. Here it is.

“Not weird.” Eddie’s voice returns back to a calmer one. The one that doesn’t make Steve want to bend over and get fucked so hard that his organs shift around. “I mean, I’m weird, sure. But wanting to complete this in person is not weird. Very un-weird, in fact.”

“You talk a lot.”

“Yeah well… voice actor.” Eddie says, sort of deadpan. “You couldn’t see that, but I just did ‘razzle dazzle’ hands.”

Shit, Steve really likes this guy. He just used the phrase ‘razzle dazzle hands,’ and Steve is still horny for him. Wow.

“Is tomorrow too soon?” Steve manages to say before overthinking it.

“Tomorrow-tomorrow, or like today-tomorrow?” Eddie asks. “Cause it’s past midnight.”

Right. Booty call time moves at an entirely different pace than normal time does. “Today-tomorrow. If you’re free.”

“Free as a dead composer’s anthology of music.” Eddie answers happily.

Steve opens his mouth to respond, then shuts it because what? What does that even mean? Is that a yes or a no? Goddamnit, his head hurts. Too many questions, not enough orgasms.

“Most classical music is royalty-free.” Eddie clears his throat, sounds like he’s tapping on something. “… So yeah. I’m free.”

“Right.” Steve chuckles, hard to believe he’s unapologetically gushing. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Eddie.”

“Great. See you today, Steve.” Eddie is still snorting at his own joke while the call ends.

They haven’t sorted out any of the details yet, but it doesn’t matter. It’s happening. It’s real.

So real, that he wants an actual date with Eddie before steamy phone sex. He wants to make Eddie laugh before making him come. That's like... unheard of for Steve. Uncharted.

Damn.

Today-tomorrow can’t come soon enough.

[iww-gnv]

Workers at Sega of America, representing multiple departments, have voted to form a union. With 91 employees voting yes out of a total number of 212 eligible employees, the Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (also known as AEGIS-CWA) becomes the fifth video game union in the United States and its largest multi-department video game union. The AEGIS union drive was announced in April but was a year in coming for the workers at Sega of America’s Burbank and Irvine, California, offices. AEGIS-CWA is the US’s fifth video game union overall, joining groups at Raven Software, Blizzard Albany, ZeniMax, and VR / AR game developer Tender Claws. In addition to being among the first video game unions in the country, AEGIS-CWA will also represent workers across a multitude of departments including brand marketing, games as a service, localization, marketing services, product development operations, product development, sales, quality assurance teams, and more, making it the largest multi-discipline video game union in the United States.

[eov-blogs]

How mobile apps can help travel businesses increase bookings

In today’s fast-paced world, mobile apps have become indispensable tool for businesses across industries. The travel sector is no exception, as travel businesses increasingly leverage mobile apps to enhance customer experiences and drive bookings. With the right features and functionalities, a well-designed mobile app can be a game-changer, revolutionizing the way travel businesses interact with customers and ultimately leading to increased bookings. In this blog, we’ll explore how the right mobile app can help travel businesses soar to new heights by boosting their bookings.

Seamless Booking Process:

The primary function of a travel app is to allow customers to easily search, browse, and book travel services. By providing a streamlined and intuitive booking process, mobile apps can remove barriers that might otherwise discourage potential travelers from completing their bookings. With a user-friendly interface, intuitive navigation, and a hassle-free payment process, customers are more likely to convert their intentions into actual bookings.

Personalization and Recommendations:

Mobile apps enable travel businesses to gather data about their customers’ preferences, behavior, and past interactions. Leveraging this data, travel businesses can offer personalized recommendations and travel itineraries. By suggesting relevant destinations, accommodations, activities, and packages, the app creates a tailored experience that resonates with the individual traveler. This personal touch can significantly influence the decision-making process, leading to increased bookings.

Real-Time Updates:

Travel plans can be unpredictable, and customers appreciate being kept informed in real-time. Mobile apps can provide timely updates on flight status, hotel availability, weather conditions, and more. By keeping travelers informed about any changes or disruptions, travel businesses can build trust and reliability, ultimately enhancing the customer experience and boosting their confidence in making bookings through the app.

Loyalty Programs and Rewards:

Travel businesses can incentivize repeat bookings by integrating loyalty programs and rewards into their mobile apps. Offering discounts, special offers, and exclusive perks to loyal customers encourages them to choose your services over competitors. Such programs can foster a sense of belonging and appreciation, further increasing customer retention and driving more bookings.

User-Generated Content:

Positive reviews, ratings, and testimonials play a pivotal role in influencing potential travelers. A well-designed mobile app can enable customers to share their experiences and leave reviews directly from their devices. Travel businesses can showcase user-generated content to build trust and authenticity, helping to attract new customers and convert them into bookings.

Location-Based Services:

Geolocation technology in mobile apps allows travel businesses to offer location-based services. For instance, the app can suggest nearby attractions, restaurants, and activities based on the traveler’s current location. This feature enhances the overall travel experience and encourages users to explore more, ultimately leading to additional bookings.

Customer Support and Engagement:

A mobile app can serve as a direct communication channel between the travel business and its customers. With in-app chat, FAQs, and customer support features, travelers can easily find answers to their queries and concerns. Prompt and effective customer support not only enhances user satisfaction but also helps resolve issues that might otherwise hinder bookings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the right mobile app can be a powerful tool for travel businesses looking to increase their bookings. By providing a seamless booking process, personalization, real-time updates, loyalty programs, user-generated content, location-based services, and robust customer support, travel businesses can enhance the overall customer experience. A well-designed mobile app doesn’t just serve as a booking platform; it becomes a travel companion that guides, assists, and enriches the traveler’s journey. Embracing mobile technology can give travel businesses a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving industry, ultimately leading to greater success and growth.

As a leading software development company, specialized in travel tech, we can certainly help you change the face of your online business game! Contact us now to know what we can do for your travel business!

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1953 Dodge ‘Zeder’ Storm Z-250

1953 Dodge ‘Zeder’ Storm Z-250 Concept with body by Bertone

One-off

The Storm Z-250 was developed by Chrysler engineer Fred Zeder to evaluate the feasibility of producing a vehicle that would capture a portion of the growing American sports car market.

Built on a rigid tube frame chassis (built mostly by Chrysler engineer, John Butterfield, in his basement), it was intended to be a dual-purpose sports/racing car because Zeder Jr. envisioned a car with swappable bodies.

In 1952, while on Christmas vacation in Europe, Zeder visited Fiat's Chief Engineer in Turin.

Dante Giacosa recommended a visit to Bertone.

Though they were busy designing and building the Alfa Romeo BAT series, they agreed to build the body for Zeder's new car and promised three months to finish the car.

It took nine months to finish.

Unique to the Storm Z-250 was that the comfortable ‘touring’ body could be removed by unscrewing four bolts and replaced with an ultralight 150-pound fiberglass body for ‘racing’.

The mechanical components of the car included a Dodge hemi V8 truck engine with 260hp and 330ft-lbs of torque.

Other parts came from Plymouth and Dodge vehicles, including brakes, radiator, clutch, fuel tank, rear axle, and the steering system.

The transmission was a new unit developed by the Spicer Division of Dana Corporation.

The Storm did not reach the assembly line because high production costs would have made it too expensive to sell in profitable quantities.

The Z-250 would have competed with the Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette, and the Kaiser-Darrin.

Zeder drove the Z-250 for 16 years.

He loaned it to the Northwood University where it remained until 1992.

Unfortunately, water leaked into the cylinders so the engine was removed and replaced with a 1965 Dodge V8 with two four-barrel carburetors.

After the work was completed, Zeder continued to drive the car in his home in California.