#toy factory campaign

[cupcakestreets]

Indigo's rather interesting to me, even by a glance too...Care to tell more about the silly boi? 🤔😊

Ah yes Indigo~ I assume you’re talking about Toy Factory Indigo 💙

Indigo is one of the train conductor’s for the Toy Factory, a magical place for children to visit in their dreams~ Indigo and Elio both navigate children to their dream destinations and explore the their wildest imaginations. Indigo is the most knowledgeable of the two as he reads about various worlds, cultures, animals, and even monsters. He has every manual you’ll ever need for a toy. Any book you can name he has most likely read it. He is also very diligent in his task upkeep of the train and sometimes his brother if he has eaten anything he isn’t supposed to. (But he won’t deny he has done similar actions due to his politeness) He is very silly and loves to play. So he hopes you can visit the toy factory again sometimes 💕

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 11 July 1918, Jewish Ukrainian anarchist mechanic Simón Radowitzky escaped from the Ushuaia concentration camp on the island of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (content note: sexual violence). Radowitzky was serving an indefinite sentence for assassinating the chief of Buenos Aires police, who had ordered the Red Week massacre of workers during a May Day demonstration in 1909. Previously, Radowitzky had become a spokesperson for prisoners, and had led hunger strikes and protests. In retaliation, prison authorities first tried to torture him with sleep deprivation, then the governor and three guards raped him in 1918. This enraged the anarchist movement in Buenos Aires, which began a campaign for his freedom, and songs about him were sung in workers' meetings and assemblies around the city. In addition to the campaign, some anarchists decided to try to break out of prison, and used a smuggler's ship to rescue him. But after 23 days he was recaptured by the Chilean navy and returned to prison. He was eventually released in 1930, then deported to Uruguay. He was then deported from Uruguay for his role in the struggle against the dictator, so he travelled to Spain to join the fight against general Francisco Franco in the civil war. He survived the war, only to be interned in a concentration camp in France, after which he moved to Mexico, where he spent the remainder of his life, working in a toy factory and remaining active in the revolutionary movement. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8308/simon-radowitzky-escapes https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=660013872838498&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[8fwd]

McLaren's 2024 Pumpkin Can't Be a Lemon

McLaren got the jump on everyone this year by being the first team to officially launch; while not a car, their 2024 livery. While not the most colorful F1 machinery McLaren has ever produced; I find myself missing their beautiful 2020 challenger, the new Papaya and Black scheme leads to a menacing almost Halloween vibe, while still being true to the modern McLaren brand of the Zak Brown Era. 

And speaking of the brand, I cannot help but feel this surprise mid-january reveal was down to the fact that all McLaren factory racing efforts this year look to be standardized in terms of livery, and getting that first bit of F1 news out for the new year, and with their new ‘Whatever it takes’ mantra seemed like a no brainer if the cat was already out of the bag with the start of the Formula E season in Mexico a few weeks ago. 

And on that new motto, I can’t help but feel this sense of confidence from every move McLaren is making right now. Compared to last year’s funeral of a car launch, where expectations were dashed and heads were hung low, the team feels excited and confident with every move they make. 

Despite a slow start last season, 2023 turned into a beautiful year for McLaren, becoming the second fastest team on the grid post-summer break. Lando Norris continued to show brutal speed and consistency across races, and rookie Oscar Piastri showed exactly why he was worth all that fuss in 2022, all while avoid pitfalls we’ve seen other rookies hit in their maiden seasons

Now, after a grueling start and spectacular end to last year’s campaign, the Woking outfit looks to carry that momentum forward to 2024. And they have shiny new toys to try to help, like their brand new wind tunnel, freeing them from using TMG’s excellent, but outdated facility in Cologne. Combine that with new simulators to better help correlation before hitting the track with new upgrades, and McLaren’s new technical team looks to have the right tools to fight at the front. 

While a shock Monza win in 2021 broke broke an almost decade long winless streak, and with a few close calls later that season, the 2022 ground effect regulations threw a wrench in the team’s recovery, and big promises came with reinvestment in the team that followed that disappointing first year of the new rules. And while 23 came good in the end, continued growth must be shown, even if the team isn’t immediately challenging for the title this year. 

McLaren now needs to deliver, and keep showing that any upward ticks in form aren’t just solely the result of other teams missing their mark. They cannot repeat last year, and they also cannot afford to slid backward throughout the season like Aston Martin did last time out. If any team is to escape the F1 midfield, McLaren needs to not just show they’re ready, but show that they are capable of capitalizing on the new, more equitable F1 landscape.  

[jizzlords]

───────────── ... Ozzie spends his time living as the Sin he is [ ... ] Ozzie still became a respected Sin and lives vibrantly in his ring as the King of Lust. Although many years have passed since Ozzie had "moved on" from this seemingly prejudiced rough patch of the past, Ozzie spent this time living vibrantly, yes, but he faced many discomforts and jarring realizations within himself and the changes along with it.

Seeing as he's the embodiment of Lust, Ozzie's name isn't pristine by any means. There have been individuals ( sometimes below him or just-at his rank ) who caught his eye. Plenty have gone out of their way to seek his attraction, most were unsuccessful especially as he was still in the process of discovering himself. Those he engage with, he'd help them indulge in their wildest fantasies, and took great care of keeping certain affairs well-under-wraps. All of this had happened at his recently erected club (at the time): "Ozzie's".

In its prime, "Ozzie's" was recognized as one of the most prestigious "clubs" to attend in hell and remains to be known as such come present day. Expectations were high and always exceeded, even during Ozzie's most uncertain days. This club was made to serve as one of Ozzie's personal brothels. Where he could discovered himself more, improve, and bring imps, succubi/incubi, or higher-ranking individuals — whoever he had a fixing for without much care of being caught and risk tarnishing his image — and at the same time, conveniently being able to leave satisfied and relieved.

With that, this club was/is Ozzie's "inner circle". A safe haven. Many visited via reservation but only so many could go into the more reserved rooms that Ozzie almost always exclusively frequented. Specifically for these love affairs he'd find himself with.

( It was during this time that Ozzie brushed up on performances and live entertainment, leaning into it to the point he'd have someone — if not himself — performing every night. He discovered his love for the stage and performance: the art of erotic dancing, singing, and seduction. He already had a full staff but he was always on the lookout for new and exciting entertainment to host exclusively at his club. )

Ozzie has fallen in love before, dated a few. He's experienced heartbreak quite a few. He understands love and lust, alike. Unfortunately, not everyone who he invited did. In those events, some individuals would leave feeling crossed by Ozzie. Some would take their feelings of envy and damaged pride and turn it into gossip in an effort to smear Ozzie's name.

Ozzie never took these smear-campaigns too seriously seeing as this ring was his. No one could really touch him and it could all be brushed off as a hoax. It's happened time and time again to a point that most don't take the gossip articles too seriously anymore — which, come Fizzarolli, no one listened at first but many may have speculated.

Present day, Ozzie has honed his craft as a performer and simply living up to his title. He runs several clubs with succession and a massive factory to mass-produce adult toys and devices beyond one's wildest fantasy all throughout Lust's Ring.

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: MECHS Part 2

There are a lot of great Mech games, so this is a continuation of this week's theme!

Breakup on Re-Entry by Riverhouse Games

Earth is at war w/ The Colonies. Mech pilots must keep their identities secret or risk assassination. You just realized your lover has been secretly piloting your rival mech. It all comes down to this battle. Do you want to keep fighting?

This is a roleplaying game for two Mecha pilots who do not know yet that their mortal enemy sleeps by their side every night. You will need a deck of Poker cards and two index cards to play this game.

Players will draw from the deck of cards and answer questions about Civilian Life, the War, the Fight at Hand and your Lover. Your character won't realize who exactly it is they are fighting until they draw the King of Hearts - and then you will get to roleplay all of the heartbreak and betrayal: if you stop fighting, you will get do decide what happens after. This is a simple, short game, great for two people who want to roleplay out something dramatic without requiring a time commitment longer than a few hours.

Bro, is it Gay to GATTAI? by Lucas Valensa.

Bro, he’s your whole world. He makes you feel fabulous. He completes you. He’s huge, made of metal, and has a heart powered by plutonium.

He’s a giant robot. And so are you.

You’re in love and the two of you combine into an even bigger giant robot.

This is “Bro, Is It Gay To GATTAI!?” a Gay Game about telling your boyfriend you love him and how much he means to you. This game is a hack of “Hot Gay Bro Dragons” by Riverhouse Games, inspired Transformers, LEGO Bionicle, and any other media where two giant robots combine into a bigger robot.  

You'll need some kind of toy robot to build as you play this game together. As you build, you'll ask (and answer) questions about your relationship. Puns and bad jokes are encouraged! This is an excellent game for couples, or people who would like to try romantic roleplay.

Apocalypse Frame by Binary Star Games.

In a ruined and terraformed world where most of humanity is under the yoke of a brutal regime, the former workers of a once-remote factory - now known as The Collective - have risen up to create a future of freedom from oppression. You are an Ace - a highly skilled pilot referred from a Division in The Collective and assigned a humanoid combat vehicle known as a Frame. You and your Strike Team of fellow Aces must take on The Collective’s greatest threats, ensure its survival, and carve a path for its continued success.

APOCALYPSE FRAME is designed to be very fast to pick up and play, and it's suitable for both one-shots and extended campaigns. Combat is quick, punchy, and deadly for Aces' enemies. 

Player characters have three attributes: Drive, Speed and Control. You will choose one of your three attributes for every attack roll you make, and roll a number of d6's equal to your Attribute number. Apocalypse Frame uses the LUMEN system and comes with pre-generated characters (for the table that wants to get roleplaying right away) as well as an expansion called Aces High! You can also pick up Ballad of Industrial Gods, and Explore the Ruined World, which contain missions and seasonal content for Apocalypse Frame. With easy rules and a lot of content, your party can get a new campaign up and running quickly!

Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands by Lumpley Games (Meguey & Vincent Baker.)

Humanity has spread through the Milky way, using interstellar transit gate technology to colonize the galaxy. Mobile frames are the hard-working, hard-fighting combat- and labor mecha they’ve brought with them.

You are romantic ace mobile frame pilots, caught up in an undeclared war for the future of the Bantral system.

MOBILE FRAME ZERO: FIREBRANDS is a roleplaying party game by Meguey Baker & D. Vincent Baker, set in Joshua A.C. Newman’s MOBILE FRAME ZERO universe. You don’t need to be familiar with MF0: RAPID ATTACK or MF0: INTERCEPT ORBIT to play. To play, you’ll need 3–5 players, a copy of the playbook for each, and a handful of coins.

This is the precursor to the Firebrands series, a game in which players engage in a series of mini games in order to play out a series of scenes between their characters. If you are a fan of Mobile Frame Zero, if you like the idea of romance and big mech pilots, if you like games focused on narrative more than anything else, this is the game for you.

Disaster/Wing by A Couple of Drakes.

Deal with drama, pass the test, doubt yourself, trust your friends, face down the Alien Horde, and GET IN THE ROBOT.  

DISASTER/WING, prep for launch.

DISASTER/WING is a mecha tabletop game  made to tell stories of fantastic adolescent heroism and giant robots. The characters are teenagers in a world very much like our own. They go to school, get embroiled in teen drama, and try to find their place in the face of onrushing adult responsibility and societal expectation. They are also in a city that is actually a giant spaceship, hurtling through space, fleeing a catastrophic war with technologically-superior aliens that destroyed their world generations ago. They are also, through no fault of their own, the only ones who can pilot the centuries-old war machines that are their city’s only hope when the aliens inevitably return. They exist between these worlds, juggling their teenage feelings and responsibilities with the duty that has been thrust upon them. 

Another Forged in the Dark game, this game adds the teenage experience to the mecha genre. You'll be running through missions without the fiddly planning, focusing on the action and quick d6-based pools.

Nova by GilaRpgs

NOVA is a rules-lite tabletop RPG in a world where the sun exploded, and humanity struggles to hold onto what little light they have left. The players will pilot exosuits, called Sparks, exploring the dark ruins of old earth, searching for the technology and knowledge that may just bring on a new dawn.

NOVA also uses the LUMEN system, which is designed for action-packed combat, equipping the players with a set of powers that bring the power fantasy feelings of looter shooters to the tabletop. Players will each choose a Spark to pilot, specialized exosuits designed to explore the dangers of the Dusk. Each exosuit was designed by humanity to serve a particular function, and the LUMEN system equips the players with a set of powers and abilities that allow them to excel while on their dangerous missions.

This is a game with a slew of third-party content available for you to modify your gam with, including new Sparks, alternate mechanics and additions to the world. You're not going to get gigantic robots in this game, but you'll get the same theme of humans going up against larger-than-life odds, fighting desperately to cling onto hope. This is a twice-Ennie-nominated game, so it's worth checking out!

[leqclerc]

fred straight up confirming that eventhough he's managed to adjust the car it's still not good for charlie and his driving style but Carlos seems to be fine with the tractor so it suits him fine, which makes sense because everytime charles suffers carlos is having the time of his life and every time the car seems good carlos struggles. Mattia Binotto is not seeing heaven and ill make sure of it, both for the car and for making the stupid choice of having two incredibly different driving styles in one team

Agreed.

I personally have a theory that Binotto knew he's close to getting the boot when the championship campaign started going south—somewhere along the way rumours started emerging that, actually, he and Elkann haven't seen eye to eye in a while and that Elkann toyed with the idea of showing him the door as early as 2021. Take that with a truck full of salt, but, y'know.

Anyway, we know that Carlos was Mattia's dream pick for replacing Seb, we know he "courted" him, held talks with him, and oversaw him putting pen to paper on his initial contract as well as the extension in early 2022—which in hindsight can be seen as him offering his seemingly preferred driver a secure future at the time while also making sure his successor's hands are tied in terms of the lineup at least until 2024. They've both openly spoken about their close relationship, how Binotto always believed in and backed Carlos wholeheartedly (even sparking rumours that the two are likely to reunite as driver and team principal in the future at some other team.)

If he sensed that he was on the way out, it makes sense that he did what he did—enforced "equal status", vocally prioritized the WCC over the WDC (at least on the surface because having no rules, no hierarchy, and next to no team orders only ensured his own drivers took points away from each other while Red Bull sailed on ahead but whatever), publicly undermined Charles even when it was obvious that the blame was on pitwall or other parts of the team, etc. And then of course, the cherry on the cake—he got to oversee (and potentially influence) the design and construction of the SF-23 back at the factory. He missed several races to do so, just a few weeks before the rumours of his imminent departure started circulating (although they were initially denied by both Elkann and Binotto, generally speaking where there's smoke there's fire and...well...we all know how that went.) Then he apparently continued to do that until his contract officially ran out, I believe on the 31st December 2022. Let's not forget that we got that quote from Sainz Sr. about how this new car is going to be suited to Carlos's strengths/be more to his liking than the previous (ahem, championship contender) car. How he got that info when he's not a team member and shouldn't have had access to high-level classified info such as......literally the details of next year's car design...

We know the man has an ego, so it's not unimaginable to think he wanted Ferrari to win with him at the helm... or not at all.

Whether Binotto made the car he genuinely believed would perform well or whether he left Ferrari with a one last fuck you Trojan Horse gift...is anyone's guess. But there's enough meat on the bone there to speculate about it imo.

[ajcgames]

What I want to make

I'm a big fan of management and simulation-style games, especially those with automation elements. I'm hoping to create a game that fits into the same genre.

I should preface this all by saying that my goal isn't to create something I intend to sell on a storefront like Steam or itch.io - that would be a plesant 'bonus' outcome to this. I want to make sure this isn't my focus. Having commercial aspirations ends up being a twisty path that leads both to development pressure and a burden to fit within a specific kind of box that would appeal to consumers.

These aren't bad parameters, not really. But while they might add structure and purpose to development they aren't always the right fit for all projects and all people, myself especially.

A little bit of background

I've spent many years trying to make personal projects with commercial goals in mind. I find that, while inspirational and ambitious to begin with, the fact that you're banking on selling it and rewarding your time creates a bit of a false promise. The process of game development should be fun, and the moment it becomes burdensome is usually an indicator that some sort of external pressure has been acquired, and balancing your motivation with your pressures is something I've not been great with.

With that said, I'm approaching this project with an open mind and a simple goal: make something that I will find fun to play, and meets my own criteria alone.

What this game is

I play a bunch of management and automation games. Factorio, Satisfactory, Dyson Sphere Program, Factory Town, Astro Colony, Shapez, Production Line and many others. There is a running theme amongst these, and they all offer slightly different takes on the genre - which I love!

I'm hoping to create something very much in this vein, but more aligned with games like Big Pharma and Astro Colony, but probably nowhere near as ambitious as either (though being able to add greater depth to my initial idea would be nice).

The idea I've been toying with for a long time surrounds the mining of asteroids in the solar system. You've been give a small base of operations on a large asteroid, and your job is to take in samples from the asteroid and perform various operations on them in order to produce research and other products from it.

This could be as simple as taking in a raw mineral sample from the asteroid, running it through a machine to analyse it, and receiving a small bit of 'science' for it. As a kind of currency. This can then be used to purchase upgrades or improvements to your factory.

Other activities may involve taking those minerals and breaking them down, combining them with other minerals, and creating sample tubes to package up and send back to Earth for further research (via some kind of automated return cargo shuttle mechanism).

The ultimate goal here is to build a nice big automated factory that fulfils a large range of objectives. The player could choose to play this as a campaign mission - which may require building a factory to fulfil a certain range of objectives (gain a certain amount of science points, return a certain number of samples of something to Earth, and so on), or simply to just build-big and reach some kind of free-play achievement (much like Factorio's 'launch the rocket' soft completion requirement, which leaves the player free to carry on playing and accruing more resources).

With all that said, I'll end this post here and use the next post to explain how I'm planning to build all this, what I already know and can bring to the table, and what challenges I think I'm going to face.

[bow-chicka-wow-wow-wow]

Breaking Down Quagmire’s Tirade Against Brian

“You are the worst person I know. You constantly hit on your best friend’s wife. The man pays for your food and rescued you from certain death, and this is how you repay him? And to add insult to injury, you defecate all over his yard.”

Since almost the beginning of the show, Brian has been in love with Lois Griffin. There have been moments throughout the series that sees Brian trying to get with Lois, most notably in the episode “Play It Again, Brian,” when Brian tries to throw himself at her. This criticism towards Brian could be hypocritical on Quagmire’s part as he too tries to have sex with Lois. But in a later episode, he reveals to his parent Ida that he’s also in love with Lois.

Brian was a stray when he was found by the Griffins. When Brian was scheduled to be euthanized back in season 1 (and later season 17), Peter saves him from being put down.

Of course Brian poops in Peter’s yard; he’s a dog!

“And you’re such a sponge! You pay for nothing; you always say, “Oh, I’ll get you later,” but later never comes!”

This could reference the episode, “Patriot Games,” when Brian loses a $50 bet to Stewie, and defaults on his payment. As a result, he gets the ever-living shit beaten out of him twice. This wasn’t brought up on my first point, but throughout the show, among other side hustles for the sake of the episode or cutaway gags, Peter has worked three steady jobs at a toy factory, a fishing boat, and currently at a brewery. He makes Jack-shit, and probably most likely ended up buying Brian’s car. We’ll get to that later. My point is, Peter is the breadwinner of the house, and pays for everything.

“And what really bothers me, is you pretend you’re this deep guy that loves women for souls, but all you do is date bimbos! Yeah, I date women for their bodies, but at least I’m honest about it! I don’t buy them a copy of Catcher in the Rye and then lecture them with some seventh-grade interpretation on how Holden Caulfield was some profound intellectual. He wasn’t! He was a spoiled brat! That’s why you like him so much: he’s you! God, you’re pretentious!”

Brian’s longest lasting relationship was with a pretty airhead named Jillian Russel-Wilcox. Since their brutal breakup, Brian has tried to find love, but was only interested if she was smoking hot. Quagmire owns the fact that he dates women for their bodies, because he’s a sex-hound. Seriously, read The Catcher in the Rye. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is EXACTLY like Brian in every way.

Brian’s pretentiousness has been made even worse in recent seasons, where we see him act like he’s all sophisticated but really he’s just about as dumb as the rest of the Griffin family.

“And you delude yourself by thinking you’re some great writer, even though you’re terrible! You know, I should’ve known Sheryl Tiegs didn’t write me that more. She would’ve known there’s no A in the word “definite.””

BRIAN. IS. A. SHITTY. WRITER. Apparently, he can’t spell either. No wonder his novel did so poorly…

“And I think what I hate most about you is your textbook liberal agenda, how we should “legalize pot, man,” how big business is crushing the underclass, or how homelessness is the biggest tragedy in America. Well, what have you don’t to help?”

Brian actually did lead a campaign to legalize marijuana, but ended up leading another campaign to reverse the legalization so Carter would publish his infamous novel. And Brian along with Stewie has both destroyed the Superstore USA, so Brian has actually done a couple things.

“I work at the soup kitchen, Brian! Never see you down there! You wanna help? Grab a ladle!”

Case and point. Other than legalizing pot and destroying Quahog’s Superstore, Brian has not done diddly shit. Just grab a ladle!

“And by the way, driving a Prius doesn’t make you Jesus Christ!”

This is for ALL you hybrid drivers. YOU ARE NOT BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. SHUT THE FUCK UP! I really like the South Park episode describing the attitudes of hybrid owners.

“Oh, wait! You don’t believe in Jesus Christ, or ANY religion for that matter! Because “religion is for idiots!” Well, who the hell are you to talk down on anyone?”

As an atheist, I’m gonna have to agree with Brian on this part. And I especially hate those “Jesus freaks” that are total assholes to those that drop as much as one f-bomb. Yeah, I went to Catholic school, and I did not enjoy one moment of that shit!

“You failed college twice, which isn’t nearly as bad as your father! How’s that son of yours you never see?”

I failed college a couple times. In fact, I actually JUST graduated at age 27.

Brian actively avoids his son Dylan! It isn’t until four seasons later he shows interest in him because he becomes part of the cast in a Disney Channel show, and Brian exploits Dylan’s fame to get a job in the writing room. Did I mention the name of the episode that shows that is “Brian Is A Bad Father?”

“But you what? I would forgive all of that, ALL OF IT, if you WEREN’T SUCH A BORE! That’s the worst if it, Brian: you’re just a big, sad, alcoholic bore!”

That one’s pretty self-explanatory. Emphasis on the “alcoholic” part!

“*sigh* Well, see you, Brian. Thanks for the fucking steak!”

I hope you ordered something expensive, Quagmire! Fuck Brian!

[slayers-testament]

Headcanon: The Doom Marine (and Demon) Figures

In Doom 2016, one of the collectable items is a series of secret figurines of the Doom Marine with various color schemes. Pertaining to this blog's take on Doom Slayer's psyche as mentioned in a previous headcanon post, these figures largely do not exist for the purposes of this blog.

For this blog, these different figures represent various versions of himself from other timelines and dimensions as part of him trying to remember who he is. Because of this Doom Slayer's... multiversal nature, we'll call it, these are the many different ways that he sees himself, with the fist bump toward the "DoomGuy" figure being the closest representation of who he is, who he was, and/or who he wants to be. This is also why, after initial collection, we never see the figurines themselves within the context of the world again(with them being stuck as viewable concept art and 3D models in the menus, as opposed to the figures in Eternal which are on a shelf).

In Doom: Eternal, the figures do not share the same meaning. Instead, these figures are simply just that; figurines. While no in-universe explanation is given, for the purposes of this blog, they are simply collectible figurines that were put into production by a toy company's off-world factory.

The demons had left that world largely untouched for some time, allowing the company the freedom to purchase the rights to research materials provided by the UAC, giving them the best opportunity of capitalizing on the "Demon Acceptance" campaigns being run at the time.

Because of this timeline of events however, the Doom Slayer figure was made near the end of the production run of the figures, as that was around the time that he started coming back into the public eye after the events of Doom 2016. This explains why the figure in Doom: Eternal would represent his custom suit as opposed to the Praetor Armor from 2016.

However, the company would quickly find itself under fire when trying to cash in with Doom Slayer figures; with those figures proving to be much more popular than the Demon figures (for obvious reasons), mass adoption of these figures became symbols of resistance in some ways, leading to the company going under as a result of a demonic invasion of the off-world production facility.

[nityarawal]

8/28/23

Morning Songs

Yesterday's Boytoy

(The Handler)

Mahalo My Lord- Trinity

Why'd You Have

To Defend

Your Baby Boy-Toy

Redheads

Why'd You Have To

Defend

Yesterday's Boytoys

Why'd Your Octopus

Dreads

Wrap

Around All The 

Boys Necks

If You Don't Like

What They Say

Filmed By Cellular

Towers

You Pull The Ropes

Tighter

Go Mamma Go

Whistleblow 

I Said

Tell The Truth

Don't Appease

The Attys

With A Happy Ending

For What

They Do

It's Probate Fraud

Real Estate Law

Exploited

Tenants Rights

Destroyed 

By Murderers

Yeah We Know

What We're Talking 

About

Discrimination

Racism

Smear 

Campaigns

From Little

Handlers

Drunk Fools

Putting Out Their Hands

We're The Bribes

Good

At Idyology

From Stirling Bros

Did Atty Bill Whitman

Assure You

He Was A Good

Attorney

Muir Brokers And Sons Begged

Him To Help

My Kids

And I

Michael Villanueva

After Neighbors

Militia Murder

On Country Club

You Witnessed

However We'd 

Rather

He Don't 

Go To Ukraine

And Adopt Baes

From Surrogates

Down On Their

Luck

Raped By Government

His Allies

He'd Rather Go To

UKraine

With PDs

Pick Up Some Baes

A Babies

Anonymous Factory

For Sterile

Invitro Gay Attys

No Harm Done

You Say

Then You Won't 

Mind My Song

My Words

My Pen

My Metaphysical Sword

For Children

My Disclosure

It's Only Weapon

I Have

Are The Boytoys

Afraid Of The Cougars

Songs

Militia Beg

Don't Tweet

OK My Little

Nazi Lambs

Proud Boys

Uh Huh

I Won't 

I'll X You See

Call Me A Snitch

Drunk Snarling

Civil War Activist

Hello Angels

Always 

Wanted Our Royal

Heads

Some Piece

Of The Princesses Pie

Harley Davidson

Guys

Stalking Bob Bernard's

My Dad's BFF

Business Partner

They Ate A Chunk

Or Two

Attempted Murder

With Real Estate

Attys Too

So I'm Pretty 

Sure

I Got Boundaries

From The Snakes

Of Sandiego

Iowa Judges

Pedophiles

Roxanne De Palma

Idy Poser Yoginis

I Got Boundaries

Josh Radnor Said

He Had Boundaries Too

When He Saw My

X

Trying To Pimp

Me Out

We Got Boundaries

Civil Activists

Sometimes

You Work For Free

On Commission

For Civil

Harmony

We Got Boundaries

Singers

Luits

Bards

Pure Souls 

Conduits

Muses

We Got Boundaries

Mamma

Prudent Boundaries

We Got Boundaries

Prudence

Mia 

Mitra

Mary 

And I

On Dear Prudence's

Anniversary

Song Date

Always Did

Appreciate

A Little Faith

For The Breeders

Who Made Einstein

Rockstars

Scientists

Beauties

Models

Appreciate

A Little Faith

For Community

Schools 

Like Montessori

Founded

By Moi

Helping Real Estate

Mas

Sold Out By

Fundamentalist Pasteurs

Priests

Village Farm School

Divorcees

Defense

Bribes

Sold Out By

Courts

Attacked

Our Idy Encinitas Families

We Appreciate

Innovation School

Just Not The

Julian Charter School

Hookers

Umbrella'ing It

Who Stole My Family

With Texas Marines

Massage

Hand Jobs

Posing As Moms'

Spreading Disease

In A Pandemic

Priests Selling Out Our 

Kids

To Scramble Under

Cellular Towers

Didn't Appreciate 

Restraining Orders

From My Beach Homes

Encinitasbeachhome.com 

HomeSmart Realty

Compound

Nardo

Didn't Appreciate

Lawyers Beatings

At Clark- Viviano Law 

In The Night

Or Ticks Planted

On Me

And My Rockstars

Nearly OD'd

On Lithium

Planted Handlers

We Want To

Know Price

What Does

Sammy June Get Paid

On #FreeBritney Heads

For Being

His Persian

Officers

Kite Runner

How Did Lou Taylor

Acquire

Another Victim

Call Justin Bieber's

Magistrate Judges

Charge Them For Treason

#FreeBritney 

Already Ordered

Lou Taylor

Tri-Star Prosecuted

We Want Her In 

A Cage

Not Brit's Dad

Dying

In Prison

Charge Lou Taylor

Tri-Star

Judges

Attys To Clerks

Presidents

Congressmen

Governors

Senators

DAs

Deputies Dicks

Even The Chopped

Off

Ones

Truncated

For The Defense

Team

Heshe

Whatever

Pronouns

This Kink

Maybe

Dykes

Of Court

Charge Them For

Treason

For They Tromped

On Trinity

And My

Gals At Chowchilla

Every Single One Of

Them

Says Nina's

"Been Waiting For

Eternity,"

She Jokes

Been Writing You

Governors

Gavin Newsom

Jerry Brown 

NASA

Sheriff Bianco

DA Senator And VP

Kamala Harris

DA Summer Stephan 

Deaf Ears

Pushing Defense Gay Man's

Pleas

We Wrote You

Now #TimesUp

3 Warnings

You've Had Dozens

3 Red Flags

No More Warnings

7 Years 

Of Holocaust

Mother Nature Is Screaming

PDs Inconsistencies

For Constipated

Gays

Army

Dr. Gardner

Method

Not Handing

Over

Another

Bae

Call It Rude

Tanny 

I'm Allergic To Your

Poly Crew

Seems I Need

Space

Another Tribe

To Tell Another 

Handler

At Every

20 Residences

Plus Camps

To Back Off

On Smear Campaign

Or They'll End Up

In A Defamation Trial

Crazy

Drugged

Stupid

Raped

Like Johnny The Pirate

As A Gypsy

Californian

Grew Up In The

Sierras

Born In Chicago

Schooled In Iowa

Writers Capital

Seems Your Attys

And Officers

Think I'm Chattel

Collateral

No

Not True

Never Was

Sacred Autonomy

My Dear

They Probed

My Who-Who

For Proud Boys

Like You

And Your Bros' Smears

And No

I Never Did

Drugs

Like Your Hookers Of Court

Trafficked

But Somehow

They Got Us

Mixed Up

They Got

18 Months

Of Free

Naked footage

Video

For Dark Web

Nothing Is Free

You Know That Now

For Perverted

Spin Dr's

Like Carmel Benson

Dykes

And 

Dr. Queresheri's

IEHP

Office

Dr's Discriminating

On Bribes

Riverside Healthcare 

Breaking Hippa Laws

Gossiping Nurses

Darlene

Drm Natalya

Therapists

Can't Get Pathology

Reports

Therapist Tima

Ivanova Bickers

Hiding Property Manager

Emily Pearson's Fentanyl Fairy

Murder

Double Agent Oath Keeper

Sheriff Coroner Bianco 

Ghosts Us

On Probate Cons

Mommy Haters

Somehow They Sold Me

And I Didn't Want

To Be Bought

So I Whistleblow

For Poppy

Since You're Not Present

Mamma

And Anjali

My Daughter's

Always A Nanny

An Auntie First

Praying DA

Gets Arrested Before

You Two

Because Once

A Relationship

Hurts

The Community

Broken

Because Boy Toy 

Goads

"Hit Me,"

It's Never A Secret

Filmed

By Sheriff Conspirates

Never A Hells Angel 

Plea

Gag Order

Because

Some Of Us Say

"No!"

Said "No!"

And Fought

For Autonomy

Long And Hard

For Our Civil

Activist Rights

You See

On Nitya X

Britney X

Civil Activists

Malcolm X

Anne Heche 

Didn't Make It

A Punch In The Gut

When They Cut

Her Oxygen

At 911

Con With Fentanyl

Probate Fraud

By Brokers

Naya Rivera

Didn't Make It

Drowned

By Divorce Court

Drugs

Handlers

My Glee Love

[sleepykittypaws]

2022 Christmas Ads

What the Super Bowl is for U.S. commercials, Christmas is for most of the rest of the world, particularly Britain, where holiday ad campaigns are so highly anticipated they have teasers and drop date announcements.

These mini-movies provide the perfect bite-size dose of holiday joy, as much or more than so than selling a product. Clever, often tear-jerking sales pitches, sure, but also so much more.

It’s long been an annual part of our seasonal viewing to rewatch favorite ads from year’s past, as well as explore the new batch. To make that a little easier for my family, and yours, I’ll do my best to compile the best holiday adverts here, just as I did in 2020, and 2021, too.

Unlike my TV and theatrical listings, not trying to catalog every single Christmas commercial out there, just the ones I feel are worth a watch, for a little bonus dose of the festive feels.

In alphabetical order by company name

Updated: December 13, 2022

Aldi “Feast of Football” - Now-classic character Kevin the Carrot returns in this preview ad

Aldi “Kevin’s Home Alone” - Kevin’s main appearance for Aldi this season involves being left behind from a Paris vacation…sound familiar?

Aldi Australia “You Can’t Overcook Christmas” - A holiday politeness battle.

Amazon “Joy is Made” - A snow globe inspires a father in this musical Amazon ad.

Amazon Australia “The Playmakers Save the Holiday” - Stop-motion animated short, starring Charli Robinson and a staff of kid toy reviewers, promoting Amazon AU’s top 100 toys and helping to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation

An Post “Send from the Heart” - Sending love at Christmas in this Irish postal ad.

Apple “Share the Joy” - Stylish dance-filled holiday.

Argos “They’re Coming” - The joy and horror of holiday guests.

Asda “Have Your Elf a Merry Christmas” - People are going nuts for this Elf ad, but I found it super creepy. There’s also a “Making Of” for those interested.

Barbour “One of a Kind-ness” - Paddington Bear offers a grumpy neighbor a gift in this classic clothier brand’s annual animated ad.

Belvedere Vodka “Belvedere Presents Daniel Craig” - The former Bond channels director Taika Waititi for this not specifically holiday, but very fun, ad.

The Binge “Christmas with the Cat” - The pets celebrate the holidays.

BMW “Holidays are Here” - One of those ridiculous luxury-car-as-gift commercials, with a fun twist.

Boots “Joy for All” - Upbeat holiday happiness.

Burberry “The Night Before” - Shakira and Burns Boy rep the luxury line.

Cairngorm Coffee “For Those Who Care” - This one is sad in a way, I’m not the makers actually intended. 

Celebrations “Bring Back Bounty” - The Lonely Bounty is back.

Chevrolet “Mrs. Hayes” - This extended ad is effective at stirring sentiment and how memories can be tied up in things. 

Chick-Fil-a “The Snow Globe” - Long form animated ads set in the fictional “Evergreen Hills” have become a tradition for the fast food chain and this one is a much more serious, direct sequel to 2019′s “The Time Shop.”

Clogau “Christmas” - Simple holiday story of giving.

Coca-Cola Brazil “Christmas Always Finds a Way” - Sweet story of memory and holiday tradition

Coca-Cola France “Les Petits Mondes De Noel” - An estranged couple finds themselves reconnecting thanks to holiday cheer

Coca-Cola Mexico “Alma” - A worker at a holiday decor factory must rediscovery her own Christmas spirit

Coca-Cola U.S. “Christmas Bites” - Santa Claus squares off against a vampire with a grudge

Cole’s Christmas 2022 - Celebrating the return of gathering together again for an Australian Christmas

Debenhams “Christmas Starts Now” - Rhyming department store holiday ad.

Dior “The Atelier of Dreams” - Anna Taylor-Joy takes you on a luxe holiday journey.

Disney “The Gift” - It’s Disney, they know what they’re doing, and you’re bound to cry. (Or, at least I am.)

Erste Group “Believe in Christmas” - This insurance group’s animated ads have become an annual must-see.

FOX Soccer “’Tis the World Cup”  - Jon Hamm, Mariah Carey, Ellie Kemper and Tom Brady headline this star-studded ad series.

FOX Soccer “’Tis the World Cup”  - Another Jon Hamm as Santa trying to compete with the World Cup.

Frito-Lay “Soccer or Football” - Another World Cup ad, starring Peyton Manning and David Beckham, directed by Michael Bay.

Fussy “Deck the Halls” - The deodorant brand gets, umm, creative for Christmas

Gucci “Gift” - Stylish holiday journey.

Heathrow “The Gift” - Heathrow has put together many memorable ads and this one is simpler but just as sweet.

Hobby Lobby “Christmas is What You Make It” - Sweet, wordless story of cooperation

J&B “El Ruso de Rocky” - Touching Spanish story about a grandfather giving his granddaughter the ultimate gift—acceptance and understanding.

JD Sports “King of the Game” - Holiday fantasy fun

John Lewis “The Beginner” - The John Lewis Christmas ads are a holiday tradition in the UK, and while this one is more simple than most, its touching, unexpected ending hits you in the feels.

Kroger “The Magical Cookbook” - An Up style tear-fest that accurately embodies the connection between meals and memories.

LEGO “Build a Playful Holiday” - Imagination runs wild with Katy Perry

Louis Vuitton “The Holiday Season” - A bear and a Beatles cover from the luxury brand

Lidl “The Story of Lidl Bear” - A furry star is born in this very charming ad.

Manscaped “Season’s Groomings” - Pete Davidson is very…Pete Davidson in this ad with his mom.

Meta Quest 2 “Wish for the Extraordinary” - The VR headset has a clever Christmas ad touting its immersive abilities.

M&S “Fairy is Back” - Jennifer Saunders returns and is joined by Dawn French in this big-budget extravaganza.

M&S “Gifts That Give” - Musical ad promoting M&S’s charitable giving

Manor “Cosmic Christmas” - Bouncy, musical holiday one-up-manship from the Swiss retailer.

Matalan “The Christmas Cupboard” - Be prepared for the holidays

McDonald’s “The List” - Sweet, simple story of a little boy’s holiday wish list. One of the best of the season so far.

Morrisons “Farmer Christmas” - Exploring where your holiday treats come from.

The National Lottery “Just Imagine” - Extremely sweet mini-movie about strangers falling love and trying to find each other

O2 “The Snowgran” - Animated ad that somehow makes cell phone data charming. 

Old Navy “Matchy Matchy” - Jennifer Coolidge stars in a fun series of ads for the retailer.

Old Navy “Gifting” - Jennifer Coolidge stars in a fun series of ads for the retailer.

Paddy Power “Gareth Southgate Christmas Jumper” - Inside baseball ad—or more accurately football—but still sports-fan-relatable worldwide.

Paddy Power “Where Were You in ‘22″ - World Cup meets Christmas

Paddy Power “Crouchy Conducts the Classics” - Another funny, very English football (a.k.a. soccer) ad.

Penny “The Rift” - Very emotional and powerful mini-movie. Follow-up to last year’s equally moving, “The Wish.”

Pepsi “That is One Dirty Soda, Santa” - Lindsay Lohan channels her inner Laverne.

PETA “Toby the Turkey” - Effective animated ad.

Phil Beastall “A Little Help” - “alternate” John Lewis ads have become a thing in recent years with filmmakers offering short holiday films to tug hearts and make a name for themselves.

Planters “Whittle Nut Bowl” - Brief, but cute.

Posten “Father Christmas and Mother Earth” - The Norwegian Postal Service is back with an ad that looks at the impact of Christmas on the environment after their ground-breaking Santa romance last season.

RSPCA “Join the Christmas Rescue” - Bring all the tissues.

Sam Teale “The GoKart” - another of the “alternate John Lewis” offerings.

Sainsbury’s “Once Upon a Pud” - The grocer puts a medievally royal spin on the classic British Christmas dessert.

Shelter “Brave Face” - Touching charity appeal.

Smyths “We Really Want to go to Smyths” - An original, catchy jingle that feels very retro.

Spam “We Wish You a Figgy Christmas” - The Hawaii-favorite canned meat offers up a very cute stop-motion ad for its own limited edition holiday offering.

Spar “Finding Christmas” - Folksy, lovely holiday feel that shows Christmas is all a matter of perspective.

Sports Direct “Football Starts Here” - Celebrate the holidays with soccer stars 

Teleflora “Leave No One Out This Holiday” - Does anyone ever think about how Mrs. Claus spends all her Christmases alone.

TK Maxx “Christmas Nailed” - The British version of TJ Maxx dances through the holidays.

Tesco “The Christmas Party” - The British grocery chain tackles the “happiness shortage” in this campaign that’s a literal political campaign spoof.

Waitrose “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” -  Celebrates the all-year work that goes into Christmas

The Warehouse “Nigel’s Christmas Wish” - Charming story of holiday triumph.

White Stores “Norbet the Nutcracker” - A signature design

Woolworths "Get Your Woolies Worth” - A down-home Australian Christmas 

[cupcakestreets]

I have no big arts to share ... Please take my parody train men. Elio and Indigo

[kp777]

By Thom Hartmann

Common Dreams Opinion

Oct. 26, 2022

The polls are tightening up right now, and the media is treating it like it's some mystical force of nature causing people to shift their concerns from abortion, guns, climate, democracy, and the survival of Social Security over to gas prices, Black crime, banning books, and trans kids playing sports.

Republicans on the Supreme Court have, with their bizarre "money is free speech" decisions, put America on the fast track to oligarchy, authoritarianism, and ultimately tyranny.

The media, of course, knows what's going on. They're the secondary recipients of it, right behind the politicians, because they're making billions conveying the GOP message to America. Which, of course, is why they won't tell you what the real game is here or how it's being played.

In the early 1970s, I was a partner with the late Terry O'Connor in a small Michigan advertising agency, Ter Graphics, and a copywriter for another, Barden-Durst, run by the late Bob Strand. Our biggest clients were Kellogg's and Michigan National Bank, and I learned the business from these men and from in-person instruction by the legendary Joe Sugarman, to whom I'm grateful to this day.

Later in the '70s, I taught marketing and advertising in cities around the world for the American Marketing Centers and in 1989 started the Atlanta advertising agency Chandler, MacDonald, Stout, Schneiderman & Poe, named after my favorite writers and my best friend, which Louise and I sold in 1997 to retire to the mountains of Vermont. CMSS&P primarily did business as The Newsletter Factory, and our clients included more than 100 of the Fortune 500 companies at that time, as well as government agencies from the US Army to the NSA and the CIA.

I've also been hosting what is today the #1 progressive talk show in America for 19 years, and worked in radio news for 7 years before that.

I say all this not by way of bragging but hopefully to convince you that I know something about media and the advertising and marketing business. And if there's anything I know deep in my gut, from decades of observation and experience, it's that advertising works when it's done big and done repeatedly.

While creativity and "production values" in advertising are important, they're both subordinate to frequency when it comes to producing results. Even a poorly crafted message for a mediocre product will convince people to act the way you want them to if it's repeated frequently enough.

In a variation on the 80s cliché about toys, whoever ends the campaign having spent the most money typically wins.

Read more.

[onenettvchannel]

CONSUMER HEALTH NEWS: 'BAN Toxics' launches Holiday Ber-months Campaign against Hazardous Toys for the Filipino shopping consumers

MANDALUYONG, MANILA -- Calenderic 'Ber' months are now approaching, particularly with the annual and upcoming yuletide season, the environmental non-government organization 'BAN Toxics' has just initiated an important awareness campaign in the 1st week of September this year in 2024, to protect Filipino children from the hazards of toxic toys. As the year-end holiday seasons are usually associated with gift-giving, the organization released an educational infographic titled "Mag-Ingat sa mga Laruang Toxic! (Beware of Toxic Toys!)" teaching all of its consumers to watch out for toxic chemicals that may be hiding in toys, especially those sold at neighborhood markets and cheap bargain shops.

(ART PHOTO COURTESY: BAN Toxics via PR / A female kid sat toxic toy to be disguised as a playable friend)

The infographic, as presented digitally and in traditional pamphlet-like papers, shows that there is a wide variety of toxic chemicals, including Lead, Phthalates, Cadmium, Bisphenol A (BPA), Chromium, Formaldehyde, Bromine, Chlorinated Paraffins, Mercury and Arsenic. Many of these chemical additives might be used in the manufacturing processes from factories, and could create very serious health risks for our children.

Mr. Thony Dizon, who is a campaign and advocacy officer of 'BAN Toxics', many of those toys lacked proper labeling and safety information, meaning they may not have been tested correctly, or complied with health and safety regulations. All toys sold in the Philippines were supposed to be affixed with safety labeling under the Republic Act #10620, also called the "Toy and Gaming Safety Act of 2013", but many products still manage to slip through.

The toxic nature of such chemicals exposes humans to alarming health implications, as exposures may cause a variety of diseases that may include endocrine disruption, carcinogenicity and neurotoxicity; several of which, may persist throughout childhood and even thereafter in our adulthood life.

Dizon urges lawmakers in the nationals, to prioritize the legislation of the "Safe and Non-Hazardous Children's Products Law", a newly-proposed measure which provides for tighter regulation of the importation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of toys and other children's products containing hazardous chemicals. This forthcoming legislative drive is relevant to ensure safeguards for the kids against substances that could jeopardize their health and well-being.

In addition to the infographic, BAN Toxics plans to distribute thru partner schools and communities through their Toxic and Waste-Free Schools Program (TFSP), which potentially later expanded here in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, including Dumaguete City, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. This is to ensure that there is always an assurance of the safest and cleanest environment in schools, including these examples of 'West City Elementary School' and 'Magsaysay Memorial Elementary School', while also educating children on the risks and giving them a head start on making legitimate and responsible choices about the toys they play with.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Philippines plays a very crucial role in this regard through periodic issuance of advisories on the proper use of toys, including those with mandatory labeling. It has taken charge in conducting research and testing of available toys and childcare articles in the market and is presently drafting an administrative order containing product standards on chemicals to be at par with international guidelines. Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has established the Philippine National Safety Standard (PNSS) for toys, in response to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

'BAN Toxics' is committed to continuous market monitoring and testing of toys, and more activities are planned for the coming months to keep the public informed of any new findings. As the 'Ber' months are just around the corner, it is now high-time for consumers to be more vigilant and informed about the toys they are going to buy, whether in-store or online.

Today, and for the future, the unveiling of "Mag-Ingat sa mga Laruang Toxic!" continually reminds us that even in seemingly innocent gifts, the worm of hazard may be concealing itself. Through awareness and a call for better regulations, 'BAN Toxics' hopes to protect the health of Filipino children and ensure that the joy of giving is not transposed into an act at the expense of their safety. Even when Santa Claus should check first, without secretly adding toxics in toys.

ART PHOTO COURTESY: BAN Toxics via PR BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

[thisismeracing]

ok so you know those lightning mcqueen race car kids beds?

what if the bon and mick had one custom made to be one of merc’s better cars (think like w11)

they did this at her request to make sure they weren’t pushing their careers on her but once she was to that age to voice her own opinions she was campaigning for a race car bed

and one day when they came home from a family day at the factory there it was in her room in all tis glory

which went along perfectly with her race track carpet that she played cars on all the time

☕️

she would be on her bed all day long dragging every toy there and even asking her parents if she could have lunch there

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.10 (after 1900)

1904 – The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company. 1908 – Mother's Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia. 1916 – Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island. 1922 – The United States annexes the Kingman Reef. 1924 – J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in 1972. 1933 – Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings. 1940 – World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg. 1940 – World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. On the same day, Germany invades France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.[35] Meanwhile, the United Kingdom occupies Iceland. 1941 – World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid. 1941 – World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany. 1942 – World War II: The Thai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign. 1946 – First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground. 1961 – Air France Flight 406 is destroyed by a bomb over the Sahara, killing 78. 1962 – Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk. 1967 – The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man. 1969 – Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill. 1975 – Sony introduces the Betamax videocassette recorder. 1993 – In Thailand, a fire at the Kader Toy Factory kills over 200 workers. 1994 – Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. 1996 – A blizzard strikes Mount Everest, killing eight climbers by the next day. 1997 – The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake strikes Iran's Khorasan Province killing 1,567 people. 2002 – FBI agent Robert Hanssen is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for selling United States secrets to Russia for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. 2005 – A hand grenade thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 20 m from U.S. President George W. Bush while he is giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, but it malfunctions and does not detonate. 2012 – The Damascus bombings are carried out using a pair of car bombs detonated by suicide bombers outside a military intelligence complex in Damascus, Syria, killing 55 people. 2013 – One World Trade Center becomes the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. 2017 – Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the last footholds of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Al-Tabqah, bringing the Battle of Tabqa to an end. 2022 – Queen Elizabeth II misses the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years. It was the first time that a new session of Parliament was opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge acting as Counsellors of State.