#pedal republic

[pedalrepublic]

[thesk8doctor]

[onthebeatzworld]

[therighthandofvengeance]

Photo Analysis 1/?

a few things: 1. how have I never seen this photo before? 2. do I need context? not really. 3. do I want said context? very much so. 

I’m going to count this as prologue to the analysis of John and Delenn’s body language with one another, but first I want to establish a bit on the photo at large. there’s so much going on! in this essay I will... 

General 

Okay so let’s start with the bicycle itself. A bicycle is a means of transportation. It’s an impetus for movement. Moving, going, transition- transition is a huge motif throughout the show. Think of the titles of the episodes: Points of Departure (s02e02),Point of No Return (s03e09), Objects in Motion (s05e20), Objects at Rest (s05e21). Now is also a good time to mention that it’s a tandem bicycle, built to be used by multiple people at a time, just like a certain space station that unlike its predecessors, hasn’t been sabotaged or dragged through time.  A bicycle like this would work best when everyone pedals 1. in the same direction and 2. operating at the same speed, AKA being on the same wavelength, as if they were an army of light. Another note on this bike is the horns. One, they’re bike horns, so there’s an increased enthusiastic vibe from it- mature enough to save the galaxy and youthful enough to trust that faith manages. Then, there’s the positioning of the horns. Let’s go down the line, shall we? G’Kar’s horn is upward towards Londo, Londo’s faces the camera, Garibaldi’s is up and outwards yet angled towards Londo, Lochley’s is parallel to the ground and facing Garibaldi, and Sheridan’s upward-facing horn is rendered inaccessible by Delenn’s proximity to it.  So: G’Kar and Garibaldi give Londo their attention because he easily draws it, and can be very annoying- thus his own horn faces the camera. Lochley’s horn is backwards, facing Garibaldi, because her attention is in facing her past, which parallels the alcoholism Garibaldi relapses with in the fifth season. Sheridan’s horn faces upwards (*wink wink*; *nudge nudge*). Finally, in regards to the bicycle, it’s a great color for a children’s hospital. It’s a color of confidence and vitality, a color of blood and impulse- but most of all, it’s a color of love. Love, of course, being essential to endurance. And to quote one Susan Ivanova, “Babylon 5 endures.”

G’Kar

He’s the only one with both of his feet on the ground, a direct opposite to Delenn, a notion compounded by the fact that they’re the only two not smiling with their teeth in the photo, and the furthest from one another. This could be interpreted as G’Kar is enamored with the idea of the death of the enemy race in the same manner Delenn was when she was the newest member of the Grey Council- something she tries to put behind her as much as possible. It could also be a tie to being the most grounded and “down-to-earth” of the characters. He’s also not focused on the photographer as he’s staring at Delenn. There are multiple ways in which this could be interpreted, especially as everyone else’s attention is directed at the camera, but it keeps Delenn as the focal point of the picture.

Londo

Alright, here’s everyone’s favorite character endowed with a shrapnel of a moral compass outside of his attaché: Londo Mollari. He’s in the moment, enjoying himself, but is it because he has attention or because it’s a good photo-op for the Prime Minister of the Centauri Republic? There’s not much of a variation between his behavior and the average of the others, so I have less conclusions to draw, but given G’Kar’s expression, he’s genuinely having a good time. 

Garibaldi

Now, Garibaldi isn’t actually seated on the bike, unlike everyone else. He’s up higher, like one might do to survey their surroundings. He’s setting distance between himself and Londo, thereby lessening the regulated distance he has with Lochley. This mirrors the way that Garibaldi comes around to apologize to Lochley at the end of the fifth season, and how the distance between Garibaldi and Londo is increased as Garibaldi returns to Mars with Lise as his permanent companion, a contrast to Londo’s permanent companion, the Drakh Keeper. Lise keeps Garibaldi away from alcohol, Londo is dependent on it for his freedom.

Lochley

Lochley doesn’t have her feet on the pedals, she’s taking up less space. She’s not contributing to the maneuvering of the bike so much as she is its stability. She’s squatting, something one might do to gain easier access to a smaller space, or how one might attempt to approach someone / something that would otherwise find it intimidating. She’s the only one without her hands on the bars, too, it’s very “Look, no hands!”- the absence of the necessity for control is exactly why she has such control. Her hands are just in her lap, as if she just wants to start a dialogue- the approach she uses both with Bester and Garibaldi. She sit further back in her seat, towards Garibaldi and away from Sheridan. 

Sheridan

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: he’s in-between his ex-wife and his wife. He’s in-between his past and his future. His link is just barely visible, the last of his attachment to the station (as the station a military base, and as John a soldier) as it fades into the history books. He’s got neither of his feet on the peddles because he wants to live in the moment. His Wife Guy™ Face is diluted not because of the presence of his ex-wife, but because of Delenn’s possessiveness- the last time someone took away an important man in her life, she instigated a war. 

Delenn

She’s everything, including the focal point of this photo- ironic, since a basic of photography is the Rule of Three. 

Alright now that I’ve gotten Some Thoughts™ out of my system: LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRICIATE HOW MUCH SHE’S LEANED INTO JOHN’S CHEST, OKAY? GIRLBOSS x MALEWIFE and I’m here for it. (That’s Delenn’s Atonement™ face, and we all know it.) She’s got her hand on John’s horn and she knows it.  Her legs are sticking out, a contrast to Lochley’s crouching.

Many, if not most bicycles, have triangular frames, since triangles are the strongest shape. Delenn is the frame of the Interstellar Alliance. She created it, she served as both vice president and president. She supports John, and therefore everyone around them, much like the bicycle is the support and the unifying force of everyone on it. (That’s not even touching her roles as Satai or Ambassador or Entil’Zha / Anla’Shok Na.) There’s still the part where a bicycle is a means of transportation, and therefore transition. She’s even wearing the dress she wears on the White Star- you know, where they’re going from point A to point B... in literal moments of transition? Delenn may be the biggest motif for transition in any form of media, especially a “cisgender” character (as the voice-altering technology wouldn’t allow for proper masculine characterization). 

Final Notes:

The dynamics are reflected so well in this photo, it’s amazing

There’s so much hot potato with the two collective brain cells in this photo

Sheridan and Delenn are literally holding hands in this photo and that's nothing additional for me to comment on as part of the analysis itself when everything is so obviously presented, but I love them very much and I needed to bring it up

[1980sand1990smusicclassics]

"Disappointed" is the fourth single released by English alternative dance group Electronic.Like their first single "Getting Away with It", it features Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys as well as founding members Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner.

It was released on 22 June 1992 on Parlophone soon after the demise of Factory Records.

The single was assigned the Factory catalogue number FAC 348, and the logo of the label remained on the artwork.Upon the song's release, it reached the top 20 in Germany, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

It also peaked within the top 10 on three US Billboard charts - US Dance Club Play, US Maxi-Singles Sales & US Modern Rock Tracks.In July 1992, the song was featured in the soundtrack of the live-action/animation hybrid mystery movie Cool World and its inclusion both in the film and on its soundtrack album was advertised on the US single release.

The song was based on a piano riff by Marr's brother Ian; and worked up into a full backing-track by Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner.They decided to ask Neil Tennant to complete the song and he wrote the lyrics and vocal melody.Some of the words ("Disenchanted once more...") were partly inspired by Mylène Farmer's 1991 hit "Désenchantée".

Tennant travelled to Manchester to record the lead vocal and a few weeks later went to Paris to attend the final mix of the song by Stephen Hague."Disappointed" was conceived just before the recording of New Order's sixth studio album Republic, and was performed live in December 1991 on Electronic's European tour: in Glasgow (sung by Bernard Sumner) and in London (sung by Tennant when Pet Shop Boys guested on three songs).

"Disappointed" was the last Electronic single to be released on all four major formats (7-inch, 12-inch, CD, and cassette).The content of the single was more dynamic than its predecessors, however; it had only one remix of the A-side (by 808 State; titled "808 Mix" in the US and "12-inch remix" in the UK), an additional treatment of a 1991 album track ("Idiot Country", with Ultimatum), and an earlier mix of "Disappointed" (called "Electronic Mix" in the US).The A-side of the single is itself a remix since producer Stephen Hague reworked the "Original Mix" for single release.

Although Electronic would enjoy three more top-twenty singles in the United Kingdom, "Disappointed" was the last major commercial success for the band on an international level, becoming a dance chart hit in the United States and reaching the top 20 in Germany as well as number six in the UK, their highest-charting effort there.

Until the release of Get the Message – The Best of Electronic in 2006, the track was not available on an Electronic album release.

However, since "Disappointed" was featured in the 1992 film Cool World, the song was available on the soundtrack album Songs from the Cool World.Roger Morton of NME was negative in his review, calling the song "effortless in the worse sense" and one that "drifts off into a no man's land of half-hearted disco miserablism".

He commented that Sumner and Marr "have programmed in the garagey synth lines and soft pedal Italian piano, and left out any semblance of melody", while Tennant "murmurs a few lugubrious lines with the enthusiasm of a narcoleptic jellyfish".

Andrew Mueller of Melody Maker felt it "sounds as if minimum effort was exerted over its creation" and concluded, "This sounds like a Pet Shop Boys album track. This yaws where they have stretched.”

"Electronic - Disappointed (Official Music Video) [HD Upgrade]

[sweetdreamsjeff]

Needed to share this with the fans because Jeff too was a fan of music. Things go into the past and I'm here to carry them on, even if it is through the aether.

If you want to see Jeff Buckley's handwriting, his scrawl's there ("Love is rebellion - Rough Trade I miss you already," he writes "too early in the day, March '94").

Alex Marshall

Tue 3 Jul 2007 07.42 EDT

With Fopp gone, Rough Trade is the last bastion of the record shop

Rough Trade is replacing its Covent Garden shop with a megastore in east London. But is this a good thing, or merely a last hurrah?

Sonic Youth are among the seminal acts that have played at Rough Trade in Covent Garden since it opened in 1987

There was only one topic discussed by students last week: the closure of Fopp - the UK's largest independent record store chain.

When it was announced, you could hear the crying on every campus - and rightly so, as where else could you buy the new Queens of the Stone Age record and still have change? But newspapers also did their fair share. It marked the end of the record shop, they said - everyone will have to buy their music either online or at the supermarket.

But if you thought Fopp's demise was a bad sign, later this month Rough Trade in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden, will also shut up shop. And it'll be taking two decades worth of history with it.

The teeny space - it fits about a dozen people, uncomfortably - down a stairwell at the back of a skateboard shop, is the lesser heralded of the two Rough Trades. Largely because no one can find it. But since opening in 1987, it's seen everyone from Sonic Youth to Lily Allen play gigs there while shoved in a corner. They've all signed the ceiling too, turning the shop into a veritable museum of indie.

If you want to see Jeff Buckley's handwriting, his scrawl's there ("Love is rebellion - Rough Trade I miss you already," he writes "too early in the day, March '94"). So is that of Fall frontman Mark E Smith (signed "Mark E Sonic", for God knows what reason). And then there are Guardian favourites like LCD Soundsystem and the Gossip ("Kleenex 4 ever", Beth Ditto's written, referring to the pioneering female punk band).

There are also loads of pictures of cocks, proving that if you give any male a marker pen - be it a thirteen-year-old or a thirtysomething rock star - there's one thing they're going to draw.

Most of the bands who have played there, though, are of a much smaller stature, reflecting the rather (ahem!) distinct tastes of the shop's staff. Appropriately enough the final gig last Thursday was played by The Young Republic, an eight-piece country-pop band from Boston, Massachusetts, featuring pedal steel guitar, upright bass and violin. Although there were only six of them on that occasion for space reasons.

Rough Trade is replacing the shop with a 5,000-square foot megastore off Brick Lane in east London. The site is little more than an empty warehouse at the moment, but by the time it opens on 20 July, it'll feature a proper stage with a proper sound system and a "snug area with free wireless connection" (please don't mean a coffee shop).

Rough Trade is portraying the move as a brave one, showing the potential independent record shops still have. But in light of Fopp's demise it seems more like a last hurrah - the company chasing the "cool kids" to east London rather than believing the records it sells are enough to entice the cool kids to them. With such a large area to fill, there's also the likelihood it'll have to adopt a soulless "pile it high, sell it cheap" approach to record selling - something which goes against the ethos of the shop and which clearly didn't work for Fopp.

Here's hoping I'm wrong and the new store thrives, bringing bands like Mika Miko (current Neal's Yard favourites) to wider attention. But what do you think? Can independent record stores still flourish, or should they finally give in to the Amazons and Tescos? Does Rough Trade's history make it immune to market trends - or is it just as vulnerable as Fopp was?

“When he played the Rough Trade shop in Covent Garden, I made sure I got in. I stood on the stairs six foot away from him at eye level. He did Boy With the Thorn in His Side and he smiled all the way through. Afterwards we talked about The Smiths and The Pretenders. I’ve met so many tossers in music, but he was a lovely guy, the most talented person I’ve ever met, but also the nicest.”-Bernard Butler, Suede, Mojo, August, 1997 (I believe both the pic and Bernard seeing him there happened on this day)

[gmariam19]

It's done! Another battlefield kiss, for a prompt from @ghost-in--the-room. I hope you like it even though it's not quite what you suggested! But there is still a crash, a rescue, and a kiss! And at 1900 words, it's far more than a drabble. Thank you for the prompt! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)

PS. Send more battlefield kiss prompts if you have 'em! :)

Always Have, Always Will

Finn banks his speeder to the left, narrowly avoiding the towering trees of the Farodin Woods. He’d rather take his time, slow down and not crash into the local fauna, but the bounty hunters currently chasing them mean he needs to move fast. Poe is already ahead of him, his natural piloting skills easily adapting to the complex terrain. Finn is decent on a speeder, but he had been trained on the newer First Order bikes and these are Clone Era combat speeders, tucked into a back alley of Lonisa City. They’d been lucky to find them, and even luckier that they actually worked. Unfortunately, their quick getaway had been ruined by the two bounty hunters currently in pursuit. Even six months after Exegol, they are apparently still worth something to someone. Probably the Hutts.

A blaster bolt hits close, shattering wood splinters above him. Finn swears and hits the pedal, but the armored hunter stays with him. He tries to remember some of the defensive moves he’s learned from Poe and swerves, but he’s also forced to slow down to avoid crashing into the trees. The bounty hunter gains on him. Sometimes it feels like nothing has changed: they are still fighting, still running, still waiting for the life they’d hoped for after the war.

Suddenly Poe is there, flying straight at the pursing speeder and firing his laser canons with a loud whoop. The bounty hunter goes down in a fireball behind him, and Finn floors it, hoping to gain some distance. Poe loops back around to join him, but the second hunter comes speeding in from the side, firing his laser canons. Poe goes down, falling twenty feet into the forest as his bike explodes.

“No!” Finn shouts and pulls his blaster from the holster. It’s an impossible shot, but he takes it anyway—once, twice, and the bounty hunter falls, his bike continuing on its own before plunging toward the ground. Finn doubles back to where Poe went down, panic threatening to overwhelm him. Did the hunter hit him? Could he survive a fall like that? Poe can’t be gone. He can’t. Finn can’t do this without him, any of this. Poe is why he’s there, why he stayed with the Resistance, why he’s a general in the New Republic.

The smoking wreckage of the speeder on the forest floor below him almost stops Finn’s heart. He slams to a stop, jumping off his bike as he shouts Poe’s name. He barely hears a faint voice over the pounding of his heart. Glancing up, he sees Poe high above him, hanging over the large limb of a tree. He’s barely conscious, one arm clinging desperately to the branch; he’s probably not getting down on his own.

“Nice shot,” Poe calls down, his voice almost a slur. Finn can see a large cut on Poe’s head, and suspects there is a broken bone somewhere from the pain he can sense coming from the other man. This was supposed to be an easy trip to Valo to meet with the commander of a First Order cell that wanted to surrender; instead, they were attacked by bounty hunters and forced to fight their way out.

“Same to you,” Finn shouts up to him, trying to focus on the present and not the past. “You can let go. I’ll catch you.”

He can see Poe’s eyes widen from where he’s standing on the ground. The other man shakes his head. “No, no…I’ll just…um…” He lifts his head and glances around, drops it with a groan. “I’d climb down but my head hurts, and I’m pretty sure my shoulder is dislocated.”

Finn swears under his breath. “Hit the tree?”

“Hit the tree.” Poe laughs, but it turns into a cough. “Maybe give me a minute and I’ll try to climb down, er…with my good arm.”

“Just let go,” Finn tells him. “Trust me. I got you.”

“I trust you,” Poe replies. “I don’t trust the ground, though. Looks hard.”

“You won’t hit it, I promise,” Finn says. “Don’t be stubborn. You’re hurt. Let’s get out of here and go home before more bounty hunters come after us. Let go.”

“Finn, I really don’t know about—”

Finn shakes his head and waves his hand, gently pushing Poe away from the limb he’s clinging too. Poe yells in surprise as he begins to move, but Finn moves his hand again and slows the pilot’s descent. Rey had shown him how to use to the Force to move rocks, why shouldn’t he use it to move people? To help people. He guides Poe gently downward so that he lands on his feet. Only his leg buckles, and the other man sits down almost immediately, clutching his left shoulder as he stares at Finn in wonder.

“You used the Force,” he breathes.

Finn tries not to flinch, as it’s not something they’ve talked about much. He’s not sure why he’s uncomfortable sharing that part of his life with Poe more—well, no, he knows exactly why. He’s scared. That’s all. He’s scared that Poe will look at him differently, will act differently around him. He’s worried Poe will pull away from him every time he’s reminded that Finn is learning to use the Force. And he doesn’t want to lose Poe.

It’s been hard trying to keep up with his responsibilities as a general while trying to learn as much as he can from Rey. Poe has been nothing but supportive; Finn couldn’t do this, any of this, without Poe, and that includes learning more about the Force. It’s Finn’s own insecurities that hold him back, keep him from sharing more, but he can’t keep tiptoeing around it forever. He wants Poe to accept him as he is, like he did when Finn was a Stormtrooper defecting to the Resistance. He wants Poe to know that he’s not any different, he’s exactly who he has always been, only now he can move rocks with his mind. Or people. And maybe someday he will carry a lightsaber.

“You pushed me off that branch using the Force,” Poe continues when Finn doesn’t say anything, too wrapped up in yet another identity crisis. It’s been constant, the struggle to find himself now that the war is over. Mostly over. It’s things like this that make Finn wish more than anything he wasn’t still a general and didn’t have to keep leading what was left of the Resistance. He wants to learn more about the Force. Only he also wants to stay with Poe, who will never leave, not until peace is a surety.

More than anything, Finn wants a normal life without the running and fighting.

“And you used the Force to bring me down, all that way, to help me land without crashing, and you…and I…Finn…!” Poe’s babbling, at a loss for words. Finn kneels in front of him with a frown. Maybe Poe is hurt worse than he thought. He turns Poe’s head to look at his injury. There is blood dripping down his face and neck, and his eyes are slightly unfocused. But as Finn turns his face back, Poe smiles and puts a hand on Finn’s shoulder.

“That was amazing,” he says, his voice quieter, more calm. And genuine. “You’re amazing. Thank you.”

It’s the sign Finn didn’t know he needed, the words he didn’t realize he wanted so desperately to hear. He leans forward  and presses his lips to Poe’s, not for too long but not too short either. Enough to let Poe know how glad Finn is that he’s okay, that Poe’s not upset, that Poe might even be happy for him. When he pulls back, Poe searches his eyes for something; he must find it because he moves his right hand up to the back of Finn’s neck and pulls him in close for another kiss. Longer and harder, and Finn finds himself melting into it. Even bloody and injured, Poe kisses like he means it, and Finn already knows he could do this for hours, now that they’ve finally, finally started. Only Poe stops and sits back, breathing heavily, and Finn notices the other man swaying as his eyes slip closed.

“Wow,” Poe says. “Either you literally took my breath away or—”

“You hit your head harder than you thought,” Finn finishes. He reaches under Poe’s good shoulder and helps him to stand.

“Maybe a little of both,” Poe admits. He tries to grin, but it looks more like a grimace. “And my leg hurts, too. I think he hit me.”

Finn sees a glancing blaster burn on the back of Poe’s shin and swears again. He wishes he had Rey’s healing power, but he doesn’t. Maybe someday, so he can not only help people but save them. For now, all he can do is get Poe back to the ship and get him patched up before they head back to base.

“Let’s go,” Finn says, and they move carefully into the forest. He hopes they’re not too far from the ship, or it’s going to be a rough walk for Poe. Poe stops him before they’ve gone ten feet.

“Wait,” he says. “Just wait. Finn, I—” He drops his head. “I can’t believe this is finally happening, right now, here, like this.” He meets Finn’s eyes. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to.”

“Well, I beat you to it,” Finn replies. “Got tired of waiting, I guess.” Which isn’t completely true, but close enough. He’s wanted it for a long time as well.

Poe snorts. “If I’d thought you were waiting, I’d have said something…done something…a lot sooner. So thanks.”

“For what?”

Poe leans in to kiss him, slow and gentle this time, and Finn almost chases his lips when the other man pulls away. “For saving me, over and over. I wouldn’t be here without you.”

Which is exactly what Finn had been thinking earlier, that heart stopping moment when Poe had fallen from his bike. He wouldn’t be anything without Poe. He swallows, determined not to choke up. “And you are reason I’m here,” he murmurs. “Thank you, for saving me. And for accepting me—my past, and my future.”

Poe gives him a crooked grin and starts them moving again. “You really are amazing, you know.”

Finn swallows, sets aside those doubts yet again. “I know,” he replies with false bravado, earning a laugh from Poe like he’d hoped.

“Humble, too,” Poe teases.

“You’re not one to talk,” Finn laughs with him. “And you’re pretty amazing yourself, you know. It’s probably why I love you.”

“Why you—” Poe stops again. “You what? You do?” Finn smiles, and Poe shakes his head, that look of wonder on his face once more. “Because I thought maybe we could have dinner first, see where his goes…” He trails off as Finn rolls his eyes, leans closer until his lips are right next to Finn’s.

“I love you, too,” he murmurs. “Always have, always will.”

They kiss again, Poe’s good hand coming up to caress Finn’s face. Maybe the words slipped out, but it’s true. And maybe they should keep moving, but Finn wants to enjoy the moment. The war may have ended months ago, but only now does Finn feel like he can finally move on to the life he’d hoped for. With Poe.  

[mariacallous]

V4 REALITY: TUSK AND FIALA SHOUTED AT ORBÁN WHILE FICO SAT IN SILENCE

This is exactly how the Visegrád Group prime ministers’ meeting in Prague on February 27 was described to me by two government-connected Czech sources with knowledge of the discussion: “It was very wild,” one of them said. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala previously had made it clear that no meeting would be possible unless Hungary approved Sweden’s NATO membership – which eventually happened, but only the day before the Prague meeting. After a long period without PM-level meetings and Visegrád cooperation openly deteriorating, the prime ministers wanted to clear the air and have an unfiltered discussion – hence they didn’t let any staffers join them, according to my sources. It was just the four leaders in the room, and their discussion went on for almost an hour longer than was scheduled. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Fiala questioned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Russia policy, asking why he is trying to block and hinder EU support for Ukraine. According to my sources, the debate was so heated that they were actually shouting at each other. The most revealing part of the scene was, however, that Slovak prime minister Robert Fico, who himself pedals the same anti-Ukrainian narratives and claims to play second fiddle to Orbán, simply sat there in silence instead of trying to help him out. (As I described in a previous newsletter, Fico’s attitude is pro-Russian in the streets and pro-Western in the meet(ing)s.) In the end, the joint press conference had to be delayed and the leaders of the Visegrád Group countries all came out looking visibly tense.

WHY KEEP VISEGRÁD ALIVE? TO PRESSURE THE HUNGARIANS AND SLOVAKS

Just after the PMs’ meeting, speakers from the various Visegrád Group parliaments also met in Prague. The event’s host, Czech Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová, also invited President of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, turning the meeting into a V4+Ukraine format – making it even more uncomfortable for her Slovak and Hungarian counterparts to hold their anti-Ukrainian line during the meeting. “The Czech thinking is that the V4 formats still make sense and are good to pressure and confront Slovakia and Hungary,” a Czech source familiar with the meeting told me. “The numerical superiority also helps. Poland and the Czech Republic have a two-chamber parliament, while Hungary and Slovakia only have a one-chamber parliament, so it’s four against two, and this time, together with Ukraine, it was five against two,” the source added. While this meeting was much calmer than the one in which prime ministers screamed at each other, there was still a clash over support for Ukraine. According to my source, Pekarová Adamová made a witty offer to Hungarian Deputy Speaker Csaba Hende and Slovak Speaker Peter Pellegrini. She said that if their countries don’t want to provide direct funding for Ukraine to buy weapons, they could simply just give that money to the Czech Republic — which would in turn buy the weapons for them. “Pellegrini of course was more moderate than Fico, he just repeated the usual ‘we want peace’ narrative and that it makes no sense to give military support to Ukraine. Otherwise, he behaved nicely,” the source said.

[queen-rainy-love]

The Pure Lily Family teaching Custard III how to ride a bike, and Clotted Cream comes into the picture and asks them what theyre doing. They all tell him about the bike and etc; this confuses Clotted Cream becayse he has never learned how to read a bike. So- theyre all shock and decided to teach them both how to ride a bike. Lol.

Hmmmmm. I like it, but let me add on to that.

*It's a normal day and the two Ancient Heroes, Madeleine, Clover, and Knight are helping Custard III earn how to ride a bike*

Madeleine: Now remember Young Custard, keep your balance and keep your eyes ahead.

Custard III: *scared* I don't know about this.

Clover: Don't worry Custard! Just come to Knight and me!

Custard III: O-okay! Here I come! *starts pedaling*

Pure Vanilla: That's right! You got this!

*Clotted Cream and Red Velvet come up to the group*

Red Velvet: And that's Wildberry's favorite relaxing spot.

Clotted Cream: I see. And what would be the best- *notices the PureLily family* What are they doing?

Red Velvet: I don't know. *taps Madeleine's shoulder* What's this?

Madeleine: Oh! We're teaching Young Custard how to ride a bike. He's never done that.

Clotted Cream: But why? We have technology at the Republic that travels faster.

Madeleine: Yes and no. Any houses not part of the council used them a lot. It was just easier to move with.

White Lily: And it feels very nice for the wind to go through your hair. It was very popular when Pure Vanilla and I were in the academy.

Clotted Cream: Really? And you have to manually make it work? I don't see an engine.

Pure Vanilla: Correct.

Red Velvet: But how do you stop? There doesn't look like anything to stop it in case of danger.

Madeleine: Oh, it's on the handles.

Red Velvet: And what are handles?

*silence before Custard III appears again*

Custard III: I did it! Oh! Brother! Red Velvet! I've started learning how to ride a bike without training wheels!

Clotted Cream: Training wheels? What do those look like?

Red Velvet: That's a bike? It looks very small.

*silence*

Madeleine: Little brother. Consul. Does either of you know how to ride a bike?

Clotted Cream: I never really needed it. We had boats and ships to get everywhere.

Red Velvet: I was trained to run everywhere. Why would I need something like this?

*More silence*

White Lily: Madeleine, please go get two extra bikes. Adult Cookie size.

Madeleine: Got it, mother. *bolts*

Red Velvet: What's going on?

White Lily: We're teaching you how to ride a bike, *mutters last part* and right my wrongs.

[increasing-nihilism]

Finished up the Saga of Tanya the Evil, it's been on my watch list for a while now. I've got to say I love the different looks of all the different nations' equipment. The Entente Alliance's Gear looks and acts similarly to skis, the Allied Kingdom is broomsticks, The Empire is a gas pedal if I'm not mistaken and the Republic have horsies!

[marketdevelopment]

US Bike Sharing Market Size, Share, Types, Products, Trends, Growth, Applications and Forecast 2023 to 2030

The US Bike Sharing is Expected to Grow at a Significant Growth Rate, and the Forecast Period is 2023-2030, Considering the Base Year as 2022.

The bike-sharing market refers to the industry and ecosystem of shared bicycle services that operate in a specific region or globally. It involves the provision of bicycles for short-term use to the public on a pay-as-you-go or subscription basis. US Bike Sharing enables individuals to rent bicycles for brief periods, typically ranging from a few minutes to a few hours, and use them for short-distance trips within urban areas.

Over the years, the US bike-sharing business has seen substantial expansion and adoption, particularly in metropolitan centres where inhabitants are looking for more eco-friendly and alternative modes of transportation. With US Bike Sharing, users can borrow bikes for short trips and return them to predetermined stations or drop-off places.

Updated Version 2024 is available our Sample Report May Includes the:

Scope For 2024

Brief Introduction to the research report.

Table of Contents (Scope covered as a part of the study)

Top players in the market

Research framework (structure of the report)

Research methodology adopted by Worldwide Market Reports

Moreover, the report includes significant chapters such as Patent Analysis, Regulatory Framework, Technology Roadmap, BCG Matrix, Heat Map Analysis, Price Trend Analysis, and Investment Analysis which help to understand the market direction and movement in the current and upcoming years.

Get Full PDF Sample Copy of Report: (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart) @

Leading players involved in the US Bike Sharing Market include:

Motivate (US), Lime (US), Bird (US), Jump (US), Citi Bike (US), Divvy (US), Capital Bikeshare (US), Bluebikes (US), Indego (US), Nice Ride Minnesota (US), Breeze Bike Share (US),CoGo Bike Share (US), Bublr Bikes (US), Houston BCycle (US), Bike Chattanooga (US), Portland Bike Share (US), WeHo Pedals (US), Relay Bike Share (US), Zagster (US), Spin (US) and Other Major Players.

Market Driver:

One of the key drivers propelling the growth of the US Bike Sharing Market is the increasing focus on sustainable transportation solutions. With growing concerns over environmental pollution and climate change, there is a heightened emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly modes of transport. Bike sharing offers a sustainable alternative to traditional modes of transportation such as cars and buses, helping to decrease traffic congestion and air pollution in urban areas. As individuals and governments alike prioritize sustainability initiatives, the demand for bike sharing services is expected to continue rising.

Market Opportunity:

An emerging market opportunity within the US Bike Sharing Market lies in catering to underserved communities and expanding access to transportation options. While bike sharing programs have proliferated in many urban centers, there remains a need to address transportation gaps in suburban and rural areas, as well as in low-income neighborhoods where access to affordable transportation is limited. By strategically deploying bike sharing infrastructure and implementing equitable pricing models, companies and municipalities can tap into new market segments and contribute to greater mobility and connectivity for all residents.

 Segmentation of US Bike Sharing Market:

By Bike Type

Traditional Bike

E-bike

By Sharing System

Docked

Dockless

By Duration

Short Term

Long Term

By User Type

Tourists and Visitors

Regular Commuters

Market Segment by Regions: -

North America (US, Canada, Mexico)

Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Rest of Eastern Europe)

Western Europe (Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Western Europe)

Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, The Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of APAC)

Middle East & Africa (Turkey, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Israel, South Africa)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of SA)

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Access a detailed breakdown of the US Bike Sharing Market Growth 2023-2030 market worldwide, including product variations, use cases, technologies, and final consumers. Allocate resources effectively by anticipating demand patterns for emerging products. Stay ahead in product development by understanding market dynamics and consumer preferences.

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[pedalrepublic]

[mywifeleftme]

209: Rob Hertner // Bucky's Heartaches

Bucky's Heartaches Rob Hertner 1989, Texsun

Private press alert! Released on the (evidently) one-off Texsun Records in 1989 by one Rob “Bucky” Hertner, there isn’t a ton of information online about this one (regarding the music anyway), but a country record cut at Abbey Road Studios (!) tends to stand out nonetheless. This is no elaborate production job, but sounds quite good for a self-produced independent release, and the presence of B.J. Cole on dobro and pedal steel (he played on “Tiny Dancer” and a bunch of Scott Walker LPs, among hundreds of other recordings) suggests Hertner either had the money to hire good session players or considerable reserves of personal charm.

Hertner’s stuff is pure honky tonk in the Gary Stewart mould (“I play the jukebox to remember / What I’m drinkin’ to forget”; “She put the hell in hell-o / The good in goodbye”), and as a singer he’s not bad at all. Particularly by the too-slick-by-far standards of ‘80s country, Bucky’s Heartaches is a passable disc for traditionalists. Though it starts to repeat itself a bit by the end, it’d sound good ambiently twanging away behind the cracking of billiard balls and peanut shells at a saloon.

Alright, stick with me a little longer, we’re nearly at the good stuff. Hertner, who passed away in 2012, was always a musical dabbler (he cut an unreleased set of Buddy Holly covers as Bob Hertner in 1981 at Norman Petty Studios in New Mexico; Discogs lists a 7” of unknown vintage under the name Robert Hertner Group), but he was somewhat better known as the self-styled Ambassador and Consul General for the Republic of Texas (R.O.T.) to Europe. The Republic of Texas was (and perhaps is) a sovereign citizen-adjacent armed militia which claims that, because a majority of residents voted to secede from the Union in 1861, Texas has been illegally held captive by the US government for the past 150 years or so. They’re best known for a very dumb JV Ruby Ridge standoff with the Texas Rangers back in 1997 that resulted in (in ascending order of importance) the arrest of leader Rick McLaren; one R.O.T. member’s death; a gunshot wound to innocent bystander Joe Rowe; and the death of Rowe’s loyal dog Luca.

That was about it for the nascent Republic, but somehow Hertner, who’d moved to the UK some time in the mid-‘80s after a failed bid to become mayor of Amarillo, got involved anyway, and became its most visible post-standoff exponent. Following his ascendance to the ambassadorship, Hertner popped on occasion in the ‘human interest’ section of the papers: here are The Guardian and the Southern Poverty Law Center clowning on his failed multi-million pound lawsuit against British television licence collectors; The Independent covered his attempt to establish diplomatic relations with Tony Blair; at least one uh outlet picked up a wire item about Hertner’s disgruntlement at not snagging an invitation to Harry and Meghan’s 2005 royal wedding.

It's difficult to tell how much of the Ambassador's activity was in earnest, though his music suggests a sense of humour. In spite of the mainstream media’s mockery of his politics, or perhaps because of it, Hertner did have the respect and even admiration of a number of his peers. I found the following obituary by Dave Russell, a poet and longtime outsider folk musician (Billy Childish produced an LP in the early ‘90s):

“Suddenly at his home in Holmfield House on Wednesday evening the legend that was Robert Hertner passed away. Robert, known as 'Bucky' or 'The 9 Stone Cowboy' worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for fellow residents north of the borough. His relentless campaign against residents being bullied by TMO [Ed. Tenant Management Organization] staff has resulted in the sacking of some but not all of the TMO bullies. He was currently holding the TMO to account over a vulnerable resident being assaulted by a TMO staff member. For some time, he had been asking the TMO for proof of identity of the person said to have carried out the attack. As usual the TMO refused to reveal this information. Robert was a generous man always first to put his hand in his pocket. Never afraid to make a counterattack when in the pub. Robert will be sadly missed by all who knew him and it is unlikely that his likes will ever be seen again. A talented musician and filmmaker Robert captivated audiences with his unique style. An outstanding guitarist, composer, arranger and songwriter Robert produced some wonderful recordings. Robert was an inspiration to many. Tracey Emin the well-known artist is said to have taken inspiration from Robert's living room. Anyone who met Robert could not help but be impressed by his wealth of knowledge both useful and useless.”

It would not be unreasonable to infer that Hertner’s conflicts with the TMO were a further result of his lifelong libertarian streak, but it is worth noting that the organization in question was the Kensington & Chelsea TMO, which would later be dissolved and sued to hell for their management of Grenfell Tower, which infamously caught fire in 2017 causing more than 140 casualties. I recently reached out to Russell to try to learn more about what Hertner was like as a person—our conversation didn’t add much detail to the picture, but he continued to hold him in high regard, characterizing Hertner as “a major talent with an exceptional understanding of economic history, whose works deserve to be in major circulation.”

I also reached out to B.J. Cole (a longshot) to see if he had any recollection of Hertner, but as of press time haven’t heard anything back—if any of you happen to have Tracey Emin’s contact info, y’know, hit me up. I’ll update this post if I learn anything more about him.

209/365

[rpmtrish]

Inaugural Mopar Event Excites from Start to Finish

With ambition and anticipation, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio staged its Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance, Sept. 22-24, 2023 and by all accounts, it was an extraordinary event. Produced and presented by Summit Motorsports Park with Mopar enthusiasts in mind, it featured three days of racing, a Fun Field Car Show, swap meet, car corral, manufacturers’ midway, concert by Trainwreck Country Band and fireworks. “We couldn’t be happier with our Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance,” said Bill Bader Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. “Our team spent several months organizing this event, and we all wanted it to be successful, and we are all very grateful that it was. We had a tremendous turnout, and we look forward to an even bigger event next year. The planning starts now.” On Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, the final round of eliminations in Indy Cylinder Head No Box saw Ron Hicks of Leo, Indiana, rip off a .001 reaction time and race to a 12.45 to defeat Cory Blackford of Toledo, Ohio, who stopped the clocks at 9.89. In Box, Randy Chestnut recorded a .007 on the tree and took the win with a 6.13 over Keith Meador, who went through the traps at 6.16. On Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, the final round of eliminations in Koffel’s Place Super Pro put the spotlight on Gene Nagy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cliff Motes of Logan, West Virginia. They inched into the beams before blasting off, and Nagy came out on top with a 4.70 to Motes’ 6.59. In CRT Transmissions Pro, Marcus King of Republic, Ohio and Mike Walwood of Parma, Ohio motored up to the starting line, and King secured the win with a 9.60 elapsed time to Walwood’s 9.85. AA Transmission Hemi Super Stock saw Bob Marshall of Columbus, Ohio and Ron Gallagher of Whitby, Ontario, turn on their red lights, and Marshall won as his light was a bit less red than Gallagher’s. In Mancini Racing Nostalgia Super Stock, Doug Wright of Waterford, Michigan and Mike DeChicco of Ostrander, Ohio put dial-ins on their classic cars before Wright wrapped up the win with a 9.43 to DeChicco’s 11.46. Dan Trainer of Orient, Ohio and Dan Brewer of West Milton, Ohio took the stage for the TTI Exhaust Sportsman final round of eliminations, and Trainer wrapped up the win when Brewer illuminated the red light, with a mere -.005, at the hit. On Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, the final round of eliminations in FireCore 50 Top Gun Full-Bodied saw Jeff Goebel of Stratford, Ontario, flat-foot the pedal on his Duster to a 4.39 for the win over Chris Wheatcraft of Jamestown, Ohio, who clocked a 4.84 in his Demon. In FireCore 50 Top Gun Open-Bodied, Bryan Keller cruised to a 3.70 to earn his trip to the Summit Motorsports Park Winner’s Circle over Keith McLennan, who was .004 at the hit but had to get out of the throttle. Unfortunately, a continuous mist on Sunday evening caused the remaining rounds for other categories to be cancelled.  As an added element to the event, Manufacturers’ Choice Car Show Awards were given during a ceremony on the starting line. The winners were Jerry Imhoff’s 1970 Duster (chosen by Arrington Performance); Rick and Nicole Janosik’s 1973 Challenger (chosen by Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram); Mark Charlton’s 1963 Plymouth Wagon Max Wedge (chosen by Mancini Racing); Pam and Phil Helms’ 1972 Roadrunner Satellite (chosen by Koffel’s Place); Dave Taylor’s 1962 Fury (chosen by CRT Transmissions); Bill Watkins’ 1969 Barracuda (chosen by Moto Lenz Photos); Joe and Pam Mazzola’s 1970 Barracuda (chosen by Indy Cylinder Heads); Paul and Rose Prescott’s 1969 Charger Daytona (chosen by Harland Sharp); Francis McManamon’s 1966 Belvedere II Wagon (chose by FireCore 50) and Randy Slovikosky’s 1978 Trail Duster (chosen by Dornan’s Sales & Service)  As racers and race fans who were at the event over the weekend heard, Bader Jr. has happily announced that the 2nd Annual Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance will be Sept. 19-22, 2024, and as a new addition, a Gen III Hemi category will be part of the lineup.  “This event has the ingredients to be enormous, and we are eager to see where we can go from here,” said Bader Jr.  Summit Motorsports Park is at 1300 State Route 18, Norwalk, Ohio. For more information, visit summitmotorsportspark.com or call 419-668-5555. #summitmotorsportspark #arringtonperformance #KenGanleyChrysler #rpmmag #rpmmagazine Read the full article

[ebikess]

ebikeisland.com – Rent or Buy Electric Bikes in the Caribbean

Ebike Rentals Caribbean are a great way to get around on the islet, and they’re perfect for riders who want to avoid the hassle of dealing with public transportation. There are a variety of rental companies and dealerships that offer a variety of electric bikes, so you can find the perfect option for your requirements. Some of the stylish places to buy electric bikes in the Caribbean are online retailers. These companies offer a wide variety of bikes, and they frequently offer abatements on their products.

Also, some Caribbean countries have their own reimbursement companies which you can rent a bike from. This is particularly accessible for those who are visiting the region and prefer not to buy a new electric bike before they travel. Renting an electric bike in the Caribbean can also be great if you plan on using it as diurnal transportation while exploring the islet’s lodestones. With a variety of models and features available, there’s sure to be an e-bike that fits your budget and needs impeccably.

Whether you’re looking for a tardy lift around the islet or a violent drill, Ebike Rentals Caribbean is a great way to witness this beautiful region.

Ebike Settlements Caribbean – Lift an Eco-Friendly Ebike Adventure

Still, there are many effects you should know if you’re considering renting an e-bike for your coming Caribbean holiday. First, make sure to check the laws in the country you’re visiting. Some countries, like the Dominican Republic, have laws that enjoin riding electric bikes on the road.

Secondly, prepare yourself for a drill! While e-bikes do have electric motors, they still bear pedaling. So, if you’re not used to pedaling a bike, you may want to consider a different mode of transportation.

Eventually, be sure to bring your helmet. While some rental companies do give helmets, not all of them do. And, indeed if they do give helmets, they may not be the right size or fit for you.

[the-firebird69]

Whose bike is selling his bike is selling and that's Dave AKA Dan and he's selling a lot of the electric bike and people like it and they use it. And they're selling a lot of them and because the shape of the frame it can hold someone as heavy. People trying to put motors in them and they don't really handle it it's a bicycle there's ours is a moped it has motorcycle parts cuz they're making it at Hard knock. Now I put it out there this morning and we went ahead and sold a bunch of them a lot of them... We saw probably 250,000 mopeds. And for real and you sold a few million of his eBike so far. People look at it and they can't believe what they're looking at they wonder how much it weighs if they could actually pedal it and we made it out of a little lighter material and we tried steal it's too heavy we're using an alloy it's a steel alloy, it was about 90 lb wet oil and gas, it's rated for a 350 lb person if you have no load with you, talk to me about 50 miles an hour up hills about 40 it goes pretty good, the ranger going 40 to 45 mph is around 100 MI and it holds two and a half gallons. It's fully registerable and in most states you don't need a license at all some states you need a driver's license I think three are so insane four. It's classified as a moped our version is motorized with a gas motor and you put 87 or 89 or 93 in it and it has engine oil it's not mixed and you have a crankcase oil it's different oil when it comes to his fully lubed and it has the oil in it and you just put gasoline in it and we have experience for that you have to do it. And it has shocks on the front and back and the tires are a little over two and a half inches they're about two and three quarter inches pretty much 3 in and they're kind of like an all-terrain street bike but it's more towards street bike tires it handles real well. There's a huge reason for getting the moped and the reason is that you don't need a license and a lot of people are having trouble with that a lot of people are out of work because a lot of people can't get to work cuz they can't afford a car. This solves a lot of problems there are a ton of people who are interested in buying this and we need assemblers right now and it's a good time timing for our assembly offer I'm going to follow it up with an assembly offer for mopeds separately and for mopeds included and we don't care if you do both or not

Hera Zues

I'm laughing to say it's no money at all I don't know if anybody notices can't even get it from my dead relatives not a penny.

We're all for this idea and we're starting to get assembly requests anywhere from the garage to million square feet although we would go with the garage we don't need you to be certified there and we won't certify you in your garage that you're welcome to assemble it yourself in your garage and still do it approved and you can still ensure it not resale and that's what they're talking about it's a resale license. We're looking at 40,000 ft + is our son said that's adequate and we'll get sales and they'll probably want to go bigger and they'll find out how to and we do see it and it's going on right now we are making tons of these moped parts more than you can imagine and hard not kicker 5152 tons and tons and tons and tons of bikes huge numbers of parts this is going to be it right now it's going to overtake the other choppers and it's about Stalin and then did it again and he's going to get backlash it's going to be hell again but we are sending out packets to about 5 million factories in the area but that's major area like the East Coast the south is another one in the west coast is another Mexico's one area actually they have like 10 million packets going out mostly for mopeds Puerto Rico has asked for 20 million packets and we approve them we have we screen them Dominican Republic 5 million packets okay this is a huge deal and the upper Midwest is after for 20 million packets I'm going against my governance. And Mac is approving it and Dan needed that and it's this meeting that caused it to happen on ion NCIS and has Chris kroll in it kroll and he said what is going on here and he figured it out a son had a vapor lock and he's better now

Olympus