#march of robots 20

[athena-cat-wizard-official]

March of Robots 20: Game

A little Armored Core VI reference

[astrow1zar6]

Astro notes- 22

Having a Neptune in the 1st house can feel like your living in a dream. It’s harder for you to not get taken up by your imagination. This placement is known for dreaming with their eyes open. A lot struggle from Maladaptive Daydreaming. Meditation/ Breath work can help with grounding these people.

Aries placements (especially the moon & rising) have amazing eyebrows. They’re all so perfect arched and full. They’re eyebrows can sometimes make them look intimidating as well.

Libra in your big three usually have buck teeth or they just have really big teeth in the front.

People with Pluto risings cannot stand fake energy. Being around too many fake people can literally make them go insane & snap on everyone. These people normally March at the beat of their own drum which causes many people to flock to them for advice.

Aquarius moons emotions can come out really robotically. Like you don’t know if they really care when you vent to them. They act very nonchalantly and bored when people open up emotionally to them. I started crying in front of my aqua moon friend once and she just stared at me & patted me on the back😭😂 she tried tho. Also I notice aqua moons have a weird thing with physical affection. They are the times to give like 2 seconds hugs or just not like to be touched much in general.

Sagittarius suns have a habit of embarrassing themselves to make others laugh. They really have no shame. They will say and no the most outlandish shit just to get a giggle out of someone. They can sometimes embarrass others tho if they do too much. They can be really extra.

People with Gemini & Sagittarius in their big three we’re probably class clowns

Leo suns never wanted the same things as anyone when they were little. They always wanted something that made them stand out from the crowd. (Ex: everyone had pink tiaras for my cousins birthday and my Leo cousin threw a fit because she wanted purple instead so she didn’t look like everyone else) 😂

Aquarius suns are chameleons in social settings. They can fit into any group & usually have a big people pleaser personality. Not in a weak way however but they just understand what people like & how to engage certain people properly.

Capricorn stelliums can end up being rich or famous. These people are really hustlers. I’ve seen these people start businesses in their 20s with this it worked 3 jobs to get the life they need. One thing these people know how to do is work.

Cancer and Libra suns tend to loose themselves in partnerships the most. I’ve seen these people make their partners their world while they completely neglect other areas of their life. They are both really blinded by love.

Uk an Aries sun women likes you when they start teasing/bullying you. (Playfully!) arguing is foreplay to them bizarrely lol.

If Jupiter is prominently yet negatively aspected in the chart it can show narcissistic or sociopathic tendencies.

Virgo moons tend to like very fresh light scents. Like fresh linen, laundry smells, light floral scents. Nothing to heavy.

Taurus placements look best with minimal to no makeup & Libra placements normally look incredible with a full face of makeup or just glamour looks. It’s really interesting how the two sides of Venus play out. Taurus gives more of an earthy goddess vibe & Libra gives me a more chic fashionista insta model/influencer vibe. Both value beauty & aesthetics but in opposite ways.

[yanderenightmare]

Prompt List

Just a little list of writing exercises.

Use the traits, characteristics, and anything else associated with the coming prompts to create a character.

More details here: Writer's Block

♡ Apex Predator Hybrids

Lion, Wolf, Shark, Tiger, Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear, Saltwater Crocodile, etc. 

Apex Predator Club

♡ Mythological/SciFi Creatures

Vampire, Succubus, Werewolf, Zombie, Ghost, Droid, Robot, Alien etc.

JJK as Mythic Creatures BNHA as Mythic Creatures

♡ Seven Days of the Week

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Yandere Days

♡ Seven Deadly Sins

Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, Lust, Envy, Greed. 

Yandere Seven Deadly Sins

♡ Seven Heavenly Virtues

Humility, Patience, Diligence, Temperance, Chastity, Gratitude, Charity. 

Yandere Seven Heavenly Virtues

♡ The Four Seasons

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall.

The Four Seasons as Boyfriends

♡ The Seven Colors of the Rainbow

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.

The Rainbow Colors as Boyfriends

♡ The Twelve Zodiac Signs

Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. You can break them up into fire, water, earth, and air signs.

♡ The Twelve Months

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. You can break them up into winter, spring, summer, and fall months.

♡ Numbers

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten etc.

♡ Five (or ten) Fingers

Pinkie, Ring finger, Middle finger, Pointer, Thumb. Have fun with their names and qualities.

♡ Nature’s Four (or more) Elements

Water, Earth, Fire, Air—plus Plasma, Gravity, Ice, Life, etc, if you want.

♡ Eras

The Dark Ages, Industrial Age, Age of Oil, Atomic Era, Space Age, Internet Age, etc.

♡ Fashion Periods

Victorian, Art Nouveau, WW1, Art Deco, The Roaring 20s, WW2, Hollywood, Rock & Roll, Swinging Sixties, Flower Power, Disco Fever, New Romantics, Yuppies, Grunge, Boho, Fast Fashion, Thrifting, etc.

♡ Today’s Fashion Styles

Minimalism, Chic, Thriftstore, Goth, Grunge, Punk, Hippie, Couture, Old Money, Streetwear, Preppy, etc.

♡ The Eight Planets + Pluto

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.

♡ Other Celestial Bodies

Sun, Moon, The North Star, Shooting Star, Comets, etc.

♡ Countries (pick & choose)

America, Britain, Spain, Japan, etc… think Hetalia, though I haven’t watched it personally…

♡ American States (pick & choose)

California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, etc.

♡ The Five (or more) Flavors

Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, and Umami—and No Flavor, like pure water.

♡ The Five (or more) Senses

Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, Touch—Balance and Proprioception—and maybe even Emotion and Thinking.

♡ Core Subjects (or others)

English, History, Social Studies, Science, Foreign Language, Gym, Art, Music, Geography, etc. Maybe base it around the teacher of each class.

♡ School Mobs

Principal, Homeroom Teacher, Student Council President, Tutor, Class Rep, Janitor, Frat House President, Frat House Alumni, Valedictorian, Head Nurse, etc. You can mix this one with the one on Core Subjects above, including them as teachers.

♡ The Periodic Table (pick & choose)

Gold, Oxygen, Arsenic, Tungsten, etc.

♡ Music Genres

Classical, Rock, Rap, Pop, Jazz, Country, Electronic, Dubstep, House, Folk, Hip-hop, New-Age, Indie, Beatbox, A’cappella, Heavy Metal, Bebop, etc.

♡ TV and Movie Genres

Horror, Thriller, Western, Romance, Comedy, Action, Sci-Fi, Children’s movie, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, Documentary, Mockumentary, Musical, Animation, Anime, Porn, Reality TV, News, etc.

♡ Book and Writing Genres

Poetry, Fiction, True Events, Scientific, Picture, Fan-fiction, Joke, Fun Fact, Cook, Craft, Knitting, Magazine, etc.

♡ Hobbies

Singing, Knitting, Arts, Sewing, Writing, Gaming, etc.

♡ Toxic traits

Obsessiveness, Possessiveness, Protectiveness, Gaslighting, Manipulation, Lying, Selfishness, Controlling behaviour, Jealousy, Boundary-violating, Judgemental, Defensive, Stone-walling, Feigning Ignorance, Avoiding Accountability, Aggressive, Querrelsome, etc.

♡ Food

Junk, Guilty pleasure, Fast food, Frozen, Healthy, Self-grown, Gains, Street, Dessert, Candy, etc.

♡ Holidays and Celebrations

Christmas, Valentine's, Halloween, Easter, Snow-day, April Fools, Birthday, Summer break, Saint Patrick's, etc.

♡ Sports

Gaming, Chess, Football, Basketball, Tennis, Frisbee Golf, Golf, etc.

♡ Tools

Hammer, Wrench, Drill, Saw, etc.

♡ Sicknesses

Common cold, Flu, Mono, Hangover, Crossfade, etc.

♡ The Eight Core Emotions

Ecstasy, Admiration, Terror, Amazement, Grief, Loathing, Rage, Vigilance.

♡ Transportation Methods

Car, Train, Motorcycle, Dirt bike, Boat, Plane, Submarine, Bike, Walking, etc.

♡ Weaponry

Gun, Sword, Dagger, Bow and Arrow, Crossbow, Whip, Slingshot, Poison, etc.

♡ Terrain

Forest, Desert, Ocean, Tundra, etc—think Minecraft biomes!

♡ Fonts

Times New Roman, Futura, Impact, Papyrus, etc. Probably good to have pictures with this one.

♡ Types of Depression + Symptoms

Melancholia, Anxiety, Insomnia, Hypersomnia, Bipolar, Despondency, Amnesia, Self-consciousness, etc.

♡ Art Mediums

Oil Paint, Acrylic, Charcoal, Pastel, Watercolor, Collage, Digital, etc.

♡ Architecture Styles

Neoclassical, Gothic, Contemporary, Industrial, Victorian, Colonial, Vernacular, Suburban, etc.

♡ A Deck of Cards

Spade, Hearts, Diamond, Clover—King, Queen, Jack, Ace, Joker, Numbers. Maybe make them four opposing kingdoms, with the reader being a delegator of some kind.

♡ Chess Pieces

White, Black—King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, Pawn. Two opposing sides, with the reader being a delegator of some kind maybe.

♡ Different Types of Money

Nickel, Dime, Penny, Quarter, One dollar bill, Five dollar bill, Twenty dollar bill, Transaction, Million dollar check, Inheritance, Settlement, Insurance, Paycheck, Tax return, etc.

♡ Types of Dates

Cinema, home, cafe, amusement park, picnic, hike, beach, etc.

♡ Grocery Store Aisles

Fresh Produce Section, Deli and Prepared Foods, Frozen Foods, Bakery and Bread, Meat and Seafood, Dairy, Cereal and Breakfast foods, Snack and Chip, Alcohol, Pet Food, Soft Drinks, Canned food, Health and Body Care, Magazine and Books, Cleaning Products, Condiments and Sauces, Cooking Oils, Baking supplies, etc.

♡ The Six Military Branches

The Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard.

♡ Palace Mobs

King, Queen, Prince, Princess, Ward, Advisor, Grand Knight, Groundskeeper, Head Cook, Grand Healer, Priest, etc.

♡ Harry Potter

Hogwarts’ Houses—Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw.

Hogwarts’ Mandatory Classes—Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, History of Magic, Astronomy, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, Flying/Quidditch. Plus elective classes like Care of Magical Creatures, Alchemy, Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy.

If you base it on teachers, you can also include the Principal, Groundskeeper, and Head Nurse.

Patronus (Pick & Choose)—There are more than a hundred different ones.

The Books—Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows.

♡ Star Wars

Color of Lightsabers—Green, Blue, Yellow, Red, Orange, Purple, White, Black.

♡ Game Characters

Minecraft Mobs & Characters—Steve, Enderman, Pigman, Skeleton, Witch, Villager, Zombie, Stone Golem, Ender Dragon, etc.

Dungeons & Dragons Base Classes—Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard.

You can also use any other type of game…

♡ Professions

This is a whole list in and of itself. These don’t have to be grouped together, but can be prompts on there own:

♡ Outlaws

Kingpin, Mob, Mafia, Loan sharks, Extortionists, Blackmailers, Pimp, Drug dealers, Gang member, Muscle, Hitman, Mercenary, Bounty hunter, Sex traffickers, Pirates, Smugglers, etc.

♡ Government + Law & Order

King, President, Governor, Politician, Senator, Congressman, Law official, Judge, Lawyer, Agent, Spy, Cop, Parole officer, Warden, Prison guard, etc.

♡ Health

Doctor, Surgeon, Therapist, Psychiatrist, Dentist, Personal trainer, Health manager, etc.

♡ Art

Painter, Sculptor, Writer, Poet, Film director, Photographer, Singer, etc.

♡ Service

Bartender, Waiter, Barista, Butler, etc.

♡ Sex worker

Pornstar, Prondirector, Stripper, Escort, Sugarbaby, etc.

♡ Transportation

Pilot, Chueffer, Taxi driver, Train conductor, Ship’s Captain, etc.

♡ Sport

Pro-athlete, Pro-gamer, Chessplayer, Football player, American football player, Basketball player, etc.

♡ Rural

Cowboy, Farmer, Hermit, Hunter, etc.

♡ Handymen

Carpenter, Plumber, Electrician, Contractor, Construction worker, Mechanic, etc.

♡ Science

Scientist, Biologist, Chemist, etc.

♡ Business mogul & Industrialists

Network owner, Tech innovator, Factory owner, Company owner, etc.

♡ NIGHTMARE'S HELPDESK

[alphamecha-mkii]

March of Robots 2025 - Day 20 by Art_Of_One

[ofmdrecaps]

03/17-20/2025 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Rhys Darby; Kristian Nairn; Zayre Ferrer; Vico Ortiz; Jes Tom; Bronson Pinchot; Dominic Burgess; Nicola Dove; The New Uni-Con; Our Drag Means Slay; Love Notes;

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys' Tour is in full swing in Aotearoa and he's been featured in lots of articles and participating in Podcast and Radio Shows all over!

Source: Beat Magazine

One of the podcasts he was on recently was Wilosophy! You can listen below, but there's also some clips on IG! Our friends over at @adoptourcrew also put up some clips on their Bluesky as well!

Source: Wilosophy

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Everyone Relax (@everyone.relax)

Source: Rhys's IG

Tired of Rhys yet? ME NEITHER! It's like a gift every day! There's also a New Cryptid Factor Episode! #105 The Robot Host Issue!

Source: The Cryptid Factor - Paid Patreon

= Kristian Nairn =

Kristian just sending some love and hinting at some Spektrum updates!

Source: Kristian's IG

= Zayre Ferrer =

One of our fabulous writers, Zayre Ferrer is looking for "Los Angeles locals of all genders who identify as Afro-Caribeños, Hispanos & Latinos in their early 20s to 50s for various lead and supporting roles! Check out the casting info below!

Please email teamdpd@dpdcasting.com for more information."

Buscando talento Afro-Caribeño, Hispano y Latino residente en Los Angeles, de todos géneros entre 20 y 50 años, para papeles principales y secundarios. Para participar, obtener más información o si tiene preguntas envié un correo electrónico a teamdpd@dpdcasting.com.

Source: Zayre's IG

= Vico Ortiz =

Vico's been very busy with Today in Gay and other projects!

Source: Vico's Bluesky

March 17

March 18

March 19

March 20

Source: Today In Gay Substack

Vico's also been keeping us fed with more BTS on their paid Patreon! Here's a couple previews!

Source: Vico's Paid Patreon

Source: Vico's Paid Patreon

= James Tom =

Gonna be in San Francisco on May 6th? Why not stop in and see James Tom, one of our dear writers for their stand up! Get tickets here!

Source: James Tom's IG

= Bronson Pinchot =

Bronson, our villainous Ned Low, was out at "The Residence" Red carpet event with Netflix! I ran out of space for videos on this post, but Bronson also posted a video of him and his pup you should go watch here on IG for some serotonin!

Source: Bronson's IG

= Dominic Burgess =

Our dear Jeffrey Fettering, Dominic, is going to be in Hulu's GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY! Here's a clip!

Source: Dominics Bsky

As a bonus, Dominic is thinking of us and sending us kitty love <3

Source: Dominic's Bsky

= Nicola Dove =

More wonderful BTS photos and memories from one of our S2 Photographers-- Nicola Dove! These feature both before and after shots of specific scenes.

Source: FilmstillsAcademy IG

"Don't get too close to Rhys Darby with a sword. 😉 Behind the scenes on Our Flag Means Death S2"

Source: FilmStillsAcademy IG

== The New Uni-Con ==

Guess who's joining The New Uni-Con in London June 20th - 22nd? Why it's none other than, "Mr. Cool", Nathan Foad! Why is it I don't live in the UK again?

Source: Siren UK Events

== Our Drag Means Slay ==

My sincerest apologies to the Our Drag Means Slay folks, I've been so behind on these I'm not sure there's enough time to still send raffle prizes you'd like to donate-- but if so-- they're still accepting raffle prizes for their April 12 show in Chicago! They need them in hand by 04/10! All proceeds from the raffle, and part of the ticket sales go to The Lighthouse Foundation!

Source: Our Drag Means Slay IG

== Articles ==

As always, thank you to our amazing crewmates over at @adoptourcrew for keeping us up to date on articles featuring our favorite show!

Telltale-tv: The 15 Best Will They - Won't They TV Relationships

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Bsky

Max's #4 most-watched show is The Righteous Gemstones – here are 3 more great comedies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

Source: Adopt Our Crew Bsky

More of the OFMD Craft Fair featured on INTO!

Our Flag Means Death creator donates to a craft fair raising funds for trans youth - INTO

Source: Intomore.com's Bsky

== Love Notes ==

Just a couple love notes for you lovelies. Please remember that you're doing the best you can, and you're going to get wherever you want to go one day <3

Love you crew <3

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by bailey (@anxiety.positive)

Source: Anxiety Positive IG

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by bailey (@anxiety.positive)

Source: Anxiety Positive IG

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Been a while since we've had some silly gifs! Tonight's gifs are courtesy of the lovely and talented @fandomsmeantheworldtome and @soapbubbles511 <3

[d-criss-news]

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Makes Top 5 Debut on Billboard’s Cast Albums Chart

The original Broadway cast recording of Maybe Happy Ending – led by Emmy Award and Golden Globe-winner Darren Criss and Helen J Shen – scores the year’s highest debut on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart, as the set enters at No. 5 on the list dated March 29.

Maybe Happy Ending was released on March 14 via streaming services and to purchase as a digital download album, while its CD release is slated for May 16 and a vinyl release is due on June 13. Will Aronson and Hue Park wrote the show’s book, music and lyrics, while the album was produced by Deborah Abramson, Ian Kagey and Aronson. Maybe Happy Ending began its life on stage in Seoul, South Korea in 2016 and was later produced in Japan and China as well. It opened on Broadway at New York’s Belasco Theatre on Nov. 12, 2024, starring Criss and Shen as obsolete Helperbot robots who meet cute and fall in love. The show has drawn rave reviews, with The New York Times calling it “supersmart” and “astonishing,” Entertainment Weekly said the musical “dazzles with its love story and astounds with its visual accomplishments,” and USA Today said it was “wildly inventive and profoundly moving.” Shen makes their Broadway debut in Maybe Happy Ending, while this is the fourth Broadway show for Criss – but his first originating a role in a musical production. He previously appeared on Broadway in the revival of the play American Buffalo (in 2022) and as a replacement in the revivals of the musicals Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2015) and How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (2012). Billboard’s Cast Albums chart ranks the most popular cast recordings of the week in the United States, based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. The March 29 chart reflects the tracking week ending March 20. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

[stevebattle]

Yukon Bob (1986) by Dave Hirayama and Henry Tominaga, University of California, Irvine. The first "US Micromouse competition", following on from the 1979 "IEEE Amazing Micromouse Maze Contest," was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, organised by the IEEE and hosted at Bally's Park Place Casino Hotel from March 17 to 20, 1986. Yukon Bob was the only robot to find its way to the centre of the 10-foot maze during the event.

"Yukon Bob, as his creators affectionately call him, is a micro-mouse, a tiny, two-pound robot that uses infrared sensors and a minicomputer to propel its way through obstacle courses. It looks more like the inside of a radio on rollers than a mouse, but students attached paper ears, whiskers, nose and tail. Bob is the result of three years’ effort by senior Dave Hirayama, whose work paid off recently when the micromouse was the only robot to find the center of a 10-foot maze during a nationwide micromouse maze marathon in Atlantic City. About 60 teams signed up for the race, but only UCI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (which had two entrants) and Cal State Los Angeles entered working mice in the March contest. Yukon Bob made its way through the maze in 36.5 seconds, leaving the other mice in the dust." – Micro-Mouse Big Cheese in Maze Circles, by Marie Montgomery, LA Times, April 1986.

[mariacallous]

One of the staggering things the latest Cybertruck recall has revealed—other than Tesla’s use of the wrong glue—is that Elon Musk’s company appears to have sold 46,096 of these 7,000-pound electric pickups since customer deliveries began a little over 14 months ago. This is far fewer sales than Musk predicted for the Cybertruck just weeks before the rollout; he told investors that Tesla would soon sell 250,000 Cybertrucks per year.

On an earnings call a month before the November 2023 launch of the production vehicle, Musk boasted that Tesla had bagged “over 1 million” Cybertruck reservations and that “demand is off the charts.”

“Reservationists” initially paid $100 to join the queue, a refundable deposit later raised to $250. Car companies often open wait lists for models expected to outstrip supply, but most auto executives don’t expect that all of those who lodge deposits will follow through.

“The automotive industry aims for a conversion rate of around 2 to 16 percent” on reservations, Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights for car tech firm Cox Automotive, tells WIRED.

By that reckoning, Tesla’s conversion rate is just under 5 percent. That’s at the lower end of the conversion scale, but many experts, used to Tesla’s stratospheric sales, might consider that a flop. Analysts generally don’t treat the world’s richest automaker like a regular car company. Its stock trades at many times earnings, valuing it multiples higher than companies that sell more cars.

If manufacturing capacity is any gauge of the sales numbers that Tesla was expecting, then the company must be sorely disappointed, because the Texas Gigafactory, where the Cybertruck is made, has the capacity to build more than 125,000 of the pickups per year. But, according to a Business Insider report from January, poor Cybertruck sales led to workers being taken off the “Cyber” production line and moved to a Model Y line.

Tesla’s current elevated worth is based not on its actual sales but on predicted sales of yet-to-be-launched robotaxis and humanoid Optimus robots, which—like the Cybertruck, slated to arrive three years before it went into production—could be several years away from being mass produced.

“My predictions have a pretty good track record,” Musk told Tesla staff at an all-hands meeting on March 20, but none of those present dared to ask him whether he had predicted the anti-Musk backlash that is tanking Tesla sales around the world.

And for all Musk’s bluster at the staff meeting that Tesla is “by far the most innovative company in the car industry,” it really isn’t. Chinese automakers such as XPeng, Nio, and Li Auto are far ahead of Tesla on autonomous driving and other technologies.

Waymo is already offering driverless taxi rides. Nor is Tesla the only company plotting a future for humanoid robots. In a recent TechFirst podcast, author Peter Diamandis stated there were 15 other companies also in this race—and none of those have a leader as controversial or as divisive as Musk.

“This year, we hopefully will be able to make about 5,000 Optimus robots,” said Musk. “That’s the size of a Roman legion. Which is like a scary thought. Like a whole legion of robots. I'll be like, ‘whoa.’”

Musk’s exuberance continued as he claimed Tesla would make “probably 50,000-ish [Optimus robots] next year.” He further claimed that Optimus “will be the biggest product of all time by far—nothing will even be close. It’ll be 10 times bigger than the next biggest product ever made. Ultimately, I think we’ll be making tens of millions of robots a year.” Seconds later, he upped the ante even further, stating that, no, Tesla would actually make “maybe 100 million robots a year.”

Grandiose predictions excite Tesla bulls who believe him when Musk says “I know more about manufacturing than anyone currently alive on Earth,” but back in the real world Musk is in charge of a car manufacturing company that can’t even spec the correct grade of panel glue.

Now on its eighth recall in the past 14 months—prior recalls involved failing windshield wipers, trapped accelerator pedals, and possible loss of power to the wheels—Musk’s polarizing polygonic pickups are in sales free fall. Month-over-month Cybertruck sales were down by 32.5 percent in February, according to estimates by Cox Automotive.

“The Cybertruck generated significant buzz with its unique design and ambitious specifications,” says Cox’s Streaty. “However, sales have fallen short of expectations due to higher-than-promised prices, lower driving range and payload capacity, and production issues. The unconventional design hasn’t resonated with traditional truck buyers, and strong competition from Rivian and Ford has intensified the market.”

The Cybertruck, she adds, is a “niche product with a unique design and high price point, which may not resonate with mainstream consumers. Additionally, recalls and quality concerns can significantly undermine customer confidence and sales, posing a substantial challenge for the Cybertruck’s market success.”

When unveiled in 2019, Musk promised the production vehicle would launch within two years, starting with a $39,900 model. At the actual launch in 2023, the base model cost $21,000 more than that. The Foundation Series model—an early-doors special—cost an additional $20,000 despite offering no physical differences other than a look-at-me logo. Nonphysical perks included lifetime cellular connectivity and “free” access to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system.

Forbes spoke with experts who estimate that Tesla sank at least $2 billion into the development of the Cybertruck. A traditional car might need 200,000 units per year to cover the research and development costs, Olav Sorenson, professor of strategy and sociology at UCLA and faculty director of its Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, has estimated.

Sorenson calculates that the Cybertruck, with its stainless steel body panels and unconventional construction, might require as many as 300,000 sales per year.

At current levels of Cybertruck sales Tesla “probably loses money on every one,” claims Sorenson. “It’s an innovative vehicle, but whether such an unusual design would appeal to consumers has always been a gamble. The DeLorean, the original stainless steel car, sold only about 9,000 units. Even more mainstream cars with unusual designs, such as the PT Cruiser, have struggled to reach profitable sales levels.”

Sadly for Tesla, Musk’s wedge wagon went from a million or more reservations—which many thought would take some years to work through—to walk-up availability at dealerships within months.

This swifter-than-expected softening of demand might have been partly due to the Cybertruck’s now notorious quality-control issues. “When we launched reservations for the Valkyrie, we knew that this would be a highly desirable car due to its limited production and the personnel involved in the car’s development,” says former Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer. “People could rely on Aston and knew [the new car] was something we’d deliver. For the Cybertruck, we’ve seen a string of delays and a moving of the goalposts, which conveys a lack of reliability, and if the OEM isn’t reliable, why should customers be?”

A reservationist from northern Maryland, who says he was sold early on Musk’s promise of an electric pickup, spoke to WIRED on condition of anonymity. “I was planning on buying a truck and wanted my next vehicle to be electric,” he says. “At the time, the Cybertruck was the only EV pickup that seemed like it would be available soon. I placed an order with $100 refundable for the mid-tier one, but then the Cybertruck took much longer than originally promised, so I canceled my reservation.” He didn’t regret this decision. “With the events of the last couple of years, and especially the last couple of months, I would never now consider buying a Tesla vehicle.”

The deal breaker for many reservationists was the cost hike. “The Cybertruck was promised to start at $39,990 when the initial reservations began—a stratospheric difference from the $99,990 Foundation Series trucks that were first available,” says Joseph Yoon, consumer insights analyst at the car-shopping website Edmunds. “Even the cheapest base model now has an expected base MSRP of $60,990, and it’s likely that not many customers are willing to bridge the vast pricing gap.”

Tesla sold merely 38,965 of the angular EVs last year, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates. In January, Tesla introduced discounts to clear Cybertruck inventories with Foundation Series models still in stock, a variant Tesla was supposed to have stopped selling in October.

Tesla is now offering low financing rates to move Cybertrucks. Indeed, it has reportedly buffed out the badges on Foundation Series vehicles that failed to find a buyer so they can be sold as regular models. To clear yet more Foundation Series Cybertrucks from inventory, Tesla dealerships have also listed perks such as free lifetime Supercharging. The electric pickups are even piling up on used-car lots.

President Trump publicly encouraging Americans to buy Musk’s cars at a White House sales event is unlikely to have moved the needle much—and Tesla, which did not respond to a request for comment on this article, is facing a “brand tornado crisis moment,” says Dan Ives, a Tesla bull. The company’s shares have dropped nearly 40 percent since the start of the year, erasing the value hike it enjoyed in December after the election of Trump, a victory bankrolled in part by Musk.

The subsequent animus directed at Musk adds to the many other challenges that Tesla faces, including—the refreshed Model Y Juniper excepted—a jaded lineup of offerings.

Any novelty bump that may have boosted the Cybertruck’s initial sales has now most certainly worn off. Earlier this year, a research note issued by Morgan Stanley cited “decelerating Cybertruck volumes” as a reason for expectations of lower 2025 Tesla volume growth.

Other analysts have also expressed concern, with the Cybertruck cited as a drag on Tesla’s value. Swedish billionaire and hedge fund manager Christer Gardell recently issued a stark warning about Tesla stock. Talking on Swedish TV, he said Tesla’s valuation could drop steeply.

“Tesla,” said Gardell, “is probably the most expensive stock on the global stock exchanges right now. It could go down 95 percent—and maybe it should go down 95 percent.”

While other analysts see Telsa as a tech company with massive potential for non-auto sales, Gardell sees merely a car company. He does not understand why the market treats Tesla with such reverence. Tesla’s “valuation is incomprehensible,” he told the EFN channel. A crash is coming, he believes. “It’s always hard to say when. It could happen in a month, six months, a year, three years, or five years.” But it was clear in the interview that Gardell thinks it is coming.

And, for all of Musk’s recent praise for the Cybertruck’s five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration—Musk has stated the Cybertruck is “apocalypse-level safe”—any Tesla market crash will at least partially be due to the lower-than-expected sales of the Cybertruck.

Ultimately, Tesla’s CEO might rue the day he categorized his predictions as having a “pretty good track record.” On a 2023 earnings call, Musk confessed that the auto brand had “dug our own grave with the Cybertruck.” If things for the brand continue on their current trajectories, he may well have got this one right.

[native-mex]

Lost

part 1

It was a hot, long, and agonizingly boring day in Smallville, Kansas. My eyes glare at the ceiling of my room as I listened to a battle in Metropolis. My blue tank top rolled up ever so slightly as I moved my right knee, making my shorts rub against each other. 

 I could be in the city fighting alongside my cousin, but disappointingly, I was forced to stay on a farm. It’s not fair; I’m just as strong, if not more than him, yet I’m forced to sit on the sidelines. I growled at the thought of him lecturing me like a father about using my powers rather than a cousin. With my eyes shut and eyebrows pinched in disdain, I sit up and get out of bed.

“This is bull; Kal el can’t treat me like this,” I crumbled out as I marched to my closet, trying not to let my anger get a hold of me so I wouldn’t have to fix the floor again. Rummaging through my clothes, I found a small bag where I kept some stuff when Darkseid manipulated me. 

Hoping to find the tool that could send me somewhere instantly, I found an old bag. Without a second thought, I ripped the bag open and slowly pulled out a boom tube remote, gripping it firmly in my palm. My eyes were stern yet hesitant as I shoved the remote into a backpack filled with clothes and other stuff I needed.

I turned to my window, slid it open, and floated out of my room. Breathing in the fresh air as my hair tosses in the wind. With a big smile, I started to fly towards the woods behind the barn, making sure not to be too close to the farm, not wanting to cause any damage. As I planted my feet on the grass.

“You can’t keep me locked up on a farm forever.” I messed with the remote, tapping on some buttons until a random location appeared. A mischievous smirk twisted on my lips as a boom erupted, making a green portal appear. I didn't even get to fly in as I was sucked into its strong vortex. I hoped to see Metropolis or some familiar place. Still, when I landed on my back unprepared and crushed something underneath me with a grunt, I propped myself up to see nothing but desert and a rocky mountain.

“The hell? Where am I?” I asked as I started to sit up, looking for the remote, only to realize it was the thing that broke my fall.

“fuck!” I shouted out as I tried to grab all the pieces I could. Only to pause when I hear a loud, explosive metal pounding on metal. After cleaning up the broken remains of my boom tube remote, I floated up into the sky. Moving cautiously as I hover over 20 feet in the air over a monstrous cavity in the ground. 

My eyes widen as I see two gigantic robotic beings fighting in the cavity. However, one was slightly shorter than the other, with a yellow and black paint job. The taller one was black and dark purple, with a vibrant red visor trying to land a hit on the yellow guy, only to fail and get some ripped out of its chest. A multitude of cables followed it.

“Ugh, robots,” I grumbled, distrusting robots, as I started to float away only to hear loud, obnoxious beeping. Turning my head down, I saw the yellow bot staring at me with wide, bright blue eyes.

“Bzzu bzzu vroom!” The bot jumped wildly, waving his arms as if trying to grab me, even with the height difference. I felt uncomfortable and not exactly pleased with his actions, so I turned around and bolted away, flying like a bullet.

The yellow, worried, yet ever-so-curious bot slowed down its pace. His blue optics moved like a camera, ensuring it had footage and proof to show the rest of his comrades.

[borealwrites]

It’s better late than never, amiright?

Nobody asked for it, but here it is anyway. The prompt list for 2024’s Monster March!

The collection for Monster March can be found here! There aren’t many rules, but please give them a look over. The collection will be open starting today, but works won’t be accepted until March 1st. I’m so excited to see what everyone will do!

Plaintext list under the cut

1. Robot/Android/Cyborg/Automaton

2. Dragon

3. Extradimensional Being

4. Humanoid Animal (i.e. Tabaxi, Kenku, Dragonborn)

5. Taurs (i.e. Cervitaur, Centaur)

6. Doppelgänger

7. Succubus/Incubus/Concubus

8. Undead (i.e. Lich, Frankenstein’s Monster)

9. Pixie/Fairy

10. Fae

11. Angel

12. Naga/Lamia

13. Vampire

14. Minotaur

15. Slimeperson

16. Djinn/elemental spirit

17. Ghost/Spirit

18. Merperson

19. Demon

20. Alien

21. Shapeshifter

22. Alraune

23. Werewolf

24. Satyr

25. Harpy

26. Drider

27. Giant

28. Cryptid

29. Sphinx

30. Forest Spirit

31. Free Day

[fujikosouvenir]

Kodansha's TV magazine - UFO Robot Grendizer vs. Great Mazinger @ Toei Manga Festival - March 20 (Saturday) > April 9 (Friday)

[coovieilledentelle]

La bouillabaisse fait partie de ces plats qui me rappellent les vacances au bord de la mer !

Cette recette de bouillabaisse (avec sa rouille maison !) est très proche de la recette traditionnelle , tout en restant relativement simple à réaliser.

Pour la bouillabaisse

1 oignon jaune

1 fenouil , petit

1 poireau

4-5 tomates

1 c. à soupe de c oncentré de tomates

1 livre de pommes de terre

1 c. à soupe de graines de fenouil

10 fils de safran

3 feuilles de laurier

1 orange

500 g poisson frais rascasse, rouget barbet, Saint Pierre ou autre poisson blanc (cabillaud, lotte etc.)

200 g crevettes 200 g

1 livre moules 500 g

1 litre fumet de poisson

125 ml vin blanc sec

40 ml pastis Pernod Ricard

Sel

Persil frais

Pour la rouille

150 ml d’huile d’olive

2 jaunes d’œuf

3 gousses d’ail

1 c. à soupe de moutarde de Dijon

2 tranches de pain

6 fils de safran

1 pincée de sel

1 c. à café paprika

1 c. à café Piment d’espelette

Quelques gouttes de jus de citron

Instructions 

Émincer l’oignon, le fenouil et le poireau. Couper les tomates et les pommes de terre en cubes.

Dans une grande casserole ou un cocotte, faire chauffer l’huile d’olive à feu moyen. Ajouter l’oignon, le fenouil et les poireaux. Faire revenir pendant quelques minutes jusqu’à ce que l’oignon soit translucide.

Ajouter les graines de fenouil, les fils de safran, les tomates, le concentré de tomates et le zeste d’orange. Remuer et laisser cuire quelques minutes pour libérer les arômes.

Déglacer avec le pastis et le vin blanc. Retirer le zeste d’orange, puis verser le fumet de poisson.

Option : mixer la soupe et la passer au tamis pour éliminer les morceaux. Reverser dans la casserole.

Ajouter les pommes de terre, la feuille de laurier et le zeste d’orange et faire cuire à feu moyen pendant 20 minutes.

Rincez bien les moules sous l’eau froide et retirez celles qui sont ouvertes ou cassées. Couper le poisson en cubes. Ajouter sur le poisson, les crevettes et les moules.

Couvrir la cocotte avec un couvercle et laisser mijoter pendant 5 à 7 minutes à feu doux, ou jusqu’à ce que le poisson soit cuit, que les crevettes soient roses et que les moules soient ouvertes. Jeter les moules qui ne se sont pas ouvertes pendant la cuisson.

Retirer la cocotte du feu et verser la bouillabaisse dans des bols. Garnir de persil frais haché.

Sauce rouille

Faire tremper le pain dans de l’eau ou un peu de soupe de poisson. Dans un petit bol, mélanger les fils de safran avec quelques gouttes de jus de citron et laisser infuser quelques minutes.Dans le bol de votre robot ou dans un petit bocal, ajoutez les jaunes d’œufs, les gousses d’ail, la moutarde de Dijon, le pain trempé, le safran avec le jus de citron, une pincée de sel, le paprika et le piment.

À l’aide d’un mixeur ou d’un robot, mixer le mélange jusqu’à ce que tous les ingrédients soient bien combinés.Le robot étant toujours en marche, verser lentement l’huile d’olive en un filet régulier. Continuer à ajouter de l’huile d’olive petit à petit jusqu’à obtenir la consistance souhaitée.Goûter la rouille et rectifier l’assaisonnement si nécessaire.Transférer la rouille dans un bol de service et la réfrigérer pendant au moins 30 minutes avant de la servir.

[vroomizing]

THERIOCTANE #2: An Introduction to Mega Man: Battle & Chase

In the wake of Mario Kart World and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, I felt it only right to reintroduce people to Capcom’s entry in kart racing games, Mega Man: Battle & Chase.

Histories & General Mechanics

Released in Japan on March 20, 1997 and in the PAL region on April 3, 1998 for PlayStation, Mega Man: Battle & Chase is a kart racing game of the likes of Mario Kart with an emphasis on combat. Its core mechanic allows the player, after winning a race, to choose a car part from an enemy competitor as a prize and upgrade their own.

As far as the story goes, the game takes its name from a new hit show called Battle & Chase. An extreme racing show, the winning champion gets off with the hefty sum of 10 million Zenny (the fictional currency used in Capcom games). Soon, word reaches out and many robots decide to enter. When word reaches Mega Man, he decides to enter to use the prize money to fix Dr. Light's computer, which had broken down after a thunderstorm. As the tournament closes, Dr. Wily appears and steals the prize money for his own evil purposes, and the player must race against Bass (when not playing with him) and Wily to recover it.

Capcom wanted to release the game in North America in the month following the Japanese release as per the advertisement above, but this plan never materialized due to market saturation of similar games. In the end, it was finally released in North America in 2006 as part of the Megaman X Collection.

Despite this and being quite the odd duck in Megaman games, Battle & Chase gave way to two comic adaptions, the first being the Rockman: Battle & Chase (Rockman: Grand Prix) manhua by Wu Yang, published in 1999 (which you can read for free here on tumblr!), and the "Burning Wheel" story in Megaman Gigamix by Hitoshi Ariga, published in 2009.

The Rockman: Grand Prix manhua ups the stakes a bit with the prize, along the 10 million Zenny, being a meteorite containing the strongest alloy in the universe, and "Burning Wheel"... by planting a bomb in Roll's car and partner, (Pop'n) Beat. Ouch.

Body and Engine, Wing and Tires

Of course, given the soapbox where I’m speaking from, I think the most noticeable thing about it, without even turning on the console, is the design of the racing cars. 

Perhaps the best representation of what Therioctane stands for, you’d think that disembodying a head and sticking it in front of a car would look weird at best and downright bad at worse, yet illustrators Shinsuke Komaki and Hideki Ishikawa excelled with these.

It's no wonder then why the theriocephalic cars (not only, but there are four of those on a roster of twelve and three out of the four are passably so the most most popular characters) were the ones to get made into toys:

[Pictured: A 1:24 scale remote control Rush Roadstar, complete with cones, batteries, ramps, and plastic cards on which to put enemy stickers. Nikko also offered Proto Man and his car, the Red Striker.]

[Pictured: ロックマンチェイサーズ, or Rockman Chasers, miniature toys sold with candy. They came in solid colors, and seems like some painting was required. And you could even reassemble them like you would in-game. Fun!]

[Pictured: Unreleased Jazware pullback toys. Real shame. I would have bought the "Bass Racer" in a heartbeat.]

I’m impressed they didn’t make an animated series or at least an OVA of this! Where it might have flopped a bit due to the oversaturation of of mascot-themed racing games in the video game market, it might have offered a nice, albeit niche racing anime...

With the tides of time and the fickle nature of human memory, I sadly don’t remember how I discovered Battle & Chase. A stray Google search? Vroomiz led me to it in spirit? Shall we ever know? I think we shall never know...

Images courtesy of Ryan Langley/The Video Game Art Archive, Brian/Rockman Corner and Tanooki Joe/VideoGameArt&Tidbits. Forever grateful for the work of archivists like these. God bless!

Quite literally everything showcased in this issue of Therioctane © Capcom

PREVIOUS ISSUE : THERIOCTANE #1

[professionalhceruki]

HONKAI STAR TAIL BIRTHDAYS (hcs)

Acheron - April 13th (birthday of Raiden Mei from HI3)

Agalea - March 27th ( Mary Dixon's birthday, first female weavemaker)

Anaxa - May 3 (Family Of Liars book release)

Argenti - March 1 (World Compliment Day, Valentines Day can also work)

Arlan - January 26 (A Dogs Purpose release)

Asta - October 2 ( The Creation of the first telescope)

Aventurine - May 20 (Common date linked with his gem, Aventurine)

Bailu - February 6 (Huangi Neijing death was in 260, same was done as Jiaoqiu, "2" the month and "6" the day)

Black Swan - Dec 18 (The date of the first scientist who discovered what Amnesia was)

Blade - August 15 (Obon is celebrated in japan, its a festival made to send off to those who died)

Boothill - October 26 (Red Dead Redemtion 2 release)

Bronya - August 8 (Bronya Zaychik HI3 birthday)

Castorice - October 28 (Poet Of Death book release date)

Clara - September 25 (Daughters Day)

Dan Heng - May 5 (Dragon Boat Festival)

Dr. Ratio - June 24th (Thales of Miletus, same done as Bailu 624 = 6 the month, 24 the day)

Feixiao - December 20 (Rocky Balboa movie release)

Firefly - Jan 2 (Isaac Asimovs birth, author who wrote The Robots Dawn, third robot series)

Fu Xuan - Jan 6 (Earliest divination practices in china, found in c. 1600-c. 1046 BC)

Gallagher - October 30 (Jeremiah P. Thomas, first mixologist)

Gepard - August 4 ( Guard day)

Guinafen - January 1 (New Year)

Hanya - August 16 (Calligraphy Day)

Herta - February 29 (a day that rarely appears, its unique just as Madam Herta)

Himeko - June 11 (Himeko HI3 birth)

Hook - October 13 (National Mole Day)

HuoHuo - August 19 (The Exorcist movie release)

Jade - March 13 (Jades are often related with March, March 13th is explicticly Jewel Day)

Jiaoqiu - April 6 (Hippocrates was born in 460 BC, I decided to make "4" be the month while "6" the date.)

Jing Yuan - February 2 (Qin Shi Huang was China's first emperor, 246 BC)

Jingliu - March 7 (Her sword in lore described as such, "A sword, 3 feet and 7 inches in length")

Kafka - July 3 (Franz Kafka's birth)

Lingsha - January 3 (Li Shaojun was the earliest known chinese alchemist, during the 133 BCE)

Luka - February 17 (Punch-Out!!! first release)

Luocha - September 8 (Otto= 8, September 8 is also a date some people agree for him, Otto is Loucha's name in HI3)

Lynx - June 11th (International Lynx Day)

March 7th - March 7th (only "confirmed" bday)

Misha - Nov 20 (Death of Thomas Tompion, consider the "Father of English Clockmaking")

Moze - February 2 (Groundhog Day)

Mydei - April 5 (Gilgamesh birthday from Fate/Stay Night)

Natasha - June 19 (Natasha HI3 birthdate)

Pela - January 3 (Princess Knight release date, first considered Shoujo film, to aling with Pela's interest in romance novels)

Qinque - April 20 ( Katayama Mayasuki birth, best Mahjong player)

Rappa - Dec 2 (Maasaki Hatsumi birth, most well known person in the realm of ninjutsu and founder)

Robin - June 1 (Marilyn Monroe birth)

Ruan Mei - July 20 (Gregor Mandel, father of genetic science)

Sampo - Decemeber 3 ( Charles The Mad birth, considered the worlds biggest fool)

Seele - October 18 (Seele HI3 birthdate)

Serval - April 3 (World Party Day, Serval's were also discovered in april)

Silver Wolf - August 8 (Bronya Zaychik HI3 birthday)

Sparkle - December 31 (New Years Eve)

Sunday - December 24th (Christmas)

Sushang - April 4 (Sushang HI3 birthdate)

Phainon - March 7th (speculated date of Kevin Kaslana)

Tingyun - October 31s (aside from halloween, its a day considered of revival)

Tribbie - March 3rd (3/3, should be self explanatory with the 3 sillies....)

Topaz - December 22 (Topaz Birthstone)

Welt - October 10 (In the Anti Entropy Visual Novel, the day Welt Joyce first got his name from Einstein was on October 10.)

Xueyi - February 7 (Gao Yao was the earliest judge in ancient china)

Yanqing - Mrch 28 (Li Jinglin, a swordman from the Zaoqiang county.)

Yukong - August 19th (National AviatioN Day)

Yunli - March 9th (Yuenü is a swordswoman from the state of yue.)

[axelmedellin]

Daily drawing 20 mar 2025

March of robots. Swing.

[arrietty-rune]

Annoying stuff but what if we could make TAWOG characters' birthdays based on the first episode they appear/ or by one of their centered episodes (or another special idk)

Here's some i did (i used U.S releases, also all are non canon except Nicole's one) :

[UPDATE: Added Sussie, edited Rob' s one]

-Gumball: May 3rd (based on the first episode of the show aired)

-Darwin: February 15th (based on the date of the Origins: part 1)

-Anais: January 5th (based on the Rival: Anais is born in this episode)

-Richard: June 20 (based on his first centered episode, the Laziest)

-Nicole: October 12th (canon, mentioned in the Web)

-Penny: October 9th (based on the Shell's release date)

-Carrie: June 27th (based on the Ghost's release date)

-Tobias: March 9th (based on the Anybody: his birthday is shown in this episode)

-Rachel: August 8th (based on the Party's release date)

-Banana Joe: October 7th (based on the Banana's U.K. release date)

-Bobert: August 22th (Date of the Robot's release date)

-Leslie: November 6th (based on the Awareness' release date)

-Sarah: November 3rd (based on the Fan's release date)

-Alan: January 15th (based on the Saint's release date)

-Carmen: September 8th (based on the Best's release date)

-Masami: July 31th (based on the Storm's release date)

-Teri: February 14th (based on the Matchmaker's release date)

-Sussie: June 12th (based on the Pony's release date, her birthday is shown in it)

-Rob: March 5th (based on the Nobody's release date)

-Julius: August 7th (based on the Lesson's release date)

-Lucy Simian: January 31th (based on the Ape's release date)

-Nigel Brown: April 9th (based on the Pact's release date)

-Steve Small: April 21th (based on the Advice's release date)

-Larry Needlemeyer: February 23th (based on the Stars' release date)