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dunitask · 3 years

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15 Best Ways To Earn Money Both Online and Offline

Once you're able to turn your enthusiasm to generate money, chances can be endless! Just have a rest and think profoundly about individuals living around you. Which services do they really want daily/monthly? In those, which solutions can you provide to them? The epic earning suggestions lie inside your mind! Happy earning! Dunitask is here with the 15 best ways to earn more money both online and offline. Here we go.

Trading electronic stuff & used phones:

If you have a used mobile phone or game station system (PS4/PS5), you can sell it on sites. You can look into a trade program, which pays participants and offers money for your gadget. Direct Selling Method: Usually, you capture photos of your phone, confirm ESN (Electronic Serial Number) is pretty clean and post your listing. Some sites will review and approve postings, where the time is negligible. You will be paid as fast as the item is sold. Selling to Reseller Method: At first, you need to ship your mobile phone to the reseller party. Inspecting is required before payment, usually done via check or online paying procedure depending on the reseller.

Ride-Sharing:

Join ride-sharing companies and gain money by driving passengers around. These companies can pay instantly via debit card or transfer your income to your bank account very quickly. You have to keep few things in mind as – - Loading fuel (gas, octane, diesel, etc.) and maintenance costing. - Owning a functional car, - An agreement with the company for background checking, - Sharing a review of your driving history with the company. - Don’t forget to notify the car insurance company about start driving.

Making deliveries:

Nowadays the delivery trend is overgrowing, and you can be part of this to make some side income. You will be paid for every delivery, and sometimes you may earn tips a bit! If you’re thinking about making deliveries, you’ll have to keep in mind a few things such as – - You will have to sign up for a service. - A smartphone is essential to accept and process deliveries. - You’ll need a means of transport to deliver products. It could be a bike, scooter, or car, depending on the company. To make deliveries, few companies will allow you to use a motorcycle or scooter. - Payment procedure varies by companies like daily, weekly or twice a week.

YouTube videos:

A smartphone is very available today. With some videography skills, you can use your smartphone to make videos for YouTube. You can film from anywhere with high-resolution cameras. Usually, smartphones contain high-resolution cameras. These videos can be about any topic in which sphere you are skilled, like sports, gaming, cooking, Tech related, educational, etc. You can receive donations on Youtube! Did you know? By adding this feature, receiving the donation is an extra way to generate passive income. In live streaming, you will notice the amounts rise significantly. You will have to build a large number audience firstly. So, you can assume that they will give you something. Isn’t it cool? Say, for example, you do a one-hour live stream in which you have a Q&A session (answering questions). Here you can earn a pretty extra cent with this. Besides, you’ll be able to view the live stream again later, where you can place advertisements all over again. If you repeatedly merge regular videos with live streams, you’ll be able to earn money in two ways simultaneously.

E-book writing:

Do you have a passion for writing? If the answer is yes, then you can use your love to earn money from the internet. You can sell your own written book via your website. On the other way, you can sell your own written book on e-reader sites. There remain possibilities that you will get up to seventy percent of the whole profit! You may write about any topic, but you must know a lot about that. By the way, make sure that your e-book is worth reading! Happy writing!

Sell your Photos & Video footages:

If you are good at taking pictures or recording footage, then you can gain money from this passion. There are lots of sites that allow you to upload your photos and footage. These sites have massive user bases. People usually do visit, and if anyone does license your photo, you will be paid! At a point, you'll create your stock portfolio, where you need to spend a lot of time. You may browse through the marketplaces above to find the most popular styles. Finally, you can create your niche and upload frequently. Make a better portfolio, increase chances of success! It's not only about making money; it's a matter of honor also. Using your good-quality video clips and photos, you can build a fanbase for your work.

Customer Support Jobs:

The Internet makes the world connected. With the progress of internet-based businesses, people are becoming more independent. They are earning plenty of money from the internet nowadays. Besides, these jobs can be both online and offline. You can support the customer services from home or being at an office following company policies. Both day & night shift exists for this type jobs. Find which shift and company suits you, make your career fruitful!

Supermarket Jobs:

Whether you're a student searching for the easiest ways to how to earn money offline to start a career, grocery stores provide a spread of employment prospects. Open schedule availableness will increase probabilities for hire, as several grocery stores keep open late at midnight or throughout weekends and holidays. Entry-level grocery positions typically don't need candidates who hold previous work expertise or high school diplomas, although some employers might favor pursuing candidates with formal educations.

Tutor:

Whenever it comes to earning money as a student, tutoring jobs are a way to make income without a long-term commitment. In this case, whether you’re a college student or a teacher, it doesn’t matter much. For tutoring cases, the academic background is needed for the subject you want to tuition. Patience, communication skills, and minimal experiences are required for tutor jobs.

Teacher’s Assistant Jobs:

If you’re studious, disciplined, and brainstorm about the best ways to make passive income, the Teacher’s Assistant job is perfect for you! What does a teacher’s assistant do? A teacher’s assistant informs a lead teacher and insists the lead teacher runs smoothly by taking on everyday classroom tasks in the lead teacher’s way. An assistant teacher’s daily tasks include performing clerical duties like recording attendance, grading exams, and home tasks. The payment system depends on university policies.

Developing online courses:

This is the most trendy way to make money online. Amongst online passive income ideas, conducting online courses is both smarter and honorable. If you're dynamic at something, making an online course for this is more stylish. Out there remains a lot of websites with millions of students looking for new online classes every day. You can conduct a study plan for these guys as well as sell courses. There are plenty of sales channels to sell an online course; use Google to find what suits you best and earn money with that. You can also categorize your programs as free, standard & premium by fixing these packages' reasonable prices. In this way, people will quickly grab courses by their capability. See also: How to deal With Stress For Students - What are the best foods to eat when studying? - Top 20 Interview Questions to Ask a Software Engineer - 11 Best Reasons Why Students Ignore Computer Science

Stock Investment:

Buying stocks is also part of passive income online for a long period. Here the process is - you buy shares and claim a part of the profit after a certain period. If you’re about to buy shares, keep in mind that you are buying shares from reliable companies which are likely to generate fruitful profit! Your earnings depend on the amount of money you have been provided. When you become a master at how stock markets working, your predictions will be more appropriate.

Virtual Assistant:

If you're dynamic at doing the plan and organize stuff, then a virtual assistant might be the appropriate choice for you. A virtual assistant's work responsibilities include general bookkeeping, entering data, managing emails, research, etc. This profession can be an excellent way to earn money online and contact essential people as well. Nowadays, a bunch of small business owners is dropping the idea of taking full-time team members. They prefer virtual assistants for their tasks.

Teaching University/College students:

During university or College break time, students pass their free time by gossiping, chatting, gaming, etc. You can pick that time and teach students in that free time. At first, you need to reach them in your convenient way (online or offline), convince them to learn (the subject you will conduct), and advertise yourself. If you don't want to waste your valuable time, You can get ideas to earn money in university life.

Delivering Accessories for University/College projects:

Those who always think about how to earn money offline, It's the best idea for them. In every educational institute, there happen many projects like DIY projects, microcontroller-based projects, science projects, etc. You can provide equipment for these projects as a circuit board, ultrasonic sensor, ready-made projects, etc. You can collect products from wholesale or retailers and give parts to students with a convenient profit.

Conclusion:

You can always do a brainstorm and find a suitable way to how to earn money offline. Just make sure that your works are worth reading/watching/learning. When you can turn your passion to make money, possibilities can be endless! Just take a break and think deeply about people living around you. Which services do they need daily/monthly? In those, which services can you provide for them? If you think about these through virtual reality, find out which online services you can provide. The epic earning tricks lie within your brain! Just find it out and hit it. Happy earning! Read the full article

#bestwaystomakepassiveincome #easyearn #moneyfrominternet #onlinepassiveincomeideas

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coolgreatwebsite · 5 years

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Cool Games I Finished In 2019 (In No Real Order)

We’re here. The end of the decade. 2019 was a weird, turbulent year for me. Despite my cross-country move already being a year behind me somehow, nothing’s really settled yet. Living situation is still weird, still separated from most of my belongings, I left my full-time QA job for a contractor position at a mobile game advertising company that may or may not convert into a full-time position... everything about what’s going on with me still just feels like I’m completely winging it, and while that’s not a position I’m really comfortable being in for such an extended amount of time, everything seems to be working out okay enough despite it. All this is probably why I spent most of my time playing the shit out of a handful of games rather than playing a bunch of different games this year! Needed some sort of stability. Also when I did manage to pull myself away from the timesink games and play something else, a lot of them ranged from “okay” to “real bad”. But I still managed to play just enough stuff that I liked to where I can put out yet another one of these. Here’s a bunch of cool games I experienced for the first time in 2019.

Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst (PC, 2005)

I haven’t bothered to do two thirds of the story quests yet and have barely touched any Episode 4 content so this game technically doesn’t count for this list, but if I left it off I would be neglecting to mention an extremely large portion of my video game playing time this year. I fell back into PSO preeeettty hard this year after the surprise announcement of Phantasy Star Online 2 finally coming to the US. Guess what: game still rules. It feels stiff to play and it’s obviously far less expansive than it seemed back in 2000, but the core of Phantasy Star Online is still as fun as it ever was and the aesthetics are still entirely my shit. I love everything about the way this game looks and sounds, I love stumbling on a weird new weapon, I love participating in the custom seasonal events the server I’m on runs, and I love how oddly relaxing the experience of playing this game and taking it all in is. I will probably continue to play Phantasy Star Online into 2020. I will probably still dip back into it after PSO2 US servers finally launch. If I know you and you want to join my Discord server for PSO get at me. PSO forever.

Cookie’s Bustle (PC, 1999)

You ever play a game that just speaks to you? Even through a language barrier? A game so incredibly out there and bizarre in the exact way you love that you can’t help but adore it despite barely understanding it? Holy moly did I ever find that game. I learned about Cookie’s Bustle through a news story last year about some rare games leaking from a Japanese collector’s stash. Didn’t manage to get it to run back then, but my off and on attempts to get it working finally paid off in March of this year and I’m so glad I kept trying. I knew nothing of this game other than it had a weird name and was about a bear doing sports, and it turned out to be a fully voice-acted and mostly unsubtitled adventure game starring Cookie Blair, a 5 year old girl from New Jersey who sees herself as a teddy bear and has traveled to Bombo World, an island nation once visited by aliens and currently in the middle of a civil war, to participate in the Bombo Sports Tournament. Dead level, I probably shouldn’t have been able to genuinely love Cookie’s Bustle as much as I did. The only context I had for what was happening and what I was supposed to do was provided by a 20-year-old Google translated walkthrough with broken images, the game’s slightly higher than usual reliance on English loan words, and 30-ish years of video games and anime allowing me to halfway pick up on a handful of Japanese words. However, Cookie’s Bustle is dripping with an undeniable and off-beat charm that genuinely transcends language. Even if you can’t understand the words and specifics, you can understand the basic plot, characterizations, and emotions they’re going for. Cookie’s Bustle manages to both be completely off-the-wall bizarre and feel totally genuine and heartfelt at the same time, a balance very few games manage to successfully hit but many of my favorites do. One could say that’s why it seems to have resonated with a decent amount of other people this year, too. Games rarely make me feel sad that they’re over. but when they do that’s how I know they’re one of the good ones. Seriously, go look up a longplay or stream of Cookie’s Bustle if you (understandably) don’t want to go through the hassle of setting it up and figuring out how to play it, it’s impossible not to love.

Devil May Cry 5 (PlayStation 4, 2019)

Here’s something crazy to think about: Devil May Cry 4 came out 11 years ago. Aside from being a potent reminder that time is moving too fast and we’re all going to die soon, that means that there hasn’t been a DMC for over a decade. Devil May Cry 5 does not bare this fact even a little bit. Not only did they pick up right where they left off and manage to make another Devil May Cry game without missing a beat, they made arguably the best Devil May Cry game. I mean I still like the story and single-character focus of DMC3 the best, but DMC5 is the best playing game in the series without a doubt. Nero finally feels like he has a complete and complex toolset, Dante is the most mechanically dense and fun to play he’s ever been, and they even added a new guy that’s... neat to play as, until you start trying to S-rank the harder difficulties. Then he’s kind of annoying to play as. But it’s still cool that they tried something totally different and mostly got it to work! They also did something very stupid that I love and used this game as an excuse to make literally every single piece of Devil May Cry media canon. Like, characters exclusively from the anime and the books show up and act like they’re someone you already know and love? And they go out of their way to explain the most esoteric lore shit possible?? And despite it all they still intentionally give DMC2 as short a shrift as they can??? It’s so dumb, it rules. It’s just one of the many things about the game that show that even with so long of a gap between entries, no love for the series was lost by the people that make it. I don’t think the suits at Capcom expected this game to hit as hard as it did though, because despite there being clear areas where the game could be expanded on with DLC there still hasn’t been anything announced. I hope they’re maybe saving it for some sort of DMC3-esque special edition, or maybe just already working on DMC6, because even after getting all S-ranks I still wanted to play more. The game’s just that damn good.

Hypnospace Outlaw (PC, 2019)

I expected very little from Hypnospace Outlaw. I backed the game on Kickstarter solely because it looked cool and I thought a game about fake GeoCities was neat, and then I immediately forgot about it until it released. Admittedly my lack of expectations stemmed mostly from the fact that it’s kind of hard to set expectations for a game you never really thought too hard about, but even in the brief period of time where I considered it enough to give it money, I never expected it to be much more than a pretty-looking 101 Great GeoCities Jokez delivery vehicle. Boy was I wrong. I mean, it is incredibly good at that, but Hypnospace Outlaw is so much more than a funny period piece. The basic premise is that you’re in alternate universe 1999 and have just become a community moderator for an Internet service provider that allows people to connect to the Internet while they sleep. You’re tasked with browsing the game’s weird fake Internet and issuing demerits to users who violate the five basic Hypnospace rules, but it quickly evolves into something way bigger. Hypnospace Outlaw’s greatest strength is its exceptional ability at weaving together subtle world building, small and engaging character arcs, esoteric microjokes, and a genuine sense of mystery and discovery into an incredibly cohesive and engaging package. It’s as much a game about the people that use and run its weird fake Internet as it is about that weird fake Internet itself. And a lot of the problems both face echo the problems we face with our real world Internet today. When I was mapping out writing this article like a month or two ago I was prepared to go on about how at its core, Hypnospace Outlaw is an incredibly poignant story about how uncaring tech corporations actively harm their users and always have, but then a couple of days ago I read Colin Spacetwinks’ game of the year list and his #1 entry put most everything I would have said about that topic down in a way more eloquent and well-written way than I ever could have. And then I remembered that Friend Of The Site Heidi Kemps covered some of the same angle but from the perspective of the early Internet in an article earlier this year, again way better than I could have. So I highly recommend you read those when you’re done here. What I wanna bring up instead is just how effortlessly surprising and interconnected a lot of stuff in Hypnospace feels, using a mildly spoiler-ish late game example. Two of the first “zones” you’re allowed to moderate when you start Hypnospace Outlaw are Teentopia and Goodtime Valley, which are essentially alternate universe Yahooligans and a little slice of Hypnospace just for Boomers respectively. On Teentopia you’ll see a bunch of kids that are wild for Squisherz, Hypnospace’s alternate universe version of Pokémon, and over in Goodtime Valley you’ll see (much like there was back in real world 1999) a few pages made by religious fundamentalists convinced that everything the kids like these days is the work of Satan. This of course includes Squisherz, and you can find a page by one organization full of crackpot conspiracy theories with flimsy evidence that TOTALLY DEFINITELY backs up their claim. Squisherz contains a wolf, which the Bible warns about many times! This giraffe monster CLEARLY has a pentagram in its design!! And the eye of this snake-like Squisherz is the eye of Horus, an Egyptian occult symbol and NEED I REMIND YOU that Lucifer took the form of a snake in the Garden of Eden!!! It is very clear what this page is goofing on and throughout the course of the game it doesn’t get updated at all, so it’s very easy to laugh at it and forget about it. Very late into the game, you get an optional sidequest. Adrian Merchant, one of the CEOs of Merchantsoft, the company that created Hypnospace, was found out to have logged traffic indicating he was a frequent visitor of a website called Children of HORUS, and a call is put out to investigate what that even is. You can easily find the website, but it asks you for a password if you click the Enter button. Adrian Merchant is consistently portrayed throughout the game as a complete idiot, and the solution to this puzzle has you capitalize on that. Another early game objective ended up with you finding a list of cracked passwords, and one of those passwords happens to be for the instant messenger account of Adrian Merchant. If you can remember that he was even in that text file from forever ago, and then put two and two together that of COURSE that dumbass would use the same password for everything, you just punch in his messenger password and you’re granted access to the Children of HORUS page. It turns out that HORUS is an acronym that stands for Hiding Occult References in Utmost Secrecy, and the page itself is a basic leaderboard with a list of names and two numbered columns reading “Hidden” and “Found”. In that list of names you’ll find A. Merchant, along with the names of various other CEOs and celebrities you might have read about elsewhere in Hypnospace. One of the other names on this list is F. Kazuma, the CEO of Monarch, creators of Squisherz. The funny conspiracy theory website from the beginning of the game that you most likely forgot about was, about this one specific thing, correct. There was an eye of Horus hidden on the snake from Squisherz. Not as any sort of Satanic plot, mind you, but only as part of some weird millionaire dickwaving contest. This dumb tiny revelation is not called out by the game at all and nothing comes of it, it’s just there for you to notice if you’ve been paying enough attention. Hypnospace Outlaw is LITTERED with stuff like this. Weird small interconnected things you wouldn’t expect to be interconnected. Little dumb things you wouldn’t expect to have any sort of payoff but somehow do. And it’s also just as chock full of big things. Having all the pieces fall into place at once to where I was able to access Hypnospace’s equivalent of the dark web was the best sequence in a game this year for me, even beating out the outlandish shit in DMC5. Getting and solving the final case was a rush. Hypnospace Outlaw is full of incredible moments big and small. It’s genuinely engaging and affecting, which is so much more than I was expecting from a game that was pitched to me as “Funny GeoCities Cop”. It almost has no right being so good. But it is. Hell, even the music rules! I didnt even get into that! I don't have enough time or space to get into that now! The music is so goddamn good! I know I started these lists because I had no interest in ranking games, but every year I sort of jokingly-but-not-jokingly say “haha this game sure would be my number one if I did that!” for at least one game. It’s time to fully lean into it. I don’t gotta rank ‘em all, but I can pick a favorite. Hypnospace Outlaw is my favorite game of 2019 with a goddamn bullet.

These games were also cool, I just had less to say about them:

Etrian Odyssey (Nintendo DS, 2007): Man, this series just started out good, huh? I dabbled with the first two games in college when I got a DS flashcart but never really dug in until EO4, and the first game is enjoyable in just about every way the modern ones are. Definitely more barebones and punishing though. Kero Blaster (PlayStation 4, 2017): This is a game by the creator of Cave Story that does not aim to be Cave Story, and that’s fine! A fun little shooter in its own right, though I do think the shooting in Cave Story felt a little better than it does here. Space Invaders Extreme (Nintendo DS, 2008): I played the shit out of this game in college thanks to that flashcart I mentioned before, but I never finished a playthrough in full until this year for some reason. Still way stylish and way fun! I need to get a copy of the second one... CROSSNIQ+ (Nintendo Switch, 2019): Incredibly chill puzzle game that can be as hard or easy as you want it to be. Almost uncanny in how well it emulates the style of late PS1/Dreamcast games. Super Mario Maker 2 (Nintendo Switch, 2019): Mario Maker 2 is kind of weird for me. It’s a solid improvement in a lot of aspects, but a clear regression in a lot of others. Also the online multiplayer is the second least amount of fun I’ve had with a video game this year (Secret of Mana swooped in and stole the number one slot near the end). Still, I had a lot of fun with it and I’ll probably end up going back to it eventually. Katamari Damacy Reroll (Nintendo Switch, 2018): The original Katamari Damacy is still every bit as fun and charming as it was upon its original release. This port is weirdly based on the Japanese version with the English text inserted, which means no English voice acting and Wanda Wanda only plays in the multiplayer mode. The Joycon sticks also aren’t the greatest for doing charge rolls. But none of these faults detract too much from the game. Bring on We Love Katamari Reroll! Earth Defense Force 5 (PlayStation 4, 2018): Sandlot somehow keeps finding ways to make each new EDF bigger and explodier, and EDF5 is the biggest and explodiest yet. I think the mission design in 4.1 was more solid overall, but 5 feels the best to play and has the most fun tools. Also the dialogue is the most absurd its ever been, and the final boss goes for it way harder than the series ever has. Pokémon Shield (Nintendo Switch, 2019): This game is honestly just okay, but leaving it off would again be neglecting a game I put a ton of time into this year. Pokémon Sword is fun in the way most Pokémon games usually are, and extremely half-baked in basically every other aspect. I’m still having a good time putting together teams and finding shinies and doing The Pokémon Thing regardless.

And that’s 2019 (and this decade) in the bag! I don’t know where anything’s going from here, but I’m going to ride it out as best as I can! I hope you do too! As always, thank you so much for getting to the bottom of all these words. I’m hoping to be in a more stable place mid-2020, and then I want to get back to all the things I haven’t had time to do. I want to get back to streaming, I want to write more dumb articles like The Best Babies, I want to do it all! I hope I will be able to do it all. Until then!

#article #year wrapup

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parabellum-rpg-archive · 5 years

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Congratulations, Joss! You’ve been accepted to play Aaron Murphy (previously Aaron Khan, last name changed to fit the new FC’s ethnicity). Your request to change his FC to Bob Morley has also been approved. Please make your page and send it in within 24 hours.

Admin note: Joss, you’re absolutely flawless. You make it very easy to fall in love with your writing, and you’ve given Aaron so much depth! I can’t wait to see him on the dash! - Admin V

IC INFORMATION —

CHARACTER DESIRED Aaron Khan DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER IN YOUR OWN WORDS If you told Aaron to turn out his pockets and show what he’s accomplished in life, you might see it as just empty hands, but to him, being a dealer is the only thing he’s ever been really good at. He’s got learning disabilities, dyslexia and ADHD, that prevented him from ever really settling into a normal life or doing well in school, but when it comes to weed, he’s a fucking prodigy. He can tell the weight of a bag just by looking at it or holding it, he can tell from the smell if product is good or not, and he knows how to spot an undercover cop at 100 yards. His greatest skill is in being able to read his customers. He can tell from the moment you approach him what strain you’re going to need, how much, and what you’re willing to pay. He’s friendly, never tries to force you to be his friend, and always stands by his product. If weed were legal, he might be paying taxes and living the good life at a cannabis dispensary. As it is, he’s the guy on everyone’s cell phone under “Aaron Green”. People usually assume when you say your home life was bad that someone was smacking you around or there was no food, maybe your parents were junkies or crackheads. But it doesn’t have to be that dramatic to be bad. Sometimes your family can just forget you exist. Aaron was one of eight kids and none of them ever really had a chance. He disappeared in among his siblings so that no one ever noticed when he never came home at night. His home was loud, but there was never any real love in it. His parents were immigrants who’d come to America as children and never gotten out of the ghetto neighbourhoods of Detroit. They never had enough money and worked all the time, and when they came home, they would just stare blankly at their children, as if to say, “are you still here?” Aaron doesn’t think they were ever even in love; certainly the photographs never show people who looked happy to be together. Sometimes he lets himself wonder if they were like him, with dreams that they could never achieve and a burning need to do something, and if they just got beaten down by life, but it’s not like he can ask anymore. Chicago was the farthest Aaron could get from Detroit on the money he’d saved up, and it seemed like a town that still had hope, while Detroit was just dying slowly around him. He had a cousin there whose couch he crashed on (Aaron has cousins everywhere, they come out of the woodwork whenever one of them needs somewhere to crash), and a few job possibilities lined up, but he’d get itchy if he got stuck working behind a counter or washing dishes or shifting mail around, needing more stimulation than entry-level jobs provided. If he’d had the money to do training in a trade or something, maybe he could’ve done something with his hands that kept him occupied, or trained to be a tech expert, since he loves video games and can play them for hours if need be. Instead, he asked his dealer if the guy could hook him up with a gig, and one thing led to another. Working for the Costellos is mildly terrifying at times, but it feeds that part of him that needs to move and stay active. He doesn’t deal anything too hard, just weed and some party drugs, and he’s a favourite of club kids and college students for the quality of his product and his innovations when it comes to packaging and branding. He’ll wake up in the middle of the night with a brilliant idea about a new line of edibles like peppermint chocolates for the on-the-go buyer who doesn’t want to overindulge, or flavoured strains of CBD oil laced with hash to give a smooth high without any paranoia, or making their own line of e-liquids for vapes (something he’s very into, do not get him started on the unfair legislation around vaping rights), and spend the next three days making it happen only to crash once his latest masterpiece is complete. He could probably survive without a roommate at this point (though he’d have to live somewhere shady to do so and he’s become a little too comfortable to move back to the hood), but he used the excuse of needing one to let Corinna into his life. She’s the first person he’s lived with that he doesn’t feel anything but uncomplicated affection for, and the idea of having friends that you’re not either also selling to or working for is new and interesting for him. He’s a genuinely nice person (more so when baked but also overall), and he’s always happy to share his groceries or just sit up with her and listen to her talk. He may even someday tell her about his family, though that remains a subject he doesn’t address. WRITING SAMPLE “Hey, man-bun!” Aaron turned around by reflex, even though someone yelling anything at you out of the blue was, at best, 50/50 gonna be a shitty situation. “That’s what your mom called me last night. At least I think that’s what she was saying, there was a lotta moaning going o-” Aaron didn’t get to finish his sentence, the punch catching him straight in the jaw. He looked like he could handle himself in a fight, but his muscles were all for show. Staggering back, he checked to see if all his teeth were still there. That was one thing that hadn’t gone wrong yet. “You sold me bad shit, motherfucker! Gimme my money back, or I’m gonna end you!” If this had been back in Detroit, Aaron might have taken this conversation more seriously, especially because he’d just gotten punched in the face, but this was Chicago, and he worked for the Costellos. Some little trust fund baby wasn’t gonna roll up on him and try and get a fucking refund. “That’s a shame. You still got the stuff? I’ll trade it in for new shit.” They were outside a bar in Costello territory, and the guy squaring up at him looked like he rowed every day and ate ivy for a living. Sure, he was dressed like he was living that thug life, but c'mon, no one’s teeth were that straight in Chiraq. That was the problem with cities like this, everyone thought they could front. Nobody in the suburbs would’ve even bothered, they’d have probably said please and thank you, but out here, people watched too many movies and thought you had to act like an OG. His friend, cuz of course he had a friend, punks like this never tried anything when it was a fair fight, just stood slightly off to the side and switched between grinning and sneering. “Are you fucking stupid? Did you hear me? Gimme my fucking money now! You’re lucky I don’t call my boys down and fuck your shit up for giving me lousy stuff!” It had gotten to the point where Aaron wasn’t really a street dealer primarily anymore, he was the guy you called when you needed something. He did deliveries and hung out at parties and clubs. When you were selling a product people wanted, you didn’t have to pound the pavement to sell it. But he was doing another favour for Holden. Aaron always did favours for Holden, no matter how many times the other man asked. He couldn’t help it. And normally he could spot an asshole a mile off and choose to refuse service, but Holden needed his quota to stay up, so Aaron had been a little too liberal with his sales tonight. Figures he’d get punched on his night off. “Like I said, I can do a trade if you’re unhappy with the product, but this isn’t a Target, man. We don’t do refunds. So hand over the shit, and I’ll give you some primo Afghani Kush. I’ll even top up the bag free of charge, cuz I wanna preserve our relationship.” The kid wasn’t having any of it. “I already smoked it and it did jackshit! I’m not even high! We even mixed it with some coke and it did fucking nothing!” Oh boy. So on top of assholes, they were idiots too. “You can’t mix it with coke, man. That just ruins both highs. If you’d said you’d wanted something to blend with uppers, I coulda-” Aaron was prevented in continuing with his sales pitch when the kid pulled out a gun. The fucking sikik seemed to think he could draw down in public. Granted, it was a shit neighbourhood, but it was still a Neighbourhood. “C'mon guy, this is a bad move. You really wanna think this one through, you know?” This whole evening was really turning into a bummer. If he got shot by this at hırsızı, he’d never live it down. And he didn’t have health insurance. The kid’s gun didn’t waver, and his friend had pulled a piece too. Awesome. “You coulda just given me the money, now I’m gonna take everything, and I’m gonna kick your ass too, you piece of shit fag-” The conversation ended abruptly with a squealing of tires and bright lights. Aaron jumped out of the way, rolling across the sidewalk and dragging himself up when there wasn’t immediate gunfire. The kid and his friend were now lying in the road groaning in front of a red Ford pickup. The door opened and Holden got out, looking at Aaron with bewilderment. “What the hell happened?” Stumbling forward, Aaron had the sense to kick the guns away from the two kids as he limped over to the truck’s passenger side. “Just a difference of opinion, don’t worry about it. But I’m thinking we talk about moving you to somewhere a little more high-class. This neighbourhood is going to shit.” As Holden slammed into the car and peeled away, the neighbourhood returned to normal, like it had never happened. It was Chicago, weirder things happened every day. Aaron leaned his head against the glass and dug a joint out of his pocket, inserting it between his lips and expertly lighting it with his lucky Zippo. “Don’t smoke that in the car, you’ll make it reek in here.” Laughing, Aaron rolled down the window. “You’re the weirdest dealer I know, man. C'mon, night’s still young, let’s hit Lake Forest and make some money off the preps out there.” Holden, shaking his head, took the turnoff and headed for the suburb. “You ever take anything seriously, cabron?” Aaron winked. “Not unless I can’t avoid it, kaşar.”

#accepted

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dooropenerss-blog · 6 years

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Best Garage Door Openers In 2019

When you pull up out front, it’s really nice if you can roll right into the garage. If the sun’s beating down, you won’t want to leave the AC behind, and if the rain is pouring, you’ll want to stay dray. If only there were a way to make it happen right? Well, I had the same thought a few weeks ago, so I bought myself a garage door opener. I know what you’re thinking, it did take a little research to find the best one for me. But when I found it, the wait was worth it.

To make things nice and simple for you, I’ve put together the notes I took when I was shopping around. That way you can read up on 15 of the best out there without lots of Googling. That’s Ideal if you want to make sure you get the perfect match first time out.

Best garage door opener.

Table of Contents Best Garage Door Openers App for Android 1. NEXX Garage NXG-100 Nxg Remote Compatible Door Openers Best Garage Door Openers Chain Drive 2. Chamberlain C410 Durable Chain Drive Garage Door Opener 3. Chamberlain PD512 Garage Door Opener 4. Chamberlain C450 Smartphone-Controlled Durable Chain Drive Garage Door Opener 5. LiftMaster 1355 ( Replaced By 8065 ) Contractor Series 12 HP Chain Drive WO Rail Assembly Best Garage Door Openers Belt Drive 6. Chamberlain B503 Ultra-Quiet and Strong Belt Drive Garage Door Opener 7. Genie SilentMax 1200 Garage Door Opener 8. Liftmaster Garage Door Openers 9. 8500 Liftmaster Elite Series myQ Enabled Garage Door Opener 10. Chamberlain B970 Smartphone-Controlled Ultra-Quiet and Strong Belt Drive Garage Door Opener 11. Chamberlain B730WD962 Garage Door Opener 12. Genie PowerLift Garage Door Opener 13. Chamberlain WD1000WF Garage Door Opener 14. Craftsman 12 hp Garage Door Opener 15. Genie Excelerator II 1500 1 HP Direct Screw Drive DC Garage Door Opener Best Garage Door Openers App For Android

1. NEXX Garage NXG-100 Nxg Remote Compatible Door Openers

The first entry on my list is something of an enigma. NEXX is the new kid on the block who’s mak-ing a lot of noise. Let’s see what I thought…

Stylish app control The app is nice and clean, plus it is super easy to install and setup. I like the white and green color scheme because it’s nice and positive. I’d also recommend that you make use of the multiple user login features (more on that a little later). All in all, from a software point of view I couldn’t fault it because it gave me everything I needed and nothing more. With no clutter or superfluous features, it was easy to get accustomed to.

Is voice control actually useful? This is something new for me if I’m honest, but I think it may just catch on in a big way. By having the capability to link up with control programs like Alexa or Siri, there’s a helpful degree of future proofing going on here. And that’s perfect if you love to link up your tech!

How about the encryption standards? When you can open your home remotely without a mechanical key, you need to be careful. I couldn’t find the specifics of the encryption standard, but from what I gather everything is in order. That said if you want to play it extra safe by all means contact the manufacturer. That way you’ll have the peace of mind that everything is taken care of.

Thinking about multiple users? Multiple users is a great feature, especially if you share your car. By having separate logins on each of your devices, you can even see who’s coming and going. That for me is a nice little-added security feature. It gives you the peace of mind that you know who is exiting and entering your home. Highly recommended for the tech lover looking to upgrade their home in the securest way possible.

Best Garage Door Openers Chain Drive

2. Chamberlain C410 Durable Chain Drive Garage Door Opener

These guys come with a big reputation for serious lifting power when it comes to garage doors. The chain drive mechanisms are known in the industry for reliability, but how does the user experience stack up?

Up to 1,500 ft of remote range is super long range! The first thing to say is that the range is insane. This makes it ideal for those with long drives or who live on surrounding land. You can click your remote, and then the door will do its thing. Perfect, if you want to avoid parking up and waiting for it to get out of the way. It should also mean that you don’t encounter any dead spots on your property where the reception dies.

Posi-lock security: what’s all the fuss about? This is an excellent feature because it gives you the peace of mind that your property is safe and secure. The unique mechanical locking mechanism is tamper-proof which means you can only open the door using your remote. Ideal for making sure that your new tech investment doesn’t compromise the security of your home.

How did I get on with the snaplock rail system The snaplock rail system is a smart way of ensuring you can easily install everything yourself. This keeps the costs down and means you can have everything working out of the box in an afternoon. With simple tension fits you’ll be able to fix everything in place in a matter of minutes. The instructions are simple and nicely worded which helps things too. If you do decide to install it yourself, you won’t need any specialist tools, but measure up beforehand. That way you’ll ensure you have the right opener for the task at hand.

Rugged chain drive design looks like it’s built to last The chain drive is what these guys are really known for. Similar to a bike chain but much more heavy duty, they have a hard life when you think about it. If you want to ensure you get the full use out of yours, then I suggest reading the maintenance section of the manual. With a few timely drops of oil every now and again you’ll extend the lifetime by years.

3. Chamberlain PD512 Garage Door Opener

The PD512 is perhaps one of the quietest running openers on my entire list. Here’s how they’ve mastered the art of getting the job done without all the whirring and grinding…

Chain drive that really is silent? How do they do it? The secret is the smooth running of the chain drive. When you install it, you’ll feel it flop around in your hand and you’ll wonder how it pulls so well. Well, it pulls so well precisely because of how free to move and flexible it is. By removing all those little bits of friction Chamberlain has taken efficiency and power transfer to the next level. I’m speechless!

Rolling code security is a clever solution I love the idea of a rolling security code. This means that every time you operate your door, a new access key is sent to your remote. To ensure intruders can’t clone your device and receive the new keys they’re also sent fully encrypted. This is the digital equivalent of having a front door whose lock and key change every time you use it!

Tri-band remotes offer unparalleled range and coverage This is very much the pinnacle of remote control technology. By extending the range and optimizing the coverage, it takes care of everything. The selection of frequencies it runs on ensures that outside interference from spurious signals is never an issue. For the real hardware nerds out there it would be nice to know which frequencies they use. I’m sure you could find out with a little digging deep in the manual if you’re desperate to know!

Built-in safety sensors for peace of mind The safety sensors that prevent the door lowering when something is in the way are essential. To protect pets and young children a beam of light is sent across the door. If it’s broken, then the door will open again. If you ever get to a situation where your door will suddenly not close and keeps opening then check the sensors. It’s not unknown for a little bit of debris to dirty one of them and confuse your new piece of safe-minded tech!

4. Chamberlain C450 Smartphone-Controlled Durable Chain Drive Garage Door Opener

I was curious to get my hands on the upgraded lifting system of the C450. Here are my thoughts folks….

The MED Lift power system has been making a real stir in the market The MED Lift power system has been marketed as a real breakthrough in terms of efficiency and power. What I really like is that it’s clearly been designed specifically for the task at hand. Too many companies take a standard motor, overwork it, and then wonder why they burn out too quickly. This gearing ratio and the HP are precisely what you need for the loads involved and the challenge of a rolling lift.

Steel chain drive is the pinnacle of efficient power transfer, but how hardwearing is it? The quality of their steel chain drives is what Chamberlain is known for more than anyone. They keep things simple with Teflon coated links that reduce friction, and the maintenance is easy to follow. With a couple of drops of oil every couple of months you’ll be able to add years to the lifetime of this thing!

Rolling encryption has billions of permutations and combinations The last few entries on my list have had this feature, and this one is no different. By offering literally billions of possible combinations, they are impossible to hack. This is perfect for adding something to your home that actually makes it even more secure. The fact that the access keys then change every time you use them only adds to the secure feeling. That is ideal for ensuring that an intruder can’t clone your remote and access your home whenever they want to.

Smartphone ready… There’s an element of future proofing here because all of the software and firmware is installed and waiting. There’s no obligation to use it if you prefer the old-fashioned approach. And I was glad to see that the manual didn’t try and force this new feature on you. A lot of people will want to get to grips with their new purchase before getting fancy and using apps. This back to basics approach that focused on the initial install was nice to see and put me at ease.

5. LiftMaster 1355 ( Replaced By 8065 ) Contractor Series 12 HP Chain Drive WO Rail Assembly

LiftMaster has a reputation for taking lower powered motors and getting a lot out of them. But how do they do it?

Only 0.5 HP so where does the pulling power come from? At only 0.5 HP you’ll be wondering how this thing even moves a door. Well, the secret is the efficiency and rigidity of the chain drive from what I can tell. It’s such an efficient way to transfer power from the motor to the door that you simply don’t need that much HP. Ideal if you want to install an inherently quiet motor that won’t be straining as much. It’ll also make it far less likely to fail on you.

Fast change encryption software is highly impressive This is a super cool feature. To prevent your encryption key being cloned it actually changes every time you open or close your door. A new access code is then sent in an encrypted form to your remote. Essentially what this means is that your lock and key change randomly every time you come or go. Now if that doesn’t scream ‘security’ at you, then I don’t what will folks!

4-year warranty is a nice way to kick things off, but why isn’t it lifetime? The 4-year warranty is a nice touch, but it’s only a year for parts. There a few entries on this list that give you a lifetime warranty on the motor in particular. I’d have liked to see a bit more coverage in this regard if I’m honest. That said if it doesn’t overly concern you then go ahead!

MyQ allows you to swap to app control at a later date App control is a nice idea because it means you can do away with carrying a standalone remote in your driver’s side door. If you want to future proof your setup then I’d suggest you convert over to it after you’ve had a couple of weeks to get used to your opener. That way you’ll have a feel for how it works, and you won’t be overwhelmed by the new tech.

Best Garage Door Openers Belt Drive

6. Chamberlain B503 Ultra-Quiet And Strong Belt Drive Garage Door Opener

The next entry on my list comes from the same guys, and it’s certainly worth paying attention to…

Can a garage door opener ever really be ‘ultra-quiet’? I think in this case…it can! With so much going on during operation, most garage door openers make a fair old noise. Because of the smoothness of the mechanism and how powerful the motor is that’s not the case here. You just hear a gentle whirring noise that pulls your door up in a couple of seconds. To be honest, you won’t be able to hear it above the sound of the engine running.

Tri-band technology: what’s the fuss about? Tri-band is awesome because it extends your range to over a thousand feet. That may sound like overkill, but it is ideal for large properties and for avoiding dead spots in reception. If you want a door that opens with a click, then I’d always look for this technology.

Protection against forced entry The posi-lock system that’s employed here is really secure. It protects against lock manipulation and lock forcing; two common ways burglars gain entry. This is ideal if you want to sleep with the peace of mind that your new piece of tech enhances your security. You’ll also see that the craftsmanship is right up there with the very best on the list. Brute force approaches just won’t cut it when intruders want to gain entry by force.

How useful are the online installation videos? Personally, I was a little dubious at first, but I have to say that I now rate them. The idea of installing it myself felt daunting, but it needn’t have. The tutorials are easy to digest and have natural pauses built in. That allows you to stop the video at a natural point, carry out the step, and then hit ‘play’ again. All in all, I have to say that this is a simple approach to DIY that other brands should take a look at. You’ll save time and money on hiring a contractor!

7. Genie SilentMax 1200 Garage Door Opener

What’s in a name? Well, with one like this I’d be a fool not to sit up and take notice, wouldn’t I? Here’s how I got on when I took a look at the fourth entry on my list…

What’s so good about a dual frequency remote? Now, this is something amazingly cool. The remotes work on 315 MHz, and 390 MHz at the same time. This is super important because occasionally one of these frequencies will be blocked. This then makes the remote control redundant, and your door stays firmly shut! The elegant dual frequency band remotes remove this issue forever. Perfect for ensuring you never fall victim to those annoying quirks that can take the shine off of any new purchase.

Pulls your garage door up to 7 feet high 7 feet is more than enough for most cars. If you need an extra foot of clearance for that shiny new SUV, then there’s an optional extension kit available too. The installation of said kit is just as easy as the main module and motor. That means, should you decide that you want more clearance in the future you’ll only have to do a couple of minutes of fiddling to get it.

The steel reinforced drive belt is something to seriously consider Rather than a chain, these guys have opted for a belt. The pro here is that the operation can be even quieter because you don’t have the same number of moving parts. The upkeep and maintenance of a belt is also less because you won’t need to run oil over every link. If you want a fit and forget option, then this could be it, my friend!

Smart Set Programming makes your life a lot easier I really like the Smart Set Programming that these guys have devised. Rather than having open and close buttons, they give you complete control. That means that you can also set the total height you want to raise your door. Not only does this speed things up, but it also reduces the strain on the motor. Run it for years, and you’ll notice the difference when you come to follow the servicing instructions.

8. Liftmaster Garage Door Openers

I hadn’t heard of this one if I’m honest, but I was intrigued nonetheless. Now that I’ve told you its name I bet you can’t wait to read about it!

Lightweight for ease of installation The entire package only weighs 6 lb which is excellent. That means that you don’t need to have any specialist mountings or fixtures to get it up on the ceiling. Your standard cordless drill driver will be more than enough to make the holes and secure it in place.

Simple to add to your existing setup which is nice! The versatility of the EverCharge is something I absolutely must comment on. None of the fixtures and fittings are hard to use or install. This means with some simple off the shelf additions you’ll be able to make it a universal fit. And that’s ideal if you want to be able to buy something and not overthink too much about how you’re going to integrate it. It also means you’ll be able to keep it should you upgrade the door itself in the coming years.

12 V battery is used during operation, a spare would be handy One thing to note is that while it is mains powered, there is a 12 V battery on board. With features like this, I often advise people that it’s worth keeping a spare. If they’re unused for a period of time batteries, do have a habit of failing to hold a charge. With a spare that you can pick up from any hardware store, you should be able to benefit from years of seamless operation.

Powerful enough to lift any type and style of door The power of the motor is unspecified from what I can see, but there are no restrictions on types of entry it can lift. This means that it really is the universal solution that it is touted as. I liked this approach because it means you can upgrade your door and your motor separately. Highly recommended if you want to maintain freedom and flexibility over the coming years.

9. 8500 Liftmaster Elite Series MyQ Enabled Garage Door Opener

LiftMaster really knows its stuff, so the 8500 was a no-brainer from my perspective. Like the catchy name? Then why not see how it got on when I put it through its paces?

200 W light is already built-in The 200 W light is really handy, and it’s something not a lot of people have thought about. When you run the motor, the light automatically comes on and illuminates your garage. This is ideal because it means you won’t have to stumble around trying to find the light switch when the door closes behind you. A nice little user-friendly touch that will make things that little bit easier!

6 ft power line for easy connection to mains The power line could always be longer, but that’s not something worthy of holding against it! At 6 ft long it’s more than long enough to reach any outlet nearby. Perfect for ensuring that you can get it up and running the same day it arrives without loads of trips to HomeDepot.

Signature Protector System is an impressive new piece of tech This is perhaps my favorite feature of any door on this list. The Protector System is ideal for those of you with pets and young kids. It shines a beam of light across the entrance of the door. If that light beam is broken at any point, then the door opens up again. This ensures you prevent serious crushing injuries that can be hard to foresee when you click ‘close’ on your remote. Highly recommended for peace of mind.

Lifetime motor warranty caught my eye! Finally, we come to a little mention of the motor. Well, what can I say; it’s certainly up to the task because it’s guaranteed for a lifetime. The gearing ratios and torque allow it to make short work of any lifting. This is perfect for ensuring that you can keep it running nicely as you upgrade your door over the years. It also means that it isn’t straining and struggling to get the job done.

10. Chamberlain B970 Smartphone-Controlled Ultra-Quiet And Strong Belt Drive Garage Door Opener

Another entry from these folks is next on the agenda. The B970 promised big things when it arrived on the market. But a few months on from that debut has it really shown us what it is capable of? Time to take a look, guys!

Onboard battery could be a real lifesaver I really like the idea of the onboard 12 V battery. While it derives the bulk of its power from the mains this creates an issue during power outs. If your home is knocked off the grid for a few hours, then you may not be able to park your car. That could be a particularly severe problem if you don’t have a drive or on-street parking. With reserve power always on standby, you’ll be able to get your car inside safe and sound. A totally great feature that I wish more openers had.

Smartphone operation could be the way of the future The operation via smartphone is something that has divided a lot of people. On the one hand, you have those who don’t care about doing everything from their phones. On the other, you have people who are glad they no longer have to keep a standalone remote safe. I’d say I fall into the latter category because it can be all too easy to lose those little things. You’re never going to lose your phone, so this is a big step forward in my opinion. A highly recommended feature, one that will do more than appeal to the hardcore gadget or tech lovers out there.

1.25 HP is some serious pulling power if you ask me! When you can quote the power of your motor in Horse Power then you know you’re looking at a real beast! Because of the torque exerted by the drive, you’ll be able to open any door with minimal effort. This is great because it means Chamberlain haven’t had to resort to overworking an underpowered motor. Ideal if you want the reliable and quiet operation that will last for years and years. Highly recommended for those looking for an install and forget solution.

11. Chamberlain B730WD962 Garage Door Opener

The WD962 is marketed to single garage doors which means it is a little less high powered than some of the others on this list. Let’s see how this restriction played out when it was put through a close examination.

0.75 HP: could you be left wanting more? There is a little less power when compared to the previous entry on this list; there’s no getting away from that. However, to criticise it for that kind of misses the point. The issue is not how hard it can pull, but how well it pulls what it is designed to pull. The operation is quiet and efficient, and if you want to lift a double door, then you are better off with something else. Simple!

MyQ enabled so what is all the fuss about? This is a very neat piece of integrated tech that is ready and waiting. By future proofing with embedded voice control capability, Chamberlain is keeping your options open for years to come. This is a great way to approach it because it doesn’t force the issue when you don’t feel ready to adopt voice control.

Two remotes included makes it ideal for multiple users It’s nice to have two remotes rather than the solitary little one that so many openers come with. This means you can have one each, or keep a spare should yours fail. It would be nice if you could assign the remotes to a specific user to see who is coming and going. That said they are ergonomic and hard to lose which is all you really need at the end of the day isn’t it!

Automatic timed closing I like this feature because it makes things that little bit easier. When you drive in you sometimes don’t want to have to wait for your door, you just want to walk straight into your home. By setting it to auto close after 1, 5, or even 10 minutes, you should be able to wander in without waiting around. You may want to stand and check it comes down the first couple of times for peace of mind. I have no reason to think it won’t; it’s just playing it, safe my friend!

12. Genie PowerLift Garage Door Opener

With a name like the PowerLift, how could I not sit up and take notice! Let’s delve right in, and you can see for yourself whether it’s a winner!

The Safe-T beam system is the smart approach to garage door safety The Safe-T beam system gets around the potential issue of crushing injuries. This is especially important for those households with pets and young children. There’s a beam of collimated light shone between two sensors at the base of the door. If for any reason this light is blocked by something in the way while the door is moving it will halt and fully open. Ideal for the peace of mind that you have everything taken care of.

The wall console is easy to use and nicely laid out I like the wall console because it lights up during operation. This is especially handy if you’re leaving early in the morning before the sun is up or returning late at night. You can wall mount it away from the power outlet which is also a nice touch. That gives you the freedom to pick a safe and convenient spot.

Up to 500 lb of lifting power While it only has 0.5 HP, it uses it very efficiently. This means it can lift 500 pounds with no issues and minimal noise. More than enough to get the vast majority of garage doors up and out of the way. Be sure to check your intended or existing model of door with the manufacturer. That way you won’t be disappointed in case your opener struggles a little bit.

C-channel rail is easy to install Installing it yourself is what Genie are all about because they want to make things simple enough that you can do it yourself. This saves you time and money on a contractor, and its kind of fun if you’re that way inclined like me! Their C-rail system is really easy and is nicely documented in the manual. I’m yet to find any videos though which would have been nice.

13. Chamberlain WD1000WF Garage Door Opener

The name may be a bit of a mouthful, but this is an opener with a big reputation. It has a lot to live up to given the success of its predecessors, but that didn’t dampen my expectations. Take a look for yourself and see what you think…

MyQ comes as standard which is a nice touch MyQ is, in my opinion, the way of the future if you ask me. The idea of being able to open your door as you pull up with just your voice is elegant and neat. However, I would suggest waiting a couple of weeks before you install it if you’re new to voice control. You want to ensure that you trust the operation of the door before you get fancy with it. It’ll also ensure you can still open it in case it has an issue hearing your voice above your car’s engine noise.

LCD panel on the wall is the way of the future The LCD panel is a definite upgrade on the old style keypads that you’ll have seen earlier on this list. With a screen that shows you the status and options in the blink of an eye, you’ll have everything you need. I also like how it’s backlit. It just makes it that little bit more user-friendly, especially in the darker months.

Up to 1.25 of HP, but does it create too much noise? There’s a lot of horsepower on show here, but it is actually surprisingly quiet to be fair. It will always have a little more inherent noise than some of the smaller motors, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. By being more than strong enough to lift any door on the market with ease it should have a longer lifetime than most. If you want something that will keep on lifting with minimal maintenance, then I’d suggest a closer look. Even if the noise bothers you a little, it’s not like the motor will be running for more than a few seconds a day!

14. Craftsman 12 Hp Garage Door Opener

This is a new name in the industry to me at least, so I was intrigued to see how it stacked up. See what you think folks because I may have left one of the best ones in the place fourthteen!

A new name on the block; can you rely on them? I think you certainly can! Name recognition is one thing, but build quality, and the thinking that goes into a design is another. They have clearly put a lot of thought into how they’re going to put their products together. This is refreshingly nice to see, and from the build quality of the fixtures, I can tell you it will be simple to install.

Infrared reversing sensors are a clever addition I love that the sensors are placed at multiple heights. The ones near the bottom help protect your kids and pets from running in and out of the garage. While the ones nearer the top protect your car. If you mistakenly start to reverse and forget that it is lowering, then it’ll automatically stop. Ideal for those little user-friendly touches that make all the difference.

75 W may be left in the shade by others, but is it enough? 75 W is almost a third lower than some of the 200 W options on my list, but it should do the job. It won’t illuminate your entire garage like daytime sunlight, but you’ll still be able to see clearly. By being able to make it safely from your car to the exit door into your home, it gives you a safe user experience. This is just another reason why I said that they’ve clearly invested a lot of thought into getting the little things right.

Security+ coding is very well thought out The final thing I want to tell you about is the Security+ coding these guys have developed. I like that it auto updates every time you use the door. That will prevent cloned remotes from being able to open your home when you’re out. The encryption standard isn’t detailed, which is probably for security reasons, but I’d like to know more about it. I’m sure the manufacturer would outline the principle of how it works if you need further details for insurance purposes.

15. Genie Excelerator II 1500 1 HP Direct Screw Drive DC Garage Door Opener

And so we make it to the final entry on my list. You never know, I may have left the best till last! Just remember folks there are no rankings here, just 15 of the best for your consideration…

Direct drive motor saves a lot of wasted effort If you listen to the sound of this motor, you’ll be pleasantly surprised because it gives out a gentle, quiet hum. That doesn’t mean that it lacks power, but that it uses what it has with little wastage. The direct drive motor eliminates a lot of unnecessary couplers and moving parts where energy is lost. This then results in a quiet and efficient lift. Nicely executed!

I like the installation poster because it’s so easy to read The idea of an installation poster is a new one for me, but it totally made all the difference. The installation is simple enough that you can do it yourself and save time and money on contractors. With large diagrams and plenty of descriptions, the poster talks you through everything step by step. Plus because you can wall mount it if you’re not bending over trying to see what the next step is. Ideal if you want to get your new gadget up and running straight out of the box with no fuss!

Want to know more about Homelink? Some cars now come with remotes built in which is an interesting development. The upside of this approach is that it means you can never lose your remote. The Excelerator II fully supports Home-link which means you should be able to deploy it without issues. Be prepared to fiddle with it a little bit because each model of car will be a little different. To be fair, there’s not a whole lot the guys at Genie can do about that, but they do provide a dedicated manual.

Is it really maintenance free?Maintenance is something you expect at every moment, so this is a bold claim. The idea they have is that it is self-lubricating and enclosed which should keep the dirt and grime out. If you’re ever in any doubt, then I suggest contacting the manufacturer direct. They seem very helpful and more than willing to point customers in the right direction. Get in touch and show them what you’re hearing with a quick sound recording.

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plounce · 7 years

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compilation post of whichever bbc america employee who wrote the captain’s blogs being an ally and a hero via treating janto as more than just a sex joke, being genuinely warm and funny, and mentioning ianto super fondly in nearly every single entry (especially s2) because jack is in love with him despite what everyone else would have you believe. but i, a gay, know, and so does bbc america social media staffer circa 2007-2008.

some may call this “fringe canon.” i call it “some of the only specks of canon that respect the show’s canon gay relationship as the loving and affectionate relationship that it is.”

text pulled from ianto’s desktop, which is a fun read despite the defunct photobucket embeds - i only included captain’s blog stuff, but there’s a couple more janto tidbits in there. none as nice as these, though. under a cut because it is Long.

season 1

(one really cool thing the writer did for early season one is have jack note unexplained energy surges in the lower levels of the hub - handy foreshadowing for cyberwoman)

1x03 (ghost machine - alien tech leads to murder mystery):

Other issues: According to Ianto, Splott is pronounced "Sploe". I think Ianto may have been lying.

Upcoming issues: Energy surges in the lower areas of the hub still unexplained; there have been several more in the past week. Ianto volunteered to investigate, but has not discovered an explanation yet.

1x04 (cyberwoman - the episode where ianto’s secrets are revealed and we all have a Bad Time):

Other Staff issues: Ianto Jones temporarily suspended from active duty, to return at my discretion. His love for Lisa clouded his judgment, and he made some serious mistakes - but I have to wonder if I would have done the same thing in his situation. Ianto's personal needs and emotional state have been overlooked; I should not have missed something like this. During his suspension, I will try to spend more time with him. Hopefully we can establish a closer working relationship.

1x05 (small worlds - the one where the “fairies” abduct the little girl and jack has to let them, which makes everyone else very mad at him):

Staff: Ianto Jones' first week back after his suspension four weeks ago. I have tried to put him at ease, and have briefed the team to be as sympathetic as possible. Obviously there is a level of resentment remaining, but they are trying.

Other Staff issues: After what happened with Jasmine, nobody is talking to me (except Ianto). They'll come around. Everyone comes around.

1x06 (countrycide - the one with the cannibals and we all have a Bad Time):

Staff: Brought Ianto Jones along to get him out of the Hub, out of the city, get some relaxing time in the country with the team. May not have been the best decision I made this year.

1x07 (greeks bearing gifts - mindreading and predatory lesbian, the episode):

Other Staff issues: Ianto is still suffering, but putting on a brave face. Will try talking to him over dinner, outside the Hub, see if there's anything more I can do for him.

1x08 (they keep killing suzie - the episode that ends with ianto hitting on jack with a stopwatch):

Other Staff issues: Ianto and I stayed back to go over the case files and reorganize the safe. Internal security cameras were temporarily shut down to run diagnostic tests, so there was no monitoring of the Hub for approximately four hours - but there were no security breaches to report. Everything went very smoothly.

Upcoming issues: Need to requisition a new stopwatch. Old one damaged while moving a desk.

1x09 (random shoes - outsider pov, the episode):

Staff: Things seem to be calming down with everyone. Ianto is coping well; I'm pleased with his progress.

1x11 (combat - owen has manpain and fights weevils. whatever):

Other Staff issues: Ianto surprisingly proficient at the good cop/bad cop routine. Although obviously, he's the good cop. He's too cute to be the bad cop.

1x12 (captain jack harkness - jack and tosh are stuck back in time during the cardiff blitz and owen and ianto fight about what to do about it):

Other Staff issues: Ianto tried to stop Owen opening the Rift, and actually shot him in the shoulder. Everyone except Owen is finding this very amusing.

season 2

2x01 (kiss kiss bang bang - jack returns from his doctor who appearance, deals with his terrible ex spike from buffy, and asks ianto out on a proper date):

Other Staff issues: Gwen is now engaged. I'm happy for her, but I'm concerned about what it might mean - can she stay here, still keeping everything from Rhys? I worry that we're going to lose her. And I worry about Ianto. I think he took it harder than anyone when I ran off. It's going to take me a while to make things up to him. He is a decent, good man, and I'm lucky I met him.

2x02 (sleeper agent - the episode with sleeper agents):

Other security issues: Gwen taken hostage again. I’m beginning to think she’s jinxed. And why am I never taken hostage? I could be a good hostage. I never get any of that Stockholm Syndrome action. And according to Ianto, my bad cop routine needs some work.

Other Staff issues: I’m in trouble with Ianto for duct-taping a CB aerial to the SUV. Apparently the tape made the wing mirror “disconcertingly sticky”. Still, nothing a bit of warm, soapy water can’t fix.

2x03 (a man out of time - tosh’s cryo-boyfriend they unfreeze once every year. also, jack and ianto Have A Talk and then make out):

Other Staff issues: Ianto and I made some progress, talked things through. What happened with Tommy got to us all. I know it got to Gerald and Harriet, too, back then, considering what they went through to try and make up for it – but that’s another story for another day.

2x04 (meat - the episode with the whale and rhys finding out. some of the team gets taken hostage and ianto tazes a bad guy in the head and growls out “pray they survive.” or something and it’s VERY GOOD TELEVISION):

Staff: Ianto turned into a fighting, kicking, stun-gun machine, it was very exciting. I must get put in danger more often.

2x05 (adam - an alien infiltrates their memories and inserts himself into the team, and his plot is foiled by ianto reading his diary and finding inconsistencies because he’s Very Clever):

Other security issues: The only thing out of place was Ianto’s diary, which I found in my office. Naturally, I gave it back to him immediately after reading through it. Several interesting factual errors in there - and I thought he would know how to convert inches to centimetres. You think you know someone...

2x06 (reset - martha visits and owen ‘dies’):

Security: Must speak to Ianto about using names from ‘’Sex and the City’’ on fake IDs. Last week he sent me into an alien smuggling operation as ‘’Mr Big’’, without telling me. Wish I knew how he kept a straight face. I’d give him a stern talking-to, but I think he enjoys that too much.

(right after this is a very solemn paragraph about owen dying lmfao)

2x07 (dead man walking - jack resurrects owen and owen has manpain about it):

Other Staff issues: In big trouble with Ianto for risking everything to go and get the second glove. I should have told him before I went, but he’d probably have cuffed me to the chair to stop me. And I’ve fallen for that one way too many times.

2x08 (a day in the death - owen continues to have manpain):

Other Staff issues: Now that we have all tried, it is clear that only Ianto knows how to operate that damn coffee maker. I suspect it contains alien technology.

2x09 (something borrowed - gwen gets married, but not before playing host to shapeshifting pregnancy alien):

Security: ... Female Nostrovite proved to be extremely resilient to bullets, so I had to get my massive weapon out and take care of business. Ianto is still quietly chuckling about that now, days later. Gwen’s mother taken hostage. Must run in the family.

2x10 (from out of the rain - the terribly written ianto-’centric’ episode about circus film reel ghosts):

Alien activity: ... We only managed to save one of them, but that’s better than nothing. Sometimes in this job, one is enough. I can still see the faces of the people we lost - they weren’t part of this, they were just living their lives, until they were taken. Ianto took it badly, this one really got to him.

Staff: Have convinced Ianto to take me to a normal cinema, to see an actual movie. He’s also curious to know if I still have my old circus outfit. If I can find it, I think a private show is in order.

2x11 (adrift - gwen pursues a mystery about the people the rift takes and then puts back traumatized, even though jack resists. ianto is the one who gives her the info she needs. she also walks in on them naked in the greenhouse. wild):

Staff: Gwen would never have found the facility if Ianto hadn’t helped her. He was wrong to do that. But, of course, he was actually right in the end. There’s no way Gwen would have let it go. I should have trusted her with the information, but I knew what it would do to her. Sometimes, the only way to realise that you shouldn’t look behind that door is to actually go and look. Gwen learned that. Nikki learned that. We all did.

Other Staff issues: Seeing Gwen experience it for the first time took me right back to when I first heard that terrible scream. After Gwen had gone home, I just held on to Ianto for a couple of hours, as tightly as I could.

2x12 (fragments - a bomb explodes and everyone gets a flashback to how they joined torchwood 3 as jack and gwen rescue them from the rubble):

Staff: Everyone came out of the explosion pretty beaten up, but no major damage. We got lucky. And so did John. Because if he’d killed anyone - if he had hurt Ianto - I would have slowly ripped him limb from limb.

Other Staff issues: Although I have to say, Ianto does look good all messed up and dirty.

2x13 (exit wounds - jack’s brother comes back and blows up half of cardiff and kills owen and tosh):

Other Staff issues: The one glimmer of hope in all this? I still have Ianto and Gwen. Whatever the future throws at us, whatever madness the Rift vomits out next, whatever we have to face - Torchwood will be ready.

Capt. Jack Harkness.

Ianto, I know you’re reading this over my shoulder, pretending to fix that damn shelf. So get over here and take me out somewhere.

#chirps #janto #torchwood

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phonghoinghi · 4 years

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proteportainternational · 4 years

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The 2020 Tesla Model Y Proves How Far Behind The Rest Of The Auto Industry Still Is

My opinion of Tesla in recent years has been one hell of a roller-coaster ride. At first, I admired the company's fast, innovative electric cars; then I grew to hate CEO Elon Musk's constant Twitter shenanigans and nuclear takes on journalists and the media.

Then I drove a Model S, a Model X and a Model 3; the last one twice, actually, first a Standard Range, followed by a Performance model. I loved each one of them, mostly for what felt like cutting-edge technology, performance and a general sense of feeling different, the way Apple computers must have felt when they competed against the beige-box Windows PCs of the 1990s. Then, finally, I despised Tesla for inflicting owners with an innumerable amount of post-sales issues, including notoriously poor quality control.

I don’t know what’s worse between a paint job that peels off during the first winter, or door handles that refuse to operate properly during a cool Canadian morning; don't even get me started on the infamous panel gaps.

This year, Tesla is back with its most important car possibly ever: the Model Y. It's priced to sell in the ultra-important, ultra-popular, ultra-lucrative midsize crossover segment, smaller and cheaper than a Model X and without those problematic Falcon Doors. Unlike wild experiments like the forthcoming Cybertruck—if that even happens as-is—the Model Y is meant to be a major volume-seller, the car that keeps the bills paid. But it also needs to still be a Tesla, meaning fast, high-tech and a cut above all other EVs, long as you check expectations about quality at the normally-opening door.

Yet will the 2020 Tesla Model Y being plagued with build quality issues affect its desirability? Perhaps not. Because here’s the cold hard truth about Tesla: whether we like it or not, it’s still ahead of the curve. Way ahead. And the more I drive Tesla's cars, the sadder I feel about the rest of the auto industry. 2020 Tesla Model Y: By The NumbersBase Price (as Tested): $43,690 ( $43,690 )Powertrain: Dual electric motor setup mounted on each axle, one permanent-magnet synchronous, one AC induction / 75 kWh batteryHorsepower: 384 hp (286 kilowatts)Torque: 376 lb-ft0-60 MPH: 4.7 secondsTop Speed: 136 mph (limited)Cargo Capacity: 68 cubic-feet rear with seats folded | 15 cubic-feet front (frunk)Quick Take: Still the most technological EV on sale, the most range in its class, the strangest EV on the market. Build quality remains an issue.But Y?The Model Y may share a platform and a lot of related parts with the Model 3, but it's poised to strike hard in a segment that’ll start boiling anytime between now and next year. As I write this, the Model Y’s only rivals are the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron. But come this fall, the Ford Mustang Mach-E could give the Y a run for its money. Nissan then plans on deploying the promising Ariya later in 2021, and finally, Cadillac will join the party with the Lyriq sometime in 2023.But why aren’t any of these models on the market yet? I’m asking the same question, which I’ll get back to in a bit. To take them all on, the Model Y (across all its trim levels) is powered by a 75-kWh battery pack powering two axle-mounted electric motors. The rear one, which is the car’s main source of propulsion, is Tesla’s own Permanent Magnet Switched Reluctance type, a fancy term to describe permanent magnets that are located within the rotor itself. These are, basically, more efficient than most electric motors currently on the market. The front motor is a more conventional induction-type layout—similar to what you get in a Chevrolet Bolt EV—providing high levels of torque at low speeds, but also more energy-hungry. This is why the Model Y is first and foremost rear-wheel-drive. The front motor kicks in only when you really need it. Total power output from this Dual Motor setup is rated at 286 kilowatts, or the equivalent of 384 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. Tesla claims the entry-level Long-Range model (the one I tested) will hit zero to 60 mph in just under five seconds and that it will drive up to 310 miles on a single charge.Such specifications pulverize both the Jaguar I-Pace (234 miles) and Audi e-tron (204 miles). Only the upcoming Mach-E with the extended range package has a chance to compete against this Tesla. Perhaps more impressive is the Model Y’s 3,500-pound towing rating, which is a first in this category of vehicles. However, you do need to tick off a $1,000 Tow Hitch option to get it.Pricing for a 2020 Tesla Model Y kicks off at $43,690 USD (or $69,990 CAD) before applicable rebates, and will climb all the way to $53,690 USD for a much faster Performance model. Up here in Québec, where state-subsidized incentives are strong and EVs sell well, the Model Y is sadly not eligible for anything due to its high price tag. (In case you’re curious: In Canada, EVs need to be under a starting MSRP of $55,000 CAD to receive any rebates, up to $13,000 in total. These incentives currently only apply to more affordable EVs like the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, Chevrolet Bolt EV and other similarly priced models.) Less 3 Than You’d Think It would be safe to assume that the Model Y is basically a slightly lifted hatchback version of a Model 3 sedan. That observation is only half right. While it does ride on the Model 3’s platform, the Model Y’s wheelbase was stretched by half an inch, leading to a 2.2-inch overall length difference. The Y is also 2.8 inches wider than the sedan on which it’s based. These dimensional changes, accompanied by the higher roofline and hatchback configuration, inevitably lead to a more spacious and practical cabin. Rear leg and headroom are no longer an issue like they can be in a Model 3, and total cargo space is rather spectacular, to say the least.For reference, when the rear seatbacks are folded down, the Model Y will engulf up to 68 cubic feet of your gear. Add to that an extra 15 cubes upfront due to the frunk and Tesla’s crossover beats both the Jag I-Pace (50 cu-ft) and the Audi e-tron (54 cu-ft) in cargo capacity. Even the Ford Mustang Mach-E can’t match this at 59.6 cu-ft rear / 4.8 cu-ft front. And while the Model Y is technically a five-seater, you can add a third row for a seven-seat interior. However, because the option costs $3,000, and that the seats themselves are tiny and eat up a fair amount of cargo space, I don’t recommend getting it.Except for what I just mentioned above, there aren’t many available options for a Model Y. Your choice of interior colors is limited to black or white. Tesla does include the standard Autopilot automated driving assistance technology, with the Full Self-Driving Capability feature remaining an $8,000 option. My tester didn’t have that one ticked off, which meant it had driver assist technology and not actual, fully autonomous driving. A reminder: no car has that. The FSD option includes some features supposedly coming down the road. It's your call if you have faith in that or not. Come At Me, Muskbros Before I move onto my driving impressions, I will say that I was just as disappointed by this thing’s overall build quality as the Model 3’s. Among the manufacturing issues I noticed on my tester, which I obtained through the Turo ride-sharing app, was a passenger-side headlight that wasn’t properly aligned, a rear bumper that didn’t quite tuck in the same way on both sides of the car, a rear hatch that had a wider door-to-body gap on one side than the other, and some rubber moldings that felt they had been installed as afterthoughts. That the Model Y’s large center console is made out of cheap Dollarama-grade plastic is another huge letdown. Cabin noise was also very apparent during my drive, where squeaks and rattles kept disturbing the otherwise peaceful experience—it's all especially more noticeable with no engine to drown it out. The Model Y’s interior feels downright cheaply made, especially when you compare it to what the Germans or even the South-Koreans manufacture in this price bracket.Once strapped in, the now expected one-screen-controls-all setup stares at you robotically like HAL in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. In its defense, it’s a remarkably easy interface to comprehend. Granted, there is a learning curve, but the information isn’t cluttered like other systems, so it doesn’t take too much time to figure out where everything is. The screen also reacts quickly to your commands, the navigation map is clear and intuitive to use, and the overall interface is clean and attractive. I do feel Tesla’s latest vehicles deserve some physical controls, like mirror and steering wheel adjustments, or audio commands. Cycling through the screen to find them can at times be distracting, especially while driving.I did however enjoy how the car’s dashcam switches on the moment you hunk the horn. It’s a handy feature that allows you to grab some footage of the douchebag who just scraped off your front bumper. Forward visibility is excellent due to the absence of, well, a dashboard. So is overall comfort, especially up front where the seats provide ample lateral and back support. The rear seats are spacious, too, and offer ample head clearance for a big guy like me, but the seatbacks themselves are hard. You also sit upright back there. It is however possible to recline the seats, but they’re just never as comfortable as the ones upfront. The Model Y’s glass roof—which doesn’t open—gives way to a well-lit, airy cabin. On The Road When I say that Tesla is ahead of the competition, I don’t mean that it’s the first to market a 300-mile electric compact crossover. Or because it pioneered over-the-air software updates, an in-house fast-charging network or its own sales model that other car brands are just beginning to copy.No, Tesla is ahead of the curve due to the way it drives and how utterly efficient its drivetrains are compared to other EVs out there. Driving the Model Y captures Tesla’s technological dominance by the way it performs and manages its range. Although the industry now offers a wide choice of compelling EVs, I remain impressed by how smooth and instant Tesla’s motors feel.Unsurprisingly, the Model Y will launch itself out of the hole as fast as the best sports cars, but it’s the precision of its throttle pedal that’s truly astonishing. One simply needs to feather it for the vehicle to get up and go swiftly. It’s the kind of tactility that instantly infuses the driver with utmost confidence and control. Releasing that pedal also unleashes Tesla’s excellent regenerative braking technology. While competing brands offer the possibility to modulate the recuperation system’s resistance, Tesla proves once more that two well-preconfigured settings suffice.About the Tesla Supercharger network: I didn’t really need to use it given the amount of range the Model Y has at its disposal. But it is handy if your area isn’t fitted with an established public charging grid. Where I live, there’s a public charger on every street corner, so Superchargers are kind of irrelevant. But it will allow you to grab 158 miles of range within only 15 minutes, so there’s that.That said, not having to rely on a charger was another realization that hit me hard as I blasted this compact crossover into highway onramps at speeds that would make a Porsche Macan Turbo blush: range anxiety is officially a thing of the past, folks. Battery technology is evolving so rapidly that we’ll soon get way more range than we actually need from an overnight charge. It’s a reality, that’s a lot closer than we think.Anyway, back to the driving experience. The Model Y, even in its most basic form, is fast, smooth and efficient. But that’s all expected from a Tesla. What I wasn’t ready for was how well it handles. Modern electric cars, generally speaking, all handle well due to the heavy battery pack that’s located down beneath their floor. This allows for an ultra-low center of gravity and near-perfect weight distribution. But up until now, the driving dynamics of most EVs, except perhaps the Jaguar I-Pace—an EV I once drove on a track like a bat out of hell—or the Porsche Taycan all feel a bit stale. The Model Y has a playful, tail-happy feel when it’s pushed hard to its limits. The Dual Motor setup somehow always prioritizes the rear motor, even though its original purpose was to be efficient and not performance-enhancing. Yet, it’s still willing to party.What I mean is that there’s actual rotation happening back there, which allows the Model Y to wag its tail if you really commit upon corner exit. Yet, it’s all very easy to correct. The steering is as precise as a Playstation controller, the levels of grip are immense, and the front wheels instantly kick in to provide the required amount of grip. It all happens so effortlessly that even an inexperienced driver will find the confidence necessary to throw this thing hard into a corner without fear of understeering into a ditch. The Verdict At this point, you’re probably wondering if the Tesla Model Y is worth your money. I’m going to say that yes, on many levels, this thing is worth every penny, even if it’s expensive. But you also need to know what you’re getting into when buying a Tesla. I say this because, in my immediate orbit, I know two Tesla Model 3 owners who are victims of bad paint, and Tesla is currently doing nothing to help them. Imagine the frustration of paying nearly 50 grand for a luxury sport sedan only to see it shed its skin the following spring.I do hear, however, that Tesla’s aftersales service is improving, and that appointments with service rangers—essentially Tesla repair people who come straight to your home—are made quickly and without too much hassle. I hear they even fix panel gaps. But don’t expect Lexus levels of craftsmanship, here. Tesla still has a lot of homework to do in this regard. But the truth of the matter is that nobody, and I mean nobody, currently sells something that directly competes against a Model Y. And that’s a little worrying for the rest of the auto industry. The phrase "Tesla-killer" or "Tesla-fighter" has been common in headlines about legacy automakers and startups alike; still, no one has come at this king yet.Perhaps Ford has a chance with the Mach-E. At least, on paper, it seems like a viable contender. But could it be too little too late? I mean, Tesla sold over 160,000 Model 3s in the US alone last year. Can this oddball Mustang be any sort of a volume-seller the way the Model Y is destined to be? I find that unlikely. But if anything, it’s only the start of things to come. When Nissan unveiled the Ariya electric crossover last month, I remember saying “finally, something innovative from Nissan!” for the first time in years, but then I was highly disappointed by its release date of late 2021 on our market. And don’t get me started on the Cadillac Lyriq. After months of shoving down our throats that its “innovative” Ultium battery would be the Android answer to Tesla’s Apple, GM unveiled an odd-looking concept car with unofficial range numbers and no actual specifications. Worse even was when Cadillac said all we’d only see the damn thing in the flesh in three years. Three years, GM. Really?You see, what the entire auto industry needs to understand with its EV promises and shady concept cars is that Tesla is here now. Tesla is selling. And Tesla is ahead. And the more it waits before releasing its products, the harder it’ll be for them to take on what was not long ago just a little California startup. Font: The Drive

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tugadar · 4 years

Link

Launch HN: ElectroNeek (YC W20) – Automatically find and automate routine work Hey Hacker News! We are Sergey Yudovsky, Dmitry Karpov and Mike Rozhin, founders of ElectroNeek ( https://bit.ly/2CikhgW ), an automation platform for repetitive business tasks. The product we build let users design software ‘robots’ that imitate human actions in apps and websites, and deploy them to eliminate routine work. Our software also spots patterns of repetitive processes that users do in business app and suggests what to automate in the first place. Some of you may have heard of a technology niche called Robotic Process Automation, or RPA. Basically, it’s about automating user actions on Graphic User Interface level, so no API is needed to automate any type of repetitive work on the computer. It has been known for 20+ years in the software testing space but emerged as a business process automation tool over the last decade, getting big momentum in Enterprise (95% of Fortune 500 use it for back-office task automations). If you know what Selenium is and how it automates work in browsers you may think of RPA that is a Selenium on steroids that can work in any desktop or SaaS app. Basic RPA bots interact with app interfaces using mouse and keyboard, so if some repetitive process can be described by an instruction it can be automated (in theory) with RPA. There are a few fundamental issues with GUI-level automation (like, how should a programmed bot behave if the interface has changed?) but the major limit historically has been the complexity of RPA bot development and administration. The biggest benefits of RPA come from automating complex tasks, sometimes even end-to-end jobs across multiple pieces of software and websites. As you might expect, this approach to automation works great until it doesn't, and then someone has to step in with duct tape, a.k.a. write glue code to stick the pieces together, especially when it comes to variables, cycles and unstructured data (a lot of real business documents). RPA turned into something that business users can not use without having coding experience, which defeats the whole purpose. In 2016-2018, Sergey and Dmitry, long time friends, separately got into RPA consulting business on two different continents. Sergey ran his own boutique firm that worked with big banks and natural resource companies in Eastern Europe and Dmitry was in charge of RPA branding and marketing strategy at EY’s Americas business. The idea to build new software in the space came from Sergey’s inbound marketing pipeline – many mid-market companies understood the benefits of RPA, attended Sergey’s firm demos of RPA bots in action, but walked away from implementations because they haven’t been able to afford them due to limited in-house IT resources and absence of a budget for consultants. ‘Too complex and expensive’ - the most common feedback of such potential clients who in fact were underserved by major vendors and integrators. To move forward with making RPA easier for such customers, Sergey and Dmitry brought in Mike, Dmitry’s college friend with a major in mathematics and career in cloud architecture. We got some momentum among small banks, insurance companies and other companies with relatively tiny IT teams. But then we realized that there are obstacles with this market. The biggest problem lies in finding what to automate in the first place. There is lots of manual repetition going on in companies that people just don't notice. Managers and IT often understand the RPA tech and its capabilities, but struggle to find where to start. An even bigger obstacle to automation is the need to learn complex tools and in fact, the need to code in order to automate significant routines. It turns out that navigating desktop or website interface requires more complex logic than taking data from SaaS A to SaaS B (the land of Zapier). Over the time we adopted a mantra ‘if it can be done with a mouse only, without touching the keyboard, it should be automatable in this way'. At present, about 25% of our bot developers are non-IT. Typically their role in a company is related to working with analysis or operations data. They benefit from automating data extraction or data entry tasks and are motivated enough to learn a new tool to make their own life easier. These ‘Citizen Automator’s’ have a very simple decision-making process when they evaluate automation opportunities: will I get back the time I invest in designing a workflow? What are the time gains? If so, I invest my time and request a budget for a solution. Our big insight about how to solve these obstacles came from the simple idea that ‘robots’ that execute automations also have all the capabilities to passively monitor how users interact with different interface elements, mouse, keyboard, etc. Why not let the ‘robot’ look at what you do in the first place, and attempt to find whether you run the same process repetitively, even if runs are spaced in time. Normally this could be seen as an invasion of privacy but, unlike with time trackers, the purpose of this monitoring is not a control of how people spend their working hours but the voluntarily search for automation possibilities for giving time back to people. From that we built a simple repetitive-actions analytics tool that any users, regardless of IT experience, can use out of the box. Users across a company can download a client that passively monitors how they interact with different interface elements (forms, buttons) across whitelisted applications and websites, looks at clipboard frequency, mouse and keyboard usage patterns. On the back end, the cloud portion of the software identifies repetitive patterns and estimates potential (in hours) for automation on the level of software, users, and the organization. For instance, if a user often switches between 2 application windows and uses Ctrl+C/V in each iteration, this is a pattern of repetitive process that can be automated with RPA. The platform counts specific automation opportunities (like copy-pasting, repetitive click-throughs) to give a better sense on what exact routine it identified. These types of job are common for RPA automations. Even more common is the case of clicking through a legacy system to process a transaction (for instance, underwriting insurance) – users click on interface element on the same screens in the same orders for 30+ times and don’t even think of accelerating the clickthrough with automation. Or accounting case – many CPAs charge clients for manually uploading ledger account into cloud accounting software, taking data from excel to web forms. ‘Robots’ will ‘eat’ such tasks. Once the repetitive patterns have been identified, it’s time to start automating. Designated users can build bots with no code/low-code. Finding and eliminating inefficiencies is a pretty addictive process. When you have an automation tool in your hands you definitely look very differently at how your teams spend their working hours. On the business side of the house, we adopted SaaS model and charge clients for the access to process discovery and automation suite that has both web and downloadable parts. We eat our own dog food a lot: all of us, from sales and marketing to product, have our own set of automated workflows. In sales, we use bots to automate going to LinkedIn Sales Navigator to enrich contact lists, to check emails in these lists against spam databases (using tool named Scrapp) and then to build email sequences in Gmail, bypassing # of sent emails limit set by CRM vendor on our plan. We're really happy to get to this point and share our story here, thank you for reading about it! Please let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments. July 8, 2020 at 03:30PM

#News Updates #Launch HN: ElectroNeek (YC W20) – Automatically find and automate routine work https:/

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nullset2 · 5 years

Text

Open Letter on Hate

I got to call out something that I'm noticing in my day to day in my city, Seattle, because I think that, if not spoken about, it will get out of hand in a very bad way; that something, ladies and gentlemen, is a certain feeling of societal unrest related to the tech industry's impact on the community that, ever so slightly, shows the rear of its ugly head in succint yet cutting ways in everyday life.

Now, first point of disclosure, I'm not one of those Social Justice types and you shall see no clothes-tearing of biblical proportions here; yet, I think that we, and by that I mean Humanity as a whole, we MUST progress towards a more accepting and more emphathetic society. I honestly believe that it is a horribly hard challenge to shed the ugliness of tribalism and groupthink in the modern US, and that as a whole we're currently faced with horrendous Ecological, Social and Political challenges, which we must solve. To constantly try to move the modern narrative to move that agenda forward is necessary.

However, I also know that the establishment is there for a reason, and it would be stupid of me to ignore that or to try to antagonize it. So, call me a centrist if you will, as in, all sides of thought have a lot to be criticized for.

Second, I realize that I come from a position of privilege, which some of you will happily brandish against me (oh, I can just feel the angry keystrokes coming my way already...).

Oh, how I hate that term.

I am an information professional in 2019, a field very, very highly sought after for people and where people generally do well. So I will not claim to have all the answers, lest some of my unconscious biases were to show, but as somebody who knows what happens in both sides of society and that is actually trying to change, I still feel compelled to write my impressions in order to get people thinking.

I may be an information professional yet it wasn't "just given" to me in any shape or form, you know? This stuff costed me years, and years of dedication, capice?

Hopefully you can call me out if I say something uncalled for --remember, this is the cornerstone of cultured discourse, I say something, you say something back if I messed up, from which I learn, and by continuing that process, we reach the Truth. Things will get better as long as we keep talking, and the moment you leave the discussion table because of some high and mighty political belief that precludes basic human decency, then we're done.

So, ok, let's get onto the point: it seems that, as the generation born in the 80s and 90s in the modern, globalized world reaches maturity and as they start to realize that they're Hungry, they're feeling a little bit left to die by a variety of societal forces related to the expansion of the tech industry in the US.

Some call it an economical gap, citing the 1% and whatnot... or some even worse types will start bringing out conspiranoic thoughts that I just would rather not dive into.

In any way, all of this leads to a bunch of... well, just plainly, hate. Hate for each other, hate for the establishment, hate for the goverment, hate for the enterprise. Just undistilled, raw hate.

And this then surfaces lots of ugly things: who would had thought that racism, nazism, white supremacy, sexism and discrimination would be alive and well in 2019? 2019 is one of those year-dates that I imagined would be amazing when we'd get there back in the 90s when I was more impressionable. The mere idea of a 2019 made all of those awful terms sound like a bunch of things that were "of the past"; old horror tales coming from a society less informed, less emphatetic, dumber, and less capable of rational thought than whatever was to come. I thought that with the slow advent of the massively-online, always-on, low-barrier-of-entry Internet, powered through the amazingness of the World, its people and their Cultures, we would reach a better state at Large. Mind you, in a lot of ways we have, don't get me wrong. It may be sucky --yet, it's the best it's ever been, and I truly do appreciate that. And yes, leading the world and taking it upon your shoulders is a terrible and painful task, so it's not easy by any means.

If somebody decides to change sex for example, and shows up tomorrow at your office, and somebody decides to not recognize them, that person will get fired on the spot. Do you realize how impossible that sounds compared to the world of two decades ago?

But, unable to channel that frustration to correct use, confused out of their mind, feeling disenfranchised, there's tons of adults lashing against everything while they're desperately clinging to whatever seems fit to take them out of their misery, be it the necessity to emulate the false semblance of the "Greater" America of yore, the necessity to come together in tribes or factions and make an "us versus them" out of everything, or a general feeling of anger about everything. It's insane and irrational and founded in just pure fear.

Believe me, I've been yelled hate at while walking down the University district just because I'm --obviously-- one of the people moving in. My cleaner yesterday angrily let me know that she used to live on the 8th, and had to move 2 hours of commute away due to the hiking rent prices in downtown Seattle, close to Stevens Pass. I can easily assure you: you got deeper issues than money if you actually have to move that far away to make rent.

But anyway.

I will be the first to recognize it though: most techies fucking suck. Yes, I would also feel pretty slighted if it turned out that my neighbor now is now some brown dude who won't even say hello when I try to talk to him because he refuses to interact socially beyond obligation in anything that's not his native language, fantasizing every day about going back to their home country and retiring for good the soonest possible.

Techies may also be hard to make friends with because of their narrow vision of the world, their lack of time to actually develop social skills... and basically, their inability to take on some ass like god intended.

"My coverage % is my reason to live!", said no one ever.

Yes, guys, get over yourselves.

It's just Java. Calm down.

That's what leads to stickers such as the ones that you see in the picture above being plastered all over the US. Lots of tech companies have brought a lot of new people in town, whose pay grade, suddenly, makes property owners close to the corporate campuses very happy but a lot of renters disgruntled. Not only rent, but cost of living is raising all over the place.

Just ask my SF friends.

I mean, I appreciate that people are trying to speak up against what's happening because I would fucking do it if I was in their position. I have found a certain appreciation for that kind of counterculture (you cannot have a healthy society without counterculture, which is something I think most young children these days are dropping the ball hard on, by the way). It's people trying to speak up, reach out and actually make a point and that's a force of nature in regards to change. It is exactly what we need.

Yet, bottom line, I know that everyone that was born here and grew here deserves respect, so again, I cannot truly say this without my biases showing, and I'm sorry about that, but I am not about being fed a bunch of hate either.

But let's not make it about me.

Let's exception at the vapid finger-pointing. A lot of people are pointing fingers at Sillicon Valley, or megacorporations, or the Wealthy, or... anybody moving to the US themselves don't really stop to consider what the other side is going through.

We're all in the same boat, y'all. We can be friends.

I mean don't get me wrong, I understand where people are coming from. I imagine it sucks to see your city change so fast within your lifetime.

But hear me out, and I say this as somebody who knows that the struggle is real. I know that the rate of change is increasing and it seems awful and like it's not ever stopping, but in my opinion that's not only a consequence of the socioeconomical order. I think it's a logical conclusion of how we have more information to go by now. You have to understand that all of us are competing on a worldwide arena now.

No matter how bad things may be, I think a lot of the hate is just rooted in the fear of change, and only those who understand that we will never get to live slow, ways-set-in-stone, 50 years with the same job lives every again, and embrace it, will always come out on top.

It sucks but embrace it and then maybe, all together, we can make a better thing out of it.

If there's tons of people coming in taking in expensive jobs, why don't you try to play on the same level field? If college is expensive and a machination of an evil system trying to systematically castrate people out of their own volition and enterprise, then why do you still resent people that went to college? Again, I paid for every single cent of my college tuition, don't assume the worse in others all the time. Why couldn't you? Even if it sucks, why didn't you at least try?

No, but it all falls back into anger and fear at the big bad corporations making their lives hell and people will purchase stickers to shit on others... and then they turn around and 1-click buy their stickers online while continuing to avoid going out and watching yet another video on the tube site. Capice?

Again, it sucks, and I know why it sucks, but stopping in your tracks to cry is barely any use. Change careers, learn, and learn, and learn. Adapt and try to play to your advantages. Your tongue is your ally if you use it well. The rate of change is increasing, are you going to surf the wave or will you stay on the shore?

I mean, listen. Don't be the victim. You don't wanna be the victim, believe me. I've seen families ripped apart, torn to shreds because of that. It numbs people. Even though so many things suck, you gotta try to pull through, and not everyone gets the luxury of getting that drilled into their minds by someone else so I'm gonna dad you. Pull yourself together, it's not about the techies, it's not about the corps, or at least it shouldn't be at least or should it?. It can be about you though. That's the only thing you can control, yourself.

Hey, and YOU, as a techie, you don't get off scot-free either.

If you know that you're working in something inhumane or exploitative or terrible in a corporation, don't give in to it. Don't be someone who just takes your boss' agenda in without questioning if that is so. Raise your voice and don't be complacent. Refuse to be fed the vision of the world where you're supposed to just be subservient. And you know, treat the locals with respect. Don't isolate yourself away in your own techie tribe because you're too much of an socially inept, incompetent person to collaborate and integrate. Fucking integrate ffs. Bring money back in to the system and participate in the culture. When in Rome, you know? It feels comfortable to just adscribe things to being "oh, but it's because they don't understand us. It's because they got it in for us. Oh, it's because they're trying to shun us away.". What are you really doing for them, though, and why does that them doesn't become us anyway? Don't be a bad techie, understand your position and act well on it.

And bottom line, at least from my side I want you to know. Seattle, I am trying. I hope you can at least understand that.

Mother 3 warned me about this thirteen years ago when I played a pirated copy of it in japanese, without the translation patch in a shitty GBA emulator in 2006 in the middle of bum fucking nowhere and I didn't even know that it was telling me about what was to come. That's how much ahead of its time that game was.

#works #seattle #essays

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itsworn · 5 years

Text

Backstage in 1962 With Shelby, Breedlove, Roth, Stanley Mouse, Mickey Thompson, Jet Cars, Dobie Gillis, and the First Ford Mustang

Boom!

The first wave of post-WWII Americans was flooding DMV offices with license applications. Millions more of us were right behind, pacifying ourselves with model kits and slot cars and go-karts and magazines until that magic 16th birthday made the real thing possible. Tri-Five Chevys were just used cars, cheap and abundant. Networks of indoor winter shows brought California’s latest customs to enthusiasts across North America. Automaker dollars flowed freely to motorsports for the first time in five years, since spooked automakers and suppliers pledged to stop supporting racers and promoting speed. Henry Ford II personally announced his factory’s return while mocking secret skunkworks programs that enabled rival manufacturers to win races on Sunday and sales on Monday during the so-called ban. Ford Motor Company simultaneously dispatched an elaborate Custom Car Caravan of modified new cars and display engines. Most of Detroit’s new, lightweight compacts were optionally available with small V8s. The species of muscle car was not germinated just yet, but the gleam was in the eye. What a great year to be a gearhead!

Archive images exposed outside and inside L.A.’s long-gone Great Western Exhibit Center support Tex Smith’s Apr. 1962 HOT ROD appraisal of NHRA’s second Winternationals Rod & Custom Show as, “The major hot rod exposition in the nation” and “the biggest show ever staged that we know of.” The hit-making bands of guitarist Dick Dale and drummer Sandy Nelson undoubtedly contributed to four-day admissions exceeding 65,000, according to HRM. Later, the vast City of Commerce facility hosted the 1968-1979 L.A. Roadsters Shows prior to its demolition.

It’s impossible to imagine such a cohesive hot-rodding world evolving without the media network created by the Petersen Publishing Company. Even after two ex-PPC employees opened Argus Publishers and launched Popular Hot Rodding this year, Petersen monthlies had virtually no competition on a national scale (with the exception of Road & Track, which always stayed ahead of Petersen latecomer Sports Car Graphic). News-hungry enthusiasts had no reliable alternative to coverage arriving two, three, or more months late, sterilized in Hollywood to portray the hobby positively (and ignore drag racing outside of NHRA’s). On paper, Robert “Pete” Petersen appeared to be printing money. Editors never let on how close he—and we—came to losing it all.

There’s a business expression about how strong cash flow will invariably cover up mistakes—until it won’t. Early employees have said that the fledgling company thrice fell perilously behind on printing bills in the 1950s and survived only by the grace of sympathetic, patient printers and bankers. “Pete got a little carried away with his spending,” recalled photographer Bob D’Olivo, who was hired on in 1952 and stayed for 44 years. “The company was growing, and Pete wasn’t seeing all the figures. He hired a general manager to take some of the load, but if you wanted to talk to him in the afternoon, call the bar just down the street, and he willtake your call!”

When Car Craft’s Bud Lang stopped by this Sherman Oaks upholstery shop to report on a T-bodied AA/Modified Roadster under construction out back, Tony Nancy happened to be building a custom oxygen mask. We know that “The Home of Bitchin’ Stitchin’” did its usual fine job because later, when Spirit of America crashed into the water, Craig Breedlove feared that he was trapped and doomed until realizing that the breathing hose was keeping him connected to the submerged cockpit.

D’Olivo said the “major change came in the early 1960s, after two financial guys named Doug Russell and Fred Waingrow came aboard. Tighter control was needed on salaries, projects, travel, and so on. A management-and-numbers guy was needed, and that job went to Fred. All publishers and directors would now report directly to him, about 28 or so. This is when I was given the title of photographic director.”

A tradition of acquiring competitive titles and spinning off experimental ones was paused. As strict formulas were imposed upon individual publications, unprofitable or inconsistently profitable titles were either killed off (e.g., Kart and Rod & Custom Models) or reinvented (e.g., Motor Life became Sports Car Graphic) to free up operating capital and reduce debt. The painfulprocess worked: President Waingrow steered the ship back into the black, and the founder retained full ownership of a company that he would ultimately sell, in two installments, for nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars.

Since setting up shop at the 1958 Michigan State Fair at age 18, Stanley “Mouse” Miller drew crowds and eager customers wherever he appeared in the Midwest and Northeast. If $6 seems like too little to charge for a custom airbrushed sweatshirt, that would be about 55 bucks today. The kid could whip out one every hour and do it in color, instead of the basic black outline drawn by competitors. His operation must have impressed Wally Parks, who waded through the sea of ducktails to get the shot. Burned out on monsters by 1965, Mouse returned to his native California (where his animator father used to work for Walt Disney) and found work creating posters for San Francisco music promoters and album art for local bands, most notably the Grateful Dead. Mouse is still painting at 80, and still offers prints of Freddie Flypogger and other lovable “weirdoes” (MouseStudios.com).

Sure, had this virtual monopoly come apart early, competitors would have tried to fill the abandoned niches, but how well, and for how long? Just like the tree that falls in a forest with no one around to hear it, how else in 1962 could all of us, together, have followed Zora and Shelby, hot rods and customs, Roth and Mouse, Tony Nancy and Craig Breedlove, Cobras and Sting Rays, model cars, slot cars, sports cars, old cars, new cars? No way would the photo archive that Bob D’Olivo organized in 1955 and protected had stayed intact, in which case the most complete pictorial record of hot rodding and American motorsports would not exist for us to study and enjoy in a magazine directly descended from Pete’s first one. We’ll be feeling lucky all over again as each coming issue digs deeper into the 1960s.

Decades before IRS became commonplace in domestic cars, Pontiac chief engineer John DeLorean attached this exotic suspension, two-speed-automatic transaxle, and torque tube to entry-level 1961-1963 Tempest compacts with just a few bolts. How convenient for Mickey Thompson’s busy skunkworks, which the factory commissioned to hurriedly convert a stocker for the NHRA’s Winternationals introduction of Factory Experimental classes. Regular visitor Eric Rickman obviously had his run of M/T Enterprises—and a hunch that future readers might appreciate a peek at the world’s fastest man’s junk pile. We are left to wonder how the faded body panel wound up here, and whether some magazine staffer was responsible for separating the piece from an unknown open-wheel race car. (Help, longtime Car and Driver followers?)

Here’s the kind of historical image that could easily go undiscovered without the magnification enabled by modern scanning and digitizing. Only after zooming in to confirm the identity of Zora Arkus-Duntov (with helmet) did we realize that his waiting ride was a test mule made by joining the front half of the upcoming second-generation Corvette with the back half and roofline of a first-gen Vette. Sports Car Graphic tech editor Jerry Titus was granted exclusive access to private January tests at Daytona and Sebring on the condition that he ignore the “blue disguised prototype” that joined a red ’62 model and Zora’s baby, the CERV I single seater, for some brake development. Titus snapped the photo literally behind the distracted engineer’s back in late January, nearly a year before most folks saw a new Corvette in person. (See Apr. & May 1962 SCG.)

Jerry Titus was probably the best racing writer or writing racer ever employed by Robert E. Petersen. At the conclusion of Chevy’s Florida testing, Zora offered a few laps of Sebring in a priceless test car previously driven only by Stirling Moss, Dan Gurney, and Duntov himself. In the May 1962 SCG cover story, Titus described his 172-mph straightaway speed as “conservative” in a 1,700-pound package pushed by at least the 380 hp conceded by Chevrolet. Later, Titus was tabbed by Carroll Shelby to shake down and race the G.T. 350.

Help, readers: Does this scene ring any bells? None of our sources can recall a movie or TV production involving the channeled, 283-powered ’31 highboy that New York transplant Bill Neumann (not pictured) brought to L.A. prior to joining Car Craft and, ultimately, taking over Rod & Custom after PPC editorial director Wally Parks fired the whole staff. Neumann’s classified ad in R&C’s May 1962 Bargain Box mentioned “over 90 trophies,” but no asking price. A born promoter, he helped organize the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association in 1963 (later renamed the Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA) before opening Neuspeed Performance Systems.

Leave it to George Barris to add life-size TV stars Robert Young and Dwayne Hickman to a Barris Kustoms display that brought three famous hot rods to the Winternationals Rod & Custom Show. Barris’ own AMBR-winning ’27 T played a role in Young’s short-lived Window on Main Street series, while the former Chrisman & Cannon competition coupe costarred with Hickman and beatnik sidekick Bob Denver in an episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Behind them is the Ala Kart, the roadster pickup that survived the 1957 Barris Kustoms fire to become the first repeat winner of Oakland’s tall AMBR trophy. (See Apr. 1962 HRM; May 1962 R&C.)

Yes, slot car racing was both a participant and spectator sport at its peak. Model-maker AMT staged regional competitions on elaborate tracks like the setup at the NHRA’s February show. This showdown matched up winners from 1,100 West Coast hobby shops. Later in the year, AMT cheerleader Budd Anderson unveiled the gamechanging, steerable, 1:8-scale Authentic Model Turnpike system for home use during a six-month, fulltime modeling stint at the Seattle World’s Fair. (See May 1962 CC.)

Pontiac stockers prepared by factory contractor Mickey Thompson enjoyed another dominating season, starting with February’s second Winternationals. What appears to be a late round of Mr. Stock Eliminator—a bonus, heads-up showdown bringing back the quickest 50 stockers, win or lose—finds S/S Automatic champ Carol Cox, the first female allowed to enter an NHRA national event, out in front of stick-class-winner Jess Tyree, an M/T mechanic driving the same 167-mph Catalina that set multiple international speed records over the winter at March Air Force Base. Waiting to run at Pomona are previous-round winners Lloyd Cox, Carol’s husband (Pontiac, right); Gas Ronda (Ford); and eventual runnerup Dave Strickler (Chevy), who would fall in the Mr. Stock final to Don Nicholson (not shown). The barn across the street is long gone, but last time we looked, the two-story house remained. (See May 1962 HRM, MT & CC.)

The ragtag bunch of drag and dry-lakes racers that test-fired Craig Breedlove’s $500 military-surplus engine at Los Angeles International Airport in June, just two months before this homebuilt tricycle’s scheduled Bonneville Nationals debut, must have seemed unlikely to make the builder-driver a household name worldwide. The official team truck’s wooden signboards announced the “Spirit of America World Land Speed Record Attempt.” The low-buck team made it to Speed Week, but the semifinished car/trike was limited to static testing at the adjacent Wendover airbase. (See Sept. 1962 MT.)

Despite the convergence of five jet-powered vehicles on the salt during and immediately following Speed Week, a piston-powered streamliner remained the world’s fastest land vehicle all year—to the certain relief of Revell, which had entered the hot rod market by miniaturizing the 406-mph Challenger I and Ed Roth’s revolutionary Outlaw street roadster. Rather than follow the shady example of fly-by-night model makers that blatantly reproduced identifiable race cars without attribution or remuneration, Revell licensed and heavily promoted the men along with their machines. Revell’s national advertising blasted Roth’s brand and zany image far beyond the hot-rodding press and car-show circuit. (See Nov. 1962 R&C.)

It didn’t take long for an unidentified slot car hobbyist to power one of Revell’s snap-together streamliners. Reader Rick Voegelin, the former Car Craft editor and a lifelong slot racer, squinted at the photo through old eyes and semipositively identified the dual motors as Pittmans, likely swapped out of powerful locomotives.

It’d be a stretch to suggest that muscle cars and Funny Cars were invented here, but the roots of both American inventions run through this very engine compartment. Two years before the second-gen Tempest begat the GTO, Pontiac assigned the Super Stock Division of Mickey Thompson Enterprises to create a prototypical factory hot rod for the NHRA’s new A/Factory Experimental class. Beyond a mandate to stick with genuine Pontiac hardware wherever visible, in-house engineers Hayden Proffitt and Lloyd Cox (pictured) virtually rewrote the rulebook as they converted a four-cylinder ’62 Tempest into the year’s quickest and fastest late model, a runaway A/FX champ at both of the NHRA’s national events. By the time this photo was snapped in late June, displacement of M/T’s Super Duty 421 had soared from 434 to 487 cubes, according to Motor Trend, and Cox had assumed the wheel vacated when Proffitt took a 409 Chevy deal and opened his own shop. Meanwhile, Holman-Moody and Dragmaster were secretly developing 480-inch strokers for Ford and Chrysler, respectively. Understandably alarmed, Wally Parks halted drag racing’s arms race—temporarily—by capping 1963 displacement at 427 for NHRA-legal competition. However, the horse had left the barn, and the Big Three’s monster-motor lessons would not be lost on so-called “outlaw Super Stock” racers running independent meets and run-what-ya-brung match races. (See Sept. 1962 HRM; May & Dec. 1962 MT; June 1962 R&C; Jan. 2017 HRD.)

If you remember being faked out by this photo, don’t feel like the Lone Ranger; so were the rest of us subscribers and newsstand browsers. Art director Al Isaacs’s clever positioning of the car’s shadow and of editor Don Evans’s right forearm clinched the delusion that Monogram’s 1:8-scale “Big T” was a real roadster. Inside, the description of Bud Lang’s cover shot joked that because the car is only 16 inches long, Evans and his “lovely cousin, Sharon Huss … were shrunk for photo.” Either way, such juxtaposition was a neat trick when Xacto knives, layers of physical film, and steady hands were required to do the layout work done digitally now.

Staff photographer Pat Brollier shot the B&W photos for CC’s inside story, which Isaacs laid out like a typical car feature. Despite a steep retail price of $10.98—10 times that of the usual $1.98 kit—strong sales inspired Monogram to rush-order a fullsize running version for use as a promotional vehicle. Customizer Darryl Starbird delivered that bigger-yet Big T to the model maker’s booth at NHRA’s late-summer car show in Indianapolis. (See Oct. 1962 CC; Dec. 1962 R&C.)

This one had us baffled until a regular research source, the American Hot Rod Foundation, came through in a big way. AHRF director David Steele recognized the back wall from later photos of Carroll Shelby’s Cobra factory, while AHRF curator Jim Miller instantly identified the last Scarab that Phil Remington built just before Reventlow Automobiles Inc. was shut down under IRS scrutiny. Its all-aluminum Buick V8 shared technology and major components with similar engines that Mickey Thompson developed for this year’s Indy 500. The suspiciously empty Venice, California, space and much of Reventlow’s workforce were taken over by Shelby not long after photographer Pat Brollier visited in early July. Lance Reventlow personally debuted the sports car in September with an impressive second-place SCCA finish at Santa Barbara and made at least two more starts before selling to John Mecom, who installed a small-block Chevy. Augie Pabst eventually acquired this rarest of Scarabs and still has it, as far as our AHRF friends know. (See Dec. 1962 SCG.)

Lance Reventlow was the husband of actress Jill St. John and the son of infamous heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton. Mom’s fortune financed the boy’s dream of all-American sports cars, built and driven by homegrown hot rodders to beat the best European factory racers. His trio of front-engined Scarab roadsters did exactly that starting in 1958 with a shocking upset at Riverside’s International Grand Prix and the national SCCA championship. Two subsequent attempts at building formula cars and competing in Europe were expensive failures, however, and the Internal Revenue Service was unconvinced that the cash-burning business was really a business. Lance fatally crashed a private plane in 1972, at age 36. His alcoholic, drug-addicted mother followed in 1979, leaving behind just $3,000 of a trust fund that had once been the equivalent of nearly $400 million in today’s money.

Wally Parks became HOT ROD’s first fulltime editor in 1949, cofounded the NHRA in 1961, and simultaneously guided the publishing company and the sanctioning body through the end of this year. In early 1963, he resigned as editorial director of Petersen’s automotive publications to run the NHRA fulltime.

Two years after designer-builder Athol Graham was killed chasing the unlimited LSR in the homebuilt Spirit of Salt Lake, his widow, Zeldine, and former helper, Otto Anzjon, brought the rebuilt streamliner back to Bonneville to prove that Graham’s design was sound. The inexperienced driver followed officials’ instructions to gradually build speed to the 225-mph range before attempting this first full pass, which lasted about 100 feet before Allison-induced wheelspin exploded the right-rear tire. (See Dec. 1962 MT; Jan. 2017 HRD; Jan. 2019 HRD.)

NorCal drag racers Romeo Palamides and Glen Leasher didn’t get to Wendover until the last day of Speed Week, in August, which is normally restricted to prequalified record runs. They were granted one low-speed shakedown run that reportedly revealed “unexpected chassis problems.” The monstrous Infinity went home to Oakland to prepare for a private session on September 10. Leasher, who’d acquired jet-car experience in Romeo’s busy Untouchable dragster, made a troublefree checkout pass and turned around. On the return trip, he unexpectedly accelerated on “full ’burner,” veered off the course, flipped repeatedly, and was dismembered. (Later that day, Romeo called another Bay Area slingshot driver about fulfilling his jet dragster’s commitments and created a colorful career for “Jet Car” Bob Smith, who miraculously survived crashes in a whole

In late August, the original Ford Mustang was captured in the L.A. shop of famed bodybuilders Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes. Barely a month later, the tube-framed, midmounted-V4, front-drive, 1,480-pound prototype made exhibition laps and fans at both the Watkins Glen and Riverside Grands Prix. Ford described it as a “study vehicle for possible production of a sports car.” Motor Trend predicted that its “Impact should hit squarely and cause excitement in three or four or five years,” adding, “Unlike so many styling projections and dream cars offered so far, this one is crammed full of usable ideas.” (See Nov. 1962 HRM; Dec. 1962 SCG; Jan. 1963 MT; Feb. 1963 CC.)

Judging by other film negatives documenting Robert E. Petersen’s fall hunting trip, the boss got the last laugh by bagging both an elk and a bear.

The day before the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix in Riverside, Carroll Shelby (right) and Ford upstaged Zora Arkus-Duntov (left center) and Chevrolet by sneaking the second Cobra ever built into a so-called Experimental Production class and race that SCCA conceived for brand-new Sting Rays; in particular, the fearsome foursome of Z06 fastbacks entered by Mickey Thompson. Despite Bill Krause’s sizable horsepower handicap, his spunky, 260ci roadster swapped leads with Dave MacDonald’s 327ci Corvette (background) until the Cobra’s rear hub carrier failed an hour into the 300-mile enduro. (See Jan. 1963 SCG; Jan. 2017 HRD.)

These had to be the trickest transporters at Laguna Seca for October’s SCCA showdown. Meister Brau beer outfitted one of the earliest tractor-trailer rigs in the photo archive for hauling the high-dollar Scarabs and Chaparrals campaigned by Harry Heuer, a member of the brewing family. Norm Holtcamp had other ideas and started from scratch on his Cheetah, sliding an electric-load-leveling Mercedes sedan chassis under a ’60 El Camino cab purchased at GM’s Van Nuys Boulevard plant. A hot-rodded ’57 Corvette 283 and three-speed Chevy trans mount amidships. We don’t know whether Holtcamp hit his target of 112 mph fully loaded, but you can be sure that second-owner Dean Moon wrung top speed out of the Cheetah before parking and neglecting it for years at Moon Equipment Company. Longtime HRD readers will recall a small color snapshot in our May 2013 issue of the disembodied remains in the yard of collector Geoff Hacker, who tells us that full restoration is scheduled to start later this year at JR’s Speed Shop (Venice, Florida).

Longtime PPC photographer Bob D’Olivo identified art director Art Smith, but neither the blonde nor the legs. Not much work was getting done the day that SCG editor John Christy wandered by, two weeks before Christmas.

The Mysterion signaled the beginning of Ed Roth’s asymmetrical (some would say dysfunctional) stage. The dual-engined gas dragsters that proliferated during these fuel-ban years might have inspired the twins that buddy Budd Anderson procured from Ford (said to be 406s, but probably ordinary 390s). During transport between shows, their combined weight repeatedly cracked and ultimately collapsed the Swiss-cheese frame, which was stripped and junked along with the body. Reader Don Baker saw the HOT ROD Network preview of this article and sent in a memory of riding bikes with his childhood pals to a show at Devonshire Downs (San Fernando Valley). Lacking money for admission, they arrived early that morning and sat outside, watching the show cars arrive, “when Big Daddy rides in, towing Mysterion. He was alone and asked us to help getting it off the trailer. We pushed it right onto the show floor. Pretty cool at that time.” We found the image on one of the final rolls exposed by staff photographers this year, yet the Mysterion was completed in time for the start of the indoor show season in January. (See Dec. 1962 & Sept. 1963 R&C.)

The post Backstage in 1962 With Shelby, Breedlove, Roth, Stanley Mouse, Mickey Thompson, Jet Cars, Dobie Gillis, and the First Ford Mustang appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/backstage-1962-shelby-breedlove-roth-stanley-mouse-mickey-thompson-jet-cars-dobie-gillis-first-ford-mustang/ via IFTTT

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williamsjoan · 6 years

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DualShockers’ Game of the Year 2018 Staff Lists — Grant’s Top 10

As 2018 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2018 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2018 releases — can be considered.

After the absolutely monstrous year of video games that 2017 had, I don’t think that we are going to see a year similar to that one in a long time. Hell, I thought that last year’s excellent lineup would put a damper on this year’s games no matter how good it was. However, boy was I wrong: 2018 straight up told everyone to put a sock in it.

What most surprised me about this year was the variety of games I thoroughly enjoyed. Throw in some indie titles, your typical single-player AAA experience, multiplayer shooters, VR titles, and you are left with a something to play for whatever mood you are in. Sadly, there are plenty of games that I need to get to that could have possibly made this list such as Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Hitman 2, and Monster Hunter: World. However, I plan on getting to them as soon as the holiday ends.

That being said, here are my top 10 favorite games from 2018:

10. Mario Tennis Aces

To start the list off, let’s discuss the best Mario Tennis game yet. Yeah, I said it! Mario Tennis Aces had a forgettable and easy single-player mode. But let’s forget all about that and talk about what really matters, the online mode.

Oh my god did I play so many Mario Tennis Aces multiplayer matches. The game didn’t have all too much content, but damn was that multiplayer addicting! The tournament system was genius; even though the scoring system doesn’t mean much, there was a two-week window where winning a tournament meant everything to me.

What was surprising was the vast difference in gameplay when playing as different characters. Playing as Boo had me curving tennis balls all across the court. If I wanted to just blast some tennis balls down the other player’s throat, Bowser was the right guy for the job. Yoshi could probably return almost every ball hit his way and I can only imagine the player on the other side throwing his Switch into the wall when I won a rally of 50 or more hits. Mario Tennis Aces was excellent, but it makes me want the one true king in Mario sports titles back, Mario Golf. In due time my friends. In due time.

Check out the DualShockers review of Mario Tennis Aces.

9. Moss

In a year full of wonderful PSVR experiences, Moss was one of the standouts. It showed me how clever level design can be in virtual reality and how many different ways that the new tech can be utilized. Rather than being in the typical first-person perspective, the all-seer perspective–as I like to call it–was such a unique way to solve puzzles and control the adorable Quill.

If I could describe Moss in one word, it would be “magical.” Playing the game was similar to being at Disney; everything just felt so wondrous. The storybook narrative, the incredible environments, and unique level design had me enthralled. Polyarc created one of the best VR games on the market, and I can’t wait to see what they have planned next.

Check out the DualShockers review of Moss.

8. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — The Champions’ Ballad

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is my favorite game of all time. I have had the time to reflect on it, and I can say that without a doubt is, as no other game has captivated me like it. So, of course, I was happy to jump back into Hyrule with the game’s second DLC expansion, The Champions’ Ballad.

I know that The Champions’ Ballad released last December, however, I didn’t get to it until January of this year, so it still counts! Even though the second expansion pass didn’t live up to some fans’ expectations, I still believe that it provides some of the best shrines and I would say the best boss battle in the game.

What might have helped was that I had not popped back into the game in a while. I beat it at launch and beat it a second time on Master Mode when the first DLC launched, so it had been a while since I had popped back in. It might be a short time for some, but for my favorite game of all time, it was a while for me. Revisiting my favorite open world was like going back home and having that favorite dish your mom makes.

The Champions’ Ballad provided me with new content to the most memorable, fascinating, and wondrous game I have played, and that might be all it needed to do to make me love it. Does that make me biased? Probably.

7. Marvel’s Spider-Man

I am not as high on Marvel’s Spider-Man as many of my colleagues: I found the missions to be repetitive and not many of the side missions stood out to me. However, swinging through New York City was so damn fun. I don’t think I had ever used the fast travel mechanic just because I would much rather swing my way around and over buildings. I am not sure how Insomniac Games made it so damn easy and intuitive, but they did a phenomenal job on not only the movement but combat mechanics. Combining brutal kicks and punches along with web attacks was fast, fluid, and surprisingly easy to get a grasp of after only an hour of playtime.

Insomniac also compiled a wonderful narrative, and much of that was due to Yuri Lowenthal’s performance as Spider-Man/Peter Parker. If it wasn’t for Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War, he would have been a shoo-in for the performance of the year.

I am personally not that big of a comic book/Marvel fan. Woah, whoah, whoah, before you raise your pitchforks: I do enjoy all the movies, I am just not as into them as others. However, I was incredibly invested in the story of Marvel’s Spider-Man, and I am eagerly anticipating the second entry into the series.

Check out the DualShockers review of Marvel’s Spider-Man.

6. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

It almost became just a part of my nightly routine. Around 8:30 every night at the beginning of the year, a couple of my buddies and I would hop on the Xbox One version of PUBG and try to win a few chicken dinners before bed. Even though it was frustrating as all hell to play sometimes at launch due to frequent crashes, terrible framerate, and entire buildings taking forever to just render, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was probably the game I played the most this year. Despite its hiccups, and it had a whole lot at launch, the game is still an experience unmatched by other Battle Royal shooters.

PUBG provides some of the most suspenseful multiplayer gameplay on the market right now. You could run into ten other players depending on where you drop, or you could possibly get run into one other player and somehow get that sweet chicken dinner. I know that the game still has a multitude of issues that still are not fixed, but PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is still an experience like no other. Just one match sucks me right back in.

Check out the DualShockers reviews of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on PS4 and PC.

5. Firewall: Zero Hour

Firewall: Zero Hour, developed by First Contact Entertainment, is the game we all dreamed of when we were kids. With the power of PSVR, rather than just controlling the first-person shooter, you are now inside the first-shooter. I am still blown away by how well everything worked. Using the PS Aim controller to, well, aim of course, is incredibly intuitive and fluid. Besides learning how to move with the thumbstick on the aim controller, it is as simple as just pointing and shooting, and boy is it fun.

As a competitive tactical shooter, Firewall: Zero Hour is a mind-blowing experience and shows how limitless the possibilities are for PSVR. When an enemy was around the corner, I would peek my gun barrel around the corner and take them out. If I got pinned down behind cover, I could stick my gun over and blind fire to give myself an opportunity to get to safety. My only issues with the game were that it had some annoying quality-of-life issues at launch when it came to matchmaking, and how long it would take to start a new match.

Firewall: Zero Hour was my favorite VR experience this year, in a year that was absolutely packed with some of the best games that PSVR has to offer. Now, all the game needs is a rounds system like Rainbow Six Siege. Please, First Contact! I am begging you!

Check out the DualShockers review of Firewall: Zero Hour.

4. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lives up to the Ultimate name. It is the definitive Smash experience and even though it released just a couple weeks ago, it has provided me with some of the most fun I have had all year. I mean, what did you expect? It’s Smash Bros. except, this time around, there is much more content to enjoy rather than just regular Smash battles with your friends.

World of Light, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s single-player/adventure mode, has had some mixed reactions across the internet. However, I am a firm believer that it is the best single player offering in any of the games in the series. Running into familiar and new faces while collecting Spirits has provided me with hours upon hours of enjoyment. Collecting and switching different Spirits in and out might sound tedious to some, but I have enjoyed every second of it. With a stellar single-player mode, the biggest roster in the series by far, a knockout soundtrack, and that same old, yet refined Smash gameplay, Ultimate is the best in the series and a must-buy for Switch owners.

Check out the DualShockers review of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

3. Celeste

Talk about a game that caught me off-guard. Celeste was not only a great platformer, but also had a very emotional story that impacted me in an unexpected way. Here I was thinking that I was just booting up a new, retro-style platformer. But next thing I knew, I was up at 3 AM, captivated by Madeline’s conflict with her own inner demons and also torturing myself to find strawberries. Celeste is the best platformer of the year, and I don’t think it is even close. (I haven’t played The Messenger or Guacamelee! 2 or many other of those types of games yet, but it just sounded cool to say)

I think what stood out to me the most, along with other many other players, was how unexpected of an experience that Celeste was. When I first started, I was thinking I was going to get a fun and challenging platformer, but that was going to be most of the experience. I never would have guessed how impactful the narrative was going to be and how it tackles deeper subjects such as mental health issues. At the time, I was going through some personal problems and this game helped me to cope with those emotions, as well as tackle them head-on. Maybe in a lesser year, Celeste would have taken my personal top spot.

Check out the DualShockers review of Celeste.

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

It seems crazy that Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t the definitive game of the year for everyone’s list. After the excellent Grand Theft Auto V and the almost infinite amount of money that Grand Theft Auto Online continuously makes even to this day, the sequel to Rockstar’s classic Western seemed like it was going to be the most ambitious game ever made, and I think it just might be.

Red Dead Redemption 2 had an absolutely phenomenal and heart-wrenching story; the downfall of the Van der Linde gang was a beautiful mess, even though we all know where it was heading. The world is by far the most immerse open world ever created. Roger Clark captured Arthur Morgan and his enlightenment so well, and these are only just a few parts of why I enjoyed the game so much.

While the game is groundbreaking in many aspects, there are still some little nitpicky things that I can point out that bug me, such as the lack of traditional fast travel systems, clunky gameplay, and that it might go on just a tad too long. However, Red Dead Redemption 2, despite its minuscule flaws, is one of the best open world games ever created.

Check out the DualShockers review of Red Dead Redemption 2.

1. God of War

To me, God of War might be the closest the closest thing to a perfect video game. In my opinion, there is not one flaw that I can point out. In fact, I think that most aspects of the game can be considered as the best we have ever seen from the medium.

The narrative in God of War reached a level of storytelling that I have didn’t think the industry could reach. The simple, yet extremely detailed story left me captivated. Christopher Judge made Kratos into a purposeful character and gave one of the best performances I have ever seen. The Leviathan Axe is my favorite video game weapon I have ever used, and it was just so damn satisfying to play with.

Cory Barlog and Sony Santa Monica created an absolute masterpiece that other developers will be studying for a long time to come. God of War set the bar so freaking high that it will be hard for any game to follow this up next year. It is the pinnacle for storytelling, gameplay, level design, world building, and artistry, and because of that, God of War is absolutely one of my favorite games of all time.

Check out the DualShockers review of God of War.

Check out the other DualShockers’ staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 17: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2018 December 18: Lou Contaldi, Editor in Chief // Logan Moore, Reviews Editor December 19: Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor // Tomas Franzese, News Editor December 20: Scott Meaney, Community Director December 21: Reinhold Hoffmann, Community Manager // Ben Bayliss, Staff Writer December 22: Ben Walker, Staff Writer // Chris Compendio, Staff Writer December 23: Eoghan Murphy, Staff Writer // Grant Huff, Staff Writer December 26: Iyane Agossah, Staff Writer // Jordan Boyd, Staff Writer December 27: Max Roberts, Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Staff Writer December 28: Noah Buttner, Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Staff Writer December 29: Steven Santana, Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer December 30: Travis Verbil, Staff Writer // Zack Potter, Staff Writer

The post DualShockers’ Game of the Year 2018 Staff Lists — Grant’s Top 10 by Grant Huff appeared first on DualShockers.

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mrmichaelchadler · 6 years

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Short Films in Focus: Bartleby

It’s hard to believe that in all the years of covering short films that I had yet to write about one based on a classic short story. Herman Melville’s “Bartleby” (first published in 1853) has been adapted into two features, but the story works perfectly well as a 10-minute, wordless, animated short. True to the original story (mostly), this new version offers no clues into the inner workings of one of the most frustrating and baffling co-workers anyone could ever encounter. He’s an anomaly, a paradox and seemingly not from our world, except that he looks human, knows how to land a job, where to show up for work and can wear a tie.

But he's functional: When Bartleby shows up for his first day at work in a Wall Street office to do some mundane data entry, he does so at great speed that puts all the other workers to shame. He talks to no one. He has nothing to say, but he can do the work, at least until he “prefers not to,” a phrase that will haunt the boss man in charge for the rest of his days. “I prefer not to” is the only answer Bartleby will give when asked to do his work or show up for a meeting. He has simply stopped and refuses to budge. He also never leaves the building. He remains stuck in the corner and requires no help from anyone.

Directors Laura Naylor and Kristen Kee have modernized “Bartleby” for the age of computers and email, making Bartleby’s behavior that much more confounding. They have also smartly chosen to tell the story almost entirely visually—when characters speak, letters spill out from their mouths, sometimes forming words, while we hear the sounds of old printers and fax machines take the place of human voices. This reminded me of another claymation marvel, Aardman’s “Shaun the Sheep Movie,” which also did away with dialogue in favor of grunts and mumbles. It works especially well here, because what else do we need to hear from them besides those four annoying words?

Naylor and Kee have made a wonderful adaptation that is laced with dark humor and a real sense of tension and despair at having to deal with this oddball. The character renderings are perfect. Bartleby himself looks like a human blank page and the boss looks like the kind of guy who has seen it all—until today. “Bartleby” is a story maybe we’ve seen or read before, but this version, like Melville’s original story, will still have some mysteries and unanswered questions by the end, but nothing that will feel unsatisfactory. Decades after first reading Melville’s story and seeing the 1971 version, I still have no idea what Bartleby’s deal is and that’s just the way it should be.

How did this project come about?

KRISTEN KEE: We were both smitten with Melville’s “Bartleby” and with the medium of stop-motion. One thing Laura and I bonded over early is we were both raised Mormon, but dropped out as young adults. Right around the time I was thinking about leaving the church, I found Bartleby—the idea of preferring not to make a ton of sense from that angle. In a stubborn, teenage way. Fast forward several years, both of us out of art school working drab office jobs in midtown, with art as a side hustle. We both definitely preferred not to spend all day in cubicles, and almost literally rediscovered Bartleby as a kind of self portrait. So that’s how we came to the story. On the medium, Laura’s background was in film, and mine was in sculpture, so stop-motion seemed to be this perfect intersection of our skill sets. And with Bartleby as stop-motion, there’s also a beautiful rub: you have a lead character who prefers, by the end, to essentially do nothing, and we’re telling his story in this incredibly time and labor intensive medium. It’s a perfectly backwards choice because there is no “preferring not to” in stop-motion. Plus Melville’s Bartleby is so open-ended, and so ambiguous in its visuals, it was ripe for an experimentation-friendly, build-your-own-reality medium like stop-motion. We kept asking ourselves, “how does this not exist already?!”

Where did the idea of the floating letters and dialogue come from?

LAURA NAYLOR: We wanted to layer in repeated references to the physical world of text, to Bartleby and Melville’s world and to the way we both first experienced the story. On a more abstract level we were also trying to have the text effectively become a character of sorts. The animated letters were also this great tool we could play with to express the mounting tension between Bartleby and his boss. The mutated, evolving text hive also points to some of the liberties we took with the story itself (setting it in ~2011 Wall Street, adjusting names/genders of characters, changing the ending). Frankly, it was also a kind of elegant and hacky solution to one of the constraints of stop-motion—specifically, it’s incredibly time and labor intensive to animate speaking parts in stop motion, so making the film “silent” enabled us to actually, well, make it at all.

What sounds are we hearing in place of dialogue?

KK: The audio you hear when the characters are speaking is sampled from old, early tech printers. That was another way for us to subtly allude to Bartleby’s literary and textual origin story. The printer sounds were actually the brainchild of our amazing sound and music team, Deniz Cuylan and Brian Bender of Bright + Guilty. We were kind of shocked by how rich the collaboration with them was. We would give those guys notes—a couple of artists and a few tonal descriptors (minimalist, dissonant, occasionally wistful, saggy with ennui)—and they’d consistently come back to us with clearer, purer, better versions of what we’d tried, but largely failed, to describe. We felt like we lacked the vocabulary to articulate what we wanted, but they understood us anyway. They made the film so much better.

The lighting here looks very specific. What were some of the challenges (if any) related to the lighting?

LN: Our wildly talented DP, Zach Poots, lights a stop motion set like you would a live-action film: lots of practical lights (all of lamps and computer screens actually emitted real light), lots of lights shining in windows from all angles, just all teeny tiny. One of the main challenges with stop-motion is the tight quarters (working on a set ~1/8 the size of humans), and Zach had to figure out a place to put all the lights while still leaving our awesome lead animator, Josh Mahan, room to manipulate the puppets. When you’re lighting 20,000 photographs that will be stitched together to create a film, consistency is key. Bumping a light during the middle of an all day 8-10 second shot could mean starting over from the beginning! Zach was a master at the fun technical stuff, too, like creating lightning and TV flicker by calculating shifts over a series of photographs. Kristen's and my directorial vision was to create the rich, subtly moody, jaundiced palette you see in the final film without over-indexing on those dark creepy vibes—and ending up in some uncanny valley of horror or pastiche. It was also fun to use lighting shifts to echo the interior world of the characters. For example, as the employer starts unraveling, the lighting breaks from realism and reflects his exaggerated, fractured fears.

I like that you kept the original names. Were there any other elements of the original story you felt you had to get just right?

KK & LN: So many things! One big one was maintaining Bartleby’s enigma-like nature. We didn’t want to over-explain him, or narrate away the many possible interpretations of the original story. We also really wanted to retain the dynamic between Bartleby and his boss that Melville drew so well. Bartleby’s boss—who does not have a name in the book, thus we named him REM after Melville’s description of him as a “rather elderly man”—has a wide and complicated range of reactions to Bartleby’s refusals, and we were really trying to capture the full spectrum. We also loved some of the little details, things like the Roman statesman bust, Nippers’ irritability, Turkey’s drinking problem, and the little partition that separates Bartleby from the rest of the office (“the green screen” as we called it). The things we felt comfortable tweaking (time period, gender, REM’s death fantasies, ending) were the components we felt weren’t integral to those core character traits or to the meat and bone of the story. Our editorial adjustments were meant to extend and amplify, more like asking vs answering questions about Bartleby’s story. What does “preferring not to” mean in contemporary Wall Street vs the developing Wall Street of the mid 19th century? Questions like that.

What’s next for you?

LN: I’m in post-production on an observational documentary feature following a group of laborers who harvest grapes every year at a famed champagne domaine, but am eager to jump into another stop-motion project soon.

KK: I’ve been focused on (non-animated) neon sculpture and learning Javascript for an upcoming generative art exhibit, but am also working on a stop-motion script about young mormons. Would love to dive back into animation when this wraps!

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movietvtechgeeks · 7 years

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Why 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is so polarizing

I’m not exactly a Star Wars fan, but I’m still a geek who appreciates good sci-fi and watch them whenever I can, and I’ve seen all the films several times. I’ve also seen the Ewok special as well as the Star Wars Christmas special when I was a kid. I sit through the films on cable whenever possible but not always, and watch the Clone Wars series and Star Wars: Rebels whenever I catch them. No self-respecting geek would miss out on any Star Wars theatrical run. Besides, it’s part of my job to share some thoughts. As I’ve said I’m not much of a fan and don’t know the names of every species and character and I don’t care who shot first but in my opinion, it was Han. But the point is, I think I know enough to know why Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a very polarizing Star Wars film despite it being a hit with critics and the box office. The film’s been out for weeks now, so a spoiler alert is no longer that critical and discussion would be difficult without going into details. As a film in itself, it wasn’t bad. It was okay; it was entertaining yet despite the stunning effects it wasn’t as profound as The Lord of the Ring: Fellowship of the Ring. I didn’t find it as having the same level of impact as The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi to which this film paid much homage to, as much as The Force Awakens paid homage to A New Hope. It’s not a re-hash and did some surprising twists, but it has made its mark as a much-hated entry since The Phantom Menace. If there was any entry that disappointed fans and myself, it was Episode I: The Force Explained, to which the Force was due to something viral. Toss that aside, though it’s a good film and that fan theory about Jar Jar Binks actually redeemed the film to some fans. Even though I’m not a real Star Wars fan, I pride myself in being able to see this film’s many callbacks to previous films. After The Force Awakens, I couldn’t help to compare this with Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Plus, what really drew me to Star Wars as a kid and perhaps other fans were the special effects, the costumes, the droids and the epic space battles which this film offered at the very beginning and at the end. Though as an adult, story and characterization becomes important. So, what did I think about Luke Skywalker’s characterization here? Well, he’s not Yoda, Obi Wan nor is he Qui Gon Jin. He wasn’t a properly trained Jedi like his father Anakin. They knew the ways of the world unlike the standard youngling could. They are more prone to make mistakes but at the same time have what might be called real-world insight that helped them in times of crisis. But yes, they have flaws. I view Luke’s mistake as a likely product of those. But I totally agree with fans that on how inconsistent his character was. If Luke saw good in Darth Vader, didn’t he find anything redeemable in Ben Solo, his nephew, and his best friend’s son? Plus, at the time, he wasn’t even a full-blown Sith. It was Luke’s mistake that triggered Ben’s turn to the dark side. To Luke’s credit though, Kylo Ren did seem unredeemable by the end of the film. If as a Star Wars fan you thought Luke’s mistake was disappointing, imagine the reason for his departure. He simply wanted out of being a Jedi. He actually wanted the Jedi order to end with him. His hiding wasn’t part of any elaborate plan to make a grand comeback that was such a fuss in The Force Awakens. He just wanted to catch fish and drink milk disturbingly taken from alien sea cows. Anyway, I can chalk up Luke’s uncharacteristic mistake as being too force-sensitive like his father. He sensed that Ben Solo/Kylo Ren might turn out to be the scourge of the galaxy the way he felt good in Darth Vader, and Solo had to be nipped then and there. His mistake was a human weakness and not a Jedi’s. A point driven in by Yoda who has made an awesome comeback from the afterlife as a puppet again. His re-appearance as a puppet by a large tree was very reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back, and it’s wonderful that this film took such a direction. I truly wish films would go back to a mix of CG and practical effects and not rely too much on green screens the way Justice League did. Maybe Warner Brothers would eye their film’s failure as the greatest teacher as Yoda told Luke. Another disappointment was Snoke. Snoke seemed awesome in The Force Awakens. Snoke has a lot of mystery and fans wanted the backstory of this seemingly gigantic force-sensitive creature that may even have pre-dated Darth Sidious. If he did pre-date Palpatine, then he wouldn’t be a Sith. Just a massively force-sensitive evil entity. Maybe Snoke was Mace Windu back from obscurity turned evil after being betrayed, maybe he was the legendary Darth Plagueis, and maybe he was Jar Jar Binks after intense cosmetic surgery. In the end, he was half of any of them. Nothing much really, as he stated (correct me if I’m wrong). He may have been one of Vader’s inquisitors from Star Wars Rebels or another force-sensitive agent of Darth Sidious. Snoke’s death was a good twist though from Return of the Jedi where Rey was given the same treatment as Luke in watching her friends get shot down one by one. Snoke then gives Kylo Ren the same shot to ‘complete’ his turn to the dark side by killing Rey. Instead, Snoke dies along with his supposed backstory giving unstable Kylo Ren the Reygns to the First Order. It would have been something totally different if Kylo Ren had turned back or left the First Order with Rey as hinted in the trailers. But someone had to be the bad guy, and it’s not Hux. Speaking of bad guys, another disappointment for fans was Captain Phasma, the Boba Fett in this trilogy. What I found compelling about Boba Fett as I assume with many Star Wars fans was his bad-ass costume, and the same goes with Captain Phasma. If people think that Storm Troopers are cool, then Captain Phasma with her shiny getup and cape would be dope. Plus, there are hardly, if at all any female-voiced storm troopers in the films. There’s much potential in this character only to be fed to the flames in her battle with Finn, as Boba Fett was fed to the Sarlacc. I do have a new hope that she’ll be back in the next film. As for Rey, another disappointment fans had to cope with was Rey’s parents. This film really shot down a lot of fan speculation. It was revealed that there’s nothing special about Rey’s parents just like there was nothing special about Anakin’s. Just a couple of deadbeats who sold their kid. Rey is not at all related to Kylo Ren nor is she Luke Skywalker’s lovechild. I also have to agree with fans that the Canto Bight mission seemed unnecessary or at best could have been handled better. I would equate this mission as the necessary parallel to Lando Calrissian's betrayal at Cloud City. Maybe there was a better way to work the Rose character better into the story. Besides, DJ’s function could have been done by R2-D2. Not really griping here, it’s a story with R2-D2 on the sidelines for once. It’s not that I hated the Star Wars: The Last Jedi despite the points described. It bordered between okay and great. Rotten Tomatoes rank it fresh, and it already made 800 million. As many critics said, this film took risks and had the courage to evolve past working formulas which they still used. It was very obvious that The Force Awakens was a rehash of A New Hope, but The Last Jedi made sure it was different but had some of the same for that Star Wars feel. I completely agree that the series needs to go a new direction even if it has to use this film to set that up. It was just not handled as well as Empire Strikes Back to which this film owes much from. The rebellion loses big time but a lot can happen in ten years.

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