#this one is meant to be ace after a show in about 1993? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

acquired-stardust · 1 year

Text

Game Spotlight #7: Snatcher (1994)

Acquired Stardust's next game spotlight is here! This time Ash takes a look back at the first title in Hideo Kojima's portfolio that one would probably call a 'Kojima game' in the Sega CD port of Konami's Snatcher, a traditional Japanese-style adventure game, with an examination of some of the history and culture around its American release!

Popular wisdom recalls that the ESRB was founded in 1994 in response to the moral panic surrounding the earlier 1992 release of Mortal Kombat, but this collective memory is missing a few details - namely that it wasn't Mortal Kombat alone that created the panic. It was a trio of games, all released in 1992, that caused the mainstream American culture to pay attention to the medium, which had begun to enter its edgy teenage phase, and it did not like what it saw.

Sega CD classic Night Trap was one of the most prominent releases in the then-popular Full Motion Video field, essentially an interactive campy d-tier horror movie that tasked players with protecting the residents of a house besieged by bumbling, uncoordinated creepers with the timely use of trap doors via security camera operation. It was vaguely sort of voyeuristic in the way that likely titillated the senses of teenagers in 1994 before widespread access to the internet, but otherwise mostly unremarkable and had little redeeming qualities. Konami's own Lethal Enforcers was the third game in the trio, a fairly standard arcade shooter featuring a realistic revolver-type handgun for players to use as a controller along with Mortal Kombat style digitized actors for its visuals.

Long before Columbine at the end of the decade, these three games were singled out as essentially the harbinger of the doom of a generation of American youths, allegedly promoting violence and sexual assault against women, prompting a series of US senate hearings the following year best summed up by Democratic senator from Wisconsin Herb Kohl's stern warning on the industry needing to reign itself in: "If you don't do something about it, we will".

It's certainly true that the video game industry had begun to experiment with new, different and edgier games that would increase in their edginess in the years to come (Duke Nukem for example was released a mere 3 years after the senate hearings), but it was abundantly clear to anyone who was paying attention (and indeed anyone with a brain) that this was largely a shallow echo of the ongoing satanic panic which had the country collectively clutching its pearls since the 1980s. Night Trap was certainly not endorsing sexual violence against women (and its content was far more tame than was asserted even by the standards of 1993), and Lethal Enforcers was simply a very standard arcade shooter following the digitized graphical trend with a realistic (though brightly-colored) peripheral. However, the industry responded to the hearings in relatively short order with the creation of the ESRB (that's the Entertainment Software Ratings Board) in September of 1994, meant to advise consumers on the content of the video games they were buying in an effort to help police the perceived wild moral decay corrupting America's youth. It was somehow in this climate that Konami decided that it was time to bring Hideo Kojima's PC-88 adventure game Snatcher (originally released in Japan in 1988) to the west for the first time with an upgraded port.

While the video game scene in America had begun to show signs of maturing into its teenage years, Japan had at this point a well known pop culture machine churning out plenty of violent and sexual content (not without its own local controversy I might add), and was no stranger to content not meant for children. Typically when an American thinks of Japanese adventure games they think of Capcom's popular later Ace Attorney series, and might consider Snatcher the direct predecessor of it, but the genre has a very long history on Japanese PCs with a large number of games, often of a pornographic nature, released. It's a chapter of gaming history that is poorly preserved, particularly in the west (where it is often unknown that Enix, famous for its Dragon Quest series, started with releases of erotic adventure games in 1983), but is an important link between the two games.

Particularly foundational for the Japanese adventure game genre was 1983's Portopia Serial Murders, a game by future Dragon Quest creator Yuuji Horii, responsible for popularizing the interface and style of virtually every game in the genre to follow. Of particular note it was a young Hideo Kojima, future creator of the Metal Gear franchise, who took heavy inspiration from Portopia, seeing the adventure game genre and their cinematic nature as his pathway into doing the next best thing to what he'd always wanted to do: creating movies. And so Snatcher was born.

Snatcher is set in the fictional Neo Kobe city, a cyberpunk dystopia heavily inspired by Blade Runner, and while the video game industry may have been maturing into its teenage years, it is incredibly striking how adult Snatcher immediately comes across. Opening with a fully-voiced narration about a catastrophic Russian biohazard that killed 80% of the populace preceding the appearance of what are essentially Blade Runner's replicants (the titular snatchers), main character Gillian Seed bids farewell to the wife he recently underwent a separation with and sets off to join Neo Kobe's JUNKERs, a special police force tasked with hunting down and eliminating snatchers.

Snatcher stands head and shoulders above its contemporaries in not just the content of its story but the sophistication with which it is told. It boggles the mind that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Donkey Kong Country, incredible games in their own right, are some of the big mainstream releases of 1994 while this was also on store shelves. Immediately obvious through its incredible opening cinematic is a hallmark of creator/writer/director Hideo Kojima's titles all the way to the present day: they are incredibly dense and feature an almost overwhelming level of worldbuilding. Arriving at JUNKER headquarters only hammers the point home, with the player able to research a number of in-world historical topics that play out across multiple lengthy encyclopedia entries. While it is not necessary to fully explore these (the player does receive a few answers to later characters' questions in two entries), it goes a very long way to making the world feel very real which is an effect that the game achieves very well out of the gate with its flawed protagonist picking up the pieces and attempting to rebuild his life after a failed marriage with or without his former wife, itself a very realistic struggle that many can relate to. Another hallmark of Hideo Kojima titles is present in the form of abundant easter eggs and meta humor, with just one example of such easter eggs being that the player can use a phone obtained early in the game to call one Taeko Hayasaka (then a spokeswoman for Konami) as well as the localization director Jeremy Blaustein and receive some special dialogue.

Playing out across three acts, the player follows Gillian's investigation into the snatcher crisis gripping Neo Kobe city which threatens to spill over into the world at large all while grappling with his own amnesia stemming from a mysterious incident before the start of the game. It's worth noting that another hallmark of Kojima video games was present in the original 1988 release of Snatcher in the form of deadlines cutting his project into dramatically shorter form, where a planned six acts was cut to a mere two. Ending on a severe cliffhanger up until this generation of ports where the final third act was added in an attempt to wrap up the ongoing storyline as best as possible, the third act was somewhat controversial at the time due to its linearity in comparison with the rest of the game which is rather open in its accommodation of player sidetracking.

Though toned down in its Sega CD port to the west, Snatcher features a very surprising level of gore and sexuality (all while somehow only achieving a rating of T for teen from the ESRB) that can catch people even today unprepared for it. A clearly defiant Konami takes several shots in-game at the then-current moral panic around video games and the senate hearings that resulted in the creation of the ESRB, and it's hard to deny that had the game received more contemporary attention that it probably would've been hugely controversial in the mainstream for its violence and sexual content (much of which is based around the absurdity of being able to investigate people you meet, leading to everyone from JUNKER chief Cunningham to daughter of fellow JUNKER Katrina thinking you're an unhinged lunatic). The game does have a reputation for allowing the player to behave in a creepy manner towards female characters, itself an oft-criticized element of Hideo Kojima's works, and while that is true in some respects I found it of particular note that Gillian is able to 'investigate' every single character in the game regardless of gender (much to their dismay) and that not only is this never actually required to progress in the game, there are instances where being creepy towards female characters can result in the player being actively punished. Just because Gillian can doesn't mean that he should - a good lesson to all you people struggling with self-control out there.

All the things one typically associates with a Hideo Kojima title are present in Snatcher, including heavy inspiration from cinema, self-referential elements such as Gillian partnering with a very familiar robot sidekick appropriately named Metal Gear, to dense narratives told with an astounding level of worldbuilding and flavor, all through the style of using familiar concepts such as a setting very inspired by Blade Runner to get its foot in the door before making a hard left turn into original wonderful sci-fi insanity that culminates in what can only be described as 'a very Hideo Kojima' third act, and if you're familiar with his work you likely know exactly what that means.

The graphics and storytelling are excellent, featuring some incredible writing and localization for the time. Thanks to the Sega CD's disc-based nature the game boasts very good quality music and even a shocking level of voice work which is also similarly surprisingly high quality for a release from 1994 (though there are a few lines which fall flat), as many wouldn't consider the golden age of English voiceover dubs to start for another several years. Extremely ahead of its time in a year when we were still playing as giant gorillas jumping on crocodiles, the incredibly intricate story of Gillian Seed won't be something I forget and has held up remarkably well, serving as a great early example of the depth of experiences that gaming would come to host, particularly in the indie game scene which produces experiences often very relatable and impactful to players with a similar 'art from the artist' vibe.

In a time where the industry was beginning to reflect the sensibilities of a teenager, Snatcher largely feels very adult and manages to impress with its content and sophistication even to the present day. Hideo Kojima's freshman effort laid the groundwork for an incredible portfolio of titles and is worth experiencing for anyone who are fans of Japanese-style adventure games, visual novels, cyberpunk, or just plain good stuff.

A gem hidden among the stones, Snatcher is undoubtedly stardust.

--Ash

#video games #acquired stardust #game spotlights #gaming #retro gaming #sega #sega cd #konami #hideo kojima #snatcher #1994 #1988 #cyberpunk #blade runner #ash #visual novel #adventure games #retro games #Metal Gear

19 notes · View notes

nerdygaymormon · 3 years

Text

Pride 2021 - My Best Pride Month

With the end of Pride month, I’ve been reflecting on some amazing developments.

————————————————————

Rexburg, Idaho had it’s very first Pride festival and parade.

There were more than 1,000 participants!!!

In 1993 I attended my first semester of college in Rexburg and became best friends with my roommate.

One night at the end of the semester, my roommate came out as bi and I revealed I’m gay. I had dreams of us leaving college, church, and our families in order to pursue a life together (this is before gay marriage was legal).

I woke up with such hope that the happiness I thought could never be mine was possible. I looked over to see my roommate was gone, which was unusual, he wasn’t an early riser.

He’d gone to see the bishop and turn me in for being gay. The bishop came to see me and put me on probation, I was lucky they didn’t kick me out of school (the rules were different back then, even identifying as “gay” or saying that a “gay lifestyle” is normal or good were against the rules).

Waiting for the bishop to decide if I would be kicked out and maybe even decide to ‘out’ me to my family was torture. Being on probation meant I had to check in regularly with the bishop all summer. The only way I could think of to take back control of my life was to go further in the closet, not reveal my inner self to anyone, never to hope for a life like was presented at church as the only way to happiness. Happiness was not for me.

To that scared freshman who was heartbroken and feeling like he didn’t have control of his life and the world was against him, the idea that Rexburg would one day hold a Pride event would be impossible to imagine.

————————————————————

BYU Pride Parade - 1st ever

A group of anonymous queer BYU students put out the idea to have a BYU Pride Parade, and about 1,500 people showed up.

After Rexburg, I went to school in Provo. At the time the BYU Honor Code specifically forbade participating in public demonstrations advocating for a homosexual lifestyle (Pride events), as well as a ban on advertising your same-sex preference in any public way (no wearing a rainbow flag pin or even telling others that I’m gay).

Dating is the national pasttime of BYU, and I wasn’t allowed to participate or reveal why I didn’t date. These rules enforcing secrecy also made me feel shame, that just my existence is so terrible that no one should ever know.

One time a friend from out-of-town wanted to visit Temple Square. At the time I worked at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo and a co-worker of mine offered to drive us up on a Sunday.

We arrived in Salt Lake City, parked, and were walking towards Temple Square when a big Pride Parade came by. There was no one on the sidewalks but the three of us. Folks in the parade kept calling out, “come join us.” We stood there watching this parade in amazement until a TV crew came walking towards us. Scared we would lose our jobs at the MTC and get in trouble with the BYU Honor Code office if we were shown on TV at the Pride parade, we hastily retreated.

To see the 1,500 or so participants who showed up to walk next to the BYU campus displaying their colors brought a lot of emotions to my heart. The world is safer for queer BYU students than I thought would ever be possible. And more progress will happen, I’m certain of it. The Church and BYU cannot stop this wave of love and acceptance.

————————————————————

I took an 18-year-old to his first Pride

It was also my first time at St. Pete Pride, which is Florida's Largest LGBT Pride Celebration.

A panromantic-asexual friend from church asked if I would take him to Pride. As we drove towards the waterfront park where the festival is held, he was excited to see lots of businesses and buildings displaying rainbow flags. We saw streams of people with various Pride flags and brightly-colored hair and I said, “These are our people.”

June is hot & humid in Florida, I knew I wanted a hat for some protection, and I decorated it with flowers in rainbow colors.

I’d gotten him a flag to wear as a cape, pan and ace pins, and we bought a few things from vendors including rainbow bracelets. It was fun to be with him, to share his enthusiasm, everything is new to him. He wanted to see it all, to thank the DJ, to tell everyone how great they are, and he petted all the dogs.

————————————————————

Sunday Supper with Dad

The final Sunday in June, my dad asked me to have dinner with him. My mom was out of town and he was lonely. He prepared turkey with all the fixings. We sat down to eat and he announced it’s still Pride month and this dinner is to celebrate, and he’s proud of me, loves & supports me.

No one in my family has ever even acknowledged Pride. It was a huge shock to me he said that. Slowly, with small steps, my family moves towards acceptance and validation.

#pride 2021 #David gets personal

30 notes · View notes

davisondg-blog · 4 years

Text

Maybe that part is already starting

As the murder was meant to appear as part of a burglary, the two went downstairs, had drinks, and discussed the rest of what needed to be done. They knocked over some chairs to stage the effects of a robbery. Part of the murder plan also was to provide Ruth with an alibi.

cheap jerseys Instead of assuming knowledge of the client's needs, I recommend a salesperson begin the first meeting by asking the client about their expectations cheap jerseys. I also advise them to cancel the list of leading questions. Replace this with a list of results the client desires and their potential business challenges. cheap jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys The league overcorrected after misevaluating the Bears' prime time value a year ago. Remember, the country had a front row seat for the team's implosion thanks to five night games and the Thanksgiving game. This year, the NFL appears to be taking a wait and see approach, despite the fact the Bears have a coach with a national profile. wholesale nfl jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys from china Katharine W. Dougherty, a retired University of Maryland, Baltimore County office worker, Cheap Jerseys china died Aug. 28 at her Millersville home of chronicmyeloid leukemia. ARLINGTON, Mass., May 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ the experts in international gift delivery, announced today the release of limited time gifts exclusively for Father's Day and graduations. This year, Father's Day falls on Sunday, June 16, in the United States and a number of countries around the world including Canada, UK, and China. Families in over 180 countries world wide will be honoring their fathers and father figures with elegant gift baskets filled with spirits and liquor, personalized keepsakes, sport and hobby themed products, and, of course, a wide variety of foodie favorites. wholesale nfl jerseys from china

cheap jerseys Maybe that part is already starting. For the first time this fall, the Bisons will move one of their matches off the turf fields near IGF, and into the stadium itself; wholesale nfl jerseys Lagunas hopes that Oct. 9 match can draw on lingering Women World Cup fervor, an emotional legacy that could help boost the Bisons fan base.. cheap jerseys

cheap nfl jerseys This eyewitness video shows a firefighter lifting aesident out from the inferno. I have nothing. I feel so bad for all those families. Is the new skinny. Today or sorry tomorrow? Your choice. Only bad workout is the one you didn do. With 5 consecutive JD Power and Associates awards for being number one in customer satisfaction, this company knows how to treat consumers. There are more Ace Hardware stores than any other on this list. With over 4,400 stores with headquarters in Illinois, this company has plenty of stores, so there is probably one near you.. cheap nfl jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys In December 1993, www.cheapjerseyschinatrade.com they resolved to: condemn discrimination against women in all its forms; and to instruct States committees to take all the reasonable steps to identify and eradicate any discrimination against women in legislation or practice and to present proposals in that regard as and when practicable.According to the report, in complying with article 7 (prohibition of torture and inhuman and cruel treatment), the Administration of Justice (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law of 1991 makes any such practice a specific offence. In addressing article 9 (right to liberty and security), the report states that the Government's mental health services provide for treatment of a wide range of psychiatric and behavioral problems, with an open door policy prevailing. While the vast majority of people receive treatment on an informal basis www.cheapjerseyschina8.com, a small number of patients considered to be a danger to themselves or others can be compulsorily detained under the Mental Treatment Law (Guernsey) 1993.. wholesale nfl jerseys

cheap jerseys The first time was right after a firefight, and we were shocked to see how blackened the bodies were. We thought they must have been charred by an explosion until we realized their skin was naturally black. None of us had seen a black person before. cheap jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys from china This makes things difficult for Trump. He is known for holding various trademarks and this would be no exception. If he were to file a trademark on this particular expression, the USPTO might deny him. Shota doesn have a favourite priest to sketch, but says: do like the facial structure with aging on middle aged and old men which is orientated to my Japanese Wabi Sabi sense. As characters, he loves Ted, as got all sorts of desires and ambitions in every area. Like everyone else, he loves the nefarious Fr Fintan Stack, www.cheapjerseysfromchinasale.com memorably played by Brendan Grace. wholesale nfl jerseys from china

wholesale jerseys Others will work because the flavors, ingredients and additives (usually natural extracts) will mean the pH effects of you bait on water and fish food detection cells are favourable to induce fish to identify it as potential food and at least mouth it. You bait does not need to be expensive to make nor time consuming either. Having made baits for decades I realise some bait formats like round boilies and even barrel shapes take time because you are adding to the number of steps involved, but this not necessary at all.. wholesale jerseys

Cheap Jerseys free shipping The winning entry in 1897 was to refer to the school as 'Ole Miss.' In the beginning, the University of Mississippi athletic teams were known as the Mississippi Flood. This did not really seem any more ridiculous than naming your sports teams 'The Crmson Tide' of 'The Green Wave.' Apparently, in the post reconstruction South, multicolored natural disasters were not all that uncommon. Forturnately, for the Southeast region, there were more than enough Tigers and Bulldogs in the area to combat such disasters Cheap Jerseys free shipping.

1 note · View note

saleintothe90s · 6 years

Text

353. The final Cheers (May 20, 1993)

When I was little, I was mildly obsessed with Cheers. I watched it with my parents almost every day in syndication, before the news. I had the expanded TV Guide cover for the series finale on my wall above my bed the week this episode aired. Where they’re all trying to figure out Norm’s bar tab.

Right before I graduated from Mary Baldwin in 2010, I found a tape at the local library book sale, it was unlabeled. It just had the clip show and the finale on it, recorded off the NBC station in nearby Charlottesville, Virginia. I thought I accidentally got rid of the tape, until I found it again recently:

I uploaded the entire clip show and finale with commercials intact, in 13 parts, because that’s all Streamable allows are 10 minute clips. Although yes you can watch the finale on dailymotion, isn’t it more fun with the commercials? You get that real right before the Summer of 1993 feeling.

(1 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)

*note, i’ve been told by my readers that streamable doesn’t work on mobile. I am so sorry about that. for some reason dailymotion doesn’t work for me anymore when I try to upload ?? Anybody else having this problem ?? Multiple question marks.

Four things about the clip show:

1. I am absolutely dead at the scene with Fraiser and his ivy vest, trying to Cliff Note Dickens with the gang.

2. Only Diane would wear giant shoulder pads, a suit, and a lace blouse with a collar almost up to her chin to her (almost) wedding to Sam.

3. Sam has grey hair behind the scenes at rehearsal, but you can tell in the makeup chair that they cover it up. Maybe with the stuff Doris used on Jay Sherman in the first episode of The Critic:

4. At the end, Bob Costas says, “CRANK UP THE VCR, THIS SHOULD BE A KEEPER!”

Notes for the episode

1. The crowd at the bar is watching the Cable Ace Awards. That was a thing back then, cable shows had its own award show because the Emmys didn’t recognize them -- the awards would be discontinued in 1997. The boys were looking for for Kim Alexis, but instead Diane won a Cable Ace!

2. “Oh, yes, the beginning of your political career. It started out as a small joke and turned into an enormous one.” - Frasier on Woody being elected to city council.

3. Rebecca is wearing about 50 yards of fabric. As we all did in 1993.

4. The first episode of cheers began with Champagne, (Diane and her Professor’s botched engagement) and the last episode of Cheers begins with Champagne (Rebecca and Don’s botched engagement).

5. The shot when Diane calls Sam looks like it was filmed six states away.

6. Carla’s major freakout when Diane enters Cheers.

7. I forgot that Diane and Woody knew each other, but they shared about 1 1/2 years together on the show.

8. The scene where Diane and Sam, and their faux spouses eat at Melville’s upstairs was so strange to me when I originally saw this when I was 9. Was this the only time we saw the inside of Melvilles?! I just remember it being so PINK. Rebecca finally said yes to Don, btw.

9. Binging with Babish needs to make the dessert Sam describes to Diane:

You know, it's just that they, uh, they have this great dessert here, but you have to order it for two.

What kind of dessert is it? Well, they start with ice cream.

I love ice cream.

Oh, no, but this is the best ice cream.

It's sweet, rich, creamy.

What do they do to it? Cover it with lots and lots of thick raspberry sauce all over.

All over? They can't stop themselves.

Sounds so sinful.

There's more.

More? What more could they do? Well, they heat up the raspberry sauce.

How hot do they get it? How hot would you like it?

10. Aw, Woody got Norm a job with the City of Boston.

11. Hanger-oner Paul is in this episode way too much. Paul looks kinda duck-like to me.

12. Sam, ain’t noone curr that you and Diane are getting married. It’s bizarre that Sam would just walk away from Cheers like that so suddenly.

13. Diane: The screenplay for which I was so extravagantly honored was based on your life.

Carla: You were my inspiration. Really?

Diane: Yes.It's the story of a resilient, hard working mother, bucking all odds to raise her six children.

Carla: Six? I got eight.

Diane: Good God! You breed like a fly!

Carla: Well, uh, this movie- people liked it?

Daine: They loved it, Carla.People were inspired by the plight of my heroine.

Carla: Yeah? Well, what happens to me? I mean, you know, to her, in the end.

Diane: Well out of the despair and frustration of her unmanageable life, she goes berserk and takes out a few people with an Uzi.

14. Sam and Diane’s airplane seats are gigantic. Sam is manspreading big time here.

15. Does Carla have BABY EARRINGS?! WE NEED CARLA BABY EARRINGS RIGHT NOW. SOMEONE PUT THEM ON ETSY.

16. Norm: Gonna go home to Vera.

Sam: Vera?

Norm: My wife.Maybe you remember her? That is her name, isn't it? See ya

17. Sam: Doc, help me out here, man. You want a fine cigar? Huh?

Frasier: I'd love to, Sam, but Lilith just called and she wants me to bring home Chinese tonight.I I hope she meant the food.She's been really weird lately and you know...

Speaking of Lilith, I wonder why she wasn’t in the final episode.

18. Aw, the sweetest scene is everybody coming back after pretending to be mad at Sam.

19. Rebecca’s outfit. She got married in that.

20. “Know what, Sammy, I love that stool! If there's a heaven, I don't want to go there unless my stool is waiting for me.”

21. I watched this with my parents when I was 9, when Sam said, “Sorry! We’re closed!”, 9 year old me began bawling. My mom took me to bed that night, and I was still crying, and she was like, “Cheers will still be on tv!”

Commercial notes

(for comparison, here are WICD’s commercials from Illinois.)

The Bud commercial with the guys rescuing the baby cows!

Ambush in Waco was a TV movie that was put together just a month after the Waco standoff ended. Tim Daly from Wings played David Koresh!

Mad About You ran a very special commercial where they watch Cheers, but Paul insists that he has never heard the Cheers theme song. Mad About You came on on Saturdays back in 1993!

There was a promo for the final episode of Saved by the Bell, and the first episode of the college years. Why do the boys look SO much older from the last episode of SBTB to the first episode of College Years? SBTB fans, help.

The reporter in the Channel 29 news report calls President Clinton “Mr. Clinton”... Mister? Look at that janky set. A faux plant and a broken computer.

Just like the Waco movie, there was a movie about Hurricane Andrew, which happened the previous Summer. I’m sure the people whose neighborhoods were blown away by Andrew really appreciated it.

“THE STARS ARE BACK ON NBC!!” “HEY! I NEVER LEFT!” Oh, yall know that Frasier’s dad, John Maroney was a guest on Cheers?

Oh god, Jay and Branford Marsalis. They didn’t get along. I found the entire Tonight Show episode on YouTube, where everybody gets drunk.

I want to thank everybody for all the notes I got on this post.

17 notes · View notes

australianopal-us · 3 years

Text

The Black Opals of Lightning Ridge

Australia's Governor General, the Honourable Bill Hayden AC, named the opal as Australia's national gemstone on 27th July 1993. Of all Australia's opal, black opal is the most exotic, treasured and looked for. Around 95% of world's supply come from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales or "The Ridge" as it is known locally.

I first travelled to "The Ridge" in 1999, it was a year of good rains and even in the summer the countryside appeared to have a green tinge. The road and surrounding plains are relentlessly flat marked occasionally with a distant farmhouse or shed. A contrast to later visits following eight years of drought meant that some children and dogs had grown up never knowing rain. Located 8 hours drive North West of Sydney near New South Wales border with Queensland, Lightning Ridge is less a ridge than an ever so slight rise of ground swelling out of Australia's wide brown plains. Sparsely vegetated with scruffy eucalyptus and native grasses, the entire area's covered with houses, camp sites and shanties. At night roaring portable generators power all the dwellings that are beyond the reach of the towns electricity supply.

The town is a decent size with paved roads and smart houses that decay at the fringes to the shanty town of the surrounding mine sites. The population officially is around 1,000 people although the membership at a local bowls club boasts more than 2,400. No one can really say how many souls inhabit the local area but the black opal attracts people from all over the world to live and dig for the luminescent gems.

In my many visits I have met an aging ex showgirl from Paris, investment bankers, politicians and even the make-up artist who looked after Elizabeth Taylor in some of her biggest films like Ben Hur and Cleopatra. Fortune has favoured many black opal seekers, others have found solace and friendship in the outback community and have never left. This town in many ways is still a frontier of sorts, hellishly hot in summer and subject to flooding of the nearby river at times. The swarms of flood mosquitoes can on occasions be so intense it is almost impossible to see and breathe if you venture outdoors unprotected.

There are many rather unique sights and places to visit in "The Ridge." One of the pastimes of visitors is to sift through some piles of dirt that miners have left aside in their diggings. This is known as "noodling" and a number of famous black opals have been found this way. What better way to relax after a day of sifting through the dirt and dust than to swim in the bath water hot Artesian Bores. These bores are from Australia's Artesian Basin, when rain falls upon the inland side of the Great Dividing Range, the water seeps underground and a million or so years later bubbles above ground into artificial pools. A nifty local way to keep cool in summer is to wear a light shirt into the water, when you step out into the hot wind the evaporative effect is so cooling it takes your breath away!

Another unusual way to look around the camp sites is to take the self drive "Car Door Tour," the painted doors of cars have been hung in trees. This way you can take the red door tour or green and so on guided by tree bound car doors. It is a great way to find your way around the maze of opal diggings without needing your GPS to get home. This is worth doing just to get a glimpse of outback architecture such as the Astronomers Monument and Amigo's Castle along with other unique building styles. In town there is the house built of bottles, numerous opal mine tours and a number of shops where you can buy the precious black opal gems. One of the more unusual things you are ever likely to do is pub crawl through the bush taking a swig at "The Glengarry Hilton," "The Sheepyard Inn" and "The Club in the Scrub."

Below ground is of course where most of the action lies for miners of black opal. Visitors are not excluded from the cool tunnels, tours undertake to show sculptures and even a cinema underground. There are many eccentricities about Lightning Ridge and the people who live in the black opal country. Overall, like many places of the world, the heart of Lightning Ridge lies in its community, it's why I keep returning.

This article was written by Tim G who has been a regular visitor to Lightning Ridge for the last 12 years. More on black opals and Lightning Ridge can be found at his website on black opal.

#black opal

0 notes

lopezayiesha01 · 3 years

Text

$10000 메이저놀이터추천 DREAM! HIGH ROLLER SESSION! #3174

Saskatchewan introduced VLTs in 1993, primarily to encourage business at establishments in smaller communities (which faced competition from out-of-province casinos, prior to the opening of several commercial and First Nations casinos in the province). Even lesser bettors are offered reduced-fare transportation, hotel rooms, free drinks and cigarettes while gambling, and other inducements. It was regulated, which as a rule meant severely curtailed, in the laws of ancient China and Rome as well as in the Jewish Talmud and by Islam and Buddhism, and in ancient Egypt inveterate gamblers could be sentenced to forced labour in the quarries. Each province has imposed caps on the number of VLTs that may operate in their province, and Nova Scotia has enforced a moratorium on new VLT sites and attrition on existing sites outside of First Nations reservations (taking VLTs out of service permanently if a site closes or removes them).

The dealer has a qualifying hand Your hand beats the dealer’s hand So, if you get dealt Aces’ full, for example, but the dealer shows quads, you will lose the hand and won’t receive any payouts. http://edition.cnn.com/search/?text=토토사이트 With the passage of time it became standard for decks to contain a King, Queen, Knight, and Valet and total about 56 cards. There are 7 possible outcomes where only one die will match the number Teen patti: In the case where two players have flushes with cards of the same value, the winning hand is based on suit color as ranked by clubs, hearts, spades, diamonds.

The Casino Control Commission in Atlantic City releases a monthly report showing the win/hold amounts for each casino. ne of the most obvious traits inherited from Spain are the standing kings. Kings from Italian, Portuguese, or Germanic cards are seated. The strategy here is never to take a card if there is any chance of going bust. Utterly ubiquitous, playing cards blend comfortably into the background of experience as a way of passing time, and because they are used as randomisers or markers in games, playing cards are most often seen as a means to an end rather than the focus of attention.

On the eve of the First World War the city was home to the 20th Batailion of Foot Chasseurs at the Haxo barracks - some buildings of which remain today. The dealer continues to deal from the shoe until coming to the plastic insert card, which indicates that it is time to reshuffle.Wild numbers – Many bingo halls will have certain games with a wild number. There are 52 playing cards in a traditional French-suited card pack.

It is popular in France, the Low Countries, Central Europe and Russia and is used to play piquet, belote, bezique and skat. Often, brick-and-mortar casinos will use red plastic for discard trays.Even the games that are slightly more complicated wouldn’t be considered difficult. There’s also strategy and how you play the games themselves.

Sometimes a cut card is used. The card counting system does nothing but gives you a technique to estimate the ratio of low and high cards in a deck to know the amount of cash to bet with a point value of +1 or_1. Each time you deal with aces, you subtract one, and each time you deal with a low card, you have a plus one.Keno /kiːnoʊ/ is a lottery-like gambling game often played at modern casinos, and also offered as a game by some state lotteries. Such a rule reduces the potential for misunderstanding in loud environments, as well as disputes over the amount that the player intended to bet after the outcome has been decided.

The key element of pai gow strategy is to present the optimal front and rear hands based on the tiles dealt to the player. nother growing form of Internet gambling is the so-called betting exchanges—Internet Web sites on which players make wagers with one another, with the Web site taking a small cut of each wager in exchange for organizing and handling the transaction. 토토사이트 Each trial is independent, and the house advantage still is 5.26 percent. As different individual points are made by the shooter, they will be marked on the craps layout with a fire symbol.

Casinos which allow put betting allows players to increase or make new pass/come bets after the come-out roll. In 1982, several casinos in Britain began to lose large sums of money at their roulette tables to teams of gamblers from the USA.But understand that regardless of how well you play, sometimes -- the majority of times, in fact -- the house edge is going to grind down your bankroll. Want to immerse yourself in the game of blackjack even further? Start off with these three essential blackjack movies.

0 notes

howaminotinthestrokesyet · 4 years

Text

The Black Crowes: A Personal Retrospective

The Black Crowes was the first concert I ever attended in 1993. I was a sophomore in high school back then. I had listened to their debut album and more recent to the concert their second album quite a bit since receiving them via Columbia House. Ahh, good old Columbia House providing me with the foundation of my music preferences for years to come, as well as multiple copies of the Wayne’s World soundtrack because I forgot to send the card back. I did not just like the radio singles, but other deep cuts as well like “Seeing Things.” I remember a friend’s mom gave us a ride to the show. We were at the show really early, which was my first introduction to the immense boredom that occurs at every live show ever. The Jayhawks opened for them and my friend would always remind me in later years how good they were that night. Yup, the band disappeared by the mid nineties, so probably not that good. In 2015, I found an EP by them on vinyl at a record store. I looked at it and could immediately hear Obi-Wan saying in my head, now that is a name I have not heard in a long, long time. I bought the record and I can see it right now as I write this hanging on my loft wall. The one thing I recall about the Black Crowes was the fact that they played “Remedy,” which was brand new. Anything else from that night is overwhelmingly vague. This is probably because after the show I got drunk on frozen Budweiser making it my second time ever. I played an indoor soccer game the next day and still felt drunk. That would be a sign of things to come. I lost touch with the Black Crowes when I went to college until my brother mentioned that they were still making some pretty good records. This led me back to Amorica that some fans actually think is their best album. I had totally missed this record as it was actually released when I was in high school, but I guess better late than never. Yet, looking back now, people forget how good tracks like “Wiser Time,” “A Conspiracy” actually were back then. They also forget that their second album was so much more than the song, “Remedy.”

In 2005, I went with my uncle to see the band open for Tom Petty at Summerfest in Milwaukee. I was probably the only person there to see the Black Crowes. I was filled with heightened expectations and had all those expectations dashed over the course of their set. They had become a jam band so each song was 10-15 minutes long. This disappointed me to no end because I did not care for long instrumentals because that meant less songs in a band’s set overall. Also, I find such bands boring, plain and simple. The other thing about the show was the fact we were at the top of these wooden bleachers. Every 30 seconds, I felt they were going to topple backwards sending us all to the hospital. I remember going back a few years later and noticing the bleachers had been replaced. Thank the lord for small favors.

A couple of years later, I saw them play the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. Everyone was dressed up in costume except for me. I did not get that memo apparently. The band came out dressed as AC/DC performing “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution.” That cover song made the whole show worth the price of admission. I ended up leaving early because the place was sold out making the whole venue incredibly hot as I stood next to a guy dressed as a shower. After hearing “Seeing Things,” I decided to go making sure not to miss my train as I had work in the morning. I was sad to see the Robinson brothers hate each other for a long time thinking that was it for any live Crowes anymore.

Yet, in 2018, Chris Robinson toured with the band As the Crow Flies, which played mostly Black Crowes. It was damn lucky that I even figured out it was him because I had glanced past that on Songkick probably ten times at least. I had forgotten how good Chris Robinson was live as I saw him dancing on stage while singing the sounds of my youth. They were halfway between a jam band and radio friendly band, which also made me happy I have to admit. Later this year, pandemic permitting, I will be seeing the reunited Crowes performing that first album in full. I would not miss this show for anything in the world because perhaps I do not write about music without the gift that was my first concert ever. And so it goes.

0 notes

bestautochicago · 7 years

Text

Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX

Think of Subaru today and, besides the excellent BRZ sports car it codeveloped with Toyota, you most likely envision outdoorsy owners happily shuttling Fido around in a boxy, all-wheel-drive wagon. But long before the BRZ, there was another three-letter Subaru sports coupe: the SVX. Never heard of it? You’re forgiven.

Subaru’s U.S. roots date to 1968, when the brand was established as a contrarian, would-be alternative to Volkswagen, Toyota, and Datsun. That’s when Malcolm Bricklin founded Subaru of America in the celebrated automotive hotbed of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Bricklin is the same wildcatter who later produced a gullwing-doored sports car bearing his name in New Brunswick, Canada, and later imported the much-vilified Yugo to these shores.

By the early 1990s Subaru’s automotive business was taking off, and the automotive division of Fuji Heavy Industries decided to build a halo car to take on BMW. Yes, the brand associated with all-wheel-drive economy cars, most of which were station wagons, conceived a plan to offer a Subaru that could be a German luxury coupe competitor. And while the car maker was at it, Subaru figured it might as well poach some Lexus SC sales and maybe a few Mercedes-Benz SL intenders.

Subaru’s secret weapon was the SVX, an angular design by Giorgetto Giugiaro whose resume includes the BMW M1, DeLorean DMC-12, and Maserati Bora. How could Subaru miss with Italian design, seating for four, a very plush interior, a responsive six-cylinder boxer engine, and all-wheel drive? And smaller, operable windows within its larger stationary windows, like the DeLorean and Lamborghini Countach? The car was aerodynamically sleek, with an impressive drag coefficient of 0.29.

Giugiaro’s initial concept made its debut at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. Response was enthusiastic, and the Alcyone SVX—the name a reference to the brightest star in the Pleiades cluster as seen on Subaru’s logo—entered production for the 1992 model year, looking very much like the original show car. In the U.S., the car was simply badged SVX (Subaru Vehicle X) for its five-year run.

The SVXs were uncommon, but they weren’t flamboyant in an exotic-car way, so the stir Subaru hoped to cause never really came.

As it happened, the SVX didn’t really bring that star glow to the rest of the line. It was something of an orphan within its own family, having little in common with the more run-of-the-mill Legacy and Impreza models. One of the car’s perceived shortcomings was the fact it came only with a four-speed automatic transmission, Subaru not having a manual gearbox capable of handling the 3.3-liter engine’s 230 hp and 228 lb-ft of torque. But the real problem was that the SVX retailed for almost $10,000 more than any other Subaru despite rumors Subaru lost roughly $3,000 on each one. Those unsustainable economics led to the car’s cancellation at the end of the 1996 model year with no successor planned. Subaru sold a little more than 14,000 in the U.S. despite expected sales of 10,000 per year. Cars were sold Stateside into the following year as 1997 models.

The SVXs were uncommon, but they weren’t flamboyant in an exotic-car way, so the stir Subaru hoped to cause never really came. But that’s changing. Scott King and Sandy Edelstein own the SVX finished in Polo Green seen here. “It’s an intriguing car, different and weird,” King says. “You’re a celebrity when you drive this car. People have no idea what it is, and the Subaru badging just adds to the confusion.”

Their car is a top-of-the line 1996 LSi that still looks somewhat anonymous after all these years, though that rear spoiler seems to have lots in common with the configuration seen on the Lotus Esprit, another Giugiaro design. The exterior is pleasing and smooth but visually engaging, while the interior is absolutely sumptuous. The seats are upholstered in buttery beige leather, but there are also rich brown suede-swathed door and dash panels.

That six-cylinder boxer engine might foster Porsche thoughts, and driving an SVX does offer a solid, almost Stuttgartesque experience. The steering gives weighted assurance without any jitters, irrespective of road surface. It’s a pleasant car to drive, accepting of an active driver’s input or a more laissez-faire approach. It is quick enough, scooting from 0 to 60 mph in a tad more than 7 seconds and onward to a top speed of 154 mph (reduced to 143 mph via a speed limiter in post-1993 cars). Torque-split for U.S. market cars is up to 50/50 front/rear in low-grip situations and 90/10 in normal driving; Japanese versions were more rear-biased. A handful of front-wheel-drive SVXs were sold in the U.S. for the 1994-’95 model years in lower trim models as a cost-cutting measure, but the option was unpopular and discontinued after just two years.

Italian DNA: The SVX’s look was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also penned the DeLorean DMC-12. Note the window-in-window feature and a sleek interior with hidden stereo system.

King and Edelstein bought the car from the original owners with just 53,000 miles on the odometer, and to most eyes it’s quite flawless. Edelstein, however, says it’s one paint job away from perfection. The SVX is best appreciated on highways and interstates, which is, after all, where grand tourers are meant to be. “It’s just a joy to drive, and you get a panoramic view you don’t get in any other car,” King says.

On a practical note, it has a big trunk with folding rear seats for trips to Home Depot. And even the window-in-widow design isn’t much of a hindrance. “We actually owned a DeLorean, and the SVX’s windows are much better for a drive-through restaurant. You can theoretically crawl out of it in an emergency.” Well, maybe if you have a 28-inch waist. With all that glass, it’s a literal comfort to hear King boast, “It has the coldest AC we had in any of our cars.”

The SVX is a rolling paradox. It is more than capable of providing the kind of enhanced driving experience associated with traditional prestigious makes, but its eccentricity is partially its charm. Today, it’s one of the better classic-car values going, and the odds of parking next to another one at cars and coffee are slim to none. With classic Japanese sports cars becoming ever more collectible, now is a great time to jump on the SVX bandwagon.

Living with the SVX

A positive aspect of SVX ownership is the active community of owners who keep each other posted on parts, service tips, and events. Mark Schneider, who lives in the Houston area, is one such enthusiast who runs the SVX Nation group on Facebook. His ’95 LSi had more than 189,000 miles on the clock when he bought it, and he immediately proceeded to use it on his 100-mile daily commute. He says he’s seen an SVX with 300,000-plus miles, one of 30 that showed up for the most recent national meet in Lafayette, Indiana, where Subaru builds the Outback, Legacy, and Impreza.

Schneider remembers being a child when a neighbor bought an SVX and—you could see this coming—“The windows blew me away. I was infatuated.” That love affair has blossomed now that he’s had a chance to spend quality time on the other side of those windows. “They’re just beasts on the highway,” Schneider says. “You can park it at 85 mph for thousands of miles. That’s its happy place.” Which is just what he did when he drove his car more than 2,000 miles to Lafayette and back.

The automatic transmission remains an image problem, but it can be a mechanical issue as well, especially on early production cars. There is, however, a solution that addresses both concerns: Remove it. Schneider fitted his SVX with a five-speed manual sourced from a later WRX. “The original intent and design precluded a manual,” he says, “but with one installed it’s a completely different animal and a hoot and a half to drive.”

As with just about any collectible, you are well advised to spend a bit more to get a well-cared-for example. Parts availability is getting to be problematic since there’s not a whole lot of interchangeability with lesser Subies. The throttle positioning sensor for a ’95 Legacy will set you back $55, and one for an SVX could be as much as $350. That said, SVX Nation is a great source if your local Subaru dealer isn’t. As Schneider notes, “A lot of the younger Subaru techs have no idea why this strange spaceship has rolled into the dealer’s service bay.” As a result, he urges new owners to find someone “who actually knows what it is” when it comes time to work on it.

The Market Perspective

With the SVX’s rarity and the uptick in general values for collectible Japanese cars, you might think that these sporty Subies have taken off in value. You’d be wrong; the market has remained virtually flat for the SVX, regardless of year or trim level. That means you should be able to find a solid example for well under $10,000. Start looking at the $5,000 price point to avoid bottom-feeder examples needing lots of overdue maintenance.—Rory Jurnecka

The Specs

ENGINE 3.3L DOHC flat-6/230 hp, 228 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic DRIVE All wheel or front wheel SUSPENSION Struts BRAKES Discs WEIGHT 3,580 lb

The Info

MODEL YEARS 1992-1997 NUMBER SOLD 24,379 (globally, including 14,257 in U.S.) ORIGINAL PRICE (U.S.) $24,445 (’91 base SVX L), $36,740 (’96 SVX LSi) VALUE TODAY $3,900-$4,700*

*Hagerty average value (www.hagerty.com)

Source: http://chicagoautohaus.com/collectible-classic-1992-1997-subaru-svx/

from Chicago Today https://chicagocarspot.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/collectible-classic-1992-1997-subaru-svx-2/

0 notes

eddiejpoplar · 7 years

Text

Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX

The SVXs were uncommon, but they weren’t flamboyant in an exotic-car way, so the stir Subaru hoped to cause never really came.

Italian DNA: The SVX’s look was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also penned the DeLorean DMC-12. Note the window-in-window feature and a sleek interior with hidden stereo system.

Living with the SVX

blem, but it can be a mechanical issue as well, especially on early production cars. There is, however, a solution that addresses both concerns: Remove it. Schneider fitted his SVX with a five-speed manual sourced from a later WRX. “The original intent and design precluded a manual,” he says, “but with one installed it’s a completely different animal and a hoot and a half to drive.”

The Market Perspective

The Specs

ENGINE 3.3L DOHC flat-6/230 hp, 228 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic DRIVE All wheel or front wheel SUSPENSION Struts BRAKES Discs WEIGHT 3,580 lb

The Info

MODEL YEARS 1992-1997 NUMBER SOLD 24,379 (globally, including 14,257 in U.S.) ORIGINAL PRICE (U.S.) $24,445 (’91 base SVX L), $36,740 (’96 SVX LSi) VALUE TODAY $3,900-$4,700*

*Hagerty average value (www.hagerty.com)

The post Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

from Performance Junk Blogger 6 http://ift.tt/2BevFtd via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger 6

0 notes

jesusvasser · 7 years

Text

Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX

The SVXs were uncommon, but they weren’t flamboyant in an exotic-car way, so the stir Subaru hoped to cause never really came.

Italian DNA: The SVX’s look was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also penned the DeLorean DMC-12. Note the window-in-window feature and a sleek interior with hidden stereo system.

Living with the SVX

The Market Perspective

The Specs

ENGINE 3.3L DOHC flat-6/230 hp, 228 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic DRIVE All wheel or front wheel SUSPENSION Struts BRAKES Discs WEIGHT 3,580 lb

The Info

MODEL YEARS 1992-1997 NUMBER SOLD 24,379 (globally, including 14,257 in U.S.) ORIGINAL PRICE (U.S.) $24,445 (’91 base SVX L), $36,740 (’96 SVX LSi) VALUE TODAY $3,900-$4,700*

*Hagerty average value (www.hagerty.com)

The post Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

from Performance Junk WP Feed 4 http://ift.tt/2BevFtd via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk WP Feed 4

0 notes

jonathanbelloblog · 7 years

Text

Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX

The SVXs were uncommon, but they weren’t flamboyant in an exotic-car way, so the stir Subaru hoped to cause never really came.

Italian DNA: The SVX’s look was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also penned the DeLorean DMC-12. Note the window-in-window feature and a sleek interior with hidden stereo system.

Living with the SVX

The Market Perspective

The Specs

ENGINE 3.3L DOHC flat-6/230 hp, 228 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic DRIVE All wheel or front wheel SUSPENSION Struts BRAKES Discs WEIGHT 3,580 lb

The Info

MODEL YEARS 1992-1997 NUMBER SOLD 24,379 (globally, including 14,257 in U.S.) ORIGINAL PRICE (U.S.) $24,445 (’91 base SVX L), $36,740 (’96 SVX LSi) VALUE TODAY $3,900-$4,700*

*Hagerty average value (www.hagerty.com)

The post Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

from Performance Junk Blogger Feed 4 http://ift.tt/2BevFtd via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger Feed 4

0 notes

howaminotinthestrokesyet · 4 years

Text

The Black Crowes: A Personal Retrospective

0 notes

itsworn · 7 years

Text

Jamie Marsh’s 1993 Ford Mustang Fox-body is a Roush Stage 3 Tribute

“The car was built to be a reliable driver, while still handling the occasional autocross or track day,” says Jamie Marsh from Lancaster, South Carolina. “The upgraded brakes and springs, along with the added power of the supercharger, have made the car a fast, reliable weekend warrior.”

Jamie’s Fox-body started life as your run of the mill Performance White 5.0 LX hatchback with an AOD. Since the car first rolled into the dealership brand new, this 1993 5.0 LX has always been a part of Jamie’s life. It all started senior year of high school when his best friend, Isaac Rush, received the then brand-new Fox-body as a graduation present. Jamie even tagged along to the dealership with him to pick it up. Senior year was full of memories in the Fox-body, and after that Isaac used it to commute to and from Wilmington for college for several years after that.

During those college years, the LX fell victim to wheel thieves, and at the expense of the insurance company, Jamie’s friend opted to forego the standard silver ponies, and ordered some factory summer edition white ponies as a replacement.

Not completely content with the Pony R wheels, he vigorously searched for a set of 1999-2004 18-inch Roush wheels to complete the 1993 RS3 look. After a long search, he found a set of flaking 18×9 Roush wheels that he completely stripped down and refinished in a shade of white that almost perfect matches the 20-plus year old factory color.

After college graduation in Wilmington, the car made its way to Virginia Beach. Always wanting a five-speed manual, the car was retired from daily driving duties and was swapped over using a fresh factory Ford T-5Z with all accompanying hardware. Soon it was sporting FRPP B springs, FRPP shorty headers, 3G alternator, Kenny Brown subframe connectors, and 3.73 gears. The interior was given an Auto Meter Ultra-lite amp; oil; and water gauges below the radio; and a FRPP shift knob.

As most of us know, life goes on and time changes things. Isaac was soon was engaged, and he lost interest in the car. Jamie purchased the car from him in 2008. “I had just wrecked my Honda autocross/road race car, and was looking to mod this thing to autocross and track,” Jamie explains.

Getting straight to work, Jamie swapped over to 1995 front spindles and hubs and fitted the front with 13-inch Cobra brakes and installed 5-lug drums on the rear. For better handling, he added Steeda competition springs and caster camber plates from Maximum Motorsports. He then swapped out the shorty headers for MAC longtubes, a MAC 2.5-inch x-pipe, and one-chamber Flowmaster mufflers and tailpipes. To set off the exterior, he went with a set of Chrome 2003 Cobra wheels.

Fast forward to 2010, and Isaac expressed interest in buying the car back. “I had other projects at the time, and didn’t mind one bit,” Jamie said. Isaac requested a set of factory Ford Bullitt wheels in place of the chrome 2003 Cobras, and Jamie was happy to help.

Three years had gone by, Jamie’s longtime buddy decided to buy some land and build a house and the car was offered back to Jamie yet again. “In April of 2013, I drove the car through snow and crazy weather to bring the car back home to stay this time. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the car, but I did have a polished Vortech SQ supercharger that was intended for a previous project, so that was a definitely part of the master plan,” Jamie tells us.

Right around the same time, another good friend had picked up an old Roush intake at the Autofair in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Sam at Out to Pasture Pony Parts. “None of us really knew anything about it, but I did know this would make the perfect centerpiece for my build,” Jamie says. “We hadn’t seen one in person, and I was able to talk my friend out of it and started researching. Luckily, the intake was mostly complete. It still had some of the key pieces to make it work.”

The metal gaskets were intact, as well as the intake specific fuel rail. With it being set up for a supercharger, Jamie knew it was meant to be. After doing some digging, he found out that the intake was taken from a 1995 Roush Stage 3 Mustang out of a performance shop in California. It also sported serial number 0007 out of just 100 of these intakes produced.

“According to a reputable Roush forum, only 18 were put on Roush turnkey cars, hence the serial numbers,” Jamie explains. “The remaining intakes were put on sale to the public but didn’t sell well due to the price. They sold kits to fit Fox cars, but were mainly intended for the 1994-1995 models.” That’s when Jamie found out that he had a rare piece on his hands.

The initial plan was to install the Roush intake with the Vortech SQ supercharger and leave the car stock otherwise, but then he thought, “How is anyone going to know about my special piece of history under the hood?” That’s when the idea came to life of building the car around the Roush intake and to make his very own version of what a Roush Stage 3 may have looked like back in 1993 if Jack Roush had made a turnkey car.

“The first step, the installation of the intake, was more difficult than anticipated,” Jamie said. The intake was huge, and it required things that had to be procured that he wasn’t aware of until after they had started the process. Jamie and a friend decided to do the install a week before Mustang Week 2013, and they ended up pushing hard to get it finished. For the intake to work on the Fox, it needed two 1994-1995 style valve covers without oil fill holes, a 1994-1995 throttle linkage, and TPS.

“I had very little time and was lucky enough for Mike at East Coast Mustang to get me everything that I needed,” says Jamie. “Along with the intake, we installed GT40 heads reworked by Kannapolis Engine Service, a MSD Digital 6AL, a Contour dual fan setup, an upgraded aluminum radiator, 340lph in-tank fuel pump, 42 lb/hr injectors, the previously mentioned Vortech SQ supercharger, and an Auto Meter boost gauge mounted Roush-style in the AC vent.

After that, Jamie added 1995 Cobra 11.65-inch rear brakes to complement the front 13-inch Cobra brakes already in place. To tie everything together, Rob from Powercurve Motorsports got the car in at the last minute and got it tuned and ready just in the nick of time for Mustang Week. While there, the car made 419 horsepower and 401 lb-ft torque, even with the stock cam and stock rockers.

After the week full of Mustangs and sunshine in Myrtle Beach, Jamie decided it was time finish off the look. He purchased a set of Corbeau LG1 seats and harnesses, and Matt at Fox Mustang Restoration rewrapped the rear seats in matching fabric.

Fast forward to Mustang Week 2015, Jamie submitted a photo and a short description to Gibson exhaust as they were searching for a display car. Jamie was lucky enough to display his Roush tribute Fox-body as their Mustang Week display car to show off their new BMF muffler series. “Gibson exhaust sent me a pre-production handmade set of their new BMF mufflers before Mustang Week, and the car was started and revved numerous times during the event, and everyone loved the sound,” Jamie tells us.

In the summer of 2016, he was contacted by Mike Rey, the marketing director for Roush, who had seen his car at Mustang Week and offered a personal invitation for Jamie’s car to be displayed at the Mustang Memories show at the Ford World Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. The car would sit in a special section dedicated to 40 years of Roush. “I was beside myself, but knew that the 11-hour drive, hotel and traveling expenses, and time off work were probably more than I could afford, and I had to politely turn him down. As soon as a couple of friends heard about the opportunity, they told me that I had to go. They graciously helped me with the expenses, and we made the August trip. It was awesome to be parked right next to the Roush trailer in my creation with these other beautiful Roush cars,” Jamie said. Jamie was presented with the Roush sponsor award for the show.

The biggest highlight Jamie’s build came earlier this year at a Roush Fenway fan appreciation day. He had taken the day off to attend the event hoping to take a piece off his car for Jack Roush himself to sign. Upon arrival, he was told to park in a grassy area, which required driving over a 3-inch concrete curb. Jamie knew the car couldn’t make it over and tried to back out of it. After some trouble with the parking attendant, Jamie ran into Lyle Sturgis from Tindol Ford, one of the key organizers of the event, and he recognized the car. Lyle told Jamie to go ahead and park beside the other Roush Mustangs at the event. “All of the actual parking spots were full so Lyle directed me right between the display and the other Mustangs, and then asked if I would like Jack Roush to sign my car. I couldn’t say yes fast enough!”

Jack was going to be spending a few moments with each Roush owner and sign their cars. Jack went down the row of newly purchased Roush Mustangs and as he reached Jamie’s car, his first words were, “I don’t remember building this car.”

“Lyle introduced me to Mr. Roush, and I began to explain to him what I had done. He told me the car looked good, and that I had done a good job. He then went on to sign my dash and Roush intake.” Jamie explains. “I knew at that moment that I had done something right.” A big thank you goes to out his high school friend Isaac for selling him the car and giving a great starting point for his creation, longtime friend Billy White and his dad Rick White for their help turning wrenches, East Coast Mustang’s Mustang Mike for the hard to find parts, Kannapolis Engine Service for the great work on the heads, and Rob at Powercurve Motorsports for a reliable and safe tune, his wife, Barrie, and son, Cooper, for having patience with his hobby, and last but not least, thank you to all the members of Southeastern Foxbodies for all of the support and friendships.

The post Jamie Marsh’s 1993 Ford Mustang Fox-body is a Roush Stage 3 Tribute appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/jamie-marshs-1993-ford-mustang-fox-body-roush-stage-3-tribute/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Hot Rod Network

0 notes

riffrelevant · 7 years

Text

(By Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker, Lead Journalist/Writer, RiffRelevant.com)

Musician Dan Lorenzo (guitarist) was a highly integral component to many of my own earlier, formative music years. His song writing abilities and guitar playing talent were the creative catalyst for the legendary Eighties power metal / thrash band Hades. In that band he helped pioneer the music and sound of the East Coast’s own take on underground music.

Active for over twenty years, Hades released six revered official albums and myriad singles and splits, while also being included on numerous compilations. The band holds a highly revered place in the heads and hearts of metal lovers both old and new to this very day. From Hades, Dan’s creative Jones led to the formation of the amazing Non-Fiction, a band that was quite ahead of its time in my opinion.

Non-Fiction‘s early Nineties existence resulted in three incredible, forward thinking studio releases (1991’s Preface, 1992’s In The Know and 1996’s It’s A Wonderful Lie…). The band’s take on darker progressive metal registered quite well with listeners and fans. It was another so-called feather in the cap for the artistry that Dan Lorenzo encapsulates.

Lorenzo In NON-FICTION

During the early to mid 2000’s, Dan worked as a solo artist and released three phenomenal full-length albums and one EP. On these, he explored a vast swath of differing styles of music and blurred the lines for those obsessed with genre-labeling. Before that decade was over, Lorenzo was part of The Cursed alongside fellow New Jersey staple, Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth (Overkill). Their one and only album to date thus far, 2007’s Room Full Of Sinners, was another landmark where Dan’s creative prowess was displayed.

Now it is 2017 of course and recently, news broke about a new project that Dan Lorenzo is part of. From far out of left field comes the revelation of Vessel Of Light, Dan’s new musical partnership with Nathan “Opposition” Jochum of Ancient VVisdom. As unlikely a pairing that anyone could imagine, Vessel Of Light‘s debut single “Meant To Be” (streaming below) is a somber descent into heavy Doom music with psychedelic, sludge and atmospheric nuances. The duo’s self-titled debut EP will be released through Argonauta Records on November 3rd and promises to be one of the year’s most intriguing offerings.

So, as a long, long time fan and appreciator of all that is Dan Lorenzo musically, I was recently given the opportunity to speak with him. It goes without saying that I jumped into such an exchange without hesitation for Dan really is a major component within several musical outlets that have (and do) mean so much to me. Without further ado, let’s get to the goods that got us here, shall we? It is my pleasure to present you….

The Riff Relevant Interview With Dan Lorenzo!

Pat Riot – Vessel Of Light. Your new project with Nathan Opposition..how did this project come about? You two seem an unlikely pairing as you all are coming from much different musical backgrounds (outside looking in anyway) so who did what, or brought what to the table, in VOL?

Dan – Back in December I was in Austin, Texas. Before I went, my wife was listening to a lot of stoner rock. Neither my wife nor I drink or smoke, but we both like Sabbath-y types of riffs. I Googled “Austin stoner rock” and came upon the video “The Opposition” by the band Ancient VVisdom. I had never heard of them and I rarely like “new” music. At first I was taken aback by the lyrics. I go to church and I have a Jesus tattoo and they were singing Satanic lyrics. I literally watched this video 10-15 times over the next two days. I consider “The Opposition” to be one of the top 20 greatest songs of all-time. I tried to figure out what label Ancient VVisdom were on or a contact address, but I couldn’t find anything. I’m not on Facebook. Eventually I found an email and I wrote saying how much I loved their song and Nathan Opposition wrote me back. I mentioned them in a NJ magazine I write for called Steppin’ Out. I mailed Nathan a copy of the magazine and a HADES and THE CURSED CDs. We spoke on the phone and hit it off. Then one day I got an email from Nathan about the new project he and I were starting! I had no idea what he was talking about as this was never discussed (laughs). I couldn’t say “no” to his idea though. I have hundreds of riffs and I started mailing Nathan some of them.

Pat Riot – What can music fans and listeners expect from the debut album? Do you think it will appeal to your own fans as well as those of Nathan’s?

Dan – Do I have any fans? (laughs) Yeah, if people liked my riffs in Non-Fiction and The Cursed, they will be happy. Nathan’s fans will love it too.

Pat Riot – How did the label deal with Argonauta Records materialize? Can we expect to see VOL play some live gigs at any point?

Dan – I was about to leave for a vacation in Hawaii. Right before I left I was trying to find a doom label and I came across Argonauta. I sent an MP3 to Brian Slagel [Metal Blade] and Argonauta and nobody else. I was at the airport suffering through a United Airlines 12 hour delay and Argonauta wrote me that they were interested in signing us. Gero and I sent a few e-mails back and forth and that was it. As far as live gigs before we got signed I said “No way”…now I want to do some shows. Pat Riot – In the mid-2000s you independently released a string of solo albums (3 full lengths/1 EP)..how were those received in your opinion? As both a solo artist and member of some major legacy-type acts / bands, do you have a preference for one over the other (i.e. solo vs. member of band) and if so, why?

Dan – They are both fun. My whole thing is I despise repetition. My solo stuff was a way to get 30 songs out in 13 months without having more than a couple of rehearsals. Nathan and I only had two rehearsals and then we spent a whopping seven hours in the recording studio recording 6 Vessel Of Light songs. Five days later we had a record deal. That kind of spontaneity is incredibly appealing to me. How were my solo CDs received? With contempt! (laughs) No, the “right” people loved my solo work. Bobby Blitz, Peter [Fletcher, guitarist] from Pigmy Love Circus. Cool people with good taste! (I’ll definitely take THAT as a compliment, ha! – Pat)

Pat Riot – Speaking of “legacy acts”..Hades. This year makes 35 years since the “Deliver Us From Evil” single surfaced, where it all started for Hades. Looking back, what’s your take away from it now, knowing what place Hades holds in the hearts of so many metal fans?

Dan – Oh wow! That was 35 years ago. Damn. It’s nice honestly. Dark Symphonies out of Massachusetts is re-releasing our first two CDs with Demos never released on CD and 20 page booklets inside. Hades was my first love so it will always be special to me.

Pat Riot – Hades’ last studio LP was 2001’s “DamNation” and while I know you are just one member of Hades, has there ever been any serious discussion of a reunion or new record? Dan – Nope. It’s over. I’m still friendly with the guys though and Jimmy Schulman might play bass for VOL live. Pat Riot – Dan, what was the catalyst event be it band, album, concert, etc. that ignited your interest in music as a youth? Who would you cite as some of your primary influences and what did you yourself learn or pick up from them?

Dan – Ace Frehley of Kiss and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. I play nothing like Joe. My few solos are very Ace-like.

Pat Riot – Now, let’s hit upon 2 absolute favorites of mine: First..Non-Fiction. To me, NF was quite progressive in style and really ahead of its time I believe. What fueled the formation of Non-Fiction?

Dan – Trying to be the exact opposite of Hades. Non-Fiction were spontaneous. We took risks. I would write a riff in the dressing room before the show and then we might use that riff as the opener for that night. So much fun. We rarely rehearsed and when we did it was to write new songs. I fucking loved being in Non-Fiction. It was way more fun and way more “me” than Hades was. Pat Riot – And what ultimately led to the demise of Non-Fiction? I learned something in researching for our exchange here that I did not know, that a S/T EP was issued featuring Dan Nastasi (of Mucky Pup, whom I love) on vocals.

Dan – We came home from our 1993 European tour with Overkill and Savatage and things seemed to be moving backwards. Plus I fell in love with a girl named Gina. I was so poor that one day I couldn’t find a quarter for a bagel. I was so bummed. I knew I needed to get a job and I knew that would be the end of Non-Fiction. After that Nastasi and I reunited the original Non-Fiction line-up and called it #9. We got a deal with SPV. We were starting to record and Nastasi got a solo deal and his manager put the kabosh on #9. There is one rough mix from those recordings on my website. The song is called The Story Goes. #9 were the shit. So fucking bad ass.

#gallery-0-3 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-3 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-3 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-3 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

THE CURSED

The Cursed ‘Room Full Of Sinners’

Pat Riot – The Cursed. ‘Room Full Of Sinners’ is such a genre-diverse record..how did that project come to be? What kind of feedback have you gotten over the years since that LP was released?

Dan – Well Blitz was a fan of my first solo cd and we always hit it off. It was weird because I’m not a huge fan of Overkill, but when he started writing to my riffs I realized how incredibly talented Blitz actually is. I think a lot of people loved our CD together, but I think Bobby felt a lit bit uncomfortable promoting it because at that time Overkill was starting a resurgence. All thanks to me getting Ron Lipnicki in the band! ( laughs).Pat Riot – I interviewed Blitz earlier this year and specifically asked about a possible 2nd LP from The Cursed ever happening. He lovingly passed the buck by saying “never say never” but also made clear it was not really his call. What say YOU? Dan – I would have done one, but like I said, Blitz…he didn’t even want me to pay to have a video done for The Cursed, so I’m not going to spend my time writing/rehearsing and recording something I can’t even promote when it’s done. We have a 4 song demo we recorded for The Cursed before we did Room Full Of Sinners. My wife’s favorite song by The Cursed is Lucifiction on that demo. It’s never been released. I would love for Blitz to tell me he wants to re -release the whole thing and include a new song or two. I think we write very well together. (For the record, literally, my fave is “Native Tongue”. – Pat)Pat Riot – OK, Dan..had you not been in Hades, Non-Fiction, The Cursed, Vessel Of Light, etc…what band throughout all of Rock / Metal History would you have liked to been in and why?

Dan – I’d love to take Malcolm’s spot with Bon Scott era AC/DC or maybe The Plasmatics guitarist during A Coup De’ Etat.

Pat Riot – Outside of music, what type of things do you enjoy doing in your “normal, every day life” i.e. hobbies, travel, etc.?

Dan – I play pick-up basketball 4 days a week during the summer. Gina and I have been happily married twenty years and we love to travel. Pat Riot – I have a tradition of ending interviews with the subject having the final say. Anything you’d like to say, share, state for the record, rant, what have you, this is all you:

Dan – I really wish people would stop smoking cigarettes. It’s expensive, ages you and is disgusting!

There you go, people…Be like Dan and do your smoking on the frets of a guitar! I want to wind down here be saying what a pleasure it was speaking with Dan Lorenzo, a musician whose music via multiple projects has been a staple of my own musical fanaticism for years. Thank you, Dan!

Now, we stand at the precipice of a whole new era of music from Dan via the upcoming Vessel Of Light S/T release (via Argonauta Records Nov. 3rd). My own review of that is coming soon but I’ll go on the record now saying it is going to surprise and astound listeners, and fans of Dan’s both. To keep up with all things Dan Lorenzo, visit his website and Instagram, along with Vessel Of Light’s Facebook page (linked below).

DanLorenzo.net / Dan Lozenzo on Instagram Vessel Of Light’s Facebook page.

Argonauta Records website.

The DAN LORENZO (Vessel Of Light, Hades, Non-Fiction, Etc.) Interview (By Pat 'Riot' Whitaker, Lead Journalist/Writer, RiffRelevant.com) Musician Dan Lorenzo (guitarist) was a highly integral component to many of my own earlier, formative music years.

#Argonauta Records #Dan Lorenzo #Guitarist #Hades #Interview #Metal #Non-Fiction #Progressive #Solo Artist #The Cursed #Vessel Of Light

0 notes

bestautochicago · 7 years

Text

Collectible Classic: 1992-1997 Subaru SVX

The SVXs were uncommon, but they weren’t flamboyant in an exotic-car way, so the stir Subaru hoped to cause never really came.

Italian DNA: The SVX’s look was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also penned the DeLorean DMC-12. Note the window-in-window feature and a sleek interior with hidden stereo system.

Living with the SVX

The Market Perspective

The Specs

ENGINE 3.3L DOHC flat-6/230 hp, 228 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic DRIVE All wheel or front wheel SUSPENSION Struts BRAKES Discs WEIGHT 3,580 lb

The Info

MODEL YEARS 1992-1997 NUMBER SOLD 24,379 (globally, including 14,257 in U.S.) ORIGINAL PRICE (U.S.) $24,445 (’91 base SVX L), $36,740 (’96 SVX LSi) VALUE TODAY $3,900-$4,700*

*Hagerty average value (www.hagerty.com)

Source: http://chicagoautohaus.com/collectible-classic-1992-1997-subaru-svx/

from Chicago Today https://chicagocarspot.wordpress.com/2017/12/19/collectible-classic-1992-1997-subaru-svx/

0 notes