#will be up as a print during my new shop update this month too :P

[kaogens]

static

[therewasabrowncrow]

New Year Update! Lockdown #2:

Last July we moved to a new place in Leith-- this is literally the second place we saw, the first we couldn’t visit- it had a virtual tour option only. We stood outside that building and speculated about our lives inside, our future room facing a freshly excavated burial site nearby where the tram line would go, and thus, we bounced.

This second place faced the tram line too- the main road and shops (now almost all shut) but we were at least indoors looking out.

This north facing room is my home studio for now. I have imagined this to be a working studio for at least two people so consider this an open invite

I am very happy with it, I came here in January with a motherboard, power supply, a fan and a flatbed scanner --Don’t buy an expensive laptop they said, assemble a desktop--it’s so much fun, they said-- I don’t regret the decision to not get a laptop now

Since the entire room was built during lockdown a lot of it depended on delivery and it took more or less 6 months. I still need to add an overhead rig to attach a camera so I can make more Earthsea fan art! Unfortunately my cheapo tripod broke and my Earthsea feed is stalled. Now that we enter proper lock down 2 I’ll wait and see until March what happens. 

I was not able to pay towards any rent this year and my partner had to manage from his first full time job at the university but I was able to save and pay towards internet and utilities for all of next year (still not enough to half the rent yet) I also have enough to pay off a debt finally.

I got my first paid project before I moved here, from a classmate-- a short animation! I remember sitting in Calcutta with no equipment trying to figure how to put it together but I had a self initiated project from summer 2019 that I pitched to them and it worked! I could buy enough time for me to travel end of the year to the UK. My partner had already managed to find a place for us to house sit while the owners were away on sabbatical.

Luckily one of the owners of the house is a professional sculptor so I had access to art materials but I already had a portable mono print kit with me and I was able to put together at least two frames per scene in loop.  By now I had the CPU case  and Monitor in place (thanks to the owners who let me use it).

The film was done! It also made it to a few selections this year, thanks Helmie!

During this time I was working with Nia Thandapani on a STEM facilitator manual for Quest Alliance. She was making a workbook designed for girl students that look into representation, goals, dreams, and coding basics. She approached me after seeing the icon work for A Cloud Called Bhura and another illustrator on this project.

Pages from the book:

During this time Amphan was raging in Bengal and Assam. The little veranda garden I made for ma before I left was washed away.

Now it was summer. I had the opportunity to work with Numbi Arts on a more or less retainer until end of the year. I knew about Numbi before I left UK three years ago when I volunteered to document some of their live events. The Numbi projects were a blessing

This year Numbi were working to build a Somali Museum and they were able to successfully raise the funds. I am excited to see how it shapes up. I made visual comms (posters, insta ads etc) for their events-- mainly for Your Mother tongue is Gold. Thanks to Numbi I got referred to another community project which will start shortly.

I had a few projects with Storyweaver. One was in the works since 2019.

Written by Yamini Vijayan Your Body is Yours has been a really interesting project -- in the middle I was fully giving up because I didn’t think I had enough maturity and knowledge to visually interpret consent and boundaries. But reading up and questioning oneself during lockdown helped. I am actually looking forward to seeing more books on consent and personal boundaries by others.  When I made my zine about periods I was told that there were more than enough projects on periods. I see literature and art about periods that I failed to address in the zine-- so it’s never enough!

The other was also based on body and anatomy art directed by Snigdha Rao who is my NID animation classmate. I really enjoyed our brainstorming and I am quite happy with the way we interpreted the texts

Towards the end of the year I got to work on a very simple book about anatomy again..this time a chilli plant written by Radha Rangarajan

I had a few quick editorial projects with Current Conservation:

The first one of the year was made with Clip Studio. As you can see I used every brush in the arsenal to show off -- this was me saying fuck you to Photoshop forever so I spent a lot of energy to perfect this. Rookie mistake.

Later in the year, I use another technique where I locate a theme in the text and try and find organic materials that best compliment it. I then scan or mono print the objects/material and use them as a digital collage. This direction works very well when timelines are tight and usually foreground the main theme of the story quite well.

I have been building a library of these textures and scans. They are free to download and remix from my Gumroad account.

I used this technique for Moo Dunnit by C.G. Salamander

The story is a case of missing vegetables so the mono print of corn, peas, strawberries, dhaniya, as base of the illustrations really helped.

By this time I was going in and out of it with the pandemic and the Lockdown both here and in India. So there were lots of apology emails to the editor and finally I just sat down and finished in one go. I don’t think I have been able to relocate myself fully from the anti CAA-NRC protests in Calcutta. Some scenes will remain.

I worked on two documentaries. One was Crutch and the other was Moving Upstream: Ganga.

Crutch had been in process for the last seventeen years! I met the directors Chandler and Sachi when I was in CA back in 2017-- the time I dropped next door to borrow a lighter from Chandler :P and told him that I do animations that “explain complex stuff” which fit the bill on what they were looking for: Someone to animate the insides of a pelvic joint.

I had a small tester project with them before I got signed up on this project. We had a sit down with the team and I had the chance to meet the artist Bill Shannon on whom the film is based. I will share more scenes from the film shortly. A large chunk of my studio costs came from this project, so yay

The other documentary was with Veditum about their river walk. This film also took some time to happen and I was approached when the team were already finishing up with their edit. I met Siddharth when I was in Calcutta-- we had been in touch via Insta for years. It is always exciting to meet your social friends IRL and I was thrilled to be part of this project.  They were very clear about the direction so it was easy to put my bits into the film--Mostly animated overlays. I will share the trailer shortly!

We contributed my bit from the project to Association SNAP for Ramzan Ration Kits and the WB Emergency Relief Fund.

End of Autumn I got approached for a few projects-- one was for Story Museum with my classmate again. They were making small online storytelling sessions on popular fairy tales. I made a few illustrations for them that my classmate animated. It wasn’t extensive animation work, as the budget was quite small but I had a lot of fun exploring different styles for each fairy tale

The first one dropped on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXTL6tkQRzk&feature=youtu.be

She also gave birth towards the end of the project--this meant that our project needed to be planned thoroughly ahead of the deadline.. and we did it!

The other project running parallel right now is due to end in February. This is another collaborative project with Falana Films based in Bangalore. We have a bunch of deliverables -- a series of films on STEM awareness for girls and I am doing the animation direction.

It took a while for me to come up with a specific look but by the time the script was written, it helped massively with the visual direction. Initially I found it quite hard to build a visual language that would explain STEM thinking without us explicitly pointing an arrow at things. So we decided to focus on the assembling and dissembling of objects, compositions etc. I am quite happy with the direction now:

I appreciate the commitment Quest took to be inclusive and get as many different participants on board, thanks to Falana

---

I wanted to make animations for a while and this year I had quite a few. I hope to make games next year. I made a bunch of fan art and WIPs and protest art and sketch notes this year, a lot of it made through bouts of different kinds of mental states.

I also joined local mutual aid and volunteer networks even though our socialisation was all online.

Ohhh did I mention the experience of applying for a visa in Brexit UK with an ongoing pandemic!

I wanted to make a living wreath for a family member and many who couldn’t make it during this pandemic -- out of all the projects, this took the longest and went through many iterations. This was in December and by now I felt tired and worn out.

[butyoutellmeeverytime]

An Update

I’m mostly posting this because I’m bored AF at work and I know no one will read this but I’m mostly just recording it for myself OKAY here we go:

Since September, when I started my job from hell, I’ve been planning a solo trip to Paris. I’d already been thinking about going ever since I knew I’d be taking a gap year, but once I had started my job and knew how much money I was going to make, I decided I was going to make it happen, because I know I will never have an opportunity like this again.

The first thing I did was decide when to go and book an Airbnb. I knew I wanted to do Airbnb because 1) no way am I paying for a hotel in Paris and 2) I was hesitant to do a hostel if I was traveling alone. I know hostels are actually safer than they sound, but I just wanted peace of mind and to know that both I and my stuff were 100% safe. Plus, a single room in an Airbnb really isn’t bad. I decided I would travel in the summer, mostly because there’s no way I’d get enough vacation time to go while I was still in this job, so I would have to go after I quit. Since summer is the busiest tourist time, I wanted to get a good Airbnb booked before the good ones were gone or the prices had gone up. So, as soon as I got my first paycheck, I booked my room in an apartment in the famous Montmartre neighborhood. Nothing quite like seeing a “Congratulations, you’re going to Paris!” message on your screen.

Since then, I’ve been slowly planning out what I’d like to do while I’m there. The OG goal was to see as much art as possible, and in particular, see as much Gothic architecture as possible. The whole point of me going (aside from just having a fab time) was to physically expose myself to the art I wanted to study in graduate school. This meant having to narrow down how many day trips I was willing to take and pay for, as well as how much time in actual Paris I was willing to sacrifice. I will be in France for two weeks, and I finally landed on going to five towns outside of Paris that have Gothic cathedrals: Chartres (which I wrote a research paper on and is my #1 cathedral destination), Reims, Beauvais, Amiens, and Rouen. I will also of course be visiting the Gothic architecture in and around Paris, with Notre Dame, Saint-Denis (the OG Gothic cathedral), and the Sainte-Chapelle. 

With the Gothic art covered, I made a list of all the things in Paris itself I want to do/see. I won’t list everything I’m planning on, but the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre (I’m giving myself 3 days here, because duh), the Musée d’Orsay, Versailles, the Sacre Couer, the Palais Garnier, and the Paris Catacombs give you a general idea. I’ll also be visiting several bookshops, because obviously. 

I’ve done a ton of research on the best way to pay for everything. I’ll be getting a Paris Museum Pass, which gets you into all the museums and several of the monuments (plus you get to bypass the lines, which is a huge plus in the summer). I’ll also get a metro pass, because it also covers some of the trains I’ll be taking (to/from the airport, Versailles, etc.) along with the metro itself. 

It turns out planning a big trip like this is p complicated. Initially I just made a huge jumbo list of everything I wanted to do. It took a long time for me to actually decide when I would do everything. I haven’t mapped out every hour of every day, because 1) that’s no fun and 2) I need to allow myself wiggle room. I’m trying very, very had not to pack too much in. I know I’m going to feel the need to see as many things as I possibly can, but that makes for a very hurried, stressful, and exhausting trip, and that just isn’t what I want this to be. I do want to make the most of my time there, but I also want to enjoy it and not be on the verge of falling asleep/collapsing the whole time. As a result I’ve intentionally scheduled downtime, time to just “explore”, because one of the big charms of Paris is how much there is to discover. It’s a gorgeous city, and I want time to just look around and go into the little shops, rather than having to rush through everything and skip those little things. I want time to sit in a park with a baguette and read a book and people watch for a few hours, you know?

Another thing I thought about early on was plane tickets. At first, I wanted to book my flights asap, assuming that the sooner I bought them the cheaper they’d be. But apparently, international flights are the cheapest about 50 days before the flight. So, as anxious as it’s making me to still not have my flights booked, I’m waiting until April to buy my tickets. I’m also signed up for cheap flight alerts, and the prices haven’t gone up from September to now, which is a good sign. The only worry now is that I won’t get a good seat, but I suppose we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I also, rather annoyingly, need to get a new passport. I got one when I was in high school because I was going to the Dominican Republic for a mission trip (lol tbt to my jesus days), but since I was under 16 it didn’t last the full 10 years. I’ve been waiting to get a new one because in November and December I was spending a lot of money on Anniversary/Christmas presents, along with all those goddamn grad school application fees. But, I filled out a new passport application this morning and will call tomorrow to schedule an in-person appointment (which I can do during my lunch break, hoorah). 

I’ve also just been doing a shit-ton of Pinterest research about traveling - traveling abroad, traveling alone, traveling alone as a woman, and traveling to Paris/France. Y’all, Pinterest is a little ridiculous, but it’s also informative AF depending on what you’re looking for. Bless all you 20-something female bloggers. 

One of the best things I discovered from said bloggers was the MyMaps feature from Google Maps. A major problem I was having was visualizing all the things I want to do, particularly in regards to location. I had tried a few times to print out a map of Paris and mark all the places, but there are simply too many things I want to do for them to all fit, unless I print out a giant map (if I include all the restaurants and shops I’m interested in). MyMaps allows you to create your own map, where you can mark all of your places on one map with a little marker, and when you click on it a description pops up. You can add pictures to the description, and I also added hours of operation, ticket/pricing info, and any other relevant tips I’ve found. For the outside-Paris locations, I also wrote down train directions. Plus, you can change the icon and color of each location, which makes it easy for me to quickly identify restaurants, bakeries, cafes, shops, monuments, etc. This will make it really easy for me to look at my map each night and think about where I want to eat/what shops I want to visit the next day. I was so happy when I discovered this, and I literally spent hours putting it together. 

Even if I don’t end up going to every single place I’ve mapped out, it will be helpful to have an organized list of options to choose from. 

I also decided to make a spreadsheet of all my expenses for the trip, since I’m literally paying for everything myself (hooray adulting). I originally had an estimate of about how much everything would cost, but after specifically noting all of it I have a much closer guess. I still can’t be 100% accurate - I still haven’t bought my plane tickets, and food/souvenirs will be different every day - but I’m much closer to an accurate guess. I’m also indicating whether or not each expense has been paid for or not. I am definitely saving money by using the museum pass and the metro pass, so go me. 

Finally, because I truly am an organization freak, I made a list of every single thing I’ll need to do before going - from big things like “book flights” to small things like “buy a power adaptor”. I realized there are a lot of things I’ll have to do that I can’t/shouldn’t do quite yet, so I just want to make sure I know exactly what needs to be done. I don’t want to be on the plane and realize I didn’t do something important. I’m also just really fucking excited about this trip, and I making lists and organizing everything having to do with it makes me happy. It’s taken all my willpower not to start making a packing list - chill dude, your trip is still 4 months away.

As I do more organizing/planning I may post about it here; mostly for myself - both to keep busy at work and to just record this process for myself. But if any of my like 3 followers finds this interesting then woohoo, two birds one stone.

Anyway, bless anyone who was interested enough to read this, kudos for you. I’m going in 118 days and I’m so bloody pumped.

[vsplusonline]

Something radical needs to be done: Gopi

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/something-radical-needs-to-be-done-gopi/

Something radical needs to be done: Gopi

India’s badminton coach P. Gopi Chand wants BWF to come up with “radical” solutions to restart the sport smoothly post COVID-19, suggesting that conducting more tournaments at a single venue could be the way forward.

The coronavirus outbreak forced the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to suspend all events, including the Olympic qualifiers, till end of July. “BWF should talk to health staff and revise the format, the tournament structure itself and do whatever is required,” Gopi said. “My view is if something radical needs to be done, then let’s do it and go ahead with the sport,” he said.

In a bid to salvage the international circuit, the governing body had postponed important events such as the Thomas and Uber Cup Final (October 3-11), besides asking for fresh slots from respective countries, including India, to conduct the suspended Olympic qualifiers.

“My concern is that, you are trying to shift the dates, probably there needs to be a change in thinking. If the same thing continues, and the whole entourage is travelling again to different countries then it is again a risk for the players,” Gopi said.

Shuttlers travel almost every week to a new tournament during the badminton season. Gopi said this should change.

The Sports Ministry is devising a plan for phase-wise resumption of national camps for Olympic-bound athletes by the end of this month.

Asked how he plans to go about it, as he, besides being the national coach, also runs an Academy, Gopi said: “Luckily, badminton is not a contact sport, so it is better.

“Isolating smaller groups, and ensuring that people don’t interact too much is one way of at least starting things.”

You have reached your limit for free articles this month.

Register to The Hindu for free and get unlimited access for 30 days.

Subscription Benefits Include

Today’s Paper

Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day’s newspaper in one easy-to-read list.

Unlimited Access

Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.

Personalised recommendations

A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.

Faster pages

Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.

Dashboard

A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.

Briefing

We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.

Not convinced? Know why you should pay for news.

*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.

Source link

[asfeedin]

Hunter McGrady’s All Worthy Collection At QVC Comes In Sizes 0-36

I started following Hunter McGrady on Instagram at the recommendation of my sister. She said McGrady stood out from the other influencers crowding her feed, and it didn’t take long for me to figure out why. Her sunny disposition, daily Stories updates, and of course, some pretty bomb in-feed modeling shots had me stanning her just as hard. Even then, it was easy to see McGrady as more than a model and influencer—she gave off big-time change-maker vibes. It’s exactly this energy that I have no doubt served as fuel for her latest endeavor: Hunter McGrady’s All Worthy Collection, a QVC exclusive line available in sizes 0 to 36. Yes, that’s XXS through 5X. See what I mean when I say this girl is a change-maker?

McGrady got her start in the modeling world at age 16 as a size 2, 6-foot-tall stunner, and made the switch to plus-size modeling at the request of her agency at age 19. With the new role came a change of perspective, too: “I think that was the most transformative few years of my life, because I learned a lot about myself, my mental health, and all of that comes along with it,” says McGrady, who adds that she felt mixed emotions at first.

“I was like, you know what? If this is what modeling is going to be, then I don’t think I can be a part of this. I don’t think that this is something that I can keep up,” she admits. “So through therapy, and learning who I am, what my body can do and where my body’s supposed to be, I was able to slip into what I believe is the body I was meant to be in all along.” As if she needed proof of this, McGrady booked Sports Illustrated two years later, and her career skyrocketed.

QVC.

Fast-forward a few years, and McGrady knew she wanted to branch out beyond modeling. “I have always been passionate about fashion, and I’ve always really wanted to get my feet wet and kind of dive right in and be in the forefront of it. So during this time in late 2018, I started discussing with my team who I could work with, who gets my vision, who understands what I want to do,” she says. Eventually, she landed on QVC—the company has been praised for their inclusive sizing options, with many of their brands available in sizes up to 3X-5X. Of course, McGrady wouldn’t settle for anything less.

McGrady isn’t a fair-weather activist in the slightest—she’s deadset on making positive change happen within the industry. Just last year, she changed up her Fashion Week routine and vowed to only attend and/or model in shows that were diverse and inclusive. Needless to say, her schedule freed up a little too quickly. “Of course, it became a lot more sparse than in prior Fashion Weeks, but that’s a stand that I feel like I have to take in order for any change to be made,” McGrady insists. “I think that the more that we take that stand—and yes, it may suck for the time being, and it may be uncomfortable, and we may miss out on shows that are dreams of ours—but you know, the greater outcome, it’s a more positive world for everybody.”

“

Fashion doesn’t stop at a size 14.

”

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why McGrady landed on “All Worthy” as the name for her own line. “Very few designers have really got onboard with expanding their sizes above an XL or a size 14,” she says, “and they’re missing out on a big customer. They’re missing out on more than half of the population. Fashion doesn’t stop at a size 14.”

McGrady isn’t slowing down her attempts to get the industry to be more inclusive, but in the meantime, she’s throwing her own hat in the ring with All Worthy. In addition to being size-inclusive, there’s a lot to choose from fashion-wise, as well. “A lot of times, people ask me, ‘What is your style?’ And for me, I think that’s what’s so fun about fashion is that you don’t have to stick to a certain style if you don’t want to,” explains McGrady. “You know, one day I wake up and I’m wearing a maxi dress and, you know, a flower crown, and then the next day I’m wearing leather pants and a leather jacket.”

QVC.

To ensure she made the perfect range, McGrady used her 642K Instagram followers as a soundboard. “I had been asking my following for the last year and a half what they wanted, what they were missing, why they wanted it, why they felt it was missing, what kind of person they are, who are they,” she said. “I just said, ‘Hey, listen, drop it in my DM, or drop it in the box. Let me know your dream piece, or let me know what you think isn’t out there or available for you.’”

PSA to anyone looking to launch a successful brand: McGrady’s Insta-approach was the right move. “It was great because I got answers from all different size women as well. So I was really able to compile what I thought was kind of the common denominator, which was quite a few things.” All of which, of course, have made their way into the All Worthy lineup. “We have everything from power suits for the businesswoman, to flirty and floral dresses, to leather jackets, to jeans, to athleisure,” she raves. “I mean, we literally have everything coming, because me as a plus-sized woman, I’m missing everything in my closet.”

QVC.

McGrady is an open book when it comes to modeling, body positivity, inclusivity, and of course, All Worthy. The only thing she won’t tell me? Her most-loved piece from the line. “They’re like my babies, so it’s hard to choose between one!” she insists, and after browsing the clothes myself, I understand why.

To shop All Worthy before it inevitably sells out, check out the QVC site now, and be on the lookout for even more chic drops in the coming months. Take a peek at my faves for summer below.

  1. Snake Print Asymmetrical Hem Skirt

QVC.

I’m into snake print year-round, but I especially love this lighter white and tan colorway for summer.

  2. Button Front Sleeveless Blazer Dress

QVC.

Pro Tip: According to McGrady, you can also style this piece open and wear it like a long vest.

  3. Chiffon Dress with Ladder Lace Insets

QVC.

A surefire staple for every wardrobe. Plus, it comes in black, too!

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script','//connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); // Insert Your Facebook Pixel ID below. fbq('init', '1130306277008218'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); (function(d){var id="facebook-jssdk";if(!d.getElementById(id)){var js=d.createElement("script"),ref=d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];js.id=id,js.async=true,js.src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js",ref.parentNode.insertBefore(js,ref)}})(document) Source link

Tags: 036, Collection, Hunter, McGradys, QVC, Sizes, Worthy

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3azOFz2 via IFTTT

[goarticletec-blog]

Black Friday 2018: Best TV and Home Theater Online Deals

New Post has been published on https://www.articletec.com/black-friday-2018-best-tv-and-home-theater-online-deals-2/

Black Friday 2018: Best TV and Home Theater Online Deals

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are hyped to no end. Yes, there are good deals to be had if you trudge to Walmart at midnight, but you won’t always find monster savings. (You will find monster crowds.) These days, you don’t even have to leave the house to get your hands on most of the better Black Friday deals. In fact, if you’re looking for a TV, you don’t even have to scour the web. We’ve done the hard work for you. Below are the best TV and Home Theater deals we’ve found for Cyber Week.

Updated late afternoon Friday, November 23: We crossed out some dead deals and added a few new ones. Deals tend to flow and out of availability and vary in price during Black Friday. Please bear with us. We will continue to update this list as we learn about new deals, and items sell out.

More WIRED Black Friday Deals

Absolute Best Black Friday Deals Online

TV Deals (OLED, Sony, Samsung)

Headphone and Audio Deals (Bose, Beats, Sonos)

Gaming Deals (PS4, Switch, Xbox)

Laptop, Tablet, and Phone Deals (Pixel, iPad, Surface)

Amazon Device Deals ($24 Echo, Fire TV, Kindle)

All WIRED Deals Guides

All WIRED Holiday Buying Guides

1-Year WIRED Digital + Print Subscription for $5 (Black Friday Discount. Please support our work!)

Featured Deal

43-Inch TCL 4K Roku TV

$320 ($180 off) from Amazon

TCL’s 5 Series 4K TV with Roku built into it is our top recommended entry-level TV. It has all the basics of a good 4K HDR TV, with good picture quality and a better interface than some $1,000-plus sets, thanks to Roku.

Affordable TVs You Won’t Hate

Vizio

43-Inch TCL 1080p Roku TV for $220 ($20 off)

Amazon

I don’t recommend you purchase an HDTV unless you’re truly strapped for cash. It’s worth the investment to buy a 4K set, which has four times as many pixels as an HD set. But if you are going to stick with HD, or are buying a TV for a secondary room, this Roku TV should do the trick. You’ll like the easy remote and simple Roku interface. The 32-inch model is also on sale for $150, though it doesn’t quite have a full HD resolution.

50-Inch Sharp 4K Roku TV for $330 ($70 off)

Best Buy

Sharp’s Roku TV is also pretty bare-bones and doesn’t get those deep blacks you’ll find on some of the more expensive TVs. Then again, you may not care. If you’re hunting for a second TV, or want a bargain, this Sharp also has Roku built-in, which is nice. It also has a 1080p HD version and other sizes, all of which are priced affordably.

Sceptre 55-Inch 4K UHD TV for $240 ($160 off)

Walmart

This Sceptre gives you a very large screen with a high 4K resolution, and four HDMI ports. The picture should be good enough to feel like a good step up from HD. Some users complain about the sound, though poor audio quality is a problem on most every TV. No matter what TV you buy, we recommend you pick up a good soundbar (or read our Best Soundbars guide).

55-Inch Samsung NU6900 4K TV for $398 ($302 off)

Walmart, Best Buy

Sizes: 43-Inch, 50-Inch, 55-Inch

This is a respectable entry-level Samsung 4K TV with basic HDR for improved contrast. The sound output is solid, as is the picture quality . You’ll have to get around the fact that there are only two HDMI ports, but that’s the only major problem. Smaller sizes of this TV get as cheap as $278 for the 43-inch model.

60-Inch Vizio D Series 4K TV for $498 ($200 off)

Walmart

Deal Active through November 23

This Vizio is already on sale, but it will be even cheaper for Black Friday. It’ a small step down from the Vizio E Series below, but it still has killer picture quality. Vizio TVs are a good bargain all around. Pair this one with a soundbar to really kick your home theater to a new level.

70-Inch Vizio E Series 4K TV for $750 ($150 off)

Best Buy

Sizes: 43-Inch, 50-Inch, 55-Inch, 65-Inch, 70-Inch

Vizio’s E Series is a step above the bargain bin, with a full array of backlights and local dimming, which makes certain areas of the screen lighter or darker, depending on the action. We reviewed the E Series last year and it gets a WIRED Recommends award this year too.

86-Inch LG 4K HDR TV +$250 Gift Card for $2,497 ($2,000 off)

Dell

If you want a beautiful TV in the absurdly large size of 86 inches, it’s hard to beat this LG LED 4K HDR model. It looks fantastic compared to most sets, and comes in 70 and 75 inches if you want to downsize just a tad.

Deals on the Absolute Best TVs

LG

THE BEST: LG OLED C8 55-Inch 4K TV for $1,497 ($700 off)

Amazon

No TV screen technology beats OLED right now. It’s the only display type capable of perfect blacks, because every pixel independently lights itself—no backlight required. It’s the best-looking TV of 2018 (8/10, WIRED Recommends).

Vizio P Series 55-Inch for $650 ($150 off)

Best Buy

Vizio’s P Series may be the cheapest path to owning a premium TV. It’s LCD, but has local dimming to selectively darken areas of the screen, and deep blacks. I’ve been using it for a couple months, and it’s an absolute joy. Read my full review for more details (8/10, WIRED Recommends).

49-Inch Sony X900F for $898 ($202 off)

Amazon, B&H

Sizes: 49-Inch, 55-Inch, 65-Inch, 75-Inch, 85-Inch

The Sony X900F is one of the best-looking TVs money can buy—by most measures. It excels with deep blacks and high contrast and works well for absolutely anything, including gaming. It’s comparable to Samsung’s QLED tech, and just a step down from LG’s OLED TVs. Sony also chose Google’s Android TV for its interface, which means you may not need to buy a Roku at first.

49-Inch Samsung QLED Q6FN 4K TV for $698 ($200 off)

Amazon, Walmart, B&H, Best Buy, Jet

Sizes: 49-Inch, 55-Inch, 65-Inch, 75-Inch, 82-Inch

To compete with LG’s OLED technology, Samsung came up with QLED—a modified version of LED that helps it attain deeper blacks. We still prefer OLED, but Samsung’s TVs are the next best thing. The Q6FN is a slight downgrade from Samsung’s higher end Q8FN (7/10 WIRED Review), but it’s a fantastic TV nonetheless. The Q8FN is also on sale for $1,498 ($300 off) if you’re credit card needs a good challenge.

Home Theater Deals

Roku

Be sure to check out our Best Soundbars and Best TV Streaming Devices roundups for more information about some of these picks.

Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $48 ($22 off)

Amazon

This is the Best Overall TV streaming device and our favorite Roku (Read our Roku Guide). Just plug it in the back of your TV and off Roku will whisk you—to a land where Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO Now roam free. Roku has nearly everything, and it’s reliable. The Streaming Stick is also our favorite because it can hold a solid dual-band Wi-Fi connection, which is always good when you’re streaming high resolution video.

Roku Ultra for $50 ($50 off)

Amazon

Roku is WIRED’s top-recommended streaming platform and the Roku Ultra is the best Roku has to offer. This box will let you stream Netflix, along with just about any other streaming app. On top of that, it can control the power and volume of your TV, has a USB port and MicroSD slot for loading local media, and comes with a pair of earbuds that connect to the remote so you can listen to your TV in silence at night.

SHOP HAPPY

Get Gadget Lab’s picks of the best holiday deals this season. Headphones, laptops, TVs, oh my!

Roku SE (HD TVs) for $20

Walmart In-Store Only

We don’t usually share in-store Black Friday Deals, but if you do find yourself in a Walmart at midnight this Friday, see if you can snatch up one of these. It’s basically a Roku Premiere, but half the price. Just know it’s for HDTVs only.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $35 ($15 off)

Amazon

If you watch a lot of Amazon videos, or subscribe to Prime, the Fire TV Stick is perfect for you. It does have most other streaming services—Amazon always pushes it’s own content, though.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (Hands-Free Alexa) for $60 ($60 off)

Amazon

The Fire TV Cube is like the Fire Stick, except it has hands-free voice menus, so you can talk to your TV to play movies and navigate menus. It works… sometimes (read our full review), but at half price, even if you don’t love the voice features, it’s still a good Fire TV.

Sonos Beam Soundbar for $349 ($50 off)

Amazon, Sonos

The Sonos Beam is one of WIRED’s favorite soundbars (8/10, WIRED Recommends) and a perfect start to a Sonos setup. We like it because it’s compact, sounds outstanding, and has hands-free Alexa and Sonos voice access (Google Home coming soon). The Sonos Sub is also $100 off and is amazing if paired with a Beam, though it’s still quite pricey.

Polk Command Bar Soundbar for $199 ($100 off)

Amazon

Polk’s Command Bar is a functional, easy to use soundbar (yes, your TV needs a soundbar) that also comes with built-in Alexa. The included sub adds some bass. At this price, it’s hard to find a combo soundbar with smart features anywhere else. Read our full review to learn more. If you don’t like Alexa, Polk’s other MagniFi soundbars are also on sale for $100-$200 off, and good quality.

Samsung Soundbar, Sub, and Surround Speakers for $169 ($70 off)

Walmart

Deal Active November 22 – November 26

It’s tough to find a good soundbar and subwoofer for under $200, and this Samsung setup doesn’t end there. It has two surround speakers as well.

Vizio 28-Inch Soundbar for $50 ($30 off)

Target

This is not the best soundbar you can buy. Not at all. But Vizio soundbars fill our Best Soundbas list for a reason: they’re cheap and they sound excellent for their size. No matter what TV you own if you’ve never invested in speakers for it, do yourself a favor and give this a try. It’s only $50. It will give you a taste of what you’re missing out on.

Black Friday Sale Pages for 2018

We’ve sifted through the mess of deals, but if you want to look for yourself, here are some links. Many of these prices may not be live until day-of.

When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about how this works.

Source link

[goldeagleprice]

Letters to the Editor (May 1, 2018)

Letter spurs thoughts as well as questions

Reading the letters to editor online today. Someone from Sherman, Texas, wrote about buying copper rounds. What are they?

There’s a National Coin Week event at the Brockton, Mass., Library each year in April, and sometimes attendees receive a copper blank and a cent in cellophane; a little package, call it. Is the “copper round” the reader writes about a pre-minted coin? Shame on me I don’t know the terminology, but a round piece of copper with an edge but no die has hit it? What’s it called, a blank with the upset rim?

You don’t have to put my name in the newsletter! Why broadcast my ignorance? Maybe a copper round is a one-ounce round chunk of copper? (Too old too soon, too smart too late!) Keep learning.

Thanks again.

Name withheld

Editor’s note: You are quite right. Silver rounds are one-ounce silver medals of various designs made by private firms. Copper rounds are the same thing, only in copper. A coin blank is unstruck and does not have upset rims. A planchet is a blank with rims upset and ready for the coining press.

  Denver nickel shows up in North Carolina

I received my first 2018 nickel on Thursday, March 29, at a CVS Pharmacy in Jamestown, N.C. Surprisingly, it has a “D” mintmark. We seldom, if ever, get Denver coins in change here, particularly this early in the year. It appears that the Denver Mint invasion of the East Coast includes more than just cent coins!

Bob Klippstein Greensboro N.C.

  Cent and quarter first finds of the 2018 collecting year

It took until mid March of this year to find my first 2018 mintmark coin. Oddly enough, I found a 2018 Philadelphia (no mintmark again) new penny and a 2018 Pictured Rocks state park quarter the same day in everyday pocket change. Another oddity (to me, at least) is that down here in my dead-end corner of the country, I have found over three rolls of the supposedly somewhat rare 2017 “P” mintmarked pennies in my everyday change. A few other finds but nothing outstanding.

Name withheld

  Passing of hobby friends brings sadness

As seems to happen more and more nowadays, another late night email reports that Ray Lockwood, of Indiana and the august Central States Numismatic Society lost his battle with cancer and passed away.

My contacts and crossing paths with Ray were few and infrequent but always with his wife, Fran, and usually attending the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA) Conventions. He was always jovial, somewhat quiet, never opinionated but passionate about the world of money, and friendly and ready for a good joke and laugh.

Ray, along with Fran, and I had one commonality: we were all retired educators, and at the junior high level. Boy, junior highers and their puberty! In addition, we were passionate about numismatics and serving our hobby. Ray’s record for and with the esteemed CSNS is confirmation of that fact.

My personal remembrance was last fall 2017, when Ray and Fran took a train trek out to Sacramento, Calif., to relax and to rest. We met up, and the respected Lloyd G. Chan drove us up to Carson City, Nev., and the legendary Carson City Mint.

Having complimentary passes to the Nevada State Museum, which is housed within the CC Mint, we toured and viewed the exhibits. When done, we walked across the street to a well-known upscale coin shop.

Being devoted coin hobbyists, us four spent more time in that shop than the CC Mint across the street. Ray, going through CC dollars, found a semi-rare one, adding it to his collection. This purchase certainly made his trek to Carson City and train trip out West worthwhile, as he remarked.

Ray was one of the numerous coin celebrants that enlightened and enthralled our hobby, this world of money. Our hobby endures their passing and enjoys what they paved for us today. The question, though, is who shall continue their good work?

Marie Osmond once remarked, “Being in service to others is what brings true happiness.” Ray’s devotion to our “world of money” is evidence enough for that thought.

RIP, Ray.

Most all Numismatic News readers may not have heard of Harry W. Davis (1929-2018), who passed away recently just two weeks before his 89th birthday.

A native of upstate New York and longtime resident of Vallejo, Calif., Harry was the longest-serving president of the Vallejo (California) Numismatic Society and served several terms as the Northern California Numismatic Association president, leading during its last famous Nor-Cal Shows.

Harry, with the love of his life, Irene Carrillo, was for over a decade a regular presence at most all northern California coin club meetings and shows. At times, they would drive to a distant show the night before and assist with evening setup, then stay at a local motel. Awaking early, they would again work and assist all day at the show.

While they had no favorite local northern California coin show, a preference was the Livermore Valley Coin Club’s annual show, for the then-caterer had these “to die for” huge roast beef sandwiches they both craved!

Harry was an old-school hobbyist. A rarity nowadays, he collected both coins and stamps, adding collecting Greyhound memorabilia, being a retired Greyhound driver with an exemplary safety record.

Only health and age curtailed his organized numismatic involvements in recent years. Yet, even restricted to a wheelchair, he still collected and enjoyed the two hobbies of coins and stamps.

Harry, RIP.

Michael S. Turrini Vallejo, Calif.

  2018 Philadelphia cents arrive in New Jersey

At lunchtime today, the cashier had to break open a roll of cents to give me correct change. She handed me three shiny new Philly Lincolns. I had not seen any 2018-dated currency prior to this.

Name withheld Flemington, N.J.

  Ozark quarter joins 2018 Philadelphia cent in change

Yesterday, March 27, I found my first 2018 U.S. coin, a shiny new “no P” Philadelphia Mint Lincoln cent. Got it in change at a McDonald’s in Millington, Tenn. This morning, I finally got the 2017 mid-year release, an Ozark Riverways quarter in change, an item for which I’d been searching for months.

David Smith Somerville, Tenn.

  Three new Denver cents fill out change at market

Thought you might like to know that I received three 2018-D Lincoln cents in change at the Tubac Market in Tubac, Ariz. (about 45 miles south of Tucson) on March 24.

They show like proof coins, very brilliant compared to the other Mint State coins I received that day. One cent looks like it has an impression of a wreath leaf running through the “8” in the date.

Bill Graney Address withheld

  ATB quarter first 2018 coin received by reader

Yes! Today I received my first 2018 coin in change at Half Price Books, a 2018-D Pictured Rocks quarter. Very pretty. Had wonderful bookstore day.

Ginger Rapsus Chicago, Ill.

  Shipwrecked ‘Pulaski’ not a naval vessel

I believe you will find that the Pulaski was not a United States navy vessel, therefore making the use of the prefix “U.S.S.” (for United States Ship) inappropriate. This mistake is common. I find it a little grating when people refer to “my” shipwreck, the S.S. Central America, as the “U.S.S. Central America.” And the Central America even had a naval master, as designated by the government. Anyway, “S.S.” will suffice.

Thanks for any attention you can give to this matter of editorial significance.

Bob Evans Address withheld

Editor’s note: Thanks, Bob. Good luck as always with “your” shipwreck coins.

  Fractional silver Eagles might bring youth to hobby

I understand that the metals markets are always changing, and that does have something to do with the falling numbers of silver Eagles. It is a perfect time to redesign the reverse of the silver Eagle. Now would be a great time to issue half-ounce and quarter-ounce silver Eagles. This would kick start interest not only in buying silver but also in the collecting of new fractional sizes. Plus a great benefit could be to attract future young numismatists to collecting with less expensive bullion. If the U.S. Mint were truly interested in stopping the dropping sales of ASE, and finding a way to rekindle the flame of excitement of a new series to collect, this could potentially be a win-win situation for all.

Sean K. Stanczyk Lincoln, Neb.

  This article was originally printed in Numismatic News. >> Subscribe today.

   • Check out the newly-updated Standard Catalog of World Coins, 2001-Date that provides accurate identification, listing and pricing information for the latest coin releases.

• The Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money is the only annual guide that provides complete coverage of U.S. currency with today’s market prices.

The post Letters to the Editor (May 1, 2018) appeared first on Numismatic News.

[ab3lle]

2016 update! (part three) (last one)

August, 2016

I got an offer from ums. that time i was checking thru sms. 

“Tahniah, anda di tawarkan ke Universiti Malaysia Sabah, kos HC13.”

What the hell is hc13 and i was actually expecting something related w food. (yeap science again just for the sake of ibu) eg: food tech, nutritionist, blabla. but it was actually an e-commerce. and never once in my life i heard about e-commerce. i did a lot of research. i asked everyone what is e-commerce. i checked the job oppurtinity. i was reluctant at first. bcs i told my friend, i mmg want to further at sabah but i wont go if got a nonsense course. i was really clueless that time. but my dad really support me. he asked me that it was ok. just go w the flow. thats it. i finally accept the offer. went for the orientation. and was really close to jiji since then.

September, 2016

I fall in love w the beauty of labuan. people at labuan started to address me as bella/belle instead of nab. so whenever i heard someone call me ‘nab’ at labuan, i feel weird. basically, whenever i am at labuan, its alright to call me bella/belle. anw like ji and tia, they still stick to nab instead bella/belle. i also went hiking too for the very first time in my life. at bukit kubong. 148 above the sea. one of the highest places at labuan. (besides umskal building) i also starts to experience celebrating hari raya aidiladha at labuan. at first in the morning after solat sunat hari raya, we went to one of the lecturer’s house which basically she’s also once a umskal student, to have some celebration at her house. we gather w the seniors from second, third and fourth year w from both faculty, (fki and fkal). i started w taekwondo again but mehhhh. it was only lasts for a day. bcs i stopped for a while and i forgot almost everything. so sad. plus my stamina pun out. so i decided to quit. (does it sounds like i’m giving up?)

October, 2016

Ghost house to gain some money for umskal got talent event. went inside to experience it but i was really scared tho i kenal every one yg jadi hantu. theres one day i went wall climbing and i cant go any higher bcs i am too heavy (gotta admit that) and teman ji and tia played futsal at night. a productive day i can say. its also the month i started to feel like i fall for my crush when i randomly record him make a cendol. (sorry, ex-crush) like, out of nowhere. but think back, i think i fall for him earlier when i first met him at klia. used to like him. used. sewa kereta at friday for 2 hours just for the sake of nasi kerabu at kedai ganu w ji and tia lol. and oh, fki family day. i was reluctant to go at first which i didnt sign up my name at first. ended up, someone said to me, “kau tak pergi fki family day, kau siap belle bila aku jumpa kau” and i terus muncul tetiba at the bus stop, that morning. hehhh. also, umskal got talent was held on october. had some problems when kertas undi tak cukup, so kak tyka and i, run naik atas level 3 to print a new one. i freaking run. i think i lost about 2.1kg that night. that was on semi final. its actually good to have some activity to do at night besides sleep. like i usually do. during the final, which was held 2 weeks after, it was good. had some problems too. tired, but satisfied. it was my first event that i joined, and it was good. i started to drive back since i left it about a year+ not driving. yeah i dont have problem in driving except not being able to drive properly, bad in guessing the distance between the car that i drove and the car behind me, took hours to park the car, and the list goes on. at the end of october, went to kk city during the mid sem break. it was my first time reached there. i went w jiji, and her friend, hamir came all the way from johor bahru. the planning was upside down i can say lol. from the hotel, food, transportation, shopping, all messed up. sokay we learnt from experience hahaha.

November, 2016

Took class photo. yeah class photo. i was lazy at first but just bcs my friend, she put such efforts to coax me and join the class photo, so i came all the way from cafe to menara. had mandarin midterm at menara. i thought i’ve done my best, but the results came out makes me feels like mehhhhh. struggling w e-commerce 3k words assignment, which i thought should be handed on 10th November but end up the lecturer said it supposed to be handed on the 10th weeks of lecture. me being me, me and last minutes works are really like a best friend. best friend for ever till jannah. told myself should change to a better me but meh. lets hope i’ll change one day. bought a new sneakers when i lost one pair of my freaking new shoes. tipulah if i said i didnt sad. but mybe not my rezeki kot. big thing happened on november i think was, tamu gadang event. from protocol to urusetia. tired but i really like the experiences. during the graduate run, i was supposedly get ready by 4am, ended up i woke up late and i was there at 4.30am or is it 5am. i really have problem when it comes to wake up early in the morning. big, problem. and i just realize the pokestop at umskal suddenly went missing. i was really sad that time. no kidding. went to palm beach resort after find some things for sispa booth. main buai while enjoying the scenery there. really makes me fall in love w nature, beach, and labuan.

December, 2016

Karkomkal event. since i joined sispa, i will join karkomkal for 3 semesters. bcs sispa is actually badan beruniform and have to take till my third semester. means what? on the next sem, others are enjoying wake up late, and i’ll be rushing on saturday morning for sispa lecture lol. indian cultural night, we (me, ji, and tia) didnt take part in that event bcs we are lazy already. and accidentally wore red, some color w them. what a coincidence. had titas presentation too on december w the most 1 malaysia group ever. 1 chinese, 1 sarawakian, 2 malays, and 2 indians. its good to get the chance to mix w all the races especially when you are out from yr zone. also, our programming group project. took us about 1 night to do it, and about less than 2 days to find and fix error and we did it. and i really thought that ‘class’ wont be came out during final but then, paapppp! 35marks. trust me i didnt revise about ‘class’. anw, we received a compliment from our tutor! goodjob mates xoxo. tak sia sia i skip ugt family day just bcs i had to stick on the screen to find the error on my group project lol. basically last class for every subject. bcs final is approaching that time. and last but not least, my 2016 ended w sispa final exam.

My 2016 update finally comes to the end. the last 5 months in 2016 basically were my first semester of degree journey. remember when i said i badly want to further in IT related? i really grateful when i didnt give up for matrics, my result was just passed, and i didnt get what my parents wants but god put me nicely in what i deserve. hence, e-commerce. tho at first idk a thing about e-commerce, but day by day, i realize it flows in me since i was small. god plans is always great. i might merungut all the time but i know everything happens for reasons and great thing will finally come. you just have to wait and have faith in allah.

And i am really sorry bcs it took me a month to do this update. but believe me, i was actually very sad, when a friend of mine, suddenly was not my friend anymore, those great time i used to have are now tinggal memories, it saddens me. really. every pictures have its own story. and i realize how people change, day by day, month by month, year by year. even myself. and i am happy for everyone, especially my friends. prayers are all goes to them. take care my lovely friends. still friend or not, still contact or have lost contact, thanks for making my life memorable. thanks bcs you used to be there. i wish you to have a better life. and those who are still w you, or w us, treasure them. bcs we dont know till when they will stick to us. till then. :)

P/s: no pictures on this post update bcs even theres no picture in this, its too long already. no. actually bcs i have problem in transferring pictures from my phone to pc. anyio.