#or i could borrow a few cameras plus my own cheap one and that my tripod and crappy rolling dolly would be enough

[autisticstarseed]

god i just wanna make shit. i wanna make shit so bad. i wanna create full length movies and a 3 season tv series and an animated kids film and a sitcom and even just a handful of short films and it is all. completely infeasible bc of costs and skill requirements. i have 0 credentials 0 connections and 0 dollars. so i just sit here writing detailed visually elaborate scripts for weeks straight in google documents knowing the entire time how much im pouring my heart into fleshing out these ideas to make them something beautiful for others and that i am probably the only one that will ever see them. and yes capitalism is the main problem i do blame the bitch but honestly. capturing the illusion of another life is just simply a harder task than anyone realizes until they look into what it takes to make a film and then suddenly you realize the ‘camera’ in your head may never be the same as what you could capture with a real one. so i just keep writing scripts for the sake of having ideas. but i want more

[bobasheebaby]

Making Memories- Lucky Number 7?: Crimson Rain chapter 10

Pairing: Bastien x Liza; Olivia Nevrakis; Hope Casey (Lykel); Buttons

Word count: 1,450

Warnings: fluff, Liza’s nerves

Summary: Commemorating the pregnancy,

A/N: thanks @sirbeepsalot for being a sounding board and putting up with me.

Series warnings: talks of pregnancy loss, fear of pregnancy loss, anxiety, depression. Set within Crimson Rain but pulling the major pregnancy drama from the main series. All the fluff and angst with minimal mobster drama.

Let me know if you want to be added or removed from the taglist.

Disclaimer: I own my OC’s, the rest I’m simply borrowing from PB for a bit.

Bastien smiled, quietly slipping his phone from his pocket as he watched Liza with Buttons. The ever patient dog, seated, looking up at her, as he awaited her command. Liv outdid herself with the training. Liza gently patted her thigh, Buttons let out a happy bark as he sat back on his haunches, placing it one paw at the base of her large bump.

“What are you doing?” Liza laughed, turning just as Bastien lined up the shot.

“I was trying to take a cute picture of you three. Look back at Butt.”

Liza shook her head as she turned her face back toward, tilting her face back down to Buttons. “Didn’t you get enough pictures of us down the beach?”

“Nope.” He snapped the picture. “Besides look at this.” He crossed the room showing her the picture. They were mere silhouettes, completely backlit by the sun streaming in the window, but you could see the love.

“Okay that’s pretty cute.” She handed him back the phone.

“I was thinking we should do a maternity shoot.”

“Bas—”

“She’s fine, you know she’s fine. And if you pass this up you’ll be upset later.”

“Bas, I’m doing better but I’m just not sure I can.” She blinked back welling tears. Fucking hormones.

Bastien led her to the bed, sitting with her at the edge, Buttons plopped at their feet, resting his head on Liza’s. “I understand, I do.” He brushed her black hair back behind her ear. “I’m just worried if we don’t you’ll regret it. I’ll do whatever you want.”

Liza bit her lip in thought. She felt conflicted, fear trying to ensnare her heart once more, but at the same time she knew he was right. When Sage made it safely she’d regret not having the photos. She slowly nodded.  “Okay. We can do it, but I want to include Liv and Hope too.”

Bastien smiled as he squeezed her hand. “Anything you want.”

“Well if that’s so, can you please stop making sense all the time?”

*

“You can’t seriously expect me to wear this damn shirt!” Olivia grumbled holding the red ‘big sister’ shirt.

“Just for one picture, please?” Liza said pleading with her eyes. “For your baby sister?”

Olivia rolled her emerald eyes as her resolve crumbled. Cheap shot!  “Fine. One picture.” She pulled the tee on over her tank. “You don’t play fair, you know that right?”

Liza shrugged. “I have to play whatever works.”

“Uh huh. I’ll remember that. Can we get this ridiculous picture over with so I can take this stupid shirt back off?”

“Aww Livvy, you know you’re a proud big sister.” Bastien said with a teasing laugh.

“Doesn’t mean I have to announce it with my shirt.”

“It’s a cute shirt!” Hope said flopping on the couch proudly wearing her purple ‘middle sister’ shirt.

“Whatever you say Hope.” Olivia said with a roll of her eyes. “Can we get this picture over with?” She sat on the other side of Liza.

The petite photographer nodded in response, a fleeting look of question flickering over her face as she took in the shirts.

Liza knew that look, recognizing it from previous interactions when Olivia was younger, she knew it was coming. And it starts. Next they won’t know who the mother is. “Adopted, long lost daughter, rainbow baby.” She pointed to Olivia, Hope and her bump in turn. “And this is the bestest brother in the world she cooed to Buttons as he jumped up on Bastien’s other side sitting between him and Hope.

Buttons barked happily then licked Bastien’s cheek.

“Really? Why is he licking me when you’re the one talking to him?” He asked as he unsuccessfully tried to push Buttons off.

“Because he loves his papa. Don’t you Buttons?” She cooed, Buttons unleashing a new torrent of kisses on Bastien’s face. “Plus you’re closer.”

“Yeah.” He replied unconvinced, turning his head, Buttons tongue narrowly missing his mouth.

“Please tell me you got that!” Liza exclaimed through a fit of laughter.

The photographer shook her head, camera still held at waist level.

“I did!” Hope proclaimed triumphantly holding her phone out for Liza to see.

“That one is a keeper.” Olivia said with a smirk. “Maybe we can use it on our Christmas cards.”

“Okay. Okay, can we move on?” Bastien mock pouted.

“Yup.” Hope said tucking her phone back in her pocket as she reclaimed her seat next to Bastien. She silently commanded Buttons to sit between them.

Bastien shook his head in awe. “Why is he better behaved for all of you when I’m the one who sneaks him treats?”

“We smell better.” Olivia quipped, causing everyone to erupt into laughter. The flash went off capturing the lively family moment.

“Can I take off the shirt now?” Olivia asked impatiently as the laughter died down.

“Let me take a few of you a little less relaxed.” The photographer replied.

“Fine.” Olivia grumbled, leaning closer to Liza, hand resting on her shoulder. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Liza smiled, reaching up to squeeze her hand.  “Yes I am.” She placed her hand back onto her lap as she leaned in closer to Bastien.

Hope rested her left elbow on Bastien’s shoulder, right hand resting on Buttons side. Bastien turned his head kissing Liza’s temple just as the flash went off.

The photographer glanced down at her digital screen. “Okay one more with all of you smiling at the camera.”

They all turned their faces to the camera, smiling softly as she took the picture. “Now you can take it off.” She said inspecting the last photograph.

“Oh thank god!” Olivia proclaimed, reaching up to pull off the shirt, dropping it over the back of the couch.

“It’s not that bad Livvy.”

Olivia turned, her gaze burning Bastien. “The only good thing about it is it’s red.”

The others switched out of their shirts. They returned to their seats, posing for a few more pictures.

“How about a few with just the girls, and then we can do mom and dad.” The photographer suggested.

“I’d like a few of you and Buttons.” Bastien said kissing Liza’s temple.

“I think you got plenty of me and Buttons.”

“Never.”

Liza rolled her hazel eyes. “Mmmhmm. Now scooch.” She playfully pushed him.

Bastien vacated his seat. Hope moved in, leaning against Liza’s left side, Olivia adjusting slightly on her left. Buttons laid across Hope, his head resting on Liza’s bump.

The photographer opened her mouth to protest. “You’ll never get him to move, he’s become her shadow.” She nodded at Bastien’s words taking a few shots of the four, mostly serious, a few with Hope being free and playful, happiness exuding from her from finally finding her place.

Bastien soon switched places with the girls, taking pictures with Buttons included and a few where Hope managed to lure him away, even if just for a moment. Olivia quirked her brow in question as props were brought out. “Is that paint?”

“Body paint. Some rainbow mommy’s like to commentate it.”

“I can’t.” Olivia said rolling her eyes as she watched Liza’s light up. She chuckled as they held up a random pair of baby shoes and shook her head when Liza happily painted her belly with a rainbow of colors.

Once clean of the paint, and the final picture was taken, a close up of Buttons resting his head upon her round stomach at Bastien’s insistence, Liza collapsed onto the couch. “I’m beat.”

“All you did was take pictures all day.”

Liza narrowed her hazel eyes, glaring at Olivia. “I’m eight months pregnant, everything takes effort.”

“Uh huh.”

Liza rolled her eyes waving her off. “Okay Hope, let me see that picture!”

“Oh no! This isn’t going to become like the picture of the hair is it?” Bastien questioned.

“Oh yes it is!” Liza replied happily.

“Wait what hair picture?” Hope asked as she passed Liza her phone.

“Oh you have to see this.” Olivia said with a smirk.

“Oh no.” Bastien groaned, covering his face with his hands.

Liza pulled out her phone, quickly locating the picture in question in her favorites. “Here.” She passed Hope the phone.

“Ohmygod! It’s so floofy!” Hope exclaimed.

“Yup!” Liza popped the p. “And this one is so being saved!” She said sending the picture of Buttons licking a distressed Bastien to both her and Olivia.

“Oh I’m so putting that on the Christmas card.” Olivia said as she heard her phone chime.

“Why must you all gang up on me?”

“Girls have to stick together.” Liza rubbed her belly. “She’s gonna tease you too.”

“Nope. She’s papa’s little princess and she would never turn on me.”

Feedback fuels me, please like, comment reblog or send an ask. Feel free to scream, I promise I can take it.

Masterlist can be found in my bio.

Taglist will be reblogged.

[project-ml]

Project: Valentine’s Day 2018 — Le Petit Rob Noir

Le Petit Rob Noir

Author: @heartfiliadaydream | (Ao3)

Betas: @pateatsaburger | (Ao3)

Word Count: 3364

Summary: It’s Valentine’s Day, and Chloe and Alya want to give the people they like gifts to show that they care. It’s too bad that Chloe thinks they hate her, and Alya doesn’t think she’s got a chance in hell to woo her superhero partner.

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Masterposts

Tags: Chloe Bourgeois, Alya Cesaire, ChloexAlya, valentine’s day, secret crush, secondary love square

Pollen watched in exasperation as Chloe attempted to break into one of her classmate’s locker. After about the fifth murmured string of expletives, the kwami decided to take pity on her poor master.

“You know I could just phase in and open the locker for you, right?”

Chloe jerked up and glared at the kwami. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“I mentioned it a few weeks ago when you locked yourself out of your room and were too embarrassed to talk to the front desk, remember?”

“Fine, whatever, just open the locker for me, alright?”

Pollen rolled her eyes and popped into the locker, the door swinging open a moment afterwards. With a little bow, she moved out of the way so Chloe could place the gift she had gotten in the locker.

“I still think you should leave a note,” Pollen commented.

Chloe shook her head. “No way. It’s bad enough I’ve got a crush on her in the first place, I don’t need her ridiculing me for it.”

“Aww, but you could have added some flowers and chocolates and made it a grand gesture of your affection! It is Valentine’s Day afterall!”

“No, this… this is enough for now.”

“If you say so.”

The following morning at school, Alya opened her locker to find something in it that had not been there the last night. She stood there staring at it until Marinette poked her head around the open door to see what was up.

“Ohh, looks like someone’s got a secret admirer!”

“Shh! Keep it down! I don’t even know if that’s what this is.”

“Well then, open it up! See who it’s from and what it is!”

Alya sighed and picked up the package. There was a small note attached to the ribbon that read simply “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Hesitantly, she pulled on the ribbon and tore off the wrapping paper. Inside was a nondescript plain cardboard box, which she also popped open to reveal what was inside. She gasped. It was a lense attachment for her phone’s camera, making the quality of the picture comparable to that of a real photographer’s camera.

Someone let out an impressed whistle from behind them and they turned to see it was Adrien. “That’s quite the piece of tech right there. Who got it for you?”

Alya shrugged. “I’m not sure. There’s no name.”

“Well, whoever got that for you must really like you, I can tell you that those don’t come cheap.”

Alya knew that. She’d been longingly staring at it in the electronics store for months. She knew that the only people who actually knew that fact would have been Nino and Marinette. Then again, she supposed that anyone who knew anything about her could have guessed that was something she had her eye on.

“I know you’re all worried about who gave that to you and stuff, but let’s be honest, I know you’re dying to try it out, so why don’t we not look a gift horse in the mouth and take some pictures,” Marinette suggested.

Alya nodded. “You’re right, time to see what this puppy can really do!”

Unfortunately, the bell for class rang immediately after that, so the pair settled on a quick selfie just to test out the quality. Alya could have cried the photo quality was so much nicer than it had been on her phone before. She had about eight million new photo session ideas, including finding some way to get all of Paris’ superheroes into one amazing quality shot. She was sure she could convince Marinette to help her set that one up.

That one wouldn’t make the Ladyblog though. That one would be just for her.

At lunch, Marinette and Alya headed over to Marinette’s to eat and further discuss the gift.

“Aren’t you even a little curious as to who sent it?” Marinette asked, stealing a grape from the bowl in front of Alya.

Shooting her a look and pulling the bowl closer to her, Alya replied, “Of course I am! But what I’m not excited about is trying to tell whoever it is that they don’t have a chance because I’m actually in love with my superhero partner who doesn’t seem to feel the same way!”

Marinette sighed and put her hands on Alya’s shoulders. “You don’t know that though. For all you know, Queen Bee could feel the same way about you, but you won’t know until you tell her.”

“Just like you’ve told Adrien? And should I remind you about how torn up Chat was when you told him you didn’t have romantic feelings for him?”

“Those are two completely different situations. We both know that you’re far more confident than I am, and Chat wasn’t that torn up… was he?”

“Girl, you weren’t there for the aftermath.”

“Shit, okay, well I didn’t know that, so that one doesn’t count. Plus, I’m definitely getting vibes that she might like you too.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better and to do it.”

Marinette shrugged, so Alya threw a grape at her.

Later that night, Queen Bee was sitting at the top city hall, lost in thought. Alya had seemed really excited about the gift, though a little wary over the anonymous nature of it. Either way, she was really happy that she could have made her smile like that, even if it was next to Marinette instead of her.

A soft pad of feet behind her broke her from her thoughts.

“Well fancy that, I’ve found the Queen,” she heard a familiar voice say from behind her.

“What do you want, tomcat?” she replied.

Chat Noir came and sat down beside her. “I needed to get out. Things at home are rough.”

Queen Bee made a noise of understanding. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How do you deal with knowing Ladybug doesn’t like you the way you like her?”

Chat was taken aback for a moment, but sighed and replied, “It’s difficult, I won’t lie. But we’re best friends and just being friends and being around her is good enough for me.”

“That was unsurprisingly unhelpful.”

“It’s the truth though,” he admitted. Looking at the scowl on Bee’s face, Chat asked, “Why did you want to know?”

She thought about telling him to mind his own business, but she’d only been able to talk to Pollen about this, so having a friend to confide in wouldn’t hurt. She explained her situation without being too specific, stating it was a girl at school whom she had been less than kind to before she’d grown up and matured a little, but she still saw her as the mean girl. Then she mentioned the anonymous gift she’d left.

“Well, there’s not much you can do about the fact you used to be mean to her, but I think if you’ve grown up a little, she might think differently of you. The only thing you can do now is tell her and hope she feels the same way.”

“Oh, because that worked out well for you and Ladybug?”

“How’d you know about that?”

“Rena and I had a chat a while back about it. You know how close her and Ladybug have become.”

“Fair enough. That also has to do with the fact we’re both superheroes though, not only because she likes someone else. As for the gift part, I know you didn’t write your name, but don’t be surprised if she finds out who you are. I once had something gifted to me, but found out later on that it wasn’t from the person who’d given it to me.”

“I just hope she doesn’t laugh at me.”

“If she does, let me know and I’ll have a few words with her.”

“Thanks Chat. I’ll make sure to plan you a grand funeral afterwards.”

Chat chuckled and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, hesitating for just a moment before following through and said, “Anytime.”

Another sound of feet hitting the roof behind them caused both of them to turn around and see Rena Rouge walking towards them.

“Is this a bad time?” she asked, eyes darting between the two of them.

“Not at all,” Chat replied. “We were just chatting.”

“Oh, okay. Is it alright if I borrow Queen Bee here for a few minutes?”

Chat looked from Rena to Bee and back again, before shrugging and getting to his feet. He shot them both finger guns, then backflipped off the roof, vaulting away.

“Show off,” Rena muttered, rolling her eyes.

Bee turned to Rena and asked, “What did you want to borrow me for?”

Rena shifted a little uncomfortably, but noticed that Bee didn’t look like her usual self.

“Are you alright? You look a little upset. Do I need to beat that stupid cat’s head in?”

Bee giggled quietly, replying, “No, it wasn’t him. It’s nothing.”

“Bee, we’ve become pretty close, you don’t need to hide anything.”

“I just gave someone a gift today without telling them it was from me because I’m worried about what they’ll think knowing it was.”

Rena raised an eyebrow. “What’s there to worry about?”

“I wasn’t exactly… nice to her in the past. I was kind of a jerk actually.”

“Oh. I see why you’re worried then. Speaking from personal experience, sometimes you’d be surprised what people think if you’ve changed. There was someone who used to be a jerk to me as well, but in the last year or so, she’s changed a lot and while we’re by no means friends, I would at least say thank you without being a jerk to them about it.”

Bee thought about it and supposed while Alya might not like her, she probably wouldn’t patronize her for it. While she thought, she realized Rena was holding something.

“What’ve you got there?”

“Um, it’s actually for you,” Rena said, handing her a gift wrapped box. “I saw it the other day and thought it was really suited to you.”

Bee took the box.

“Can I open it?” Rena nodded and Bee pulled of the wrapping paper, unveiling the box for a Guerlain perfume. It was one she had yet to add to her collection, and she was surprised that Rena would spend so much on her. “Wow, thank you, but I don’t know if I can accept it. This isn’t a cheap gift and I feel bad I didn’t get you anything.”

Rena shook her head and Bee could see the hint of a blush staining the cheeks below her mask. “Don’t sweat it. It’s Valentine’s Day and I just wanted to get you something nice. I’ve got to go now though, see you later!”

Before Bee could process and respond, Rena was already jumping over the nearest rooftop and out of sight.

Rena ran as fast as she could before she crashed onto Marinette’s bed from the rooftop entrance, detransforming with a noise of defeat.

“Went that badly?” Marinette asked, handing Trixx a snack to eat with Tikki while they talked.

“Not exactly. I was all ‘I just wanted to get you something nice, bye!’ and then ran off. I don’t even know what she thought about it.”

Marinette stifled a giggle. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure things will be fine. And if they’re not, I’ll tell her they have to be for the good of the team.”

“Gee thanks, as long as it doesn’t mess with the team dynamic, then everything is fine and dandy!”

“I’m sorry, you know what I mean. It is technically the most important thing in this scenario from Ladybug’s point of view. But as Marinette, I truly hope things go well. I know things were rocky when she first joined the team, but she’s really become a good friend and I want both of you to be happy.”

“Thanks, girl, I really appreciate it.”

When Chloe got home, she flopped down on her bed, groaning and staring at the box of perfume that had landed next to her. She felt awful that she couldn’t say anything back to Rena before she ran away, but then again, she didn’t even know what that would be.

Sure, they were good friends, but she liked someone else. Though, she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about Rena that way. In a lot of ways she reminded Chloe of Alya. They were both witty, smart, took no shit, and gorgeous to top it all off. She wasn’t sure how she managed to keep her act together around either of them.

She could see herself falling completely for Rena Rouge, since she was pretty sure Alya would never feel the same way about her after their history in collège, even after what Rena had said about the gift. It was one thing to forgive, but a whole other matter to be more than even just classmates.

Opening the bottle, she smelled the perfume and sighed in delight. She loved any and all scents from this line and was super excited to wear it tomorrow at school.

Sitting in first period, Alya could tell something was different. Chloe was sitting in her usual spot right in front of her and had a soft smile on her lips, unlike anything Alya had seen on her before. Walking by, she smelled a sweet scent that was very familiar.

“Is that a new perfume, Chloe?”

Surprised by her name coming from so close next to her, Chloe jumped in her seat and reeled back when she saw Alya was inches away from her face.

“Y-yes, it is, what’s it to you- I mean- why do you ask?”

“What scent is it?”

The soft smile returned to Chloe’s face. “It’s the new one from Guerlain. It was a gift from a close friend.”

Alya hummed in reply and took her seat, staring intently at the back of Chloe’s head. That typical ponytail she wore reminded her a lot of the one Queen Bee always wore as well, and they had a very similar hair colour. Though she supposed blonde wasn’t a very uncommon colour, and fairly easy to recreate from a box. She had never noticed the black and yellow pin in her hair before today however. It looked like she was trying to hide it in her ponytail.

The biggest problem was, the more she thought about it, the more the similarities showed up between them. Especially the way Queen Bee acted when she first showed up. She was smug and a little rude, but the difference was she corrected her actions very swiftly afterwards, apologizing…

Oh dear lord, Chloe was totally Queen Bee.

There was only one way for Alya to find out.

After school, she asked Trixx if she could send a message like they could when they were transformed without actually being transformed.

“Sure, whichever one you decide to contact, their Kwami will just let them know that you’re trying to get into contact with them.”

“Perfect, let’s see if Queen Bee is available to have a chat.”

Chloe was surprised when Pollen said Rena Rouge wanted to see her, but she transformed and met her once again on top of City Hall, despite being anxious about finally talking to her after the last night.

When she landed, Rena was pacing across the roof.

“Hey, what did you want to meet about?” she asked, trying to keep it casual and light.

“I have a really random question. Yesterday you mentioned that you gave someone a gift without saying it was you. How did you do that?”

Bee was taken aback. That really was a random question. “I left it in their locker?”

Rena sucked in a breath of air, and thought Oh my God it’s Chloe.

“What?” Queen Bee said. “What did you just say?”

“Oh shit, I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Why would you think that’s my name? That’s such a ridiculous thing to ask and then say, you’re absolutely out of your mind, clearly you were dropped on your head as a child Rena,” Bee said all too quickly.

“Oh my god, you really are Chloe, aren’t you? I cannot believe this. Actually, I can, I can totally see how this a thing. Shit, I’m going to have to tell Marinette or none of this is going to make sense tomorrow.”

“We’re going to come back to that comment later, but I’d really like to know how you figured out who I was,” Bee responded, then detransformed back into Chloe.

Rena didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Well, fun little tidbit about my day yesterday, someone at school left a gift in my locker with no name and a note that said ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ in it, which seems oddly coincidental given you did exactly that yesterday. Then you wore the perfume I gave you to school today.”

“Oh my lord, you’re Alya.”

Alya dropped her transformation as well, holding up her phone with the gift Chloe had given her on it. “You’d be right on that assumption, Queenie.”

Chloe stared at Alya for a moment before letting out a giggle, which then turned into a laugh, which turned into her laughing hysterically, and before she knew it, they’d turned into laughing sobs.

She tried to turn to hide the tears going down her face, but Alya had seen them.

“Why are you crying? I don’t know how to deal with a crying Chloe.”

“I don’t know, honestly,” Chloe replied between sobs. “This whole thing is just… so, so messed up. Here I am, hoping I can just fly by with a secret crush on you, and now I find out you’re one of my closest friends who hates my civilian form? How am I supposed to react?”

“I don’t hate you.”

Chloe turned around to see a pink faced Alya.

“What?”

Looking directly at her, Alya replied, “I don’t hate you. I used to, back when you were a grade A bitch, but… I don’t hate you anymore. Since we started lycée, you’ve just been an overall less unpleasant person. It was almost difficult to tell that you and Queen Bee were one in the same because of the personality difference though.”

“I tried really hard to be a better person as Queen Bee. I know I was awful when we were younger, but it was too late to completely flip my personality at school. So when I got the miraculous, I decided to reinvent myself. Make myself the person I’d actually become versus the person I couldn’t change to be in real life.”

“So if you could, you’d be like Queen Bee all the time?”

“In a heartbeat.”

Alya walked over and wiped the tears off Chloe’s face. “To tell you the truth, that gift I gave you last night wasn’t just some gift. It was meant as a Valentine’s gift between more than just friends.”

“Well if I’m being honest, even though I gave you that gift at school yesterday as more than just classmates, I’d almost given up on ever actually telling you how I felt. I kind of started to fall for you as Rena Rouge as well.”

Alya’s face deepened in colour. “O-Oh, really?”

“Will you be my belated Valentine?” Chloe asked.

“On one condition,” Alya replied. Chloe nodded and she continued, “Only if you start to actually be the person you are as Queen Bee at school.”

“Deal. As long as you’re there to help me if I slip up. Like when Rose wears too much of that awful perfume, or when Nino refuses to turn down his stupid music, or-”

“Chloe,” Alya warned.

“Sorry, old habits die hard.”

“Of course. Do you want to go get some ice cream or something?”

“I’d love to,” Chloe replied, taking Alya’s hand. As an afterthought she asked, “What did you mean you’re going to have to tell Marinette about this?”

“Oh girl, you’re going to go crazy when you find out, but I’ll let her tell you that one,” Alya replied with a wink, then transformed and leapt off the roof.

“Hey! Wait for me!”

[srubendavies]

Derek Ridges - Interview

1. What was the first commercial job you completed, could you describe your experience? The very first photos I took that were used commercially were in a couple of ads for the Spanish National Tourist Board in 1973.   That doesn’t quite fit here though because they weren’t really commissioned - I shot them whilst I was art directing a TV commercial. I suppose my first commissioned job was taking some live photographs of Betty Davis on stage at Ronnie Scotts.  It was in 1974.  I did it for Island Records and I still have a copy of the invoice I sent them - for £30. I don’t remember exactly how or why I got that commission because I wasn’t a photographer at the time.  I think I just rang up Island and persuaded them to commission me.  I was a Betty Davis fan and just wanted to opportunity to shoot her.  The commission was neither here nor there really. Back in those days, working as an ad agency art director, I had the gift of the gab and often used to ring people up and persuade them to let me do things. I lost that ability completely somewhere along the way.  Maybe it was the enthusiasm of youth doing most of the talking? 2. Do you prefer to work with a stylist or without one? And why? Ideally, I would always prefer to work on my own, without a stylist or anyone else, because once there are more people around than just myself and my subject, it adds an unknown element into the equation.  When personalities interact, you obviously never know what will happen.  Whether it will be helpful or unhelpful.  So it’s always best to have the minimum possible number of people involved in a shoot.  That minimum is usually two. But... for a fashion shoot or any shoot where a choice of clothing is involved, yes.  A good stylist is useful.   I’m not a good stylist myself and and a good stylist is certainly worth having.  Good stylists are a bit like hen's teeth though.  There are not so many about. 3. Could you explain how you developed your own style? I really have no idea.  Does anyone?   I assume I must have developed my visual aesthetic back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, long before I was aware that I was doing so.   I’ve pretty much stuck with a basic ‘60s / ‘70s type style.  A very simple and straightforward approach.  As I see it, there’s nothing about my photography that is particularly modern and I’ve always tried to avoid following any photographic trends. 4. Do your clients go directly to you or through your agent? Ideally, they would go to my agent first.  Sometimes people come direct to me but I always ask my agent to get involved.  It’s really a partnership and she has a living to earn as well. 6. How has your choice of camera influenced your work? To begin with, as I didn’t own a camera, I just used a borrowed camera.  It was a small, fairly cheap 35mm SLR and as soon as I could afford one myself, that’s what I bought.  A secondhand Nikkormat. So I guess it was economics that influenced my work, more than the choice of camera.  Back then, I’d probably have preferred a Hasselblad but it was 30 years before I owned one of those. 5. When producing a book or a large edit how do you select the images for the series? Of the ten books of my own photographs that have so far been published, I’ve only designed four of them myself, although I had a big hand in the photo selection of three of the others. Mostly my selection was based on what I felt were the best photographs that I had.  With some consideration also paid to trying to tell a story and make a logical flow.  This meant a few photographs were included each time which I didn’t necessarily feel were my absolute best but which helped the book overall. 7. What was your most enjoyable and rewarding experience when photographing 80s subculture? Looking back on it, I suppose.  I just wish I’d done a more thorough job and kept better notes.  At the time I was simply photographing everything I saw around me.  It wasn’t a project and I didn’t approach what I was doing in a very professional way.  To start with, I was just a bloke going around with a camera enjoying the moment.  The need to do things in a careful and considered way, only dawned on me half way through it all. Plus looking back and finding good photographs I have no recollection whatsoever of taking is also quite enjoyable. 8. When did photography become your full-time job? Towards the end of 1982. 9. What advice would you give to new photographers or students starting to make the move to the commercial world? I rarely give tips on photography because by far the most important thing to know is that there are really no rules.   Plus of course, I’m very much still learning myself.  I don’t say this from a position of false modesty either.  Once you start thinking you know it all or even most of it, your creatively is likely already dead. However… I do have one piece of advice, which I think would hold true in any creative pursuit, not just photography. In this day and age, where pretty much everything is ubiquitous, people have to have a USP.  You have to develop some aspect about what you offer the world that is singular. Also… I would certainly advise anyone thinking about going to university or college to learn photography to not do. It's simply not necessary.  And you don’t need to saddle yourself with all that debt. If you want to go to university or college in order to put off getting a job for a few years or get away from your parents or just mix with other like minded, creative young people, in an atmosphere of learning, fine.  Those are better reasons to go. But you don’t need to do it to learn photography.  You can learn all the basics inside a week.  The rest is just practice, which can (or should) be a habit of lifetime anyway. Henri Cartier-Bresson said that "nothing worth knowing can be taught" and he certainly had a point.   I’m not sure I’d want to apply that maxim to being a surgeon, a pilot or a civil engineer though. 10.In your opinion, what is the difference between the art industry and the fashion industry? I’m not a good person to answer this question, I’m afraid.  I’ve never felt myself to be a part of either. 11. Do you consider your work to have a vintage style or have more of a contemporary style? As I have already said, I think my photographic style is one which is very much more of the mid-20th Century than of the present. Some may say that means I’m stuck in the past and in some senses that is correct. But I don’t see this as being in any way pejorative.  I see it more as being consistent and eschewing the whims of every passing photographic trend.  If I were to be an artist, I would love to paint in oils on canvas and that is a very old fashioned medium.  I suppose I’m an old fashioned bloke. 12. Do you think having a strong body of personal work helps inform your commercial work? In my case, I guess it does but that would not be true of every photographer.  Some very successful photographers I know don’t shoot any personal work at all.  They hardly even shoot their own family holidays. I suppose it depends on which genre you work in.  In fashion, to shoot a lot of personal work would probably be a very good idea but for a news photographer, an editorial portrait photographer or a still life photographer, it might not be quite so necessary. 13. Do you find shooting fashion models now is more difficult compared to the models you shot within the 80’s? No, not at all.  Professional models are very easy to photograph because, mostly, they’re very good at their job.  It’s part of their job to make it easy for people like me to photograph them. To shoot them well is the difficult part.  But that was true then and it’s true now.   14. How did your work in the 80’s inform the work you are doing now? If it were not for the personal work that I did in the ‘80s, I would probably be retired now and no longer shooting.  I spent most of the ‘80s and ‘90s as a rock photographer and, though I still make money from licensing some of those images, there’s not a great deal of interest in that work now. But all through that period I was also shooting a lot of uncommissioned photographs in clubs, on the street and at gatherings and festivals.  That's the stuff that people are interested in and it is what has led some companies to commission me nowadays. 15.Is there any brands/groups that you have worked with in the past that’s helped transition your work from subculture into fashion? I don’t think so.   What many people who commission me say is “we like what you did back then and we want you to do the same for us now”.   What then often happens is (i) they try to tell me how I did what I did or (ii) set up a situation whereby I can’t really do it. It’s really crazy but human nature I suppose.  People always love to think they know best. So I do have to be a little careful about trying to shoot contemporary photos which look like ones I took in the ‘80s.  I’d prefer not to do it actually but if I refused, they’d just get someone else to do it instead.  

[rivumcosplay]

Lucaille Wig - Neon Genesis Evangelion Asuka Wig Review

(Disclaimer: I was not contacted by Lucaille, sponsored, or asked to do this review. The following is my honest opinion and review of the product I purchased through their online store.) 

Asuka is one of my all time favorite characters. You’ll notice a trend with my cosplay, and that is I only tend to cosplay characters that are near and dear to me. 

Asuka is the character I debuted my professional cosplay modeling with in 2015. It was a simple, quick and dirty shoot to help my friend, but it launched me on the path I always wanted to be on. At that time, I borrowed my friends Asuka wig, threw on a bathing suit and jumped into a pool.

Now in 2017, I want to revisit Asuka, and do her more justice in my portrayal as her.

 And it generally all starts with a wig.

In my last review, I went over my Lightning Farron wig which I purchased through Circus-Doll Store. This store got their wigs through Lucaille wigs, which I looked into further. This time, I took the plunge and bought my wig directly through the main company - Lucaille Wigs

Once more, I was not one bit disappointed with my wig. Lucaille really makes superior quality wigs. Let’s go over a few key points on this wig!

First, lets discuss cost: In total, with shipping I paid $48.50USD. Really, I find this to be a bargain, considering the wigs exceptional quality! The wig itself was $25.50USD, which is super cheap! The only reason the shipping was so steep in price, is that I always choose the quickest and most secure options when ordering from China. In my personal opinion, its well worth the cost to have your wig arrive to you quickly and safely, and not risk it being damaged or lost. (The horror stories I could share from my early 2000’s overseas shopping...) 

Once again, $28.50 for a wig of this quality is a super bargain! I know shops that charge $40+ for wigs that aren’t this luxurious and full! Not to mention...pre-styled!

I think over-all the processing - ship time on this took two weeks max. Good to know for when I need a wig super quick! Especially for one coming directly from China.

With the Asuka wig, you can choose to order it with or without the additional ponytail clips. For the price, I went with the clips, just to have the option and versatility. The basic wig, without clips, is $19.90USD. Again, a huge steal!

As with my last wig, the packing was great! Super secure in a nice bag, then packaged inside another bag. The ponytail clips were also each individually packaged, which is super nice.

Each kept nice and neat in their own hairnets!

When choosing wigs: I love wigs that look more soft and natural, with blends of color. I wanted a natural red/carrot color for Asuka, as opposed to a bright orange wig. This of course, is just personal preference. I also find it super important, no matter the character, to find shades that compliment and work well with your skin tone! This is why I often go for a more natural and muted toned wigs, even for characters with unnatural bright colors. This may take away from spot on accuracy for some people, but I find when translating a character to the real world, even in things like fabric choices, I always like something that is more “real-world accurate.” Again, this is just my personal preference and in some cases, this method wont work well!

Once again, I was blown away by the fullness of Lucaille wigs! You never have to worry about having bald spots! Also, please excuse the messy wig and the blur, my camera was acting up and I had moved the wig around quite a bit without a brush on hand D: MY BAD!

The fullness of this wig, also means styling is a lot easier, as you don’t have to fight to hide gaps when parting the wig or reshaping it. They also do a great job with the top of the wig, by giving it a skin-cap at the crown. The wig fibers are super soft, and the wig itself is very comfortable to wear. With adjustable straps, I again don’t have to worry about the wig not fitting my tiny head or having any strange pockets between my head and the wig body.

In natural lighting, the shade of the wig adjust well! It can seem more muted and dark with a brown hue, or more orange and light, which I think is wonderful! It really shows how much work they put into the wigs, with the mixture of strands and color. Plus, the wig has a natural shine too it, and not a cheap plastic wig one, like you will often see. 

I also really like the wig, with or without the clips. For my first test, in my Casual Asuka, I opted to wear the ponytail clips for a more full look, which was really great. It gave a more cute and innocent look. For my next big shoot, I plan on styling the wig without the clips, to give a more accurate and tough vibe. Again, its all about personal preference, and I like the versatility!

The clips themselves are really well made. They used big clips, to support the fullness of the wefts, and each is attached very neatly and securely. Both clip in very nicely to the wig, over the small pigtails that the wig comes pre-styled with.

Here we have a better view of the wigs construction. You can see how they did not skimp on how many wefts they used. Everything is very neatly and securely attached, and I don’t have to worry about chunks of weft falling out, as I have had with other wigs. When brushing it, my wig brush glides right through it, untangling so easily! If only my natural hair would cooperate that well!

In the end, I can not stop raving about Lucaille wigs! Their pricing and quality are really unmatched in my opinion.  

Cost: $48.50 (including USPS shipping)

Customer Service: 10/10

Wig Overall: 10/10

Wig Fiber Quality: 10/10

Wig Fullness: 10/10

Wig Sizing: 23cm adjustable 

Wig Styling Ease: Super easy!

[shirlleycoyle]

The $149 Smartphone That Could Bring The Linux Mobile Ecosystem to Life

A version of this post originally appeared on Tedium, a twice-weekly newsletter that hunts for the end of the long tail.

If you kept a close eye on the Apple vs. Epic Games trial, you might be wondering: How the hell did we get to this point, where a phone maker that simultaneously supports the daily needs of hundreds of millions of users could have so much literal say over how its ecosystem operates?

When faced with such questions, reactions can vary—many people will grumble and complain, while others will look for other options. Problem is, operating system options have infamously been difficult to find in the smartphone space—hope you like Android or iOS, because those are your options.

On the other hand, what if I were to tell you that there’s a phone where you could have nearly every other attempt at a smartphone OS at your fingertips, one microSD card away, and you could test them at will?

It sounds strange, but it’s something Pine64’s entry into the smartphone space, the Linux-driven PinePhone, is built for.

Would you want to use it? I spent a few weeks with one recently, and here’s what I learned.

The key to understanding the value proposition of the PinePhone is understanding the difference between workable and cutting-edge

Given the hype around the PinePhone over the past year (which, for purposes of this review, I’ll point out I purchased with my own money), it might seem like we’re talking about a top-of-the-line OLED-based device that has fancy features like notches, hole punches, or 120Hz displays.

But the reason for the attention comes down to the point that, unlike most phones that might support some form of Linux because that support has been hacked in, the Linux on the PinePhone takes center stage. This is a workable phone for which neither Android nor iOS is the primary selling point. You can take phone calls on this; it will work.

Now, to be clear, there’s a difference between workable and cutting-edge. Unlike the Pinebook Pro, which offered relatively up-to-date hardware (such as the ability to add an NVMe drive) even if the chip itself was a bit pokey compared to, say, an M1, the PinePhone effectively is knowingly running outdated hardware out of the gate.

Its CPU, an Allwinner A64 with a Mali 400 MP2 GPU, first came out six years ago and is the same chip the original Pine64 single-board computer used. (It’s also older than the NXP i.MX 8M System-On-Module that the other primary Linux phone on the market, the Purism Librem 5, comes with—though to be fair, this phone sells for $149, less than a fifth of the price of the $800 Librem 5.)

Despite 802.11ac being in wide use for more than half a decade, the Wi-Fi tops out at 802.11n on the PinePhone—a bit frustrating, given that a lot of folks are probably not going to be throwing a SIM card into this and are going to be futzing around with it on Wi-Fi alone.

Is this the perfect phone for cheapskates? Well, to offer a point of comparison: The Teracube 2e, a sustainable low-end Android device that I reviewed a few months ago whose sub-$200 price point is very similar to that of the PinePhone, runs circles around this thing (and isn’t that far off from the Librem 5) on a pure spec level, with better cameras, a somewhat better screen, and a fingerprint sensor for a roughly similar price point (and a four-year warranty, compared to the single month you get from Pine64). If you’re looking for a cheap phone rather than an adventure, stay away.

And the PinePhone can be fairly temperamental in my experience, chewing through battery life when idle and reporting inconsistent charge levels when in use, no matter what OS is loaded.

But that is still better than what the Linux community had previously—a whole bunch of moonshot aspirations, some of which have failed to ship and others of which exploded into interest years ago, only to burn out almost immediately.

The PinePhone gives those projects a home, a sustainable one that allows them to grow as open-source projects rather than die on the vine. The marquee names here—among them the open-source Ubuntu Mobile (maintained not by desktop Ubuntu maker Canonical, but by UBPorts), the partially closed Sailfish OS, and the webOS descendant LuneOS—each represent high-profile attempts to take on the hierarchy of iOS vs. Android that have faced irrelevance as the larger mobile giants crushed them. The PinePhone gives those projects a fresh lease on life by building excitement around them once again, while also giving noble old-smartphone revival projects like postmarketOS a new target audience.

And plus, let’s be clear: The Linux community thrives on extending the power of outdated hardware.

Like Linux on the desktop, which has helped keep machines alive literal decades past their traditional expiration date, the PinePhone keeps software projects alive that would have struggled to find a modern context.

You can’t replace the SIM card or the microSD card without removing the battery. Sorry. Image: Ernie Smith

Appreciating (and critiquing) the PinePhone on its own level

It’s one thing to discuss what this phone represents. It’s another to consider its usability.

And from a hardware standpoint, there are some quibbles and some useful features, many of which feel like they can be excused by the price point. The device, which can be pulled open relatively easy, has six hardware kill switches that can turn off major functions of the device like the cameras or the LTE antenna—a boon for the privacy-focused.

But it also has some arguable design flaws, most notably the fact that, to replace the microSD storage and the SIM card, you have to remove the back case and the battery, a bit of a miss on a device that basically encourages you to frequently flash new microSD cards as you flitter about between different operating systems as you try different programs (or if you’re a developer, test new versions of the operating system’s code).

The kill switches on the PinePhone, which can disable hardware functions as needed. Image: Ernie Smith

To some degree it makes sense—after all, you don’t want to pull out an SD card while you’re booted into an OS while on the SD card—but in practice, the extra steps proved frustrating to do over and over, and I don’t think the target audience for this would necessarily be unaware of the risks of removing an SD card while the device is loaded. (I will allow that there may be a privacy case to bury the SIM and microSD card in this way, but I don’t think it precludes an alternate approach.)

The battery, which I’ve noted is relatively inconsistent at charging at least for my device, is also a bit on the small side, at 3000mAh. To some degree, that’s fine—the processor is not exactly going to tax the battery life, but it would be nice if it was slightly bigger.

The one capability this has that takes it squarely into the modern era in a meaningful way is USB-C, and a variant of USB-C that allows for full-on video out. And that means you can add a dock to this phone, plug in an HDMI cable, and, conceivably, it will show something on your display. Unfortunately, the USB-C port slightly curves out of the back and because of the position of the port, doesn’t lie totally flat, so you may run into problems with cables falling out. Just a word of warning.

The edition of the device I have is the $199 “Convergence Edition,” which comes with a minimal USB-C dock. And that dock is, admittedly, a pretty nice dock, with two USB ports, an HDMI port, and an Ethernet jack (along with USB-C passthrough for power). I was able to get it working, but the issues with the port’s curvature on the phone meant that in practice, I had to be very careful about placement, because it was incredibly easy to knock it out.

I get that this is a constrained device and wiggle room for redesigns may be limited, but for future versions of the device, some repositioning of the USB-C port, or at least additional reinforcement to ensure cables don’t fall out so easily, could go a long way.

The launch screen for p-boot, a multi-distro demo image that allows users to take a gander at the numerous operating systems PinePhones support, from Mobian to sxmo. The image contains a surprising 17 distributions. One downside: It hasn’t been updated since last fall. Image: Ernie Smith

The best part of the PinePhone is seeing the progress of its many operating systems

As one does when they get a Pine64 device, I spent a while booting different operating systems to understand the different capabilities of the operating systems available.

Trying to critique one flavor of Linux over another is a bit dangerous as there are partisans all over the place—some of whom will not be happy, for example, if you speak out of turn about KDE Plasma—but with that in mind, of the operating systems ones I tried, the ones that feel closest to prime time to me are the UBPorts variant of Ubuntu Touch (which borrows the look of the desktop Ubuntu’s GNOME-based user interface) and Sailfish OS, the latter of which maintains enough commercial support from governmental and corporate customers that it’s still being regularly maintained.

Mobile variants of Linux based on KDE and GNOME—nothing against KDE, but I operate a GNOME household—seemed a bit poorly matched to the hardware to me, with the preinstalled KDE-based version of Manjaro, called Plasma Mobile, feeling sluggish upon boot, which is an unfortunate first impression to offer users. (Also not helping: depending on what SIM you put into the device and what version of the distro you’re using, you may have to dip into the command line to get it to work, which is not the case for other distros.) However, these interfaces are newer and more deserving of the benefit of the doubt—and just as with desktop Linux, the underlying OS can impact your experience with the interface. Case in point: The postmarketOS version of Plasma Mobile was a little faster than Manjaro, even if I didn’t find the interface itself naturally intuitive, with browser windows visible on the desktop when not in use. (Again, I’ll admit that some of these hangups are mine—I prefer GNOME, so I’m sure that colors my view.)

Phosh, a GNOME-derivative interface that utilizes the Wayland windowing system and is used heavily in the Librem 5, was a little more polished, which makes sense given the fact that Purism developed it as the basis of a smartphone. It’s nonetheless not to the level of polish of Android, but as with KDE Mobile, it’s still relatively young; it will get there. Ultimately, I just have to warn you that many of these operating systems come with learning curves of varying steepness, and the trail might be arduous depending on how polished they are.

One nice thing about the PinePhone is that it promises a second look at mobile operating systems that didn’t get much love the first time—and in that light, Ubuntu Touch is a bit of a revelation. Its interface clearly took some of the right lessons from its competitors, and likely inspired them. It is a very gesture-driven interface, and it was years before iOS and Android could say the same. And despite the older hardware, Ubuntu Touch feels fast, which can be tough to do on hardware of a certain vintage.

Sailfish OS, while being more actively maintained over the years, offers a similar second look and a similar level of polish, as only a handful of people have likely even used it.

The webOS based LuneOS suffers from the opposite problem—it feels more dated than mature, a result of webOS’ skeuomorphism, which LG has moved away from in the operating system’s TV variant. Its interface ideas were ahead of its time when it first came out more than a decade ago, but iOS and Android have stolen most of its tricks by this point. But if you liked that look from the days of the Palm Pre or HP TouchPad, you might feel at home.

  Perhaps one that is intriguing—even if, as an end user, you may not be raring to use it—is sxmo, a minimalist approach to mobile operating systems built around a simple, middle-of-the-screen navigation interface that is operated using the volume and power buttons. It is the most experimental thing I’ve seen in mobile operating systems in quite some time, in large part because of its strict adherence to the Unix philosophy of operating system ideals. You can text in a vim-style editor; you load up scripts to do basic things like get notifications. Clearly, it will not have a big audience, but the fact that it exists at all is exciting and evidence of the good that the PinePhone will do for the broader Linux community.

But the important thing to keep in mind is that these operating systems are all works in progress, and in many ways, the progress might actually be a little better on other devices. Example: Ubuntu Touch almost fully supports the Google Pixel 3a, a phone that’s about two years old, has better specs than the PinePhone (particularly in the camera department), and because it’s a first-party Google device, likely has a lot of options for accessories that the PinePhone may never see. (At least, not intentionally.) It can also be had for cheaper than a PinePhone based on where you get it—and the PinePhone has a ways to go to support the full feature-set of Ubuntu Touch.

And you can get a lot more by spending a little more: The OnePlus 6T, based on where you look, can be had for less than $250 used, and gets you a more mainline Snapdragon processor, as well as OLED and an in-touchscreen fingerprint sensor. While not at full support in, say, postmarketOS, it’s far enough along that it might actually get there. (Perhaps you want to help?)

But while individual phones may find quick support from individual operating systems, the PinePhone feels like it sets a larger ideological precedent. What the PinePhone represents is a very solid reference system for development of mobile operating systems, rather than something that’s a head-turner on its own. This is the platform mobile Linux devs are going to go to when they need to simply build out the base operating systems, as it has all the basics—from the ARM processor to the accelerometer to the GPS, even a headphone jack—that developers can test against. With just modest differences (some models have 2GB of RAM, some have 3GB) it allows developers of mobile operating systems to focus on getting the basics right, then worry about whether everything works in the hundreds of phone models out there.

There’s also the ethics of it all as well. Look around and you’ll likely see some passionate debates, for example, against using Sailfish OS on a PinePhone because of its closed-source user interface. These discussions also happen in the desktop Linux space; it’s almost refreshing to see them in mobile after years of two operating systems driving every argument.

Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, mega-podcaster Joe Rogan gave a relatively obscure YouTuber with a strong privacy focus a big amount of attention. During an interview with comedian and musician Reggie Watts, he brought up a video maker named Rob Braxman, who had a wide variety of videos that focused on the topic of privacy, particularly with mobile devices. Braxman literally calls himself “The Internet Privacy Guy.”

One day, Rogan subscribed to Braxman, and apparently spent hours watching his clips, which feature a lot of well-researched useful information, but can sometimes toe-dip into the conspiratorial—i.e., the kind of stuff you could imagine Rogan would love. Then Rogan talked about the YouTuber on an episode of his podcast, expressing curiosity about Braxman’s demeanor. What was this guy trying to hide?

Despite clearly being a fan of his privacy, Braxman clearly did not mind the privacy invasion from Rogan.

Braxman responded to Rogan, as one does, with a YouTube clip. He pointed out that he was a regular guy; he just cared a lot about privacy, with one underlying driving factor:

I’m an immigrant. When I was young, I lived in a country under martial law, where voicing an opinion can land you in jail, where powerful people control the many. So that made a mark on me. I never want to go back to that condition.

The pitch to all of those Rogan fans worked. Now Braxman has more than 250,000 YouTube subscribers, with a sudden surge in his viewership in the year since the Rogan shout-out. His most popular videos, many of which have hundreds of thousands of views, cover topics such as de-Googling phones, preventing phone-tracking, and the risks of big tech. Braxman has an online store where he sells “de-Googled” phones next to security consultations.

(As you might guess, he was early to the PinePhone, unboxing his more than a year ago.)

Braxman—who got my attention a couple of years ago thanks to his fairly avant-garde declining-melody theme music (yes, he’s a jazz musician, too), which is not something you often run into on YouTube—actually slipped off my radar for a while, only for me to look him up again a couple of months ago out of curiosity, finding that he had experienced a sudden surge in popularity. His channel was maybe a tenth the size that it is now when I first noticed him.

To me, the success of folks like Braxman hints that there is an audience for the PinePhone outside of even regular Linux users. It may not be a large one, or even well-defined right now. But it exists, and with the right level of community support, one could see at least one of the mobile operating systems on this device experiencing a breakthrough of success in the coming years. (Ubuntu Touch has the inside line, in my eyes.)

As for the device that is driving the discussion around mobile Linux, the PinePhone can be had for less than $200, which opens up lots of room for a developer community to build onto. Should you buy one? It depends on your risk tolerance. It’s not a top-of-the-line phone, and it takes time to learn how to fully appreciate it. You may have to dip into the command line, depending on the operating system you plan to use. (On the other hand, it’s nice that you’re allowed, or in the case of sxmo, you’re expecting to.) I hope, as the community around it evolves, the Pine64 team takes the time to tweak the hardware to better embrace this audience with some small, thoughtful hardware tweaks, including a less-finicky USB-C port and more thoughtful placement of the microSD and SIM card slots.

But even without those changes, this device could be enough to kickstart a Linux-driven mobile revolution.

The $149 Smartphone That Could Bring The Linux Mobile Ecosystem to Life syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[perfectnewgadgets]

You probably don’t need a 4,000-word review to tell you that the Galaxy S9+ is a good phone. Now that everyone’s got all of the Note 7 jokes mostly out of their system, we can mostly agree that Samsung makes good phones. The S8 was great, and the S9 builds on that success in a number of ways.

The new phone is mostly an evolution of its predecessor. There was no great back-to-the-drawing-board moment in its creation. This is not Samsung’s answer to the iPhone X (and really, the Note line already fills that role in a number of ways). It’s true the company may be a victim of its own hype.

The “Phone Reimagined” signs that greeted us ahead of launch in Barcelona were suitably hyperbolic, but for better or worse, that’s the hype cycle we’re living in these days. Samsung claimed to have reinvented the phone this time last year when it showed off the S8’s Infinity Display.

The fact of the matter is that the S9 finds the electronics giant mostly refining things on its flagship. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the phone’s design language. I have the S8+ and S9+ sitting side by side on my desk as I write this, and I’d defy you to tell me which is which without turning over the phones. If you squint, you can see that the bezels are a fraction of a millimeter smaller on the new phone.

Flip them over and you get a better idea of what you’re working with. There are two camera lenses now, aligned in a vertical configuration — and the fingerprint reader has moved down below. The company is continuing to tweak its imaging system and responding to user feedback over little complaints from the last gen. People kept putting their finger on the camera as they fumbled to wake up their phone, so Samsung fixed it.

In spite of what Samsung may tell you, the S9 isn’t a reimagining of anything. It’s a refinement of the leading Android handset. There’s not enough here to compel most S8 owners to upgrade, but if you’re due for a refresh, Samsung’s handset is still the one to beat.

Beyond Infinity

If I was a lazier writer, I’d recommend you read the design section of my S8 review so we could all just skip ahead to the new bits. Still, I’ll try to keep this bit pretty short, because we’ve got a lot of camera to talk about in the paragraphs ahead. The long and short of it is that before the iPhone X, there was the Infinity Display.

It didn’t quite do away with the bezel as we know it, but the design, combined with Samsung’s longtime love of curved glass, brought us right up to the edge. Samsung openly mocked the iPhone X’s notch once again at last week’s unveil. It wasn’t subtle, but then, Samsung rarely is. Apple may have had the last week at MWC when practically every other company happily embraced a notch-filled future.

Until phone companies come up with a better solution to the phone and front-facing camera conundrum (I keep saying “ban selfies,” but no one ever listens to me), it’s either going to be a notch or bezel. Samsung’s dug its heels into the latter, shaving an almost imperceptible amount off its predecessor’s. Perhaps it’s the ultimate sign post of the state of the mobile industry that the world’s largest companies are battling over that reaming few millimeters.

Samsung’s other big Apple mocking moment was a jab at the headphone jack. The iPhone ditched it and never looked back. Perhaps it’s stubbornness that’s kept it on Samsung’s flagships, as many other companies have gone Apple’s route. When I spoke to ZTE ahead of MWC, a rep for the company admitted that the end of the jack is all but an inevitability at this point. But honestly, can you blame Samsung for holding on? After several generations of openly mocking Apple, giving in would be a bit embarrassing.

Of course, that kind of about-face shouldn’t get in the way of moving forward. Remember when Steve Jobs said “no one is going to buy a big phone?” Or heck, when Google made fun of the end of the headphone jack a generation before dropping it? But carrying the S9+ around for the past week reminds me that I still miss the option.

I bought a cheap pair of wired headphones for the plane ride home. There’s still something to be said for the simple plug and play capability there. Bluetooth headphones have come a long way in the past couple of years, but dealing with battery issues and the uncertainty of pairing is still a headache. Sometimes you just want to plug in a pair of wired headphones and be done with it.

The back of the phone is glass once again. Because that’s all the rage, and also, it’s a lot easier on wireless charging. Samsung gave us a black one to go with our S8+ plus. The new purple is pretty eye-catching, but beggars can’t be choosers, I guess. And besides, even with Gorilla Glass, I’m going to strongly advice that you think about picking up a case for that $720/$840 phone.

That said, Samsung has made some improvements to the phone’s overall durability. This isn’t the CAT phone, sure, but every little bit helps. The company has reportedly swapped the old aluminum for a stronger variety and made the phone sightly thicker and heavier in the process. But honestly, as with the bezels, you’re really not going to notice the difference.

Camera-ready

[Left: Galaxy S9+, Right: iPhone 8 Plus]

The nice thing about getting the review unit in Barcelona is that I was going to be taking a lot of pictures anyway. The downside is that I became that annoying American tourist who takes smartphone shots of all his meals. I know, I know. But it was for work, I swear.

The reimagined part of the whole “camera, reimagined” bit is improved low-light shooting — a topic that has quickly become the next big battlefield for smartphone makers. And good for them, really. The inability to take half-decent photos in less than ideal settings is a big sticking point for a lot of these companies. Honestly, what percentage of smartphone shots do you take in perfect lighting? A huge percentage of these are snapped in places like bars and restaurants.

For this latest trick, the company actually borrowed from, of all places, its latest flip phone. But since the W2018 is like $2,000 and only available in Asia, you’re going to have to settle for the company’s new variable aperture on the S9. The dual aperture flips between  f/1.5 / f/2.4 — what that means, in the simplest terms, is that it’s able to let more light into the lens in a dark setting. The aperture physically opens up to accomplish this. In fact, if you take a close look at the camera, you can see that change take place.

Shortly after Samsung announced the technology, Sony made mention that it was working a new super-low-light technology. Of course, it will be a while before that comes to the company’s phones — and even longer until it arrives on phones people actually buy. Meantime, the S9 represents a solid upgrade from a phone industry that’s largely neglected low-light shooting.

We happened to have an iPhone 8 Plus and Pixel 2 at our disposal and did some low-light shooting in bars around Barcelona last week (again, research). The Samsung S9+’s results are impressive. It’s not quite night and day — but it’s close. The S9 lets in considerably more light and is capable of taking decent pictures in settings that utterly stumped the competition.

Scrolling back through the photos taken last week it’s hard to tell which were snapped in a dim bar — though, in some cases, the white balance does seem a bit off. Even so, the improved camera goes a long a way toward reducing the noise you get in the same setting on most phones. If this means fewer people will be firing up their camera flash in bars, I think we all can agree that this is a win-win.

The other big physical improvement on the camera side was borrowed from another one of Samsung’s phones: the Note 8. One of the key differences between the S9 and S9+ that justifies that $140 price gulf is the inclusion of a second telephoto lens in addition to the standard wide-angle. As with that handset, zoom in enough and it switches over to the second lens.

The difference between digital and optical zoom is huge, and this will go a long way toward improving the quality on those tight shots. That’s probably not enough to warrant the upgrade to the S9+ alone, but it goes a long way toward giving the Galaxy one of the best imaging experiences in all of smartphones. There’s a reason the handset just topped DxOMark’s camera ratings.

Is creepy an emotion?

The camera’s most practical improvements are on the hardware side. But the software upgrades bring a lot more proverbial flash. Take AR Emojis. Given how much the S9 looks like its predecessor, it’s easy to see why the company has leaned so heavily on the new feature in its messaging. That said, I’m not entirely sure that’s the best idea. AR Emojis are creepy. I said it before, and I’ll say it again. It’s the first thing I thought when I saw them, and after spending a week with the phone, my opinions haven’t changed.

Samsung got knocked a bit here for cribbing the feature from Apple. The Animoji comparisons were inevitable. And, indeed, all phone makers “borrow” from one another. Welcome to consumer electronics. Of course, Samsung’s put its own unique spin on the feature, and therein lies the creepiness. Take a selfie, and the company builds a customized emoji, using 100 facial data points.

From there, you customize the hair, clothing and add glasses if you wear them. The selections are still pretty limited on that front, but I’d expect Samsung will add more as it goes along. Once you’re all good and saved, the system automically generates nearly 20 animated GIFs representing various Anime-style emotional states, intended to be shared over social media. I don’t see myself ever using them un-ironically, but then I’ve come to accept when I’m not the target demographic for a thing.

It’s kind of like Nintendo’s Mii — if they suddenly decided to be less cute and set up shop smack in the middle of the uncanny valley. It’s an admirable idea, using the company’s camera technology to create something more customized than the 16 Apple currently offers. But for one thing, the scans don’t offer enough distinction from person to person. And for another, I’m not sure machines can be relied upon to combine real-world 3D imagery and cartoons into something not creepy. Listen, we’ve all seen Blade Runner here. Robots are creepy.

There are other default emojis — a rabbit, a cat and a weird box-headed monster thingy. None match Apple’s offerings for general adorableness, but I wouldn’t worry too much for Samsung. The company scored a major coup by striking a deal with Disney, in spite of the company’s longtime alliance (and board member swapping) with Apple.

Along with the Star Wars AR it brought to the Pixel 2, Disney seems to be trying hard not to play favorites. That will ultimately mean great things for AR Emoji adoption, assuming, of course, that they’re implemented in a less creepy way than its current offering. I’ve got faith in Disney’s tight grip on intellectual property — they’ll likely look good, which will ultimately mean users will continue to engage with the tech after the purchase of the phone.

There’s no date on arrival, but the offering will include Mickey and Minnie, along with some Pixar names. The Incredibles flashed on the screen — no surprise, given that a sequel is due out in July. It’s a nice marketing play for Disney, leveraging the flagship from the world’s largest phone maker.

Hopefully the company won’t regret it too much when online videos with the company’s iconic mouse saying truly filthy things surface on social media immediately after launch. I’m not saying I’m looking forward to it, I’m just saying that I’ve learned to expect the absolute worst from my fellow humans.

Taking it slow

Sony took another not so subtle dig at its press conference, noting that it had Super Slow Motion on its phones a year before Samsung. But again, the key differentiator here is the fact that people actually, you know, buy Samsung phones. As such, this is the first time a lot of people are going to get their hands on the technology.

During a briefing, Samsung compared the tech to The Matrix’s “bullet time.” This is not that, of course. For one thing, it’s just the one camera. But it is, in fact, very neat. Honestly, it’s the most fun I had testing the phone out over the past week. Like any good new camera toy, it makes you hyper aware of your surroundings as you look for little things in life that might look cool, slowed down.

The new tech is a pretty radical update over Samsung’s earlier slow motion, bumping it from 240 to 960 frames per second. That’s 32 times slower than regular footage and four times slower than standard slow motion. You’ll invariably find yourself shooting all sorts of weird mundanity you wouldn’t think to video in a million years at regular speed: water pouring into a glass, pigeons on the street. It’s a good way to instantly look like a weirdo to strangers, but screw ’em, it’s for science.

By default, the feature sports a small square in the middle that automatically fires up Super Slow Motion when it detects action. Results will vary in that bit, depending on a number of factors, including how far away the action is. It’s nice to have the setting to fall back on, so you can keep the phone steady with two hands, but more often than not, I found myself just doing it manually.

Once shot, the phone packages the video nicely, creating three separate looping GIFs and adding royalty free music to the main video. Honestly, though, they all end up looking super moody and I just want to add that “Mad World” cover from Donnie Dark to really complete the package.

The fact that light flickers at certain frequency only adds to the effect. Shooting in Heathrow proved next to impossible under the oppressive airport lights. Low light, on the other hand, was a non-starter. The feature requires a lot of light to work properly, so don’t expect to go shooting any Super Slow Motion in restaurants or bars.

A few other features are worth calling out here. Food Mode offers some nice beauty shots of your lunch. I’m generally happy how these turned out, though some of my co-workers found them to be a bit oversaturated. Auto-focus speed has improved, as promised, and stickers are a fun augmented reality addition to the offering.

Hi Bixby

Samsung’s been on something of an AI shopping spree over the past couple of years. Even so, the company’s smart assistant has had a tough time playing catch up to Alexa, Siri and the rest. Even so, Bixby stumbled pretty hard out of the gate. Samsung needed to deliver a compelling reason to choose its offering over Android’s default, Google Assistant. Instead, Bixby was half-baked when it arrived on the S8.

The company’s made some key in-roads since then, including, most notably, the eventual arrival of voice functionality. Certainly Bixby has some grand ambitions, fueled by acquisitions like Viv. But that kind of thing doesn’t amount to a whole lot if your assistant isn’t suited to day-to-day activities.

On that front, Bixby’s still got a lot of growing to do. We sat in a circle at our Airbnb in Barcelona, asking a spate of questions to Bixby, Siri, Assistant and Cortana (TechCrunch knows how to party), and Bixby had trouble competing. In general, those other assistants are better suited to answer simple questions.

I also found myself flipping Bixby’s voice recognition to its highest sensitivity. As the company notes, the more sensitive you make it, the more likely it is to get triggered accidentally, but I found that was the best way to ensure a response.

Of course, Bixby’s much more tightly integrated into the daily Galaxy experience. A right swipe on the home page will bring up the Bixby landing page, which aggregates all sorts of content from the phone, including social media messages, health stats and local offerings from Maps. Of course, this also can be accessed via the devoted Bixby button, which is back for some reason.

The stream’s not particularly useful in and of itself. It’s really not too dissimilar from any number of content aggregation streams countless manufacturers have built into Android in an attempt to differentiate themselves from the competition. It is, however, a handy way of keeping track all of the various third-party apps you’ve integrated into the service. Also, Samsung has thankfully finally unified all of its myriad smart home offerings into a single, easy to use Smart Things app, similar to Apple’s Home offering.

Where the assistant does manage to stand out from the competition (save, in some cases, for Google) is with Bixby Vision. The feature isn’t really fully integrated into Bixby — in fact, it seems more like a branding opportunity than anything for the company. But name aside, it’s a really cool feature with a broad range of applications.

Text was the one I was most looking forward to, wandering the streets of Catalonia. When it’s working perfectly, the phone harnesses Google’s smarts to create an augmented reality translation that lays over real-world text. Really, really neat. The system works with 54 input languages and 150 output.

Live translation is spotty. It understandably takes a bit of time, as it has to send and receive information from the cloud. The text overlays also look a bit like a ransom note, but beggars can’t be choosers for a feature like this. I found the feature to be more miss than hit in augmented reality mode, so ultimately I ended up using the phone to convert signage into text and translate it that way. It’s a longer route, but ultimately a lot more helpful.

The Not Hot Dog-esque Food feature is impressive, as well, identifying food stuffs and giving you a rough approximation that you can add to the Samsung Health app. Like translation, it’s similar to something Google offers up in Lens. There’s also a Makeup feature that overlays eye shadows and lipsticks from companies like Sephora to see what you look like in a new shade.

Both are extremely impressive showcases for technology, but ultimately feel more novel than useful.

Screen time

The S9’s display is the same resolution as its predecessor — a Quad HD 2,960 x 1,440. That works out to 570 PPI on the 5.8-inch S9 and 529 PPI on the 6.2-inch S9+. Attempting to top that resolution is a fool’s errand, but the company that also supplies displays to its chief competition happily made some tweaks to the screen’s color accuracy. The OLED recently took DisplayMate’s top honors, and rightfully so. It’s lovely.

The speakers have been souped up, as well — a welcome addition, given that the feature so often gets short shrift from phone makers. The volume gets much louder, and when you flip the phone into landscape mode, the earpiece doubles as a stereo speaker. Of course, the same disclaimer that you get on all phone speakers is needed here: It’s fine for watching YouTube videos, but you’re going to want some headphones if you plan to listen for any extended period of time.

Thankfully, Samsung’s acquisition of Harman means the phone ships with a pair of AKG earbuds with silicone tips that are way, way more comfortable than Apple’s default pair. And yes, no adapter required.

The phone includes all of its predecessor’s various biometric unlocking options, but adds Intelligent Scan to the mix. The feature combines iris and face scanning into one, defaulting to the best option based on light level. It starts with your face and moves to the eyeballs if the lighting sucks.

It works a lot better than relying on iris alone, but as has been noted, it’s not secure enough to tie to things like mobile payment. And if you’re really concerned with the potential for other people to get into your phone, I’d recommend other methods.

Here in the States, you’ll be getting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 — a feature that’s likely behind the company’s decision to announce the phone at Mobile World Congress last week, in order to stay ahead of the competition. Both models ship with 64GB of storage, augmentable via a microSD chip (up to a whopping 400GB). The S9 sports 4GB of RAM and the S9+ bumps that up by 2GB, which should be more than enough power for most users.

Samsung continues to be cautious on the battery front after flying too close to the sun, once upon a time. The S9 sports a 3,000mAh unit, while the S9+’s is 3,500. Not the largest around, but I was able to effectively get nearly two days of use on a single charge for the S9+.

Re-imagineering

As ever, Samsung’s additions are some combination of genuinely useful and some “why not” features. The S9’s got enough small but meaningful tweaks to keep the device at the top of the Android heap, and perhaps best of all, Samsung’s managed to price it at $720/$840 — not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but considerably less expensive than the iPhone X’s $1,000 price tag.

Bixby still needs a lot of love and those AR Emojis are, to borrow a phrase from my people in Northern California, “hella creepy.” But all of those new software additions are nothing if not ambitious and point to a company trying out some genuinely interesting stuff in spaces like augmented reality. They’re not all hits, but they’re never not interesting.

As far as upgrading from the S8 — unless you’ve found yourself in some sort of Brewster’s Millions-style scenario where you suddenly have to part with a lot of cash with comedic consequences, I’m going to say hold off on that one. For everyone else ready to upgrade to a shiny new Android handset, however, the S9 maintains Samsung’s spot at the top of the heap.

First published on Source

Samsung Galaxy S9+ review – TechCrunch You probably don’t need a 4,000-word review to tell you that the Galaxy S9+ is a good phone.

[thegloober]

A review of the most expensive hot shoe strobe in the world – the Profoto A1

The Profoto A1 is the new on-camera flash. And off-camera flash. And Air remote. You can use it any way you like. For me as a photographer (mainly portraits) working on-location a lot, this is the piece of equipment I have been waiting for a long time.

So, this might not be the most objective review you have read, but hopefully interesting in some way.

The Profoto A1 fits right in beside the Profoto B1 and B2. Or as a stand-alone camera mounted flash for events and simpler lighting (mostly). As soon as I have bought my A1, I will probably sell my old Nikon Speedlight.

I borrowed two A1 from Profoto and used them for testing before writing this review, together with accessories that will be sold separately.

What is Profoto A1?

In short, A1 is a hotshoe speedlight-type of flash that works in the Profoto universe. With a built-in remote.

It is the most lightweight of all lights from Profoto and has a built-in Air Remote TTL. If you want a flash for on-camera work as well as off-camera, I can’t really think of any better alternative. It is the cheapest flash in the Profoto system (although not what most people call really cheap).

I got two A1 from Profoto to test for a few days, and I mostly used them at home, but also on an assignment with an author and an illustrator.

There is still a lot to be learned for me, even if they are easy to use.

Unboxing the Profoto A1

Opening the box, you will find the A1, a smart bag, the battery and charger plus a bounce card with a holder. And, two “filters” that you can put in front of the light with smart magnetic connectors.

One is like the drag-out plastic panel on a Speedlight, it spreads the light wider. The other is more like a small dome and will diffuse the light. You can also stack them on top of each other, but I couldn’t really see much difference in the light when doing so.

The charger for the Profoto A1

About the same size as the battery charger for my Nikon D800 and D750, the usual stuff with cord and all. Will recharge a battery to full in about 80 minutes.

Even if a fully charged battery is good for many many full flashes, I will buy one extra battery per light. Just in case.

Front view of Profoto A1

It looks like this and you can see the detachable battery.

The head can be tilted and turned as you would expect from any on-camera flash. It has a built-in LED modelling light.

Rear view of Profoto A1

It looks very much like a Profoto Air TTL Remote, and maybe because that is what it is. Plus a light on top. Start it by pressing the white on/off button and then turn the dial a bit. The interface is very familiar if you have used the Air Remote or a D1/D2/B1 before.

Profoto A1, top view

A round fresnel lens covering the flash tube, with a magnetic ring when you want to attach things to it. The front ring can also be turned for “zooming” the light.

The diameter is a lot smaller than all the other Profoto heads, so don’t expect to put a Speedring with a softbox there.

Size: Profoto A1 vs Nikon Speedlight

These two flashes are roughly the same size. The Profoto A1 is maybe a tiny bit longer, but I would say that they are very similar holding them together.

The round front glass is maybe what makes A1 stand out among similar speedlight type lights.

Size comparison: Profoto A1, B1 and B2

Packing my bags for any assignment is always the hard question: should I take this, do I need this? A Profoto A1 in its bag is smaller than a B2 with a head, and also smaller than a B1.

If you have room for a B1, then you will have room for at least two A1. Probably more.

The Profoto A1 bag

This deserves mention, having small bags for all of my equipment makes my life a lot easier.

The A1 bag can be put inside a bigger bag or fastened outside my backpack with a cord. Inside the A1 bag there is a small space for the wideangle/diffusion accessories, both of them.

A bag that is easy to use

Even better, you don’t have to remove them to fit everything inside the bag as the small compartment for the diffusion has a flap that will fold away easily.

Not a big thing, but small things can make my work easier.

Small stand included

Also included is a small table-stand for the Profoto A1 (or maybe a floor stand, or just to have it standing on anything?). With a small pocket for this on the bag, you can always have it with you.

I have never use a Speedlight with a stand like this, but it is a lot smarter than just laying it on the ground.

A bigger bounce card

My Nikon Speedlight has a very small built-in bounce card, Profoto A1 has one too, but you will have to mount it by yourself with a small holder (also included).

Wide angle lens

You mount that and other things in front of the glass with these magnets. It might not be as sturdy as velcro, but I think it will work just fine. It is a lot faster to work with at least.

And very silent, compared to velcro.

The diffusion dome

The “dome” also has magnets you use to lock it in place with.

Hard filter gels for A1

If you want to colour your light, for correction or effects, Profoto has accessories for that too.

Buy a Gel Kit separately and you will get a few hard plastic filters (CTO, CTB etc) that you attach with a special magnetic holder. Very easy to work with, a more durable than soft plastic.

The box is round and small, compared to most things in my life. Fits perfectly in your back pocket, or anywhere.

The magnetic holder fits the hard plastic gels and takes no time to attach, and leaves no marks. Just click to attach or pull to detach.

I have not yet used the hard plastic colour gels, but just holding them in my hand makes me a little bit happy. And the round box. Won’t really miss the soft plastic alternative.

If they now could make something similar for Profoto B1 and B2, that would be great. Maybe with magnets as well. And maybe a cutout for the umbrella rod to use it on B2?

Overall feeling

With its round features, very familiar design and interface, it feels like something that is a very natural on-camera part of my lighting equipment. But that is of course because I have been using Profoto for many years. Users of other brands may disagree.

The best bonus

Apart from what I think is a great addition that completes my arsenal of lights working well together, I am in a way most happy about the bag.

The bag for my Nikon SB-910 feels a lot bigger than it needs to be.

The A1 bag is more like a skin. And packing equipment in a bigger backpack or rolling case is simpler and quicker if I can just throw it in after a shoot. Not needing to worry about things scratching and crushing each other.

Soft Bounce for Profoto A1

Another thing you can buy for your Profoto A1 is the Soft Bounce, a larger bounce card, quite a bit larger in fact.

It comes with a nice bag as well, and folds easily. Just unpack it and attach it to the front of your A1 with magnets and you will have a more diffused light source for events or fill light.

For my Speedlights, I have used a whole bunch of different diffusers over the years. The Gary Fong Lightsphere might have been the most extravagant one. And the one I used almost never.

This one I might buy, mostly for the ease of use and the simplicity of having the flat bag hanging on the outside of my backpack in case I need softer light.

Attaching the A1 everywhere

One of the new thing with having a small and lightweight flash that works perfect in my Profoto ecosystem is being able to use “new” attachment methods (again).

Many of the accessories I bought in Strobist fashion for my Speedlights before will be of use again. For instance, this small Gorillapod.

Maybe I will buy the larger version, but the small one actually works if I want to hang the Profoto A1 onto something, or just using it as a floor stand. A clamp with a hotshoe connector can also be very useful when attaching a light to a door or anything it can hold on to.

Using Manfrotto Nano stands more

Since Manfrotto release the Nano stand, I have had at least one in the bag for different purposes. Mostly using it to hold a reflector or sometimes my DIY black flag made of Molton fabric.

Now I can use them as my main lighting stands on smaller assignments. Just add a tilt connector for hotshoe and pack a small umbrella.

That should be enough to use the A1 with my DIY homemade ring flash adapter, I think.

This is the kind of transport tube architects and art students use for stuff, I bought mine in an art store just to try if it could be useful. Now it can.

The weight of this tube bag is nearly nothing, and you can expand it to fit a Profoto A1, a small umbrella and a Nano stand. Maybe the smallest lighting equipment I have ever had?

Profoto A1 – the zoom-able flash

Turning the front ring of the light, you can change the focus of the light through the fresnel lens. From wide (above) to narrow (below).

A small symbol on the top left corner of the display will change as you turn the ring.

With the wide angle filter on, the light cone will spread wider.

Adding the “diffusion dome” will make the shadows less sharp.

Will I buy a Profoto A1?

Yes!

I have already ordered two Profoto A1 in fact.

This is the Profoto light that I have been waiting for a long time now. And finally, it is here. And it fits right into my lighting ecosystem perfectly.

If you have been reading my blog or followed me on Facebook and Instagram, you might have picked up that I love to find solutions that make my life as a photographer easier and the lighting quicker.

I did try the Strobist way quite hard before, but as soon as I had bought a used Profoto AcuteB 600R, there was no turning back. And then came the Profoto B1.

Maybe buying the B2 was more because I liked the idea of a lightweight head so much, not because I really needed it. But now I own one, and I use it quite a lot.

Not as much as my four Profoto B1, but it is not collecting dust. Buying two heads was a bit unnecessary though. One of them I never use.

What will I use it for?

Three things come to mind directly. One is replacing my Speedlights as the on-camera flash for events and stuff like that.

The other is for smaller editorial assignment when I want to travel with as little equipment as possible. Two Speedlight type lights will make lighting most editorial portrait something I can do quickly and painlessly.

The third, but not the least, is always having at least one A1 in the bag as an addition to a B1 or B2. Sometimes as fill light, but maybe more often as hair/rim light.

Will Profoto A1 replace my B1 or B2?

Not really.

The scenario that I find most probable is having a lot more lighting options but not necessarily a lot more lighting equipment in the bag. Adding just one A1 in my backpack takes up the same amount of volume as a normal zoom lens.

Maybe it will be enough to just bring two A1s to a quick assignment, but I will probably still use at least one B1/B2 for the wider range of lighting modifiers.

What is Profoto A1 not? This new product was unfortunately leaked on the internet, so before writing this review I have read a few comments about it. Comments that in many ways looked much like the comments when Profoto released the B2. Very much focus on Watt-seconds. And the price tag.

This is not a light you bring to a beach in the middle of a sunny day and place it ten meters away from a swimsuit model and hope to overpower the sun. For that purpose, I would rent a Pro-10. Or a B1 with a Magnum Reflector at least?

And this is not a light that will give you the best specification per dollar either. If you just want to save money, there are other brands that aim for that part of the market.

Sadly, this is not a light that will be compatible with all your OCF lighting modifiers. It might not be so hard to build an adapter to get the A1 to work with a Beauty Dish, just cut out a piece of foam with a hole in it.

Building a speedlight type of light restricts you a bit to the strength of the hotshoe, so it is probably wise not to put too much weight on that part of a camera or flash. But it would, of course, be nice if I could use this in the OCF system in some way.

Maybe this will be a revival for the Profoto Speedlight Speedring adapter/bracket? I bought one, many years ago, and never used it very much. It took forever just to attach the Speedlights in the right position with all the screws and brackets. But, with that on a stand, you could use a Profoto A1 together with any softbox you would like.

Why I might like the Profoto A1?

I am a portrait photographer in Stockholm, Sweden. Right now, there is sunlight enough to work most of the day. But, a large portion of the year, photographers here can’t rely on natural light. That would be crazy, and very restricting.

For me, to add one or two Profoto A1 to my lighting system makes a lot of sense. I like to pack enough equipment to manage most situations in portraits, from smaller group shots to editorial portraits on-location and individual portraits in a studio-like environment.

But, I really dislike carrying too much.

One large backpack and one Manfrotto padded bags for my lighting stands is more than enough. Maybe a third if I bring more than one Profoto B1.

I did just recently buy the ThinkTank Logistics Manager 30, and it is the perfect rolling bag for me. One or two Profoto B1 or B2 inside, together with cameras and lenses. Plus small or medium sized stands with a softbox or umbrella on the outside. With Profoto A1, I can easily add two more lights that can expand the choices in lighting I can work with a lot.

Event photography is something I do, and packing one B1 plus at least one A1 would make those assignments very much more fun. Place a B1 somewhere for a portrait setup, and have an A1 on the camera for everything else. Use the A1 as a remote and/or fill in the setup.

Profoto A1 for wedding photographers

I don’t do weddings anymore, but they are a bit like events. Therefore the A1 would be a perfect match for those who want a Speedlight but also an off-camera flash.

Profoto A1 for studio photographers

It might seem a very expensive small light, but on the other hand, why not buy a versatile flash that you easily can place almost anywhere? I am sure that I will use my A1’s in the studio, probably not as main lights but maybe as hair light sometimes? Or anything.

Profoto A1 for beginners

Buying a Profoto A1 as your first flash might seem a bit expensive, but it could be a really good investment. First, use it on-camera as you would with a Speedlight, and learn how it works. Buy a Remote or another Profoto flash to expand your possibilities. I could almost guarantee that starting with a Profoto light lets you explore portrait lighting quicker than with the complicated menus of a Speedlight.

The price

Yes, this is an expensive product.

But, for me, working full-time as a freelance photographer, it doesn’t really matter that much. I could, of course, buy at least two Godox AD200 (or maybe three, or four?) that at a glance should fulfil the same needs for a photographer.

If I would just need a small inexpensive light, a Godox would be more than ok. But I like parts in a system that works painlessly together, and mixing Profoto with Speedlights or other stuff is not painless.

I will probably use this product almost every day and on all assignments in the coming years. Having paid 300 or 995 dollars is not of much impact compared to the time and frustration I can save.

And it is really nothing compared to the total sum I have invested in cameras, lenses or lights over the years.

I have, as I said, already ordered two.

Profoto A1 Specifications

76 Watt seconds

9 stops of power adjustment

0.05-1.2 second recycle time

2.75? round tiltable, rotating, zoomable flash head

Auto-zoom from 32-150mm

Wide lens attachment for 14-24mm coverage

350 full power flashes on a single battery charge

Removable Lithium Ion Battery

80 minute charge time

Flash sync up to 1/250th of a second

High Speed Sync mode

Front & rear curtain sync modes

LED Modelling light

Will you buy one, or two? Or not?

About the Author

Stefan Tell is a commercial portrait photographer based in Stockholm, Sweden. You can find out more about Stefan on his website and follow him on Instagram or Facebook. This article was also published here and shared with permission.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/a-review-of-the-most-expensive-hot-shoe-strobe-in-the-world-the-profoto-a1/

[blogdangerousobjectcollecto-blog]

university of connecticut insurance

"university of connecticut insurance

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university of connecticut insurance

university of connecticut insurance

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Where can I find super cheap auto insurance?

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How are young drivers expected to build up 'no claims' or experience when insurance prices are so expensive?

How are young drivers expected to build up 'no claims' or experience when insurance prices are so expensive?

International medical insurance for US-medical trip?

I have a condition that might require surgery in the US, but I don't live there. Please can you recommend an international medical insurance that can cover the surgerical expenses when the need arises? Or anytime i should make a medical -trip to the US?""

I have a question about car insurance?

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Fake/Edited Car Insurance certificate?

My insurance is fully comp on my own car. but i can ONLY drive this car, not anyone else's car. on the insurance certficate, i edited a section to make it state can drive any motor vehicle with owners permission . Would this work if i were pulled over?? in someone else's car which is also insured to the owner of it? ALSO What usually happens when you are pulled over driving someone else's car and you have insurance on your own car?""

Do I need car insurance to drive into Canada?

I'm driving through Vermont to Montreal. I need to know if I'm required have auto insurance to cross the border in my car? Will the border agents ask for my car insurance.

Can I afford the insurance for this car?

I'm 17. I may purchase a 2003 Chevy Cavalier Coupe after I get my g2 next week. I'm wondering what insurance will be like? I know there are many variables, but I'm looking for a ballpark figure. I make about $500-600 a month. Since my parents both own vehicles, I can't go under their insurance as an Ocassional Driver, forcing me to have my own insurance as opposed to being under my parents' name. I can't call for a quote because I dont have my g2 yet :P""

Practice Test for Life Insurance License????

Does anyone know that website that has practice exams for the Life Insurance test? We used to go to it but now forgot it.

Rental Car Insurance-I don't have a auto insurance.What are the coverage i have to buy from rental company?

Hi,I'm new to US.I stay in california.I want to rent a car and confused with the insurance options.could anyone help me,what are all the coverages(LDW,SLP etc) that i need to rent a car?.I don't have a personal auto insurance.""

""Got a speeding ticket, how can I make sure my insurance doesn't go up?""

I'm 19 and I just got my first speeding ticket. If I pay for a lawyer to plead not guilty and get my demerit points removed, will that guaranty that my insurance rate will stay the same? (I live in Canada)""

Car Insurance Question!!?

So I just got my license yesterday but my dad said that I can't drive the car myself until he puts me on the insurance plan. Do I really need to be put on the insurance plan? I know its illegal not to have car insurance but I do, it would just go under my parents' names. Isn't that ok or do I really do have to get my own insurance card and everything? if yes, how many days would it take for me to get my name under the insurance? I really want to be able to start driving on my own. thanks!""

Canceling car insurance?

i got some car insurance for a car i was purchasing today as i did not want to drive it home over 100 miles with out none , i only took it out yesterday but when i went to pick up the car it had obtained some problems that it did not have before so i have not brought it. i was told when i got the insurance that i would have 14 days to cancel it but when i rung them up today to cancel it they have said i can not and i will have to pay all of the premium in full, i explained to them why i was needing to cancel it and was told it is not their fault and i still have to pay all outstanding monies , is this right . this is with swinton if it matters.""

Auto insurance for a Ford Mustang vs. Honda Accord?

I am a 16 year-old female who currently has a 4.4 GPA. I took drivers ed when I was 15 to get my license. I heard that cars are ridiculous to insure for young drivers, especially ...show more""

Who offers cheapest auto insurance for 25 year old males in la?

give insurance estimates

Hi anyone know a cheap insurance company for a smart pulse (600/700cc) as the ones ive tried are a bit pricey?

i realise that its all down to your postcode-age-driving record, but im 50 clean licence, however live in a poor postcode, however ive been qouted 256 pounds (nearly the same as a motorcaravan i also have) i was going to get a fiat 126 (also 600cc) this was only 80 pounds fully comp.....strange the insurance game do you think? thanks all simon.""

Assurant Health Insurance?

At a previous job I had good health insurance but adding my husband was costly so we got him BCBS IL through a local insurance agent. He is not the type to go to the doctor very often so a very basic plan is what we got him. It started out only being $160 for 3 months; now today I received a letter that it will be going up to $250 for 3 months. I have changed jobs and kept my insurance for awhile through Cobra but eventually found different coverage because the Cobra was so high in cost. But of course it has went up to almost $300 a month. I have been searching online for health insurance and found Assurant and it seems like I can get good coverage at a fair price. Do you have assurant? Do you think it's good coverage? Do you have any problems with using it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

university of connecticut insurance

university of connecticut insurance

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/affordable-commercial-insurance-isaac-oneill/"

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Need help to find a car with cheap insurance?

"Need help to find a car with cheap insurance?

Ok so im nearly 17 and i live in the uk so will be taking my driving test soon. I want a car that isnt to expensive to run and cheap insurance as insurance is really high at the moment an the car cant be to expensive either as i dont have a lot of money the most money i would be willing to be pay is about 2500 and cheapest insurance please!

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://howmuchisinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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I smoked weed rather heavily for about 5 weeks over the summer, and now i havent touched it all for about 5 weeks, am i going to be clear for it? Before those 5 weeks i smoked VERY rarely (once every month or 2 months). Also i smoked a couple packs of cigarettes in the past couple weeks...how long will it take for me to get the nicotine out of my system (also smoked VERY rarely before last couple weeks)""

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Car insurance for teens?

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Will my insurance go up a lot?

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Sporty cars with low insurance group?

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Will a red light camera ticket effect my car insurance in PA?

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Need help to find a car with cheap insurance?

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Can someone explain the difference between Health Insurance and any other Insurance?

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Car insurance question for military...?

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Whats higher in cost car insurance or van insurance at 19 years old?

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Car crash damage my insurance rights?

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Life insurance.........?

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Got a fine for no car insurance.?

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Is the amount you paid for your car covered by full insurance if an uninsured motorist hits you?

A friend was stopped at a light when some idiot hit her car and totalled it! Although, she has full coverage on the car(she just recently finished paying off), the idiot who hit her did not have any insurance! The total she paid on her car was $13K. The insurance company only wants to give her the blue book value of $3000! The situation is even worse because the offending party have no insurance! Is the insurance company trying to rip her off?! What should she do to get back at least close to the total amount she paid for her car?""

Insurance in the state of CA?

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California Minimum Insurance Requirement?

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Need help to find a car with cheap insurance?

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Car insurance??????? UK?

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How much would full coverage insurance cost on a 1965 Silver Cloud 3 Rolls-Royce?

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Which auto insurance company is better? Geico or Mercury? Please share your personal experience.?

Whats the best motorcycle insurance in ottawa for an 18 year old?

Whats the best motorcycle insurance in ottawa for an 18 year old?

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Im nearly 19 and Im looking to do my test and get a car as soon as I have the money. I would probably be getting a 2nd hand car within the 750 - 1,500 range, probably something simple what most get for their first car such as a corsa, punto, focus, clio etc. I can afford the car and the lessons, one thing I dont really know about is the insurance. I know it will be different whoever you go with but can you give me just a rough idea of how much Im looking at? I was hoping that it would be as cheap as 20/week (1,000/year). Thanks.""

How much would insurance cost (estimate) for a person my age?

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Home Insurance/Replacement Cost of Manufactured Home?

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Car Insurance Problem!?

Hey all heres my problem. I go in the navy in 4 weeks and my car insurance does'nt run out until april 2009. While im at base i wont be using my car until maybe feb 2009. Is there anyway i can cancel due to the fact that i wont be using my car. I don't want to be paying 121 a month when im not using my car at all for a while. Much help appreciated, mark!""

Affordable medical/prescription insurance for a heart transplant recipient.?

I had a heart transplant 10 years ago, and I am looking for a more affordable insurance plan, currently I use Cigna, and they're running me over $400 a month, plus a $50 dollar fee per prescription I am on, which runs me another $250-300 dollars every three months. I just recently graduated college, and am 24 years old, so my father's insurance at work no longer covers me. I'm not very familiar with insurance plans, but I would obviously need one that would accept my pre-exsiting condition of a heart transplant, and have a prescription plan, cover doctor visits, emergency care and anything else people can recommend that would be important. Thanks so much!""

Help with finding individual health insurance?

I'm 16 and my parents do not speak English. My sister and I (16 and 18) have Child Health Plus and my mother has insurance through her job. My dad currently has no health insurance because he could no longer afford to pay over $250 a month for insurance. He has diabetes and is having trouble controlling his blood sugar. How do I find an affordable insurance company? They said we can't have family health plus since we make a little over $3,000 a month but half goes to rent. What should I do? What is Healthy NY? Any advice??? thank you""

Insurance getting cancelled on an SR22 in VA?

I was so excited about good news I received, that I forgot that my insurance was going to cancel at midnight. I have an SR22 filing, even though I no longer require it. I left it there until it was time to renew. My question is how soon is DMV notified? Will I have time to call my agent first thing in the morning?""

What is the number of health insurance companies in the world?

What is the number of health insurance companies in the world?

Would a Honda Rebel 250 be a good starting motorcycle?

I still do not have my license. I intend on getting it soon. I've waited too long to get it. But I would like to own a motorcycle instead of a car. I don't live anywhere near the cold so, icy roads aren't a problem. And I am 5 foot 2, so I'm guessing this would be a good choice of motorcycle. Oh, and if you own a motorcycle, could you answer a few questions for me? Do you need a special license for it? And is the insurance a killer? Thanks for all of your help.""

How much is insurance for a 2001 mercury cougar. If I am 16? (EST.)?

Hello. I am looking for my first car. I am looking at a 2001 mercury cougar not the S series just the 3 door coupe.. Now the qoute gieco gave me was $325.01 a month. I live in Minnesota and I am a 16 year old male. I don't have anything on my record at all. I was wondering if 325.01 a month sounded right because I dont think so. That's like $4,000 a year and the car only costs $5,999. Also would it be better to go on my parents insurance plan with State Farm? Or to get my own? Thank you very much for helping me with advice with this.""

How much would auto insurance cost for a 1995 dodge viper?

I saw the car for sale for $16,000. The Viper has only 400 horsepower.""

Look! Auto Insurance?

Has anyone heard of Look! Auto Insurance based in Michigan? Are they a legit agency? http://www.look-insurance.com/home.nxg

Where can I find public actuary data for car insurance?

where can I find public actuary data for car insurance. i need that to develop models

""Im 19 Before buying my truck, insurance, down payment?""

Okay so I'm gonna finance a truck next week with 2,000 down is that too much ? 377 a month! I'm 19. I make 2,000 flat a month pay 250 for rent I live with my prents so 1,750 are for me(: my job is 15 minutes away (: Anyway do I need insurance too take the car home ? Can I get it later ? I asked for a over the phone quote with adranas insurance and it was $200 and they want $300 upfront for the first month that's way to much! Would those $200 a month go down ? And how long do I need full cover on the truck I would buy? I never had an accident never had a ticket or anything my license is clean I got it about 9 months ago! Can I put the insurance under someone else's name ? Like my dad ? Or what can I do ? It's a 2004 silverado v8 2 door! They said I need insurance with 500 deductible what does that mean ? I live in Los Angeles 90018 CA""

Where can I get the best Auto Insurance Quotes?

My semi-annual auto insurance renewal is coming up. I've shopped before and I think I'm already getting a damn good rate, but still I'd like to try to get an even better rate. I've tried both Geico and Progressive, and both quoted me over $200 higher per year than I already pay. Any other good suggestions? This would be for coverage in California.""

""I need short term auto insurance, since i will be on vacation for 45 days in southern california,?

Now my insurance company doesn't cover me in the states

Car insurance for young men please advise.?

Hey I'm 20 nearly 21 been driving nearly 3 years with no accidents etc . No speeding no nothing , I want a faster car ( fiesta st) 150bhp car . I can afford the car with ease , will my insurence be un affordable ? I can't pay more than 2000 on insurance. Might I add I'm from the uk i""

Is there a classic car insurance company that doesnt require you to be a certain age?

without 5 year license restriction also. i need to find one that will cover an 18 year old with a clean record.

How much is car insurance for a new female independent driver in the UK?

I was just wondering how much it costs for a new female to get insurance on a car .. anyone have a ny ideas ... and is 1.1 L engine big enough for a new driver answers needed asap please !! xx

Need help to find a car with cheap insurance?

Ok so im nearly 17 and i live in the uk so will be taking my driving test soon. I want a car that isnt to expensive to run and cheap insurance as insurance is really high at the moment an the car cant be to expensive either as i dont have a lot of money the most money i would be willing to be pay is about 2500 and cheapest insurance please!

Cheapest insurance?

What company has the cheapest insurance for used cars.

""Non owner SR22 insurance for TEXAS, what is a cheap website?

I don't own a car so I don't know what to do... Help! Thanks

I need a list of affordable cars that look like a sports car but aren't considered one by insurance?

Or just a list of sports cars that tend to have lower insurance.

Can anyone estimate how much insurance would cost on a 2001 camaro?

i'm 18, full time b student, first car, the car's a v6""

Car Insurance Question?

Hi, im 16 and 17 in August living in Ireland, and i'm thinking of buying either a Honda Civic 1999-2001 or a Honda integra 1998-2001 aswell, i'm a guy and i'm wondering how much it'll cost to insure either one of them, and also what car is better""

Which are the Best Car Insurance comparism websites?

Hi Yahooers, I need to re-new my car Insurance and like everyone else I want the cheapest on offer. Deatils are:- I live in the UK, have 10 years NCB, never had any claims and the car is 10 years old. Full licence held for 22years and no points on licence. Thank you for all help given. xx""

What is a good car insurance company i should get?

I'm 18 turning 19 I live in NJ (i heard the prices vary where i live due to accidents and whatnot)

Which is on average better out of petrol/diesel cars?

In terms of performance (speed,0-60 etc), economically, fuel cost (miles per gallon etc), insurance etc""

Insurance Rates?

I'm a 17 year old male and I just got my 1st speeding ticket today and it was a 6 point ticket how much do you think my insurance rate will go up by

Life insurance for over 60?

Hello,just wondering if anyone out there has any good expierence for life insurance over 60 years old.I am a 64 year old female who wants something for 15 years with no pre-existing medical conditions.There are so many out there I just dont know who I can trust.Thanks...""

Car insurance?

If i have bought a car but but the car is not insured, then can someone else who is fully comp drive my car?""

Are SUVs more expensive to insure?

I know you can't tell me for sure whether or not one will be more expensive. But, generally speaking is a small SUV such as a Ford Escape more expensive to insure than say a midsized car like a Honda Accord.""

Best Health Insurance for Veteran and dependents?

I'm a soldier getting ready to get Honorably Discharged in the next couple months. I have a wife and 2 kids, that have constant doctor visits. What are some Insurance companies ...show more""

How can I get an Auto Insurance adjuster to address my claim ? He is completely unresponsive.?

I drove out a brand new car from the dealership and stopped at a signal light. I was rear ended hard by a coupe driven by teenagers. His car was towed and impounded. Now I called the other driver's insurance company after receiving the police report and was told that a claim has already been filed and an adjuster's name and number given. I have been ever since calling the adjuster and leaving voice-mails. Its about 3 days and I have left more than 8 voice mail but he does not call me back. Its getting frustrating and am unsure if thats their strategy ? How long should I continue this ? and How can I get him to attend and address my claim ? and what else are my options ? Should I go to small claims court ? Advice is much appreciated.

What is car insurance rates?

uhm im doing report, and i need to write bout 3 ways that how teenage car accidents rising affect us. One of my answer is car insurance rate would go up; &yet i dont know wht that means. some one help?""

How much would Insurance go up with Speeding Ticket?

I'm 17, in Kansas, and I got a speeding ticket for going a 51 in a 40. My dad said that it will cause insurance to go up for the next three years. My ticket cost is $96.00. How much should this cause my insurance to go up? I've never had any violations of any kind before and I have the good student discount, too. Also, what do you recommend I do? Should I just pay the fine and accept whatever happens to my insurance?""

Can I claim for mechanical faults on my fully comp car insurance?

My car set on fire whilst I was driving it & as a result is a write off. My insurer is refusing to pay up as they claim its a mechanical fault. Is there anything I can do? Please help.

""Cheap Insurance, For a 19 year old?""

hi im a typical 19 year old, been driving for 1 year this month. Does anyone know of any Cheap Insurance places, Everything is so expensive! i dont want to be paying more than 50.00 a month! Please help""

Do you know of any extremely low cost car insurance for cars?

Please dont say companies like Geico, progressive, etc. i am looking for something that I have not looked at already- that maybe someone on here has experience with. i live in NJ, but that really doesnt matter when shopping for auto insurance.""

Will Car Insurance Fees Go Up?

So recently i was pulled over for speeding. 50 in a 45. Will my fines go up for just being 5+ the limit? If so how much do you think? Also I'm 16 -Thanks

Does anyone know of an affordable health insurance plan for a 28 yr old in Mich?

Does anyone know of an affordable health insurance plan for a 28 yr old in Mich?

Is it OK for someone else to do car insurance for me?

Basically, will it be fine (in legal terms) for someone else, a friend - to make car insurance on my behalf because I might be busy?? really important!! (im sorry about the tedium of this question)""

What is the cheapest car insurer for a 17 year old WITHOUT a black box?

What is the cheapest insurance company without a black box or device to monitor you're driving for a 17 year old...?

How much will my insurance go up?

I am 16 and I just got my first speeding ticket. I have state farm and it is my first violation. I was just looking for a ballpark estimate.

Automobile insurance cost increase?

My car is 10 years old with 100,000 miles it was paid off about 6 months ago. My insurance does nothing but keep going up what should I do?""

Need help to find a car with cheap insurance?

Ok so im nearly 17 and i live in the uk so will be taking my driving test soon. I want a car that isnt to expensive to run and cheap insurance as insurance is really high at the moment an the car cant be to expensive either as i dont have a lot of money the most money i would be willing to be pay is about 2500 and cheapest insurance please!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/worried-getting-insurance-car-when-i-have-bad-credit-najera"

[justinschumakar-blog]

This is not my story. I ma sharing this story on my blog as i like ideas of it.

“

The most common question I get about my trip around the world is “How did you save up the money?”

Anddd the second most common question I get is, “How much did you save and spend?”

I actually don’t mind answering these questions at all because these are the main questions I was asking people before taking off on my trip.

So, how did I save $35,000 to travel the world for a year?

I’ll get to all the details on that below! As for the question of how much I spent? Well, I spent all of it.

Every single penny. After 14 months on the road, I really don’t have anything left. Let me explain…

Before my travels, I researched many different blogs and articles to see what the perfect amount would be for a year-long trip.  Most of them recommended somewhere between $14K and $25K for the year. After returning from my travels and having met many amazing people, I’ve learned you don’t even need that much! I met a lot of people who were traveling for longer than a year on $10-14K. It can be done peeps!

I knew I wanted to splurge a bit more on this trip and never wanted to feel super penny pinched, so I saved up more than what was recommended in all the articles and blogs I read. This is because I know myself and I didn’t want to be strapped for cash if something cool came up (and a lot of cool things came up)! 🙂

At the time of saving up to travel, I was living in San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in the USA. If I factor in what I would have spent living in the city for one year, it far exceeds what I spent for 1 year of travel. It’s sometimes nice to put that into perspective! You may actually save money (sort of) when traveling the world!

Some people may be thinking HOLY SHIT that’s a lot of money to save up. Others may think that $35K is chump change. It actually took me about two-ish years age (25-27ish) to save up the $35K.

Here’s how I did it.

1. When I started saving up money, I didn’t have any student loans or debt to my name.

I was lucky enough to not have student loans after going to college and also didn’t have debt on any credit cards or to any people. I’ve always been pretty good at never spending more than I have, so starting to save with a clean slate definitely made things a lot easier.

2. I didn’t own a car while living in San Francisco.

For the entire 5+ years I lived in San Francisco I didn’t have a car or car payment. I would use Zipcar (here’s a $25 off coupon) or borrow my friend Carly’s car when I needed a car, but I honestly haven’t owned a car since high school which has saved up a ton of money!

3. I lived in a rent-controlled apartment with roommates and a shared bathroom.

Living in an apartment with roommates is super common in San Francisco, but it’s expensive to even share a place! My apartment was rent-controlled, meaning the rent hadn’t gone up in 8 years since the original leaseholder moved in. I got super lucky and had a great apartment paying $1300 a month for my room, not including utilities which is really good for San Francisco standards.

4. In the 2 years I started saving, my salary went from 80K to $100K+ a year at my marketing job.

When I started saving for this trip I was making about $80K a year and right before I quit my job, I was making $100K+. I was debating on putting my salary into this post, but I wanted you to get the full picture of how I saved up. I’m not going to lie, this salary definitely helped, but San Francisco is still an expensive city, so I still had to make a budget and focus on my priority of long-term travel. If you’re looking at this and thinking “Well shit, I don’t make that much money so I can’t save that up” then you’re incorrect! (I’m saying that in the nicest way).

I met tons of people who were making way less money than me when they started saving and ended up traveling the world longer than me. It really all depends on your dedication to saving and your priorities! But, like I mentioned above, you don’t need $35K to do what I did. You can do it on far less! Honestly, I’d say the sweet spot is somewhere between $15-$25K.

5. I figured out my monthly expenses and where I could cut back.

I looked at what the bare minimum I needed to live on was after looking at my expenses per month. Then I gave myself a cushion to make sure my life didn’t completely suck…haha. Then I put the difference into my new travel account (next step).

6. I set up a new bank account called “My RTW Trip” in my Wells Fargo and watched it religiously.

After setting up this account I got serious about saving.  I would transfer any extra money I had for the month into this account and could slowly see it start to add up. My rule for this account was that I could never touch it or take out of it.  It was easy to have it in the same bank as my checking because I could easily transfer money over from my checking into this account.

7. I set up a payment system and auto deposit.

This was key to my saving goal! I got paid twice a month and each time I got paid I set my bank account up so that it automatically transferred $250 out of my checking to my savings. This was nice because I didn’t necessarily notice it was missing and it was a great hands-off way to save. I just pretended like my paycheck was $250 less each month. I also have my bank set up so that everything I buy on my debit card will add a $1 to it and that $1 will go into my savings. So if I bought something that was $5.25 it would charge $6.25 and put the extra dollar in savings. This is a small thing, but it over time it actually helped!

8. I stopped buying new clothes for a LONG TIME!

So I kind of told myself in the first year of saving that I would cut back on shopping which I ended up doing, but then once I was about a year out of finally getting to my goal, I stopped buying new clothes altogether. Yes, I would sometimes get a new item if it was cheap, but mostly I cut back on new clothes and accessories. This saved me a TON of money. Plus, I knew I wouldn’t be able to bring all of these new clothing pieces with me traveling anyway so it wasn’t as hard as it would have been had I not had a big trip planned in my future.

9. I took a few steps to simplify my life.

Besides not shopping for clothes anymore, I did a few other things to simplify my life. One big one was cutting back on eating out and learning to cook at home instead. In SF there are always new restaurants popping up that you HAVE to go try, or old ones you want to go back to cause they are awesome. If you get a drink and food at most places in SF you’re probably looking at spending $50+ per person. I really tried to cut out how often I was eating out and I honestly think this helped a lot.

I also cut back on going to get my morning avocado toast and juice that I was obsessed with. I’m not a big coffee drinker, but that was my equivalent to cutting out my daily coffee. Going out drinking is another big thing in San Francisco and I used to go out 2-3x a week including happy hours! This got super costly, so I cut back to going out only 1 or 2x a week and pre-gaming my big nights out more at my apartment.

I cut back on getting my nails done, cut my gym membership and stopped getting my hair done as well. I would get my nails done religiously every 2 weeks and started to do my own instead. It sucked but getting my nails done twice ($100) allowed me to live a few extra days abroad. Same with getting my hair done!

10. I got clear about my priorities.

Everyone’s got different priorities, but mine is TRAVEL TRAVEL TRAVEL. I’d have friends who would go blow $500 on a few new outfits one weekend, but I’d never do that cause I knew $500 could buy me a roundtrip flight to Europe! Once I started focusing on travel being my top priority it made saving that much easier.

11. I planned to travel to cheap-ish places.

When I made my original travel budget, I first tried to figure out where I wanted to travel. I quickly realized that I needed to go to cheap places if I wanted my money to last. I mixed up my trip with Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and I’d say I did about 70% cheap countries and 30% expensive. Here’s what I spent after 3 months in Europe!

12. I sold all of my stuff.

Yes, right before I left I sold all of my furniture, my bedding, some clothes, my DSLR camera and anything else I thought I could make money from.

13. Think positive.

I don’t want to get all hippy-dippy on you all, but I do strongly believe in the power of the mind and positive thinking. I’ve read many books about attracting what you want and manifesting it into your life. For this particular trip and for getting the money I needed, I visualized my trip a lot in my mind, I pictured having the money in my bank account, and I pictured myself traveling to all of these countries.

On the last day before my trip I was so close to my goal of $35K, but still $1,000 short. Then, I got $1,000 from an unexpected source on the last day! Many of you may think this is just a coincidence, but I’m telling you, thinking positive is powerful! Again sorry if you think I’m a loony bin and disagree with me, but I wanted to be honest with you all about how I believe I got to this point. Here are some books that made me get more into the positive thinking mode about money in case you’re even a bit interested.  The Secret, You Are a Badass, Big Magic,  The Law of Attraction, Think and Grow Rich, Money and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health and Happiness,

Okay, guys! That’s how I did it and I’m really hoping it helps any of you trying to do this same thing! I’d love to hear how you budget for your travels and if you have any great tips, because I’m currently saving again and could use more tips to try!“

Story writer Katie

    HOW I SAVED $35,000 TO TRAVEL THE WORLD This is not my story. I ma sharing this story on my blog as i like ideas of it.

[purecbdoil]

A Do It Yourself Wedding in New York City For $10,000 Or Less, Is It Possible?

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A do-it-yourself (DIY) wedding in New York City sounds like an oxymoron, but it can be done. There are various ways of complying with that statement above and all for under $10,000. Well, under $10,000. You can still have quite an extravagant wedding, even an over the top wedding for under $10,000 AND in New York. Let me show you how it can be done, including your honeymoon. Now I know you're thinking that is an impossibility. My husband and I did it and so can you.

It mostly depends on just what it is you want your fantasy day to say and whether or not one thing is the most important item or if you would prefer to have featured several things. For me I wanted the colors of our wedding to be featured, my dress and the water feature for my husband at the reception. At another time I will tell you about my excursions to and from the various locations to secure, just what I wanted for my wedding. Right now, I will give you the nitty-gritty about what I reaped from my excursions.

What if you only wanted one thing to be the major featured item? Of course, it does not have to be just one thing, it can be several, but just so you don't go crazy, I suggest you choose one to two items rather than a whole slew, but if you want more than that, don't do any more than five. Most brides start off believing they can do it all and realize within eight to six months of the wedding that they can not. A friend's help comes in quite handily, after all your really close friends will have asked you all along what they can do to help. At about ten to eight months out from the wedding is the best time to take them up on their offers. I did. More about me later, though. I have a friend who did a wedding with a potluck reception at a very famous church here in Manhattan and even though it was phenomenally delicious, to my idea that was not even the featured item in her wedding. I am getting ahead of myself though.

Her wedding had a committee of three women -the project managers- to help her stay within her budget which was WAY under $10,000. I believe she and her new husband paid no more than $6000 for their entire wedding, which included the reception space in that very same famous church. They did not pay for catering which can be quite pricey when it comes to weddings. In fact, the wedding couple paid nothing for the food at the reception, so plus the cost of the space, If they'd paid for catering it would have run close to the $6000 for their 150 guests. By having a potluck, she paid nothing other than the cost of the hall. The Riverside Church Chapel for me cost $800 (In a previous article, I said $1200, but in reality it was $800 for mine.) in 2005, but for another friend of mine last year, she paid $1500. I got the members' cost, but last year, there was no differential between members and nonmembers, so even though she is a member, she had to pay big bucks.

My friend's wedding costs are an approximation, because I didn't pry that much,.. yet. She is out of the country now, so I can not ask her at all, but I am judging from her comments to me at the time. Forgetting about the cost of hers and her husband wearing apparel which I can tell you he had his own tux in his closet and her wedding dress was bought from a non-wedding wedding store on sale.

Since my friend is a singer too, she had friends who sang during her wedding, that were of course gratis or gifts. Basically that is a win-win situation all around. Since you tap your friends, you tap the voices you want singing your songs of choice. That's what I did and both she and her ex-husband sang at my and my husband's wedding.

Here's a big tip if you don't want to spend big time money on your dress, if it's to be one of the featured items, go to a non-wedding store in search of your gown. Personally I went to Filene's Basement bridal store, a year before my wedding and bought a dress for $536 with tax, so it is possible to pay for a dress under $3000. But my friend did not go the bridal store route. She went to Paramus Mall to Lord & Taylor. I don't remember exactly how much she paid, but I do know it was almost half as much as my dress.

She also did not go with a traditional veil, but went with a tiara alone. For mine, I had both, but did not pay a premium for either. I made up my own veil for less than $10 and found a tiara that didn't look cheap at Claire's Accessories for less than $20. She wore a tiara as well. A gold tiara, which costs no more than a $100.

For her reception, she had no music, we'd had plenty during her wedding ceremony. In another article I've already told you about using your own Mp3 player and saving big bucks in that respect. If you do want to hire a DJ or reception host, I suggest you go with a friend of a friend who is just starting to spin, but that the friend can vouch for their abilities, if you have not experienced them for yourself. Remember, whatever you do, GET a contract. One that spells out exactly what you want and expect them to do at the party. That means the songs you expect and when. That way, the surprises won't have anything to do with dancing. That way both you and your guests can be happy without much annoyance on anyone's part. New DJ's can start as low as $75 an hour and go up from there. If you want an established DJ, it could be as much as $125 - $350 an hour. This again is if you want to stay within your budget of $10000. Just remember you will need your DJ for at least four hours, so do your multiplication from there.

Transportation: Ah, you can go the traditional route with the white limos, or you can go with black limos, too. Did you know that the color of the limo can determine the price. White limos are more expensive and if you mention wedding additional money is added for that special day. Just be glad that you are not going to prom, because that is the limousine's big day(s) for money making. Limousines can be anywhere from $500 for a two and half hour rental to, of course thousands. To really save money, if you are friends with a special car association you could rent or borrow the owners' cars. Or now with the Internet companies, Zip Car, Drive Mint or even Connect By Hertz you could rent a car of your dreams for a great rates. Each of these dot com hourly car rentals can save you a bundle. Think about it.

Did you guess already that the featured item for my friend's wedding was the dress? Well, if you did you would have been correct. The bride wore, what appeared to be gold. In actuality, the dress was a copper lace with a light pink undergarment that peeked through, which made the dress upon entrance and even as she continued to walk down the aisle appear to be molten liquid gold. She was drummed in. Of course, the bride is usually the center piece of most weddings, but as they say in the theater, people were humming the dress the rest of the evening, especially since she was able to match the dress with a cape, that was already in her closet.

Transportation - Getting to and sometimes from the wedding ceremony can be challenging when it comes to keeping costs down, but with these suggestions you can be home free.

Dress $536

Tux Rental $56

Cake $825

Limo/Catering $375/$625 = $1000

Special added catering $0 Wedding gift from Mother-in-Law

Professional Photographer $400 for 5 hours - childhood friend of groom

Video $0 Best Man's gift

Ceremony/Minister $800 Christ Chapel Riverside Church

Flowers $375 from Flower wholesaler

Reception rental and 2 cases of champagne $1251

DJ $250 - 4.5 hours

Printer $68 printing wedding invitations & thank you notes

Papers Invitations, Envelopes, (Inner/Outer) Thank You Notes/Envelopes $82

Save-the-Date magnets $16

Miscellaneous Favors, candles, material, silk rose petals, disposable cameras, decorative Chinese boxes, & tissue paper $350

Honeymoon Cruise & extras $1391

Our total expenditures in 2005 Wedding/Honeymoon $7400

Car Rental for the weekend: Go Green with http://www.ConnectbyHertz.com $160.33/weekend day whether it is for 6 hours or 24 hours. Go with the 24 since you can use it for those last minutes things that come up before the wedding. That is for a smart Fortwo, talk about making an entrance. Keep in mind with Hertz you can pick the car up at one location and drop it off somewhere else, as long as they have a lot. That could save you some time. For instance: pick up at a Hertz on the upper west side and drop it off at one of their hotel locations especially if you're not going away to your honeymoon right away..

Car rental for the 3-day weekend from Speedy-Rent-A-Car $205.00

Rental from Zipcar.com or DriveMint.com are by the hour from $11.00 - $17.00 for the weekend depending on the car. A Scion Xb or smart Fortwo on the low end hourly or a Mercedes on the high end hourly at DriveMint.com

Or offer relatives and friends a couple of dollars, depending on your budget, to chauffeur you and your wedding party around for a couple of hours.

What if you want to have your wedding catered, it is still possible to do it economically in a big city, whether it is in New York City or Chicago, or even Boston, you just need a bit of ingenuity to stay within your budget. If you're a curious detailed oriented person like I am, then you'll decide this is the fun part, the chase or the journey to end that you really want. It is actually the magic part about the entire wedding, I think, because you are at the stage where you are shaping the outcome of the day. It will take patience and possibly legwork, to see just what you might be getting for the day of event, but the hunt (for the guys) is on and it can be a great deal of fun. Here are a few tips:

Decide on the type of wedding and plan your food accordingly. Such as casual, spiffy-casual, or formal, (usually sit down) While casual and spiffy-casual may come very close to looking like the same thing, they really are quite different when it comes to food. I have seen casually catered events start as low as $12.95 per person or just under $1200 for 85 people. This is strict buffet style, no seating provided, but stand-up cocktail tables in various spots with food arrangements on them along with some passed appetizers, as well.

My friend's wedding although it had a very high-church of various cultures feel to it had a casual reception, since all the guests were expected to bring something. With her committee of 'wedding corralling ladies', the guests with each acceptance of the invitation was then asked what were they bringing. By doing it that way my friend saved all sorts of money and even had leftovers. Wedding party paid nothing, zero, zip, for that feast. Their reception had everything from appetizers to desserts including rum balls, (YUM!). Some of us were getting high just smelling the rum balls, additionally there was even a fruit bowl.

Another casual reception could be to have a stand around party with a huge sandwich or various pizzas or have your new mother-in-law make something for the crowd. You can probably strike up a deal with your favorite pizza store once you pass 10 pizzas. Figure at 3 slices per guest and you've got it made. For instance, a pizza usually has 12 slices and for 80 guests, you'd have to have 20 pies feeding each person 3 slices each. My neighborhood pizza store sells a large pie for $16 each, but if I ordered 20 pies for 85 guests, my budget for food would be at around $350. Even as much as $350, you must give your guests something to wash down the pizzas.

For more organic less oil, use whole grain flat breads; American or Italian version with different toppings, as your starter rather than bread and cheese.

Perhaps as I did you can get a combination price with another feature of the wedding. My limousine company managed a caterer and so I got a combination price. Plus, my new mother-in-law, made something special in large quantities for her son. We had 85 guests and our total with the 4-hour use of the limousine and caterer was $625. My new mother-in-law's food was gratis. Ours was a casual formal of sorts. It was buffet style with seating.

The formal caterer or sit down with service is where you'll have to weigh your options on how much is too much. These types often run as low as $27 per person and up into the thousands. If you're trying to do a wedding for under $10,000, as I am advocating then you're probably priced out of this market unless you can strike a deal with one of your favorite restaurants. Perhaps Carmine's, in which the food is served family-style, but everyone is sitting. This could be a possibility. My friends took me there for graduation and we ordered one full meal and had left overs for two additional people.

If using Carmine's works for you, I am betting that it can work for your budget as well. Think about it, a main dish for a meal is $21 - 25, which easily feeds 5 - 6 people. If you have 12 tables of 8 could still be pricey, but your guests will be full and have potential doggy bags to take home. Roughly your pricing could still be under $1000, even with the addition of salad, garlic bread and dessert. YUM! A pure feast to behold.

Decorations is another item that can run into lots of pennies. In this instance, I am talking about the flowers for the bride and the wedding party and the extras for the reception to make it wedding theme oriented. The extras could include tulle and floating or almost infinite ideas as motifs or table decorations of some kind. Here are few of my favorites with pricing of the day:

Check any of the websites that sell pre-made flowers and you're good to go. Flower arrangements start as low as $29.95 and go $79.95 for our purposes. Flowers can, of course go into the hundreds from these websites and upward if you use a florists.

To cut cost further, the bride and matron/maid of honor could be the only people to carry flowers and then everything else could be decorated at the ceremony venue with tulle or aisle candles.

At the reception venue, the theme could be carried further with floating candles on the tables as centerpieces instead of flowers. If, like we did, you have a water feature, add some floating candles, larger than the table candles, to it and call it a day. Candles at the reception venue could run you a whopping $100 to start unless you want or have a half an acre to decorate.

Add some special candies or other cheery items for the table; M&M's or Jordan Almonds or Junior mints. We went with special made-to-order M&M's. I bought 3 bags and that was all I needed, at $11 per bag, it was a steal. And you get to choose your colors so they can coordinate with your wedding colors. Pretty cool, I think and inexpensive, too.

Don't forget those disposable cameras, so your guests can snap some fun pictures as well. Check out various websites and you might be able to get 9 cameras all for $35, just like I did.

So, it can be done with a bit of ingenuity, verve, and flair. Dreamers can.

[ad_2] Source by CharLena M. Pearson

Post Source Here: A Do It Yourself Wedding in New York City For $10,000 Or Less, Is It Possible?

[builtinadaygames]

Games on itch: what I played this month

Hi, my name is Kevin Beissel.  I make game projects under the name ‘builtinaday’ and lurk on Twitter @builtinadayKB.

The purpose of this post is to cover some of the free games on itch.io, from a developer and fan perspective.  I'd like to make it a recurring series, maybe a monthly breakdown but who knows.  Like Douglas Adams said, the best part of deadlines is the great WHOOSHING sound they make while flying by.

Before we get to the games, I just want to clarify why I'm doing this and what I hope it accomplishes.  So here's the what, why and how:

The WHAT

Discuss free games available on itch.io

I've got a list of profiles to check out, but please send along any recommendations.

There are no restrictions on genres.  The whole point of this is to be curious and ask questions.  So no dumb rules like "No walking sims" or "No puzzle platformers", which would prolly eliminate half of the available games anyways.

The WHY

I want to become a better developer and playing experimental/small/art/trash games could help.

Getting an audience is hard and getting constructive feedback is even harder.  I can't help the devs covered in these posts with the former but maybe I can with the latter.

The HOW

There is no rating system.

There is no alter ego here, these are not 'angry' reviews.

These aren't even really reviews.

The goal is to focus on the design choices that were made and discuss the reasoning behind them.

I don't really care about being right, I don't really care about sounding smart ("Yeah, no shit" the reader grumbles), I don't really care about agreeing with you. I'm more interested in looking at the hierarchy of ideas (to borrow a phrase) that form game design.  By working at the ends and working in the middle we can find out more about it, right?

Enough with the formalities, let's get started.

Profile: Steven Miller (@stevenjmiller37, steven-miller.itch.io, 30 projects available)

Game: Calor

Genre/Style: Strategy, base building and combat modes

Strategy games are tall orders, especially as jam submissions, but Calor has plenty of good things going on.  The visuals are charming, the two game modes are fun, and it has some of that 'one more turn' gameplay you want in a good strategy game.

It sort of reminds me of FTL and X-Com, except it's also nothing like those games.  I still caught echoes of them, like an eerie trumpet call over a lost battlefield.  Except there's no sound in space, or so I've heard.

Hey, what spins faster: the planet in Calor or Hunter Thompson in his grave after I just mangled his 'eerie trumpet' line?

The base building mode revolves around placing resources (farms, solar panels, factories) on sections of a planet.  Every turn the planet rotates, and the direction can be changed with wind turbines.  Part of the planet has sunlight and resource tiles produce plus-1 per turn in sunlight.  Sun spots pop up every 7 or 8 turns and will destroy any resource on a tile or damage the player, but a warning message pops up when the sun spot is three turns away.

Enemies can't damage tiles but can attack the player.  It's better to move onto the enemy's tile and initiate combat, especially if the tile contains a resource.  Letting the enemy move onto your tile has a combat penalty.

The combat mode has two parts to consider: a top section with three bars that contain the enemy's attack and shield points and a bottom section laid out like a hex-style grid.  The grid has three starting nodes on the left and three ending nodes on the right with bonus nodes in the middle.  You can choose whether to use a shield node or an attack node during your turn, but not both.

If the top section has a shield in any bar, connecting to the corresponding ending node reduces your attack points.  So you have to plan paths that pick up as many bonus nodes as possible and avoid ending on a penalized node.

Both modes are good and it would be cool to see them expanded on.  There's a few things I'm curious about though, like the attack only/shield only choice you have to make in combat.

If you start a fight with low health, the enemy will prolly wipe you out with one attack.  So I suppose the design incentivizes you to keep moving away from the enemy until your health is refilled during the base building mode, then turn around and engage.  I just wish there was away to use both a shield node and an attack node on the same turn.  I know upgrade systems can be tricky and usually avoid them in my projects, but this ability would be a great addition.

Forgive me if there is this ability, but I'm pretty sure there isn't.

And I gotta ask: if you can't combine the abilities, then what's the point of including a shield option at all?  If you're low on health to start, using the shield just creates an endless loop of defensive turns.  Does health regenerate between turns in combat or only outside of combat?  Could I block the enemy's attack enough times until I'm healed and then switch to attack nodes?  What am I missing here?

I know that sounds negative, but I swear it's just curiosity.  Calor is fun to play and also gave me some challenging design questions to consider.  There are plenty of games that fail to do either of those things.

Game: Capture Horizon

Genre/Style: Puzzle platformer, side-scroller

This is a puzzle platformer that requires you to manipulate the level by taking photos of it and arranging them to form a path to the exit.  I played Camera Obscura on Steam, which uses a simiilar idea, and it's a cool concept.  I like that it relies on spatial design/reasoning skills, instead of using oblique hints to solve unfair challenges based on muddy logic/lazy rulesets.

The photo taking/placing mechanic is easy to understand.  You can't take a new photo while on an existing one and you can have up to three at a time.  It seems simple but I quickly became stumped, especially on levels five and six.

The platforming is OK, but it leads to many cheap deaths.  Most levels have two sections you need to reach; the first is relatively easy and the second is much harder.  The harder section requires a lot of trial and error, due to both photo placement and jumping issues, which means you have to redo the easy section a lot of times which is tedious.

Traditional difficulty progression states that a level should have an ascending scale of difficulty, not a descending scale.  But for short, self-contained levels like this, inverting that formula might have worked well.

And since we are here to inquire within about everything and not here to disparage, let's consider some alternative solutions to this problem:

New speed setting:  I hate when people suggest new settings for traversal speeds in my own work, because there is usually a bunch of connected factors to consider/change that they aren't aware of.  What sounds like a small tweak is actually a much larger change.

So, even tho I hate being THAT GUY, I too often found myself running right off of a platform or, even worse, jumping way too early to compensate for the fast movement.  A walk/run control setup might have fit nicely.

Change the jump mechanic:  Something like the style of jumping used in Gunpoint would have made the platforming simpler, but much more satisfying.  For those who don't know, the Gunpoint-style allows the player to activate a jumping stance, adjust the height/distance of the jump and then confirm or cancel the jump.

This style would eliminate most of the frustrating trial and error sections.  You could place a photo and test whether your jump could reach it, instead of placing a photo and jumping one pixel short and having to retry the whole level.

What helpful advice, huh?  "Ripoff a more popular game to make your own work seem better" is just about the most lazy advice you could give an artist.  And yet here I am, handing out shopworn cliches faster than Michiko Kakutani.  So where the hell is my goddamn Pulitzer?

Game: Entropy

Genre/Style: Roguelike, 8-bit isometric view

Lately I've been seeking out games that put a strong emphasis on combat, like "Superhot" or "Deadbolt".  Roguelikes usually have a heavy emphasis on combat and Entropy certainly does.

You have a fast-moving, low-damage ranged shot that repeats quickly but you can charge up a power shot.  The charged shot literally turns you into a bullet, and can be used offesnsively or defensively.  You could knock out a powerful enemy or escape from a crowd by firing to a safe spot.  You can also use the charge shot for traversal, usually shooting across gaps filled with spikes.

If I could transform into anything, I'd transform into a machine that could make ANYTHING.  I would make anything then transform back into myself and enjoy whatever (or whoever) I just made.  That might seem like an awfully large loophole, a loophole so large you could drive a Pagani Zonda thru it.  A carbon-fiber supercar loaded with guns, cash, and women (or MEN) you made in your ANYTHING machine.

But what are you?  A lawyer?  I don't remember making any of those in that ANYTHING machine.

Or you could turn into a bullet.  That is also a pretty cool thing to do.

The character movement speeds are nicely balanced.  Strafing a lone enemy is fun and juggling large crowds is intuitive.  Some enemies felt like bullet sponges, but I wasn't using the charge shot enough.  Moving around till I had space and time to get it off made those enemies easier to deal with.  The enemy design is good too, with variations in size/speed/strength that feel balanced.  They have a nice spectral, eerie look to them.

The game also opens with a short cutscene.  My favorite part was the "standing" animations.  All the characters constantly bounce up and down, which is fun to watch.  I love this choice.  Animations more sophisticated than this aren't really the point of LD jams and if they stood still that would be boring, so it's a nicely off beat decision.

The one minor problem I had was the reticle color.  It's green, which would be fine except some levels have patches of grass that make it hard to track the reticle.  Otherwise, the game has the color palette nicely split up between player, enemy and enviromental assets.

Remember:  Split up the colors, but don't split up your pants!  Why do people breath in when trying to squeeze into jeans?  If you breath out you get thinner, or at least that's what my bitchy mother-in-law keeps telling me.  I get it, Joan!  Also, get Entropy and shoot stuff.

Profile: Tooth and Claw (Dan McGrath, @daninfiction, toothandclaw.itch.io, 24 projects available)

Game: Valley of the Moon

Genre/Style: Walking sim, puzzle

You are supposed to collect four relics to reactivate your ship and leave the planet.  Despite the walking sim label, there's a couple of nice platforming sections too.  But the real point of this type of game is to create a distinct atmosphere, a space worth getting lost in.

Of all the games in this post, this is the one that gave me the purest moment, or at least the type of moment you can really only get with a videogame.  The game starts up and I see a nearby building with a large door.  Since its a puzzle game and I've just started, I assumed the door was locked.  But I went over anyways, intent on asking one of the fundamental questions videogames can offer: "Can I do that?"

Turns out, I could do that.  The door popped open, and I got a little thrill out of it.  Seems silly maybe, that something so simple could feel that rewarding, but it did.

Inside the building is one of the relics and another nicely put together moment.  You climb the final step and see a platform with a relic on it, and a giant orange moon lined up right above it.  The symmetry of the relic and moon is really nice and its a striking visual moment.

The only question I would ask is about the ending:  Why not try something wild or unexpected, something totally abstract or bizarre?

I don't mean this as a criticism, because it's quite good and I'm glad I played it, it's just a question.

If you've played other walking sims all the way through, like "Dear Esther" for example, then you know how a surprising and offbeat ending can really resonate with the right type of players.  I happen to really like the way that "Esther" ends, and can more strongly recall that odd, poetic moment better than I can recall some of the other supposedly famous moments in recent games.

A unique and challenging ending can make a lasting impression on the player and, whether they loved or hated it, that player will remember your work.

So, in the case of this game, why not do something more eccentric?  Like when you take off and leave this peaceful planet behind you end up crashing onto an uninhabitable, hostile planet?  Or you take off and safely land on a new planet, only to find out its exactly like the one you left?  Is that too 'Twilight Zone' for you?

Or maybe you take off and turn into a freaking Star Child?  Then the Star Child grows up and becomes Galactus?

Anyways, that's what happens when you leave the audience hanging.  They start out reasonable enough and end up arguing about Galactus and his big, dumb headgear.

The point being: not every game needs a meaningful or profound or abstract ending, but some do.

Game: Zealot

Genre/Style: FPS, looks like a 90s shareware game

Other Info: made in 3 days

This is a dope throwback to shareware-era FPS games.  Zealot is like a resurrected title from this era, with glorious visuals and punishing combat.

There was a wider range of titles than most people remember, mainly because the iconic titles of the time (DOOM, HEXEN) loom so large.  I was flipping thru an old PC game magazine (prolly circa 1995) and there was pages and pages of ads for obscure shareware titles, some looking totally generic and others beyond bizarre.  I prolly spent more time looking at those ads recently than I did when those games came out.  Sorry, marketing geniuses!

There was also an article about how advanced stats would become important in sports.  Something about how coaches, players, fans, journalists and gamblers would be interested in new ways to analyze performance and predict outcomes.  Who would have thought?  You know besides Paul Allen and his 300-foot yact and his investment stake in STATS LLC.  Also, fuck Paul Allen, fuck his yact, fuck his Dorsia reservations, and fuck me while we're at it.

But don't fuck Zealot!  Do play Zealot, it's quite fun.  You run and jump around on a floating platform blowing up various types of demons.  You play until you die.  My best time was 74.67176 seconds.  It was much more fun once I realized I could hold down the attack button to autofire, which seems obvious but hey, if you're so smart how about you come over and unclog this drain?  I've tried nothing man, and I'm all out of ideas.

Thankfully Dan McGrath isn't out of ideas, tho!  And Zealot is a pretty good idea.  I've never had a bad idea.  I've had great ideas that turned out horribly wrong, but never any BAD ideas.  I've also stolen ideas/entire jokes from 30 Rock, but Dan McGrath hasn't yet!

Profile: Trasevol Dog (@TRASEVOL_DOG, trasevol-dog.itch.io, 24 projects available)

Game: Blast Flock

Genre/Style: similar to Luftrausers, but more colorful

This is the profile to check out if you like games with bright color palettes and visuals that really pop off the screen.  It helps that the gameplay is excellent, too.

And hey, people who care soooo much about what engine a dev uses: this game wasn't made with Unity, so try to find something else to complain about.

Blast Flock is a variation on Luftrausers, which is an OK game.  I really wanted to like Luftrausers, but whenever I play it I'm always left with the same two questions:  Where is the rest of the game and how come it isn't more fun?

Luftrausers felt like it was all about keeping your multiplier at 20 which feels like a chore, like an uncreative grind.  I was more interested in finding fun and interesting ways to attack enemies, especially since it had such great body/weapon/engine variety.  It felt like they incentivized creative approaches, but instead only rewarded you for following a narrow path.

Well, Blast Flock doesn't have more content, but it certainly is more fun.  The controls are intuitive and allow for a lot of experimentation.  Your group of ships always flies towards the reticle, with fire and boost mapped to lmb/rmb.  You can shoot down enemies and save them as they fall, expanding your group.

Building your squadron up and tearing thru a huge group of enemies at top speed with guns blazing feels so great.  Whipping the mouse around the screen and creating total chaos also feels great, like orchestrating your own bullet hell symphony.

Or you could conduct a symphony of the night.  But how the hell am I supposed to read music in the dark?  My conductor baton glows in the dark, but I don't want people to know that.  It only does that in case I drop it during a performance and have to find it on the ground real quick.  Symphony of the night?  How about a 'symphony of the comfortable recliner' instead?  Or ‘symphony of the better jokes’?

Thanks for reading!  If you liked this then maybe check out my itch profile, too.

[muzaffar1969]

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

I try not to get drawn into debates about whether Chinese companies are capable of “genuine” innovation. It’s a ridiculous question and invites nasty stereotypes. Plus, if I hear one more genius invoke the iPad to justify his claim of American tech superiority I think my head may explode.

You probably know the argument I’m talking about. It goes: Sure, the iPad is assembled in China and China dominates the manufacturing process but it doesn’t matter because Americans design such awesome devices and brilliant operating systems that they add most of the value and capture most of the profit. (You’ll find data to support the Apple “value-added” argument here and here.)

I don’t deny Apple’s success. But it doesn’t prove Chinese companies can’t innovate or that there aren’t a lot of advantages to being heavily involved in both the design and manufacture of your products. Consider the case of another increasingly popular electronic gadget: consumer drones. In that category, the global leader isn’t from Silicon Valley or any other Western economy. It’s Da-Jiang Innovations Science and Technology Co., also known as DJI, based in Shenzhen, China

DJI currently claims 70% of the world's market for drones. Sales surged 60% to $1.4 billion in 2016. DJI’s financial backers include Accel Partners. The company’s latest funding-round gives it a valuation of $10 billion.

This week DJI bolstered its already formidable lead in consumer drones by introducing Spark, a new model mini-drone that is as small as a soda can, can be controlled by hand gestures, and costs less than $500.

As recently as two years ago, there were at least a half dozen companies competing to produce drones in a price and performance format that would appeal to mainstream consumers. Leading contenders included Parrot, a 22 year-old French electronics manufacturer; Lily Robotics, a San Francisco-based drone startup; and GoPro, the popular maker of portable action cameras.

Parrot surrendered in January, announcing it would eliminate two-thirds of the positions in its drone division. The company now says it will repurpose its drone lines to meet the needs of professionals in agriculture, mining and real estate.

Lily, founded in 2013, released a dazzling video in mid-2015 touting a camera drone that would follow you around and could be launched simply by tossing it into the air. The video attracted millions of viewers and helped raise $15 million in funding, and sold more than $34 million in pre-orders. But the company ran into production difficulties and burned through all its cash. In January 2017, it shut down without shipping a single unit.

GoPro was the odds-on favorite. The company had a well-known brand and a solid following among outdoor adventurers. In 2015, GoPro executives announced plans to release an small, affordable drone called the Karma by spring of 2016. But the release had to be pushed back until November and then, only days before launch, pushed back again because malfunctions caused the Karma drones to lose power and fall from the sky. It was eventually released in February.

Few expected DJI to triumph. The company was founded in 2006 by Frank Wang, a Hangzhou native studying engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Its first model, the Phantom quadcopter released in 2013, was for enthusiasts and professional photographers. Late last year, the company launched a smaller, more portable consumer drone called the Mavic Pro that was priced under $1000 and delivered on features rivals had only promised. The Mavic Pro can fly for just under 30 minutes on a single battery charge with a range as far as 7 kilometers, offers a 4K video and yet is is small enough to fold up and put in a book bag. The best thing about the Mavic is its unique software that enables it to detect obstacles mid-air and avoid crashes, and automatically return to “base” if runs low on power. The product drew rave reviews from customers.

DJI executives cite their location with the manufacturing ecosystem of southern China’s Pearl River Delta as critical to their success. The company has its own manufacturing facilities. Engineers can test prototypes in neighboring facilities, speeding product development. DJI can recruit from a large pool of engineering talent. They can’t imagine trying to manage all that from a research park half a world away.

Spark, the new mini-drone, is an example of such innovation. It has a range of only 2-kilometers and can stay aloft for just 16 minutes. But Spark has many of the same software features as the Mavic, and can be controlled by hand gestures, a big plus for beginners. (Read TIME’s spark review here.) Spark’s rollout prompted analysts at the Motley Fool to declare: “GroPro’s Karma is Now Dead in the Water.”

Smug assumptions about China’s inability to innovate deserve a similar fate.

  Clay Chandler @claychandler clay.chandler@timeinc.com

Trade and Finance

Stephen Roach on China's changing growth model: Roach, formerly chief economist and Asia chairman at Morgan Stanley and now lecturer at Yale University, was among the first Western observers to call attention to China's efforts to shift from a growth model driven by investment and exports to one driven by domestic consumption. In this brief essay, he expresses surprise that China is shaping up to be "more outwardly focused, more assertive, and more power-centric than I envisioned" when he started teaching his course on China's economy in 2010. He also notes that, under Xi Jinping, China manifests "less commitment to a market-based reform agenda featuring private consumption and SOE restructuring." Project Syndicate

Moody's doubles down on warning that soaring debt threatens Chinese growth: Beijing decried Moody's decision earlier this week to downgrade China's sovereign debt rating one notch to A1 from Aa3. The agency said a downgrade was justified because of runaway credit growth and China's nearly 300% debt-to-GDP ratio. Chinese government officials attacked the downgrade as alarmist and based on flawed methodology. A front-page editorial in the state-run People's Daily blasted the decision as "sloppy" and "illogical." Moody's was unmoved. On Friday, executives warned China's risked another downgrade if failed to rein in borrowing. The Guardian

China tightens its grip on the renminbi: An agency controlled by China's central bank signaled Friday that it will intervene more aggressively in global currency markets to prop up the value of the renminbi. The announcement follows a series of recent moves by Chinese officials to restrict the ability of Chinese businesses and investors to take money out of China. The shift runs counter to China's stated desire to allow the renminbi to trade more freely and join the dollar and the euro as a genuine global currency. But the move was a consistent with a broader effort by Chinese authorities to minimize risk in the run up to a crucial Communist Party congress. New York Times

A rust-belt bank regulator urges support for China's 'zombie' enterprises. Bao Zumin, director of the Banking Regulatory Bureau in northeast China's Heilongjiang province acknowledged in a press conference Thursday that his agency has actively encouraged creditors to roll over loans to companies in coal, steel and other troubled manufacturing sectors to minimize job losses in region. It's not unusual for China's bank regulators to prop up floundering manufacturers but acknowledging that support so openly is rare. Beijing has promised to eliminate excess capacity in sectors such as steel, coal, non-ferrous metals and other sectors in which China has been criticized for flooding global markets with cheap exports. Financial Times

China In the World

U.S. asserts "freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea: A U.S. guided missile destroyer sailed Wednesday within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, an artificial island claimed by China in the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over the 12 nautical miles surrounding Mischief Reef and other manmade islands in the South China Sea. The U.S. doesn't recognize China's claims. Wednesday marked the first time since Donald Trump took office that the Pentagon has allowed Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, to assert the U.S. position that waters surrounding the artificial islands are high seas and therefore the U.S. ships are free to operate there in accordance with international law. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that Beijing was "strongly dissatisfied" with the operation. New York Times

Mahathir on the rise of China: Malaysia has moved farther from the U.S. and closer to China over the past year under the leadership of prime minister Najib Razak. But Najib's predecessor and former patron Mahatir Mohamad, over a chicken burrito lunch with Financial Times Asia Editor Jamil Anderlini, describes China as the biggest threat to Asian stability. "With the changes in [its] leadership, we see more ambitious leaders coming in and maybe they like to flex their muscles a bit and that is very worrisome... Without actually conquering the countries they have managed to increase their influence over many countries in Southeast Asia, even in South Asia." Mahatir warned of a clash between rising China and the US-dominated world order: "They're not really communist but they are not democratic; they are inclined towards totalitarianism and obviously this conflicts with western ideas about implanting democracy in the countries of the world." Financial Times

In Case You Missed It

A Chinese student praised the 'fresh air of free speech' at a U.S. college. Then came the backlash Washington Post

Don't worry, Hollywood. China's not a threat Los Angeles Times

Does India have more people than China? A U.S. researcher claims Beijing's population statistics are wrong Washington Post

Technology and Innovation

Alibaba leads $1 billion funding in Chinese food startup. Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. and its financial services affiliate, Ant Financial, plan to lead an investment round of at least $1 billion in Ele.me, one of the largest players in a crowded Chinese food-delivery service arena. The financing will value Ele.me at $5.5 billion to $6 billion and help it compete with a rival service backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. Alibaba is battling Tencent-backed startup, Meituan Dianping, for dominance in food and meal delivery businesses. Bloomberg

Google's defeats China's best Go master, but is no match for its censors: Google artificial intelligence unit DeepMind teamed up with Chinese authorities to hold a five-day festival focused on the ancient game of Go. The centerpiece of the event was a three-game contest pitting a DeepMind against China's world Go champion, Ke Jie - all of it livestreamed on Google's YouTube. DeepMind's AlphaGo program won by half a point. But Chinese Go fans couldn't watch the first game on Tuesday because the YouTube livestream was blocked. CNNMoney

May 27, 2017 at 10:12AM http://ift.tt/2s60EOX from Clay Chandler http://ift.tt/2s60EOX

[davidcdelreal]

100 Ways to Make $100 Fast

Advertising Disclosure

QUICK LINKS

Become an Uber driver*

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Online surveys

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Sell things (13 ideas)

Quick cash on the job (5 ideas)

Side hustles (28 ideas)

Micro-projects (17 ideas)

Use your house (4 ideas)

Use your unique talents (22 ideas)

Medical (2 ideas)

Break spending habits (4 ideas)

Free cash rocks!

Walking through a parking lot one time I stumbled upon a $20 bill. Before I snatched it up I looked up around, almost waiting for the hidden camera crew to jump out from the bushes to yell “Gotcha!”. They didn't and I was $20 richer. Score!

That is the only time that I've ever came across some quick cash.

But everyone needs some cash in a hurry from time-to-time. Knowing that, I thought it would be fun to put together a post that outlined 100 ways you can make $100 fast. Out of the 100, you should find at least a few that you can do any time you need extra cash.

Bookmark this page so you can refer to it anytime you need money!

1. Become an Uber Driver

This is #1 for a reason!Got some free time and live in a reasonably populated area? Then becoming an Uber Driver can be a very lucrative part-time side hustle. Uber drivers make anywhere from $13-$20 per hour. This means you could hit the $100 mark in as little as five hours per week.

The best thing about Uber is that the schedule is completely up to you. I have seen stay at home mom's pick up Uber gigs for a few hours a day in the middle of the day while the kids are in school.

2. Open a new checking account with a bonus

Chase offers $200 bonus when you open a new Chase Total Checking® account. In order to get the bonus you have to set up direct deposit. Other than that, you are good to go.

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3. Inbox Dollars

You can earn free cash by changing your search engine to InboxDollars. You'll even get a free $5 bonus when you sign up (just name and email address)! This will take a bit longer to get you to $100, but it's still easy money by using their search engine, watching videos (seriously), printing coupons and a variety of other things.

4. SwagBucks

Similar to Inbox Dollars in that you can get free cash by swapping your search engine. SwagBucks also pays you for the shopping you already do online as well as a bunch of other everyday online activities.  You can get $5 for signing up here.

5. Online Surveys

Online websites like MySurvey will pay you for your opinion. The average survey will pay between $0.50 and $1.25 and there are new surveys available each day. If you qualify, you can even get surveys over $5 each. Many of the surveys take less than 5 minutes to complete.

Some may have you scan products that you purchase. You can learn more in our review of online survey sites. Here are a few other reputable ones that payout:

Global Test Market

Harris Poll Online

Survey Rewardz

Vindale Research

6. Sign up for a rewards credit card with a sweet signup bonus

Some cards offer a “bonus” of $100 or more if you can meet a minimum spending requirement within the first three months. As long as you pay your balance in full each month, this is truly free money for the taking! Here are the top offers for 2016:

Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ – The Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ is a new Chase card that is taking the rewards world by storm! By signing up, you'll earn a $150 signup bonus after you spend just $500 within 90 days. Plus, you'll earn a flat 1.5% back for every dollar you spend on any type of purchase. Best of all, this card doesn't charge an annual fee, either.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – Want an even bigger bonus? Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card instead. With this card, you'll earn an amazing 50,000 points after you spend just $4,000 on your card within 90 days. If you turn in those points for cash, they are worth $500! Obviously, you'll want to pay your balance in full to avoid interest. As long as you meet the minimum spending requirement, this $500 is yours to spend. Plus, this card comes with no annual fee.

Best Cashback Credit Cards of 2016 – If neither of those offers sound ideal, you can also check out our post on the best cash back offers currently available.

One man's trash is another man's treasure

One of the best and easiest ways to make money fast is by selling what you have – or that you can acquire on the cheap. It also has a secondary benefit in that it keeps the clutter in your life to a minimum.

7. Sell your used cell phones, iPad or Mac

Your used electronic equipment may have value, particularly if it’s recent and in good condition. Check out Gazelle.com. They give you an estimate on your equipment, and the better stuff could fetch some real money.

8. Resell unused gift cards

Check your wallet and your dresser – you probably have unused gift cards. Some may even be to merchants you don’t frequent. If that’s the case, get some cash back on them by selling them on CardPool. You won’t get the full value of the cards, but it’s better than having them sit unused.

9. Sell your stuff to a pawn shop

You won’t get retail price for your merchandise, but it offers a quick sale for cash.

10. Selling your junk

Have a garage sale – We average about $150 per garage sale so you can earn some decent cash without even leaving your house.

Sell on Craigslist – What you can’t sell at your garage sale, you may be able to sell on Craigslist. This is especially good for selling large items.

11. Sell other people’s stuff on Craigslist or eBay

This is taking selling on Craigslist and eBay to a higher level. You’re not just selling your own stuff, you’re getting more stuff to sell from friends and neighbors. Give them a cut of the take and you’ll have plenty to sell forever.

12. Amazon

Similar to eBay, Amazon.com may work better for entertainment media, such as books, music and movies.

13. Flea markets and swap meets

This is the garages sale concept taken on the road to a place where there are a lot more potential customers.

14. Consignment shops

There are different items you can sell on consignment, but it tends to work best for furniture and clothing.

15. Collect and sell scrap metal

If you have a light pick-up truck or just a good trailer, you can collect scrap metal from neighborhoods, building sites and junkyards, then sell it to scrap metal dealers. Check out scrap metal prices, then do a Google search on “where can I sell scrap metal in (my town)”.

16. Gold jewelry and silverware

Take your gold jewelry and silverware to gold dealers or jewelers and you’ll likely fetch a better price than going to the “we buy gold” storefronts populating strip malls.

17. Musical instruments

There’s a brisk market for used musical instruments (check out the prices for brand new ones and you’ll immediately see why). You can sell them on Craigslist for top dollar, but if you want quick cash, offer to sell them to music stores.

18.  Sell homemade crafts

If you can make handicrafts, Etsy could be the place to sell them. If making crafts is an ongoing hobby, you could have an ongoing cash source from the site.

19. Return old purchases or gifts

If you’ve received gifts you really don’t want – and they’re still in the packages – try returning them. Some retailers will take them back up to a year later.

Quick cash on the job

Your job is one of the best and most convenient places to make some extra cash. You may have to think a little bit out of the box, so try these on for starters.

20. Volunteer for overtime

Most of us shrink away from overtime because of the extra hours. But if you need money, let your supervisor know that you’re available to work.

21. Contract for an ugly job at work

As an alternative to working overtime, you can offer to contract for jobs at work that nobody else wants. Offer to work on the jobs for a flat fee that will be paid outside your regular paycheck.

22. Employee referral program

If your employer offers a bonus to refer new employees to them, take advantage of it and start referring. It’ll be the easiest money you’ll ever make.

23. Customer referral program

Likewise, see if your employer might also have a customer referral program. If they do, put on your salesman’s hat and start beating the bushes for potential customers.

24. Make a killer suggestion

Many employers have a suggestion box, but most employees ignore it. If the company pays a bonus for workable suggestions, get busy. You may get the bonus because no one else participates.

Ways to make money fast off the job

You can often make some quick cash doing jobs that require no special skills, just a desire to do them. And you can find them all around you.  These are also great ways for teens to make some quick cash.

25. Baby sitting

Where I live babysitters earn $10 an hour. Pull a couple of five hour gigs this weekend, and you’ll have $100.

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26. Pet sitting

The nice part of this type of sitting is that you don’t have to stay with the pet for hours. Usually, you’re just looking in on it every couple of hours, then walking it and feeding it as necessary. Because of that you can maintain several pet sitting jobs simultaneously.

27. House sitting

People who travel frequently, especially on a long-term basis; may need someone to watch their homes for a fee. You can check local newspapers and Craigslist for opportunities. If you’d like to use a central site, MindAHome.com can provide an online source of clients.

28. Temporary part time jobs

You can get a seasonal part-time job based on summer, back-to-school, any of the major holidays or even during snow season. A couple of weeks of part-time work can easily get you $100 and a whole lot more.

29. Become a referral source for a sales person or company

If you know any real estate agents, insurance agents, car dealers or just about any one who sells for a living, ask about being a compensated referral source for them. A $100 referral isn’t hard to get.

30. Sell photos on Shutterstock

Shutterstock.com is a giant site that allows you to post and sell your photos online for a fee. Functioning something like eBay for photos, it’s a central place to sell your photos.

31. Turn your photography skills to cash

If you’ve checked photographers prices lately you know they can be prohibitive. If you’re good at photography, you might be able to photograph a special event or two for at least $100.

32. Become an instructor at a local gym

If you think that the only people who work in gyms are personal trainers, guess again. If you know yoga, zumba, jazzercise, cycling or just about any other activity that keeps people moving, there may be a teaching position waiting for you at the gym.

33. Write product review articles for blogs

If you’re a tech junkie and buy a lot of new products, you may be able to do paid reviews on blogs. Blogs often have affiliate arrangements with tech products and will pay for user reviews.

34. Bartend for an event or a weekend

If you can bartend you can pick up a quick hundred (or more) working a couple of weekend parties or even a wedding.

35. Join a focus group

Universities, marketing groups and research organizations will often pay participants in focus groups. Check with schools in your area as well as Craigslist to see what’s happening.

36. Be a session musician

If you can play guitar, drums, keyboards and even some wind and string instruments’ you may be able to get work as a session musician in a band or orchestra. In some cases you can make well over $100 for just a single session.

37. Become a moving billboard

If you don’t mind having a large commercial sign on your car – or having it “wrapped” in ad material, you can earn up to $400 per month with FreeCarMedia.com.

38. Moving furniture

Some people are making local moves without the benefit of a professional moving company. If you don’t mind (really) hard work, you may be able to pick up $100 or more this weekend. Check the ads on Craigslist.

39. Cutting lawns

Even people who cut their own lawns get in a jam from time to time and need someone to pinch hit for them. They could be going on vacation or dealing with an illness or injury. Two or three cuts could get you to $100 in no time.

40. Painting

Do you know anyone who needs a room or two painted? If you’re handy when it comes to painting, offer to do it for them for $100 per room – plus paint.

41. Spring or fall clean-ups

Seasonal yard clean-ups are more involved than regular lawn cutting. It may involve weeding flower beds, trimming hedges, raking leaves and cleaning out other debris. $100 a job should be the minimum.

42. Shoveling snow

I’ve known kids who have made well over $50 shoveling in the local neighborhood after just a modest snowfall. Just a couple of storms will get you to $100 just from knocking on doors during the late stages of the storm.

43. Cleaning houses

Some people let the house cleaning go a bit too long, then they don’t want to even attempt it. Others get a little busy and just need some help. You should be able to pick up $100 or more just from cleaning a couple of houses.

44. Wash, wax and detail cars

Some people actually like cleaning cars. Most of us hate it. If you’re one who likes it, you can make some easy money working for those of us who’d rather not.

45. Cleaning gutters

If being up on a ladder doesn’t scare you, you can make a quick $100 (at least) on just a single job.

46. Setting up pools for the summer

Everybody loves having a pool, except when it comes time to set it up for the summer. If you know how to do it, you can make an easy $100 on just a couple of jobs. And when fall comes and it’s time to close them down, you can come back for Round Two.

47. Setting up holiday decorations

Everybody loves holiday decorations too, but not nearly everyone like putting them up – or taking them down. At Halloween and Christmas you can probably get at least $100 to put up decorations, then take them down later.

48. Taking surveys

Some companies will pay you for your opinions. Check out MySurvey.com as a place to find them. You earn points which you can redeem for cash.

49. Mystery shopper

This is one of the most popular recommendations when it comes to making extra cash, but you need a reliable source of jobs. Mystery Shopping Providers Association can be that source.

50. Participate in marketing research

Companies are always performing market research on both new and existing products and services. Sign up with a service like Concepts Consumer Research to advertise your availability.

51. Clean carpets

Have you ever cleaned your own carpets? If so, go rent a machine and clean someone else’s – for cash.

52. Carpool – and be the driver

If you have coworkers (or people who work in the area you do), offer to drive them in for a fee. $25 per week per person could bring in $100 with just two riders for two weeks. Try advertising in the company newsletter, or posting the offer on bulletin boards around the office.

Micro-projects

In general, micro-projects are small projects that pay no more than a few dollars each. You make money by doing several in a short amount of time, and there are websites available that you can do them through.

53. Gigwalk

Gigwalk involves taking photos, picking up menus and various other small assignments in your area. It works on an app that you download onto your phone. You receive the job orders, accept them and confirm that the job is complete.

54. Mechanical Turk

This is a work-at-home arrangement and it’s part of Amazon.com. Mechanical Turk pays a few dollars per assignment, typically involving work such as writing product reviews, editing and related tasks.

55. TaskRabbit

Similar to Gigwalk, but you can also access the assignments online, as well as by a phone app. TaskRabbit is limited to just a few cities.

56. CloudFactory

CloudFactory participants mainly enter, collect, process or categorizes data for companies, primarily for employers based in various emerging markets.

57. FOAP

You enter and sell your photos to commercial interests through their site. They can be sold on FOAP for $10, with 50% paid to the site.

58. PleaseBringMe

A travel barter exchange between individuals, rather than employers, with PleaseBringMe you perform tasks for pay that are unique to your home country.

59. BidOnMyGig

The service isn’t available yet, but BidOnMyGig allows clients to post projects online and have qualified service providers bid on them. The qualified service provider is of course you.

60. EXEC Cleaning

As the name implies, EXEC Cleaning involves the providing the services of an executive assistant, but on a personal level. It could involve getting lunch, delivering documents or even cleaning an executives house.

61. MobileWorks

MobileWorks involves jobs as a technical virtual assistant, including online research, tagging images and creative writing, and you must speak English.

62. PinDone

Available only in California, PinDone involves tasks such as doing mail outs and driving someone to the airport. The pay seems decent for the tasks, but you do have bid on them, and reputation within the site is important.

63. WeGoLook

As you might guess from the name, WeGoLook has you working as an inspector at large. You will inspect buildings, cars or some other high value item, verify that it exists, that it works, take photos, and write any necessary reports.

64. PostMates

This service involves being a virtual go-fer. Post Mates is a delivery service where you may be asked to pick up coffee, lunch, groceries or anything the customer requests.

65. Fiverr

More technical but simple tasks that you post on the site. Fiverr pays $5 per job, and includes work such as tasks on websites and related jobs.

66. Agent Anything

Mostly for colleges students, Agent Anything can involve running errands, engaging in marketing activities or even doing temp work.

67. UserTesting.com

Roughly speaking, UserTesting.com involves doing reviews of websites, mostly rating based on user experience.

68. Zaarly.com

Similar to Gigwalk, Zaarly involves running errands in your local area for out of town clients.

69. MiNeeds

Something of a job board for people with defined skills, MiNeeds.com has you competing for jobs.

How to Make Money Using your House

You may be able to pick up $100 or more without ever leaving your house – by using your house to make money.

70. Renting out a room

If it’s permissible in your community, you can rent a room to a boarder for $100 per week, or $400 per month – more if you live in a highly desirable location.

71. Renting out space

If someone needs temporary storage, consider renting out your basement or a spare bedroom.

72. Renting out your garage

You can probably rent out your garage to someone with a need to shelter a car. That should fetch at least $100 per month.

73. Renting out your driveway

If there’s a major event in your area, you may be able to rent out your driveway for a night or a weekend. Keep on top of events in your area and make your driveway available for overflow parking to the facility holding the event.

Put your specific skills to work

What is it that you’re particularly good at – that other people typically aren’t? There may be a decent payday waiting for you if you can put it into action. These won’t work for everyone, but if there’s one or more that you’re a pro at, go for it!

74. Tutoring

School tutors can easily make $30 an hour and up. That would get you to $100 in no time.

75. Teaching English

For millions of people, English is at best a second language. Offer out your skills to teach them a deeper understanding of the language for a fee. Even at $20 an hour, you’d get to $100 in short order.

76. Teaching music

Can you play a musical instrument? Even if you’re not accomplished, you may be able to teach novices. Offer your services at local senior citizens centers as a start.

77. Refereeing

You know all those people who referee recreation sports? They’re not working for free. If you’re knowledgeable about one or more sports, sign up at the local recreation commission. You can make several hundred dollars in a single, short sports season refereeing young kids.

78. Teaching software packages

Lot’s of people implement common software packages, but don’t have a clue how to use them. If you’re fluent with Word, Excel, PowerPoint or one of a number of common software packages, offer to install them and do basic training. That’s easily worth $100 or more to a lot of people.

79. Setting up new computers/troubleshooting old ones

As easy as modern computers are, a lot of people are intimidated when it comes to setting them up. Some may pay you for simple tasks like setting up passwords, email service and downloading an anti-virus package.

80. Writing blog posts

Are there blogs you like to read because you have specific knowledge of the subject matter? Offer to write articles for them. You should be able to earn at least $20 per article. Write five and you’ll have $100.

81. Bookkeeping

If you have bookkeeping skills, especially with QuickBooks experience, you should be able to pick up bookkeeping jobs that will get you to $100 very quickly. You can do one time jobs, or ongoing to keep the extra cash rolling in.

82. Office organization

There are some very successful people who are complete zeros when it comes to organization. Their offices are a wreck and lost documents can cost them money. If you’re a wiz at making order out of chaos, you may have a chance to organize offices for at least $100 a pop.

83. Light mechanic work

If you can do basic car repairs – changing oil, belts, hoses and spark plugs, or replacing batteries or mufflers, you can easily pick up extra cash. If you can do the repairs at the customer’s home, you can charge even more.

84. Process medical claims

After a major illness or surgery, a person can be inundated with medical claims. If you’re familiar with the process (filing and dealing with insurance companies) you can make some serious money straightening out someone’s medical claims.

85. Editing

You don’t have to be a professional editor to be an editor. If you’re an English major, a writer or a teacher, you may be perfect. You can find editing work on Craigslist that can be either one time assignments, or ongoing – your choice.

86. Set up simple websites

Can you design and set up simple websites? If so, you can easily charge $100 a pop. As little as you think you know, someone else knows a lot less and may see you as an expert.

87. Getting someone’s tax records organized

If you have strong administrative skills and know what certain tax documents look like, you may be able to offer your services to a disorganized someone who needs help organizing their paperwork for preparation. Tough tax season ends April 15, it actually goes to October 15 with extensions. And those who extend that far are usually in the greatest need of organizational help.

88. Graphic design services

There are millions of websites who need all kinds of services, like graphic design work. Offer to do simple jobs for as many sites as you can contact. You can find them on Craigslist sometimes, but direct contact could be more effective.

89. Social media manager

Some people are social media experts. Others don’t even know how to get started. Businesses are realizing the value of the social media. If you’re fluent in the social media, offer your services as a social media manager. You can post updates on Facebook, Twitter and any media that are relevant to a particular business.

90. Staging houses for sale

There’s a transition that takes place between living in a house and selling it. If you know the difference, and how to make a home look like a showplace, you can stage houses for sale. Offer your services to local real estate agents.

91. Event planning

Are you good at planning parties or events? Someone might need your help. Spread the word to everyone you know, and let them know what you can do.

92. Become an affiliate for a product you know and believe in

Everyone with a product or service to sell is looking for agents to sell them. Find products you feel strongly about, and become a dealer. Some higher priced items can fetch a $100 cut quickly.

93. Create or edit videos

YouTube is all the rage – music, how to videos, outrageous demonstrations, product reviews – you name it. If you can create videos, offer your services to businesses.

94. Buy low, sell high

If you have an eye for bargains, you may be able to buy on the cheap – at garage sales, thrift stores and elsewhere – and sell at a profit.

95. Preparing research papers

If you have a knack for research, there are businesses and individuals who could use your services. You can find some of them on Craigslist, or offer your services to local colleges.

Participate in the medical community

The medical community will pay for donations and your participation.

96. Sell blood

You can get $30 – $40 to sell your blood. Three or four donations will get you $100 in just a couple of weeks.

97. Participate in medical studies

A local hospital is offering $600 for people with high blood pressure to participate in medical trials. Hospitals and clinics do this all the time. Enough said?

Change spending habits – for a bit

Sometimes you can find extra money just by spending less money on a habit or two – at least temporarily.

98. Eat on the cheap for a week

If you spend $200 per week for groceries, try going on a beans and rice diet (OK, pasta, potatoes, salads and other low cost foods are good too) for one week. That should cut the bill in half, getting you an extra $100 easily.

99. Eliminate your cable TV service

A typical middle-of-the-road cable TV service runs about $100 per month. Eliminate it and you’ll have an extra $100 this month. And every month after that.

100. Give up Starbucks for a month

Are you a latte fan? At $4 per cup, you’ll save $120 if you give it up for a month.

101. Give up a “sin” for a month

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, or drink three beers a day, going cold turkey for a month can easily leave you at least $100 richer.

Have you tried any of these? Are there any other ways to make $100 fast that I might have missed?

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