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21 sayings you"ll only understand if you"re Irish
These phrases are known far and wide in Ireland — find out what they really mean in time for St. Patrick's Day. The Irish have a number of unique sayings and words.Charles Platiau/Reuters The Irish are known in the US for their quick speaking and heavy accents. They've also got a few unique phrases and words, like "craic" and "eejits." Sadly, if you aren't from Ireland or of Irish descent, you probably haven't heard half of them. Not only does Ireland have amazing scenery, incredible sights, and notoriously fun citizens, but the people also have a certain way with words. The Irish are known in the US for their quick speaking and heavy accents, but they've also got a few out-of-the-box phrases that are worth noting. Sadly, if you aren't from Ireland or of Irish descent, you probably haven't heard half of them.Irish slang isn't just for fun either — utilizing words like "craic," which means fun, or "grand," which means good, can be effective in marketing your business to Irish people abroad and in the US. We rounded up 21 Irish sayings — and what they really mean. "What's the craic?" might sound confusing but, in Ireland, it's another way to ask how someone is.People drinking beer wearing St. Patrick's Day costumes.Pressmaster/ShutterstockGreetings like "Any craic?" and "How's the craic?" most likely confuse tourists because craic is pronounced like "crack."The most straightforward definition of "craic" is fun or enjoyment, but the phrase "What's the craic?" can be a substitute for "How are you?" A typical response is "divil a bit," which means "not much."The Irish saying "away with the fairies" is used when someone isn't facing reality or is living in la-la land.An Irish sports fan wearing face paint.ReutersThis phrase got its origin thanks to the folk tales about fairies picking people up and taking them away, according to The Phrase Finder.In the Emerald Isle, if your friends are getting rowdy or making a fool of themselves, you'd say they are "acting the maggot."A woman at a St. Patrick's Day parade.Tristan Fewings/Getty ImagesThis phrase could also be used to talk about anything that isn't acting properly, like if your phone is on the fritz or the trains are running way behind schedule."On me tod" translates to "on my own."An Irish landscape.Noradoa/ShutterstockPeople will say this when they're going out alone or just alone in a general sense.According to Medium, the phrase is said to come from Tod Sloane, an American jockey whose parents were out of the picture, leaving him a lone wolf during his childhood.He was a successful horse racer in the West, but when he moved across the pond he was made fun of for his riding style, and therefore "alone" once more. "Look at the state o' you!" implies that a person's attire, personal hygiene, intoxication level, or general demeanor is worrisome.A drunk man passed out behind his beer at a bar.Zoriana Zaitseva/ShutterstockIt's a popular exclamation used in inner Dublin. One might also describe his drinking companion as being in a "bleedin' state" if he gets "wrecked" at the pub.People will often say they or their friends are "as happy as Larry" when they have no worries or cares in the world.A person dressed up for St. Patrick's Day.Scott Barbour/Getty ImagesWhile this saying may have originated in New Zealand, according to LBC, it has grown popular halfway across the globe in Ireland and the UK."What's the story, horse?" — abbreviated as "story horse?" — is how you ask a buddy what's up.A person kissing the Blarney Stone.Thomas Barrat/ShutterstockIt's a less breezy greeting than its American counterpart and invites the other person to really dive into what's been going on in life."What eejits" is basically another way of saying "what fools" or "what idiots."People packed into Dublin's popular Temple Bar area to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.Charles McQuillan/Getty Images.This is a playful phrase used when calling out your friends for being silly, drunk, or foolish, according to the Cambridge Dictionary."Sure you know yourself" essentially means "you understand" or "it's up to you."The countryside of Killarney, Ireland.ShutterstockThis slang saying is quite popular and often used as a reply to questions like, "What were you thinking?" or "How are you?"It can be used when you want to avoid decision-making or a lengthy explanation."Take your point and the goals will come" is usually used when referring to sports.Irish sports fans.Charles Platiau/ReutersIreland is a big country for football. When talking about the sport, this idiom means that players should take any shot they might get, preferably the easiest one. A mischievous child or person might be described as "suffering from a double dose of original sin."A person picking an apple off a tree.Miguel Villagran/Getty ImagesThe Bible proposes that when Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he cast a state of sin on all mankind. Today, if a child is particularly mischievous, he's said to have been twice cursed by Adam's slip-up.The phrase became popular in the 1880s when proponents of British rule over Ireland attributed what they saw as Irishmen's depravity of character (and the famine, some argued) to their second helping of original sin, according to The Speeches and Public Addresses of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.An attractive person might be referred to as a "fine thing."A woman toasting wine at dinner.Southworks/ShutterstockIn an Irish accent, it might sound more like "fine ting."Eventually, you might also make a "fine thing" your "mot."People holding hands.Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images"Mot" derives from "maith," the Irish word for "good," "well," or "like" and is used to refer to someone's girlfriend."'Tis only a stepmother would blame you" basically means "don't worry about it."Irish sports fans.Alex Grimm/Getty ImagesThis one is a tad unfair to stepmothers everywhere. It basically means there's no need to be embarrassed or feel bad about committing a small offense, especially if the deed is so insignificant that only a jealous, belittling stepmother could find fault with you."Sucking diesel" means reaping the rewards of hard work.A person counting money in their wallet.Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty ImagesWhen you've fallen into good fortune thanks to your own hard work — not the good ol' luck of the Irish — you'd say that you are "sucking diesel now," according to the Cambridge Dictionary.This phrase is a way to pat yourself on the back about things going well in your life.A loved one may say "may the road rise up to meet you" on your wedding day.An Irish couple getting married.Alex Vog/ShutterstockYou may recognize this popular blessing (in Irish Gaelic: Go n-éirí an bóthar leat) from Catholic weddings or on cross-stitched pillows in your nan's house.One of the main characteristics of Celtic Christianity is the use of images of nature to show how God interacts with people. "May the road rise up to meet you/ May the wind be always at your back/ May the sun shine warm upon your face ..." uses everyday images to mean may God remove obstacles in your journey through life."Your son is your son today, but your daughter is your daughter forever" is one of the more misogynistic sayings.Dublin, Ireland.Getty ImagesThis phrase is pretty misogynistic. Basically, it means a man is only a son until he takes a wife, but as a daughter gets older, she will stay near the family, draining it of money and time for years to come. You order a pint of "black stuff" at the bar.Guiness beer on table.Frantisekf/ShutterstockThis refers to a pint of Guinness, which in reality is a deep ruby red color and not black.A "chancer" is a slightly insulting way to describe someone who's unafraid to take risks.A person walking on a tightrope.Alexander Shcherbak/GettyThis could be a major risk, or simply something you call your friend who's chatting up someone who's out of his league."Delira and excira" means "delighted and excited."Ireland fans at the Rugby World Cup on September 27, 2015.Andrew Couldridge/ReutersThe phrase was popularized by Irish radio host Gay Byrne on his morning radio show, according to Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase & Fable.Whatever you do, don't let an Irish person catch you calling St. Patrick's Day "St. Patty's Day."A person wearing shamrock sunglasses.Natacha Pisarenko/APAny true Irish person will tell you that it's St. Paddy's, not St. Patty's.Many are pretty passionate about putting an end to misspellings and mispronunciations, so on St. Patrick's Day, don't be surprised if you hear people at the local pub having a heated discussion about it. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
The West"s Reckoning?
The West's Reckoning? Authored by Michael Brenner via ScheerPost.com, Western leaders are experiencing two stunning events: defeat in Ukraine, genocide in Palestine. The first is humiliating, the other shameful. Yet, they feel no humiliation or shame. Their actions show vividly that those sentiments are alien to them – unable to penetrate the entrenched barriers of dogma, arrogance and deep-seated insecurities. The last are personal as well as political. Therein lies a puzzle. For, as a consequence, the West has set itself on a path of collective suicide. Moral suicide in Gaza; diplomatic suicide – the foundations laid in Europe, the Middle East and across Eurasia; economic suicide – the dollar-based global financial system jeopardized, Europe deindustrializing. It is not a pretty picture. Astoundingly, this self-destruction is occurring in the absence of any major trauma – external or internal. Therein lies another, related puzzle. Some clues for these abnormalities are provided by their most recent responses as deteriorating conditions tighten the vise – on emotions, on prevailing policies, on domestic political worries, on ginger egos. Those responses fall under the category of panic behavior. Deep down, they are scared, fearful and agitated. Biden et al in Washington, Macron, Schulz, Sunak, Stoltenberg, von der Leyen. They lack the courage of their stated convictions or the courage to face reality squarely. The blunt truth is that they have contrived to get themselves, and their countries, in a quandary from which there is no escape conforming to their current self-defined interests and emotional engagement. Hence, we observe an array of reactions that are feckless, grotesque and dangerous. Feckless Exhibit 1 is French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed plan to station military personnel from NATO members within Ukraine to serve as a tripwire. Arrayed as a cordon around Kharkov, Odessa and Kiev they are meant to deter advancing Russian forces from moving on those cities for fear of killing Western soldiers – thereby risking a direct confrontation with the Alliance. It is a highly dubious idea that defies logic and experience while tempting fate. France long has deployed members of its armed forces in Ukraine where they programed and operated sophisticated equipment – in particular, the SCALP cruise missiles. Scores were killed by a Russian retaliatory strike a few months ago that destroyed their residence. Paris cried ‘holy murder’ for Moscow’s unsporting conduct in shooting back at those attacking them. It was retaliation for the French participation in the deadly bombing of the Russian city of Belgorod. Why then should we expect that the Kremlin would abandon a costly campaign involving what they see as vital national interests if uniformed Western troops were deployed in a picket line around cities? Would they be intimated into passivity by spiffy uniforms assembled under outsized banners inscribed with the slogan: “DON’T MESS WITH NATO”? Moreover, there already are thousands of Westerners bolstering the Ukrainian armed forces. Roughly 4 – 5,000 Americans have been performing critical operational functions from the outset. The presence of a majority predates by several years the onset of hostilities 2 years ago. That contingent was augmented by a supplementary group of 1,700 last summer which was as a corps of logistic experts advertised as mandated to seek out and eradicate corruption in the black-marketing of pilfered supplies. The Pentagon people are sown thought the Ukrainian military from headquarters planning units, to advisers in the field, to technicians and Special Forces. It is widely understood that Americans have operated the sophisticated HIMARS long-range artillery and the Patriot air defense batteries. This last means that members of the U.S. military have been aiming – perhaps pulling the trigger on – weapons that kill Russians. In addition, the CIA has established a massive, multipurpose system able to conduct a wide range of Intelligence and operational activities- independently as well as in conjunction with the Ukrainian FSB. That includes tactical Intelligence on a day-by-day basis. We don’t know whether they had a role in the campaign of targeted assassinations inside Russia. A critical role also has been played by Britain. Their specialized personnel have been operating the Storm Shadow missiles (counterpart to the French SCALP) employed against Crimea and elsewhere. Too, MI-6 has taken a lead role in designing multiple attacks on the Kerch Bridge and other critical infrastructure. The principal lesson to be drawn from this overview is that the positioning of European troops at key sites as human hostages in not wholly original. Their presence has not deterred Russia from attacking them in the field or, as in the French case, hunting them down in their residences. Feckless: Exhibit 2 is the American airdrop of a paltry load of humanitarian aid in the sea off of Gaza. This bizarre action overlaps the silly and the grotesque. The United States has been the major accomplice in the Israeli ravaging of Gaza. Its weapons have killed 30,000 Gazans, wounded 70,000+, and devastated hospitals. Washington has actively blocked any serious attempt at aid by the UNWRO in withholding the funds necessary to finance its operations, while staying silent as Israel blocks entry points from Egypt and massacres residents awaiting the arrival of a food convoy. Furthermore, it has vetoed every attempt to end the carnage through ceasefire resolutions of the UN Security Council. This absurd gesture of kicking pallets out an airplane hatch simply underscores American disregard for Palestinian lives, its contempt for world opinion and its shameless subjugation to dictates from Israel. Feckless: Exhibit 3 is provided by Rishi (Sage) Sunak, interim Prime Minister of the U.K. An ardent backer of Israel, he consistently has criticized Peace demonstrations protesting the assault on Gazans as obstacles to achieving a long-term ceasefire and political settlement. In this, he continues the long tradition of British fealty to its American overlord. Last week, he escalated the attack in denouncing them as tools of Hamas who have been taken over by terrorists – terrorists who threaten to tear the country apart. He likened it to ‘mob rule’ – as punctuated by the electoral victory of maverick George Galloway who crushed the Tories (and Labour) in a by-election. No evidence, of course, as to how half a million peaceable citizens are a Trojan horse for Muslim jihadis. This fecklessness is recognizable for those familiar with the haughty manner cultivated by the English upper crust – infecting even an arriviste in those exalted circles whose origins were in the Indian Raj. Condescension toward the lower ranks, instruction as to where the boundaries of acceptable behavior lie. That attitude often is laced with cute disparagements of groups or nationalities that don’t conform. The fact that Sunak himself is unabashed at now making snide accusations – however implied – about Muslims demonstrates the durability of cultural prejudices along with the historical openness of England’s upper class to those with money or cachet. These days, even a rishi. I suppose that’s social progress. The dangerous element in Sunak’s unbecoming demagoguery is not its aggravating effect on the West’s culpability in the Palestine. The regional protagonists, as well as the rest of the world, smile at Britain’s grand rhetorical flourishes knowing that it counts only as America’s Tonto. Rather, it opens a breach in the country’s dedication to free speech and assembly. For it comes close to saying that any public disagreement with HMG’s policy is tantamount to treason. Grotesque Insofar as violent ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians is concerned, it is fair to say that the Western governments’ complicity via its arming and unqualified backing for Israel’s gruesome actions constitutes grotesque behavior. To single out individual elements among individual governments is superfluous. The entire episode is grotesque. So it is seen by nearly the entire world outside the countries of the collective West. That represents about 2/3 of humanity. Still, our nations’ political elites appear oblivious and/or disdainful of that judgment. It matters little to them that they are seen by the ‘others’ as inhumane, arch hypocrites and racists. Those strong impressions are reinforced in many places by traumatic memories of how they themselves were subjugated, trodden upon and exploited over the centuries by people who righteously instructed them on the superiority of Western values – just as they do today. There are actions that manifestly represent a clear and future danger of an expanding war in Europe. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s belligerent Secretary-General, boldly stated last week that the Western allies should give Ukraine the green light to use the cruise missiles they have acquired to attack targets in Russia proper. Those weapons include the Storm Shadow, the Scalp, the long-range Tauras that Germany may soon dispatch and similar hardware to be provided by the U.S. (perhaps launched from the F-16s already arriving). Such a drastic move has been hinted at by other Western leaders, and pushed by hardline factions in Washington. Putin has warned that such escalation by the West – as with the conjectured deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine – would provoke a military response from Moscow. The extreme risks of the ensuing hostilities spiraling out of control to the nuclear threshold are self-evident. Taken together, the actions by Western leaders – supported by their nations’ political elites – are indicative of a behavior pattern that has parted ways with reality. They derive deductively from dogmas unsubstantiated by objective fact. They are logically self-contradictory, impervious to events that shift the landscape, and radically unbalanced in weighting benefits/costs/risks and probabilities of success. How do we explain this ‘irrationality’? There are background conditions that are permissive or encouraging of this flight from sound reasoning. They include: the nihilistic socio-cultural trends in our contemporary post-modern societies; their susceptibility to collective hysteria/overwrought emotional reactions to unsettling events – 9/11, Islamic terrorism, the fable about Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election among other political matters, the conjuring of the menacing Chinese dragon, scary predictions of inevitable war with the PRC, outlandish claims that Putin is planning to launch an all-out campaign to conquer Europe up to the English Channel. The last two are fed by the free-floating anxieties, i.e. dread, engendered by the earlier bouts of mass psychopathology. Those allegations, in fact pure fictions, have gained currency among senior military figures, heads of government, and among strategic ‘thinkers.’ Back to the ingredients of panic. We noted fear – of both the identifiable and the unknown, and sub-conscious feelings of insecurity. Those feelings derive from a matrix of disorienting shifts in the global environment inhabited by Western societies. They, in turn, grow in reciprocation with unsetting domestic developments. The outcome is two-fold: a stultifying of any reasonable debate about dubious policies – leaving premises and purposes untested, and opening opportunities for willful persons or factions who harbor audacious objectives of remaking the world’s geo-political space according to American hegemonic specifications. To that end, our leaders manipulate and exploit conditions of emotional disorientation and political conformity. The outstanding example are the so-called ‘neo-cons’ in Washington (who number Joe Biden as a comrade-in-arms) who have crafted a network of like-minded true believers in London, Paris, Berlin and at both ends of Brussels. What of the puzzle we noted as to the near complete absence of feelings of guilt or shame – especially over Gaza, of being humiliated in the eyes of the world? In conditions of nihilism, matters of conscience are moot. For the implicit rejection of norms, rules and laws frees the individual self to do whatever impulses or ideas or selfish interests impel it. With the superego dissolved, there is no felt obligation to judge oneself in reference to any external or abstract standard. Narcissistic tendencies flourish. A similar psychology obviates the requirement for experiencing shame. That is something that can only exist if we subjectively are part of a social grouping wherein personal status, and sense of worth, depend on how others view us and whether they grant us respect. In the absence of such a communal identity, with its attendant sensitivity to its opinion, shame can exist only in the perverse form of regret that one has been unable to meet the demanding, all-consuming need for self-gratification. That applies to nations as well as its individual leaders. * * * DONATE: PLEASE SUPPORT SCHEERPOST'S INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM You can also make a donation to our PayPal or subscribe to our Patreon. Tyler Durden Sat, 03/09/2024 - 07:00.....»»
Every DC extended universe movie, ranked from worst to best
How does "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" stack up to other DC films? It's better than the reviews claim, but it still doesn't top the original. Jason Momoa in "Aquaman 2."Christian Black/DC Comics Warning: There are some mild spoilers ahead. Business Insider ranks the movies in Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe from worst to best. 2016's "Suicide Squad" is easily the worst. The first "Wonder Woman" remains the best. 15. "Suicide Squad" is not only the DCEU's worst installment, it's easily one of the worst superhero movies ever made. And that's a bummer.Sorry puddin'. Will Smith and Harley Quinn couldn't save this film.Warner Bros.Though Margot Robbie's take on Harley Quinn won over fans enough to see her in two more DC movies, there's not much else anyone loved about this movie.The film was overstuffed with too many uninteresting characters, a comical CG mess of a villain, and Jared Leto's strange gangster, tattooed take on the Joker wasn't well-received. Despite making over $746 million at the box office, "Suicide Squad" is in leagues with other superhero movie abominations including "Elektra," "Catwoman," and Fox's "Fantastic Four" reboot attempt. You can read our review of "Suicide Squad" here. 14. "Justice League" has some fresh, eager faces, but they get lost in a lame story with a silly, forgettable CG-rendered villain.Sorry, Diana. There just isn't a lot that's wonderful about "Justice League."Warner Bros.The first reviews for "Justice League" criticized the film for its lack of a villain worthy of the DC superheroes, awful CG, and a lame story.While the film has a few stand-out performances from Ezra Miller as The Flash, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Gal Gadot's take on Wonder Woman, the group feels underutilized and rushed through a stuffed, generic story with a second-rate villain who isn't even a main baddie of the Justice League.You can see how much influence "Avengers" director Joss Whedon had in trying to deliver a lighter, more fun tone to the film. However, it seems certain aspects of the movie — like the villain and main plot — were so set in stone when he joined the film that he had to work with the hand dealt.Years later, when you see how the film treats its female characters compared to 2021's "Zack Snyder's Justice League," the 2017 film is almost unwatchable.You can read Insider's review of "Justice League" here.13. "Wonder Woman 1984" isn't better than the original, but it's still enjoyable because of its performances.Sparks fly between Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) and Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) once again in "WW84."Warner Bros."WW84" is an enjoyable, feel-good sequel — as long as you don't think about it too hard. It's the performances over the somewhat messy story which will keep you watching this slightly bloated superhero sequel.Chris Pine and Gal Gadot's palpable reunion as star-crossed lovers three years after the original is the film's greatest strength. Fast-forwarding 66 years into 1984, it's delightful to watch a role reversal from the 2017 film as Steve Trevor (Pine) tries to get acclimated to fashion and technology in the future.Gadot steals numerous scenes by just reacting with her eyes. Pedro Pascal pulls off playing one of DC's zanier villains. Kristen Wiig gives a great performance as a scientist who slowly devolves on screen into Wonder Woman's iconic nemesis.Once you sit with the film for awhile you may start thinking about some of the film's many unanswered questions, including, whether or not the film teased and then dropped a romantic story plot between Barbara and Diana, and if Wonder Woman ever returned a stolen jet to the Smithsonian.Though "WW84" is enjoyable at surface level, we can't rank it higher because of its numerous plot holes and a controversial consent debate between Diana and Steve. You can read Insider's review of "Wonder Woman 1984" here.12. The Rock's performance and a mid-credits scene are the best things about "Black Adam."Dwayne Johnson may be the savior the DC universe needs, but "Black Adam" isn't course-correcting this franchise.Frank Masi/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is great in "Black Adam." He clearly understands the character and commands the screen every second he's on it. That's why it's so disappointing that his 15-years-in-the-making antihero movie is subpar.Other than the Rock's performance, the best thing about "Black Adam" is a must-see mid-credits scene, which shouldn't be the case.The film's attempt to offer interesting commentary on the US interfering in foreign affairs via the Justice Society of America — a group that's a few steps up from the CW's "Legends of Tomorrow" gang — gets overshadowed by the film's many characters (of whom little are fleshed out) and CG action sequences to say anything of substance on the matter. This standalone flick falls victim to the same fate as many DC movies before it. It delivers some interesting characters in a mediocre superhero film.You can read our review here.11. "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is messy and fun, but isn't better than the original.The chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Jason Momoa works in "Aquaman 2."Courtesy Warner Bros./DC ComicsMarketed as a sequel where Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) was seeking revenge on Aquaman and his family, viewers instead received a movie about the dangers of climate change with a cursed king possessing Manta to overheat the planet.Momoa, once again, effortlessly embodies the role of Aquaman to deliver a fun, endearing story of reconnecting with his estranged brother Orm (a standout Patrick Wilson), but at the expense of sidelining all of its female characters.Amber Heard's Mera gets a handful of wooden dialogue and Nicole Kidman seems to appear solely to fulfill contractual obligations in a few moments of screentime. Additionally, Willem Dafoe's character from the first movie is oddly killed off-screen. As the final installment in WB's disjointed DCEU, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is an odd way to go out. Whether intentional or not, the sequel contains a lot of meme fodder and it doesn't attempt to close up its larger world-building. It just comes to a grinding halt.The final scene of the movie, a meaningless throwaway gag in which Orm delightfully savors a cockroach, feels like a statement about the last few poorly received installments in the DC film universe.10. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was supposed to be a huge all-out brawl between the Caped Crusader and Man of Steel, but it turned into a two-and-a-half hour slog and the Wonder Woman show.Yes, Batman, you should be bowing your head in shame.Warner BrosWhen the addition of Wonder Woman outshines two of the most popular superheroes known to man in their own movie, you have a problem. The trailers promised a battle of the ages between the two titans, but gave audiences a mere tease of a savory smackdown. It didn't help that their quarrel was resolved by the realization that the heroes' moms share the same name. (I wish I was joking.)Affleck's take on an older Caped Crusader affected by PTSD delivered a raw, realistic interpretation of the Gotham Knight. But Affleck and Gadot's performances couldn't save the film from its silly third act with another overly-processed CG villain.For what it's worth, the extended version of "BvS" is far superior to the theatrical release.From our review:"It's difficult to not feel like a lot of 'Batman v Superman' is an exhaustive — and expensive — effort from DC and Warner Bros. to catch up to Disney and Marvel's well-oiled cinematic universe.While all the parts click by the film's end, it's a journey getting there. 'BvS' is a busy film with a lot of players involved in one overarching story while making sure there's enough setup for future films. Sometimes the pacing feels rushed. When a villain is finally added into the mix, the film is nearly over."You can read the full review here.9. "Shazam: Fury of the Gods" is much better than expected, even if it's not better than the original.The Shazamily in "Shazam: Fury of the Gods."Warner Bros.2023's "Shazam" sequel is shockingly good, thoughtfully exploring the consequences of the hero's actions at the end of the first film and impostor syndome. Infused with the childlike joy that made the first film so enjoyable, "Shazam: Fury of the Gods" explores the complexities of what it means to be a hero and how everyone can be worthy if given the chance. In short, it isn't a superpower that makes us powerful.Shazam's decision to snap a magic staff at the end of the first film, which bestowed him and his foster brothers and sisters (aka the Shazamily) with the powers of the gods, directly influenced the villains in this film (Gods played by Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu).While the duo initially comes across as random villains out to steal Shazam and his family's superpowers, the crucial context behind their revenge makes it easier to empathize with the sisters.Still, the stuffed sequel fails to flesh out Billy Baxter's foster superhero family. By the film's end, you barely learn anything new about the majority of them. The sequel also loses a few points for containing an incredibly distracting use of product placement. Much of the film feels like a Skittles ad with the brand's trademark phrase uttered more than once.You can read our review here.8. "Shazam" is unquestionably funny with a charming Zachary Levi and a surprise ending. Other than that, the film is just OK.Zachary Levi is the best part of "Shazam!"Warner Bros."Shazam!" may not be a Batman or Superman movie, but boy is it filled with product placement for both heroes — from backpacks, to T-shirts, to an actual Batarang. When you can't go an entire DC movie without reminding fans that your other heroes are still out there somewhere, maybe you should make sure you have a few good movies with those characters first.That's why it's a bit wild that "Shazam!" is a pretty decent movie. It's far from the best superhero movie. The first half hour is a bit of a boorish slug. It picks up when Levi finally enters the picture. But honestly, this movie is just a superhero version of the movie "Big."For some reason, the DCEU continues down the path of terrible-looking CG villains in this movie with seven ghastly ghouls that take you out of the film a little. A surprise with several more superheroes showing up near the film's end makes up for some of the film's less inspired moments.If The Rock's villainous Black Adam was in this movie, it would have been 10 times better. At the end of the day, "Shazam" is hilarious, but it wasn't a DC film anyone was asking to see. You can read Insider's review of "Shazam" here. 7. "The Flash" works when it's a Batman movie. Michael Keaton's the best thing about the long-awaited film.Michael Keaton makes The Flash watchable.Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics"The Flash" is very good when it's a Batman movie and mediocre when it's about Barry Allen (Ezra Miller). Somehow, a movie that revolves around preventing the death of Barry's mom fails to explore who killed her in the first place. It's also strange that the film revisits a villain from a 10-year-old divisive film ("Man of Steel") instead of focusing on a Flash baddie given WB's stance on refusing to continue the Snyderverse era of DC. Despite an MVP performance from Michael Keaton and the enjoyable addition of Sasha Calle as Supergirl, it's tough to rank this film higher due to some truly wonky CGI and a cringeworthy scene near the film's start in which Ezra Miller's hero places a baby in a closed microwave to save its life before offering mental health advice to a screaming nurse. Given the actor's legal troubles, it's bizarre this sequence and dialogue made the final cut.The only thing more bizarre is the number of critics who oversold the film as one of the greatest superhero movies ever made months ahead of release without ever seeing the film's full ending. You can read Insider's review here.6. "Aquaman" has some visually dazzling scenes and Jason Momoa reimagines what it means to be the King of the Seven Seas.Jason Momoa embodies a new, likable vision for Aquaman.Warner Bros."Aquaman" has so much going on that it easily feels like several movies in one. I don't necessarily believe "Aquaman" is better than "Shazam," but visually, it has some much better shots, including the electric one of Jason Momoa and Amber Heard diving into the Trench-infested waters with only the light of a red flare to guide them out of harm's way. (Click here to see what I'm talking about.)Momoa is not only convincing as Aquaman, but he also helped redefine the DC hero that became the punchline of every joke because of his original take on the character. Even if all of his jokes didn't land in the film, it was easy to see Momoa had a blast as the King of the Seven Seas. From Insider's review:"Director James Wan brings a fresh eye to the DC universe with some great and intense visual moments on screen, Jason Momoa is an excellent Aquaman, and the underwater sea world of Atlantis looks like something out of "Avatar." But there are some things that feel too cartoonish, some jokes don't quite land, and the film continues to make some mistakes of past Warner Bros.' DC entries.For better or worse, the film is parts "Splash," "The Lion King," "National Treasure," and an original Wan horror flick."You can read the full review here.5. "Birds of Prey" is a lot of fun and is hopefully the first of more superhero movies centered around women.Margot Robbie continues to show us why her Harley Quinn was the best thing to come from 2016's "Suicide Squad."Claudette Barius/Warner BrosHarley Quinn is the role Margot Robbie was born to play. She effortlessly brings the quirky and fun spirit of the Joker's former sidekick to life from the comic pages. DC has always had a leg up on developing its female characters on screen. While highlighting Harley, the film introduces at least two new characters fans will want to see more of in the future. Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Huntress and Jurnee Smollett-Bell's Black Canary can stand alongside the likes of DC's Catwoman or Poison Ivy.On the villain front, Ewan McGregor gives us one of DC's best villains with the eccentric and despicable mobster Roman Sionis. The film loses some points because of some unorthodox storytelling. The first hour is told out of order from Harley's perspective, making the movie a little tough to follow the first time around. You may not be clear on what the film is about until all of the pieces come together. Upon a second viewing, the movie holds up even more, even if we don't get an explanation for some plot holes, like where all of Gotham's other villains are hiding.Overall, "BoP" serves as an uplifting message for young women to take charge of their lives if they're not happy with the cards they were dealt. It gets some bonus points because it's a film made for women by women because of the attention to detail. (Yes, I'm talking about the hair tie moment.)You can read Insider's review of "Birds of Prey" here.4. James Gunn delivers one of the smartest comic-book movies you'll ever watch, even though you may not grasp that until a second viewing.Gunn makes you fall in love with each character in his "The Suicide Squad" before pulling the rug out from under you.Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC ComicsDid we need another "Suicide Squad" movie? Absolutely not. But this is such a bloody, damn good time. Gunn delivers a political thriller with a big statement about the real villains of the world wrapped in a superhero movie. While fans receive gruesome deaths (some of which will shock you) and no holds barred action, the film also unexpectedly has a lot of heart. Gunn's greatest gift is his ability to make you fall in love with the most obscure characters, who you really have no business caring about in the first place, that it's tough to pick one or two stand-outs in a large cast. David Dastmalchian's Polka-Dot Man, John Cena's hilarious Peacemaker, and Sylvester Stallone's King Shark are all stand-outs along with a tiny rat with a backpack named Sebastian.Not only is "TSS" the strangest comic-book movie you'll ever watch, it's also one of the smartest.You can read our review here.3. "Zack Snyder's Justice League" is the movie fans deserved to get years ago.The heroes are united in Zack Snyder's original vision in his "Snyder cut."HBOMax/DCIs the Snyder Cut an exercise in excess? Sure. There are a few scenes, including one with the Amazons and another with women singing, that could be cut by a few minutes. But that doesn't really matter. Snyder most likely thought this could be his final opportunity to deliver any story with these characters in the DC Universe so he took his time to deliver almost everything fans have waited to see for years. A new villain adds a more compelling narrative to the film instead of some third-rate sidekick villain who simply wants to conquer the Earth. The creep factor on 2017's old superhero Steppenwolf has been dialed down, and now you almost feel bad for this new version who clearly just wants some attention from the boss he worships.Cringeworthy dialogue, Henry Cavill's mustache-gate, and the Russian family from the original are all gone. Diverse heroes have been reinstated and most of the 2017 film's crimes against its female characters have been nixed or altered. Snyder's long-fabled vision for the "Justice League" is a superior film to the theatrical cut in every sense of the word. It's a shame we'll likely never get sequels.You can read our review here.2. "Man of Steel" isn't perfect, but it's a good coming-of-age story about a man trying to come to grips with being different.I will defend "Man of Steel" until my dying day to all the naysayers.Warner Bros.Fans and critics alike were quick to tear "Man of Steel" down for Cavill's portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman. Countless early reviews used the word "brooding" to describe the movie. The giant controversial action scene aside, anyone believing it was a depressing, dark film was missing the point of what Snyder was trying to do.This movie wasn't delivering us a full-fledged Superman. Instead, it was giving us a Clark Kent who was learning how to be Superman and accept the fact that it was OK he was different from everyone else. From our review in 2013:"Being an alien among humans is scary and director Zack Snyder drives this point home showing the world through a young Kent's eyes. We know Superman has X-ray vision, super strength, heat vision, and supersonic hearing and that all sounds cool.In reality, it's not.According to Snyder, Superman doesn't see skeletons when seeing others. He sees people's muscular systems. That's terrifying. The simplest sounds — the opening of a door, getting out of a chair, and placing a coffee pot down are deafening ... Is Henry Cavill the cheeriest Man of Steel? At the start of the film, no. But when your adopted parents are telling you to hide the special attribute that makes you unique, and you can't answer back to the bullies who constantly refer to you as a freak — who could blame him? ...A fitting alternate title for the film would be 'Superman Begins.'"You can read Insider's full "Man of Steel" review here.1. "Wonder Woman" was the best movie in the DCEU.The best scene in "Wonder Woman."Warner Bros.So you're not a fan of the third act where Wonder Woman's taking out the bad guy. Who cares? The rest of the film more than makes up for it. One of the movie's best scenes occurs about an hour into "Wonder Woman." Actress Gal Gadot debuts the superhero costume as she steps out of the trenches and slowly makes her way across a war-torn stretch of land during World War I called "No Man's Land," an area no one has been able to cross in over a year.Bullets ricochet off her bracelets and she moves faster across the barren wasteland until she clears the other side of danger. It's a scene of many which brought mothers, daughters, and women to tears while seeing the film in theaters. In our 2017 review of "Wonder Woman," we called it one of the best superhero movies ever made:"Not only does 'Wonder Woman' power through the potential pitfalls of the modern-day superhero movie — weak plot, boring villain, lackluster third act — but it also shows once and for all that a female-focused superhero movie can be as strong, heroic, thrilling, and funny as the guys' (and, I predict, as profitable)."Chris Pine is also a scene-stealer — and funny! (Who knew?) But the best thing "Wonder Woman" may have done was kill off the hero's love interest. It's something Marvel movies haven't had the guts to do. Plus, Diana Prince doesn't need romance as a story crutch. She's awesome on her own.Read the original article on Insider.....»»
Chubb"s Ana Robic on 2024: I want to educate customers about the insurance they don"t realize they need
Chubb's Ana Robic wants to move faster in 2024 in areas including internal DEI efforts and awareness about flood insurance. William Taufic 2014Ana Robic has been at the insurance company Chubb for 25 years.She's working on wealth transfer, embedded insurance, and flood insurance.Robic's insights are part of Business Insider's year-end leadership series, "Looking Ahead 2024."Ana Robic got her start at Chubb 25 years ago, as an intern in Canada. Now she's the division president of the insurance company's personal risk services in North America.What was supposed to be a way to get through the summer doing "the lame insurance thing" turned into a career, she said.Chubb is a commercial and personal property- and casualty-insurance company that focuses on insuring the homes, cars, toys, jewelry, and wine of high-net-worth individuals."People's expectations of this industry are generally quite wrong," Robic told Business Insider. She's worked on the commercial and personal sides of the business, including in underwriting. "It's not deemed as sexy, but that was by far one of the most rewarding jobs I had," she added.While she acknowledged that luck had been a factor in her career, she said that "self-advocacy is nothing to be ashamed of."A growing focus for Chubb is wealth transfer, or helping wealthy people pass on things like collector cars, a second home, a watch collection, or a wine collection.What makes insurance unique, Robic said, is that "the thing you're promising people doesn't change." She described insurance as a promise. "We're saying trust me — should something go wrong, you've given me all this money for that promise," she said. "If a bad day comes when our clients are at their worst, we should be at our best."Robic's insights are part of Business Insider's year-end leadership package, "Looking Ahead 2024," which digs into vision, strategy, and challenges across corporate America.The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.What's one thing you're excited about for 2024?I'm super excited that my almost-17-year-old daughter will get her driver's license in January, going on to drive all over New Jersey for volleyball tournaments. But I'm also most concerned about that, because it's scary when your kid starts driving — especially if you're a mother in the insurance industry.On the business side, we're looking forward to continuing many of our employee engagement efforts, including getting some stronger outcomes from our DEI initiatives. It's an area we know we can be better in, and we've launched a bunch of internal efforts around improving diversity in all parts of our business.I firmly believe that greater diversity can better business outcomes. I'm looking forward to next year actually seeing some of the fruits of a lot of those efforts.I'm looking forward to attracting and retaining the best talent and having the composition of our employee teams continue to change so that they reflect the markets in which we operate.What's one thing you're concerned about for 2024?There's a risk when you've got the lead in a race of getting complacent. And our clients have put us in the lead. We're very grateful for that, that they have that trust in us. We can afford to sit back.I think the risk for us is continuing to build that culture and making sure that the team maintains that high bar — keeps up the energy and drive to achieve more.What is one thing you got right in 2023?It's treating your clients like they're the center of all your success. Building a culture centered around creating the best client experience is something we spend a ton of time on. And it sounds silly, because it's insurance, and I think you're inundated with images on TV as to what insurance is. But it's really hard to get that right.When clients choose Chubb, they expect that when something goes wrong, we're going to exceed their expectations, not just meet them. So figuring out how we do that day in and day out when it comes to your claim is something we work very hard at. I think we really got that right this year.One of the things we measure is how often after a claim our clients tell us they're highly satisfied. And our score this year was 94% — 94% of the time our clients are highly satisfied.We also have anecdotal evidence, which is not super scientific. Like, last week I was flying back from Dallas, and the guy beside me saw the job name on my laptop when I opened it. And he launched into this story about a tree getting hit by lightning six years ago at his house and how amazing we were. He will be a customer for life.You look at large catastrophes, like the Hawaiian wildfires. We were one of the first insurance companies on-site starting to rebuild people's lives. There's a point of pride in that knowing you're right there.What's one thing you got wrong in 2023?One thing that we maybe got wrong was we weren't moving fast enough in some areas that are still full of opportunity for our business.We're really growing this digital embedded insurance internationally, but in North America it's still sort of in its infancy.So if you go and buy a luxury good online — think a watch or jewelry, even potentially wine — I want to be able to sell you an insurance product that you might need right at that point of sale.We've started doing that with some partners. I just think there's a lot more opportunity. So we're ramping up our sales and technology teams to do that better and do more of that next year. It's just not moving fast enough is probably the regret.Similarly, flood insurance — most people don't realize that's a separate purchase from your homeowners insurance. And less than 5% of our customers buy flood insurance. We have a product, and we need to do a better job of explaining to others that for a very nominal cost you can protect yourself from something that is far more pervasive than you realize.I just want to go faster in some of these places to deliver these products to our clients.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
67 best gifts for your wife this holiday season
Choose one of the best gifts for your wife with our curated selection of top picks this holiday season, from romantic to unique to trendy. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn moreOtherland; Crystal Cox/InsiderThe holidays are creeping around the corner which means it's time to start brainstorming what to get everyone in your life, including your wife. What do you get for the person you've chosen to spend forever with? Answering that question is a tall order, but we're here to help. Below, we've rounded up the best gifts that any wife will love. Our gift ideas touch a variety of categories, from romantic to sentimental to simply luxurious. We curated gifts to account for all sorts of passions, hobbies, preferences, and budgets. Whether her favorite activity is cooking, running, or reading, we're sure this list has something your wife will be excited to receive this holiday season.A chic weighted blanketBearabyBearaby Cotton NapperWeighted blankets have been shown to help reduce anxiety and help some people sleep better. This soft and luxurious version from Bearaby made our list of the best weighted blankets because it's chic enough to leave draped over the couch as a decor accent and cuddly enough to curl up in for a cozy night in. It also comes in five different color options and three different weights for a more customized experience.A custom portrait of you twoUncommon GoodsUncommon Goods Love Is In The Air Custom PortraitCommission this cute, cartoony portrait of you both floating away with heart-shaped balloons. All you have to do is pick the physical attributes that fit you both, and the artist will create an illustration that captures those lovey-dovey feelings.A fluffy bathrobe for relaxing at homeParachuteParachute Classic Turkish Cotton RobeWhen there's no time for a trip to the spa, this fluffy bathrobe will help her feel like she's on a luxury staycation. We named it our best overall pick in our guide to the best bathrobes for its soft feel and substantial shawl collar.An attractive blenderBeastBeast B10 BlenderA blender that works well and looks good sitting out on the counter? We're listening. The Beast Blender is powerful, relatively quiet, and doesn't take up too much counter space. If she's been wanting to get into morning smoothies, this will become her new favorite gadget. A pet-friendly plantThe SillThe Sill Mixed SucculentPlants are an amazing gift for any occasion; they brighten up any space and are even proven to improve your mood. Whether her room is completely barren or already looking like a jungle, these succulents will be a welcomed addition. Plus, they're pet-friendly and low-maintenance.A customized name plate necklaceCatbirdCatbird Tiniest Name NecklaceThis dainty nameplate necklace makes for a thoughtful and personalized gift that your wife will treasure for years to come. Each piece is made in New York City using 100% recycled solid 14k yellow gold for a beautiful and timeless look.A subscription to 100+ celeb-taught online classesMasterClassMasterClass Annual SubscriptionMasterClass provides online video classes taught by well-known celebrities and industry leaders. Your wife can opt for a cooking class with Thomas Keller or a photography lesson from Annie Leibovitz. Plus, as part of a Mother's Day sale, you can get a subscription accessible from multiple devices for the same price as an individual one through May 8, 2022.A candle inspired by notable scentsOtherlandOtherland CandleWe love Otherland's candles, and we're sure your spouse will too. The assortment includes a selection of nostalgic aromas reminiscent of sandalwood, fig, and champagne, to name a few. It's one of the All-Time Best products we've ever tested.The trendiest tumblerTargetStanley The Quencher H2.0Her hydration goals will seem like an easy feat with a new tumbler from Stanley. The aptly-named Quencher will 40 ounces of water cold for 11 hours, or hot for 7 hours, so she never feels parched again.The comfiest sneakers she's ever wornAllbirdsAllbirds Women's Wool RunnersAllbirds have reached cult-like status for their superior combination of comfort, style, and convenience. Each pair is made out of merino wool, which makes them super soft inside and out, plus they're machine washable so she can wear them wherever life takes her. A fresh bouquet of flowersUrbanStemsUrbanStems Floral BouquetUrbanStems is the best flower delivery service we've tested for its high-quality, vibrant flowers and quick delivery. If your wife hates the upkeep of fresh flowers, you can also get a dried bouquet that'll last a lot longer.A countertop gardenAeroGardenAeroGarden SproutFresh herbs and veggies are just a few clicks away when you give your wife an AeroGarden Sprout. This hydroponic countertop garden leverages technology to make growing your own food easier than ever before– no yard necessary! The sleek design won't take up much space, but can grow lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs up to 10 inches tall.A Jenga game that brings you closerUncommon GoodsUncommon Goods Falling for You Personalized Couple's GameFor Jenga lovers, each wooden block has a different engraved challenge for couples, from conversation starters to physical actions. You can also add up to five custom blocks with your own questions or prompts.A cozy cashmere beanieNaadamNaadam The Essential Ribbed Cashmere BeanieWith chilly winter days around the corner, a great beanie will quickly become a well-loved accessory. This one, made with 100% Mongolian cashmere, is a luxurious take on the classic fit.A classic pair of solid gold hoop earringsMejuriMejuri Oversized Thin Hoop EarringsA simple, classic pair of earrings is a gift that'll come in handy over and over again. These solid 14-karat gold hoops are a Mejuri bestseller and can be worn with everything from a T-shirt to a cocktail dress. She'll be wearing them for years to come.An oversized sweaterAlex MillAlex Mill Betty Sweater'Tis the season for oversized turtlenecks. We don't make the rules.A luxury fragrance at an affordable pricepointDossierDossier FragrancesIf your wife likes having a different scent for every mood or occasion, treat her to a fresh fragrance from Dossier. Dossier makes luxury fragrances– inspired by brands like YSL, Le Labo, Tom Ford, and more– for a fraction of the price. Our team has tested a variety of Dossier fragrances and unanimously agree– they smell just as good as their much-more-expensive counterparts.A handmade ceramic vaseEtsyWhimsy by Wyeth Handmade Checkered Ceramic VaseFor the wife that's always ensuring your home is filled with fresh flowers, add a new vase to her collection. This handmade vessel boasts a gorgeous, retro checkered design that'll look lovely holding wildflowers, roses, tulips, and sunflowers alike.A salon-style blowout at homeUltaShark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying SystemThe Dyson Airwrap may get all the hype for doling out salon-quality blowouts at home, but the Shark FlexStyle is another wonderful multi-styling tool, and it's about half the price. The system comes with a powerful hair dryer and five attachments to help her style her hair however she pleases.A set of pickleball essentialsRecessRecess Go-To Gift for HerIf your wife is all in on the pickleball craze, this gift set from Recess makes for a lovely gift. It includes one paddle, a paddle case, a rally bag, and three pickleball balls, so she's all geared up for her next day on the court.A stovetop espresso makerAmazonBialetti Moka PotFor the one that aches for an espresso like she had in Italy, get her a Moka Pot. Made by Italian company Bialetti, these stovetop espresso makers are quite easy to use and make a delicious, rich brew that any coffee connoisseur will appreciate.A funky mugAnthropologieFotini Tikkou Visage MugInfuse some joy into her morning routine with a charming new mug. This one, designed by artist Fontini Tikkou, is sure to make her smile while she sips on her coffee or tea.A clean beauty favoriteSephoraMERIT Flush Balm CreamHelp her build out her clean beauty collection with this fan-favorite blush from MERIT. The creamy balm is easy to build and blend, so she can get just the right pop of color she's looking for every time.A necklace and love letter all in oneCatbirdCatbird Smallest Love Letter CharmAs if this sealed-with-a-kiss necklace charm was not sweet enough, you can engrave it with a personal message of up to 30 characters. Pair it with the chain of your choice for a beautiful, thoughtful gift that any romantic will gush over.A cute and cozy pair of pajamasTommy JohnTommy John Women's Second Skin Sleep Tee & Short SetA comfortable pajama set can make bedtime much better, but sometimes it's hard to justify spending so much on an outfit you'll never wear outside of your house. Since they might not be something she would buy herself, treat her to an ultra-comfy and colorful pair.A floral bouquet for Lego loversLegoLEGO Icon Flower BouquetFlowers are a classic gift for good reason, but eventually they wilt. Opt for an everlasting bouquet with this LEGO set. With 756 pieces, it's a fun project for her to build. And when it's all done she'll have flowers that last forever.A monogrammed luggage tagMark and GrahamMark & Graham Vegan Leather Luggage TagEvery frequent flyer should have a luggage tag on their bags, though many options are not the most slightly. These monogrammed luggage tags from Mark & Graham are aesthetically-pleasing and practical, made of soft pebbled leather in a variety of colors. Each tag buckles onto their luggage with ease and features a flap that keeps personal information private while traveling, making this a smart accessory for your favorite jetsetter.A stylish and utilitarian fanny packDagneDagne Dover Ace Neoprene Fanny PackA fanny pack is the ideal way to keep essentials close while keeping hands free. This one from Dagne Dover has a sleek, simple silhouette that will complement all of her favorite outfits as well as a durable neoprene construction that ensures it can stand up to everyday wear and tear.A cute and silly sweatshirtAmazonAuTum Cool Wives Club Groovy SweatshirtIs it their first holiday season as your wife? Commemorate the moment with this sweet sweatshirt she'll want to wear everyday.Everything she needs to knit her own scarfWool and the GangWool And The Gang Lil' Foxy Roxy Scarf Knitting KitGive the gift of a scarf she can wear for seasons to come and a new skill she can practice forever with this knitting kit from Wool And The Gang. It's designed for beginners and comes with a ball of yarn, a pair of knitting needles and an easy-to-follow pattern to help her hone her craft. It also comes with a sewing needle and a "Made by Me" label she can thread on once she's done, so she'll always remember this special project.Fancy olive oil that'll instantly elevate any dishBrightlandBrightland Alive Olive OilIf they spend a lot of time in the kitchen, they probably already know the merits of high-quality olive oil. A drizzle of Alive from Brightland adds a vibrant, zesty flavor to any dish, plus the beautiful bottle will look great on display in their kitchen. A cooking class for you to take togetherCozymeal/InstagramCozymeal Cooking ClassesCozy up (pun intended) during a cooking class together and enjoy a delicious meal you work together to create. From making fresh pasta to baking the perfect pie, Cozymeal offers a wide assortment of classes led by professional chefs across more than 20 major cities.An at-home shiatsu massagerAmazonZyllion Back and Neck MassagerGive her the gift of a massage whenever she needs it with this shiatsu massage pillow. With a mixture of movement and heat, this gadget melts tension away from stressed muscles. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.A card game to bring you closerCrystal Cox/InsiderBestSelf Intimacy Card DeckThese cards offer sweet prompts to bring you closer, like "Describe our first kiss" and "What's something you thought when we first met that you no longer believe is true?" A monogrammed portable wine tableMark and GrahamMark & Graham Heart Portable Wine Picnic TableMake picnics more romantic and fun with this heart-shaped mini table (which you can have monogrammed with your wife's initials or both of yours). It holds a bottle of wine as well as two glasses, with room to spare for additional snacks.An enchanting candleDiptyque FacebookDiptyque Baies/Berries CandleA scent from Diptyque is a classic gift — and for good reason. The aromas are unique, without being overpowering. This tangy scent with flowery accents is just right for an everyday smell that's still romantic. You can also find more of our favorite candle brands here. A DNA kit to connect with her family rootsAmazonAncestry DNA KitGive your wife the meaningful gift of learning more about her roots and family history with an Ancestry DNA Kit. She'll be able to discover her own DNA story with a few easy steps and get results in 6-8 weeks.A thoughtful piece of home decorUncommon GoodsUncommon Goods Hand Embroidered State PillowsGive her some state pride with one of these beautiful pillows hand embroidered with each state's cities, towns, famous sites, cultural icons, and more. Pick a state that means something to her like where she was born, went to college, or where you met. These vibrant pillows are so unique; they'll look great in your home and are definite conversation starters.A collection of your best memoriesMixbookMixbook Photo BookEven though it has become so easy to scroll through old photos with your phone on Facebook and Instagram, there is something special about a tangible photo book that you can look at. These are nice to leave around the house, flip through every now and then, and be reminded of the memories that fill the pages. You can check out our favorite photo book services here.A nostalgic trip down memory laneUncommon GoodsUncommon Goods Create Your Own Reel ViewerDive headfirst into some nostalgia with a reel viewer like the ones you had as a child. Customize the reel with pictures of your favorite memories. It's a really fun way to reminisce about the past and is sure to get you and your spouse feeling sentimental.A custom birth chart bookBirthdate Co.Birthdate Co. The Birthdate BookWhether your wife is hardcore into astrology or has a passing interest in knowing their moon sign, this beautiful book is bound to be a hit. All you have to do is know their time and location of birth to get a 70-page guide to their chart and what it says about their personality and future. As a bonus, you can add a special message to the front page.A wearable blanketAmazonThe Comfy Oversized Microfiber & Sherpa Wearable BlanketShe'll never be cold again thanks to this super cozy wearable blanket. Perfect for lounging around the house or cuddling up at night, it comes in numerous color and pattern options to suit her tastes.A cute, custom gift boxGreetablGreetabl Gift BoxGreetabl is the spot for times when you want to give those "just because" kind of gifts. The box also functions as a greeting card, to which you can add your own personal photos. You can pick two small gifts from a group of curated items like Sugarfina gummies or sweet-smelling soap. It's a small gift with the opportunity to add a lot of personal touches.A curated box of surprisesBreoboxBrēō box One-Time Gift PurchaseBrēō box is a service that makes curated boxes full of unique and actually useful items. The contents of the box are always different, centering around everyday essentials, fitness, health, and tech items — all of which are always seasonal.If they love the first box, you can even gift them a subscription. A fill-in recipe journalPapierPapier Bon Appétit Recipe JournalWhether it's a family recipe or new dishes to try out, this recipe journal stores every one of her delicious dishes and favorite restaurants. Stash every breakfast, lunch, dinner, or treat recipe in one place with this thoughtful gift for your wife.A tasty cake for special occasionsMilk BarMilk Bar CakesCongratulate her on her special day or huge achievement with a delicious Milk Bar cake. A sweet Milk Bar cake that tastes irresistible will make her fall in love with you all over again. These cakes made our list of the All-Time Best products we tested.Coffee from around the worldDriftawayDriftaway Coffee Explorer BoxAt the intersection of globetrotter and coffee connoisseur is this sample set. This box contains five unique coffees sourced from around the world, which vary depending on the season and other conditions. It's a great gift that'll make morning coffee a little more exciting.A gift to satisfy any wife's sweet toothSugarfinaSugarfina Champagne BearsTreat your wife to some of the cutest sweet treats around. Sugarfina makes adorable gummies inspired by — and sometimes infused with — alcohol like champagne and rosé. They're just as pretty to look at as they are delicious to eat.A handheld milk frotherAmazonAerolatte Handheld Milk FrotherYou know how she takes her morning coffee, so why not make it a little easier to get a rich, frothy cappuccino at home? It's a little gadget that can make a huge difference in her morning ritual. A cookbook that'll inspire her next cheese plateAmazon"Platters and Boards" by Shelly WesterhausenShe's already the hostess with the mostest, but that doesn't mean she won't appreciate some inspiration for how to make her famous cheese plates and charcuterie boards even better. This book is filled with plenty of party-ready spreads along with the perfect meat and drink pairings for every platter. A set of trendy skin care toolsSkin GymSkin Gym For Her BundleGive her the gift of a relaxing self-care moment with this aesthetically-pleasing skin care kit. It features a rose quartz gua sha stone, rose quartz vibrating face roller, rose oil, and reusable eye masks for the ultimate pamper night.A vibrating roller for sore musclesCrystal Cox/InsiderTB12 Vibrating Pliability RollerIf your wife is very physically active, a foam roller is a nice gift to aid in her workout recovery and soreness. This one is our favorite because it has four levels of vibration, a pattern that targets muscle groups, and a durable exterior. But, if your budget doesn't fit a $160 foam roller, never fear — we like some under-$50 options too. A cult-favorite moisturizerDieux SkinDieux Skin Instant Angel MoisturizerDieux Skincare's Instant Angel moisturizer is a cult-favorite product, loved by Insider's own editors. The rich, deeply moisturizing face cream is packed with ingredients that instantly hydrate and plump the skin, producing a natural glow and minimizing fine lines. If you want to give her the full experience, go for the set ($124), which includes a similarly coveted serum and eye mask.An at-home manicureOlive and JuneOlive and June Press-on SystemSpa days with a mani and pedi are always appreciated, but sometimes fingernails can get damaged from gel removal or abrasive acrylics. If your wife enjoys keeping her hands beautiful, she'll love the press-on set from Olive and June. The kit includes everything she needs to keep her nails healthy while wearing press-ons, which achieve a healthy, manicured look without the damage.A gorgeous journal to jot down her thoughtsRifle Paper CoRifle Paper Co Embroidered JournalYour wife can keep this beautiful notebook out on her desk or nightstand to jot down everything from her to-do lists to her daily musings. An exciting new readBook of the Month/InstagramBook of the Month Gift Membership (3 Months)For the wife that loves to read, give her the joy of getting lost in a book. Book of the Month curates some of the best new reads and has your pick delivered to your door as a hardcover each month. It's a great way to discover great new books and authors, plus if you sign up now you can get a free book.A Disney + subscription for her movie marathonAlyssa Powell/Business InsiderDisney Plus Gift SubscriptionUnlimited access to movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox make for a perfect movie marathon.Read everything there is to know about Disney+ over here. A convenient wireless chargerCourantCourant Catch 2 EssentialsA wireless charger makes a world of difference. This convenient gift helps keep you from a dead phone, which can be a major emergency in a time when our phones are also our keys, credit cards, and more. Courant's wireless charger pad is a stylish, cutting-edge tool that will keep all her tech powered up. If she's a tech minimalist and you want to scale down, skip the pad and go for the single-device charger ($40).A useful handbag organizerAmazonPurseN LittBag LED Lighted Organizer Handbag InsertHandbag organizers will save your wife the time spent fishing for items in her bag while also preserving the shape and life of the bag. This organizer, loved by Oprah and Wirecutter, is a structured, LED-lit insert with various pockets that'll keep her purse looking as good inside as it does outside.A timeless pair of sunglassesWarby ParkerWarby Parker Percey SunglassesTreat your wife to a new pair of shades, just in time for sunny spring. This pair takes the classic tortoise up a notch. If that isn't really her style, you can find plenty of other designs at Warby Parker.A practical toiletry bagDagne DoverDagne Dover Hunter Toiletry BagYour wife probably already has a few toiletry bags to hold her trinkets while she travels, but this one — with its multiple pockets, removable mesh pouches, and waterproof neoprene material — reigns supreme. A delicate gold braceletMejuriMejuri Solo Diamond BraceletThis subtle, delicate piece is bound to become an everyday favorite.A socially conscious shirtEverlaneEverlane The 100% Human Unisex CrewShow your wife you appreciate her with a product that supports gender equality. When you purchase any shirt in the 100% Human Equality Now Collection, Everlane will donate a portion of the proceeds to the ACLU. Not only will she look great sporting this socially conscious message, but you can feel good about the fact that part of your purchase is going to a great cause.A luxurious essential oil diffuserVitruviVitruvi Essential Oil DiffuserThis beautifully designed ceramic diffuser doubles as a piece of home decor. Adding your favorite essential oils will fill your home with pleasant scents while the built-in LED light can instantly set the mood. The diffuser also comes in a variety of chic colors, so there's something for every style.An eco-friendly rideFlyerFlyer L885 E-BikeLike the scooters you've seen popping up everywhere, electric bicycles are also on the rise as a more eco-friendly alternative to driving. Plus, they're a great way to work exercise into a daily routine. If your wife enjoys biking or finding ways to help protect the environment, she'll enjoy the highly-rated Flyer bike. Fans of the bike, including moms, love its ergonomic design, attachable cargo/kid carrier, high quality, and immense value.A stylish and useful humidifierVitruviVitruvi Cloud HumidifierA humidifier is an easy upgrade to your home life with several health benefits that your wife will love. Vitruvi's cloud humidifier is designed to do everything a high-quality humidifier does with the added bonus of its aesthetic. Rather than being a clunky plastic box you tuck away in the corner, the Vitruvi humidifier is a beautiful addition to your decor, from your nightstand to your bedroom dresser.A smartwatch she'll wear dailyAmazonApple Watch Series 8Your wife will certainly appreciate that an Apple Watch Series 8 comes with top-of-the-line health features, a bright display, and fast charging.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
The F-150 Lightning is fast, fun, and comfortable — and you probably don"t need one
I lived with the Ford's electric F-150 for a week. It showed me why Americans love trucks — and that they're probably overkill for most buyers. The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderI lived with a $98,000 Ford F-150 Lightning for a week. The experience showed me why people love trucks. But it also gave me a front-row seat to America's silly obsession with huge vehicles. Recently I got the opportunity to live with Ford's electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, for a week.Having spent most of my life in New York City as a member of the dainty, transit-loving coastal elite, this was my first time cosplaying as a truck owner for any extended period. And I've got to admit, I kind of loved it.The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderAt the same time, though, the experience showed me firsthand how silly America's obsession with huge trucks really is. I've always thought it's ridiculous how enormous pickups have gotten — and wasteful that so many people use tank-sized vehicles to go about their daily business.However much I enjoyed the Lightning, I think it's overkill for me and most others.The F-150 Lightning is spacious, comfy, and quickI can see a few clear reasons why people love trucks. The F-150 Lightning — basically an electric copy of Ford's famed full-size truck — is about the size of a New York studio apartment inside. It's outfitted with a couple of La-Z-Boys up front and acres of legroom in back. It provides a commanding view of surrounding traffic.The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderSince Ford loaned me a $98,000 Platinum-trim truck, I was treated to luxuries like a large moonroof, 18-speaker sound system, leather upholstery, and wood-grain accents. Blue Cruise, Ford's impressive highway-driving assistant, invites you to drive hands-free on certain roads. The Lightning zips away from stop lights with stunning effortlessness thanks to its electric powertrain.And as you'd expect, it's great at carrying stuff too. The F-150's 5.5-foot bed gobbled up a couple of dusty mountain bikes, no problem. Its spacious front trunk, exclusive to the engine-free Lightning variant, was a sight to behold.The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderBut it's really, really bigBut throughout my week with the truck, I also constantly found myself unnerved by its freakish size. The Lightning is over 19 feet long and eight feet wide, including its side mirrors.The F-150 Lightning towers over a small car like the Honda fit.Tim Levin/InsiderThreading it down the narrow alleyway that leads to my parking spot sparked the stress sweats every time. Its enormous proportions and huge blind spots made navigating the streets of Berkeley, California a hair-raising experience. Its towering, blocky hood — which came up to my chest — was a major impediment to forward visibility. I frequently feared that I was veering dangerously close to parked cars or to oncoming traffic.I'm fairly tall and spry, but getting the aforementioned bikes up and into the F-150's bed still necessitated using its extending tailgate step and handrail. When trucks start offering escalators, that's when you'll know size has really gotten out of hand.The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderPeople don't use trucks in the way you'd expectAnd yet, pickup trucks are bigger and more popular than ever. What's especially odd is people don't even universally depend on them for truck stuff. Lots of owners just use them to tootle around town.According to the market research firm Strategic Vision, 43% of full-size truck buyers use their trucks daily to go to and from work and 88% use them as their primary vehicle, roughly matching the rest of the car market.The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderSixty-nine percent of them rarely or never tow for recreation, which is one of the big selling points of buying a truck in the first place. And 37% rarely or never use their truck for personal hauling.(Ford spokesperson Dan Barbossa said 75% of F-150 customers use their trucks to tow, while at least 80% use them to haul. "They might not tow daily, but they need a truck because they have a use case," he said.)For many buyers, the image their truck gives off — typically one of ruggedness, aggressiveness, and power — is just as important as the vehicle's actual capability, if not more so, Alexander Edwards, Strategic Vision's president, told Insider.The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum.Tim Levin/InsiderThere are serious reasons that the unchecked rise of big pickups and SUVs (the F-150 isn't alone here) should probably be reined in, particularly as pedestrian and motorist deaths hit highs not seen in decades. Studies show that larger, taller, and heavier vehicles are more dangerous to others in crashes. Big blind spots make incidents more likely.On the safety front, Barbossa pointed to Ford's safety tech like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection; forward and reverse object-sensing systems; and front and rear brake assist, which can prevent low-speed collisions.The good thing is that while automakers aren't necessarily shrinking their bulkiest offerings, they're introducing smaller pickups that are still useful without being so enormous.So keep your F-150. I'll take a Ford Maverick instead.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
The Human Industrial Complex
The Human Industrial Complex Authored by Visayas Outpost's Substack, (emphasis ours) What Have We Wrought? Watch what you say or they’ll be calling you a radical, Liberal, oh fanatical, criminal. Won’t you sign up your name, we’d like to feel you’re acceptable, Respectable, oh presentable, a vegetable... - Supertramp Admittedly, it is no easy task in 2023 determining which end of the narrative Zeitgeist I find myself on. Not wanting to add unnecessary noise to the buzzing of the hive, it can be best to wait until there is something that feels important enough to say. And so it is that a few recent article trends in my news circle have sparked such a moment; because they helped put into place a clearer way of thinking about the nature of the threat we Humans face on this Earth. What piqued my eyeballs as soon as I saw it was an article describing Michael Shellenberger’s testimony to the House Select Committee on what he calls The Censorship Industrial Complex. A comprehensive and interlocking method used by government and social media companies to engineer what we think and say. This concept is not new to you, Readers, but it is significant that someone has given it a name, and it has been presented to Congress. Immediately on the heels of that was further proof of Shellenberger’s observation, in the recent announcement about U.S. Special Operations Command’s involvement with Accrete AI in developing a military-grade “AI” censoring tool which will ultimately run on social media. These things come as no real surprise either, but the sheer nefariousness of this tool is something to behold. It purports to analyze all content everywhere, in real time, to determine the threat level to the narrative. To stamp out ‘embryonic’ ideas as soon as they show up. The “AI” is able to calculate their likely impact, and stop ‘misinfo’ before it can start. A song like Rich Men North of Richmond would not have lived on YouTube, or ever seen the light of day. Maybe you post something to a forum and it immediately gets altered. Insidious. Twitter (‘X’) is now using ‘user definitions’ in a way to not only regionalize content but granularize it to the individual level, such that no two user experiences are the same. So you may have an echo chamber of one, friends, with all of your followers being bots. Censorship is not the only Industrial Complex we suffer from however, merely the latest. The Military Industrial Complex has been with us since before Kennedy. But add to that the recent exposure of the Medical Industrial Complex, which we just called Big Pharma before. One could consider the Data Industrial Complex, or the Educational Industrial Complex. These all have the same nature; being intertwined with the government, with opaque funding, and control agendas that affect everyone. Climate, the Dollar, Energy, Agriculture; all of them are cartel-level industrial strength forces shaping our reality. Note that not one of these complexes support liberty or freedom! They are tentacles of the same hydra, essentially; the one that wants to categorize, classify, assess, and manage you right into a little postage stamp apartment in a 15-minute city. To keep you in an echo chamber, or immersed in an alt. reality VR game and sipping reconstituted urine. But at least you’ll have an e-bike. It occurs to me that we, as humans, are literally just numbers in a balance sheet to someone. We are animated actuary tables. “They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street, where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected and selected.” -Arlo Guthrie We have been thinking about our humanity all wrong, it seems, not recognizing the reality for what it is. Because we are no longer the Human Race, but the Human Industrial Complex. We are commodities, in a position somewhere above animals but below the needs of the State. The term ‘sheep’ or ‘cattle’ turns out to be a rather apt description of what we have become. For decades now the business world has referred to us as human capital. We are an R.O.I. with values like our talent stack, and our skill set. To the political class we are simply tax payers or votes to be harvested. To the medical world we are percentages of mRna uptake in the population. No aspect of our actual humanity matters to anyone in the halls of power, busy as they are classifying us into threat levels and managing us by algorithm. With all of the stuff we ingest, inject, and absorb, they may as well clip ID tags to our ears. In a sense we are not very far from that. Call it vaccine passports, call it mark of the beast, but on this trajectory there is some threshold we will pass where our bodies, even our minds, will not be our own to control. This is what the ‘brain domain’ battlefield seems to be all about, gaining control of that last line of defense; the human will. By becoming controllable, we have become the ‘known knowns’ in risk management, the part of the equation they can mold and shape to the desired outcome. What matters is not the wishes of We the People, but the wishes of Blackrock, the City of London, and others. We provide essential tax dollars and votes needed to implement the vision these others, and that is about all we are good for. For a time they will still need us as a labor component, but that too will change with increasing automation. This is all in sharp contrast to what School House Rock explained to us kids back in the ‘70s, about power being vested in the people. The illusion may still be there, but not the substance. We act self-important, as if still calling the shots. We say silly things like “politicians work for us”. Yet we cannot stop the Pharma companies trying to experiment on us, the Data companies from selling us out, and the Education system from targeting our children with ideological nonsense. Those agendas are above the plebe paygrade, and it looks like nothing short of armed revolution is going to put a dent in it. Information: Their greatest tool It took less than a century to advance from Hollerith punch cards to quantum computer tech, but we have paid a heavy price. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the day they formed Apple Computer, had no way to know where it would all lead. And although I am a huge Jobs fan, the question must be asked: What have we wrought? Billions of people walking around staring at their little pandora’s box, every day, all day. We are living, breathing, talking episodes of Black Mirror. I fully expect Apple to come up with an implant version of the tech. Then they can think of something really clever to call it, like iSpy, or iAm. Short of jacking right into our brains with Neuralink, it would be the next logical step. Fantasize with me and get into the Wayback Machine, tuned to 1976, and show up as a guest speaker in a high school. I would warn them that as enticing as ‘computer science’ may seem, in the future it would become the backbone of enslavement for a good chunk of the human race. To the kid in the back row bleeping on his handheld Mattel Football game, I would say we have even smaller devices that can hold thousands of songs and make video calls anywhere on Earth. The only problem is they monitor us 24/7 and bathe us in EM radiation. Our brains have gotten so used to blankly engaging and clicking apps that most of us can no longer read paper maps, or have the inclination to read books. I would tell them that for us, history is whatever the digital library online says it is, so pay attention in school. And so here we stand, on the twilight of humanity some would say, no longer shaping our own destiny. Liberté as we knew it has been obliterated by the failure first of legal protections, and then digital protections. We seem to be past the point of the majority to think clearly on these matters, programmed as they are by the same little devices. Lacking concern over where we are headed, and unable to even remember what a boy and a girl are. Vapid expressions, loss of IQ, meaningless relationships, futile careers, and dwindling earnings compared to previous generations. It is a burn-it-down level of predicament, to be sure. I hope gen Z is pretty damned angry about it all. World War ‘Z’ anyone? Just Say No A few weeks ago we watched the new Indiana Jones movie online. It was pretty mediocre. But there was an opening scene in which they ‘de-age’ Harrison Ford; Indiana Jones was back in the 1930s fighting Nazis. The effect was flawless, as far as I could tell, by whatever CGI / “AI” methods they are using now. Maybe you noticed that we get a lot more movies lately, but at a far lower level of acting and writing excellence. This is the trend. We get recycled stars, presumably forever now that they are digitized. We will be watching Mission Impossible 16 eventually, long after Tom Cruise has gone to Scientology heaven. To bookend that observation, there is apparently now an “AI” category for the Grammy Awards. I understand there was a song purporting to be “Drake” but did not have enough human content to qualify, or something. There are “AI” news writers. There are “AI” generated sermons for Pastors... now there is a scary thought, let’s just listen to what Jesus GPT has for us this Sunday, please turn to 1st John. There are “AI” Instagram models so realistic that people still ‘follow’ them even after learning they were computer generated. When I visit YouTube lately to listen to music, it is flooded with “AI”-generated muzak. For example, type in ‘bluegrass’, and it will yield dozens of Appalachian bluegrass compilations -- but as far as I can tell most of them are not real bands. Spooky. The scene of Times Square at the top of this essay is a CGI / “AI” still shot from an ethereal-looking video walk through. The narration claimed it to be live when it obviously was not. Double spooky. Normally I will include a plan of action in these essays, but change will not begin to happen until we unplug, and deprogram. If you are reading this, then there is a good chance you are already on that path. If not, then let me encourage you. When everything around us is fake and distorted, then eventually something inside us will click. It then becomes so easy just to close the lid on the laptop. Let the phone run down to zero. Enjoy a book. I don’t know where you find yourself, Readers, or how you plan to cope with the mayhem coming our way as we get closer to ’24. Being an election year, you should expect the worst. Just say no. In closing, an observational comparison about the 21st century Human Industrial Complex: Given the emerging state of Serfdom we are facing, are things very much different now than they were in the Middle Ages? Serfs were valued commodities to the Lords, and privileged to find such work as they could. They knew better than to bite the hand that fed them, and they were willing to tolerate all manner of dehumanizing treatment to preserve their scarcity-based lifestyle. The Lords controlled the land, aligned themselves politically, and influenced the way the country was run. Just like corporations and elites today, come to think of it. It is as if the experiment of Liberty and Democracy was just a historical aberration, and that it has finally run its course after 240 years. As we break ground on the homestead, with a newly-dug well in place, I look forward to the day when we will be off-grid. It is a special feeling designing the plan yourself, having the fellas at church help build it, and knowing that the soil will be pushing up vegetables. There are coconuts on the trees, fish in the ocean, and a next door neighbor with chickens. Readers, until the Lord call us up with a shout, I hope and pray that you have found your own slice of Heaven. P.S. A movie recommendation: The 1971 dystopian classic TXH-1138, George Lucas’ debut. Far more visionary than Kubrick’s 2001, in my opinion, and far more chilling than the movie adaptations like Soylent Green or 1984. The scenes of the Video Jesus were particularly insightful, but so were the robotic policemen, the ‘prison’, the medications -- it is fully packed. * * * Subscribe to VisayasOutpost's Newsletter - Observations from Outside the Bubble Tyler Durden Sat, 09/16/2023 - 07:00.....»»
I made $136,000 on Airbnb last year renting out homes I don"t own. Here"s what I tell others who want to try it too.
Monica Lee White made $136,000 renting out other people's homes on Airbnb through rental arbitrage. She now teaches others her method for making six figures. Monica Lee White made $136,000 renting out other people's homes on airbnb.Monica WhiteThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Monica Lee White. It has been edited for length and clarity. Monica Lee White made $136,000 renting out other peoples homes on Airbnb. She reached out to 250 landlords hoping that one would let her rent out their home. She now works as a property manager and helps others with their own rental arbitrage businesses. I worked as a flight attendant during the pandemic, but I knew I wanted another source of income. As an essential worker, it was a scary time to be working, and many people in my industry were being exposed to the virus.But it was also a hard time financially for me. Due to the pandemic, there were less and less flights, and my income was really taking a hit. I needed a side hustle, and quickly. For me the choice was easy: I chose to get into Airbnb.How to find Airbnb properties to manageWhen you think of Airbnb, you might think of someone who rents out their own home. That's not what I was doing — instead, I was renting out other peoples homes short-term. This is called rental arbitrage.Still, like an Airbnb owner, I would handle the customer service, listings, maintenance, and cleanings. Getting started was not easy. To find the properties, I searched Zillow and looked for properties in the area, then I contacted the landlords in hopes that one would say yes. By the time I was done compiling my list, I had over 250 properties, and all the landlords were saying no. I almost gave up. But I was determined to find a place, and after many reach outs, I finally got my first landlord in Atlanta to say yes. From there I scaled up to five properties and I thought I had made it: With my five rental properties, I made $136,000 in 2022. I felt financially free and was able to do things like travel.A bedroom in one of my Airbnb units, the Girlboss Getaway.Monica WhiteI'm now a property manager for 10 homes. This means I help other hosts do the same thing I was doing with rental arbitrage. Before I reached this point, however, I had to learn what worked.Whether you are doing rental arbitrage on your own or working with a property manager like myself, there are some things you should know.How to pitch a landlord about your Airbnb When pitching a landlord, I introduce myself and share a bit about what I do and who my other clients are. I have also learned you have to show the landlord that you will take care of any problems that come up. I share the pros, but I'm also prepared to hear their cons and objections.For example, when a landlord normally rents out a property, they have a long-term tenant. But, if you allow someone to rent it out as an Airbnb, there is more risk as you're bringing more people into the home. Always think and ask yourself: What is one thing you can do to make the landlord's life easier?Startup costs for renting on AirbnbYou will need to have money to start. For me, this was around $6,000, but it will very much depend on what city you are starting in.This is not one of those businesses where you can start at zero dollars. Even without owning the home, it can be expensive.When I got my first place, I paid a moving fee, I purchased furniture, and I hired a photographer, too. Additionally, I had to get short term renters insurance, and install cameras on the outside of the rental. There was a lot I needed in order to start up.Then there's rent. In my experience, sometimes landlords will ask for 2x the regular rent. However, that makes it difficult to make a profit, so I stay away from those.While it may vary for you, in my experience a cost breakdown might look like this:Moving fee: usually varies on which mover I am using, sometimes it's as low as $200 Photographer: Ranges from $100 to $500+ for professional property photosFurniture: Ranges from $2,500 - $8,000 depending on the property size and styleRent: Sometimes landlords ask for 2x the rent upfront, but I stay away from thoseHow to handle repairs and damages in your AirbnbRepairs are one of the biggest things to consider. In the past, I've had people break chairs, and I've even had one woman break a bed frame. If someone damages the Airbnb, you have to consider what you'll do when that happens. Will you fix it yourself? Will you hire maintenance? One option is to use a site like Taskrabbit to find freelance maintenance.The living room in the Girlboss Getaway, one of my Airbnb units.Monica WhiteHow to stand out on Airbnb After taking all of these things into consideration, it's time to get started. First, consider who you want to rent to. Zeroing in on your potential customer will help with your listing: Do you want to rent to vacationers, or those who travel for work, or student relocators? It helps to focus on one lane instead of many.Then think about SEO (search engine optimization). Sometimes people have really good units, but because they are on the fourth page of Airbnb their homes aren't easily found. To combat this, I've used photographers to make sure my photos were really good, and then I'd detail all of the special amenities in my unit to boost my posts. I think it helps to add nice touches to short-term rentals, like champagne, wine, water or just a nice little thank you card.Don't rely on just the platform. Promote your listings yourself and do what you can to stand out and be noticeable. One idea is to share your listings in relevant Facebook groups. You have to do what you can to drive traffic. At the end of the day people won't be interested if they don't see your listing enough. In a way, I think that's why people have picked mine because I have been known for putting it out there.The process of renting out other peoples' homes is not easy, but with the right mindset, you can do it.I always tell my clients to do their own research before starting. You will hear a lot of people say, it is not possible, or everyone is doing it, but to me that is silly. Airbnb is still a growing business.If you have an Airbnb and would like to share your story, good or bad, email Alyshia Hull at ahull@insider.com.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript July 19, 2023 Tesla, Inc. beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $0.91, expectations were $0.82. Martin Viecha: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Tesla’s Second Quarter 2023 Q&A Webcast. My name is Martin Viecha, VP of Investor Relations. And I’m joined today by Elon Musk, Zachary Kirkhorn, […] Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript July 19, 2023 Tesla, Inc. beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $0.91, expectations were $0.82. Martin Viecha: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Tesla’s Second Quarter 2023 Q&A Webcast. My name is Martin Viecha, VP of Investor Relations. And I’m joined today by Elon Musk, Zachary Kirkhorn, and a number of other executives. Our Q2 results were announced at about 3:00 pm Central Time in the update deck we published at the same link as this webcast. During this call, we will discuss our business outlook and make forward-looking statements. These comments are based on our predictions and expectations as of today. Actual events or results could differ materially due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those mentioned in our most recent filings with the SEC. During the question-and-answer portion of today’s call, please limit yourself to one question and one follow-up. Please use the raise hand button to join the question queue. But before we jump into Q&A, Elon has some opening remarks. Elon? Elon Musk: Thank you, Martin. So, just a Q2 recap. In Q2 we achieved record vehicle production and deliveries, and record revenue of about $25 billion in a single quarter. And Model Y became the bestselling vehicle of any kind globally in Q1, surpassing the likes of Corolla and Golf. So, it was the number one vehicle of any kind, including vehicles that are sold at a far lower price. This is, I think, an incredible achievement by the Tesla team, and just a huge thank you to our customers for their support. And this came in spite of high interest rates and a lot of macro uncertainty. And nonetheless, we managed to achieve operating margin of about 10%. We continue to target 1.8 million vehicle deliveries this year. Although, we expect that Q3 production will be a little bit down because we’ve got summer shutdowns to — for a lot of factory upgrades. So, just probably a slight decrease in production in Q3 for sort of global factory upgrades. In the long-term, autonomy we think is going to just drive volume through the ceiling next level. And our sort of future robotaxi products — dedicated robotaxi products we think have like quasi-infinite demand. The way we’re going to manufacture robotaxi is, is also itself a revolution. So, it’s revolutionary design made in a revolutionary way. It’ll be by far the highest units per hour of any vehicle production ever. So, very excited about that. With respect to Autopilot and Dojo, in order to build autonomy, we also need to train our neural net with data from millions of vehicles. The more — I mean, this has been proven over and over again. The more training data you have, the better the results. And, I mean, there are times where we see basically — in a neural net, basically it’s sort of at 1 million training examples, it barely works; at 2 million, it slightly works; at 3 million, it’s like wow, okay, we’re seeing something, but then you get like 10 million training examples, it’s like — it becomes incredible. So, there’s just no substitute for a massive amount of data. And obviously, Tesla has more vehicles on the road that are collecting this data than all of the companies combined by, I think, maybe even an order of magnitude. So, I think we might have 90% of all — or a very big number. So, the success in AI endeavors is a function of talent, sort of unique data and computing resources. And we have outstanding capabilities in all three arenas. And I really just don’t know how anyone could do what we’re doing, even if they had our software and had our computer, if they did not have the training data. So, speaking of which, our Dojo training computer is designed to significantly reduce the cost of neural net training. It is designed to — it’s somewhat optimized for the kind of training that we need, which is a video training. So, we just see that the need for neural net training — again, talking — speaking of quasi-infinite things, is just enormous. So, I think having — we expect to use both, NVIDIA and Dojo, to be clear. But there’s — we just see demand for really vast training resources. And we think we may reach in-house neural net training capability of a 100 exaflops by the end of next year. So, to date, over 300 million miles have been driven using FSD beta. That 300 million mile number is going to seem small very quickly. It’ll soon be billions of miles, then tens of billions of miles. And FSD will go from being as good as a human to then being vastly better than a human. We see a clear path to full self-driving being 10 times safer than the average human driver, so. And between Autopilot, Dojo computer, our inference hardware in the car, which we call sort of Hardware 3, 4, but it’s really dedicated. It’s a high efficiency inference computer that’s in the car and our Optimus robot, Tesla’s clearly at the cutting edge of AI development. With regard to our Cybertruck, we continue to build our release candidates of the Cybertruck on our final production line in Austin. I’m actually here in Austin at the Gigafactory. This is the first truck that we’re aware of that will have four doors over a six foot bed and will fit into a 20-foot garage. So, it’s sort of biggest on the outside, but it’s even bigger on the inside. So it’s — I think that’s a — one of the elements of good design is it should feel bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. And this is no small car, but we really cared about the exterior dimensions of the Cybertruck down to the last millimeter. So just — we try to get right in the middle of the Goldilocks zone, not too big, not too small and then really maximize the utility of the volume. And we can’t wait to start delivering it later this year. Some other highlights. Our global Supercharging network now stands at over 50,000 — roughly 50,000 connectors and over 5,000 locations. As I think a lot of people are aware, the Tesla Charging Standard, which we made open source and it’s now called the North American Charging Standard. We’re deeply honored that Ford, GM, Mercedes and many other OEMs have signed up to use our connector and gain access to our charging network. We strongly believe in helping other car companies to accelerate the EV revolution and just trying to do the right thing in general. So, that’s the goal there. Then something I think, I want emphasize, like very strongly, this is a very important point is that Tesla — just as with the North American Charging Standard, although we’re not license — in that case not licensing, we’re just making it available, but we are very open to licensing our full self-driving software and hardware to other car companies. And we are already in discussions with — early discussions with major OEM about using Tesla FSD. So, we’re not trying to keep this to ourselves. We’re more than happy to license it to others. And lastly, our new lithium refinery and cathode facility are progressing well. In conclusion, we continue to focus on making as many cars as we can, while maintaining healthy financials. Our artificial intelligence development is obviously entering a new era and we’re incredibly excited about what’s to come. Our other businesses such as Megapack, Supercharging service and whatnot, all started to become a meaningful contributor to overall profitability this quarter. And then lastly, I’d just like to profusely thank all of our employees who are making a lot of extra effort during uncertain times. Thank you very much for your hard work and the impact you’re making. Martin Viecha: Thank you very much, Elon. And I think Zach has some opening remarks as well. Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes. Thanks Martin. As Elon mentioned, Q2 was another record quarter of production and deliveries, as well as records in profit for our energy and services and other businesses. Congratulations again to the Tesla team on the continued progress. As we navigate through a period of economic uncertainty, rising interest rates, volatility in consumer confidence and regulatory change, I want to comment on our financial approach. First, the single most important priority is to ensure we are continuing to invest heavily in the core technologies that will drive the long-term value of the business. This includes increasing spending on AI related technologies such as full self-driving, Optimus and Dojo, as well as new products such as Cybertruck, our next generation platform and the Semi, as evidenced by the continued growth in our R&D spend. This also includes continuing our investments in capacity expansion, not only in our vehicle factories, but also our Supercharging network, service, internal applications, and battery processes, as we continue with meaningful capital expenditures to lay this foundation for the future. Second, we continue to work towards our goals of maximizing volumes on both, our vehicle and energy business, but most importantly, doing so in a way that generates the capital to continue our pace of R&D and capital investments. This requires a strong focus on per unit COGS reductions in each of our key businesses, as well as working capital improvements on raw materials, work in process inventory and customer AR, all of which progressed appropriately in Q2. If we look specifically at our automotive business, our gross margin showed a modest reduction and remained healthy, despite action taken to further improve vehicle affordability early in the quarter. We recognized – we realized per unit cost improvements in nearly every category, including material cost and commodities, manufacturing costs and logistics, while also continuing to rapidly increase the build rate in our Austin and Berlin factories. For our energy business, we improved margins and gross profit driven by cost reductions and deal economics, particularly with Megapack. As a reminder, storage volumes are typically volatile sequentially based on the types of projects and their specific revenue recognition milestones. As we look forward to the rest of the year, I want to reiterate Elon’s comments on Q3 volumes driven by planned downtimes for factory upgrades. These upgrades will also carry some amount of factory idle cost. However, we are working to minimize as much as possible. It’s also important to keep in mind the uncertainty in the macro environment, which can impact our execution positively or negatively in the near term. Regardless, we continue to remain dynamic with a focus on fundamental efficiency and a long-term outlook. Congratulations again to everybody on a great quarter. A – Martin Viecha : Thank you very much, Zach. And let’s go to investor questions. The first question on licensing FSD we’ve already answered. So, let’s go to the second one. The second question is, what is the status of 4680 cells? How far are you from the specs you laid out on Battery Day? When do you expect to achieve what you laid out on Battery Day? Q&A Session Follow Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Follow Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) We may use your email to send marketing emails about our services. Click here to read our privacy policy. Unidentified Company Representative: Yes. First, I’ll just start with a little bit of a production update. So, in Texas, 4680 cell production increased 80% Q2 over Q1, and the team surpassed 10 million production cells produced here in Texas. So, congrats to the team for that. Their focus on yield reduced our scrap bill by 40% quarter-over-quarter, and that resulted in a 25% reduction in cell COGS. Here in Texas, we’re preparing to launch our Cybertruck cell, which is 10% higher energy density than current production. That was accomplished through process and mechanical design optimization. As we scale Cyber cell production through the end of the year and early next, we should be in a comfortable place on cost per cell. Against our battery energy density targets, the Cyber cell is at our expectations on a like-for-like electrochemistry basis. We’re yet to integrate silicon or in-house cathode production, both reviewed on Battery Day, which do bring significant further energy density and cost improvements, but that is a topic for another day. Lastly, it is important to remember that most of what we focused on a Battery Day was the Tesla-engineered 4680 production system and the improvements we strove to achieve on equipment, factory density, capital cost and utility cost reduction, all of which we are realizing in our Texas scale up to date. Martin Viecha: Thank you very much. The next question is, can you talk more to the upcoming Tesla Energy products and how your thinking has evolved on the revenue model? Given Tesla’s AI capabilities, how do you see the long-term mix between hardware margin and recurring software margin from Autobidder as this segment accelerates? Unidentified Company Representative: We can’t comment on future product road map, but I can provide a quick energy Q2 update. Megapack continues to show strong demand globally with Lathrop ramping successfully to meet our contracted projects in 2023. As stated last quarter, Megapack margins are in a reasonable place, in line with our target – vehicle target margins. The second final assembly line at Lathrop is progressing on schedule, eventually doubling Lathrop capacity ahead of our full factory ramp in 2024. We have several exciting large projects in construction or nearing completion, including the KES project in Hawaii, the Riverina project in Australia, several products in California and one here at Gigafactory, Texas that we’ll tour today, actually. We want to thank our customers, utilities and grid operators for trusting us with these projects. On the Autobidder question, we continue to grow Autobidder contracts in wholesale markets like Australia, Texas, UK and California with over 6 gigawatt hours under Tesla’s dispatch next year. In the UK, our projects performed best in the industry in Q2. Autobidder does have software margins and is an enabler for hardware sales, but it’s a relatively small contributor to revenues, given how much deployment growth on the Megapack hardware side is occurring. It’s important to remember that these large projects – these large capital projects have lifetimes of 20 years of recurring revenues on an annualized basis relative to upfront CapEx are small. On the residential side, we have some fun things happening. We recently surpassed 0.5 million Powerwalls installed. Just this week, we are launching Charge on Solar, which allows Tesla Powerwall and vehicle customers to charge their vehicles using their excess solar and drive only on the sunshine that hits their roof. Yesterday, we began paying customers in Texas for participating in our virtual power plant to provide grid support to ERCOT. We expect these credits to lower our median customer’s annual bill by a third and to increase these credits over time as ERCOT expands market access. And today, we are expanding Tesla electric enrollment to new Model 3 owners in Texas, followed by all Texas vehicle customers over the rest of the quarter. Unfortunately and somewhat similar to Tesla Insurance, bringing Tesla electric and BPP capabilities to our customers requires working through a fractured regulatory environment on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis. In the long run, the value of residential energy software and hardware will be driven by the level of market access that utilities, market operators and regulators permit. For Powerwall that’s eligible to provide the full stack of energy services, like peaker capacity and system buffering, such as in Australia, we can more than double the value of ownership relative to a typical system today. Martin Viecha: Thank you very much. The next question is, could you quantify the benefits to COGS per unit from the IRA battery manufacturing incentives; and secondly, battery raw material declines year-to-date? Zachary Kirkhorn: All right. I can take that. On the first part of the question for IRA manufacturing incentives, we provided previous guidance that we expect these to be for the course of this year in the range of $150 million to $250 million per quarter. We are staying within that boundary as we guided previously, so that was the case in Q2 as well. I will note, and I think we’ve mentioned this before, that this includes a 50-50 sharing of credits for qualified cells from our long-term battery partner, Panasonic. On the commodity side, we are continuing to see improvements there, as we’ve discussed previously. Lithium is the most notable improvement so far. I think I commented on this on the last call, because typically, we see this coming about a quarter before it actually is realized in our financials. And also just as a reminder, we’re not fully exposed to the price of lithium. Our supply chain team has done a terrific job in partnership with another – a bunch of other companies to put in place some long-term agreements here, but we do have some exposure that moves up and down. We’re also seeing benefits in aluminum and steel, which I think is great. Not as large as the lithium impacts, but they contribute nonetheless. So, if we add up the total impact of this in Q2 relative to prior quarter, it’s about the same size and magnitude as the IRA benefits that we also received. Just to put this in context, as you look at COGS per unit sequentially from Q1 to Q2, I think there’s two things to keep in mind there. The first is that our SX mix for deliveries increased quite a bit from Q1 to Q2. So, as you think about fundamental cost reductions, it’s important to adjust for that. And then secondly, as we continue to work on reducing our Austin and Berlin cost, which we did quite a bit of that from Q1 to Q2, these factories are still slightly above Model Y production costs elsewhere. And in the quarter, our mix of Austin and Berlin related builds increased. And so, that’s something to consider as you model out the impact on – from Q1 to Q2 in terms of COGS per unit. I do want to ask Karn if there’s anything else on the commodity side or just more generally, you want to add here? Karn Budhiraj: Yes. As you mentioned, Zach, we’ve naturally been a little bit hedged from the lithium position because of the long-term contracts we have in place. But we have seen reduction in pricing across the board for all commodities that specifically go into batteries such as nickel, cobalt and graphite. And the reductions in pricing translate into thousands of dollars when you look at it from a per-vehicle impact. We’re taking advantage of the historically low commodity pricing and certainly [Indiscernible] to kind of extend some of those fixed price contracts through the end of the decade. So it’s a playbook that we’ll continue to kind of go back to as we look to the future. Martin Viecha: Thank you. The next question on FSD. Have you considered allowing FSD transferability as a lever to allow existing customers to upgrade to a new Tesla instead of being locked into an existing car due to the price of FSD? Elon Musk: Yes. This is a question we get asked a lot. So, we’re excited to announce that for Q3, we will be allowing transfer of FSD. This is a onetime amnesty. So, it needs to be — you need to take advantage of it in Q3, but — or at least place the order in Q3 within reasonable delivery time frames. So yes, I hope this makes people happy. This is a onetime thing. Martin Viecha: Right. The next question, when will we give more information about the Cybertruck orders, estimated delivery schedules, pricing and specifications? Elon Musk: Demand is so far off the hook, you can’t even see the hook. So, that’s really not an issue. I do want to emphasize that the Cybertruck has a lot of new technology in it, like a lot. It doesn’t look like — it doesn’t look like any other vehicle because it is not like any other vehicle. So — and the production ramp will move as fast as the slowest and least likely elements of the entire supply chain and internal production. So, I wouldn’t expect — I hope it’s smooth. We’re certainly better at production ramps that — we’ve got a lot of experience with the production ramps. But first order approximation, there’s like 10,000 unique parts and processes in the Cybertruck. And if any one of — it will go as fast as the least lucky, least well-executed element of the 10,000. So, it’s always difficult to predict the ramp initially, but I think we’ll be making them in high volume next year, and we will be delivering the car this year. Martin Viecha: Thank you. The next question is critics of Gigacasting contended that process makes vehicles harder and more costly to repair, essentially pushing costs on to the customer. Can you share some details about the initial repair experience with Gigacast vehicles? Elon Musk: That must be why everyone’s copying us. Lars Moravy: Thanks, Elon. This is Lars. I mean, that’s like simply not true. There’s a misconception that traditional bodies are easy to repair, but they are made up of multiple materials and multiple joining methods. Spot welds and rivets have to be drilled out. Panels and structural adhesives have to be chiseled out. Dried adhesive has to be removed, stains, cut, blah, blah, blah. Elon Musk: It’s a crazy patch of a quilt. Lars Moravy: Yes. And so putting that back together means time and money. Using an example of replacing a rear cast rail in the Model Y, to do that versus like what we replaced it with from Model 3, it’s 10 times cheaper and 3 times faster to do it with the cast rail. Design team works with our collision repair team since we’re a closed loop on this with insurance, and we design specific parts that make it easier and faster to repair. And we have an incentive to do that because we have our own insurance and our own body shops. We expect that we’ll continue to do this, and collision repair will continue to become cheaper and faster over time. And we already make this available to all body shops or our Tesla-approved body shop training. Elon Musk: Yes, closing loop on collision repair and factoring that into design is a big deal. Lars Moravy: Crucial. I don’t think anyone else can do it with that ecosystem that we have, so. Elon Musk: Yes. And we are actually able to change the details of the casting with inserts, and we actually do that all the time, so — because the inserts actually wear out and need to be replaced anyway. So we can actually make design changes to the inserts and tweak the castings. But the cast –basically cast rear body or front body is lighter, cheaper, better noise vibration, harshness, much easier to manufacture. It’s better in every way. And that’s why so many other car companies are copying us. Lars Moravy: Probably. Elon Musk: Well, they certainly put out a lot of press releases about it. I think it’s basically going to be how all cars are made in the future. Martin Viecha: Thank you. Next question, how many Optimus bots have been made? And when will they be able to start performing useful tasks? Elon Musk: 10 million. Yes. I think we’re around 5 or 6 bots. I think — there’s — we were — look, 10, I guess. Depends on what — how many are working and what phase. But it’s sort of — yes, there’s more every month. There’s a lot of interesting things about the Optimus bot. We found that there are actually no suppliers that can produce the actuators. There are no off-the-shelf actuators that work well for humanoid robot at any price. Unidentified Company Representative: Certainly not compelling. Elon Musk: Yes. There’s not a humanoid robot that can do something — the things that human could do. So, we’ve actually had to design our own actuators that integrate the motor or the power electronics, the controller, the sensors. And really, every one of them is custom designed. And then, of course, we’ll be using the same inference hardware as the car. But we are, in designing these actuators, designing them for volume production. So, they’re not just lighter, tighter and more capable than any other actuators wherever that exists in the world, but it’s also actually manufacturable. So, we should be able to make them in volume. The first Optimus that is — that will have all of the Tesla designed actuators, sort of production candidate actuators integrated and walking should be around November-ish. And then, we’ll start ramping up after that. In terms of when we’ll be able to do some useful things, like we’ll first be trying this out in our own factories and just proving out its utility, but I think we’ll be able to have it do something useful in our factories sometime next year. I would be — yes, I’m pretty confident of that. So yes, it’s going well. I should say another cool thing about Optimus is that there’s — just in the U.S. alone, there are 2 million amputees. And I was just talking to the Neuralink team. And by combining a Neuralink implant and a robotic arm or leg for someone that has had their arm or leg or arms and legs amputated, we believe we can give basically a cyber body that is incredibly capable, $6 million man in real life, before don’t want to cost $6 million. $60,000 man. This sounds impressive, but it will actually — so that actually could be a really — I think, would be incredible to potentially help people around the world and give them a robot arm or like that is as good, maybe long term better than a biological one. Martin Viecha: Thank you. The next question is, how has the order intake trended relatively to production levels during Q2? And how has it trended in the quarter-to-date period? Conceptually, how does Tesla decide when is it appropriate to reduce prices or at other sales incentives to increase demand? Elon Musk: Yes. I guess, demand has roughly tracked production. So — which is what we aim for is — we look at — it’s something that we have that really — I think no other carmaker has — is that we have real-time demand and real-time production, like so seven days a week. I get an e-mail — order generated e-mail, chose output from all factories and orders globally. So it’s like a real-time finger on the pulse of earth basically. And we adjust course according to what the mood of the public is. Buying a new car is a big decision for vast majority of people. So, any time there’s economic uncertainty, people generally pause on new car buying at least to see what happens. And then obviously, another challenge is the interest rate environment. As interest rates rise, the affordability of anything bought with debt decreases, so effectively increasing the price of the car. So when interest rates rise dramatically, we actually have to reduce the price of the car because the interest payments increase the price of the car. And this is — at least up until recently, it was, I believe, the sharpest interest rate rise in history. So, we had to do something about that. If somebody’s got a crystal ball for the global economy, I really appreciate it, if I could borrow that crystal ball. Unidentified Company Representative: DM us. Elon Musk: Yes, exactly, DM me. It should be not on Twitter. So, I mean, one day, it seems like the world economy is falling apart and the next day, everything is fine. I don’t know what’s going on. It’d be totally fine. I wish I did. So, I mean that’s why I say like I was on Twitter, I posted like just really advising because I care a lot about the sort of small shareholders, especially ones that have stuck with us through thick and thin. I love you, guys. And so, we can’t control these macro shocks or the thematic depressive nature of the stock market. So, that’s why I recommend against margin loans in times that are turbulent. If times are not that turbulent, actually margin loan can be a smart move within reason. But we’re in, I would call it, turbulent times. Like I have very high confidence in the long-term value of Tesla. Like I see it — I really see a path to a 10x — call it a 5x increase in the value of the company, maybe a 10x. And — but where things go along the way, the trials and tribulations and the mood of the markets, one cannot predict. And so, the old adage of buy and hold is right. For an investment advice, I’d say like identifying a company as products you love. See if they — does it seem like they’ll continue to make good products or great products? Buy that stock and hold it. That’s it. You’ll win. The reason companies exist is to make goods and services, ideally great goods and services. They don’t exist for any other reason. They shouldn’t. So, that’s why you should buy stock of a company that makes good products and has a great future pipeline. It’s common sense, actually. And then generally, if you see — if you provide your confidence about what that company’s products or services are, when the market panics, buy; and when the market is overly exuberant, you can sell. I’m not recommending you to Tesla, but yes, buy low, sell high. Warren Buffett actually, I think has a saying — I’m paraphrasing him, but a publicly traded company is like imagine living in your house and some crazy manic-depressive guy comes and stands outside your house and yells property prices at you, and it’s a different price every day. But the house is still the same house. So, this is a stock market. Credit that to Warren Buffett. Martin Viecha: Thank you. Let’s go to the next question. With the emphasis of price cuts to drive volume growth eating into automotive gross margin, can investors expect to see automotive gross margin stabilize or even rise due to efficiencies outpacing the cuts? And if so, when? Elon Musk: Where’s that crystal ball, again? If I may, look, the short-term variances in gross margin and profitability really are minor relative to the long-term picture. Autonomy will make all of these numbers look silly. I’d recommend looking at ARK Invest. I think their analysis is very good. It’s the best. And generally, Fintwit or the finance, Smart Finance people on Twitter, follow their accounts. They’re great. So that’s in my opinion where you’ll get the best info. So, I strongly believe Tesla is a big long-term investment. And don’t sweat when things go up and down. In fact, if the market panics, buy; if the market is a little too exuberant, sell at the time. But just generally, like — I feel — I’m confident we’ll deliver over long term, but can’t control short term. So — and the autonomy is really where it’s at. I mean, Zachary? Zachary Kirkhorn: I fully agree with you. I mean, I think the only thing in the short term that matters is what I said in my opening remarks, which is are we generating enough money to continue to invest. And the portfolio of products and technologies that the technical teams are investing in right now, this is intense. It’s intense in terms of investment; it’s intense in terms of potential. Elon Musk: Frankly, I think it’s ridiculous that we have positive free cash flow in a capital-intensive business, while investing massive amounts of money in new technology. That is super hard. Unidentified Company Representative: And vertical integration. It’s not even just like new products, but also… Elon Musk: Yes. We actually make our share… Zachary Kirkhorn: And so, at least from my perspective, what matters is continuing to generate the cash to invest. That means continuing to be hyper focused on near-term cost reduction. Is everything we do in near-term cost reduction provides capital to reinvest? Hyper-focused on working capital management, which we’ve made quite a bit of progress there on the raw materials and with — a set of that we’ve been very focused on accounts receivables as well to ensure that we can continue to reinvest the cash. This is what we’re focused on. And so, there’s a set of this that we control. We have a pipeline of cost reductions. We are getting tailwinds in the commodity space right now, as Karn mentioned, that’s helpful. Variability around average selling prices goes back to Elon’s point. We don’t control interest rates. We don’t control macro consumer sentiment. But we have an obligation to be responsive to that to ensure that we’re matching supply and demand and keeping things balanced. And so, this is how we’re managing the next handful of quarters. Soon enough, these quarters will be behind us. They won’t be part of the present value of future cash flows of the business. And so, we want to make sure we keep that view and make sure that the long term business is exactly the way that we want it to be. Martin Viecha: All right. Thank you very much. Now let’s go to analyst questions. The first question comes from Dan Levy from Barclays. Dan Levy: I wanted to start first with a question about your efforts in AI and Dojo. It’s pretty clear it sounds like you’re accelerating your focus. Can you maybe provide us with a sense of what the process is of refining a product? Is it more machines? And maybe you could give us a sense of when the payout starts to — when you start to see the payout and what the resource outlay is, what should we expect on the OpEx front as a result of this? Elon Musk: Sorry. Are you saying how much are we going to spend on Dojo or…? Dan Levy: Yes. Elon Musk: R&D on Dojo? Dan Levy: Yes. Elon Musk: Well, we’re not going to be open loop on our Dojo expenditures. So — but I mean, I think we will be spending something north of $1 billion over the next year on — through the next year, it’s well over $1 billion in Dojo. And yes, so I mean we’ve got a truly staggering amount of video data to do training on. And this is another thing — in order to copy us, you also need to spend billions of dollars on training compute. I mean, it’s like — and it’s also hard to — you need the data and you need the training computer. It’s like — think, well, things needed to actually achieve this at scale toward generalized solution for autonomy, it’s — this is one of the highest problems ever. You see a lot of AI companies doing LLMs and whatnot. I would say if they’re so great, why can’t they make a self-driving car? Because it’s harder. That’s why. So — but I do think — I think there’s some great AI companies out there. But just fundamentally, the staggering amount of data we’ve got to process, it’s got to be processed somehow. And custom silicon is the best way to do that. So that’s what Dojo is designed to do is optimize for video training. It’s not optimized for LLMs. It’s optimized for video training. With video training, you have a much higher ratio of compute-to-memory bandwidth, so — whereas LLMs tends to be memory bandwidth choked. So that’s it. I mean — but like I said, we’re also — we have some — we’re using a lot of NVIDIA hardware. We’ll continue to — we’ll actually take NVIDIA hardware as fast as NVIDIA will deliver it to us. Tremendous respect for Jensen and NVIDIA. They’ve done an incredible job. And frankly, I don’t know if they could deliver us enough GPUs, we might not need Dojo, but they can’t. So they’ve got so many customers. They’ve been kind enough to nonetheless, prioritize some of our GPU orders. But yes, the sheer magnitude of video training — because like I said, we’re not trying to just get as good as human. We want to get to 10 times better than human, maybe 100 times better than human. Right now, I believe there’s something on the order of 1 million automotive deaths per year. And then if you say permanent serious injuries, I think it’s probably closer to 10 million per year. And — so it matters if you’re twice as good as human, 10 times — like 10 times better than human would still mean 100,000 deaths and 1 million severe permanent injuries. So, it’s like, okay, we would rather be 100 times better. So there’s really — it’s a march of 9s, and we want to achieve as perfect safety as possible. And that’s truly mind-boggling amounts of video and computer needed for that. And then, I do think there’s other applications for Dojo, but we just desperately need it for video training. Zachary Kirkhorn: Just to add to what Elon mentioned. So, the numbers that he mentioned are between R&D spend and capital spend. And this is moving quickly. And so, we provide a three-year outlook on our capital expense. We are considering these expenses in that outlook. And as that moves up and down, we’ll continue to update our guidance in the Q. Elon Musk: Yes. I want to say, the fundamental rate limiter on the progress of full self-driving is training. That’s — if we had more training compute, we would get it done faster. So that’s it. Zachary Kirkhorn: And it’s just difficult to predict how quickly we can execute on it. Dan Levy: Great. Thank you. Just as a follow-up, I recognize there’s incredible macro uncertainty right now, but you’re sticking with your near term, your volume target of 50% CAGR. As we just think about sort of in the year ahead, Cybertruck is going to be some contribution. There’s going to be some help from further EV penetration growth. But to what extent are you willing to sacrifice on pricing to keep that 50% volume CAGR intact, or are you thinking differently about margins versus your prior commentary of willing to sacrifice on margins to get more share? Elon Musk: It’s not about getting more share. It’s just that you can think of every car that we sell or produce that has full autonomy capability as actually something that in the future may be worth as much as 5 times what it is today. Because average — vehicle is doing like maybe 10 hours of driving a week. If sort of — if this says 1.5 hours a day on average, that’s 10 hours a week-ish. If you’ve got on autonomous — if the vehicle is able to operate autonomously and use either dedicated autonomous or partially autonomous like Airbnb, like maybe sometimes you allow your car to be used by others. Sometimes you want to use it exclusively just like Airbnb — doing Airbnb with a room in your house. The value is just tremendous. So, I think it’s sort of, it would be — I think it — it does make sense to sacrifice margins in favor of making more vehicles because we think in the not too distant future, they will have a dramatic valuation increase. I think the Tesla fleet value increase at the point which we can upload full self-driving and is approved by regulators will be the single biggest step change in asset value maybe in history. Martin Viecha: Thank you. Let’s go to the next analyst. The question comes from Emmanuel Rosner from Deutsche Bank. Emmanuel Rosner: Two questions from me as well. First, following up on the autonomy. So before you start launching these dedicated robotaxi vehicles, on existing vehicles, you’re improving FSD incrementally. What is your latest targeted timing to essentially release a non-beta version or an eyes-off version that would trigger much higher take rates? And would Tesla benefit from lowering the price of FSD? Elon Musk: Well, obviously, as people have sort of made fun of me and perhaps quite fairly have made fun of me, my predictions about achieving full self-driving have been optimistic in the past. The reason I’ve been optimistic is — it tends to look like is the — we’ll make rapid progress with a new version of FSD, but then it will curve over logarithmically. So first, logarithmic curve looks like just sort of fairly straight upward line, diagonally up. And so, if you extrapolate that, then you have a great thing. But then because it’s actually logarithmic, it curves over, and then there have been a series of stacked logarithmic curves. Now, I’m the boy who cried FSD, but I think we’ll be better than human by the end of this year. That’s not to say we’re approved by regulators. And I’m saying that would be in the U.S. because we’ve got to focus on one market first. But I think we’ll be better than human by the end of this year. I’ve been wrong in the past, I may be wrong this time. And the price of FSD — so the great thing is the price of FSD is actually very low, it’s not high. When you go back to what I said earlier, the value of the car increases dramatically if it is actually autonomous. $15,000 is actually a low price, not a high price. And we will offer — and we — I think we do sort of offer FSD as a sort of monthly subscription, although most people don’t know that. So, I’d recommend like maybe trying it out as a monthly subscription so you don’t have to go with the $15,000 thing. But I think yes, yes — obviously, if the car is worth several times its original price, $15,000 is actually a low price for FSD. Martin Viecha: And the next question comes from William Stein from Truist. William Stein: I’d like to ask about — to stick on this AI topic. We’ve read with great interest the developments in Dojo today, and you’ve spoken about FSD, but you’ve also — Elon, you started this x.ai company. And for investors that think that there might be quite a bit of value in the AI features and products of Tesla, it might be concerning to see you pursuing another endeavor where AI is the focus. So can you talk about how x.ai might overlap, might perhaps compete with Tesla or in other ways, perhaps it enhances the value of what Tesla does? Elon Musk: Yes. I think it’ll actually enhance the value of Tesla. There were just some of the world’s best AI engineers and scientists that were willing to join a startup, but they were not willing to join a large sort of relatively established company like Tesla. So, it was like — that’s actually how it got started. I was interviewing a few people and they’re like, no, we want to do a startup. I was like, and that’s well — I couldn’t convince them to join Tesla. So — so it’s like, okay, well, better to start up that I run than go work somewhere else. That’s kind of the genesis of xAI. And xAI is focused on sort of AGI. Yes. So it’s — like I said, I think there will be some value that xAI brings to Tesla. Also some of the best — for the very best people in the world, they really just want to work on interesting problem. So if you take, say, a material science group, really what convinced Charlie Colman to leave Apple, where he was very happy and well compensated, and both at — in both — where we think is the best material science group in the world, was that he got to work at both Tesla and SpaceX. He wasn’t willing to leave Apple if it was just Tesla, but he’s willing to do it if it is Tesla and SpaceX. So sometimes you get the best talent in the world if that’s the kind of thing you need to do. And that actually has been very beneficial to Tesla. William Stein: If I could squeeze one more mundane question in. I wonder if you think you can hit the 1.8 million unit number with current pricing, or do you anticipate needing to continue to lower prices because it seems like they’ve stabilized. The trends have stabilized in the last maybe 1.5 months. Should we expect sort of continued decreases or more stabilization for the rest of the year? Elon Musk: Sure. We have sort of — we started the referral program, which I think will be quite effective. As Zach was saying earlier, we don’t control the macroeconomic conditions. So, if interest rates continue to rise, that reduces the affordability of cars. And for a lot of people, they’re really — they’re just really breaking even every month. In fact, if you look at the rise in credit card debt, they are, in fact, not breaking even every month. Credit card debt is looking scary. So, we just don’t control the market conditions. If market condition is stable, I think prices will be stable. If they’re not stable, then we would have lower prices. Yes. Martin Viecha: Thank you. Let’s go to Colin Rusch from Oppenheimer. Colin Rusch: As you’re building out Dojo and implementing what truly is going to be a highly complex set of software, can you speak to the maturity of the operating system and how much outsourced software you’re expecting to use in that system? Elon Musk: This is a custom software stack, so. But it is designed such that you can run at a high level, PyTorch and JAX. But then we have to customize it to actually run on a custom silicon. So, the software stack is a combination of open source software and then Tesla software all the way to the bare silicon, which is the case for the inference computer in the car. Colin Rusch: Okay. Thanks so much. That’s super helpful. And then can you speak to how you’re managing some of the geopolitical risks relative to your capacity expansion? Obviously, as you guys continue to grow at this rate, you’re going to be putting some folks out of business. And there’s going to be some impacts around regional economy. So, I just want to understand how you’re thinking about that in terms of some of your CapEx plans and how you’re managing some of those relationships with different countries and regions. Elon Musk: Well, this is a period of unusual geopolitical risk. So, I think we’re — the best we can do is have factories in many parts of the world such that if things get difficult in one part of the world, we can still keep things going in the rest of the world. Martin Viecha: Thank you. The next question comes from Mark Delaney from Goldman Sachs. Mark Delaney: Tesla has been making progress reducing costs and did so again last quarter. Can you give an update on when you think automotive COGS per vehicle could be under the historical $36,000 per vehicle level? And what are the key puts and takes to get there? Zachary Kirkhorn: This is — I think I was asked this in the past. This is very difficult to forecast. There’s a series of costs that we manage, the series of costs which we don’t control. And so particularly on the commodity side, where labor costs go, et cetera, it’s just hard to say. Elon Musk: Yes. And we saw very inflationary — like strong inflationary pressures for a while last year. And now — which obviously makes it very difficult to reduce COGS. And now we’re seeing what seems to be deflationary pressures, certainly deflationary — deflation isn’t pressure. But we’re seeing commodity prices dropping as was mentioned, as Karn mentioned a moment ago. I mean, I don’t know, what do you think? I mean, basically, the trends seem to be deflationary at the commodity level. Karn Budhiraj: Definitely. There’s that. And then there’s also the unit economics improve as volumes grow. That’s the other thing we’re seeing. As we’re becoming a bigger and better part of a lot of suppliers, the economies of scale come into play. There’s equipment depreciation that comes into play, equipment that was commissioned 5 to 7 years ago. That used to be a part of the piece price. That’s completely amortized. So, we’ll see situation where piece price comes down because that equipment contribution has gone away. And then just we continue to have this mentality of continuous improvement in terms of labor, reducing labor, improving automation, and just continue to get better at what we do. So we have seen — I think every quarter, we have seen an improvement. Of course, the commodities spiked up and down. Just in general, the trend is towards being more efficient. Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes, I’m totally agreeing. Elon Musk: Yes, lithium prices were absolutely insane there for a while. Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes. And they’re recovering now. Karn Budhiraj: Cobalt — the way it used to be. Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes. And we’re still early in the ramp — well, not early in the ramp, but early in the cost down curve of Austin and Berlin. And so, it takes time to work the cost out it. First, it’s a focus on ramp — ramp, it brings cost down… Elon Musk: And quality costs… Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes. And then once that stabilizes, we can divert bandwidth to cost reduction. And so Austin and Berlin saw quite a decent amount of cost reduction on a fundamental basis from Q1 to Q2. We’ll continue to do that work that will be helpful. And so we’re just going to keep chipping away at it. Unidentified Company Representative: Packaging is a big element to that. Elon Musk: Yes, logistics… Zachary Kirkhorn: Logistics is normalizing, which is great. Unidentified Company Representative: [Indiscernible] utilization, something that the team has been very focused on. So, every bit of it. Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes, and it’s hard… Elon Musk: Logistics is underappreciated. Yes, so sold saying goes like valves and with tactics as one with logistics. Unidentified Company Representative: Yes. And we’ve made tremendous improvements in cost in all fronts on expired costs. We have done pre-pandemic expired cost levels now, and our goal is to go further down. Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes. So when we look at our progress from Q1 to Q2 on cost, the way that we look at internally, normalized for the impacts of mix shift with Austin and Berlin being a higher percentage of our mix, normalized for S and X being a higher percentage of our mix in Q2 versus Q1, the sequential cost reduction, it might be the largest we’ve had in a while. So, I think it’s great work on behalf of the Tesla team, and we just got to keep it up. Elon Musk: Yes, it’s a game of pennies. It’s a Game of Thrones with pennies. Martin Viecha: Mark, do you have a follow-up question? I think you’re muted. Mark Delaney: Yes. Thank you very much for all the details on that. Maybe you could put a finer point on the downtime impact that you spoke about in your prepared comments in terms of production impact and then also to what extent there’s a margin impact from those factory upgrades that you’re planning this quarter? Zachary Kirkhorn: Yes. The downtime — we don’t know exactly the number of cars impacted because kind of the way that we go into downtime windows for upgrades is we set aside a period of time, but then the team is challenged to go as quickly as possible so that we can get the factories up and running again and minimize that. It’s not profound reduction. Hopefully, it’s small. Elon Musk: I think we’re getting too much into the weeds here. I mean, like we’re asking for a level of precision that is not possible to answer. So, let’s move on. Martin Viecha: Yes. I think this is unfortunately all the time we have for today. So, we’ll speak to you all in the next three months. Thank you very much. Elon Musk: Thank you. Follow Tesla Inc. 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CJ Hopkins: The New Normal Left
CJ Hopkins: The New Normal Left Authored by CJ Hopkins via The Consent Factory, So, I went to London to speak to the Left … no, not “the Left” you’re probably thinking of. Not the mask-wearing, Ukrainian-flag-flying Left. Not the pronoun-using, segregationist Left. Not the WEF, WHO, FBI, CIA, DHS, and MI6-loving Left. Not the global-capitalist New Normal Left. The other Left. The old-school Left. The “Covid-denying, conspiracy-theorizing, Putin-loving, far-right-extremist” Left. There were approximately 150 of us, and we gathered in a “homophobic church” in Islington. Yes, Islington, which is more or less the British headquarters of the New Normal Left. We did not care. “Let them come for us,” we said. They didn’t. It was a Saturday. They were probably out shopping or hunting down imaginary anti-Semites. So, we went ahead and did our thing. Our “thing” was a conference loosely based on leftist opposition to the WEF and its assorted dystopian visions for our future … you know, eating the bugs, owning nothing, being happy, that kind of stuff. I was invited by this group called Real Left to speak on a panel with Fabio Vighi, a professor of Critical Theory at Cardiff University. We didn’t talk about the WEF very much. We mostly talked about global capitalism, totalitarianism, and “the New Normal Left.” Here are the broad strokes of what I said the conference. * * * In order to understand what happened to the Left (i.e., how it became the New Normal Left), you have to understand the history of global capitalism over the last 30 years or so. Actually, you have to go back a bit farther, back to the early 20th Century, when the Great Ideological Game was still afoot. Back then, capitalism, having overthrown the aristocracies, was on the march, transforming the world into one big marketplace. It was challenged by two opposing ideologies, fascism and communism. They fought it out. Long story short, capitalism won. Global capitalism (“GloboCap”) was born. It’s one big global-capitalist world now. It has been since the early 1990s. GloboCap has no external adversaries, so it has nothing to do but Clear and Hold, i.e., wipe out pockets of internal resistance and implement ideological uniformity. Which is what it has been doing for the last 30 years, first, in the former Soviet bloc, then, in “The Global War on Terror,” and finally, in our so-called “Western democracies,” as we have just experienced up close and personal during the shock-and-awe phase of the rollout of the New Normal, and are continuing to experience, albeit somewhat less dramatically. In other words, GloboCap is going totalitarian. That is what the New Normal is. It is not your granddad’s totalitarianism. It is a new, global-capitalist form of totalitarianism. It displays a number of familiar features — suspension of constitutional rights, official propaganda, goon squads, censorship, ubiquitous symbols of ideological conformity, gratuitous restrictions of freedom of movement and other aspects of everyday life, hatred and persecution of official “Untermenschen,” segregation, criminalization of dissent, mob violence, book burning, show trials, etc. — but there won’t be anyone goose-stepping around in jackboots shrieking about “the master race.” It’s not that kind of totalitarianism. To understand it (which it would behoove us to do), we need to understand global-capitalist ideology, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. Global capitalism has no ideology … or, rather, its ideology is “reality.” When you have no ideological adversaries, you don’t need an ideology. You’re basically God. “Reality” is whatever you say it is, and whoever disagrees is a “science denier,” or a “conspiracy theorist,” or a “malinformationist,” or some other type of deluded “extremist.” You don’t need to argue ideology with anyone, because you have no ideological opponents. Society is divided into two fundamental groups, (a) “normal people,” who accept “reality,” and (b) the “deviants” and “extremists,” who do not. Your political and ideological opponents are pathologized, preemptively delegitimized. After all, who would argue against “reality” except liars and the clinically insane? Yes, of course, there is intramural political and ideological conflict within the confines of so-called “normality,” just as there is intramural competition between global corporations, but challenging the ideological system itself is impossible, because there is no ground outside it from which to mount an attack. This is probably the hardest thing for most of us to come to terms with. There is no ideological territory outside global capitalism. There is no “outside.” There are no external adversaries. There are only insurgencies, and counterinsurgency ops. The rest is intramural competition. And here’s another thing that we need to understand about global-capitalist ideology, and it isn’t going to make my conservative readers, or my libertarian readers, or my leftist readers, happy. But it is essential to understanding the New Normal Left and the shape of the current ideological landscape. I’m going to try to keep this as simple as possible and not get lost in a bunch of post-structuralist mumbo jumbo. Ready? OK, here we go. Capitalism is a values-decoding machine. It decodes society of despotic values (i.e., religious values, racist values, socialist values, traditional values, any and all values that interfere with the unimpeded flows of capital … capitalism does not distinguish). This is how capitalism (or democracy if you’re squeamish) freed us from a despotic “reality” in which values emanated from the aristocracies, kings, priests, the Church, etc. Basically, it transferred the emanation and enforcement of values from despotic structures to the marketplace, where everything is essentially a commodity. So, hurrah … capitalism freed us from despotism! I’m grateful. I’m not a big fan of despotism. The problem is, it’s just a machine. And it has no off-switch. And now it dominates the entire planet unopposed or restricted in any meaningful way. So it’s doing what it is designed to do, stripping societies of their despotic values, rendering everything and everyone a commodity, establishing and enforcing ideological uniformity, neutralizing pockets of internal resistance. The vast majority of that resistance is reactionary. I do not mean that in the pejorative sense. Most of the opposition to the New Normal has come from the traditional political right, from folks who are trying to preserve their values, i.e., to prevent them from being decoded by the GloboCap values-decoding machine. A lot of these folks don’t see it that way, because they do not want to face the fact that what they are resisting is global capitalism, so they call it other names like “crony capitalism,” “corporatism,” or “cultural Marxism.” I don’t really care what they call it, except when they call it “communism,” which just makes them sounds extremely silly. The point is, these folks comprise a reactionary force that is pushing back against the advance of global-capitalism and its ideology, whether they know what they are resisting or not. Russia is another such reactionary force, at least insofar as it is attempting to defend what remains of its national sovereignty. Syria and Iran are two other examples. All of these reactionary forces are integrated within the GloboCap system and at the same time are resisting their absorption by it. The dynamics are complex. It isn’t a cartoon or a Hollywood movie with “good guys” and “bad guys.” Anyway, the battlefield looks like this … you’ve got GloboCap conducting its Clear-and-Hold op, and you’ve got the reactionary (“populist”) backlash against it. And that’s it. Those are the only significant forces on the battlefield, currently. Which brings us to the miserable state of the Left. The Left - and I mean “the Left” broadly, so liberals, and both serious and Brooklyn leftists - are in an ideological double-bind. Either they align with an increasingly totalitarian GloboCap or they align with the reactionary backlash against it. They can’t align with the reactionaries, because a lot of them are … well, you know, somewhat bigoted, or they believe in God, or they object to drag queens rubbing themselves all over kids. Many of them own multiple firearms (i.e., the reactionaries, not the drag queens) and fly giant American flags outside their homes (or whatever flags they fly in Great Britain). Many of them voted for Donald Trump, or Brexit, or the AfD here in Germany, or the National Rally in France, or The Brothers of Italy. These are not BBC/NPR-listening people. These are not pronoun-using people. These are scary working-class people. So the Left has aligned with GloboCap, which, after all, is still decoding all those nasty despotic values (i.e., racism, and other forms of bigotry), and is opposing dictators and religious zealots, and is spreading “democracy” all across the planet. You might think I am being facetious. I am not. Global capitalism is still doing that. Which I support, as do all liberals and leftists. The catch is, as global capitalism continues to do that, and makes a big show of doing that, it is also going totalitarian. It is not decoding those despotic values out of the goodness of its heart. What it is doing is establishing ideological uniformity. The problem is, it has no ideology. All it knows how to do is decode values, transforming societies into markets and everything in them into valueless commodities. Which it is doing in totalitarian fashion. The Nazis referred to this process as “Gleichschaltung,” the synchronization of all elements of society according to official ideology. That is what is happening, currently, globally. GloboCap has begun the transition from a “reality” of competing ideologies, sovereign nation-states, cultures, and values to a new, supranational, post-ideological, eventually trans-human, globalized “reality,” and the message is, “you are either with us or against us.” The New Normal Left is obviously with GloboCap. New Normal Leftists will furiously deny this, as they shriek for more censorship of dissent and cheer for actual Sieg-heiling Nazis. Just as the “populist” Right cannot accept the fact that what it is opposing is a form of capitalism, the New Normal Left cannot accept the fact that it is aligned with a new form of totalitarianism. It is literally inconceivable to them. You can show them screenshots of their posts and Tweets in which they called for “the Unvaccinated” to be locked up in camps, and pictures of when they formed fanatical mobs and threatened people who wouldn’t chant their slogans, and they will look at you as if you are out of your mind. * * * And so we are in a bit of a fix. Which is basically what I told the conference in London. I wish I had some brilliant plan of action to offer. Sadly, I do not. Probably no one does at this stage of things. After all, the New Normal is just getting started. That said, one thing I’m sure about is, if you don’t want to end up eating the bugs and owning nothing and being happy in your AI-monitored 15-minute city while you wait for your social-credit app to update your vaccination record so you can access your CBDC account and make another minimum payment on your ever-deepening credit-card debt, it would probably be a good idea to try to understand what is actually happening. Or maybe not. What do I know? I’m just an old “far-right extremist lefty.” Tyler Durden Tue, 04/04/2023 - 00:00.....»»
I drove 2 of the coolest big electric SUVs you can buy. See how the $96,000 BMW iX and $92,000 Rivian R1S stack up.
The BMW brings leather-bound comfort, while the Rivian can crush any off-road terrain you throw at it. The choice is yours. I tested the BMW iX and Rivian R1S electric SUVs to see how they compare.Tim Levin/Insider I drove 2 of the coolest new electric SUVs you can buy: the BMW iX and Rivian R1S. They're both expensive, aesthetically striking, and quick beyond belief. But these big EVs offer distinct strengths. In 2023, almost every type of vehicle you can imagine is available without tailpipe emissions — if you're willing to pay a hefty premium over a conventional car.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderI drove two of the coolest large electric SUVs — the BMW iX and the Rivian R1S — to see how they stack up.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: Hyundai's sleek new electric car brings Tesla-beating range in a futuristic packageI found that they each have distinct strengths, but they're both fabulous options for buyers with deep pockets, large families, and a soft spot for the environment.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: The $96,000 electric BMW iX's luxurious interior will make you forget all about its weird looksLet's start with some basics about these two EVs.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThe iX is BMW's first electric SUV for American buyers. A 2024 model costs $87,100 and up.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderThe 2022 iX xDrive50 I tested last year came out to around $96,000, with features that included a sporty appearance and an upgraded interior.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: Tesla owners reveal the best and worst features of their cars, and what they really think of Elon MuskLikewise, the Rivian R1S is the California startup's second consumer vehicle and first SUV. (It also sells an electric delivery van.)The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThe limited-run Launch Edition model I drove last year is sold out. A similar R1S costs $92,000 today before any special features or other options.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/Insider(Cheaper R1S models are on the way, too.)The cars have a number of similarities.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderBoth are much speedier than you might expect based on their bulky size. That's due to their high-powered electric motors and the instantaneous, gut-punching acceleration that EVs typically deliver.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRivian says the quad-motor, all-wheel-drive R1S boasts 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque, allowing it to rip to 60 mph in an astonishing three seconds.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: I tested the coolest electric SUV you can buy. Take a full photo tour of the Rivian R1S, which has 3 rows and 316 miles of range.In the iX, pushing the throttle with slightly too much enthusiasm sends the car rocketing forward and thrusts you deep into your seat.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderBMW says the iX reaches 60 mph in just over four seconds. That's absurdly quick for such a hefty vehicle.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderLike the R1S, the iX comes standard with all-wheel drive.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderBoth deliver well over 300 miles of driving range, according to estimates from the US Environmental Protection Agency.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderAnd they both turn heads, but they're aesthetically striking in very different ways.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: I drove luxury Tesla rivals from BMW and Mercedes — here's why I'd buy the BMW iX over the competitionThe R1S looks boxy and friendly, while the iX looks angular and a little angry. If the latter were a Transformer, it would definitely be one of the bad guys.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderThe BMW and R1S also have vastly different strengths that largely reflect contrasts between their core customers.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderAs a brand, Rivian is all about getting into nature and supporting crunchy hobbies like camping, biking, and skiing. Consequently, the R1S is an off-road beast.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThanks to an adjustable-height suspension and a smart four-wheel-drive system, the SUV tackles treacherous climbs and scary obstacles without breaking a sweat — even with a total off-roading noob like me behind the wheel.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderIt offers several off-roading modes that dial in the suspension and other settings for different activities and terrains — from rock crawling to drifting.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: Volkswagen beats Elon Musk in the race to cheap EVs, revealing a car it plans to sell for $26,600Cameras point every direction outside the vehicle, which helps you place your tires precisely on any terrain and see what's ahead.The 2022 Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderSwitch on a feature called Gear Guard, and all those cameras will keep an eye on your SUV while it's parked.The 2022 Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThat brings me to the other main highlight of the R1S: Its innovative design and outside-the-box features make it feel like a cutting-edge vehicle from a startup.The 2022 Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThe back of the R1S fits a twin-sized air bed, and there's even a built-in air compressor to pump it up. (Or do other things like inflate your tires.)The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderEvery Rivian comes with a flashlight that pops out of the driver's door, where it's always charging.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderLikewise, Rivian includes a bluetooth speaker under the center console that owners can whip out during beach bonfires or camping trips.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRead more: The best used cars under $15,000, according to Consumer ReportsOwners can unlock and drive their Rivians using a smartphone app, a key card, a carabiner-style fob, or a waterproof rubber bracelet (for taking along on outdoor adventures.)The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThe R1S's airy, minimalist interior feels refreshingly uncluttered.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderInstead of the usual smattering of buttons and knobs, the R1S invites drivers to control practically everything from its massive touchscreen.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderPersonally, I would've liked some physical controls for things like the air vents and A/C, however.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderIn addition to its vast amount of rear cargo space ...The Rivian R1S.Steve DaSilvaRead more: I drove Mercedes-Benz's $135,000 Tesla rival and experienced the electric, screen-filled future of luxury SUVs... the R1S offers a front trunk. That's something you don't get in every EV.The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderThe iX's standout feature is its luxurious interior.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderThe R1S also feels high-end, but not in the same opulent way that the BMW does.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderSlip inside and you're cradled by plush, leather seats — which came with massage functionality in my test car.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive60.Tim Levin/InsiderAnd there's rich leather all over the place, like on the doors ...The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/Insider... and center storage cubby.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderAll the frequently used controls feel remarkably sturdy and well-made, from the seat adjusters …The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/Insider… to the hefty glass dial between the front seats ...The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/Insider... to the knurled, satisfying volume knob.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderThe iX I tested had swanky, gold-colored accents sprinkled throughout the interior.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderIt came with two crisp screens stylishly suspended above the dashboard on a single, curved panel.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderCompared with the R1S, technology and software take a back seat in the iX, which some buyers will surely prefer.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderSpeaking of, the BMW's palatial back row features its own climate controls and plenty of USB ports.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderPretty much the only issue with the iX's interior is its weird, hexagonal steering wheel. A circle would've worked just fine.The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.Tim Levin/InsiderBoth of these SUVs are awesome picks for those who can afford them. It all comes down to personal preference: Do you the prize old-school luxury of the iX, or the ruggedness and bleeding-edge tech of the R1S?The Rivian R1S.Tim Levin/InsiderRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»
"Goosebumps" Author R.L. Stine Accuses Publisher Of Progressive "Censorship"
'Goosebumps' Author R.L. Stine Accuses Publisher Of Progressive 'Censorship' Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The author of the popular horror book series “Goosebumps” has recently admitted to being ignorant about some versions of his books being edited by the publisher. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's book “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival,” for sale on a store shelf on Feb. 28, 2023 in Titusville, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) American novelist R.L. Stine is the creator of the Goosebumps series of books, which is considered the second-highest selling in the world, trailing only Harry Potter. Goosebumps is estimated to have sold over 300 million copies worldwide. During a 2018 ebook re-release, publisher Scholastic edited the books to align with progressive ideologies that reflect a leftist version of social justice, diversity, and gender equality. There were rumors that Stine made the edits, but the author has refuted it. “The stories aren’t true. I’ve never changed a word in Goosebumps. Any changes were never shown to me,” Stine said in a March 7 tweet. He was replying to another Twitter user’s post, which said, “The fact he supports censorship and the alteration of works of art is quite disturbing. How shameful.” The 1996 book “Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns” described a character as “tall and good-looking, with dark brown eyes and a great, warm smile.” It has now been changed to “tall and good-looking, with brown skin, dark brown eyes, and a great, warm smile.” The line “all four people were very overweight” was changed to “All four people were huge,” cited the British newspaper The Times. “Don’t Go to Sleep!” from 1997 had a boy dismissing Tolstoy’s book Anna Karenina as “girl’s stuff.” The boy dismisses the book in the new version because it is “not interesting.” Changing Goosebumps The word “crazy,” which was mentioned multiple times in the Goosebumps series, has been removed and replaced with terms like “scary,” “wild,” “silly,” “stressed,” and “lost her mind.” The word “nutcase” has been replaced with “weirdo” while “a real nut” has been changed to “a real wild one. Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, insists the edits were necessary to keep up with the times. “Scholastic reviewed the text to keep the language current and avoid imagery that could negatively impact a young person’s view of themselves today, with a particular focus on mental health,” said the publisher, according to The Times. A line from the 1997 book “I Live in Your Basement” that originally said, “did he really expect me to be his slave—forever?” has been changed to “did he really expect me to do this—forever?” removing the word “slave.” A character from the 1998 novel “Bride of the Living Dummy” was originally dressed as a clown with black rings painted around his eyes. The color of the rings has been changed to red. Read more here... Tyler Durden Mon, 03/13/2023 - 23:00.....»»
The "Woke" Brigade Has Come For Roald Dahl"s Books
The 'Woke' Brigade Has Come For Roald Dahl's Books Authored by Andrea Widburg via AmericanThinker.com, In 1807, Thomas Bowdler and his sister, Henrietta Maria Bowdler, published The Family Shakespeare, which stripped away anything bawdy. For the next 200 years, the word “bowdlerize” was a derogatory word leftists flung at prudes who watered down the classics. Wokery has changed that. Roald Dahl’s publishing company and his heirs have agreed that his works are just too much for children’s sensibilities and must be sterilized, simplified, and even augmented to make them nicer…actions that effectively erase everything that made Dahl unique. Personally, Dahl was complicated. His WWII experiences proved him to be brave, charming, and patriotic. One of his children with his wife, Patricia Neal, died from measles, and another was terribly injured in an accident, leading him to abandon Christianity. When his wife, actress Patricia Neal, had a massive stroke, he alternately cajoled and bullied her into recovery. Then, having restored Patricia to health, he began an 11-year-long affair with another woman who eventually became his wife. He accepted the Palestinian line on Israel, with his anti-Zionism inevitably shading into antisemitism. Critics have also attacked his books for racism (the Oompa-Loompas came from Africa) and misogyny (many of his female characters are scary and ugly). Image: Roald Dahl. Public domain. When it comes to the books, though, it seems silly to target racism and misogyny because the reality is that almost all the adult characters in Dahl’s books are scary and ugly. Children take pleasure in the macabre, bizarre, and scary, especially when humor and a happy outcome are involved. And for children, who have moral clarity before leftists get hold of them, a happy outcome means the good are rewarded and the bad are punished. Perhaps it’s that ultimate moral clarity that really explains why the wokerati have come after Dahl’s writing (emphasis mine): “Words matter,” begins the discreet notice, which sits at the bottom of the copyright page of Puffin’s latest editions of Roald Dahl’s books. “The wonderful words of Roald Dahl can transport you to different worlds and introduce you to the most marvellous characters. This book was written many years ago, and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.” ... By comparing the latest editions with earlier versions of the texts, The Telegraph has found hundreds of changes to Dahl’s stories. Language related to weight, mental health, violence, gender and race has been cut and rewritten. In Matilda, a mention of Rudyard Kipling has been cut and Jane Austen added. It’s Roald Dahl, but different. One of the most bowdlerized books is The Witches, about a boy growing up in a coven of witches fully as unpleasant as the crones in Macbeth. The book has been cleaned up…a lot: “A witch is always a woman”, went the 2001 version of the book. “I do not wish to speak badly about women. Most women are lovely. But the fact remains that all witches are women. There is no such thing as a male witch.” That became, simply, “A witch is always a woman. There is no such thing as a male witch.” The tweaks are endless: Other alterations are about weight. “Fat little brown mouse” becomes “little brown mouse”. “‘Here’s your little boy,’ she said. ‘He needs to go on a diet’”, becomes “Here’s your little boy.” ... Elsewhere, Miss Trunchbull’s “great horsey face” becomes simply her “face”. Color is especially absent. Any color: Rather than “turning white,” a character turns “quite pale”…. ... In James and the Giant Peach, the Cloud-Men have become Cloud-People, Miss Sponge is no longer “the fat one”, Miss Spider’s head is no longer “black” and the Earthworm no longer has “lovely pink” skin but “lovely smooth skin”. ... In Fantastic Mr Fox a description of tractors, saying that “the machines were both black”, has been cut. In the new Dahl world, it seems, neither machines nor animals can be described with a colour. And it’s not just words. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the original illustrations have been changed so that Mike Teavee, with his 18 toy pistols slung about his body, no longer has any pistols - which goes with the fact that the text doesn’t mention them anymore either. The publishers have erased everything that made Dahl’s children’s books funny and unique. As always happens when the censors get hold of things, a stupefying sameness becomes the norm. Imagination, excitement, vivid imagery, pleasantly exciting ghoulishness—none have a place in the woke censor’s world. And considering that this is happening to all children’s books, no wonder fewer and fewer children can read. With every passing day, there’s less material worth reading. Tyler Durden Sun, 02/19/2023 - 12:30.....»»
Rate-Hikes, Recessions, & The Death Of Spiritual Boomerism
Rate-Hikes, Recessions, & The Death Of Spiritual Boomerism Authored by Tom Luongo via Gold, Goats, 'n Guns blog, I hate to gloat but, screw it. I’m gloating. With every FOMC meeting this year, Jerome Powell has become more and more hawkish, but the denial of this still dominates the headlines. He raised the Fed Funds Rate to 4.5% last week, a level unthinkable to nearly everyone, including me, this time last year. I told you all over a year ago Powell and the Fed were going to war with Davos and the ECB over Climate Change and their push for war with Russia. No one believed me then, and rightfully so. The idea was daft given the Fed’s history, the US’s books and the reality of a “Biden” presidency seemingly hellbent on spending the US into oblivion. Hell, I barely believed me. What I did believe was the Fed would be more aggressive than the majority in even the alternative finance space did, what I like to think of as the Zerohedge Set, because I didn’t think Powell was just another garden-variety globalist like his predecessors, Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke. In this business, “personnel is policy” is more important than our opinions on the numbers or even the state of the game board. Powell isn’t cut from the same egghead, ivory tower cloth of academia like Yellen and Bernanke. He’s a private equity guy with a real background in deal-making and assessing risk when his money or his client’s is on the line. So, expecting him to run the Fed the way Yellen and Bernanke did is a simply a bad assumption. Powell’s statement on Wednesday was no less hawkish at 4.5% than his statement at Jackson Hole in August before he raised rates by 75 basis points to 3.25% in September. And yet, in the days leading up to Wednesday’s announcement and even afterwards the talk was still all about how he can’t go much higher; this is the last hike before he stops. In article after article that’s all we hear. Stop raising rates, it’s your fault you’re behind the curve, Powell. Stop trying to make up for it. This guy, Peter Tchir actually thinks a recession is avoidable? Maybe in nominal terms that’s possible. To the normie crowd goosing nominal GDP constantly to avoid ‘number go down’ at the expense of literally everything that makes private capital formation possible may seem like a good idea. Then again, you may be a Boomer. But in real terms, terms that matter like directing capital into sustainable investments rather than throwing money at any silly ‘shovel-ready’ project Obama’s minions can cook up in a strategy meeting to sell to the Muppets, the idea of avoiding a recession is ludicrous on the face of it. If anything, in real terms for fourteen years we haven’t been in anything other than a drawn-out struggle session forcing us to admit under duress that yes, in fact, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus who lives in the Marriner-Eccles building and he can make two plus two equal five. It’s all been a massive leveraged loan bubble built on trillions in the most egregious spending of future seed corn in the history of the planet. No wonder Climate Change and ‘sustainable growth’ are such an easy sell to the Millennials, they’ve never really known anything other than the debt casino. To bitch now about Powell being behind the inflation curve is just churlish back seat driving. As I pointed out time and again, Powell’s reappointment was the subject of intense political struggle on Capitol Hill. He was only reconfirmed 6 months after he should have been and was under direct fire before that. The policy differences between “Biden” and Powell placed “Private Equity Jay” behind the curve not because he was too chickenshit to start sooner but because “Biden” needed an excuse to not re-nominate him as FOMC chair. Raising rates in anticipation of incoming inflation while wrangling over “Build Back Better” and its $6+ trillion in spending would have given us Lael Brainard, MMT and UBI to eternity. And the US dollar bears would have rejoiced in having been right all along while Davos grinned like the proverbial Cheshire Cat eating all the canaries. This willful blindness to the politics of monetary policy is bad enough. But the whining about taking the punch bowl away is just selfishness masquerading as analysis. Like it or not, Powell had no choice but to monetize COVID-19 spending. That’s on Congress and Trump. I’m happy to lay blame at the Fed’s feet, but only when that blame is appropriate. Congress doesn’t get to blackmail the Fed AND blame them for the country’s ills at the same time. And this is why I’m gloating today. Because I’m sick to death of this “Spiritual Boomerism” rampant within the financial commentary space that believes recession is the dirtiest word in the English language and avoiding them is the Fed’s real job, even if it costs us our souls. As I wrote last year: … because we all want to believe we’re smarter than average bear and don’t want to face tomorrow without our favorite things we go along with the comfortable lie [we have mastered time risk]. In other words, we believe risk is someone else’s problem. And that we owe the debts to ourselves. And it’s okay to foist risk off on those hapless suckers lest we be inconvenienced by the barest minimum of privation. Let’s call that, in the words of a friend of mine, Spiritual Boomerism. That Spiritual Boomerism is fed every day by Davos and their flunkies in FinTwit, like Jim Cramer, Paul Krugman and every other dickhead out there talking their book. Davos needs to stop Powell and the NY Banks from upsetting their plans to turn the future into a Phildickian nightmare of total surveillance, 100% tax compliance and the ultimate veto over your economic and, if they get their way, reproductive choices. If you think things suck now, just wait for the Great Ennui that comes with the Great Reset. It’s a pernicious narrative woven into the fabric of our daily lives. Davos helped erect this central bank dominated world which undermined our cultural and spiritual strength, addicting us to this idea of consumption without purpose and risk without consequence. We had the chance in 2008 to flush this system and chose not to. We papered everything over and created the most perverse version of an economy in 2000 years. We got to process our grief at losing everything during that crisis by going to negative real yields for so long we began to believe that we conquered time itself. No idea was beyond the pale when the cost of money had no meaning. And it led us to today where it is the right of 6 year-olds to mutilate themselves without parental consent, all in the name of fighting a goddamned patriarchy we could only wish was still somewhat functional. It ground forward for another fourteen years accelerating the insanity to the point of identity crisis at a cultural level. There is no idea more indicative of Spiritual Boomerism than that of inflation being inherently better than deflation. And that’s what drives all of this angst over Powell’s refusal to ‘pivot’ off raising rates. Gods forbid the assholes in power have to give up their third home or the second Bentley. At the rate the two are deflating in Powell’s New America, I’m not sure which one will be worth more in a year. But the worst part about all of this Boomerist denial is it allowed the ECB’s Christine Lagarde to run the ultimate bluff for more than a year about its truly insane monetary policy, ignoring inflation that we could all see but didn’t want to believe was real. Because the alternative was realizing that King Dollar had another round left in the tank before getting knocked out by the Global South’s plans to de-dollarize completely. Since Powell began raising rates in March, EU energy policy dramatically raised the cost of domestic energy. That inflation is a feature, not a bug. And it can’t be fixed. With each sanctions package against Russia (now 9 in total…) Europe’s energy story became more ludicrous and yet the markets kept pricing risk like the US was in worse shape. Look, I get that Pelosi is a scary old broad, but c’mon! Lagarde kept putting off the day of reckoning. In July she offset the fall of Italy’s Davos government with announcing the Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI), which is basically Operation Twist for internal Euro-zone debt. At the same meeting she raised rates for the first time. She should have called it the Toilet Paper Initiative, because that’s what it will do to the euro. So, like Kuroda at the Bank of Japan, she committed to QE forever and tightening…. simultaneously! And the markets believed her while continuing to disbelieve Powell. To say it was bizarre is the height of understatement. Well, that finally came to an end last week. And this is really why I’m gloating today. Lagarde finally had to admit that inflation was no longer transitory and that the ECB’s long-run projections of inflation to end this year were nowhere near reality. While everyone was hoping Powell would only go 25 basis points because US CPI came in 0.2% lower than expectations at 7.1%, no one looked at Germany’s CPI coming in above expectations at 10% just four hours earlier. Until Lagarde finally admitted she’d lost the inflation battle she wasn’t even fighting, US/German credit spreads still traded like she was competent and Powell wasn’t. At this point it’s offensive to think that this neck scarf obsessed lawyer has a sharper economic mind than Jerome Powell. It’s equally offensive to see German debt trading at a 130-140 basis point premium to US debt, given relative inflation rates, energy policies and strength of currencies. Honestly, euro-zone debt is trading like the EU has a trade surplus and a vibrant middle class. These are both lies. But such is the power of propaganda. Illusions die painful deaths because of the management of perspective that goes on every day. Lagarde bought herself a few months reprieve with the TPI, but eventually had to admit the truth. Today she still has to choose between defending the euro or defending credit spreads. She can’t do both. Why does anyone believe she can do either? Speaking of truth, if there was any in these markets, the US/German 10-year yield spread would be negative rather than positive. On what planet does anyone think, on the eve of wider war in Ukraine, that Germany is a more stable political force than the US? Because German Greens are such a powerful international force for growth? I thought bond traders were serious people. Guess not. After months of my fighting the narrative that the EU has no agency in the policy surrounding Russia and Ukraine, I have to ask the following question: If you truly believe the EU is a vassal state to the US, why aren’t you putting your money where your mouth is? Why aren’t you buying US debt faster than German debt? What kept you from making the move? Or is it that you really understand Davos is mostly in control over US fiscal policy (true) and think they’ll be successful in sabotaging the Fed’s attempts at independence through aggressive monetary tightening (up for grabs)? That’s honestly the only conclusion I’ve got for why it’s taken this long for everyone to figure out that Lagarde is full of shit, has no cards to play, and is now on the precipice of the biggest bankruptcy in the history of modern banking. If you think I’ll cry one crocodile tear over the death of the ECB’s credibility in the coming weeks, I have bridge-front property to sell you in Brooklyn. Powell didn’t embark on this path to salvage his personal credibility. He’s worth nine figures, FFS. This is something fundamentally different that that. My best guess is that it is exactly what I’ve said it was from the beginning, a fight for the future of capital formation. Either we return somewhat to it being handled by private capital markets or we reach the end state of the past 80 years and the apotheosis of central banking. Looking ahead, I’d watch the US 2/10 spread to see if this month’s tightening takes hold for real. We’re at -67 bps. A move above -65 this week would be technically interesting. It might actually be the sign that Spiritual Boomerism is on the wane as more people accept what’s happening. Powell’s not coming to our rescue. The Fed isn’t our friend. The Fed Put was only a slightly dumber idea than Climate Change being caused by anthropogenic CO2. The quicker these bad ideas die the quicker we can face our future, bleak though it may be, honestly. And maybe we can put away the childishness of thinking a world without risk is in anyone’s best interests. * * * Join My Patreon if you’ve run out of Boomer Pills. Tyler Durden Tue, 12/20/2022 - 08:53.....»»
Review: I drove the $2.1 million Rimac Nevera electric supercar. It felt like piloting an ultra-luxury rocket.
The Rimac Nevera is an electric supercar that leaves Ferraris and Lamborghinis in its dust. Driving it permanently altered our definition of "fast." Alanis King The $2.1 million electric supercar Rimac Nevera has 1,914 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet of torque. It has four electric motors and a large, H-shaped battery powering them. We drove one for about an hour recently. It's so fast, you can't even fully floor it on the street. People are obsessed with leaving Earth. In film and literature, it's the only way for future generations to survive — either by virtue of climate disaster or war, but always by our own hands. In real life, it's a way for the ultrawealthy to burn cash and resources on a minutes-long joyride in orbit.To us, space seems like the next step in technology, exploration, and wealth exhibition. But the Rimac Nevera taught me there's still a lot of that to be done on Earth. Alanis KingThe Nevera is a $2.1 million electric supercar from Rimac, a Croatian carmaker founded in 2009 by the now 34-year-old Mate Rimac. Rimac started out by converting gas cars to electric in his garage, and his company doesn't just create glamorous supercars — it also supplies EV technology to major automakers like Porsche, Hyundai, and Aston Martin. The Rimac Group recently entered a joint venture with Porsche to oversee luxury supercar brand Bugatti as well.Rimac's come a long way in 13 years as a company, and the Nevera doesn't just put it one step closer to becoming mainstream. It marks our entrance into an era of multimillion-dollar supercars that don't roar to life with the gas engines, but instead sit in electric silence. A cutaway of the Nevera's battery and motors.Rimac AutomobiliThe Nevera has four electric motors — one for each wheel — that, combined, make 1,914 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet of torque. To illustrate how shocking those numbers are, the $3 million Bugatti Chiron broke world speed records with its historically untouchable 1,600 horsepower. The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, a street-legal drag racer that required buyers to sign a 15-part agreement acknowledging the risks of driving it, came with 840 horsepower.But the Nevera isn't just more powerful numerically. Cars like the Chiron and Demon have traditional gas engines, which means their power curves build over time (think about how as you accelerate in a certain gear, your car gets louder and faster).The Nevera has instant torque because it's electric, meaning there's no buildup. You just hit the accelerator and sail through spacetime, leaving Ferraris and Lamborghinis in your dust.The interior of the Nevera. (This car has a tan interior, while mine had a red and black one.)Rimac AutomobiliI first saw the Nevera on a rainy Monday morning in Austin, where it sat under a hotel awning in a coat of paint so white it almost looked blue. It has a long, aerodynamic body; ocular slits for headlights; tons of giant holes and vents to direct airflow in and around the car; and a giant, active-aero rear wing that moves around to help the Nevera perform best in the circumstances it's driving in. The whole car is smoothed over, not sharp, like a piece of glass that got tossed in the ocean and weathered in the sand. It's beautiful. Alanis KingGuests stopped to take photos in and around the Nevera while I stood to the side, feeling like I'd walked in on something I wasn't supposed to see yet — technology that's still 30 years out, and reserved for only the wealthiest of us when it does get here.Rimac employees walked me through the basics: The Nevera's low, slinky body encases the four motors; an H-shaped battery that rests behind and between the car's two passenger seats; and a 441-pound carbon-fiber monocoque that forms a shell around the passenger compartment for crash protection.Carbon fiber, which is typically a black and gray woven material, is known for being extremely light and strong. That's vital to fast cars, because the heavier a vehicle is in relation to its horsepower, the slower it will be.The Nevera's carbon-fiber monocoque.Rimac AutomobiliThe doors on my loaner Nevera opened upward, revealing red-and-black seats and a bright-red ceiling. There were carbon-fiber accents and Rimac logos all over.The car has three main screens: one for the driver, one between the seats, and one in the dashboard in front of the passenger, which can display the car's rapid, real-time power output in a red font. As the driver presses the accelerator pedal closer to the floor, the numbers on the screen surge like you've won the jackpot on a slot machine.Alanis KingJust above the central screen are two knobs with their own little electronic displays, which control the Nevera's drive mode and power distribution. Power distribution allows a driver to better control a car's handling: You can lower power distribution if you want a more laid-back drive, raise it if you want to go full send, or put all the power to the back wheels if you want to drift.In my car, "comfort mode" listed the front and rear wheels as receiving about 70% of the car's available power, while "track" bumped it to 100. If you want to change that distribution from the driving mode's default at any point, you just twist the knob. The central and passenger screens in the Nevera. (This car has a tan interior, while mine had a red and black one.)Rimac AutomobiliWhile most EVs are known for silence, the Nevera makes a metallic whine. It's a very raw sound — more like a homemade rocket ship and less like the refined, composed melodies many automakers play through the speaker systems of their otherwise quiet EVs. I didn't know if it was real, so I asked."Yep," a Rimac employee told me. "That's the sound of all the tiny moving parts that make the car go." The Nevera is a metropolis of technology, and metropolises aren't quiet — even if lesser EVs are.Alanis KingEven though the Nevera can go from 0 to 60 mph in a mind-melting 1.85 seconds, driving it isn't scary. The car is miles more intelligent and capable than you or I will ever be, and that's shown in how it operates. Not long after I took the wheel, the Rimac representative riding with me told me to stomp the accelerator. "Are you sure?" I asked. "It's been raining. The roads are wet." They nodded. "The car will step out a little," they said, referring to the slide a car's wheels do when they begin to lose traction. "Don't correct it. The car will redirect power to individual wheels as necessary, straightening itself out."I stomped the accelerator, as I was told. The Nevera stepped out, just barely. I didn't correct it. It immediately redirected power on its own, gluing itself back to the ground as if nothing happened. "See?" they said. I saw.Alanis KingThe thing about the Nevera is that if you want to keep your driver's license, you can't put your foot to the floor on the road. As soon as you touch the accelerator, the car's instant torque launches it forward — putting your throat in your stomach and starting a split-second timer during which you can keep pressing the pedal. Long before it hits the floor, you're doing illegal speeds. Yet all that time, while you're bending the fabric of space like a $2.1 million black hole, the Nevera is wildly comfortable. It's not cramped or even unnaturally low to the ground; the large windows make the car feel light and airy; and the seats and suspension aren't stiff or harsh like in many other performance cars. Even in track mode, often the stiffest and harshest drive setting of them all, the Nevera sliced through the air with virtually no wind noise, discomfort, or disruptions to the people riding in it. The Nevera feels like the future because it is the future — technology, speed, comfort, and all.Alanis KingI doubt I'll ever get to experience orbit, or anything past it, in a tangible way. I was born too early for the democratization of space travel, too artistically minded to make a career of it, and too middle-class to jump on the wagon early. I'm stuck looking at the stars with my feet on the ground, like most of the rest of us.But after driving the Nevera, I'm alright with that. It's a rocket ship, and sometimes, the coolest rocket ships aren't the ones that can take us away — they're the ones that remind us why we're here. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
The 13 best games to play this Halloween, from Bayonetta to Resident Evil
There's no better time than Halloween to dive into your backlog of scary video games, like Resident Evil, Phasmophobia, and more. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Massive Monster; Daniel Mullins Games; Capcom; Devolver Digital Halloween is nearly here, and there's no better time to dive into your backlog of scary games. We've rounded up 13 of our favorite video games that invoke that spooky Halloween spirit. These games range in intensity and genre, so even the biggest scaredy-cats can find a new favorite. The days are growing shorter, dead leaves are skittering across the sidewalk — Halloween is on its way. And Halloween means it's time for two things: Binging on candy and playing scary video games.If you're looking for a new game to give you your horror fill, you're in luck. We've just put together 13 of our favorite games to play this Halloween season. Some let you fight demons, some let you dress up in fancy costumes, and some are just plain creepy — whatever you're looking for, we've got it.Note: PlayStation refers to both the PS4 and PS5, and Xbox refers to both the Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X.Bayonetta 3Platinum Games; NintendoAvailable on: Nintendo SwitchGenre: Hack-and-Slash Action AdventurePrice: $59.99Let's start with a Halloween classic: Witches.The newest game on this list, Bayonetta 3 puts you in control of the legendary witch Bayonetta, as she battles disgusting monsters and a universe-destroying entity called the Singularity. Like previous games in the series, Bayonetta 3 is all about style. Although the game can be difficult at first, with enough practice, you'll be flying between enemies and racking up 100-hit combos without breaking a sweat. Along with Bayonetta's usual arsenal of magic guns and giant limbs made of her own hair (her "Wicked Weaves"), you'll also summon skyscraper-sized demons, cast curses, and more. The game's humor, action, and story are famously ridiculous in all the right ways.The game's director, Hideki Kamiya, claims you don't need to have played the first two games to enjoy this one. But if you like, you can jump back to the first two games in the series as soon as you're done; they're both available for purchase from the Nintendo Switch eShop.InscryptionDaniel Mullins Games; Devolver DigitalAvailable on: PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStationGenre: Roguelike Card GamePrice: from $19.99It's pretty difficult to make a card game scary, but Inscryption knows how to defy expectations.The game starts with your character locked in a cabin, forced to play a sadistic card game against a shadowy maniac. As you win rounds, you'll expand your card collection and encounter new opponents — but if you fail, you'll be killed and turned into a card yourself.Inscryption combines cardplay with escape room-style puzzles, all backed up with a foreboding soundtrack and unsettling graphics. It's perfect for anyone who wants a challenge to go along with their horror.Hollow KnightTeam CherryAvailable on: PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, XboxGenre: 2D "Metroidvania" PlatformerPrice: from $14.99Hollow Knight is one of the most popular indie games of the last decade, and for good reason. It's a masterfully crafted "Metroidvania" game — in other words, a 2D action platformer — filled with hand-drawn visuals and dozens of unique enemies.The game gives you control of the Knight, a nameless sword-wielding insect. You're tasked with traveling a massive underground world to battle other insects and save your kingdom from a mysterious "Infection." The underground world is gloomy, dark, and filled with horrifying creatures that are dead set on taking you down.Fans and critics alike raved over Hollow Knight's artstyle, combat controls, and upgrade system. It's a must-play for any platforming fan.Resident Evil 2 (2019)CapcomAvailable on: PC, PlayStation, XboxGenre: Survival HorrorPrice: from $39.99Resident Evil is the horror game franchise. And Resident Evil 2 — the 2019 remake of the original PS1 classic — is our favorite of the series.In Resident Evil 2 you play as Leon Kennedy, a rookie police officer trapped inside of the zombie-infested Raccoon City. You'll have to find your way out of town and save the few people who haven't been infected yet, all the while being hunted by zombies and an unstoppable monster called Mr. X.Unlike other zombie games, Resident Evil 2 is more about stealth and strategy than gunplay. You can only carry a few items at a time, and ammo runs out quickly — you'll need to learn to plan ahead and conserve your resources if you want to survive. Right now, the game is only available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, but a Cloud Version is also releasing for the Nintendo Switch in November 2022.Luigi's Mansion 3Next Level Games; NintendoAvailable on: Nintendo SwitchGenre: Action Adventure, ExplorationPrice: $49.94All of the games we've featured so far have been pretty mature. So if you're looking for something more appropriate for kids, then check out Luigi's Mansion 3. This Super Mario Bros. spinoff sees the eternal underdog Luigi going on a quest to save his friends and family from a haunted hotel.As you explore the hotel's 17 floors, you'll use a suped-up vacuum to fight and capture dozens of colorful ghosts. You can also create a clone of yourself called "Gooigi," which can slip through cracks but will crumble if it touches water.Luigi's Mansion is silly, but can still be surprisingly creepy and challenging. It's also got a few multiplayer modes, perfect for friends or family members.Dead By DaylightBehaviour InteractiveAvailable on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, iOS, AndroidGenre: Player-VS-Player Survival HorrorPrice: from free-to-play to $29.99The first exclusively multiplayer game on the list, Dead By Daylight is an "asymmetric" survival horror game inspired by slasher films from the '70s and '80s. In each game, four "Survivors" have to power up generators and escape before a "Killer" can hunt them down and slaughter them.Although the game has dozens of original characters, it's most famous for its crossovers with famous horror franchises like Saw, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Stranger Things, and Scream. The Survivors can play as the protagonists from those franchises, while the Killer can play as the villains. Every character has their own perks and abilities.Every round of Dead By Daylight is tense and unpredictable, just like the best horror films. It's great with friends, but it's also got an active community that you can randomly match up with to play whenever you want.FAITH: The Unholy TrinityAirdorf Games; New Blood InteractiveAvailable on: PCGenre: Exploration, PuzzlePrice: $14.99Although FAITH: The Unholy Trinity officially released this month, you won't be blamed for thinking it's an old Atari game. FAITH is an 8-bit horror game that follows Catholic priest John Ward on his quest to exorcize demons with just a crucifix and a prayer. It's inspired by the "Satanic Panic" of the '80s, and it looks like it came from the '80s too.The most striking thing about FAITH, though, is definitely the sound design. Every sound effect and bit of music has been distorted and compressed to hell (no pun intended), to the point that you might start thinking your speakers are haunted. Even the simplest actions sound frightening.Expect bloody demons, lots of pentagrams, and the word "MORTIS" to burn itself into your brain. If you watched The Exorcist as a child and had nightmares for a week, then FAITH is made for you.Cult of the LambMassive Monster; Devolver DigitalAvailable on: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, XboxGenre: Roguelike Action Adventure, Town SimulatorPrice: from $24.99Don't let the cute talking animals fool you: Cult of the Lamb is a devilish game.After being sentenced to death, your character — an unnamed lamb — is possessed by an ancient demon and tasked with forming a cult to worship it. You'll need to venture out to defeat enemies and attract new followers, all the while keeping your current cult members happy. Ignore them for too long, and they might get sick, leave, or even rebel against you.Cult of the Lamb mixes an adorable artstyle with frenetic combat and detailed simulator-style town management. If you enjoy games like Hades, you'll get a kick out of this one.PhasmophobiaKinetic GamesAvailable on: PCGenre: Cooperative Survival HorrorPrice: $13.99Phasmophobia lets you play as a professional ghost hunter, exploring abandoned buildings and decrepit houses to find evidence of the paranormal.You can play the game with up to three other people, using either a standard mouse and keyboard or a virtual reality headset. At the start of every round, you'll need to choose which tools you want to bring — night vision cameras, thermometers, Ouija Boards — and work together to find ghosts without being possessed. The game uses proximity voice chat, meaning that if you stray too far from your teammates, they won't be able to hear you anymore. You can even try talking with the ghosts if you have the right tools… But not all of them are happy to chat.Phasmophobia was a viral sensation on Twitch in 2020, and still racks up hundreds of viewers each month. And although multiplayer sessions are fun, try playing it alone for the biggest scares.MiitopiaNintendoAvailable on: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DSGenre: Turn-based RPGPrice: from $40.40You can't celebrate Halloween without throwing on some Halloween costumes. And dressing your friends and family up in ridiculous costumes is what Miitopia is all about.Originally released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2016, and then remastered for the Switch in 2021, Miitopia is a fun fantasy RPG that turns your custom Mii characters into wizards, warriors, and more. Together you'll go on a quest to defeat the Dark Lord, a demonic entity — also played by one of your Miis — that's been stealing people's faces.While turn-based battles take up a lot of the game, you'll spend just as much time managing your Miis. Every character you make has their own personality, and the relationships between your Miis will affect how well they fight and how they grow. It's as much of a life simulator as it is an action game.The updated Nintendo Switch version also includes an extremely detailed character creator, perfect for assembling your dream team.Vampire SurvivorsLuca GalanteAvailable on: PC, Mac, Linux, AndroidGenre: Roguelike Shoot-'Em-UpPrice: $4.99Vampire Survivors is one of those games that you'll turn on, and three hours will pass without you noticing. It's immensely addictive and infinitely replayable, to the point that some are calling it the best game of 2022.Gameplay is simple: You pick a character, you're placed in a wide-open area, and monsters start heading your way. You now have to survive for 30 minutes, slaying enemies and upgrading your abilities. It might seem easy at first, but by five minutes in, you're going to be mobbed by more creatures than you can count.Every round is a learning experience, and no matter how far you get, every round unlocks new characters and items. And at only $5, it's more than worth the price.Monster PromBeautiful Glitch; Those Awesome GuysAvailable on: PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, XboxGenre: Visual Novel, Dating SimulatorPrice: from $11.99We live in a golden age for monster romance. And nowhere is that more clear than in Monster Prom, a dating simulator that lets you pair up with werewolves, demons, mermaids, and more.The game starts you out at Spooky High, a school where every student is a different sort of monster. You've got three weeks to find a date for the Monster Prom, and every action you take leads you down a new path. There are hundreds of unique scenarios, and six different monsters you can romance. And every pairing is available no matter your gender or orientation.Monster Prom is weird, but even more than that, it's heart-breakingly genuine. Between the beautiful art and absurd story, Monster Prom will make you believe in love again.Best of all, the game has three different sequels — Monster Prom: Second Term, Monster Camp, and Monster Roadtrip — all available on Steam for less than $12 each.Metroid DreadMercurySteam; NintendoAvailable on: Nintendo SwitchGenre: Action Adventure, ShooterPrice: $49.99Metroid Dread is the latest in the massively influential side-scrolling shooter series. You play as bounty hunter Samus Aran, sent to the planet ZDR to investigate and destroy a race of dangerous parasites. But once you arrive, you're trapped in a deep underground cavern and hunted by killer "EMMI" robots.Samus is strong, but the EMMI robots are stronger. As soon as an EMMI sees or hears you, it'll chase you down like a rabid lion. You'll spend a big chunk of the game frantically running for your life as the EMMIs sprint down halls and bite at your heels.Metroid Dread is equal parts fun and terrifying. It's a perfect match for any Switch owner looking for a challenge.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Multipolar World Order – Part 3
Multipolar World Order – Part 3 Authored by Iain Davis via Off-Guardian.org, In Part 1, we considered the forces shaping the world order and the attempts to impose various models of global governance upon it. In Part 2, we discussed the progress of the global power shift from West to East and asked why so many stalwarts of the so-called “unipolar world order” have not only accepted the inevitability of that power shift but have apparently assisted it. Ostensibly, the multipolar version of the world order is a departure from the unipolar model in the sense that it will—supposedly—genuinely observe international law and share power among a broader coalition of nation-states. As a result, it will introduce—supposedly—functioning multilateralism into global governance, arguably for the first time. To some, this multipolar model sounds preferable to the current, international rules-based unipolar model. Yet, when we look at the statements of the touted leaders of the new multipolar world order, their objectives seem indistinguishable from those of their unipolar counterparts… They express an unwavering commitment to sustainable development and Agenda 2030. They support the United Nation’s Security Council remaining the political centre of global governance—though, notably, loss of the veto isn’t countenanced. They wholeheartedly endorse the World Economic Forum’s AI-driven 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). They also regard censorship and information control as necessary to fight the “infodemic” and to protect the world against “disinformation.” Their global initiatives—and the public-private partnerships that will implement them—are practically identical to the initiatives of their unipolar counterparts, though they offer an important variation, which we’ll discuss in Part 4. Finally, to supporters of multipolarity, a new global “financial system” is, as ever, the key to the supposed “transformation.” Thus far, the globalist oligarchs, who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the unipolar model, have not only advocated the polarity shift from West to East but have also played a part in facilitating it. Indeed, they have created the monetary, financial, economic and thus geopolitical conditions that appear to guarantee it. We learned in Parts 1 and 2 that the unipolar world order established a system of global governance that is founded upon global public-private partnership and that this empowered oligarchs to engineer policy agendas around the world, unconstrained by national borders. If the multipolar world order is something new, then surely this trajectory towards centralised global governance should change, right? But when the multipolar model seems to be accelerating the transition to centralised power, then we have to wonder if there is anything new and different about it at all. Xi Jinping addresses The Davos Agenda. Image: REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo THE MULTIPOLAR GREAT RESET As mentioned previously, the World Economic Forum (WEF) declares itself to be the leading organisation for global public-private partnerships (G3P). In 2019, the WEF attempted to stake its claim by entering into a strategic partnership with the UN. The broad objective of the partnership was… to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The WEF has conspicuously inserted itself into the global narrative over the last few years, most notably with its alleged Great Reset (the GR). The book of that name, written by Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret, purportedly “in response” to the claimed global pandemic, is just another in a long line of attempts to exploit public fear and anxiety to sell a set of policy agendas. Thierry Malleret The tenor of the book and the Great Reset project is to offer “analysis” and “suggest” possible solutions in the spirit of solidarity with and compassion for humanity and nature. The dazzling minds behind it have tried to help us “understand what’s coming in a multitude of domains.” It is not a plan but rather friendly advice. At least, that is what the WEF claims. The WEF represents the most powerful global corporations on Earth. As we have seen in the last couple of years, the pharmaceutical corporations alone can and do shape, and often drive, global policy decisions. One would need to be extremely naive to imagine that the WEF and its stakeholders (members) cannot effect that which they claim merely to advise. This is context within which we will analyse their words. According to the pair, “the essence” of the GR is a plan to replace “failed ideas, institutions, processes and rules with new ones better suited to current and future needs.” As with nearly every other Western think tank and “international organisation,” they concede that the shift to the multipolar world is simply inescapable: The 21st century will most likely be an era devoid of an absolute hegemon during which no one power gains absolute dominance. [. . .] In this messy new world defined by a shift towards multipolarity and intense competition for influence, the conflicts or tensions will no longer be driven by ideology.– [The Great Reset (TGR), p. 76] In the GR, gone are the old distinctions between right and left, liberalism, conservatism, socialism and even the extremes of fascism and communism. For the WEF, all that remains is global environmentalism, which, the book’s co-authors claim, is not an ideology: In global risk terms, it is with climate change and ecosystem collapse (the two key environmental risks) that the pandemic most easily equates. The three represent, by nature and to varying degrees, existential threats to humankind, and we could argue that COVID-19 has already given us a glimpse, or foretaste, of what a full-fledged climate crisis and ecosystem collapse could entail from an economic perspective.– [TGR, p. 95] Fortunately, for the WEF and its partners, this imminent annihilation is actually an “opportunity,” or so they say: The broader point is this: the possibilities for change and the resulting new order are now unlimited and only bound by our imagination, [. . .] economies, when they recover, could take the path of more inclusivity and be more attuned to the needs of our global commons.– [TGR, p. 17] Enthusiastically adopting accelerationism, Schwab and Malleret claim: [W]ithout delay we need to set in motion the Great Reset. This is not a “nice-to-have” but an absolute necessity. [. . .] The pandemic gives us this chance: it “represents a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine and reset our world”. [quote attributed to Klaus Schwab.] – [TGR, p. 172] And: As economies restart, there is an opportunity to embed greater societal equality and sustainability into the recovery, accelerating rather than delaying progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals[.] – [TGR, p. 175] The only problem this duo foresee with the “shift towards multipolarity” is that the associated “retreat from globalization” might happen too quickly. Of course, according to them, a premature retreat would cause “havoc” -so we should be properly terrified of the possibility. Consequently, in their eyes, the new “form of globalization” will only be “viable” if the right overarching system is firmly in place: global governance. As they put it: A hasty retreat from globalization would entail trade and currency wars, damaging every country’s economy, provoking social havoc and triggering ethno- or clan nationalism. The establishment of a much more inclusive and equitable form of globalization that makes it sustainable, both socially and environmentally, is the only viable way to manage retreat. This requires policy solutions [. . .] and some form of effective global governance.– [TGR, p. 81] Schwab and Malleret allege that the pseudopandemic-initiated breakdowns raise what they see as the deplorable prospect of a “global order deficit.” Therefore, in the absence of an “absolute hegemon”—the unipolar world order—nation-states must find a way to “collaborate at the global level.” They said: If no one power can enforce order, our world will suffer from a “global order deficit”. Unless individual nations and international organizations succeed in finding solutions to better collaborate at the global level, we risk entering an “age of entropy” in which retrenchment, fragmentation, anger and parochialism will increasingly define our global landscape, making it less intelligible and more disorderly. The pandemic crisis has both exposed and exacerbated this sad state of affairs.– [TGR, p. 76] The so-called Great Reset has been designed to manage and exploit the orchestrated collapse of the unipolar world order. The path toward multipolarity, redesigned globalisation and a new order is set. It is the “deglobalisation” inherent to the multipolar world order that provides the suggested “opportunity” for the global public-private partnership. No one, especially the WEF, suggests retaining the “hyper-globalization” of the “absolute hegemony.” They explained: There is no point in trying to restore the status quo [. . . ], but it is important to limit the downside of a possible free fall that would precipitate major economic damage and social suffering. [. . .] This will only come about through improved global governance – the most “natural” and effective mitigating factor against protectionist tendencies. [. . .] There is no time to waste. If we do not improve the functioning and legitimacy of our global institutions, the world will soon become unmanageable and very dangerous. There cannot be a lasting recovery without a global strategic framework of governance.– [TGR, p. 81] That “strategic framework” is the global governance of a multipolar world and the WEF claim that this is simply the most “natural” response to global crises, given that, in the WEF’s view, individual nation-states are unable to address the world’s problems. Consequently, for the WEF, only multilateral institutions of global governance, such as its strategic partner, the United Nations, can avert catastrophe. This is “the essence” of the Great Reset, as the book makes clear: [W]ithout appropriate global governance, we will become paralysed in our attempts to address and respond to global challenges, particularly when there is such a strong dissonance between short-term, domestic imperatives and long-term, global challenges. This is a major worry[.]– [TGR, p. 83] And: [T]he bottom line is this: in the face of such a vacuum in global governance, only nation states are cohesive enough to be capable of taking collective decisions, but this model doesn’t work in the case of world risks that require concerted global decisions. The world will be a very dangerous place if we do not fix multilateral institutions.– [TGR, p. 85] The WEF’s “bottom line” is that, real or imagined, the Westphalian model is simply unequipped to deal with “global challenges.” Only “multilateral” global governance can avert descent into a “very dangerous” world. Hence, a shift towards multipolarity is required. These are precisely the arguments that the supposed leaders of the new multipolar world order have been making. To claim, as some do, that the “Great Reset” represents a defence of the unipolar order and that the shift towards a multipolar model is some sort of antidote to the GR appears to be based upon a fundamental misunderstanding of what the GR is. MULTIPOLAR HISTORY To illustrate this point further: Schwab and Malleret suggest that the “global challenges” they have identified will continue the trend of “regionalization.” They say that instead of the US-led unipolar hegemony, the world will increasingly be divided into semi-autonomous continental-scale regions: The most likely outcome along the globalization–no globalization continuum lies in an in-between solution: regionalization. The success of the European Union as a free trade area or the new Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Asia (a proposed free trade agreement among the 10 countries that compose ASEAN) are important illustrative cases of how regionalization may well become a new watered-down version of globalization. [. . .] In short, deglobalization in the form of greater regionalization was already happening. COVID-19 will just accelerate this global divergence as North America, Europe and Asia focus increasingly on regional self-sufficiency rather than on the distant and intricate global supply chains that formerly epitomized the essence of globalization.– [TGR, p. 79] This “regionalised” world bears an uncanny resemblance to the model exposed by Professor Carroll Quigley. In his 1974 interview with Washington Post journalist Rudy Maxa, Quigley spoke about the “three-power world.” He had already meticulously catalogued the activities of an Anglo-American network, whose members had taken great strides toward constructing a system of global governance that they hoped to control: They were working to federate the English-speaking world [. . .]. They were closely linked to international bankers. [. . .] [T]hey were working to establish a world, what I call a three-power world. And that three-power world was: The Atlantic Bloc (of England and the Commonwealth and the United States), Germany (Hitler’s Germany), Soviet Russia. [. . .] [T]his is all described in my book, and this was their idea. Now notice, it’s a balance of power system. Prof. Carrol Quigley The idea of power blocs that were sometimes antagonistic to one another but that each played their part in maintaining a centrally controlled global system of managed international relations sounds very similar to the model outlined by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s Special Studies Project. To wit: In 1955, the Rockefellers, fresh from their pivotal role in creating the United Nations, spotted the talents of Henry Kissinger while he was a study director of the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR), a US foreign policy think tank. The next year, they commissioned him to oversee a five-year project that would… …define the major problems and opportunities facing the U.S. and clarify national purposes and objectives, and to develop principles which could serve as the basis of future national policy. Kissinger led that project and has remained the Rockefellers’ envoy ever since. The subsequent collection of “Rockefeller Panel Reports” was published in Prospect for America (PfA) in 1961. In those reports, the Rockefeller-chosen panelists noted that 19th century imperialism had been a means of maintaining world order but that the two world wars had conveniently put paid to government’s ability to control it, hence the claimed necessity for the UN. The Rockefellers and their man Kissinger identified what the WEF would later call the “global order deficit”: One system of organizing international order has been destroyed without replacement by another. – [Prospect for America, p. 164] The problem was that the UN wasn’t working as the Rockefellers or their partners intended. Annoyingly, representatives of the national governments belonging to that international body kept insisting upon their own ideas. This meant that the Rockefellers’ “high hopes” for the “institutional expression” of true global governance were stymied. Where did the blame lie? Here: High hopes were not fully realized because the formal institutions of world organizations were designed to achieve more than the consensus of existing shared aspirations was prepared to support. – [PfA, p. 164] What this lack of consensus came down to was that nation-states, comfortable in their pursuit of the Westphalian mythology, were acting in their sovereign self-interest and were forming bilateral trade agreements and defence treaties. Thus they were somewhat resistant to absolute global governance by their private partners. The Rockefellers’ solution to the nation-states’ intransigence was to balkanise the planet into more manageable chunks, or blocs, or “poles.” This would then allow global governance, under the auspices of the Rockefellers and their partners, to flourish: The hoped-for result is peace in a world divided into smaller units, but organised and acting in common effort to permit and assist progress in economic, political, cultural and spiritual life. [. . .] It would presumably consist of regional institutions under an international body of growing authority — combined so as to be able to deal with those problems that increasingly the separate nations will not be able to resolve alone.– [PfA, p. 26] Subsequently, a Rockefeller-funded global policy think tank known as the Club of Rome came up with some farcical predictive computer models in its 1972 publication, The Limits to Growth. Then, nearly twenty years later, in 1991, the Club of Rome published more farcical prognoses in its First Global Revolution (FGR). Building upon its silly computer models, it made up some predictions about natural disasters, none of which have transpired as prescribed, for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, despite this being nonsense, the FGR really did define the alleged “problems” that nation-states cannot supposedly “resolve alone.” Today, the whole world accepts all of this as if it were factual. We are collectively following a global agenda based upon the calculated, unevidenced musings of a Rockefeller funded, elitest club: In searching for a common enemy against whom we can unite, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. In their totality and their actions these phenomena do constitute a common threat which must be confronted by everyone together. But in designating these dangers as the enemy, we fall into the trap, which we have already warned readers about, namely mistaking symptoms for causes. All these dangers are caused by human intervention in natural processes and it is only through changed attitudes and behaviour that they can be overcome. The real enemy, then, is humanity itself.– [FGR, p. 75] For the oligarchs who manipulate the global economy and world events, humans are the real problem. The oligarchs’ warnings of climate disaster are used to legitimise their mechanisms for managing us, not the environment. According to their warped logic, human behaviour must be controlled and human beliefs reordered. Their ideas are all very much in keeping with the pathetic quackery of eugenics that many oligarchs, such as Bill Gates, appear to accept. The Rockefellers and their partners—a “network,” if you like—designed the UN in order to exert real global governance over the “smaller units”—regional blocs: The United Nations [is] the international organisation that today holds out the reasonable hope of being able to take over more and more functions and to assume increasingly large responsibilities. [. . .] The spirit and the letter of the Charter [. . .] gives more than lip service to the indispensable world order[.]-[PfA, p. 33] And: The UN stands, finally, as a symbol of the world order that will one day be built. –– [PfA, p. 35] The Rockefellers and their partners have explained how this world order will emerge. The key to global governance, they insisted, was to be multilateral “regionalization” (a claim the WEF and other advocates of the multipolar world order would later repeat). Note that Kissinger’s Rockefeller-funded researchers used the “United States” and “we”/”us” interchangeably in their reports. In this instance, it seems pretty clear who the “we” referred to is: The most natural multination arrangements are frequently regional. [. . .] Fully developed, they imply a joint accord on monetary and exchange arrangements, a common discipline on fiscal matters, and a free movement of capital and labor. [. . . ] We believe that this regional approach has world-wide validity. [. . .] What is needed immediately is a determination to move in the direction they imply. Regional arrangements are no longer a matter of choice. They are imposed by the requirements of technology, science, and economics. Our course is to contribute to this process by constructive action.– [PfA, pp. 188–190] THE MULTIPOLAR COINCIDENCE The multipolar world order is not new. Nor does it stand in opposition to the so-called Great Reset. Both are just two more stepping stones along the path toward the age-old goal of global governance. In the Great Reset book, Schwab, speaking for the WEF, declared that global governance in a multilateral, regionalized world with more localised supply chains was “the most natural” response to global crises. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that sixty years earlier the Rockefellers published what appears to be precisely the same plan and claimed that the “most natural multination arrangements are frequently regional.” Perhaps it is also just a coincidence that, prior to the Rockefellers’ Special Studies Project, the “network” exposed by Prof. Carroll Quigley also suggested essentially the same global governance system based upon a multipolar “balance of power.” These coincidences lead one to observe that the formulation of the multipolar plan predates the WEF’s similar plan by more than a century. One could also observe that the Rockefeller brothers commissioned their own think tank, the Club of Rome, to dream up scary stories about climate disaster, food and water shortages and the like—and then the WEF used the same fables as alleged justification for its global reset. Mere coincidence, surely. That the nominal leaders of the new multipolar world order constantly cite the same tales—none of which mirror reality—as a reason for their proposed reset of global governance might likewise be mere coincidence. From central bankers to prominent members of various think tanks to political leaders, it seems that the vanguard of the Western unipolar model accept the inevitability of that system’s replacement. Curiously, many of the same people, in responding to the war in Ukraine, have made decisions and advocated polices that are hastening the transition from unipolarity to multipolarity. Again, probably mere coincidence. A central tenet of the suggested multipolar world order is to strengthen adherence to the Charter of the UN, thereby establishing genuine global governance. Globalist oligarchs have long advocated exactly the same approach and so do the claimed leaders of the multipolar world order. Another instance of mere coincidence? The ambition of the crowd that Quigley called “the network,” like the ambition of the Rockefellers’ Special Studies Project and the ambition of the WEF’s Great Reset and the ambition of the Club of Rome and the ambition of the Council on Foreign Relations and the ambition of the BRICS, is, and always has been, global governance. Mere coincidence, yes? There is a wealth of evidence revealing how these various groups—and more clubs and secret societies than we have room to name here—have manipulated events and shaped policy globally. Recently the shift toward the multipolar order has accelerated sharply due to a major global event (war) and the policy response to it. Certainly, more mere coincidence. In both China and Russia, governance is based upon the absolute fusion of the public and private sector. And we know the UN was established as a public-private partnership. Interestingly, Russia and China just happen to be the two permanent members of the UN Security Council who are taking the lead on the development of the multipolar world order. This must be a coincidence. The political theory of multipolarity incorporates elements of political philosophies and cultural ideologies, such as Eurasionism and tianxia, which also lend themselves perfectly to global governance. We shall discuss these latter points, and more, in Part 4. But the fusion of the public and the private sectors and the overlapping philosophies and ideologies common to both Russia and China are probably just another in a long and remarkably consistent timeline of coincidences. If you believe in that sort of thing. Tyler Durden Thu, 10/20/2022 - 02:00.....»»
LIVE: 96 best Amazon Prime Day October 2022 deals under $50, including earbuds, holiday toys, and smart home devices
Amazon Prime Day October is live, with some cheap sales under $50. The best deals include movies, kitchen gadgets, beauty products, and more. Amazon/InsiderWe're getting to the final hours of Amazon's October Prime Day (officially called Prime Early Access Sale), and the deals are still kicking. We're working around the clock to bring you the best up-to-the-minute deals. When you think of big sales like Prime Day, you might be thinking of taking advantage of savings on big-ticket items. But it's a great time to find affordable deals under $50 across multiple categories, especially kitchen essentials and tech accessories. For the latest deals under $50, be sure to bookmark this page, and visit our main Prime Day live blog for the best discounts at any price point.Note: When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Babish Cast Iron Preseasoned Skillet, 10-InchBabishBinging With Babish is a YouTuber famed for his creative cooking projects. During the Prime Early Access Sale, nearly all of his Babish-brand cookware — including this preseasoned iron skillet — is on sale.LEGO + Marvel Nano Gauntlet Building Set for AdultsAmazonThis Marvel-inspired LEGO set is modeled after the gauntlet Iron Man built in the movie "Avengers: Endgame" and stands one foot-tall after construction. The kit consists of 680-pieces and is intended for adult builters over the age of 18. The $30 discount for Prime Early Access sale is a great deal; unfortunately the Thanos model is close to full price.REVLON Infrared Hair DryerAmazonAny hair dryer for less than $13 is a deal, and this Revlon infrared hair dryer just happens to have rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars with over 38,000 Amazon reviews. So, in addition to getting 49% off you're also getting a product that has satisfied tends of thousands of customers.Kasa Smart Light BulbsKasaThese dimmable Smart Light Bulbs offer a huge spectrum of colors and white tones, and they're fully controllable with virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa and Google Home. Even if you don't have a smart home hub, you can use the Kasa app to control the lights via your phone.Waterpik Aquarius Water FlosserWaterpikThe Aquarius Water Flosser from Waterpik can help make your flossing process more efficient and ensure you're removing all the plaque from your teeth. Using a water flosser can be especially helpful if you have sensitive gums that are easily irritated by regular floss. The $45 Prime Early Access Sale price is the best we've seen."Avatar: The Last Airbender" & "Legend of Korra" Complete Series CollectionNickelodeonThis 17-disc Blu-Ray set collects every episode of the two Avatar animated series, "The Last Airbender" & "The Legend of Korra." Both series are cult classics, combining for 113 episodes in total.The shows are also available to stream on Prime Video, but longtime fans will appreciate the special features included in the set, like behind the scenes interviews and audio commentary from the cast and crew.Jurassic World T-Rex Inflatable Adult CostumeAmazonWhether you're looking for an affordable Halloween costume or just want to make your friends laugh with a silly outfit, this inflatable T-Rex suit will do the trick. This replica of the king of the dinosaurs is inspired by Jurassic World and has an opening flap in its neck so you can see and eat during events.This is a lightning deal, so it'll only be available until it's fully claimed.Yeti RamblerYetiYeti's Rambler is a stainless steel mug designed for camping trips, with a magnetic lid and two layers of insulation. The Rambler is dishwasher safe and several colors are discounted during the Prime Early Access Sale, including copper, stainless steel, and graphite. Sun Joe SBJ603E 3-in-1 Electric Blower/Mulcher/VacuumAmazonThe corded Sun Joe SBJ603E 3-in-1 Electric Blower/Mulcher/Vacuum is the ideal tool for dealing with autumn leaves. It will blow them into a pile and then vacuum them up to turn them into mulch. Right now, it's at the lowest price we've seen.JBL Tune 230NC True Wireless In-Ear Noise Cancelling HeadphonesAmazonThe JBL Tune 230NC True Wireless In-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones have up to 40 hours of battery run time on a single charge, are waterproof, and offer great bass. They're currently half off for Prime Day.Eufy by Anker HomeVac H11 Cordless Handheld VacuumAmazonThe Eufy by Anker HomeVac H11 Cordless Handheld Vacuum is lightweight, completely cordless, and the size of a wine bottle. It also has a crevice tool to fit into hard-to-reach areas like under the couch or behind a desk. During Amazon's October Prime Day, it matches its best price ever.Atomic Bear Paracord Bracelet, 2-packLauren Savoie/InsiderThis paracord survival bracelet comes standard with a ton of useful features including a compass, fire starter, and an emergency whistle. We're already huge fans of this thing even when it's not on sale, so given the fact it costs less than $10 for a two-pack during Amazon's October Prime Day Sale, this is the definition of a good deal. Crocs Lined ClogsAmazonIf you've scoffed at Crocs in the past, it's time to rethink them as they're some of the most comfortable pairs of footwear around. Add in a cozy, fuzzy liner (and a cool tie-dye colorway), and you get one seriously great pair of casual kicks. They're just $38.99 during Prime Day, too; you need these.Levoit LV-H126 Air Purifier for Bedroom, HomeAmazonThe Levoit LV-H126 is the perfect size for using in a bedroom, dorm room, or at your office desk. Typically around $60, it's on sale now for $42.Reidea Electronic Candle LighterAmazonThis electric candle lighter is a super convenient alternative to matches or gas-filled candle lighters. It's small, easy to store, and rechargeable, so you'll never have to worry about it running out of fuel. This is a rare chance to save on a handy device to keep in your home. Joomra Pillow SlippersAmazonAs the name suggests, Pillow Slippers are plush, soft, and comfortable — just like your favorite pillow. There are plenty of different brands available, but at only $24 the Joomra Pillow Slippers are a great choice. Lego Harry Potter 2022 Advent CalendarAmazonHarry Potter is part of the holiday traditions for many adults and kids alike. This advent calendar brings together Legos and the world of Harry Potter, including seven mini figures and 334 pieces to build scenes from the series.New Balance Women's FuelCore SneakerAmazonFeaturing New Balance's REVlite midsoles, memory foam insoles, and a breathable mesh upper, the FuelCore is both comfortable and affordable. Right now, they're less than $40 on sale.Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Overnight GelLaneigeThe Laneige Water Sleeping Mask can help hydrate, brighten, and strengthen your skin overnight. It can be used on all skin types.AquaSonic Black Series Ultra Whitening ToothbrushesAmazonAt $34, the AquaSonic Toothbrush is an amazing deal on an electric toothbrush. It features smart vibration timers, eight brush heads, and a travel case. Be sure to clip the coupon for an extra 15% off at checkout.Colorfulkoala LeggingsAmazonGood leggings don't have to be expensive. Colorfulkoala's leggings are some of our favorites, so much so that we think they're comparable to Lululemon's yoga pants. Right now, you can get them in a variety of colors for under $25.Logitech M510 Wireless MouseAmazonThe Logitech M510 Wireless Mouse is perfect for laptop users who prefer to use a mouse over trackpads, but need a compact design to take on the go. Right now, it's only $20 — matching the best price we've seen in the past.The Drop Women's BlazerAmazonWhether you want to dress it up with a blouse and heels or dress it down with a T-shirt and jeans, the Drop Blake Long Blazer is an affordable way to add versatility to your wardrobe. It comes in a variety of colors.Native DeodorantAmazonMade without aluminum, parabens, phthalates, or talc, Native Deodorant is a more natural alternative to traditional deodorants.Under Armour Tech 2.0 Men's TeeAmazonMade from UA's Tech Fabric, this performance shirt is quick-drying, moisture-wicking, and incredibly soft. It's perfect for wearing during workouts or while lounging. Govee Smart Outdoor String LightsAmazonWhether you have a porch, balcony, or outdoor seating area, Govee's Smart String Lights can add some much-needed light or style to your space. Right now, they're 33% off. Amazon Basics Medicine BallAmazonIf you're looking for new strength training workouts, Medicine Balls are a great tool to have in your at-home gym set up. It's available in several weight options, including four, six, eight, 10, and 12 pounds. Nautica Voyage Eau De Toilette for MenAmazonFeaturing a fresh, aquatic scent, Voyage Eau De Toilette is one of Nautica's best-selling fragrances for men. During the Prime Early Access sale, it's down to $19. Amazon Essentials Men's Puffer JacketAmazonThis bestselling puffer jacket from Amazon's in-house brand is super lightweight and water-resistant, making it great for transitional fall weather or as an underlayer on the coldest days of winter. It also comes in 25 different color options so that you can find your favorite color. Levi's Men's 501 Original Fit JeansAmazonNot too slim and not too wide, Levi's 501 Jeans feature a timeless fit that works well with a variety of styles and body types.Crest 3D WhitestripsAmazonIf you're looking to whiten your teeth, you can't pass up this deal on Crest 3D Whitestrips. This pack includes enough for 22 treatments. They're currently 35% off the normal price, just $2 more than their lowest price ever.Champion Reverse Weave Pullover HoodieAmazonWith its heavy weight, drawstring hood, and hand warmer pocket, the Champion Reverse Weave Pullover Hoodie delivers timeless sportswear style.Tile Mate (2-Pack)AmazonThe Tile Mate is a small keychain square with a 200-foot Bluetooth range. You can attach the Tile Mate to an item in order to track it if it gets lost. At $34 for a two-pack, this is a solid deal price though it's not the best price we've ever seen.Marpac Dohm White Noise MachineAmazonThe Marpac Dohm creates fan-based white noise for the natural sound of moving air to lull you to sleep. It rarely sees price drops, making this discount to $32 an especially great deal.Roku Streaming Stick 4KSteven Cohen/InsiderCompared to the Roku Streaming Stick+, the new Streaming Stick 4K provides an improved viewing experience by adding support for Dolby Vision. This advanced high dynamic range (HDR) format can provide better picture quality on TVs that support it. Right now you can get it on sale for only $27, the best price we've seen for it yet.Razer Kiyo X WebcamAmazonThere's a lot to keep track of while streaming, and the Razer Kiyo X simplifies the process without any fuss. Currently down to $48, this is the best price we've seen for it yet.CamelBak Octane Dart Hydration PackAmazonThis 50-ounce, ultralight hydration pack sees discounts regularly, but $43 is a new all-time low. It features an ergonomic handle, on/off lever, and reflective material for runs in the dark.Gund Toothpick Classic Teddy BearAmazonCould this stuffed teddy bear be any more adorable? We think not. Gund's entire Toothpick collection is worth a gander, but the bear is 22% off.Coleman Xtreme Portable CoolerAmazonThis Coleman cooler is now at the cheapest price we've ever seen with a fantastic 50% discount, bringing this deal down to just $40. The 70-quart cooler keeps ice cool for up to five days, making it a smart purchase for any of your outdoor needs. NERF Laser Strike 4 Player Lazer Tag PackAmazonThis NERF Lazer Tag set is a perfect holiday gift for the teens in your life. While usually a steep $90, it's now discounted under $50, making it a steal during the October Prime Day sale. Amazon Fire 7 TabletAmazonThe Fire tablets from Amazon are great "consumption" devices for streaming videos, listening to music, and reading e-books. While too slow for productivity, these affordable tablets perform well for entertainment purposes. With the 25% discount dropping the sale price under $50, it's a fantastic time to buy. Nature's Way Alive! Gummy MultivitaminsAmazonYou'll want to jump on these gummy multivitamins now to get 38% off during the October Prime Day sale. Both women's and men's multivitamins are seeing discounts, and the deal still gets you 150 gummy vitamins per container. Ring Video Doorbell WiredAmazonRing's Video Doorbell Wired is the cheapest and simplest option you can buy, but it still comes with pretty much everything you'd want in a smart video doorbell. It uses the existing wiring from your old doorbell for power (if your home is already wired for one). This is the lowest price we've seen this model sell for so far.Razer Cynosa V2 Gaming KeyboardAmazonRazer's backlit keyboard will take your gaming set-up to the next level. Make sure to grab it while it's 43% off, saving you more than $25 on this popular item.EarFun Air Wireless EarbudsAmazonWith an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 12,000 Amazon reviews, these earbuds are not only popular but well received. And you can now get them on sale for 39% off, making this the perfect stocking stuffer.Hydro Flask Water BottleAmazonHydro Flask is one of our favorite water bottle brands to recommend. The 40-ounce version of the popular flask comes with a wide mouth for filling and pouring, and a straw lid to easily drink from it.Amazon Smart ThermostatAmazonThe Amazon Smart Home Thermostat is an Alexa-enabled smart home thermostat to control your home's temperature. It doesn't have a microphone or camera, so Alexa voice commands rely on another voice-enabled Alexa device, like an Echo smart speaker. Snag it for 30% off while you can. Aerlang Muscle Massage GunAmazonThis Aerlang massage gun is a fantastic budget alternative to the more expensive Theragun. If you're new to massage guns, it packs enough of a punch for beginners, at a far lower price. The Alfred Hitchcock Classics CollectionAmazonThis collection of Alfred Hitchcock classics is a must-buy for horror fans. It includes four films: "Rear Window," "Vertigo," "Psycho," and "The Birds." With 57% savings, there's no better time to buy for your October scary movie collection. eKids Cocomelon Toy Singalong Boombox with MicrophoneAmazonThe Cocomelon singalong toy is a fun, interactive gift on sale for nearly $10 off its original price. If your child already loves CoComelon, you'll both love this educational, engaging gift deal.Amazon Basics USB Plug-n-Play Computer SpeakersAmazonThis set of sleek computer speakers is a fantastic budget addition to your work desk. The simple "Plug-n-Play" functionality makes it easy to create an elevated sound system for any home office. At $13, these are an absolute steal. Mastering the Art of French Cooking CookbookErin McDowell/InsiderFew cookbooks have had the impact of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It brought the cuisine to kitchens across America and beyond. Right now, you can get the book that started it all along with several other popular cookbooks at all-time low prices.Throw Throw Burrito by Exploding Kittens: Extreme Outdoor EditionAmazonWith the holidays around the corner, you'll need something to keep the family entertained when not eating or watching football. Fortunately, Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale has you covered. Board games and puzzles are marked up to 67% off, including one of our favorites Throw Throw Burrito.Garden of Life Organic Grass Fed Whey PowderAmazonThe Garden of Life Organic Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder was the best organic pick in our guide to the best natural protein powders. It's Non-GMO Project Verified and has a great taste and light sweetness. It's currently at an all-time low price.Laneige Lip GlowyAmazonThe Laneige Lip Glowy Balm provides a slight glossy sheen and hydration. Plus, its compact size makes it easy to take on the go. Right now, it's $5 off.Atlas Coffee Club World of Coffee SamplerAtlas Coffee ClubAtlas Coffee Club curates a selection of coffee beans from around the world. You can try coffee samples from four countries with the World of Coffee Sampler. Right now, get $5 off during the Prime Early Access Sale and save even more when you choose the Subscribe & Save option.Read our full review of the Atlas Coffee Club.Best Friends by Sheri The Original Calming Donut Cat and Dog Bed (Small)AmazonOur dogs love to curl up in this cozy pet bed that we named one of the best dog beds. It's also water-resistant and washer safe. Typically priced around $30, this is a solid deal and the lowest price offered since spring.SpringFlower 24 Piece Slime Toys for HalloweenAmazonKids get enough candy on Halloween. If you want to make your house stand out, offer them something they can play with long after Halloween is over: slime. This 24-piece set of individual slimes is 35% off for Prime Day, bringing the price down to about $1 apiece.Simple Joys by Carter's Unisex Babies' Halloween Costumes (Pack of 2)AmazonThere's nothing cuter than a baby in a Halloween onesie. You can get a pack of two, featuring a sweet skeleton and a precious pumpkin, for an all-time low price during Prime's Early Access Sale.Hair Claw Clips Flower Hair Clips (8 pieces)AmazonFlower-shaped hair clips are all the rage right now, and this 8-pack features a colorful assortment that would work wonders as a stocking stuffer or standalone gift. It's 33% off for Prime Day.Outward Hound Fun Feeder Dog BowlOutward HoundThe Fun Feeder Bowl presents the perfect challenge for dogs who tend to eat too fast. In fact, we named the durable, dishwasher-safe bowl the best puzzle dog bowl. This price is a great deal and $5 less than what we've seen over the last year.Jenga GameAmazonJenga is a crowd favorite for all ages — found anywhere from living rooms to sports bars. Save over 40% on the classic game, which is currently available for just under $10.Adidas Originals Grove BeanieadidasThis adjustable beanie from Adidas comes in multiple colors, some more heavily discounted than others. No matter which color you choose, you'll save at least 36%.Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage BagAmazonThis mid-sized Stasher bag can be used and reused for food storage and preparation in the fridge, freezer, microwave, and even with a sous vide. If the regular $20 price is too high, snag one for 20% off during Prime Day. Costa Farms Mini Succulents 11-PackAmazonThis 11-pack of assorted succulents is perfect for doling plants out as little gifts. There are approximately six varieties included, all of which grow to about 2 inches. You can grab them for 20% off during Amazon's October Prime Day sale.Beyond by Black+Decker 4V MAX Cordless ScrewdriverAmazonA small electric screwdriver is great for lighter tasks, like removing face plates or assembling furniture. This one is marked down nearly 30% off its usual price. Dracula Delight Halloween Candy MixAmazonThe Dracula Delight Halloween Candy Mix will satisfy any sweet tooth. It includes individually wrapped Mini Chewy SweeTarts, Big Chewy Nerds, Black Forest Gummy Bears, and Laffy Taffy. Right now, the 125-piece bag is $5 off, and you can save even more when you choose Subscribe & Save on the product page.Hefty Ultra Strong Multipurpose Large Trash BagsAmazonIt can be frustrating to spend money on something made to be thrown away, so make it more palatable by taking advantage of this garbage bag sale. This is a 50-pack of Hefty Ultra Strong bags that hold 30 gallons each — it's a great price for an item that normally costs around $20.The CeeCee Pillow by PharMeDocAmazonThis pregnancy pillow offers full-body support for pregnant women, people recovering from surgeries, or anyone who likes more support while resting. At $21, more than 50% off its regular Amazon price, this is one of the best deals we've seen for this product. Spider-Man Multi-Feature on Blu-rayAmazonThis Spider-Man bundle features "Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Spider-Man: Far from Home," and "Spider-Man: Homecoming." During the Prime Early Access Sale, it's at an all-time low price. Hot Tools Pro Signature 24K Gold Curling Iron (1.25 inch)AmazonThe Hot Tools Pro Signature 24K Gold Curling Iron heats up quickly and holds heat evenly to give you gorgeous curls in a matter of minutes. The styling tool with a 1.25-inch barrel is offered at an all-time low price during the Prime Early Access Sale.Kitchy Pizza Cutter WheelAmazonA good home pizza cutter wheel is a must-have whether you make your own pizza or your delivery za isn't properly cut. The popular Kitchy Pizza Cutter Wheel stores safely, has a small footprint, and is $10 off its usual price.'Dune' 4K UHDAmazonIf you collect BluRay or DVD movies, the 2021 version of "Dune," starring Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, is a must. Right now, you can pick up a copy at an all-time low price of $11.99.Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C SerumAmazonVichy is a popular French skincare brand, and the LiftActive Vitamin C Serum features an array of ingredients that help give your skin a radiant glow, including vitamin E and pine polyphenols. Right now, it's on sale at a historically low price.Vont Smart ScaleAmazonThe Vont wireless smart scale tracks visceral fat, muscle mass, BMI, and 10 other body measurements to help you understand metrics associated with overall health. It's currently $2 less than its historical low price.Bella Classic Belgian Waffle MakerAmazonThe Bella Classic Rotating Non-Stick Belgian Waffle Maker has nine browning settings so you can make your waffle exactly how you want it. Plus, it's easy to flip and clean. Right now, it's at the best price we've ever seen.Gillette Fusion5 RazorAmazon The Gillette Fusion5 Razor is one of the most popular razors around. It's even one of the few items travel guru Rick Steves won't travel without. This set includes one razor and four blade refills. Right now, it's at an all-time low price. Don't forget to clip the $3 coupon on the product page to save even more!Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Bundle with Amazon Smart PlugAmazon The Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Bundle with Smart Plug is an affordable way to introduce smart capabilities to your home allowing you to control any outlet with your voice. Right now, it's $12 less than the previous lowest price. T-fal Specialty 3-Quart Handy Pot with Glass LidAmazon T-fal is one of our favorite affordable non-stick cookware brands, and it's what I use in my kitchen. The Specialty 3-Quart Handy Pot is perfect for simmering sauces and heating up soups. Right now, it's at the best price we've seen along with several other T-fal products.Laneige Lip Sleeping MaskSephora Laneige is known for its Water Sleeping Mask. The Lip Sleeping Mask is the lip balm version of that cult favorite. While we've seen it priced lower, right now, it's at the best price we've seen in months.Exploding Kittens Original EditionExploding KittensA fun game for any age group, this highly-strategic, kitty-themed game is a great way to get the family together, especially for the holiday season. Usually, it'd cost you $20 to get your own set, but right now it's on sale for only $14.LifeStraw Personal Water FilterAmazonLifeStraws are portable filters that can make even some of the murkiest standing water drinkable. For backpackers and hikers, a LifeStraw can be an invaluable tool in dire situations. Down to only $10, now is a great time to buy one.Rubbermaid 42-Piece Food Storage ContainersAmazonWhether you're a meal-prepper or just need to keep leftovers, you can't go wrong by having a supply of food storage containers handy. This 42-piece set comes with a variety of sizes complete with lids, and it's on sale for only $20.SteelSeries Tusq Gaming HeadsetAmazonDesigned for hours of comfort, this minimal gaming headset is ideal for users who are on a budget or prefer in-ear to over-ear headphones. Typically $40, it's on sale for an all-time low of $20, making now a great time to get your own pair.Amazon Basics 16-Pack AA Rechargeable BatteriesAmazonBatteries are just one of those household supplies you never want to run out of. Now is a good time to stock up on some AA rechargeable ones with a nice discount from Amazon.OPI Black Nail PolishAmazonIf you're in need of a good black nail polish, OPI is one of the most popular names in the nail lacquer game. A bottle would typically cost you $12, but Prime members can now get one for only $9.Calvin Klein Women's Invisibles ThongsAmazonFor sheer or tight outfits, seamless underwear spares you the pain of panty lines and bunching. These Calvin Klein Invisibles are designed to lay as smooth as possible for just that purpose. A three-pack is currently down to only $23, a rare and excellent deal price.Kasa Smart Plug Ultra MiniAmazonThese smart plugs are low-profile enough to fit behind most furniture and are easy to use for basic smart home functions. Down to only $13 for a pack of two, this is a steal.Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day's Multi-Surface Cleaner ConcentrateAmazonThis multi-surface cleaner is biodegradable and made with a cruelty-free formula. A two-pack of the concentrate doesn't see discounts often, making this drop to $11 especially worthwhile.JBL GO2 Waterproof Ultra-Portable Bluetooth SpeakerAmazonTired of the awful sound quality of your phone's speaker? The JBL GO2 Waterproof Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker is an affordable, pocket-sized option to bring your tunes with you on the go. During the Prime Early Access Sale, it's $5 cheaper than the lowest price we'd previously seen.Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3AmazonOlaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 is designed to help color-treated hair bounce back from the damage that comes from dying it. This hair mask is also helpful for other hair issues and for a broad array of hair types. Right now, it's just a few cents more than its historically low price.Dash Deluxe Sous Vide Style Egg Bite MakerAmazonThe Dash Deluxe Sous Vide Style Egg Bite Maker helps you make delicious egg bites without the hassle of sous vide. During Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale, it's $6 off, matching the lowest price we've seen.Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Meal Prep ContainersAmazonThe Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Meal Prep Containers are great for meal prep. Each container has three compartments for separating entrees from sides. Right now, it's at the lowest price we've seen.PowerLix Milk FrotherAmazonThe Powerlix Milk Frother is small, AA-powered, turns out cappuccino-quality foam in well under two minutes, and fits nicely out of sight into a drawer. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. Right now, it's at an all-time low price.Hum by Colgate Smart Battery Toothbrush KitAmazonThe Hum by Colgate Smart Battery Toothbrush Kit has a sophisticated app for monitoring oral health, is more affordable than other premium models, and works well. During the Prime Early Access Sale, it's at an all-time low price.Lemi Shine Complete Dishwasher Cleaning BundleAmazonThe Lemi Shine Complete Dishwasher Cleaning Bundle comes with everything you need to get your dishes clean using a dishwasher, including dishwasher pods, dry rinse, dishwasher booster, and a machine cleaner. Right now, it's at an all-time low price.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
LIVE: 92 best Amazon Prime Day October 2022 deals under $50, including earbuds, holiday toys, and smart home devices
Amazon Prime Day October is live, with some cheap sales under $50. The best deals include movies, kitchen gadgets, beauty products, and more. Amazon/InsiderWe're getting to the final hours of Amazon's October Prime Day (officially called Prime Early Access Sale), and the deals are still kicking. We're working around the clock to bring you the best up-to-the-minute deals. When you think of big sales like Prime Day, you might be thinking of taking advantage of savings on big-ticket items. But it's a great time to find affordable deals under $50 across multiple categories, especially kitchen essentials and tech accessories. For the latest deals under $50, be sure to bookmark this page, and visit our main Prime Day live blog for the best discounts at any price point.Note: When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Waterpik Aquarius Water FlosserWaterpikThe Aquarius Water Flosser from Waterpik can help make your flossing process more efficient and ensure you're removing all the plaque from your teeth. Using a water flosser can be especially helpful if you have sensitive gums that are easily irritated by regular floss. The $45 Prime Early Access Sale price is the best we've seen."Avatar: The Last Airbender" & "Legend of Korra" Complete Series CollectionNickelodeonThis 17-disc Blu-Ray set collects every episode of the two Avatar animated series, "The Last Airbender" & "The Legend of Korra." Both series are cult classics, combining for 113 episodes in total.The shows are also available to stream on Prime Video, but longtime fans will appreciate the special features included in the set, like behind the scenes interviews and audio commentary from the cast and crew.Jurassic World T-Rex Inflatable Adult CostumeAmazonWhether you're looking for an affordable Halloween costume or just want to make your friends laugh with a silly outfit, this inflatable T-Rex suit will do the trick. This replica of the king of the dinosaurs is inspired by Jurassic World and has an opening flap in its neck so you can see and eat during events.This is a lightning deal, so it'll only be available until it's fully claimed.Yeti RamblerYetiYeti's Rambler is a stainless steel mug designed for camping trips, with a magnetic lid and two layers of insulation. The Rambler is dishwasher safe and several colors are discounted during the Prime Early Access Sale, including copper, stainless steel, and graphite. Sun Joe SBJ603E 3-in-1 Electric Blower/Mulcher/VacuumAmazonThe corded Sun Joe SBJ603E 3-in-1 Electric Blower/Mulcher/Vacuum is the ideal tool for dealing with autumn leaves. It will blow them into a pile and then vacuum them up to turn them into mulch. Right now, it's at the lowest price we've seen.JBL Tune 230NC True Wireless In-Ear Noise Cancelling HeadphonesAmazonThe JBL Tune 230NC True Wireless In-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones have up to 40 hours of battery run time on a single charge, are waterproof, and offer great bass. They're currently half off for Prime Day.Eufy by Anker HomeVac H11 Cordless Handheld VacuumAmazonThe Eufy by Anker HomeVac H11 Cordless Handheld Vacuum is lightweight, completely cordless, and the size of a wine bottle. It also has a crevice tool to fit into hard-to-reach areas like under the couch or behind a desk. During Amazon's October Prime Day, it matches its best price ever.Atomic Bear Paracord Bracelet, 2-packLauren Savoie/InsiderThis paracord survival bracelet comes standard with a ton of useful features including a compass, fire starter, and an emergency whistle. We're already huge fans of this thing even when it's not on sale, so given the fact it costs less than $10 for a two-pack during Amazon's October Prime Day Sale, this is the definition of a good deal. Crocs Lined ClogsAmazonIf you've scoffed at Crocs in the past, it's time to rethink them as they're some of the most comfortable pairs of footwear around. Add in a cozy, fuzzy liner (and a cool tie-dye colorway), and you get one seriously great pair of casual kicks. They're just $38.99 during Prime Day, too; you need these.Levoit LV-H126 Air Purifier for Bedroom, HomeAmazonThe Levoit LV-H126 is the perfect size for using in a bedroom, dorm room, or at your office desk. Typically around $60, it's on sale now for $42.Reidea Electronic Candle LighterAmazonThis electric candle lighter is a super convenient alternative to matches or gas-filled candle lighters. It's small, easy to store, and rechargeable, so you'll never have to worry about it running out of fuel. This is a rare chance to save on a handy device to keep in your home. Joomra Pillow SlippersAmazonAs the name suggests, Pillow Slippers are plush, soft, and comfortable — just like your favorite pillow. There are plenty of different brands available, but at only $24 the Joomra Pillow Slippers are a great choice. Lego Harry Potter 2022 Advent CalendarAmazonHarry Potter is part of the holiday traditions for many adults and kids alike. This advent calendar brings together Legos and the world of Harry Potter, including seven mini figures and 334 pieces to build scenes from the series.New Balance Women's FuelCore SneakerAmazonFeaturing New Balance's REVlite midsoles, memory foam insoles, and a breathable mesh upper, the FuelCore is both comfortable and affordable. Right now, they're less than $40 on sale.Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Overnight GelLaneigeThe Laneige Water Sleeping Mask can help hydrate, brighten, and strengthen your skin overnight. It can be used on all skin types.AquaSonic Black Series Ultra Whitening ToothbrushesAmazonAt $34, the AquaSonic Toothbrush is an amazing deal on an electric toothbrush. It features smart vibration timers, eight brush heads, and a travel case. Be sure to clip the coupon for an extra 15% off at checkout.Colorfulkoala LeggingsAmazonGood leggings don't have to be expensive. 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Spider-Man Multi-Feature on Blu-rayAmazonThis Spider-Man bundle features "Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Spider-Man: Far from Home," and "Spider-Man: Homecoming." During the Prime Early Access Sale, it's at an all-time low price. Hot Tools Pro Signature 24K Gold Curling Iron (1.25 inch)AmazonThe Hot Tools Pro Signature 24K Gold Curling Iron heats up quickly and holds heat evenly to give you gorgeous curls in a matter of minutes. The styling tool with a 1.25-inch barrel is offered at an all-time low price during the Prime Early Access Sale.Kitchy Pizza Cutter WheelAmazonA good home pizza cutter wheel is a must-have whether you make your own pizza or your delivery za isn't properly cut. The popular Kitchy Pizza Cutter Wheel stores safely, has a small footprint, and is $10 off its usual price.'Dune' 4K UHDAmazonIf you collect BluRay or DVD movies, the 2021 version of "Dune," starring Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, is a must. Right now, you can pick up a copy at an all-time low price of $11.99.Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C SerumAmazonVichy is a popular French skincare brand, and the LiftActive Vitamin C Serum features an array of ingredients that help give your skin a radiant glow, including vitamin E and pine polyphenols. Right now, it's on sale at a historically low price.Vont Smart ScaleAmazonThe Vont wireless smart scale tracks visceral fat, muscle mass, BMI, and 10 other body measurements to help you understand metrics associated with overall health. It's currently $2 less than its historical low price.Bella Classic Belgian Waffle MakerAmazonThe Bella Classic Rotating Non-Stick Belgian Waffle Maker has nine browning settings so you can make your waffle exactly how you want it. Plus, it's easy to flip and clean. Right now, it's at the best price we've ever seen.Gillette Fusion5 RazorAmazon The Gillette Fusion5 Razor is one of the most popular razors around. 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The Lip Sleeping Mask is the lip balm version of that cult favorite. While we've seen it priced lower, right now, it's at the best price we've seen in months.Exploding Kittens Original EditionExploding KittensA fun game for any age group, this highly-strategic, kitty-themed game is a great way to get the family together, especially for the holiday season. Usually, it'd cost you $20 to get your own set, but right now it's on sale for only $14.LifeStraw Personal Water FilterAmazonLifeStraws are portable filters that can make even some of the murkiest standing water drinkable. For backpackers and hikers, a LifeStraw can be an invaluable tool in dire situations. Down to only $10, now is a great time to buy one.Rubbermaid 42-Piece Food Storage ContainersAmazonWhether you're a meal-prepper or just need to keep leftovers, you can't go wrong by having a supply of food storage containers handy. 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During the Prime Early Access Sale, it's $5 cheaper than the lowest price we'd previously seen.Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3AmazonOlaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 is designed to help color-treated hair bounce back from the damage that comes from dying it. This hair mask is also helpful for other hair issues and for a broad array of hair types. Right now, it's just a few cents more than its historically low price.Dash Deluxe Sous Vide Style Egg Bite MakerAmazonThe Dash Deluxe Sous Vide Style Egg Bite Maker helps you make delicious egg bites without the hassle of sous vide. During Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale, it's $6 off, matching the lowest price we've seen.Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Meal Prep ContainersAmazonThe Rubbermaid EasyFindLids Meal Prep Containers are great for meal prep. Each container has three compartments for separating entrees from sides. Right now, it's at the lowest price we've seen.PowerLix Milk FrotherAmazonThe Powerlix Milk Frother is small, AA-powered, turns out cappuccino-quality foam in well under two minutes, and fits nicely out of sight into a drawer. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. Right now, it's at an all-time low price.Hum by Colgate Smart Battery Toothbrush KitAmazonThe Hum by Colgate Smart Battery Toothbrush Kit has a sophisticated app for monitoring oral health, is more affordable than other premium models, and works well. During the Prime Early Access Sale, it's at an all-time low price.Lemi Shine Complete Dishwasher Cleaning BundleAmazonThe Lemi Shine Complete Dishwasher Cleaning Bundle comes with everything you need to get your dishes clean using a dishwasher, including dishwasher pods, dry rinse, dishwasher booster, and a machine cleaner. Right now, it's at an all-time low price.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
What Would A Crypto Crash Mean For Markets And The Economy
What Would A Crypto Crash Mean For Markets And The Economy By Peter Tchir of Academy Securities On “bitcoin infinity” day (apparently 8/21 is symbolic of ∞ infinity, the projected value of bitcoin) divided by 21,000,000 (the total number of bitcoin that can ever be mined), it seemed like a good time to explore what a crypto crash would look like and what it would mean for markets and the economy. We all know what a mortgage bank collapse looks like (Washington Mutual). We’ve seen broker dealers collapse (Lehman), we’ve seen the stress on the system when money center banks and insurance companies come under intense pressure. Heck, we’ve even endured a sovereign default (Greece). We’ve also experienced flash crashes in equities and bond yields. In all those cases, I would argue that having a gameplan ahead of time allowed companies and investors to profit from the events (both positive and negative). I haven’t seen much on what a crypto crash would mean, so I figured we could examine that today. Jackson Hole I could have written the 900th Jackson Hole primer, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I’ve already covered a lot that is applicable to Jackson Hole in Taxi Strategies, Orwellian Moments, Things You Won’t See, and Inversion and Inventories. My focus right now is pretty simple: What is the real story on jobs? The weak data is a more accurate sign of the current situation. How bad is the inventory build? I think it might be the worst we’ve seen in my lifetime. Is the wealth effect a problem? I think that the concentrated nature of the wealth effect in disruptive stocks and crypto is different than anything else we’ve experienced historically, and the housing sector weakness is ominous to me. Inflation Fighting. Be careful what you wish for is all that comes to mind. Time and again, lower commodity prices have accompanied stock prices as they became much lower as well and I’m not sure why that will be different this time. Anyways, let’s get back to being off topic and discussing a crypto crash. 6 Impossible Things Before Breakfast I cannot come up with 6 impossible things before breakfast, but as the Queen suggested to Alice, you do need to practice. Let’s start with the premise of a crypto crash or crypto collapse. If it is impossible, then there is no point even thinking about it. However, not only is it possible, but I put the possibility of it occurring in the next year at 10% or higher. Still unlikely, but a high enough probability that I should think about what it would mean. Why a crypto crash or collapse seems possible: It has already happened. Luna/Terra is gone. Poof. XRP is down 80% from its highs, Cardano is down 85%, Bitcoin Cash (you got to love the name) is down 91%, and Dogecoin is down 90% as well. Dogecoin was allegedly started as a joke, which makes it all the more ironic (or moronic) that an SNL skit helped pump it to the moon. So, collapses and crashes have occurred in some segments of the market, which alone tells me that it is worth exploring more. This chart is precarious. Bitcoin continues to hover near levels that would ensure that no “hodler,” or someone who buys crypto and will never sell (diamond hands as opposed to lettuce hands), has made money on any purchase in almost two years. That is a long time to wait to make money (or to sit on large losses). FOMO is a big part of crypto trading, and we are on the precipice of declining to levels where many could decide to take their money and run. There is an ongoing theme in crypto that the “whales” keep buying dips, which might be possible, though it seems more likely to me that many have decided to lock in massive amounts of wealth into the much maligned (but useful) “fiat” currency. Crypto bounced here recently, but that was just the first test and I suspect that there were some heavily incentivized holders who went out of their way to support the price (there really are no rules in this space). This chart, by itself, doesn’t convince me that a crash is possible, but when I highlight the other issues, it certainly adds to that overall theme that a crash or collapse is a non-zero probability event. The chart isn’t much better. The $13.5 billion trust, GBTC, is currently at a 32% discount to NAV. This isn’t an ETF, so it has the ability to trade at a discount or premium to NAV for extended periods. A 33% discount lets you buy bitcoin at the equivalent of under $14,000 ($21,000 * 67%). There is, to some extent, over $4 billion in “free” money in this stock if the discount closes to 0. It is bizarre and scary to me that the discount continues to widen. In ETF’s, I believe that discount/premium to NAV leads the way (cheapness begets lower prices and vice versa). While that view doesn’t quite translate given the nature of GBTC, it is cautionary to me. A lack of interest. Recently one of the largest asset managers on the planet announced plans to collaborate with one of the largest public companies focused on crypto to work on some crypto projects. Two years ago, I can only imagine the impact that headline would have had on bitcoin. My guess is $10k in a heartbeat, but we are already back below the price when that deal was announced. Every headline like that (a year or more ago) was met with thousands (if not millions) of social media posts touting ADOPTION! While adoption is growing and more big banks have announced crypto strategies, the response seems to be more like “well, of course they are going to see if they can make money in it” rather than “OMG, XYZ just endorsed crypto, BUY!” Subtle shift in response, but an important one (albeit subjective). The best “use” cases are diminishing. China, to me, has always been the best use case. A large population with enough money to matter. For all the talk about banking the unbanked, etc., which sounds nice, this isn’t what will drive crypto prices higher. There are stats saying that as many as 4 billion people are unbanked across the globe. According to the World Bank, about 700 million people make less than $2.15 per day. That is depressing, scary, and almost mind-boggling, but from the crypto perspective, it is not the poor that will drive prices (there just isn’t enough money). But China, where millions of “middle class” citizens exist under a regime where they may want to keep money outside of the system, it has always been a good use case. With the property market in tatters, a slowing economy, and the government continuing to crackdown on crypto (outside of the digital Yuan), that use case may be dropping rapidly. Sanction avoidance as a use case may also be diminishing. If you were illicitly trading embargoed products (like oil), crypto may have been the “currency” of choice. But with the U.S. looking to ease restrictions on places like Iran and Venezuela (hypothetically), maybe some of the alleged trade will come back onto the books. With China and India openly buying Russian oil and Chinese currency gaining in stature (at least amongst some nations), there is less reason to use crypto when the Yuan is about 10 times less volatile than bitcoin (30-day vol of 5.4 versus 53). Criminal activity still flourishes, though the ability to track and reclaim ransomware payments seems to be increasing. It’s about blockchain and blockchain technology. The number of pundits, experts, and companies that seem to be doing contortions to pitch themselves as blockchain rather than crypto is high. Again, this is subtle, but it seems that re-positioning oneself as blockchain rather than crypto is occurring, which doesn’t bode well for crypto. It’s a Ponzi scheme, but it’s our Ponzi scheme. There were always the slogans that accompanied crypto, like “have fun staying poor” but they often included passionate explanations about the greatness of crypto. The use cases would take up pages including such themes like it is banking the unbanked (already discussed), that it is an inflation hedge (hasn’t worked on that front for some time), that it is outside the reach of the government (it is being regulated more by the day, and many in crypto, after some recent highly visible failures, now seem to embrace this), that it is lower cost (costs remain high and there is little protection against mistakes or fraud, unlike with bank accounts or credit cards), or speed (but how many people really need to instantaneously shift large amounts of money, but aren’t already served by Venmo or Zell or some similar product?) I still see those arguments being made, but with far less enthusiasm. However, there is another “use case” that seems to be getting traction (at least in my social media streams). It basically amounts to the argument that convincing more people to participate will help. Kind of like “adoption” but with a more cynical tone. Basically, it is admitting that it only really works if more people get in (so get in, and get more people in). It has the advantage of being true and seems honest, but it seems like the last vestige of a pump and dump scam. I’m not sure about you, but that is enough for me to at least take a look at what a crypto collapse or crash would mean. Crypto Market Cap Let’s start with the market capitalization of crypto currencies as that is the most obvious and direct hit to investors. We will use coinmarketcap for this section (beware of using the link as it will ask to send notifications, know your location, etc., but I figured there should be a link to something to verify). Bitcoin at $21,262 has a market cap of $406 billion. Ethereum at $1,628 has a market cap of $199 billion. Binance Coin at $286 has a market cap of $46 billion. Then XRP, Cardano, and Solana come in between $13 billion and $17 billion. Dogecoin, Polkadot (love the name), and Shiba Inu are all about $7 billion, with Avalanche, Polygon, TRON, and Uniswap, all a bit over $5 billion. Let’s call it about $750 billion in total market capitalization for crypto. To make things “simple” let’s assume that after the top 3, most of the coins could disappear and people would hardly notice (I’m assuming that many of those coins are not widely held, and a few “whales” would lose a lot, but the average person wouldn’t lose much more than what they are already prepared to lose.) If you believe that this is an area where many have spent their “winnings” or took money made in bitcoin or Ethereum to really roll the dice (which I believe), that gives us further reason to argue that the hit here would be minimal on the economy (it also makes the analysis much easier as we only have to focus on a few key currencies). Stablecoin Market Cap We need to also consider the stablecoins. Terra/Luna was supposed to be a stablecoin. Stablecoins, in theory, are backed by assets of some sort, except those that were algorithmically backed (whatever that means). Tether (USDT) is still the biggest at $67 billion. I love how much everything is made to sound like dollars (USD) despite the rhetoric against fiat. This stablecoin, in particular, attracts a lot of negative posts about how it is backed. The company asserts that Tether is backed by T-bills, commercial paper, etc., but to my knowledge, it has never produced a detailed list of its holdings, let alone an audited list of its holdings. This behemoth of an account ($67 billion is large even in money markets) is unknown by any money market participant I speak to (albeit that is only a handful of people outside of Academy’s strong short-term liquidity desk). Someone recently pointed out that they apparently manage that much money without a Bloomberg terminal account (there is no Bloomberg account linked to a company called “Tether,” but they could use a different name on Bloomberg to obfuscate their existence, which isn’t unheard of). Tether has seen their market cap drop from $82 billion to $67 billion, and part of that could be that some investors, given what has gone on this year, have shied away from it. USD Coin or USDC (again, notice how much it tries to sound like the dollar) has a market cap of $52 billion. Its market cap only peaked at $55 billion, so it has gained at the expense of USDT. Circle, which is the company behind USDC, makes a big deal out of being transparent and regulated in the U.S. I’ve had brief conversations with people involved in the company and the pitch makes sense to me (though I have not yet gone through the effort of figuring out how granular that transparency is – that’s a project for another day). But they are clearly marketing themselves on the transparency issue and have surged relative to Tether over the past year or so. Binance USD (BUSD) weighs in at $18 billion and is a distant third and seems relatively tied to the Binance ecosystem. Vegan hotdogs. When I see all these names trying so hard to associate themselves with the dollar despite being part of an ecosystem designed to avoid the dollar, I can’t help thinking about vegan hotdogs and why vegans try to replicate an already weird food, when vegan food in its own right can be awesome! But I digress. My view is that stablecoins and their market caps are a function of the overall utility of cryptocurrencies. If crypto crashes, we should see a decline in the market cap of stablecoins. Two things could occur: Those backed by assets will have to sell the assets to meet redemptions. If it is a few billion and they are back by T-bills, then no sweat. Markets would digest that easily and no one would be impacted. But if the size is bigger (10s of billions) and the assets are less liquid (non-standard commercial paper programs for example) then we could see some friction in markets. Again, if we knew exactly what they held we could be more or less prepared. What they hold and the size of the selling would impact the knock-on effects of any unwind (Terra/Luna held nothing, so that didn’t spread to the greater financial system, but this could). If the stablecoins don’t truly hold sufficient assets or the assets are of low quality (there are all sorts of conspiracy theories out there on what it might be invested in that isn’t worth me repeating here, even if they intrigue me) then we could see what looks like a “bank run” occur not just in stablecoins, but ultimately in the assets they hold and asset classes that compete with what they hold. Let’s just pretend, for the moment, that they have money market lending that is off the radar screen, and presumably paid a lot, as it wasn’t standard. If they have to sell, that could cause prices to plummet, possibly to a level that more traditional players sell what they have to buy this stuff, creating that first domino effect. There is a circularity between crypto and stablecoins. They can bring each other down. While crypto losses themselves will be largely isolated to the holders (we still have to dig into that), the unravelling of stablecoins is likely to influence other markets, possibly quite negatively. Direct Losses The direct losses are relatively easy to figure out. Crypto losses. Let’s say $500 billion could be wiped out of crypto. While some evidence points to there being a small subset of “whales” that would bear the brunt of that loss, I think there is a broad enough swath of the population that would take a serious hit and it would affect spending in the near-term. Stablecoin losses. Stablecoins in theory should have an orderly unwind. If, and that remains a question, there is a disorderly unwind of one or more stablecoins, the losses would be in the 10’s of billions (which isn’t so bad). The problem is that unlike crypto losses, where investors presumably treated this as a risky portion of their portfolio, stablecoins are viewed as cash equivalents. Losing cash is always more problematic than losing risky investments. Something to watch. Public Company Losses. There are at least a couple of public companies that are linked to crypto. Then there are the miners, mostly listed on foreign exchanges. HIVE for example went from almost $2 billion to just over $400 million (higher than the recent lows of $237 million). Not a huge market cap loss, but only one of many miners out there. This would add up to more losses, some of which would hit mainstream funds. The bigger losses would likely be felt in the private domain as many of the companies in the space have not yet made the leap from private equity to public equity. The losses shouldn’t be material to the broader market, but would likely be concentrated enough to leave a mark disproportionate to the size of the losses. On the private equity side (even more than the public side) the losses will hit employees the hardest and that will hit spending. Jobs. If you consider day trading crypto and waiting for NFT drops to be a job, then there will be job losses. The companies I’ve mentioned, both the public and private ones, will be forced to let go of employees (that already will have lost significant paper wealth). These are skilled employees, so in theory, could find other jobs, but that could be more difficult to do in an environment where crypto losses cause investors (including private equity) to be more conservative across the fintech space. Domino or knock-on effects. Assuming the stablecoins hold liquid assets, that unwind should be handled easily (there is a risk that isn’t the case, at least for some stablecoins) but I won’t harp on it. There is not a lot of direct debt tied to crypto (though there are some bonds out there, but they are too small to have any material impact). I don’t see crypto being used as a major source of collateral. If bitcoin holdings, for example, were being used to leverage up stock investments, then I’d be very scared. I think some individuals may manage their personal wealth along those lines, but I don’t see it as a widespread issue (unlike housing in 2008, for example). Spending. How much spending is coming from this sector and what does that mean for us? Spurious Correlation or Real Threat You can take any two data series and potentially see a correlation. They may have nothing to do with each other, so we can stare at the “correlation” chart as long as we want, but it isn’t going to help us because there is no causation. Complicating matters further, we should be looking at correlations between the rate of change rather than correlations between asset classes themselves (I vaguely remember the reasons for this, but I will ignore that technicality for today). Here is the SOX (Philadelphia Semiconductor Index) versus bitcoin. I chose to use this index because it is more likely to be spurious and highlights how much more correlated some individual semi-conductor stocks are. Spurious correlation. The argument for “spurious correlation” is strong. It seems impossible that a small segment of the market, like crypto, could have a large effect on such a big diversified market. Many of the things that drove crypto were also driving other industries that placed huge demands on the chip industry (video conferencing, autonomous driving, big data, etc.). So crypto was just one of many things driving those industries and those industries should not be impacted by a crash in crypto. I could go on, but I can see heads nodding here, so I won’t spend any more time arguing what is a consensus (and probably correct) view. What if it is correlated? The wealth being generated by those in crypto was large. From the miners to the “exchanges,” there was a race to capture revenue and there was plenty of revenue to capture. The spending on chips (rigs to mine, servers to provide customer service, etc.) was large. Chip companies presumably saw this demand and knew that they could charge a premium to an industry where speed and timeliness meant everything. Were chips designed specifically for the crypto industry? Was production of generics shifted to higher profit margin lines? Not only were the companies (that succeeded) spending money, but many failed business ideas (or those just not yet successful) had money to spend as well. What if crypto spending went to web services (seems like it would). What if it went to advertising? (It did). What if that spending caused those companies to spend more? Maybe they needed to add systems, components, and people to keep up with the demand from the crypto industry. Did that spending then create more spending and make it very difficult (if not impossible) to figure out where crypto spending ended and where “regular” spending went? How much money was crypto spending on energy? At one time I saw stories that in terms of energy usage, crypto, if treated as a nation, would have been the 10th largest country in terms of energy use. Commodity prices are always affected by the marginal 5% or 10% of demand. Is it possible that part of energy inflation was due to crypto? Does that mean policy makers are responding to a problem (high inflation) while ignoring one of the causes (because it isn’t on their radar screen, except in China, which has been clamping down on mining in that country?) The case for crypto being a bigger driver than previously thought may seem weak, but I cannot help but believe that it is a risk we should be discussing more than I think we are. What if the correlation was a driver for exciting new technologies where enormous wealth seemed possible (to such an extent) that current spending or success was irrelevant? What if crypto’s decline and potential collapse may not be causal, but is correlated to some broader move in markets and the economy? Then in that case, it might be spurious, but is still dangerous. Impossible Things, Black Swans, and Thinking Out of the Box I do not think a crypto collapse is impossible. It isn’t my base case, but there is a real possibility that it occurs. Black swans are things that people didn’t think were possible (and turned out to be possible). We can get a pass on missing black swans, but not if we are looking at a grey swan and choose to ignore it. I’m not lying awake at night thinking about a crypto collapse because: It “probably” won’t happen. If it does happen, the damage to the economy “could” or maybe even “should” be minimal. But I am thinking more and more about it because if there is a correlation between crypto and the broader economy (and markets) or because crypto, the broader markets, and the economy are moving to the same theme, there is serious risk to the downside. Some of this risk may not be getting priced in based on some simple charts of crypto versus other asset classes. On this broader correlation theme, check out ARKK shares outstanding because something seems to have shifted in terms of the investor mentality there. For those who celebrate, enjoy bitcoin infinity day! It really seems weird that not only is that a thing, but on 8/21/21 the CEO of a public company enjoyed tweeting it out. I’m possibly too old and jaded, but stuff like that seems silly rather than compelling. Tyler Durden Sun, 08/21/2022 - 21:30.....»»