60s basketball uniforms
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2024.05.13 21:27 intellecte What have you learned about your grandparents during your genealogy work that was a surprise?
I was estranged from my bio dad and never met my paternal grandfather. So I was surprised to learn he lived in my same hometown and died when I was 18. He was never more than a fifteen minute drive away but I still never saw him. So that was a pretty sad outcome to me. I've heard he could be a difficult person so maybe it was a good thing. But I would like to have had the chance to decide for myself. His mother was still alive around that time as well, several US states over. So I could potentially have traveled to meet my paternal great-grandmother as well. But that's how life happens sometimes I guess. Our parents challenges become our reality.
The silver lining is I learned he was in WWII and I have several bio relatives on Ancestry I've chatted with who have shared some great pictures of him very young in uniform as well as later in life. The real surprise is that he married my grandmother, divorced her and then they got married to each other and divorced again several years later! I didn't know that kind of thing happened but apparently it was pretty common in the 60s and 70s.
Edit: Sorry, I didn't mean to post a downer! Whether you have happy or sad surprises I would like to hear them!
submitted by intellecte to Genealogy [link] [comments]
The silver lining is I learned he was in WWII and I have several bio relatives on Ancestry I've chatted with who have shared some great pictures of him very young in uniform as well as later in life. The real surprise is that he married my grandmother, divorced her and then they got married to each other and divorced again several years later! I didn't know that kind of thing happened but apparently it was pretty common in the 60s and 70s.
Edit: Sorry, I didn't mean to post a downer! Whether you have happy or sad surprises I would like to hear them!
2024.05.13 08:12 Roshango Revisiting a concept I shared a while back and the direction I'd like to see the uniform go.
 | https://preview.redd.it/bghgyuy2v40d1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a237d6feea394a47b18c14a9bb9f3bfc18a66b9 submitted by Roshango to Patriots [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/87fys4b5v40d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7a0028d370ba392df9919e34bd1160669cfc61c https://preview.redd.it/yx69v34xx40d1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=3ec39644608b2a77cb2d3a3566e242507d1be07b https://preview.redd.it/gsoi6fyyx40d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ab69f7b8fbede8018494b17ea5888692098e236 https://preview.redd.it/8u1uf0hzx40d1.jpg?width=919&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70417a72d561461081ddfd2d457a7e7956768005 So this might be a hot take, But I actually really like the current Jerseys, but not the so much the full uniform. The red and white strips are patriotic, colorful, and pop on the darker navy more than the older sliver. What I like about them the most is how they blend the old and new, combining the Throwbacks of the 60s and 80s strip pattern with the modern navy uniform of the 2000s. It's a design that's modern but unlike the new Broncos or the look the Jets just moved off, still looks like a traditional uniform. My issue with them is the issue that everyone else has; the all navy monochrome. Top to bottom Navy looks like pajamas. Looks like a high-school uniform. I would be content if they made the sliver pants the full time look and I know there's a big demand for it. But I had a different idea, one I've had since these uniforms first dropped. I would like to see them switch out the silver for white for the helmet and pants. I think that this would do a few things 1) As I said, what I like about the current Jerseys is fusion of the 80s and 2000s. This would complete that concept for the full uniform. The white helmet, white pants, and vertical strip pattern that pops in the middle of it all that makes the contrast of the 80s uniform so special, while keeping the bold navy, font, and flying Elvis logo of the dynasty era to keep the more modern look. You can see the connection between the two uniform designs seeing them side by side. 2) It would add the much needed contrast that we all want from the home look. No more navy on navy, instead these white pants would help break it up. I also feel the dark Navy sandwiched between a bright white helmet and white pants contrasts better than sliver. White is a color that amplifies the colors around it. The Navy looks bolder, and the red accents really pop between the dark navy and bright white. 3) The uniform looks more Patriotic and in theme for a team called the Patriots. While sliver still exists in the logo and number trim, more focus is on red, white, and blue. 4) The white pants and helmet would match with the strips on the shoulder, and would fit more with the design of the current road uniform. 5) Speaking of the road uniform, A new option would be available for an alternative look by using the white pants for a white-out combo I see people demand a redesign for next season, personally, this is how I'd like to see it approached. A new era of the team that calls back to several eras of the past. Other options could include a 90s throwback that I've seen in demand, keeping the sliver helmet in an alternative role so it's history is still in tact. Maybe a royal blue alternative. But I think it would be awesome if this was the core of the design as your home/away/alternative. |
2024.05.12 23:47 matte_purple Uniform Ranker 2023: West Virginia Mountaineers
Howdy to the beautiful people of CFB! Welcome to my ranking of the 2023 uniforms for West Virginia Mountaineer Football! I thought I would rank WVU after their new uniforms were released a few weeks ago. I intend on ranking most of the Big XII teams and new PAC additions (Arizona and Utah) soon. In fact, I already covered Colorado, ASU, Oklahoma State and TCU if you want to scratch that uniform itch. If you are interested in my thoughts regarding the Big XII uniform season, check out my 2023 Season-in-Review Post or my recent 2023 Uniform Awards post, or recent 2023 rankings, which are all up top in my profile. If you want to go back further, check out these 2022 posts: 2022 Uniform Awards and Big XII Uniform Tracker 2022: Season-in-Review. (Sorry for the hyperlink inconvenience, but Reddit hates when I put links in the top paragraph, for whatever reason.) But for now, letâs check out what the Mountaineers donned in their much-improved 2023 Big 12 season, featuring some facts, stats, and history. Plus, weâll maybe have a look at their new 2024 suits towards the end! As always, feel free to disagree with me or tell me if my rankings hit home. Iâm interested in hearing what you think, or in seeing how yâall would rearrange the rankings!
Season Gallery Link: https://imgur.com/a/h4SHYPS
Iâm u/matte_purple, and let's 3,2,1 go!
11. Yellow/Yellow/Yellow - Week 4 vs TTU (W, 20-13)
Link: https://imgur.com/gwCbBKT
The Gold Rush tradition in Morgantown started in 2007, and has had a pretty interesting history, including a College Gameday appearance, a 2012 heartbreaker against OU, a 2013 30-21 smash of No. 11 OSU, and several other wild finishes in WV. While I love the history and the crowd involvement, this 2019 jersey template is just too blank to properly allow gold uniforms to shine (I know I put âYellowâ in the combo, that's purely for convenience, I mean no disrespect at all). The new 2024 uniforms - which weâll showcase at the end - do a much better job of providing a structure to the Gold Rush look, but these are, again, simply too much and too bold.
10. Yellow/Gray/Gray - Week 2 vs Duquesne (W, 56-17)
Link: https://imgur.com/pE4X5Er
Ah, the gray. Weâll see another gray example later on, but I think the gray suits just work out better when mixed with blue. The yellow creates an odd balance, and makes the suit feel top heavy. Yellow pants may have helped the look, but Iâm not sure I like that idea, either. I do like the complementary yellow font outline to the helmet, and hey, it was a brand-new look! Thatâs got to count for something.
9. Blue/Blue/Blue - Military Appreciation Week 10 vs BYU (W, 37-7)
Link: https://imgur.com/fkLoxWr
Nothing inherently wrong with this look, I think that, again, it falls victim to the monochrome pitfalls of this 2019 update, just like the yellow/gold. The Military Edition state outline is an awesome touch, and the blue really isn't that bad compared with an all gray or all yellow, itâs just not a top pick. This same uniform and decal combo was worn in 2022 against OU, so it must be a tradition thing. The choices start getting a lot harder from here on out.
8. Blue/White/Yellow - Week 1 at Penn State (L, 15-38)
Link: https://imgur.com/11U3r4t
For some reason, this is always a WVU fan favorite. For the life of me I canât figure it out. Anyone who has tuned in to my tracker knows I donât really like tri-color looks, and this is another instance where it just doesnât work for me. Maybe I need some convincing, maybe Iâm wrong, who knows? It just doesnât work for me. On another note, how did WVU select the Mountaineer as a mascot? Well, it's built into the location. West Virginia is known as the Mountain State because it is the only state entirely within the Appalachian Mountain region, out of the 13 states that the Appalachian Mountains pass through. Thus, residents are known as Mountaineers. The word is even featured on the state seal/motto - Montani Semper Liberi (English: "Mountaineers are Always Free"), which has remained steadfast since the stateâs founding in 1863. This same phrase is embroidered on the inside collar of the uniforms, new and old. As far as weâre aware, WVU sports programs went by âthe Mountaineersâ starting in 1890, and have continued ever since!
7. Blue/White/White - Week 7 at UH (L, 39-41)
Link: https://imgur.com/YMpguqt
This was an absolutely psycho game to watch, featuring UHâs wild tip drill antics wearing their black alternates. Here, WVU wore a mostly white uniform capped off by their blue âCue Country Roadsâ helmet introduced in this yearâs Backyard Brawl. And yes, this look is clean. The font differentiates the white nicely, the helmet is busy enough to compensate for some of the stark white, and the suit is - of course - helped by a night game against a team wearing black. I wonât blab anymore, they're nice. The white is just a little bit too simplistic here. Pant stripes will definitely help in the new suits.
6. Blue/Gray/Blue - Week 13 at Baylor (W, 34-31)
Link: https://imgur.com/e3tfaj6
One of the more eclectic away combos Iâve ever seen, this look makes me sad that the gray has been officially put out of commission. Itâs actually the first time WVU wore gray on the road and only the sixth gray game usage since 2019. It definitely works better as a road combo against the dark green of Baylor. The blue looks great sandwiching the gray suit, but the yellow outline feels a little out of place in this uniform as opposed to the white or blue majority uniforms. Lots of upside, but just enough complaints to keep it at the 6 spot.
5. White/White/White - Week 11 at OU (L, 20-59)
Link: https://imgur.com/c1pLWOM
I canât get over these beautiful helmets. West Virginiaâs helmet is a work of art. Using the decal popularized by the âCue Country Roadsâ uniforms from the past two years on an otherwise clean white shell was a stroke of genius. The more detailed logo draws the eye compared to the stark white jersey and pants, while the large blue numbers help in breaking up the field. Still, this look may have looked a little bit better with some blue pants, or at least more blue accessories like shoes, belts, and gloves. The blue facemask is a start, but yeah, I like this look a lot. Still, the helmet puts these way up on my list.
4. Blue/White/Blue - Week 9 at UCF (W, 41-28)
Link: https://imgur.com/LbwU4O0
While I like the blue/gray sandwich in #6, this is definitely a more improved version. The overall flow of the uniform feels better here. No outline on the numbers helps keep things clean and matches the top and bottom nicely. How did WVU originally pick their colors? Simple. Theyâre featured in the state seal. These colors were adopted by the school in 1890, inspired by the West Virginia state seal, featuring a boulder that has been inscribed with the stateâs founding - June 20, 1863. In front of the boulder lies two crossed rifles and a Grecian liberty cap as a symbol of the state's fight for liberty. The two men on either side of the boulder represent agriculture and industry. Itâs as simple as that! This program really does represent state pride like no other. We're almost to the top spots!
3. Blue/Blue/Yellow - Week 8 vs OSU (L, 48-34) and Week 12 vs UC (W, 42-21)
Link: https://imgur.com/lU29RgY
Ah. The podium is here. These next three picks were all highly debated and could very well go either way. This look is obviously the most traditional of the wardrobe, and has been worn three times since I started tracking publicly in 2022. And of course, itâs one of the most recognizable combos for the Mountaineers in general. For me, I am especially reminded of Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, and Geno Smith lighting up the scoreboard against Baylor with Terrence Williams in 2012. I was just beginning to enjoy and follow college football more often, and this game really sparked an interest in me, especially as 2012 was a good KSU year AND WVUâs Big 12 opener. The yellow pants provide a great contrast to the blue. And the flying WV logo is one of the few âletter logosâ that I think works really well. You just canât beat it despite the pitfalls of the 2019 template. The 2024 version will be a sight to behold and could very well cement itself in first place next year. Beautiful, classic, and a no-brainer pick for a medal.
2. White/White/Blue - Week 5 at TCU (W, 24-21)
Link: https://imgur.com/w8cFhTK
What sets this one apart from all the other away combos? Unlike a lot of the other WVU suits, this one almost completely removes yellow while still feeling balanced in color. The only yellow on these are splashed on the helmet and hip logo. The blue may originally seem to weigh the look down, but once you add the large blue logo on the helmet and balance it with the almost all white on the rest of the suit, you get a magnificent away look. It combines the benefit of a crisp white out with the âsemi-symmetryâ - if you will - from a X/Y/X sandwich look. Just beautiful, and the most âmodernâ feeling of the yearâs combos.
1. Blue/Yellow/Blue - âCue Country Roads 2â Week 3 vs Pitt (W, 17-6) and Mayo Bowl vs UNC (W, 30-10)
Link: https://imgur.com/prhh2wU
And finally, first place! Last year, we saw the amazing and incredible away version of this uniform. This yearâs home version featured a perfect gold usage which felt balanced yet bold. The symmetrical blues, liberal use of gold, sublimated WV road map, the consistent striping on the helmet and pants, âMountaineersâ wordmark on the chest all topped off by that immaculate gold WV state outline is oh so wonderful. I mean, how is it possible to kick this much ass? Itâs everything wonderful about the away uniforms added to a more traditional color scheme that, wow. Honestly, the picture itself does a great job. Creative, symmetrical, and a color scheme everyone loves, this is a grand slam design.
Bonus: Letâs check out the Mountaineerâs brand-spanking-new 2024 collection!
Main Link: https://x.com/WVUSports/status/1784264694842171731
Alternate Link: https://x.com/WVUSports/status/1786177842595729804
The 2024 suits honor the past traditions of WVU uniforms while also improving on the initial 2019 update through the new Nike F.U.S.E template. They maintain the updated 2019 color scheme and font, feature the fairly new state-outline WVU logo from the 2022 and 2023 âCue Country Roadsâ alternates (both on the collar and helmet options), and add on some striping, shoulder accents, and wordmarks. The Flying WV returned to the sleeves for the first time since 2012 with wide acclaim. Also a feature of the Don Nehlen era are the pants stripes dating back to the 60s-90s. The most controversial piece of the uniform are those USC reminiscent 2007-2012 shoulder accents. My overall thoughts? It's a great update. 2019 was far too plain. The color scheme helps, but here the colors get a wonderful structure to build upon. The WV sleeves, the wordmark, and pant stripes are amazing touches, but I think the shoulder accents just add a little too much clutter to an otherwise perfect front. Overall, the helmets are mostly unchanged, the jerseys are a slight improvement, and the pants are a massive step up. Iâd give the update an 8/10! Additionally, the Mountaineers released an inspired âCoal Dustâ alternate honoring the storied tradition of West Virginian coal mining. They use a unique and fascinating coal pattern pulled straight off an actual coal mine tour, incorporate a black and white state-outline logo on the helmet that is to die for, and use gray/white vertical stripes in a way that tastefully mimics high visibility vests worn by miners. The center stripe on the helmet is my favorite touch, featuring the coal pattern used on the uniform, but with a white to transparent gradient mimicking the light of a miner's headlamp. I mean, this is a blackout look done right. I am so excited to see these in action. Combined together, the main and alternate looks for WVU are all very exciting and definite improvements!
If youâve got some time, send a nice email to the athletics department design team of Kristin Coldsnow, Matt Wells, Michael Fragale, Joe Swan and Steve Uryasz, who designed the brand new 2024 look. The team worked in conjunction with football equipment managers Dan Nehlen and Austin Blake, who also deserve some praise for the fantastic job they are doing. The EQ room is a tough place to work, and these fine folks kill it day in and day out.
Well, I think that does it! I hope you enjoyed my 2023 season WVU Football uniform rankings. What a surprising and exciting building season for the Mountaineers. Iâll be slowly releasing more rankings for each of the Big XII teams as the offseason goes along. Again, feel free to comment or message me with any suggestions or changes to the rankings! Do you think WVUâs new suits are an improvement? Did your favorite suit seem properly ranked? Let me and all of CFB know! Have yourself a great Sunday and Iâll see you soon!
submitted by matte_purple to CFB [link] [comments]
Season Gallery Link: https://imgur.com/a/h4SHYPS
Iâm u/matte_purple, and let's 3,2,1 go!
11. Yellow/Yellow/Yellow - Week 4 vs TTU (W, 20-13)
Link: https://imgur.com/gwCbBKT
The Gold Rush tradition in Morgantown started in 2007, and has had a pretty interesting history, including a College Gameday appearance, a 2012 heartbreaker against OU, a 2013 30-21 smash of No. 11 OSU, and several other wild finishes in WV. While I love the history and the crowd involvement, this 2019 jersey template is just too blank to properly allow gold uniforms to shine (I know I put âYellowâ in the combo, that's purely for convenience, I mean no disrespect at all). The new 2024 uniforms - which weâll showcase at the end - do a much better job of providing a structure to the Gold Rush look, but these are, again, simply too much and too bold.
10. Yellow/Gray/Gray - Week 2 vs Duquesne (W, 56-17)
Link: https://imgur.com/pE4X5Er
Ah, the gray. Weâll see another gray example later on, but I think the gray suits just work out better when mixed with blue. The yellow creates an odd balance, and makes the suit feel top heavy. Yellow pants may have helped the look, but Iâm not sure I like that idea, either. I do like the complementary yellow font outline to the helmet, and hey, it was a brand-new look! Thatâs got to count for something.
9. Blue/Blue/Blue - Military Appreciation Week 10 vs BYU (W, 37-7)
Link: https://imgur.com/fkLoxWr
Nothing inherently wrong with this look, I think that, again, it falls victim to the monochrome pitfalls of this 2019 update, just like the yellow/gold. The Military Edition state outline is an awesome touch, and the blue really isn't that bad compared with an all gray or all yellow, itâs just not a top pick. This same uniform and decal combo was worn in 2022 against OU, so it must be a tradition thing. The choices start getting a lot harder from here on out.
8. Blue/White/Yellow - Week 1 at Penn State (L, 15-38)
Link: https://imgur.com/11U3r4t
For some reason, this is always a WVU fan favorite. For the life of me I canât figure it out. Anyone who has tuned in to my tracker knows I donât really like tri-color looks, and this is another instance where it just doesnât work for me. Maybe I need some convincing, maybe Iâm wrong, who knows? It just doesnât work for me. On another note, how did WVU select the Mountaineer as a mascot? Well, it's built into the location. West Virginia is known as the Mountain State because it is the only state entirely within the Appalachian Mountain region, out of the 13 states that the Appalachian Mountains pass through. Thus, residents are known as Mountaineers. The word is even featured on the state seal/motto - Montani Semper Liberi (English: "Mountaineers are Always Free"), which has remained steadfast since the stateâs founding in 1863. This same phrase is embroidered on the inside collar of the uniforms, new and old. As far as weâre aware, WVU sports programs went by âthe Mountaineersâ starting in 1890, and have continued ever since!
7. Blue/White/White - Week 7 at UH (L, 39-41)
Link: https://imgur.com/YMpguqt
This was an absolutely psycho game to watch, featuring UHâs wild tip drill antics wearing their black alternates. Here, WVU wore a mostly white uniform capped off by their blue âCue Country Roadsâ helmet introduced in this yearâs Backyard Brawl. And yes, this look is clean. The font differentiates the white nicely, the helmet is busy enough to compensate for some of the stark white, and the suit is - of course - helped by a night game against a team wearing black. I wonât blab anymore, they're nice. The white is just a little bit too simplistic here. Pant stripes will definitely help in the new suits.
6. Blue/Gray/Blue - Week 13 at Baylor (W, 34-31)
Link: https://imgur.com/e3tfaj6
One of the more eclectic away combos Iâve ever seen, this look makes me sad that the gray has been officially put out of commission. Itâs actually the first time WVU wore gray on the road and only the sixth gray game usage since 2019. It definitely works better as a road combo against the dark green of Baylor. The blue looks great sandwiching the gray suit, but the yellow outline feels a little out of place in this uniform as opposed to the white or blue majority uniforms. Lots of upside, but just enough complaints to keep it at the 6 spot.
5. White/White/White - Week 11 at OU (L, 20-59)
Link: https://imgur.com/c1pLWOM
I canât get over these beautiful helmets. West Virginiaâs helmet is a work of art. Using the decal popularized by the âCue Country Roadsâ uniforms from the past two years on an otherwise clean white shell was a stroke of genius. The more detailed logo draws the eye compared to the stark white jersey and pants, while the large blue numbers help in breaking up the field. Still, this look may have looked a little bit better with some blue pants, or at least more blue accessories like shoes, belts, and gloves. The blue facemask is a start, but yeah, I like this look a lot. Still, the helmet puts these way up on my list.
4. Blue/White/Blue - Week 9 at UCF (W, 41-28)
Link: https://imgur.com/LbwU4O0
While I like the blue/gray sandwich in #6, this is definitely a more improved version. The overall flow of the uniform feels better here. No outline on the numbers helps keep things clean and matches the top and bottom nicely. How did WVU originally pick their colors? Simple. Theyâre featured in the state seal. These colors were adopted by the school in 1890, inspired by the West Virginia state seal, featuring a boulder that has been inscribed with the stateâs founding - June 20, 1863. In front of the boulder lies two crossed rifles and a Grecian liberty cap as a symbol of the state's fight for liberty. The two men on either side of the boulder represent agriculture and industry. Itâs as simple as that! This program really does represent state pride like no other. We're almost to the top spots!
3. Blue/Blue/Yellow - Week 8 vs OSU (L, 48-34) and Week 12 vs UC (W, 42-21)
Link: https://imgur.com/lU29RgY
Ah. The podium is here. These next three picks were all highly debated and could very well go either way. This look is obviously the most traditional of the wardrobe, and has been worn three times since I started tracking publicly in 2022. And of course, itâs one of the most recognizable combos for the Mountaineers in general. For me, I am especially reminded of Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, and Geno Smith lighting up the scoreboard against Baylor with Terrence Williams in 2012. I was just beginning to enjoy and follow college football more often, and this game really sparked an interest in me, especially as 2012 was a good KSU year AND WVUâs Big 12 opener. The yellow pants provide a great contrast to the blue. And the flying WV logo is one of the few âletter logosâ that I think works really well. You just canât beat it despite the pitfalls of the 2019 template. The 2024 version will be a sight to behold and could very well cement itself in first place next year. Beautiful, classic, and a no-brainer pick for a medal.
2. White/White/Blue - Week 5 at TCU (W, 24-21)
Link: https://imgur.com/w8cFhTK
What sets this one apart from all the other away combos? Unlike a lot of the other WVU suits, this one almost completely removes yellow while still feeling balanced in color. The only yellow on these are splashed on the helmet and hip logo. The blue may originally seem to weigh the look down, but once you add the large blue logo on the helmet and balance it with the almost all white on the rest of the suit, you get a magnificent away look. It combines the benefit of a crisp white out with the âsemi-symmetryâ - if you will - from a X/Y/X sandwich look. Just beautiful, and the most âmodernâ feeling of the yearâs combos.
1. Blue/Yellow/Blue - âCue Country Roads 2â Week 3 vs Pitt (W, 17-6) and Mayo Bowl vs UNC (W, 30-10)
Link: https://imgur.com/prhh2wU
And finally, first place! Last year, we saw the amazing and incredible away version of this uniform. This yearâs home version featured a perfect gold usage which felt balanced yet bold. The symmetrical blues, liberal use of gold, sublimated WV road map, the consistent striping on the helmet and pants, âMountaineersâ wordmark on the chest all topped off by that immaculate gold WV state outline is oh so wonderful. I mean, how is it possible to kick this much ass? Itâs everything wonderful about the away uniforms added to a more traditional color scheme that, wow. Honestly, the picture itself does a great job. Creative, symmetrical, and a color scheme everyone loves, this is a grand slam design.
Bonus: Letâs check out the Mountaineerâs brand-spanking-new 2024 collection!
Main Link: https://x.com/WVUSports/status/1784264694842171731
Alternate Link: https://x.com/WVUSports/status/1786177842595729804
The 2024 suits honor the past traditions of WVU uniforms while also improving on the initial 2019 update through the new Nike F.U.S.E template. They maintain the updated 2019 color scheme and font, feature the fairly new state-outline WVU logo from the 2022 and 2023 âCue Country Roadsâ alternates (both on the collar and helmet options), and add on some striping, shoulder accents, and wordmarks. The Flying WV returned to the sleeves for the first time since 2012 with wide acclaim. Also a feature of the Don Nehlen era are the pants stripes dating back to the 60s-90s. The most controversial piece of the uniform are those USC reminiscent 2007-2012 shoulder accents. My overall thoughts? It's a great update. 2019 was far too plain. The color scheme helps, but here the colors get a wonderful structure to build upon. The WV sleeves, the wordmark, and pant stripes are amazing touches, but I think the shoulder accents just add a little too much clutter to an otherwise perfect front. Overall, the helmets are mostly unchanged, the jerseys are a slight improvement, and the pants are a massive step up. Iâd give the update an 8/10! Additionally, the Mountaineers released an inspired âCoal Dustâ alternate honoring the storied tradition of West Virginian coal mining. They use a unique and fascinating coal pattern pulled straight off an actual coal mine tour, incorporate a black and white state-outline logo on the helmet that is to die for, and use gray/white vertical stripes in a way that tastefully mimics high visibility vests worn by miners. The center stripe on the helmet is my favorite touch, featuring the coal pattern used on the uniform, but with a white to transparent gradient mimicking the light of a miner's headlamp. I mean, this is a blackout look done right. I am so excited to see these in action. Combined together, the main and alternate looks for WVU are all very exciting and definite improvements!
If youâve got some time, send a nice email to the athletics department design team of Kristin Coldsnow, Matt Wells, Michael Fragale, Joe Swan and Steve Uryasz, who designed the brand new 2024 look. The team worked in conjunction with football equipment managers Dan Nehlen and Austin Blake, who also deserve some praise for the fantastic job they are doing. The EQ room is a tough place to work, and these fine folks kill it day in and day out.
Well, I think that does it! I hope you enjoyed my 2023 season WVU Football uniform rankings. What a surprising and exciting building season for the Mountaineers. Iâll be slowly releasing more rankings for each of the Big XII teams as the offseason goes along. Again, feel free to comment or message me with any suggestions or changes to the rankings! Do you think WVUâs new suits are an improvement? Did your favorite suit seem properly ranked? Let me and all of CFB know! Have yourself a great Sunday and Iâll see you soon!
2024.05.12 16:52 Memphis-17 Honest question, did the Jazz have the worst "rebrand" in sports history?
It's as the title says. Now I'll fully admit that I've just started getting back into basketball and chose the Cavs and Jazz as my teams, so I'm not exactly a long time fan. That being said, what the heck happened? I thought the Jazz had a good thing going with the mountain focus on the logo and uniforms. Then they changed to a more greenish look with a music note. A downgrade in my opinion but still solid enough. And now they simplified the logo even further and have... neon yellow and black uniforms? The logo just looks like a regular music note with a basketball cutout and the colors make no sense, what does Neon yellow have to do with Utah or Jazz? (Honest question, I don't know enough about Utah). I've seen some rebrands that haven't gone over well or took a while to accept (The Raptors for one) but this may just be the biggest downgrade to a brand I've ever seen. They really did peak in the 90's, can we just go back to that? Shouldn't be too hard right? Guarantee jersey sales would increase if they did.
submitted by Memphis-17 to UtahJazz [link] [comments]
2024.05.12 09:01 pianoplayerjas The Sharp Knife of a Short Life
There was a boy. Iâd known him since I was 5 but it wasnât until I was older that I truly noticed him. We were in 6th grade when we started taking an advanced math class together. I could tell he was smart, funny, and a person Iâd want to be around for a long time. Middle school and all the drama that ensues during that time quickly invaded my life. My social group shifted and I found myself closer to my friend, Dakota. By the time we were in 7th grade he was tall and strong. Blond hair and a light greenish set of smart eyes. We started working together outside of school. My dad worked for his dad and I often found myself at their house. Dakota had one older brother, a younger brother, and a younger sister. Iâm the oldest of four so I could handle the chaos of lots of kids in a home. I had some of my most fun memories in middle school at that home. Not just me and Dakota, but with other friends we worked with, our siblings, and family friends. Nerf gun fights, swimming in the pool, and playing manhunt on the homestead that they lived on. I developed what you could consider a crush on Dakota. And the feeling was mutual. He hinted with the not-so-subtle flirting of a 14 year old boy. Pulling my hair, taking my things, and throwing snacks were often his go-to moves.
One night at a Christmas party, us âkidsâ were watching a movie while the adults played games and hung out in the other room. At some point, his head ended up on my lap. I remember touching his hair, but ultimately deciding I did NOT want someone to see this and assume the worse. Another time, we were alone in the basement. The basement was the place of all our friend hangouts. The video and board games were down there, along with the nerf guns. One night we were on the couch showing each other memes from our iPod touches. We were laughing and joking, then he handed me his iPod to read the next one. Except this wasnât a meme: it was his notes app. On the screen it said âI think you are beautifulâ. I instantly blushed and tried to hide my face. âMe?.....â I looked at him, also blushing red and he nodded. I told him thank you. It was the first time any boy had told me I was beautiful. In my own eyes, I was not. I had a big tooth gap because my parents couldnât afford braces, and I wore glasses. I donât know what he saw, but I appreciated the flattering compliment.
We entered high school where once again, your life shifts. You are faced with new teachers, new course materials, new teammates, and new challenges. We remained close friends through this time, by taking enough classes together and being involved with the same friends. It was nearing the fall homecoming season and I was nervous about getting a date. I saw many older boys asking girls to be their dates and I wondered if I would even have one my freshman year. Leave it up to my best friend Anna to set me up.
I clearly remember it was a Sunday night and I was watching football. My mom tells me she got a text from Dakotaâs mom that there was a book she needed to grab from their house. She told me I needed to go with her. Without any context, I was annoyed she was making ME drive her there since I did not want to leave home. They lived about 5 minutes away so I figured the faster we leave the quicker I can get back home. Mom told me I should brush my hair.
âWhy?â
âWell because you should look a little presentable.â
âItâs fine right, weâre just grabbing a book really quick, right?â
âYes but you donât want to leave the house looking like you do.â
I huffed and opened our sliding glass door going outside to the car.
âYou should at least put some shoes on!â
âIâm FINE, Can we just go and get this over withâ
I angrily and annoyed drove/ sped down the paved road to their house, all the while questioning my mother why she really needed me to go with her.
âI donât know, there might be something there for you.â
I had no idea what that meant. We drove to the shop on their property that this supposed book was. I stepped out of the car, barefoot on the gravel and walked into the shop. There I see Dakota, holding a sign. I frantically looked around to figure out what was going on. I see Anna crouched in a corner covering her smiling mouth. I looked at his sign and read the homecoming proposal which used lyrics and titles from Beatles songs, my favorite band.
âOh, Dakota! Of course yes!â
I gave him an awkward hug and turned around to realize that my mother didnât need a book at all.
Dakota was sweet. In an innocent way. He had casually asked before if we could date, but being the reserved and shy individual I was, I had always declined. After the dance, we drifted, not for any particular reason. I heard he had started dating a different girl. She was older by two years. Was I hurt? Not particularly. Was I jealous? Maybe a little more so. They went to prom together and she was definitely way prettier than me. It happens, I thought, we arenât meant to be. A romantic relationship would definitely change our entire chemistry.
Summer came and we were out working together on his familyâs farm. We spent hours in the fields, talking, singing, and sweating. Just good friends again. It was normal and felt right. We spent a week together in late July on a church trip. We worked on a homeless shelter with our youth group and had a fun yet powerful time together. My mom, dad, and brother were on this trip as well, along with many of our church friends. After the week was done on Saturday, we drove back to our town. I remember waving goodbye to his family in their Suburban as they left the church parking lot. I didnât realize how significant that goodbye would be.
A few days went by and we had casual texting conversations about work and school starting in the next few weeks. He texted me Tuesday night that his dad really needed some help the next morning bright and early. I wanted to sleep in. He texted âDonât worry about it, weâll get it covered.â A decision Iâd soon regret.
Wednesday morning, I go to the church with my mom to do a couple of things with her. I canât even recall what it was. We were getting into our car when we heard loud sirens throughout our small town. Mom and I looked at each other. Sirens are never a good sign. We get in the car, curious, but praying whoever needs the ambulance is okay. My mom gets a phone call. Itâs one of our family friends. She says Dakota and his older brother have been in a bad car accident. That heavy feeling that makes your heart sink to your stomach instantly hit me. âTheyâre okay, theyâre okay, theyâre okay.â I kept telling myself. The ambulance was going fast, and Dakota is strong. Heâs practically invincible. My motherâs friend tells us that we should stop by Dakotaâs house to grab the boys clean clothes and bring them to the emergency room. We drive in silence, except for maybe a short prayer that the boys are okay. We get to the house and my mom quickly runs up the stairs to the boysâ bedroom. I stay downstairs. I observe the dining room. Dirty laundry in the baskets. Dirty dishes on the counter. Dakotaâs name on a marker board along with a list of chores to do. We speed to the emergency room in the nearby town. On the way we received a text from Dakotaâs older brother, John. He said he was doing okay but he wasnât sure about Dakota. We should be keeping their family in our prayers. The panic was rising in my throat. I had been nervous about things before. This was different. It was like a nauseating churn that started in my stomach. Like my soul was shaking out of my physical body. We got to the hospital, parked and my mom said I should stay in the car. Probably wanting to protect me from any scarring sights within the ER. I wanted to go in. Could I see him? She insisted that I stay in the car. I stayed. Frozen at first. Then rocking back and forth. My palms were shaking and itchy in the center.
âThis canât be happening. Not Dakota. Heâs like my best friend. Kids donât die. Heâs too young. Too smart. He has an incredibly successful life ahead of him.â
I was eyeing the automatic door for any sign of someone that I recognized. The ten minutes I waited felt like an hour. Ten minutes of restless uncertainty. Then I see my mom. She had one of the hardest faces that I had ever seen her make. She opened the driverâs side door and I immediately asked âWhatâs going on. Is he ok?!â
She looks at me dead in the eyes, shaking her head, âHe didnât make it, Jasmineâ
A million emotions and questions flood my brain. I started blubbering and sobbing while hitting the dashboard. âNo, no, no. Why!? Why him?â My mom breaks down with me, not able to get out a single word. The family friend who delivered the phone call joins us in the car. She says Dakotaâs in a better place now. Iâm in a state of shock and disbelief. Hot tears will not stop streaming down my cheeks. We were silent on the way back home. I ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. I cried into a pillow for the rest of the afternoon. I skipped dinner. There was a candlelight vigil that evening at a church. I barely had the strength to go, but my mom said it would be good for me. I brought my water bottle. I ate nothing and only drank water to replenish my tears the next two days. Saturday morning, I went to a different church with my family to see Dakotaâs family. The churchâs youth were making survivor bracelets out of parachute cord. Dakota had made them during his depressive episodes during his 9th grade year, when we somewhat drifted. Dakota and I took Spanish class together our freshman year. One day he asked me what my favorite color was. I told him blue. The next day he gave me a blue bracelet he had made. He said he accidentally made one too small. I was instantly brought back to that moment while standing in the church with dozens of people learning how to braid the cord. When I got home, I tore apart my vanity in search for the bracelet he had made for me. I put it on my right hand. I wore the bracelet everyday for an entire year. I had a Dakota original.
Dakotaâs brother, John, who was entering his senior year, invited many of us friends to go out to the place where the accident happened. It was a blind intersection that I had previously been weary of earlier that summer. The corn was high and there were no road signs for a yield or stop. John explained how they had just got in the truck after working the field about a half mile south and were going to take their lunch break. He said they had just started going down the road, picking up speed, when he heard a small voice tell him to put his seatbelt on. John put his seatbelt on, but Dakota didnât. John said he felt as if there was something around the corner, but ultimately did not slow down near the intersection. A driver, going 50 miles per hour, t-boned them in the intersection. According to John, the truck rolled and Dakota was thrown through the windshield. John found his phone and quickly called 911. He found Dakota and blood was coming from his mouth. He had a large wound on his forehead where he had smashed the dashboard. John pulled him into the field of soybeans, opposite the corn, and tried performing CPR. Dakota was mumbling and sputtering blood before his breathing stopped. The paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. They said he was internally decapitated.
The wake for Dakota was on Sunday night. I had a tough time finding the strength to go. We waited in line behind dozens of people for close to an hour. When I finally got up to him, my heart sank again. There he was. His skin was pale. His hair was not right. His mother, who was right by, said it was okay to touch him. I reached for his hair to move it how he usually wore it. As I parted it, I saw the large scar covered by gobs of makeup that the hair was covering on his forehead. I put it back.
His funeral was the next day. Monday. At 1:18PM, his birthday date. I felt sick the whole morning. My whole family got in the car and my mom was talking to my younger siblings. I was silent. I was going to one of my best friendsâ funerals. The church where the funeral was held was absolutely packed. Parked cars took up the surrounding blocks. The church had multiple floors and rooms with casted video of the celebration of life. I was considered close enough to sit in the sanctuary in the front half of the pews. I sat with my gifted teacher and other friends from the gifted program. What a terrible way to end your summer. Saying hello to people you havenât seen in a few months at a funeral. I remember the funeral. There were songs and the service was led in large by Dakotaâs own mother. To this day I have no idea how she had the strength to do that. I remember a few of the songs that were sung, but Iâll never forget the sound of the casket closing. The last goodbye. The final SLAM. His face would never again have sunlight shown upon it. Never again would a person touch him, hold him, hug him.
My family tried to get out to the burial but the crowd was just too insanely large to get around. I had the final say that we could go home. Iâd come back another time.
The next day, I went to the scene of the accident. It was an intersection 5 miles east of my house. Someone had put up a make-shift cross at the intersection. I brought a big University of Kansas patch from one of our gifted trips to place at the cross. He loved basketball, and especially the Jayhawks. On the back of the patch I had written âI love youâ. That night, there was a big storm. I sat up straight in bed and started crying as the wind whistled by my windows. The patch.
When I woke up, I found a reason to leave home and went back out to the intersection. I ran up to the cross and found my patch wrapped tightly around the base with some old barbed wire. I burst into tears of relief. I have no idea who saved my patch.
The next two weeks were spent preparing for school and fall practice. I had decided to do tennis that fall instead of volleyball. On the first day of school, I rode the bus into the town with my school. We drove past the intersection and I burst into tears. I cried four more times that day. Each time in the class he should have been in with me. I was distraught. I have no other way to describe how absolutely depressed I was walking the halls. Teachers were not the same. There was an absence in our sophomore class. An absence on our football team. In our audition choir. In our youth group. And in me. I tried my best to get through it. I started journaling a little bit after the accident to help organize my thoughts. To remember all the little details I could about him. To write them down so they didnât disappear.
My sophomore year was brutal. I was playing tennis in the fall with a small team of girls who helped to create a safe and calm environment for me. I spent all of my hours in the team vehicle listening to two Lifehouse albums on repeat. Iâd look out the window and reflect. What was life? What was my purpose? Why did this happen?
I didnât have an answer. I bottled it up. It seemed that a lot of my class who werenât very close with Dakota had a lot easier time going back to their normal lives. I was missing a friend. There was a contact in my phone from whom Iâd never received another text. I had unfinished business. We had talked all summer about how our math class and Spanish II classes would be so fun this year. The bracelet I wore everyday was getting a stark tan line.
The semester rolled on. One of my other close friends moved to Colorado. And my last best friend, Anna, was in her own self-discovery phase. She wasnât as close to Dakota and I was more or less a depressed teen at that time. I cried at school. In the bathrooms. In the locker room or a small music practice room. Am I just that sensitive? Why is no one else dealing with this grief like I am? I tried to distract myself with various activities. It worked for the most part. In the spring, I went out for softball. I loved softball. I had been playing it for years. I even had helped âassistant coachâ a little girls rec league with Dakota and his family a few summers beforehand. Softball was hard but I needed the challenge. I worked hard at the sport and found myself on the varsity team after multiple players were out for the season due to injury or illness. In the last regular season game, on May 9th on our home field, I broke my leg. I had a high impact with the catcher while trying to steal home. The ump called me safe and we won the game by a run rule as I crumpled to the ground. I remember thinking I could stand up, but the weirdest tingling started down my leg around my knee. My coach carried me off the field like a baby. I pulled my helmet off and one tear slid down my cheek. They put me on a stretcher while the athletic trainer checked my knee.
âYep, you fractured a bone. We should get you in to the ER for an X-rayâ
âFracture? Like my bone broke?â
âYes thatâs what a fracture isâ
I started sobbing. Not from the pain. From the overwhelming feeling of becoming an invalid for an uncertain amount of time. I slid in the back of my momâs vehicle as we drove down to the county ER. We got there, I was still in uniform. Just hysterical. I had no idea what was going on as I had never had an injury like this before. The ER lady took X-rays of my right leg. The images came back and showed a tibial plateau fracture. I wouldnât be walking for a while. They helped cut me out of my softball pants and sent me home with lots of pain killers. The next few days I spent vomiting from the strong norco drug. I had a surgery a few days later where they placed hardware in my knee and put me in a straight-leg brace. I was miserable. It was hot and scratchy and I had my finals coming up. I went back to school the next Wednesday or Thursday to collect some class work to do at home. As I lived on the downstairs couch for close to three weeks I found myself asking again âWhy did this happen?â I finished the school year by doing my final projects and giving my German foreign exchange student friend a final hug. I remember thinking âThis is a nicer way to say goodbye to someone foreverâ.
I couldnât walk for most of the summer and I started painful physical therapy. I was frequenting 3 times a week for a long while to build back my strength and relearn to walk. As soon as I was weight-bearing, I started working outside again. Doing what I could with one crutch. Dakotaâs dad hired me to help manage the field workers and I could do some wood stacking decently enough. On the 1 year anniversary of Dakotaâs death, I went to the gravesite for a small ceremony. It was the first time I had been there. The intersection where he died was my frequent mourning spot, almost daily on my drive to and from school. The gravestone was large and obviously very expensive. It has a beautiful picture of him and the quote âYou got thisâ, that he used often as a self-reassuring phrase. At some point after the 1-year, I stopped wearing the bracelet he made me. Was it time to let go? How long does one mourn?
The rest of my high school journey was tainted with the memories of him and the phantom memories of where I imagined him being. At my graduation, we had an honorary memorial and scholarship dedicated to him and his character. Then I went to college. I was already dating who would become my husband a number of years later.
Years have passed. There is no happy ending. I'm still here. Aging. Growing older while I can still see the face of my 15 year old friend. He isnât growing. Heâs in the ground. Resting. It feels like a lifetime until I can see him again. Iâve had dreams of him. Unprompted visions of him were prevalent for about 2 years after he passed. You would think this story would get easier after the number of times Iâve played in my head over all of these years. But it hasnât. Iâm in the acceptance stage of grief. Iâve lived life, gotten married, laughed again, and see a bright future for myself. Though I do often think, Where would Dakota be now? Would we have become closer friends? Would he be married? He would have made a good father.
Again, I have no answers to these questions that I suppose may eternally sit with me. I do have some answers though. Iâve learned how to not take people for granted. Iâve learned how to recognize depressive symptoms and how to be a listening ear for someone who feels hopeless. Iâve learned how to find purpose in helping people. Iâve learned patience. Sometimes patience is agonizing, which means the reward is definitely worth the wait.
submitted by pianoplayerjas to sadstories [link] [comments]
One night at a Christmas party, us âkidsâ were watching a movie while the adults played games and hung out in the other room. At some point, his head ended up on my lap. I remember touching his hair, but ultimately deciding I did NOT want someone to see this and assume the worse. Another time, we were alone in the basement. The basement was the place of all our friend hangouts. The video and board games were down there, along with the nerf guns. One night we were on the couch showing each other memes from our iPod touches. We were laughing and joking, then he handed me his iPod to read the next one. Except this wasnât a meme: it was his notes app. On the screen it said âI think you are beautifulâ. I instantly blushed and tried to hide my face. âMe?.....â I looked at him, also blushing red and he nodded. I told him thank you. It was the first time any boy had told me I was beautiful. In my own eyes, I was not. I had a big tooth gap because my parents couldnât afford braces, and I wore glasses. I donât know what he saw, but I appreciated the flattering compliment.
We entered high school where once again, your life shifts. You are faced with new teachers, new course materials, new teammates, and new challenges. We remained close friends through this time, by taking enough classes together and being involved with the same friends. It was nearing the fall homecoming season and I was nervous about getting a date. I saw many older boys asking girls to be their dates and I wondered if I would even have one my freshman year. Leave it up to my best friend Anna to set me up.
I clearly remember it was a Sunday night and I was watching football. My mom tells me she got a text from Dakotaâs mom that there was a book she needed to grab from their house. She told me I needed to go with her. Without any context, I was annoyed she was making ME drive her there since I did not want to leave home. They lived about 5 minutes away so I figured the faster we leave the quicker I can get back home. Mom told me I should brush my hair.
âWhy?â
âWell because you should look a little presentable.â
âItâs fine right, weâre just grabbing a book really quick, right?â
âYes but you donât want to leave the house looking like you do.â
I huffed and opened our sliding glass door going outside to the car.
âYou should at least put some shoes on!â
âIâm FINE, Can we just go and get this over withâ
I angrily and annoyed drove/ sped down the paved road to their house, all the while questioning my mother why she really needed me to go with her.
âI donât know, there might be something there for you.â
I had no idea what that meant. We drove to the shop on their property that this supposed book was. I stepped out of the car, barefoot on the gravel and walked into the shop. There I see Dakota, holding a sign. I frantically looked around to figure out what was going on. I see Anna crouched in a corner covering her smiling mouth. I looked at his sign and read the homecoming proposal which used lyrics and titles from Beatles songs, my favorite band.
âOh, Dakota! Of course yes!â
I gave him an awkward hug and turned around to realize that my mother didnât need a book at all.
Dakota was sweet. In an innocent way. He had casually asked before if we could date, but being the reserved and shy individual I was, I had always declined. After the dance, we drifted, not for any particular reason. I heard he had started dating a different girl. She was older by two years. Was I hurt? Not particularly. Was I jealous? Maybe a little more so. They went to prom together and she was definitely way prettier than me. It happens, I thought, we arenât meant to be. A romantic relationship would definitely change our entire chemistry.
Summer came and we were out working together on his familyâs farm. We spent hours in the fields, talking, singing, and sweating. Just good friends again. It was normal and felt right. We spent a week together in late July on a church trip. We worked on a homeless shelter with our youth group and had a fun yet powerful time together. My mom, dad, and brother were on this trip as well, along with many of our church friends. After the week was done on Saturday, we drove back to our town. I remember waving goodbye to his family in their Suburban as they left the church parking lot. I didnât realize how significant that goodbye would be.
A few days went by and we had casual texting conversations about work and school starting in the next few weeks. He texted me Tuesday night that his dad really needed some help the next morning bright and early. I wanted to sleep in. He texted âDonât worry about it, weâll get it covered.â A decision Iâd soon regret.
Wednesday morning, I go to the church with my mom to do a couple of things with her. I canât even recall what it was. We were getting into our car when we heard loud sirens throughout our small town. Mom and I looked at each other. Sirens are never a good sign. We get in the car, curious, but praying whoever needs the ambulance is okay. My mom gets a phone call. Itâs one of our family friends. She says Dakota and his older brother have been in a bad car accident. That heavy feeling that makes your heart sink to your stomach instantly hit me. âTheyâre okay, theyâre okay, theyâre okay.â I kept telling myself. The ambulance was going fast, and Dakota is strong. Heâs practically invincible. My motherâs friend tells us that we should stop by Dakotaâs house to grab the boys clean clothes and bring them to the emergency room. We drive in silence, except for maybe a short prayer that the boys are okay. We get to the house and my mom quickly runs up the stairs to the boysâ bedroom. I stay downstairs. I observe the dining room. Dirty laundry in the baskets. Dirty dishes on the counter. Dakotaâs name on a marker board along with a list of chores to do. We speed to the emergency room in the nearby town. On the way we received a text from Dakotaâs older brother, John. He said he was doing okay but he wasnât sure about Dakota. We should be keeping their family in our prayers. The panic was rising in my throat. I had been nervous about things before. This was different. It was like a nauseating churn that started in my stomach. Like my soul was shaking out of my physical body. We got to the hospital, parked and my mom said I should stay in the car. Probably wanting to protect me from any scarring sights within the ER. I wanted to go in. Could I see him? She insisted that I stay in the car. I stayed. Frozen at first. Then rocking back and forth. My palms were shaking and itchy in the center.
âThis canât be happening. Not Dakota. Heâs like my best friend. Kids donât die. Heâs too young. Too smart. He has an incredibly successful life ahead of him.â
I was eyeing the automatic door for any sign of someone that I recognized. The ten minutes I waited felt like an hour. Ten minutes of restless uncertainty. Then I see my mom. She had one of the hardest faces that I had ever seen her make. She opened the driverâs side door and I immediately asked âWhatâs going on. Is he ok?!â
She looks at me dead in the eyes, shaking her head, âHe didnât make it, Jasmineâ
A million emotions and questions flood my brain. I started blubbering and sobbing while hitting the dashboard. âNo, no, no. Why!? Why him?â My mom breaks down with me, not able to get out a single word. The family friend who delivered the phone call joins us in the car. She says Dakotaâs in a better place now. Iâm in a state of shock and disbelief. Hot tears will not stop streaming down my cheeks. We were silent on the way back home. I ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. I cried into a pillow for the rest of the afternoon. I skipped dinner. There was a candlelight vigil that evening at a church. I barely had the strength to go, but my mom said it would be good for me. I brought my water bottle. I ate nothing and only drank water to replenish my tears the next two days. Saturday morning, I went to a different church with my family to see Dakotaâs family. The churchâs youth were making survivor bracelets out of parachute cord. Dakota had made them during his depressive episodes during his 9th grade year, when we somewhat drifted. Dakota and I took Spanish class together our freshman year. One day he asked me what my favorite color was. I told him blue. The next day he gave me a blue bracelet he had made. He said he accidentally made one too small. I was instantly brought back to that moment while standing in the church with dozens of people learning how to braid the cord. When I got home, I tore apart my vanity in search for the bracelet he had made for me. I put it on my right hand. I wore the bracelet everyday for an entire year. I had a Dakota original.
Dakotaâs brother, John, who was entering his senior year, invited many of us friends to go out to the place where the accident happened. It was a blind intersection that I had previously been weary of earlier that summer. The corn was high and there were no road signs for a yield or stop. John explained how they had just got in the truck after working the field about a half mile south and were going to take their lunch break. He said they had just started going down the road, picking up speed, when he heard a small voice tell him to put his seatbelt on. John put his seatbelt on, but Dakota didnât. John said he felt as if there was something around the corner, but ultimately did not slow down near the intersection. A driver, going 50 miles per hour, t-boned them in the intersection. According to John, the truck rolled and Dakota was thrown through the windshield. John found his phone and quickly called 911. He found Dakota and blood was coming from his mouth. He had a large wound on his forehead where he had smashed the dashboard. John pulled him into the field of soybeans, opposite the corn, and tried performing CPR. Dakota was mumbling and sputtering blood before his breathing stopped. The paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. They said he was internally decapitated.
The wake for Dakota was on Sunday night. I had a tough time finding the strength to go. We waited in line behind dozens of people for close to an hour. When I finally got up to him, my heart sank again. There he was. His skin was pale. His hair was not right. His mother, who was right by, said it was okay to touch him. I reached for his hair to move it how he usually wore it. As I parted it, I saw the large scar covered by gobs of makeup that the hair was covering on his forehead. I put it back.
His funeral was the next day. Monday. At 1:18PM, his birthday date. I felt sick the whole morning. My whole family got in the car and my mom was talking to my younger siblings. I was silent. I was going to one of my best friendsâ funerals. The church where the funeral was held was absolutely packed. Parked cars took up the surrounding blocks. The church had multiple floors and rooms with casted video of the celebration of life. I was considered close enough to sit in the sanctuary in the front half of the pews. I sat with my gifted teacher and other friends from the gifted program. What a terrible way to end your summer. Saying hello to people you havenât seen in a few months at a funeral. I remember the funeral. There were songs and the service was led in large by Dakotaâs own mother. To this day I have no idea how she had the strength to do that. I remember a few of the songs that were sung, but Iâll never forget the sound of the casket closing. The last goodbye. The final SLAM. His face would never again have sunlight shown upon it. Never again would a person touch him, hold him, hug him.
My family tried to get out to the burial but the crowd was just too insanely large to get around. I had the final say that we could go home. Iâd come back another time.
The next day, I went to the scene of the accident. It was an intersection 5 miles east of my house. Someone had put up a make-shift cross at the intersection. I brought a big University of Kansas patch from one of our gifted trips to place at the cross. He loved basketball, and especially the Jayhawks. On the back of the patch I had written âI love youâ. That night, there was a big storm. I sat up straight in bed and started crying as the wind whistled by my windows. The patch.
When I woke up, I found a reason to leave home and went back out to the intersection. I ran up to the cross and found my patch wrapped tightly around the base with some old barbed wire. I burst into tears of relief. I have no idea who saved my patch.
The next two weeks were spent preparing for school and fall practice. I had decided to do tennis that fall instead of volleyball. On the first day of school, I rode the bus into the town with my school. We drove past the intersection and I burst into tears. I cried four more times that day. Each time in the class he should have been in with me. I was distraught. I have no other way to describe how absolutely depressed I was walking the halls. Teachers were not the same. There was an absence in our sophomore class. An absence on our football team. In our audition choir. In our youth group. And in me. I tried my best to get through it. I started journaling a little bit after the accident to help organize my thoughts. To remember all the little details I could about him. To write them down so they didnât disappear.
My sophomore year was brutal. I was playing tennis in the fall with a small team of girls who helped to create a safe and calm environment for me. I spent all of my hours in the team vehicle listening to two Lifehouse albums on repeat. Iâd look out the window and reflect. What was life? What was my purpose? Why did this happen?
I didnât have an answer. I bottled it up. It seemed that a lot of my class who werenât very close with Dakota had a lot easier time going back to their normal lives. I was missing a friend. There was a contact in my phone from whom Iâd never received another text. I had unfinished business. We had talked all summer about how our math class and Spanish II classes would be so fun this year. The bracelet I wore everyday was getting a stark tan line.
The semester rolled on. One of my other close friends moved to Colorado. And my last best friend, Anna, was in her own self-discovery phase. She wasnât as close to Dakota and I was more or less a depressed teen at that time. I cried at school. In the bathrooms. In the locker room or a small music practice room. Am I just that sensitive? Why is no one else dealing with this grief like I am? I tried to distract myself with various activities. It worked for the most part. In the spring, I went out for softball. I loved softball. I had been playing it for years. I even had helped âassistant coachâ a little girls rec league with Dakota and his family a few summers beforehand. Softball was hard but I needed the challenge. I worked hard at the sport and found myself on the varsity team after multiple players were out for the season due to injury or illness. In the last regular season game, on May 9th on our home field, I broke my leg. I had a high impact with the catcher while trying to steal home. The ump called me safe and we won the game by a run rule as I crumpled to the ground. I remember thinking I could stand up, but the weirdest tingling started down my leg around my knee. My coach carried me off the field like a baby. I pulled my helmet off and one tear slid down my cheek. They put me on a stretcher while the athletic trainer checked my knee.
âYep, you fractured a bone. We should get you in to the ER for an X-rayâ
âFracture? Like my bone broke?â
âYes thatâs what a fracture isâ
I started sobbing. Not from the pain. From the overwhelming feeling of becoming an invalid for an uncertain amount of time. I slid in the back of my momâs vehicle as we drove down to the county ER. We got there, I was still in uniform. Just hysterical. I had no idea what was going on as I had never had an injury like this before. The ER lady took X-rays of my right leg. The images came back and showed a tibial plateau fracture. I wouldnât be walking for a while. They helped cut me out of my softball pants and sent me home with lots of pain killers. The next few days I spent vomiting from the strong norco drug. I had a surgery a few days later where they placed hardware in my knee and put me in a straight-leg brace. I was miserable. It was hot and scratchy and I had my finals coming up. I went back to school the next Wednesday or Thursday to collect some class work to do at home. As I lived on the downstairs couch for close to three weeks I found myself asking again âWhy did this happen?â I finished the school year by doing my final projects and giving my German foreign exchange student friend a final hug. I remember thinking âThis is a nicer way to say goodbye to someone foreverâ.
I couldnât walk for most of the summer and I started painful physical therapy. I was frequenting 3 times a week for a long while to build back my strength and relearn to walk. As soon as I was weight-bearing, I started working outside again. Doing what I could with one crutch. Dakotaâs dad hired me to help manage the field workers and I could do some wood stacking decently enough. On the 1 year anniversary of Dakotaâs death, I went to the gravesite for a small ceremony. It was the first time I had been there. The intersection where he died was my frequent mourning spot, almost daily on my drive to and from school. The gravestone was large and obviously very expensive. It has a beautiful picture of him and the quote âYou got thisâ, that he used often as a self-reassuring phrase. At some point after the 1-year, I stopped wearing the bracelet he made me. Was it time to let go? How long does one mourn?
The rest of my high school journey was tainted with the memories of him and the phantom memories of where I imagined him being. At my graduation, we had an honorary memorial and scholarship dedicated to him and his character. Then I went to college. I was already dating who would become my husband a number of years later.
Years have passed. There is no happy ending. I'm still here. Aging. Growing older while I can still see the face of my 15 year old friend. He isnât growing. Heâs in the ground. Resting. It feels like a lifetime until I can see him again. Iâve had dreams of him. Unprompted visions of him were prevalent for about 2 years after he passed. You would think this story would get easier after the number of times Iâve played in my head over all of these years. But it hasnât. Iâm in the acceptance stage of grief. Iâve lived life, gotten married, laughed again, and see a bright future for myself. Though I do often think, Where would Dakota be now? Would we have become closer friends? Would he be married? He would have made a good father.
Again, I have no answers to these questions that I suppose may eternally sit with me. I do have some answers though. Iâve learned how to not take people for granted. Iâve learned how to recognize depressive symptoms and how to be a listening ear for someone who feels hopeless. Iâve learned how to find purpose in helping people. Iâve learned patience. Sometimes patience is agonizing, which means the reward is definitely worth the wait.
2024.05.12 06:50 piacere68 What do middle school kids even wear?
This is going to sound ridiculous but help?
My kiddo (12M) is going to a new school next year that doesn't wear uniforms. I also only ever see middle school kids that wear unforms at my job. Currently when not in school he lives in basketball shorts and t-shirts and really doesn't care much about what he wears outside of school. I have no idea what middle school kids wear at all. Google was a little less than helpful.
I am so nervous that he dresses well and I know it's 99% my own hang-ups of dressing horribly in middle school due to finances. I know this is extremely superficial, and I really don't want to be so materialistic about it but I want this to go well for him. It's a new school I am anxious for him to make friends easily since at his current school he has had trouble making and keeping friends. Our family is financially comfortable enough for him to dress a bit trendy if he wants so I am willing to go out a little bit for the first time really "back to school" shopping.
*ETA thanks for the thoughts everyone! I was literally just talking to my husband about the thread and how many people mentioned Crocs and he said I am not buying idiocracy shoes đ
submitted by piacere68 to Parenting [link] [comments]
My kiddo (12M) is going to a new school next year that doesn't wear uniforms. I also only ever see middle school kids that wear unforms at my job. Currently when not in school he lives in basketball shorts and t-shirts and really doesn't care much about what he wears outside of school. I have no idea what middle school kids wear at all. Google was a little less than helpful.
I am so nervous that he dresses well and I know it's 99% my own hang-ups of dressing horribly in middle school due to finances. I know this is extremely superficial, and I really don't want to be so materialistic about it but I want this to go well for him. It's a new school I am anxious for him to make friends easily since at his current school he has had trouble making and keeping friends. Our family is financially comfortable enough for him to dress a bit trendy if he wants so I am willing to go out a little bit for the first time really "back to school" shopping.
*ETA thanks for the thoughts everyone! I was literally just talking to my husband about the thread and how many people mentioned Crocs and he said I am not buying idiocracy shoes đ
2024.05.12 00:31 Substantial_Item_828 No, Itâs Not Joever: How 2024 Polling Is Underestimating Joe Biden
 | Note: This essay was written about a month ago, for a school project. Some of the numbers and polling averages may be slightly outdated, but the point of the essay still stands. submitted by Substantial_Item_828 to AngryObservation [link] [comments] Introduction âDEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN.â Thatâs what the front-page headline of the Chicago Tribune said on November 3rd, 1948. Itâs also what the polls had all been saying for months: that New York governor Thomas Dewey would defeat incumbent president Harry Truman and become the next president of the United States. And yet, he didnât. Truman won reelection in a massive upset, defying the polls. Somehow, Truman had gone from trailing Dewey in polls by so much that cartoons like the following were created, to winning the election. https://preview.redd.it/oqba22kugvzc1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=92204f20feee6faea87f731a797760140c4a0814 Truman was a very unpopular president. His campaign was also plagued by third parties threatening to split his votes: Strom Thurmond on the right and Henry Wallace on the left. The way he was able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat canât be described as anything less than amazing. Historians still debate over it, but the most popular theory is that Truman was able to win many voters who disapproved of him because he successfully painted Republicans as being worse than he was. This strategy was aided by Deweyâs weak campaign. Many voters didnât like Truman, and when polled, wouldnât say they would vote for him, but when the time came, they held their nose and pulled the lever for the president. The election was a lesson to not treat polls as gospel. Today, the nation faces another presidential election. The Democratic candidate is incumbent president Joe Biden. Heâs running for reelection despite concerns about his age and rumors he wouldnât run again due to it. On the Republican side, former president Donald Trump is the nominee. He faced opposition in the primaries, most notably by former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, but beat her and his other opponents without too much trouble. The election is the first presidential rematch since 1956. Several independent/third-party candidates are running too, the most notable being Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr. for short), nephew of JFK. Heâs been polling very high for a third-party candidate, getting double digits in many polls. Biden beat Trump in 2020, but opinion polls have been showing Trump leading Biden, often by large margins. As of April 1st, Trump leads Biden by 1.1% in the national polling average according to racetothewh.com, an election prediction/poll aggregation website. Biden won the popular vote by 4.5% in 2020, so this is a sizable swing right. Trump also leads Biden in all seven swing states. Below is a chart comparing the 2020 presidential election margin and the 2024 polling average in the seven swing states. https://preview.redd.it/9wvdn2yzgvzc1.png?width=631&format=png&auto=webp&s=e9c69e14cedfecc11d866837b9533d3e39a30db0 It seems like Bidenâs doomed. He needs to win at least some of the swing states to win the election, and right now he isnât winning any of them. It looks like Trump is on track to becoming the second president ever to win a non-consecutive second term, after Grover Cleveland. But thereâs something else going on. Bidenâs bad polling situation seems simple on the surface. Heâs incredibly unpopular, having an approval rating of 39.1% (net -16.3%) according to FiveThirtyEight. His bout of unpopularity seems to have started around the Afghanistan withdrawal, although when asking someone their reason for disliking Biden theyâll probably say something about his age or the economy instead. So, it makes sense that Biden would be polling badly. Heâs an unpopular president, and people would rather have Trump. But it isnât that simple. Because looking deeper, there are some things that donât make sense. Crosstabs of polls showing massive realignments not seen since the Civil Rights era. Other indicators of a president in trouble not showing up. Things that when put together, suggest Biden may not be in as much danger as the polls say. When all the evidence is put together and analyzed, itâs clear that Biden is not doomed, not at all. Bidenâs bad polling can be explained by two things. First, bad polling methodology underpolling his supporters. Second, people who are supporting third parties now, but will eventually return to Biden. These two things are both making Bidenâs polling look bad, although which one has a stronger effect depends on the poll and the demographic group. Additionally, all the indicators other than the polls, like primary elections and special/off-year elections, donât show Biden in too much trouble. Explaining Racial and Age Depolarization First, context is needed for the rest of this essay to make sense. So, as was said earlier, 2024 polls are showing Biden doing much worse than his 2020 performance. That makes sense â Biden is less popular, so naturally fewer people want to vote for him. The strange part is what demographic groups Biden is slipping with. Instead of a mostly uniform shift, which would be expected, almost all of Bidenâs losses seem to come among nonwhite voters â most significantly black and Hispanic voters. Heâs also losing ground among young voters (usually defined as voters between the ages of 18 and 29). The Democratic Party traditionally does well with these groups, so this is of course concerning for Biden. Even more strange is that in some polls, Biden is actually making some inroads among the demographics that are historically the base of the Republican Party â those being white voters and seniors. Looking at the aggregation of crosstabs of polls during February, there are many abnormalities. The aggregation shows Trump making massive gains among black and Hispanic voters (swings of R+28.4 and R+18.5 respectively) but making almost zero gains among white voters (R+0.1, but right under that there are slight blue swings with both college educated and non-college educated whites, likely a product of not all polls recording results for those groups). This is strange, to say the least. White people seem to be perfectly fine with Biden, while nonwhite people suddenly despise him. This phenomenon is called racial depolarization, or racedep for short. Swings among different age groups are also odd. Trump is improving by 16.1 points among voters aged 18-29 but losing 1.8 points with seniors and 4 points with voters aged 50-64. Young voters are much more liberal than older voters. Every opinion poll and election result suggests this. Unless theyâve suddenly become much more conservative, them supporting Trump over Biden doesnât make sense. Along with racedep, age depolarization ("agedep") is common in crosstabs of 2024 polls. Those are not the only depolarizations supposedly going on, as can be seen in the tweet. Urban and suburban voters moving towards Trump while rural voters move towards Biden. Democrats moving towards Trump, Republicans moving towards Biden. Geographical and political polarization have been increasing in recent years, so this suggests a strange reverse of that trend. 2024 probably wonât be a large realignment, itâs more likely something is just wrong with the polls. Explaining Primaries Presidential primary season has been going on for a few months, after the Iowa caucus kicked it off in January. While Biden and Trump both won their primaries easily, how strong their performances were in different areas can reveal a lot about how certain groups are feeling about the candidacies of the two â like black, Hispanic, and young voters. But first, protest voting has to be explained. When an incumbent president is running for reelection, they usually do not face much opposition in the primaries. Typically, only no-name minor candidates are the other people on the ballot besides the president. They do not have a chance at winning, but they do serve as a way for people who are upset with the president to express it. Sometimes, the âUncommittedâ option is also used to protest. Look back to 2012, when Obama was running for reelection. He swept the primaries, but his worst performances were in West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, where he got under 60% of the vote. The four states all had something in common: a lot of the registered Democrats were white conservatives who before 2008 voted Democratic, but switched to McCain because they didnât like Obamaâs dark vision for America. They voted against Obama in the primaries because they didnât like him and didnât want him to be the nominee. Those voters would then go on to vote Republican in the general election. The places that swung the hardest against Obama in 2008 were also the places where he did the worst in the 2012 primaries. 2004-2008 swing 2012 Oklahoma Democratic presidential primary 2012 Arkansas Democratic presidential primary 2012 Kentucky Democratic presidential primary 2012 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary Now, those four states were already very red even before 2008, Obama was not going to win them and he did not need to win them. But if a candidate is doing badly in a potentially competitive stateâs primary, they should heed the warning â or risk losing. Another good example of protest voting can be found in the 2016 Democratic primary. Hillary Clinton did very poorly in the Rust Belt states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania â losing the first two to Sanders and coming close to losing the last. And where Sandersâs support was strongest was in rural areas â also the areas that swung the most towards Trump in the general election. Trump narrowly flipped all three of those states, winning him the presidency. 2016 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary 2016 Michigan Democratic presidential primary 2016 Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary 2012-2016 swing The polls said Clinton would easily win all three states, while the primaries said she would struggle in them â and the primaries were right. The 2024 Primaries Presidential primaries can give an idea of where a candidate might underperform in the general election, and 2024 primaries are no exception. If black, Hispanic, and young voters are upset with Biden, like the polls are suggesting, then they will protest vote against him. The first primary that will be examined is the South Carolina primary. South Carolina is 26% black according to the 2020 census, and that number is even higher among Democratic primary voters thanks to the racial polarization of the state â Biden won 90% of black South Carolinians in the 2020 election, while Trump won 73% of white South Carolinians. https://preview.redd.it/x2t8cnl3hvzc1.png?width=338&format=png&auto=webp&s=2b5982c343da804a10a1221e623b2de84b2f1b86 South Carolina was also the first primary state (so Biden did not have momentum from winning contests at that point, nor was he the presumptive nominee), and the primary was open (meaning independents could vote), so the conditions for protest voting were as good as they could possibly be. But despite all that, Biden got 96% of the vote. If black people really are upset with Biden, they clearly donât hate him enough to cast a protest vote against him. And looking at individual counties, thereâs not even a correlation between the percent of black people and the percent of opposition vote. Biden got 97% of the vote in Allendale County (73% black, the blackest county in the state) and he got 95% in Pickens County (7% black, the least black county in the state). If anything, Biden did better in counties where there are more black people. And itâs not just South Carolina â in pretty much every state where black people make up a significant percentage of the Democratic electorate, Biden won by huge margins. He got 99% in Mississippi, 95% in Georgia, 90% in Alabama, and 86% in Louisiana. Biden came close to losing a few counties in Louisiana â but not the ones with lots of black people. The counties he did the worst in are heavily white. The same kind of people who gave Obama trouble in the 2012 primaries voted against Biden, too. Evidently, black people arenât protest voting against Biden. Young voters will be looked at next, using the Michigan primary. Just like South Carolina, Michigan has open primaries. There was an organized campaign for the âUncommittedâ option in Michigan to protest Bidenâs policy on Gaza and pressure him into calling for a ceasefire. The Uncommitted option did modestly well, getting 13% of the vote, slightly higher than it did twelve years ago when Obama was running for reelection. The Uncommitted campaign achieved their (unambitious) goal of 10,000 votes, getting slightly over 100,000. Biden got 81% of the vote, while Williamson and Phillips took the remaining 6%. Whatâs interesting though, is where Uncommitted did the best. Its strongest performance was in Wayne County (which includes Detroit and a few other cities), where it got 17%. Wayne County is home to 140,000 Arab Americans who make up 7.8% of the countyâs population, so the strong Uncommitted performance wasnât surprising. The second strongest county for Uncommitted was Washtenaw County (also 17%), which doesnât have many Arab Americans. What it does have, however, is the University of Michigan. With over 50,000 students enrolled, itâs one of the largest colleges in the country. Looking at a precinct map of the results for Washtenaw County, Uncommitted did well because UMich students were protest voting against Biden. https://preview.redd.it/nov5qkx5hvzc1.png?width=629&format=png&auto=webp&s=cec905bdfdd4fa10be01d03a97a220925d4ffa6d Ann Arbor, the city where UMich is located, had a very high percentage of Uncommitted votes. Thereâs no doubt about it, college students were voting Uncommitted to protest Bidenâs handling of the war in Gaza. Looking at college counties in other primaries, there was generally a trend of the Uncommitted option (or whatever name the state has for it) doing well. In Dane County, Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin), there was lots of protest voting against Biden. âUninstructedâ got 15% in Dane vs 8% statewide. âNone of these namesâ did well in Douglas County, Kansas (University of Kansas), getting 14.5% of the vote, compared to the statewide average of 10.3%. And Uncommitted got a sizable 21% in New Haven, Connecticut (Yale University), compared to 11% statewide. Thereâs definitely some protest voting against Biden by young voters. But remember the reason most of them are unhappy with Biden in the first place: itâs because of Gaza. Trump is more pro-Israel then Biden, so it makes no sense for them to support him. Thatâs different from Haley voters, who are ideologically between Biden and Trump. Things may be more complicated than they seem, as will be discussed later, but first hereâs the analysis of the third group Biden has been slipping with in polls: Hispanic voters. The Texas primary is a good place to judge how Hispanic voters are feeling about Biden. Texas has open primaries, like Michigan and South Carolina. Biden did the worst in South and West Texas. One of the places he underperformed the most was the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). He got percentages in the 60s, 50s, and even 40s in many RGV counties, with his worst performance being in Zapata County, where he got a pathetic 40% of the vote. The RGV is heavily Hispanic, so at first this seems like a validation of the polls showing Trump making massive gains among Hispanic voters â but it isnât the only place in Texas where Hispanic people live. Biden performed very strongly in El Paso County, an 82% Hispanic county home to the city of the same name. He also did well in places like Bexar County (San Antonio, 59% Hispanic), Dallas County (Dallas, 40% Hispanic), and Harris County (Houston, 43% Hispanic). Looking at other states, it seems like Bidenâs RGV performance was the exception, not the rule. He got 81% in Imperial County, California (86% Hispanic); and 83% in Santa Cruz County, Arizona (83% Hispanic). Hispanic voters have been slowly trending towards Republicans over time, so Bidenâs performances are even more impressive when that factor is taken into account. According to exit polls, Hispanic voters voted for Obama by 44 points, Clinton by 38 points, and 2020 Biden by 33 points. A lot of the people voting against Biden may be registered as Democrats but didnât vote for him in 2020. https://preview.redd.it/h35vewo8hvzc1.png?width=407&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c5b78394104a627ae1b8019db62aa1c3a4a1b70 https://preview.redd.it/jlo9nlhdhvzc1.png?width=377&format=png&auto=webp&s=726526e7da2a9c8690ab01e00a12e2e49265445d https://preview.redd.it/l4tremrehvzc1.png?width=458&format=png&auto=webp&s=0744e5c12f7c0c4eb05ec84b59a070174b017b98 Overall, primaries donât support the polls showing Trump making huge gains among black/Hispanic/young voters. Thereâs zero evidence black voters are upset with Biden. As for the other two groups, there are some signs of discontent, but not enough to warrant the double-digit swings polls are showing. Bidenâs underperformances in college counties/Hispanic counties, when present at all, are usually less than 10 points worse than his statewide performance. And thatâs assuming every single person protest voting will go for Trump. If all protest voters really do vote for the other party in the general election, say hello to Bidenâs second term, because Nikki Haley regularly gets twice the number of votes in Republican primaries as Bidenâs opposition does in Democratic primaries. Even after she dropped out. Midterms, Off-Years, and Special Elections At the same time Biden has been doing well in primaries, Democrats have been scoring wins in special/off-year elections. These elections are historically correlated with the popularity of the president, so they conflict with the polls showing Biden down. Look at elections during the last three presidencies to know what happens when a president is unpopular. While Trump was in office, he was quite the unpopular president, and his party lost many elections because of it. Through 2017-2019, Republicans lost a net 8 governorships, going from 34 to 26; and a net 41 House seats, going from 241 to 200. The only chamber they managed to gain in was the Senate (thanks to a very favorable map and increased polarization causing many Democrats in red states to lose) â but not without losing a special election in Alabama, a deep red state that had voted for Trump over Clinton by almost 28 points. This pattern continues to back when Obama was in office. From 2009-2011, when he was at the height of his unpopularity due to the state of the economy and Obamacare, Democrats lost big. They went from 28 governorships to just 20, 257 House seats to only 193, and 59 Senate seats to only 53. Like Republicans with Alabama during Trumpâs presidency, Democrats managed to lose a Senate special election in a state considered safe for their party â Massachusetts, which had voted for Obama by 26 points in 2008. And it goes even further back to Bushâs presidency. Backlash over the wars caused Republicans to lose 6 governorships from 2005-2007 (going from 28 seats to 22), 30 House seats (232 down to 202), and 6 Senate seats (55 to 49). But despite Bidenâs unpopularity and bad polling, Democrats have been doing well in elections despite precedent saying they shouldnât be. The 2022 midterms, which were supposed to be a red wave, were anything but. Democrats flipped a net 2 governorships and 1 Senate seat, and only barely lost the House. The small majority Republicans won has been giving them trouble when trying to govern. Already, one Speaker was ousted and itâs possible a second might be too. More recently, Democrats won the governorship in Kentucky and almost won it in Mississippi, both very red states. They flipped the Virginia state house and won a supreme court election in Pennsylvania by a large margin. Two months ago, they won a competitive special election for a House seat in New York by a decisive 8-point margin. Interestingly, the normal pattern of an unpopular presidentâs party doing poorly manifested early in Bidenâs term. After his approval rating crashed during the Afghanistan withdrawal, Democrats went on to lose the governorship (and state house) of Virginia, and almost lost the governorship of New Jersey. Both states voted for Biden by double digits in the 2020 election. Something changed between November 2021 and November 2022 to cause this shift. It might have been the Supreme Courtâs decision to overturn Roe V. Wade and allow states to ban abortion. In several special elections right after the decision, Democrats overperformed massively. For example, Republicans won the special election for Nebraskaâs 1st congressional district, which voted for Trump by 11 points in 2020, by only a 5-point margin. The election took place just four days after the Dobbs decision. The Trump-backed candidates nominated in many Senate and governor elections could also be the ones to blame. Thanks to Trumpâs endorsement, many extremist candidates won the primaries in key races. They often denied the results of the 2020 presidential election and had other problematic views. Most of them went on to lose the general election, sometimes by huge margins. Below is a table of all the results. https://preview.redd.it/vx1ilmujhvzc1.png?width=633&format=png&auto=webp&s=2771b74c5d4257d66b4825078ada46216b0be9bd Whatever the cause, Republicans flopped in 2022 and havenât recovered since. And it doesnât seem like Trump will be able to avoid the problems plaguing his party. His handpicked candidates were the ones that did terribly while other Republicans often did well; and the abortion issue isnât just going away, not to mention Trumpâs the one responsible for getting Roe overturned with his SCOTUS appointments. Of course, thereâs a counterargument: that Biden is somehow breaking historical precedent, and heâll do badly while other Democrats do fine. That seems like a reasonable theory, until the fact that Biden vs Trump and the generic congressional ballot are polling exactly the same is considered. As of April 5th, at least. https://preview.redd.it/l0ecq2slhvzc1.png?width=753&format=png&auto=webp&s=d8c231135e068129cc1f9c3e1a3b9b2ce41be3fb Since work on this essay has started, Biden has experienced a little surge of support in the polls. It could just be noise, but it might be something else. https://preview.redd.it/m14gsmjmhvzc1.png?width=1043&format=png&auto=webp&s=43bc8d8146b31f5a613a1e7a4adc4ca30a858750 Biden has also been polling as well as (or sometimes even better than) hypothetical Democratic candidates for president like VP Kamala Harris, California governor Gavin Newsom, and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. It could be argued Biden is only doing better because he has higher name recognition, and Democrats who donât know the other three candidates are answering undecided. But Michelle Obama being extremely well-known didnât stop her from trailing Trump by the exact same amount as Biden in a poll. https://preview.redd.it/7h189dpnhvzc1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=42aa042e9462022d397bbe212c428e41f4d40c99 Democrats are doing much better in actual elections than in polls, and Bidenâs polling the same as other Democrats. It stands to reason that Biden would also do better in an election than in polls. The Problem with the Polls While primary and off-year elections suggest Biden isnât doing badly, they still donât explain the polls. One theory is that the black/Hispanic/young voters who donât like Biden arenât voting in any elections, thatâs why Democrats are doing well. Perhaps the biggest proponent of this theory is Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst for the NYT. This theoretical group of low-propensity Trump supporters who love answering polls but donât vote in any elections sounds dubious, and thatâs probably because it doesnât exist at all. Bidenâs bad polling is caused by two main things. The first is bad methodology, but before that is discussed, how polls work must be explained. Polls work by contacting a certain number of voters, usually around a thousand, and asking them how they plan to vote. The 2024 options are usually Biden/Trump/Undecided/Other. Sometimes Other is changed to real third-party candidates, like RFK Jr. Polls also ask information on the voter, like their race, sex, age, and region. After data is collected, polls are weighted to reflect real demographics. For example, if a pollâs raw data has 40% of respondents living in urban areas while 60% live in rural areas, and the actual percentage of voters is 50% urban and 50% rural, then the responses of the urban voters are weighted higher. If that poll has urban areas voting 60D/40R and rural areas 40D/60R, then the raw data is 48D/52R while the weighted (and final) data is 50D/50R. This seems like an effective way to avoid bias in polls, and account for lower response rates from certain groups. If rural voters are answering at a higher rate, just give them less weight. If Hispanic voters are answering at a lower rate, give them more weight. The thing is, voters donât belong to just one group. A person can both live in a rural area and be Hispanic. And while groups (rural voters, Hispanic voters) are weighted, subgroups (rural Hispanic voters) are not. Say, rural Hispanic voters are more Republican than urban and suburban Hispanic voters. Say, theyâre answering polls at higher rates as well. Rural voters will be weighted lower in the poll, but thatâs just all rural voters combined. Rural Hispanic voters are not weighted vs other Hispanics. That would lead to Hispanic voters in the poll being more Republican than they are in reality. A typical poll has around a thousand respondents, and a margin of error of about Âą3%. The sample sizes for different groups, however, are much smaller, which means a bigger margin of error. Letâs say Hispanic voters are 10% of the pollâs respondents, or a hundred in total. Thatâs a margin of error of Âą8%, much larger than the Âą3% for the poll as a whole. And if rural Hispanic voters are 20% of all Hispanic voters, thatâs a margin of error of Âą18%! Small inaccuracies in subgroups can cause a ripple effect that makes the whole poll wrong. Letâs do a simulation to show this effect off.
You guessed it, this is happening in real life. And not just with Hispanic voters, but with everyone. A pattern among 2024 polls is that rural voters are answering at a higher rate than urban/suburban voters. In one NYT/Siena poll (Trump+4), rural voters made up about 35% of the respondents, when they only made up 19% of the 2020 electorate. In another poll by Grinnell College (Trump+7), rural voters made up 27% of the respondents. Voters who said they lived in a âtownâ made up 17%, and itâs likely at least some of them would break for rural if they had to choose between urban/suburban/rural. Looking at the 538 poll database, a clear pattern emerges. Polls that have Trump leading Biden have a proportion of rural voters that is way too high. Polls where Biden leads Trump have more normal numbers. Rural voters tend to be more conservative and vote Republican, and sure enough, Republicans are answering at a higher rate then Democrats. (scroll to "Do you consider yourself a Democrat, a Republican, an independent or a member of another party?" for the NYT/Siena poll and the top of page 6 for the Grinnell College poll. Both show more Republicans answering the poll than Democrats.) One pollster, Susquehanna Polling and Research, remarked that Trump supporters seem to have higher enthusiasm than Biden supporters, and so are answering polls at a higher rate. The second reason why Trump may not be winning Pennsylvania has to do with who is answering polls. We suspect because Trump is the only candidate with âenthusiasticâ voters, itâs Trump voters in particular who are disproportionately talking to pollsters. Itâs the reverse of what happened in 2016, when the phenomenon of âshyâ Trump voters meant that many pollsters undercounted Trumpâs base of support. Many voters were afraid to admit they were Trumpers back then. Today, we suspect many pollsters are not adjusting their samples to account for this ânon-responseâ bias, as itâs typically called. But SP&R is doing so.Polls also say that Trump voters are more enthusiastic than Biden voters. Republicans are slightly more enthusiastic ahead of Novemberâs general election, edging out Democrats, according to a new survey.Groups like seniors and white voters may not be swinging towards Trump because there isnât an enthusiasm gap, unlike with black/Hispanic/young voters. According to a YouGov poll, groups that arenât swinging towards Trump in the crosstab aggregate are also paying more attention to the election (and therefore are more enthusiastic, and answering more polls). When black/Hispanic/young voters start paying more attention, theyâll get enthusiastic and start answering polls, which should improve Bidenâs polling. https://preview.redd.it/0899t1ephvzc1.png?width=1074&format=png&auto=webp&s=4f9fe91a2d30381a9f08e7e1883b90679aefd6a0 And that rural Hispanic voter hypothetical was based on something real. Rural Hispanic voters were already more Republican than other Hispanics in the 2020 election; and Biden did badly in the rural RGV in the primaries while doing better in cities like El Paso. The difference may be even larger than it was four years ago, with rural Hispanics swinging against Biden while urban and suburban Hispanics donât. Rural Hispanics make up a small percentage of Hispanic voters (scroll down to "Area type"), so this swing doesnât mean much for Bidenâs electoral prospects. It screws with the crosstabs of Hispanic voters, however. As Bidenâs voters become more enthusiastic and the gap closes, polls may start swinging towards him as more of his voters answer polls. There have already been signs of this happening, like that surge in support mentioned earlier. Perhaps itâs because of the recent ad blitz by Biden energizing his supporters? Oversamples, and the True State of the Election Biden voters are not answering polls as much as Trump voters, and this is creating big swings in crosstabs thanks to low sample sizes. Polls with bigger sample sizes would be much better. The margins of error would be much smaller and the crosstabs much more accurate. Unfortunately, itâs too expensive to make polls with huge sample sizes, but thereâs still the next best thing â oversamples. Oversamples are polls that poll only one specific group. While a normal poll polls everyone, an oversample might poll only black voters, for example. Because of the big sample sizes, oversamples are much better for determining the voting intentions of groups than just looking at the crosstabs of normal polls. Oversamples can also use more advanced methods of polling to reach people who may not respond otherwise. There are three oversamples that are going to be examined here. The first is by Black PAC, and itâs an oversample of black voters. https://preview.redd.it/epcr7xeqhvzc1.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=6938941ae9e6b345778035bfd45f7ceb81aa98ed Trump gets a pathetic 8% of black voters, less than half of the polling aggregate showing him getting 18%. This, along with Bidenâs strong primary performances, suggest that the bad polling for Biden among black voters is entirely due to bad polling methodology. Next, Hispanic voters. An oversample of Hispanic voters by Univision shows Biden leading Trump 58-31 (27 points). Again, thatâs completely different from the polling aggregate showing Biden winning them by only 6 points. It is a slight decrease from 2020, where he won them by 33 points; but like stated earlier, Hispanics have been trending right for a while, so Trump making small gains among them isnât surprising. And finally, young voters. Split Ticket, an election prediction and analysis website, polled young voters. They used live text interviews, rather than a normal method like calling landlines. In the poll, Biden leads Trump 35-25, a 10 point lead. Biden is disapproved of by 68% of young voters, while Trump is disapproved of by 70%. Of the three oversamples, this is the only one that lines up closely with the crosstab aggregate (Biden+8). Biden won young voters by 24 points in 2020, so it looks Trump is making large gains among the group. But itâs not that simple. Biden and Trump have a similar total disapproval rating, but the number of respondents who strongly disapprove of Trump is 61%. For Biden, itâs just 44%. This means Trump likely has a lower ceiling of support with young voters than Biden does â itâs hard to get someone who hates you to vote for you. Additionally, young voters who disapprove of both Biden and Trump overwhelmingly prefer Biden to Trump. RFK Jr. actually wins this group, but like all third party candidates, his support is declining as the election gets closer. The combined voteshare in polls for RFK Jr. and Cornel West (a left-wing independent candidate) has been steadily decreasing. 6 months ago, it was 17.9%. Today, itâs only 11.5%. This raises the question of who RFK Jr.âs supporters will break for when they realize he canât win. https://preview.redd.it/zt0t5ptzhvzc1.png?width=763&format=png&auto=webp&s=fd1f7c717e66e750c57e76eaa617966708ebd222 Based on the approval ratings of Biden and Trump, and the âdouble hatersâ who already have chosen sides, it seems like the vast majority of young RFK Jr. supporters will go for Biden. His lead among young voters will only increase as time goes on. Of course, it wouldnât be a bad idea to run ads like these to speed up the process. Split Ticket also conducted a poll using a more normal method, an opt-in web panel. This poll had Trump doing much better with young voters than in their live text poll. So yes, some commonly used polling methods donât work correctly! Conclusion Biden has been polling badly lately. Heâs been trailing Trump nationally as well as in swing states. Polls say key parts of the Democratic base, black/Hispanic/young voters, are abandoning Biden in huge numbers. But when looked at closely, itâs not so simple. Other signs for Biden are pretty good. Heâs been doing pretty well in primaries, and Democrats have been doing well in special and off-year elections. Polls are underestimating Bidenâs support due to bad methodology and Democrats not answering polls. Oversamples show Biden doing fine with black voters, and mostly fine with Hispanic voters. The only group he really needs to work on is young voters, by trying to decrease RFK Jr.âs support. So, 2024 wonât be a red wave where Trump wins big. But current signs donât suggest 2024 is going to be a blue wave either, just another extremely close election like 2016 and 2020 both were. But thereâs reason to believe Biden might outperform his 2020 showing despite that. The American public is not very engaged right now, as thereâs still seven months until the election, so Trumpâs latest ventures with the legal system arenât on peopleâs minds. When people tune in more, he can only get hurt from it. Thereâs also the massive fundraising gap between the two, which Trump is scrambling to close. Hereâs a prediction for how the election will actually go (margins are 20+, 15-19.9, 10-14.9, 5-9.9, 1-4.9, <1). https://preview.redd.it/ufw3oxa2ivzc1.png?width=810&format=png&auto=webp&s=55a5dcc6c246cb34381165d211b17181717ef196 |
2024.05.11 13:12 cherifa10 I donât know what to do
So I (14yo) have a crush on my neighbor (14yo) letâs call him James . Me and James have been neighbors since we were like 5 heâs really good friends with my cousin (15yo) whoâs also our neighbor weâre all on the same basketball team (obviously theyâre on the guysâ and Iâm on the girlsâ) they play together outside in the neighborhood with all our friends from basketball and James goes to the middle school in the neighborhood but I have strict parents I canât play with them and I go to private school and also I donât have any social media so all of this doesnât help. Me and James are not friends we never even talked he probably only knows me as heâs friendâs cousin and heâs probably doesnât know my name because heâs also really bad at remembering names in general and us having never met itâs impossible. We have had a few games against each other and we had practice at the same time sometimes and I watched one of his games and sat in the bleachers with him and my friends but we didnât talk at all . And I donât only like him for his looks because I have known him without him knowing about me and heâs really nice and sweet and we both have kind of a childish personality his brother and my cousin sometimes make mad cuz theyâre older so they kinda make fun of him no one knows I like him but all I wanna do is talk to him and for us to at least be friends . And the biggest thing that happened is that we once made eye contact and it wasnât romantic or anything it was like oups I turned my head and here we are both looking at each other THE WIST THING IS THAT THAT DAT I WAS UGLY CUZ I WAS WEARING THE SPORTS UNIFORM FROM SCHOOL AND MY HAIR WAS UGLY TOO And the day I started crushing was when we had a game against each other and we garded each other and it was the closest I ever got to him I wanna do it again
But 2 months ago I found out that a friend of mine at school lived in my town so I thought what if I get him to join the basketball team and without knowing one day I go to practice and I find him there I was so happy Iâm a mastermind now Iâll get to James through him but then this friend of mine doesnât talk much and when I asked him about basketball he said he doesnât remember any of the names đ¤Śââď¸đ¤Śââď¸ so I canât even use him Iâm kinda thinking about telling him I like James so he could actually help me but weâre not really that close for me to tell him
But last week I found out that this guy(15yo) on my cousinâs team that does extra practice with me and my cousin has a crush on me. Letâs call him Leo . Last week my cousin didnât come to practice so it was only us too and keep in mind I have never actually talked to this guy only said thanks when he gives me my ball and sorry when I hit him with it I only talk to my cousin and so does Leo . But thi time he made small talk and then he started giving me advice even though heâs new so I should be giving him the advice and anyway he was just repeating what the coach was saying and thing that made me sure about it is that he put his hand in front of my eyes so that I canât see during free throws so yeah he likes me but I donât like him like that I mean heâs nice and all but I canât like him like that itâs weird .
So yeah I just need yâall to tell me what to do and even though I have never talked to James itâs been seven months and I canât stop loving him sorry for the long post :)
submitted by cherifa10 to Crushes [link] [comments]
But 2 months ago I found out that a friend of mine at school lived in my town so I thought what if I get him to join the basketball team and without knowing one day I go to practice and I find him there I was so happy Iâm a mastermind now Iâll get to James through him but then this friend of mine doesnât talk much and when I asked him about basketball he said he doesnât remember any of the names đ¤Śââď¸đ¤Śââď¸ so I canât even use him Iâm kinda thinking about telling him I like James so he could actually help me but weâre not really that close for me to tell him
But last week I found out that this guy(15yo) on my cousinâs team that does extra practice with me and my cousin has a crush on me. Letâs call him Leo . Last week my cousin didnât come to practice so it was only us too and keep in mind I have never actually talked to this guy only said thanks when he gives me my ball and sorry when I hit him with it I only talk to my cousin and so does Leo . But thi time he made small talk and then he started giving me advice even though heâs new so I should be giving him the advice and anyway he was just repeating what the coach was saying and thing that made me sure about it is that he put his hand in front of my eyes so that I canât see during free throws so yeah he likes me but I donât like him like that I mean heâs nice and all but I canât like him like that itâs weird .
So yeah I just need yâall to tell me what to do and even though I have never talked to James itâs been seven months and I canât stop loving him sorry for the long post :)
2024.05.11 04:44 LeCountOfMonteCrypto Our hero has done it YET AGAIN!
OUR HERO HAS DONE IT YET AGAIN!
Big Cuz was in absolute rare form. We're talking that 50+ point whoopin' he put on the Blazers when he was wearing a Kings uniform.
On this night however, he posted a 37 Point 18 Rebound performance complete with a game winner to send the Taiwan Beer Leopards to the T1League basketball FINALS!
submitted by LeCountOfMonteCrypto to kings [link] [comments]
Big Cuz was in absolute rare form. We're talking that 50+ point whoopin' he put on the Blazers when he was wearing a Kings uniform.
On this night however, he posted a 37 Point 18 Rebound performance complete with a game winner to send the Taiwan Beer Leopards to the T1League basketball FINALS!
LeopardStyle đđđđ
2024.05.10 20:16 z3mcs "Happy Nannie Helen Burroughs Day đ NHB is the inspiration behind our Rebel Edition uniform. Beyond being on one of the first all-Black womenâs basketball teams in D.C, she was an educator and activist."
 | submitted by z3mcs to washingtonmystics [link] [comments] |
2024.05.10 14:50 ProblematicCandidate Nonon Jakuzure
 | Light, Human submitted by ProblematicCandidate to grandsummoners [link] [comments] STATS HP - 7423 +1399 ATK - 3788 +656 DEF - 2821 +606 ďťż SLOTS 6â <:lbmag: 5â <:lbsupp: 4â <:lbheal:/ <:lbsupp: ďťż SKILL 13s CT - 2000% Light DMG (MAG). For 8s, increase own Arts by 4/s. Additionally, increase own Arts by 20 if own Skill hits the Boss (1 HIT). 500 BREAK ARTS 25000% Light DMG (MAG). Each time own Arts is used, permanently increase Light allies' DMG by 40% (MAX: 200%). 1000 BREAK TRUE ARTS 70000% Light DMG (MAG). Increase own DMG against non-Boss enemies by 200% for the duration of own True Arts. For 35s, increase allies' ATK by 100%. 1800 BREAK - ATK buff does not stack with Kisaragi, Halloween Valerie, etc. SUPER ARTS 160000% Light DMG (MAG). For 25s, reduce enemies' MAG RES by 130% and Break RES by 50%. 3000 BREAK - MAG RES debuff does not stack with Aristela Orbis, Summer Iris, etc. - Break RES debuff does not stack with Aristela Orbis, Courtney, etc. ABILITIES - At the start of Battle (Wave), increase Light allies' Arts by 25 and Human allies' Arts by an additional 25. Does not stack with Abilities of the same name. - Increase own DMG by [2 x own ATK/100]% - Increase own HP Recovery by 10%. This unit obtains the following Abilities if you own its Special Illustration. - Increase Unit EXP by 20%. - At the Start of a Quest, increase own Arts by 10. Does not stack with Abilities of the same name. MATERIALS 100x Eternaglint Soulgem TRUE WEAPON True "Nonon Jakuzure's Goku Uniform" 5â <:lbmag: ďťż SKILL 60s CT - 8000% Light DMG (MAG). For 10s, reduce enemies' DMG RES by 20%. If user is Light, reduce enemies' DMG RES by an additional 10%. If user is Human, reduce enemies' DMG RES by an additional 10%. 500 BREAK ďťż ABILITIES - When equipped by Nonon Jakuzure, increase own ATK and Skill CT Speed by 50%. Does not stack with Abilities of the same name. - Increase own DEF by 10%. _ _ |
2024.05.10 07:59 EndOfImagination [SF] The Great Classified Unknown
âOfficer Madson, I understand your concern, but what you are suggesting is ridiculous! I just cannot leave my home! Not without a concrete reason. How long did you say we had to stay away? A full month or two? I spent my whole life saving for this house! We built it from the ground up, perfectly customized to our liking. My family wants nothing more than to be here!â
This was the third time in only three days when Dave had received orders to leave his house immediately and head to safety. He lived only a few miles from Okefenokee Swamp, and according to all three officers, something dangerous was lurking there. Any additional information was supposedly classified, and he was unable to sway any of them into divulging more. They had each claimed to not know the full story either.
Daveâs wife had insisted on traveling to safety, as did almost everyone else on their street. She had taken their two kids fifty miles south. Luckily, they had evacuated early enough to find a hotel with rooms still available. But without the house, they would be ruined, and so Dave decided to stay. If something were placing his property and lifestyle at risk, he would rather put up a fight than sit idly by. He was used to large snakes and alligators which were common in the swamp. What could be more dangerous than them?
âDonât say I didnât warn you, Dave! Here, take this card. If you notice anything strange or suspicious, give us a call! We would much rather you leave, but if you insist on putting your life at risk, you may as well be of some use!â
With that, Officer Madson left, leaving the street in far too much silence for a Saturday morning. Everyone else had gone, with the exception of one.
âHey, Mac!â Dave yelled as he banged on the front door of the only other inhabited house. âMac! Are you there?â he yelled louder.
âYeah, yeah! Give me a minute!â came the response. âThat door is busted enough without you banging on it like that!â
An older, retired man in his early 70s opened the door. A smoke in one hand and a beer in the other.
âDid they get to you yet, Dave? Have you decided to abandon me, too, on this most apocalyptic of fair-weather days? I donât see no tsunami rolling by, no fiery comets raining down, nor any band of raving wildebeests tearing loose through the streets! Ainât no way Iâm leaving my property, Dave! Five decades Iâve been here, and I recon I may just stay another five! This house is meant for me, and I for it; and no scaredy-cat police department is going to flush me out!â
âNo, Mac! Calm down! I insisted on staying. Did they give you one of those silver cards too? With the phone number in case of emergency?â Dave asked.
âYeah, yeah! They did. Lost it somewhere in the jumble on the table. If I need it bad enough, Iâll resign to cleaning the thing. I woke early to Jimmy calling me around six. Heâs the only one left in his neighborhood, and he ainât budging either! Weâre set to meet up 30 minutes from now and you are welcome to join. It is the end of the world after all! The last three holdouts against the great classified unknown!â
Half an hour later, Dave was sitting in the passenger seat of Macâs old Subaru. Macâs arm hung out the driversâ side window; still clutching a half drunken beer. A park halfway between the two neighborhoods was their rendezvous point, and when they arrived, Jimmy was already unpacking and assembling a drone.
âJimmy! Whatâs up? Thatâs quite the gizmo to be playing with when the worldâs about to end!â shouted Mac.
âGreat, you guys made it! Quick! Come sit down. We are going to do a little snooping! I have a hunch, and I donât like it!â Jimmy was quite serious, and so Dave and Mac sat opposite to him and watched silently as he finished readying the drone.
âGreat idea Jimmy! With that weâll be able to see whatâs going on in the swamp!â Dave exclaimed. âWeâll know what we are up against.â
Jimmy handed a pair of glasses, each, to Dave and Mac. âThese will let you see what the drone sees. Fortunately, I had three pairs! Now letâs get to work. You guys know I used to work for the government, right? In the carbon sequestration team, right?â he asked.
Mac looked confused, but Dave briefly remembered a conversation with Jimmy from a couple years prior. Most of Jimmyâs work was confidential and the parts he had discussed were too technical for him, so he had not given it much thought.
Jimmy turned the drone on, calibrated it to hover in the air, and directed it straight up.
âWow, this has a great camera on it!â exclaimed Mac as the drone rapidly gained altitude. âI need to get one of these for myself!â
âThey are nice!â Jimmy started, then more seriously asked âDo either of you remember a year or two ago when the president announced a tremendous breakthrough in carbon sequestration?â Dave and Mac stayed silent and looked at each other in confusion. âCome on guys, it was all over the news! A breakthrough to save humankind. I worked on that project â helped engineer it myself actually â but I became skeptical. I asked too many questions that did not have enough satisfactory answers, I suppose, because I was terminated! Fired, for trying to make sure everything was safe!â
Jimmy angled the drone towards the swamp. They were still a mile or so away, and as the drone began its journey, he continued his story.
Before taking the government job, Jimmy had worked in a biology lab where he studied genetic code; particularly with regards to altering the DNA of plants to make them more resistant to harsh climates. With multiple successes over a twenty-year career, the government had sought out him and his team to work on a much more important project.
The amount of carbon in the atmosphere was reaching dangerous levels, according to the officials. They had hired a thinktank to work tirelessly on finding a solution, and after much deliberation, a type of genetically modified plant seemed to be the best solution.
âLook here guys!â The drone had made it to the swamp, and Jimmy had zoomed the camera in close to the ground. âDo you know what kind of plant this is? Itâs a Pitcher plant, one of a dozen or so species of carnivorous plants that live around here. Anyway, our government research began with one of those. I do not know why they chose that plant, but they did. Anyway, its genetic code proved to be very malleable.â
âWe were tasked with making certain alterations to its genetic code. In the end, we butchered it and spliced it full of so many additional genes that it became unrecognizable. We spliced in genes to make it grow faster; much faster. Genes to increase its ability to uptake water and nutrients to capture as much carbon as possible. To grow an extensive root system that burrows deep into the ground. ToâŚâ
âWait! I heard about that!â exclaimed Mac. âYou designed that crazy plant that grows all those massive twisty roots? That are burrowing God knows where down towards Hell itself?! Didnât those things cause the earthquakes up near the Canadian border last Spring? Wasnât one found growing a hundred miles out at sea, which was not supposed to be possible? What ever possessed you to make such a monstrosity?â Mac was clearly uneasy.
âJimmy, wait, go back!â yelled Dave.
Jimmy flipped a switch to cause the drone to fly in reverse.
âYes! Right there, that is an alligator, right?â Dave asked.
The alligator was lying on its side, half covered by some sort of vegetation.
Jimmy lowered the drone and as the alligator became more visible, they noticed that it was not a typical plant covering the alligator. It was fifteen or twenty of the carnivorous Pitcher plants, and they were growing out of the rotting corpse of the alligator itself!
âGuys, you have to believe me when I say it was not supposed to be able to do this! We completely removed the gene that coded for the development of the main Pitcher part of the plant. We replaced it with a gene for small purple flowers. I did try to convince the other scientists that something like this was a possibility - and it looks like my fears were correct. The plant had multiple copies of that gene in different parts of its DNA. Random mutations had turned them off throughout eons of evolution, but again by random chance, those genes must have been reactivated. Thatâs the only explanation for this!â
âOkayâŚâ, began Dave. âBut a pitcher plant only eats small insects; they certainly donât attack alligators!â
âWe drastically increased the plantsâ ability to seek out water and nutrients so that it would grow as quickly as possible. It must have found a way to digest large animals, like that alligator, which means that it is evolving quickly!â
Jimmy moved the drone as close as possible to the bizarre sight of Pitcher plants growing out of the side of the alligator.
âLook here! See those little purple flowers around the stem of the pitcher? Thatâs proof that this is our plant! I donât know how old this one is, but after just a week, its roots will spread out over a 20 foot radius and burrow 100 feet into the ground. It was a huge success. The carbon level in the atmosphere was falling for the first time in centuries. All buried deep underground in the roots of these plants. But it was not supposed to evolve like this! I tried to warn them of the possibility!â
Jimmy must have flown too close and knocked one of the Pitcher plants, for the camera became hazy with what looked like pollen from one of the little purple flowers. He had found the evidence he wanted and pressed the home button on the dronesâ control panel to make it return to him.
âWell guys, we found what we were looking for! Maybe it would be bestâŚâ
âJimmy! Thatâs a person!â yelled Mac. âLying on the edge of the swamp!â
Jimmy wheeled around, threw his drone glasses back on, and resumed manually navigating the drone. He backtracked a bit, and sure enough, there was a person laying by the edge of the swamp! The person was wearing an army uniform, and as the drone advanced closer, they saw Pitcher plants growing out of his back. Just like the alligator! A tangle of roots fell out of his jacket, burrowing back underground a few feet away. Then they spotted another person, then a third, and then a fourth. As the drone gained elevation and the camera zoomed out, they counted fifteen people in total.
âWell congratulations, Jimmy!â yelled Mac. âYour engineered plant thing surely is saving humanity now!â
Jimmy and Dave sat in shock. None of them spoke for the better part of five minutes.
Jimmy came up with a plan first. âOkay guys, here is what we are going to do. Both of you, go back to your places immediately. Iâll pack up the drone, head back to my place to grab some stuff, then pick you up. If the plant is now killing people, we really canât stay here! We should stay together. Find someone who will listen. That silver card with the emergency number. You two, call that number on your way back! Iâll come pick you up first, Mac, in 45 minutes maximum!â
Dave and Mac went back to the Subaru and they took off, leaving Jimmy to deal with the drone.
âAlright, I got the number here!â announced Dave as they began to drive. He dialed it and Officer Madson answered.
âOfficer!â yelled Dave. âWe saw it! The plant out in the swamp! We flew a drone over the area and one of the plants was eating an alligatorâŚâ
âA plant eating an alligator! Are you sure? Well, it is confidential information, but the army is looking into it! They mentioned that they must contain something as soon as possible. It must be that plant! They may even have to use large doses of radiation to do so. Do you believe me now that you should leave?â the Officer asked.
âYes, we are packing some stuff now! But Officer, we didnât call you about the alligator. We called you about the 15 dead army men! I donât think they have the situation under control anymore!â
âDead?!â screamed the officer. âThey were supposed to call me this morning. Iâm going to place a few calls immediately, believe me! Then Iâm getting as far away from this thing as possible!â
Once home, Dave immediately called his wife while gathering important things from his house. He placed them in a box by the front door. He would be ready to go as soon as Jimmy and Mac arrived. He sat down in front of the TV to try and pass time faster, but nothing seemed interesting. He paced back and forth across the living room. A couple times he remembered another important trinket, retrieved it, and placed it in the box. Eventually he lay down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
He waited, and waited, and waited. Time must have been going in slow motion. He took another minute to concentrate on the absolute silence of his neighborhood street. Usually, it would be full of the sounds of life â cars driving, lawnmowers and leaf blowers, and kids playing basketball a few houses down from his. The silence was ominous, and he began to feel its weight.
He got up and paced some more. The sound of his feet was better than the silence. Then he tried to read a chapter from his favorite book â to no avail. He opened the door to the backyard, drawing it all in just in case he would never see it again. Then he called his wife again.
âHoney, are you on the road?â she asked. And then: ââŚNo? Itâs been well over an hour since you called, I thought you said Jimmy was on his way!â
A chill ran up Daveâs spine. Having only met him a couple times, he barely knew Jimmy. But Jimmy did not seem like the type of person to be late to anything.
âIâll call you back when we are on the road!â Dave said before hanging up.
He grabbed his box of important paperwork and things from around the house and carried them up the street to Macâs house. He knocked loudly, then rang the bell when he did not answer immediately.
âJimmy, is that you?â Mac asked. âCome on in - I have everything ready to go!â
Dave pushed the door open. âNo! Itâs Dave! So he hasnât come by yet? Where is he? The sunâs setting in an hour or so!â he exclaimed; his voice becoming more frantic as he carried on.
âRelax Dave! Come on in and grab a beer! Iâm glad youâre here, the silence is starting to spook me!â Mac responded.
They sat and tried to distract themselves, but the next half hour came and went with no sign of Jimmy.
âWant some chips?â asked Mac, as he stood and walked into the kitchen. He grabbed some plates, a large bag of chips, and opened the freezer to pull out two more beers. âHey! Look at that! I got a message. Must have been sometime since you got here! Donât know why it doesnât ring properly anymore!â Mac walked across the kitchen and pressed the button to play it.
They both knew who it was. It was Jimmy, but his voice was raspy. Even before he began to talk, Dave pulled out his phone, ready to call the emergency number again.
âSorry Mac. I felt⌠nauseous and had to⌠lay down.â They heard him walk to the sink, fill a glass of water, and drink it. âMaybe⌠just needed water. Anyway⌠be over⌠in 10 minutes!â He filled up the glass of water again, and this time audibly chugged it. âIâve never felt so⌠dehydrated!â Fifteen seconds of silence passed, and then the water turned on again. It stayed on for too long. Then a crashing thump onto the floor and a scream. âOuch! Wait⌠Whatâs going on?... No! It was on⌠the drone⌠the pollen!â
âMac, letâs go!â Dave yelled, and they both ran to Macâs Subaru while Dave called the emergency number.
âThis if Officer Danielâ the line responded. âHow can I assist you?â
âGreat! Send someone immediately! Do you know Jimmy? I think he collapsed onto the floor and needs help!â Mac searched for Jimmyâs address and provided it to the Officer.
âIâll come over right away! You are the last few people in town and I am the last Officer here. Letâs handle this then all get out of here!â
When Dave and Mac arrived, Officer Daniel was already there. A couple lights were on in the house. They got out of the car, and as they approached the front door, Officer Daniel was just coming out, dragging Jimmy along the ground behind him.
âHey guys! Found him unconscious on the kitchen floor. Nearest hospital is 20 minutes south, even going 30 over on the highway. If you can keep up, Iâll give you an escort! And, whatever you told Officer Madson sure gave him a fright!â
Dave and Mac watched as Jimmy was hauled into the passenger seat of the police car. They got back into the Subaru to follow. They needed to go south too; the faster the better!
Mac carefully followed Officer Daniel, driving as fast as safely possible down the center of the highway. At least the road was empty because everyone else had already evacuated!
âThis is crazy!â exclaimed Mac. âIt is actually the end of the world! Who ever thought we would witness it? Do you think they might decide to just nuke the whole swamp? Thatâs what I would do at this point!â
âNo, Macâ Dave responded. âDonât you see? It got Jimmy too! Besides, itâs roots live so deep underground that I donât know if a Nuke would stop it. Plus, it grows too fast!â
Silence fell between them again, until Daveâs cell phone began to ring.
It was his wife. In tears. âDave! Are you almost here? They just called me! Itâs not safe here either. We have to go further south. Or west to a drier climate. A scientist on the news thought our best chance was to go somewhere dry!â
âWe are on our⌠oh, yikes!â
It happened so suddenly. One moment Officer Daniel was driving straight down the center of the highway with his lights flashing. Then he slowly drifted into the left lane, then the shoulder, and then completely off the side of the road. He hit something, flipped vertically two and a half times, and crashed upside down in a ball of flames!
âThe police officer just crashed! Donât think they could have survived that!â Dave yelled into the phone.
Mac kept driving. âNo point in stopping! Itâs better this way - we donât need any more of those cursed plants further away from the swamp!â
âIt must have spread from Jimmy to Officer Daniel!â Dave reasoned. âGet the kids ready. Mac and I will come pick you up and then we are getting as far away from here as we can! If they donât like the heat of the desert, start looking for plots of land there!â He hung up and tried to close his eyes to block the daysâ horrors from his mind for just a minute.
Tried â because before they were all the way closed, they hit a big speedbump. Dave bounced on his seat, head almost hitting the ceiling. The Subaru swerved, but Mac regained control â for just a moment â before hitting another big bump.
âDamn it!â Mac cried. âTire is flat, and it sounds like the axel is shot! What was that?! Something was laying all across the road!â He put on the breaks and came to a stop. He got out of the car, the smell of burning tire rubber now hanging thick.
âPretty sure I saw what it was, looked like some of those roots!â Dave said.
âBe back in a minute! Glad I finally have a use for this!â Mac opened the trunk of the Subaru, grabbed what looked to be a flamethrower, and ran back along the road. 15 minutes later, he was back, covered in sweat.
âDave! It was one of those cursed twisted root things like you said! About as thick as my leg! I thought they were only supposed to grow down into the Earth? Jimmy, how dare he help create something like this! I burned it up rather good though and got it off the highway! We have to nuke them, electrocute them, or get the army fight back with flamethrowers! Dave, what are you doing in the driverâs seat? Iâm not tired, I can keep driving!â
âMac. Listen to me. You saw the root, but did you see any of the Pitcher plants with purple flowers?â
âYeah I did! There were a bunch of them, too. In fact I burned those up too⌠hey come on! Unlock the doors! I have some tissues in the back seat. One of them sprayed me with something. I got to get it off of me. Dave come on!â
Dave shifted the car into drive and slammed on the gas. Someone had to survive! A frantically running Mac slowly disappeared behind him in the darkness as the flat tire wobbled horrendously on the broken axel. He grabbed his phone and called his wife.
âHoney! Iâm still on my way. Ran into a little more trouble, but donât worry! Weâll take your car instead!â
He went as fast as seemed reasonably possible given the condition of the car and by now he was only a few miles away.
Up ahead, the road was cracked. The locals had complained about it for years to no avail. Vegetation had grown along the cracks and within the potholes. But now those cracks and potholes were filled with dozens - perhaps hundreds - of those carnivorous Pitcher plants with the purple flowers and the poisonous pollen.
Dave did not even consider stopping. He was too panicked. Too desperate to get to his wife and to leave Mac as far behind as possible. He rolled across the Pitcher plants without a second thought. In fact, he wanted to crush them. Take them out from within the perceived safety of the Subaru. As he rolled across them, however, they threw up a thick cloud of pollen. The carsâ ventilation was open, constantly sucking in air from outside, and before Dave even knew what was happening, he inhaled a large lungful of the foul-smelling pollen.
He slammed on the breaks and sat screaming within the car for a full minute. Nothing more he could do. He had tried his best. He exited the car and found a place to lay down and stare up at the stars. He reached for his phone to call his wife but realized that it was still in the car. He was already too nauseous to stand up, having breathed in such a large amount of the pollen. He turned his attention back to the sky. He even saw a few shooting stars before searing pain crossed his forehead. Or were those streaks of light just his vision failing?
âDave! You came to your senses! Donât ever leave me like that again! I havenât run for twenty minutes straight since the 10th grade! Iâm feeling awfully thirsty, though, and quite a bit sick. If we can just make it to the hospital, I think they might know what to do. But we have to go quick! Ready to go?... Dave?... What are you doing lying on the ground like that anyway? Donât you hear your phone ringing? Itâs surely your wife!â
But as Mac approached, he lunged back in a fit of fright; for there he spotted two Pitcher plants - potted snugly in the sockets of what used to be eyes.
submitted by EndOfImagination to shortstories [link] [comments]
This was the third time in only three days when Dave had received orders to leave his house immediately and head to safety. He lived only a few miles from Okefenokee Swamp, and according to all three officers, something dangerous was lurking there. Any additional information was supposedly classified, and he was unable to sway any of them into divulging more. They had each claimed to not know the full story either.
Daveâs wife had insisted on traveling to safety, as did almost everyone else on their street. She had taken their two kids fifty miles south. Luckily, they had evacuated early enough to find a hotel with rooms still available. But without the house, they would be ruined, and so Dave decided to stay. If something were placing his property and lifestyle at risk, he would rather put up a fight than sit idly by. He was used to large snakes and alligators which were common in the swamp. What could be more dangerous than them?
âDonât say I didnât warn you, Dave! Here, take this card. If you notice anything strange or suspicious, give us a call! We would much rather you leave, but if you insist on putting your life at risk, you may as well be of some use!â
With that, Officer Madson left, leaving the street in far too much silence for a Saturday morning. Everyone else had gone, with the exception of one.
âHey, Mac!â Dave yelled as he banged on the front door of the only other inhabited house. âMac! Are you there?â he yelled louder.
âYeah, yeah! Give me a minute!â came the response. âThat door is busted enough without you banging on it like that!â
An older, retired man in his early 70s opened the door. A smoke in one hand and a beer in the other.
âDid they get to you yet, Dave? Have you decided to abandon me, too, on this most apocalyptic of fair-weather days? I donât see no tsunami rolling by, no fiery comets raining down, nor any band of raving wildebeests tearing loose through the streets! Ainât no way Iâm leaving my property, Dave! Five decades Iâve been here, and I recon I may just stay another five! This house is meant for me, and I for it; and no scaredy-cat police department is going to flush me out!â
âNo, Mac! Calm down! I insisted on staying. Did they give you one of those silver cards too? With the phone number in case of emergency?â Dave asked.
âYeah, yeah! They did. Lost it somewhere in the jumble on the table. If I need it bad enough, Iâll resign to cleaning the thing. I woke early to Jimmy calling me around six. Heâs the only one left in his neighborhood, and he ainât budging either! Weâre set to meet up 30 minutes from now and you are welcome to join. It is the end of the world after all! The last three holdouts against the great classified unknown!â
Half an hour later, Dave was sitting in the passenger seat of Macâs old Subaru. Macâs arm hung out the driversâ side window; still clutching a half drunken beer. A park halfway between the two neighborhoods was their rendezvous point, and when they arrived, Jimmy was already unpacking and assembling a drone.
âJimmy! Whatâs up? Thatâs quite the gizmo to be playing with when the worldâs about to end!â shouted Mac.
âGreat, you guys made it! Quick! Come sit down. We are going to do a little snooping! I have a hunch, and I donât like it!â Jimmy was quite serious, and so Dave and Mac sat opposite to him and watched silently as he finished readying the drone.
âGreat idea Jimmy! With that weâll be able to see whatâs going on in the swamp!â Dave exclaimed. âWeâll know what we are up against.â
Jimmy handed a pair of glasses, each, to Dave and Mac. âThese will let you see what the drone sees. Fortunately, I had three pairs! Now letâs get to work. You guys know I used to work for the government, right? In the carbon sequestration team, right?â he asked.
Mac looked confused, but Dave briefly remembered a conversation with Jimmy from a couple years prior. Most of Jimmyâs work was confidential and the parts he had discussed were too technical for him, so he had not given it much thought.
Jimmy turned the drone on, calibrated it to hover in the air, and directed it straight up.
âWow, this has a great camera on it!â exclaimed Mac as the drone rapidly gained altitude. âI need to get one of these for myself!â
âThey are nice!â Jimmy started, then more seriously asked âDo either of you remember a year or two ago when the president announced a tremendous breakthrough in carbon sequestration?â Dave and Mac stayed silent and looked at each other in confusion. âCome on guys, it was all over the news! A breakthrough to save humankind. I worked on that project â helped engineer it myself actually â but I became skeptical. I asked too many questions that did not have enough satisfactory answers, I suppose, because I was terminated! Fired, for trying to make sure everything was safe!â
Jimmy angled the drone towards the swamp. They were still a mile or so away, and as the drone began its journey, he continued his story.
Before taking the government job, Jimmy had worked in a biology lab where he studied genetic code; particularly with regards to altering the DNA of plants to make them more resistant to harsh climates. With multiple successes over a twenty-year career, the government had sought out him and his team to work on a much more important project.
The amount of carbon in the atmosphere was reaching dangerous levels, according to the officials. They had hired a thinktank to work tirelessly on finding a solution, and after much deliberation, a type of genetically modified plant seemed to be the best solution.
âLook here guys!â The drone had made it to the swamp, and Jimmy had zoomed the camera in close to the ground. âDo you know what kind of plant this is? Itâs a Pitcher plant, one of a dozen or so species of carnivorous plants that live around here. Anyway, our government research began with one of those. I do not know why they chose that plant, but they did. Anyway, its genetic code proved to be very malleable.â
âWe were tasked with making certain alterations to its genetic code. In the end, we butchered it and spliced it full of so many additional genes that it became unrecognizable. We spliced in genes to make it grow faster; much faster. Genes to increase its ability to uptake water and nutrients to capture as much carbon as possible. To grow an extensive root system that burrows deep into the ground. ToâŚâ
âWait! I heard about that!â exclaimed Mac. âYou designed that crazy plant that grows all those massive twisty roots? That are burrowing God knows where down towards Hell itself?! Didnât those things cause the earthquakes up near the Canadian border last Spring? Wasnât one found growing a hundred miles out at sea, which was not supposed to be possible? What ever possessed you to make such a monstrosity?â Mac was clearly uneasy.
âJimmy, wait, go back!â yelled Dave.
Jimmy flipped a switch to cause the drone to fly in reverse.
âYes! Right there, that is an alligator, right?â Dave asked.
The alligator was lying on its side, half covered by some sort of vegetation.
Jimmy lowered the drone and as the alligator became more visible, they noticed that it was not a typical plant covering the alligator. It was fifteen or twenty of the carnivorous Pitcher plants, and they were growing out of the rotting corpse of the alligator itself!
âGuys, you have to believe me when I say it was not supposed to be able to do this! We completely removed the gene that coded for the development of the main Pitcher part of the plant. We replaced it with a gene for small purple flowers. I did try to convince the other scientists that something like this was a possibility - and it looks like my fears were correct. The plant had multiple copies of that gene in different parts of its DNA. Random mutations had turned them off throughout eons of evolution, but again by random chance, those genes must have been reactivated. Thatâs the only explanation for this!â
âOkayâŚâ, began Dave. âBut a pitcher plant only eats small insects; they certainly donât attack alligators!â
âWe drastically increased the plantsâ ability to seek out water and nutrients so that it would grow as quickly as possible. It must have found a way to digest large animals, like that alligator, which means that it is evolving quickly!â
Jimmy moved the drone as close as possible to the bizarre sight of Pitcher plants growing out of the side of the alligator.
âLook here! See those little purple flowers around the stem of the pitcher? Thatâs proof that this is our plant! I donât know how old this one is, but after just a week, its roots will spread out over a 20 foot radius and burrow 100 feet into the ground. It was a huge success. The carbon level in the atmosphere was falling for the first time in centuries. All buried deep underground in the roots of these plants. But it was not supposed to evolve like this! I tried to warn them of the possibility!â
Jimmy must have flown too close and knocked one of the Pitcher plants, for the camera became hazy with what looked like pollen from one of the little purple flowers. He had found the evidence he wanted and pressed the home button on the dronesâ control panel to make it return to him.
âWell guys, we found what we were looking for! Maybe it would be bestâŚâ
âJimmy! Thatâs a person!â yelled Mac. âLying on the edge of the swamp!â
Jimmy wheeled around, threw his drone glasses back on, and resumed manually navigating the drone. He backtracked a bit, and sure enough, there was a person laying by the edge of the swamp! The person was wearing an army uniform, and as the drone advanced closer, they saw Pitcher plants growing out of his back. Just like the alligator! A tangle of roots fell out of his jacket, burrowing back underground a few feet away. Then they spotted another person, then a third, and then a fourth. As the drone gained elevation and the camera zoomed out, they counted fifteen people in total.
âWell congratulations, Jimmy!â yelled Mac. âYour engineered plant thing surely is saving humanity now!â
Jimmy and Dave sat in shock. None of them spoke for the better part of five minutes.
Jimmy came up with a plan first. âOkay guys, here is what we are going to do. Both of you, go back to your places immediately. Iâll pack up the drone, head back to my place to grab some stuff, then pick you up. If the plant is now killing people, we really canât stay here! We should stay together. Find someone who will listen. That silver card with the emergency number. You two, call that number on your way back! Iâll come pick you up first, Mac, in 45 minutes maximum!â
Dave and Mac went back to the Subaru and they took off, leaving Jimmy to deal with the drone.
âAlright, I got the number here!â announced Dave as they began to drive. He dialed it and Officer Madson answered.
âOfficer!â yelled Dave. âWe saw it! The plant out in the swamp! We flew a drone over the area and one of the plants was eating an alligatorâŚâ
âA plant eating an alligator! Are you sure? Well, it is confidential information, but the army is looking into it! They mentioned that they must contain something as soon as possible. It must be that plant! They may even have to use large doses of radiation to do so. Do you believe me now that you should leave?â the Officer asked.
âYes, we are packing some stuff now! But Officer, we didnât call you about the alligator. We called you about the 15 dead army men! I donât think they have the situation under control anymore!â
âDead?!â screamed the officer. âThey were supposed to call me this morning. Iâm going to place a few calls immediately, believe me! Then Iâm getting as far away from this thing as possible!â
Once home, Dave immediately called his wife while gathering important things from his house. He placed them in a box by the front door. He would be ready to go as soon as Jimmy and Mac arrived. He sat down in front of the TV to try and pass time faster, but nothing seemed interesting. He paced back and forth across the living room. A couple times he remembered another important trinket, retrieved it, and placed it in the box. Eventually he lay down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
He waited, and waited, and waited. Time must have been going in slow motion. He took another minute to concentrate on the absolute silence of his neighborhood street. Usually, it would be full of the sounds of life â cars driving, lawnmowers and leaf blowers, and kids playing basketball a few houses down from his. The silence was ominous, and he began to feel its weight.
He got up and paced some more. The sound of his feet was better than the silence. Then he tried to read a chapter from his favorite book â to no avail. He opened the door to the backyard, drawing it all in just in case he would never see it again. Then he called his wife again.
âHoney, are you on the road?â she asked. And then: ââŚNo? Itâs been well over an hour since you called, I thought you said Jimmy was on his way!â
A chill ran up Daveâs spine. Having only met him a couple times, he barely knew Jimmy. But Jimmy did not seem like the type of person to be late to anything.
âIâll call you back when we are on the road!â Dave said before hanging up.
He grabbed his box of important paperwork and things from around the house and carried them up the street to Macâs house. He knocked loudly, then rang the bell when he did not answer immediately.
âJimmy, is that you?â Mac asked. âCome on in - I have everything ready to go!â
Dave pushed the door open. âNo! Itâs Dave! So he hasnât come by yet? Where is he? The sunâs setting in an hour or so!â he exclaimed; his voice becoming more frantic as he carried on.
âRelax Dave! Come on in and grab a beer! Iâm glad youâre here, the silence is starting to spook me!â Mac responded.
They sat and tried to distract themselves, but the next half hour came and went with no sign of Jimmy.
âWant some chips?â asked Mac, as he stood and walked into the kitchen. He grabbed some plates, a large bag of chips, and opened the freezer to pull out two more beers. âHey! Look at that! I got a message. Must have been sometime since you got here! Donât know why it doesnât ring properly anymore!â Mac walked across the kitchen and pressed the button to play it.
They both knew who it was. It was Jimmy, but his voice was raspy. Even before he began to talk, Dave pulled out his phone, ready to call the emergency number again.
âSorry Mac. I felt⌠nauseous and had to⌠lay down.â They heard him walk to the sink, fill a glass of water, and drink it. âMaybe⌠just needed water. Anyway⌠be over⌠in 10 minutes!â He filled up the glass of water again, and this time audibly chugged it. âIâve never felt so⌠dehydrated!â Fifteen seconds of silence passed, and then the water turned on again. It stayed on for too long. Then a crashing thump onto the floor and a scream. âOuch! Wait⌠Whatâs going on?... No! It was on⌠the drone⌠the pollen!â
âMac, letâs go!â Dave yelled, and they both ran to Macâs Subaru while Dave called the emergency number.
âThis if Officer Danielâ the line responded. âHow can I assist you?â
âGreat! Send someone immediately! Do you know Jimmy? I think he collapsed onto the floor and needs help!â Mac searched for Jimmyâs address and provided it to the Officer.
âIâll come over right away! You are the last few people in town and I am the last Officer here. Letâs handle this then all get out of here!â
When Dave and Mac arrived, Officer Daniel was already there. A couple lights were on in the house. They got out of the car, and as they approached the front door, Officer Daniel was just coming out, dragging Jimmy along the ground behind him.
âHey guys! Found him unconscious on the kitchen floor. Nearest hospital is 20 minutes south, even going 30 over on the highway. If you can keep up, Iâll give you an escort! And, whatever you told Officer Madson sure gave him a fright!â
Dave and Mac watched as Jimmy was hauled into the passenger seat of the police car. They got back into the Subaru to follow. They needed to go south too; the faster the better!
Mac carefully followed Officer Daniel, driving as fast as safely possible down the center of the highway. At least the road was empty because everyone else had already evacuated!
âThis is crazy!â exclaimed Mac. âIt is actually the end of the world! Who ever thought we would witness it? Do you think they might decide to just nuke the whole swamp? Thatâs what I would do at this point!â
âNo, Macâ Dave responded. âDonât you see? It got Jimmy too! Besides, itâs roots live so deep underground that I donât know if a Nuke would stop it. Plus, it grows too fast!â
Silence fell between them again, until Daveâs cell phone began to ring.
It was his wife. In tears. âDave! Are you almost here? They just called me! Itâs not safe here either. We have to go further south. Or west to a drier climate. A scientist on the news thought our best chance was to go somewhere dry!â
âWe are on our⌠oh, yikes!â
It happened so suddenly. One moment Officer Daniel was driving straight down the center of the highway with his lights flashing. Then he slowly drifted into the left lane, then the shoulder, and then completely off the side of the road. He hit something, flipped vertically two and a half times, and crashed upside down in a ball of flames!
âThe police officer just crashed! Donât think they could have survived that!â Dave yelled into the phone.
Mac kept driving. âNo point in stopping! Itâs better this way - we donât need any more of those cursed plants further away from the swamp!â
âIt must have spread from Jimmy to Officer Daniel!â Dave reasoned. âGet the kids ready. Mac and I will come pick you up and then we are getting as far away from here as we can! If they donât like the heat of the desert, start looking for plots of land there!â He hung up and tried to close his eyes to block the daysâ horrors from his mind for just a minute.
Tried â because before they were all the way closed, they hit a big speedbump. Dave bounced on his seat, head almost hitting the ceiling. The Subaru swerved, but Mac regained control â for just a moment â before hitting another big bump.
âDamn it!â Mac cried. âTire is flat, and it sounds like the axel is shot! What was that?! Something was laying all across the road!â He put on the breaks and came to a stop. He got out of the car, the smell of burning tire rubber now hanging thick.
âPretty sure I saw what it was, looked like some of those roots!â Dave said.
âBe back in a minute! Glad I finally have a use for this!â Mac opened the trunk of the Subaru, grabbed what looked to be a flamethrower, and ran back along the road. 15 minutes later, he was back, covered in sweat.
âDave! It was one of those cursed twisted root things like you said! About as thick as my leg! I thought they were only supposed to grow down into the Earth? Jimmy, how dare he help create something like this! I burned it up rather good though and got it off the highway! We have to nuke them, electrocute them, or get the army fight back with flamethrowers! Dave, what are you doing in the driverâs seat? Iâm not tired, I can keep driving!â
âMac. Listen to me. You saw the root, but did you see any of the Pitcher plants with purple flowers?â
âYeah I did! There were a bunch of them, too. In fact I burned those up too⌠hey come on! Unlock the doors! I have some tissues in the back seat. One of them sprayed me with something. I got to get it off of me. Dave come on!â
Dave shifted the car into drive and slammed on the gas. Someone had to survive! A frantically running Mac slowly disappeared behind him in the darkness as the flat tire wobbled horrendously on the broken axel. He grabbed his phone and called his wife.
âHoney! Iâm still on my way. Ran into a little more trouble, but donât worry! Weâll take your car instead!â
He went as fast as seemed reasonably possible given the condition of the car and by now he was only a few miles away.
Up ahead, the road was cracked. The locals had complained about it for years to no avail. Vegetation had grown along the cracks and within the potholes. But now those cracks and potholes were filled with dozens - perhaps hundreds - of those carnivorous Pitcher plants with the purple flowers and the poisonous pollen.
Dave did not even consider stopping. He was too panicked. Too desperate to get to his wife and to leave Mac as far behind as possible. He rolled across the Pitcher plants without a second thought. In fact, he wanted to crush them. Take them out from within the perceived safety of the Subaru. As he rolled across them, however, they threw up a thick cloud of pollen. The carsâ ventilation was open, constantly sucking in air from outside, and before Dave even knew what was happening, he inhaled a large lungful of the foul-smelling pollen.
He slammed on the breaks and sat screaming within the car for a full minute. Nothing more he could do. He had tried his best. He exited the car and found a place to lay down and stare up at the stars. He reached for his phone to call his wife but realized that it was still in the car. He was already too nauseous to stand up, having breathed in such a large amount of the pollen. He turned his attention back to the sky. He even saw a few shooting stars before searing pain crossed his forehead. Or were those streaks of light just his vision failing?
âDave! You came to your senses! Donât ever leave me like that again! I havenât run for twenty minutes straight since the 10th grade! Iâm feeling awfully thirsty, though, and quite a bit sick. If we can just make it to the hospital, I think they might know what to do. But we have to go quick! Ready to go?... Dave?... What are you doing lying on the ground like that anyway? Donât you hear your phone ringing? Itâs surely your wife!â
But as Mac approached, he lunged back in a fit of fright; for there he spotted two Pitcher plants - potted snugly in the sockets of what used to be eyes.
2024.05.09 15:15 MrC_Red Listening to 25 Great Rock Artists and their Albums for the First Time (Part 15)
1. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968) A [3 listens B/A-/A] not really a "Rock" album, but it's one of those albums that constantly caught my eye, plus 60s albums are getting hard to come by. His writing is otherworldly. Fully lived experiences and age with every character in these songs. I would hate to live in his mind, as it seems so damn complex and very overanalytical on every single human interaction. If Bob Dylan is a storyteller, he is a painter; the level of complexity in all of these characters and people are so detailed. Similar to Blood on the Tracks, a lot of the songs are about romance and past relationships, however unlike that album, it isn't as heartbroken and shows a lot of value towards those experiences; even if they're all difficult to move past. Great album and that is enhanced by close, focused deep dives into these lyrics.
2. Yes: i. The Yes Album (1971) A++ [6 listens A+/A++/A+/A+/A++/A++] Close to the Edge is still one of the most Epic-like songs in Rock history, so I was thinking it was going to be pretty hard to top that, and it turns out, they already did lol. CttE is a great song, but the rest of the album is merely ok, whereas Venture is the only weak song. Everything else is MAGNIFICENT!! Move over harmonica, the organ is officially the most underrated instrument now. EVERY climax of each song is immaculate, the guitar and keyboards are always on point, the singing has never been better! Nothing could ever match what CttE is, but they started off with making a more consistent album throughout instead of only in one song. All timer. ii. Fragile (1971) A- [3 listens A-/A-/A-] first time I actually felt like I got Rick Roll'd by an album, as I didn't realize that the song from that meme was from Roundabout lol. The song is great and is even better the longer it develops. However, it does fall apart as the album gets deeper, particularly in the second side. I read on the recording of this album and saw that the individual members worked on separate tracks as they were being rushed and it really shows, as there are very understated and disconnected from everything else next to them. It becomes very noticeable when a song like Roundabout literally kicks off the tracklist and you have to follow it. Now, I can see the path on their way to how CttE is formatted, as it's just 3 "Roundabouts" in a row. Good listen, but very unbalanced.
3. ZZ Top - Tres Hombres (1973) A++ [6 listens B/B++/A-/A+/A+/A++] I listened to Eliminator and thought it was kinda meh and someone suggested to listen to this, as this is their "signature sound". Thank God I did, because this is probably my favorite Blues Rock album I've heard so far. The choruses are solid and aren't straying too far from the standard Blues layout, but it's the drumming, guitar licks and the solos that won me. That drum lick on the opening of La Grange is so damn sweet. Hell Raiser's solo is so amazing. The guitar riff on Master of Sparks is so catchy. The guitar & bass interplay on Shiek and Precious and Grace are amazing. Honestly, even though the song structures aren't that unique, they did the absolute best with what they had. But if I'm being honest, the 3 additional live tracks at the end put it over the edge for me. The energy is palpable.
4. Joni Mitchell: i. Court and Spark (1974) A [3 listens A/A/A] been awhile since I listened to Joni Mitchell's Blue, but I still catch myself randomly humming verses from My Old Man and Carey, so she's managed to find a place to hide out in the corners of my brain. It's a more jovial Mitchell and a forward looking project, instead of her sulking in her life experiences. A "recollection" of memories with her stories, with how scattered the writing flows. My favorite songs are Help Me, Free Man in Paris, Just Like This Train, Raised On Robbery. Nice album, she's starting to flirt with Jazz, but not as risky as what would come after. Also, Twisted needs to be cut from this album tho; such an odd fit. ii. The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975) A [3 listens A/A+/A] she's completely single and ready to mingle now with this one; in terms of the music. Playing off the cover art, its sound likes she's taking a stroll through the park, meeting strangers with different instruments and styles, stopping to sit in the grass or dance around with someone and moving on to the next person. This feels more unplanned compared to the others, which helps it create a separate identity from the rest of her work. I do think the songs struggle in the first half, but the second side are much stronger. Shades of Scarlett, Harry's House, The Boho Dance and the title track are my favorites. Also, the music and the combination of instruments on display is way more enthralling than the lyrics and her signature storytelling. It's very good, but there's definitely more complete albums she's made. iii. Hejira (1976) A+ [3 listens B/B++/A+/A+] For some reason, early on this is the album that hit the wall for me, as I i kinda got tired of her not really changing her vocal cadence that much in the first 2 listens. After getting pass that, it's hard not to respect her. I still don't think this album does much too advance her music on a stylistic level, as the previous two have, but fuck, she's so damn great at writing. Furry Sings the Blues, Refuge of the Road, A Strange Boy... just such amazing storytelling in those alone. Also, Song for Sharon is possibly my favorite Joni Mitchell song now; just perfection. Had that slow, casual feel reminiscent of Blue that is rare to come across. I honestly hate albums like this, "growers", as even now, I feel like if I listen to this a few more times, I'd come to admire it more.
5. Iggy Pop: i. The Idiot (1977) A+ [5 listens A-/A/A/A+/A+] I've gone through all of the Stooges albums and now it's time for Iggy Pop's solo material. Both of these were made along side Bowie's Berlin Trilogy and as the producer, his fingerprints are all over it. The desolate guitars ringing, while a very uncommonly low energy Iggy sings over it all. If the first half of Low could be called a trial run for New Wave music, then this album is the trial run for Post Punk. Also, the album art perfectly matches the tone of the album: a blue/black picture in the cold, mysterious darkness of night... with a clueless Iggy just along for the ride lol. This has his signature deadpan style, but none of the Garage Rock energy he's knows for, which imo makes this effort a more respectable leap then he may think. I read he really doesn't "claim" this album, as he sees it as more for a Bowie project, but this album is definitely made better with his inclusion. Yes, the music is the biggest part, but idk if you could just replace Bowie on any of these songs and it'd be instantly better. ii. Lust of Life (1977) B [3 listens B-/B+/B] Wow, the album where he put his "foot down" and went in on making an album that HE wanted, is of course the one I left unimpressed by. Not that it's bad, but it's just a Stooges album with, again, not of that high octane energy. Success and The Passenger are phenomenal songs, but everything else is just your by "the numbers" Rock n Roll standards with an updated Garage spirit than anything as inventive at The Idiot.
6. Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy (1978) B+ [2 listens B+/B+] Genuinely can't remember how he got on my list or even remember if anyone even recommended him. But this is considered his "best album" and plus, outside of Elton John, I haven't really explored many Rock that centers around the Piano. It's a fun album, albeit very crude and satirical at times, it managed to balance it out well. Outside the double take lyrics, none of these songs are too special. I like the nice piano jingle of Werewolves of London and the title track is an interesting song. However, the last few songs tanked it. Okay listen; not everybody is an "album artist", as the singles were the best parts.
7. Wire: i. Chairs Missing (1978) A [4 listens B++/A/A/A] Wire! Pink Flag has managed to become an all time favorite since discovering it and honestly wasn't aware that they actually had other albums just as critically praised as it. As a 2nd album, it comes off very odd, but with hindsight of what follows it, it's easy to see that it's just stuck between two worlds: the world of "Proto"-Post Punk and the extended end of the "concept" of Post Punk. None of their music really feels like "Post Punk" as they never seem to conform to any genre sound. Where Pink Flag feels like a group of teens making Punk with a solid background in music, they weren't out to be "experimental" with the music. Here the Hardcore edge is removed, which allows their artistry to become more visible, but they're moving away from this subversion. Mercy, Practice Makes Perfect, I Am the Fly, Marooned, Outdoor Minor are the good ones. It's still very ahead of its time and still ahead of the curb. ii. 154 (1979) A++ [6 listens A-/A+/A++/A++/A++/A++] sometimes you have to let the thing you want go in order to fully accept the possibility that something can be better. I still desire a Pink Flag 2, but I'll be a fool to dismiss how amazing this is. The extremely eeriely brooding and atmospheric environment is pushing the limits of what Post Punk should even be. A song like Other Window creepy as fuck, due to Graham Lewis' increased vocal role, adding SO much to this tone. Touching Display is how every droning guitar should be used; deep, whole notes and if it was made in the 90s, it'll be my favorite Post Rock song outside of Slint. This is Avant-Post Punk essentially; carving out a deep future path for Gothic Rock to eventually go down. Also, SYNCOPATED RHYTHMS!! There are many bands to do it (often Pop bands), but none do it better with a heavy and Punk sound as they do. Also, compared to Pink Flag, there's SO little fat on here; so yes, it's definitely their best album. The ONLY flaw is the ending sequencing of it... Map should've been the closer and it would be PERFECT. / Colin Newman - A-Z (1980) A [4 listens B++/B/A+/A] Colin Newman's solo project and the "unofficial 4th Wire album" as many of the songs were written while the band was together. And it is obvious the time frame when, as it's more of a 154 Part 2 with how very unattached it is to being "Post Punk". However, similar to Chairs Missing, it's an unfocused album with so many great ideas. This is probably where I'd say it's too experimental, as some of these songs are just too intentionally eccentric. To be frank, I think he's trying too hard to be "weird" to match that energy of 154, but the weirdness was from the tone and how desolate the energy was. Whereas here, the energy is completely up and down and the oddness is in the erratic style than it's ambiance. This one probably has more moments and songs that I love more, but this makes Chairs Missing appear more concise lol. Still very good if you're a Wire fan, even if you can still sense that it's not really a true "Wire" project.
8. Siouxsie and the Banshees: i. Kaleidoscope (1980) B+ [3 listens A/A-/B+] with a different lineup this time around, interested to see how they will develop their sound going into the 80s. And it's kinda as I expected: more diverse instruments, more grooves with in the basslines and leaning on the singing to lead the direction. As the songs go on, they (specifically Siouxsie Sioux) lose their energy. Side 2 has all the best songs, while the first is lacking. Solid listen, but feels they overdid it when they should've kept it simple like on Scream. I respect the attempt and was probably a needed change due to how fast Post Punk was developing, but it could've been done more succinctly. ii. Juju (1981) A+ [2 listens A/A+] Well shit, it's like they already knew my criticisms lol. Finally dynamic songs! Partially why Bauhaus has become my favorite Post Punk/Gothic band, is that the song's layout and rhythms changes throughout a single song and doesn't remain static. Sioux is an all timer in presence, but not so much with singing imo, so she's used so much better as she's highlighted spottingly, particularly in crescendoing over the music. Also, this is heavy as hell; Monitor sounds like a SOAD track... Damn! Honestly, I thought this was going to be a repeat of Kaleidoscope, but man did they knock it out of the park. Fine tuned what they did and allowed themselves to amplify it without losing their identity completely.
9. Bathory: i. Self-Titled (1984) B++ [3 listens B++/B++/B++] the first "official" Black Metal album or EP given its length. Not only are the song structures primitive, but the mixing is as well. I think it works for what it is; something completely new. Even they didn't know what they were doing and it feels that way. The bassline is what seals the deal, as it keeps things very grounded. And the guitar is... well, it lays down the foundation of what Black Metal will become; for better or for worse. The production is really holding this back; it's very poorly mixed. The frayed sound of the guitars looses a lot of edge, which admittedly does make it an easier listen, but so much of its power is lost. Reaper, Raise the Dead, Necromancy, guitar solo on Sacrifice are the highlights. ii. Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) A+ [4 listens A+/A/A+/A+] I really love this album. Woman of Dark Desires, Massacre, 13 Candles, Enter the Eternal Fire, with that AWESOME guitar solo in the middle! This is the perfect step up, sound quality included. More songs with distinct identities, loved the pacing throughout and a very "easy" listen (i.e. no overly chaotic guitar solos). That's usually my main critique with most Extreme Metal albums is that songs tend to run into one another and there's very little differences between them all. The riffs are different, the tempo is different and the drumming is changed up on every song. Great album! But similar to all of their other stuff, I just wish it was longer. iii. Blood Fire Death (1988) A [3 listens A/A+/A] Another great album, but it's not a consistent as UtSotBM. I enjoyed the acoustic sections (that would later influence viking metal) which raises it up some points. It was an unexpected skill I didn't think they were capable of. However, this album is one that's trying to be two things: it does one really well and just "sorta" touches on the other one. It would've been great to see a better balance between these terrific Black Metal sections and these Viking Metal acoustic ones, giving equal time to each. I hope they would find a better balance in a future album, but I'm only listening to these 3. All were good listens and held up much better for pioneers of a genre.
10. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985) A [4 listens A+/A/A/A] a long awaited listen after seeing so much about this. It doesn't really come off as "Punk" but as legit, Irish/Celtic shanties. The novelty wears off after a few listens though. It's very genuine in its execution and doesn't come off as gimmicky at all. It's very 2 note: uptempo or slow wailing songs. Waltzing Matilda and I'm a Man You Don't Meet Everyday are by far the best songs here, with Dirty Old Town, Wild Cats and Sally MacLennane in that 2nd tier below. Really good and takes itself very serious.
11. Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician (1987) C+ [2 listens B-/C+] speaking of talking itself seriously.... here's the complete opposite. It's very VERY hard to actually get into this as it's just absurdist for absurdism sake as most of it is just so empty. There are a few sparks of musical inspirations that show they are capable of something more serious, but they seem to enjoy being nonsensical over making compelling music. It doesn't necessarily have to be serious satire or just cut and dry (I love Ween), but there has to be a point to this madness or else it just comes off as simply... madness.
12. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988) A+ [2 listens A/A+] Sounds like a "Heavy" Hair Metal band. The story is simply "okay" and that's being nice, as this was way over hyped, that I expected something like a To Pimp a Butterfly of themes and stories intersecting. This is like a Hair Metal version of the Wall. It feels more like a musical than a concept album with a linear story, which loses stream after Breaking the Silence. It is very melodramatic especially in the second half, but it was the 80s... However, it has Spreading the Disease so all of that is a wash; we don't got guys hitting high notes like that anymore, which you gotta admit Hair Metal nailed that with perfection. A++ music but A concept, so right in the middle.
13. Coroner: i. No More Color (1989) A- [3 listens A+/A/A-] first non big 4 Thrash. I don't know how popular they were beyond Europe, but they were pioneers in the Technical Thrash Metal (sometimes called Prog Thrash). The main issue is that all the songs run into one another, without any significant parts to either of them. They set their songs around the guitar solos (which can be unmemorable at best and very messy at worse), which furthers mushes everything together. This is why I tend to value pacing in music, especially in Heavy Metal. There's plenty of good riffs to be found, but you have to sludge your way to find them. ii. Mental Vortex (1991) A+ [2 listens A+/A+] great follow-up. The guitar is still leading every song, but it's not fully taking control over the identity of every one. The drumming and the shifts in the music (similar to Metallica's 80s work) better distinguishes each track, making every phrase more dynamic. It's pretty good, but admittedly the She's So Heavy cover puts it just over to be an A+; better than the original because its fully realized metal and ends 30 seconds sooner :p
14. Swervedriver - Mezcal Head (1993) A++ [4 listens A++/A++/A++/A++] a Grunge album in Shoegaze clothing. The music is very unassuming with its generic 90s vocals, but that's how that Shoegaze sound sneaks up on you. The reverb on every guitar note constantly adds texture to every moment, almost drowning you with its heaviness. And THEN, that's when the vocals start to shine; like warm light of a log cabin in the middle of a heavy, blinding blizzard. Also, Duress is up there along side Venus in Furs as those all timers I know I'll forever be listening to for decades to come. Phenomenal album, highly recommend! ii. Raise (1991) A- [2 listens A/A-] literally decided to listen to this days before finishing up as I didn't know this album was also a landmark in Shoegaze (maybe moreso than MH). This is the album shows that less discussed bridge from Noise Rock to Shoegaze, as so many places only consider Shoegaze as a direct evolution of Dream Pop. This is a true Alternate Rock sound, with heavy guitar distortion; but not to the extent to what Shoegaze is really known as. This is closer to Dinosaur Jr or Sonic Youth than MBV or Slowdive. That aside, its pretty good for a debut. The melodies aren't as great as MH, but a few songs like Son of Mustang Ford, Sandblasted and Sunset were great foundation points of what would follow. Wouldn't say it's a must listen, but it's a good entry.
15. Kyruss - Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) A [3 listens A-/A/A] Josh Homme from his original band and the "birth" of the Desert Rock genre. Solid album, I like the atmosphere it creates as a laid back, background album. Complete opposite of QQTSA in where it's like wandering down a barren "desert", instead of a isolated highway listening to a radio station. It works. Nothing here will jump out at you, but it's very clear that that's not the intent with it. Idk if I'd say it's a must listen, as I can see it being called uneventful. But it's a good listen if you want some background music with some grit to it.
16. Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind (1996) A+ [2 listens A+/A+] the last Swans I'm going to listen to as I didn't care much for To Be Kind, so I imagine I'm not gonna like any of their other stuff. This is in a different direction, where it doesn't even seem to be "music" at times. This makes GY!BE appear accessible in comparison. This is like flicking through the channels on a TV in this weird, strange motel in the middle of nowhere. A lot of dull, drawn out moments that actually work this time around, as it helps paint a better scene of this eldritch-like world it's in. If it had more of those spontaneous, random fully formed tracks, I'll love it more, however their sporadic appearances make them more special when they're coming out of nowhere. This is rare project where I feel that more listens would lower my love for it, as that unpredictability of it is its greatest strength.
17. Duster - Stratosphere (1998) A [3 listens A/A/A] VERY lofi with its low quality mixing. It's the pacing of Shoegaze without the distortion and the blasĂŠ attitude of Slacker Rock without the traditional song structure, to a point where it's closest to Post Rock but still has that character of your favorite 90s Indie Rock band (I'm also lost as well). RYM calls it Slowcore, which I find kinda cool. This is like if depression was an album; all the ebbs and flows of your mood slowly dropping, staying at a low point, that occasional optimism and right back into that shallow pit of somber, where you managed to make a somewhat cozy cottage due to you being there for so many times. Slowest part of a Built to Spill album, with a budget of $18 for production, bring a singer with possible self-esteem issues and tell them to make a 50 min lullaby to get a shoegaze-loving kid to sleep. I'm all out of metaphors.
18. Gustavo Cerati - Bocanada (1999) A+ [3 listens A+/A+/A+] another album I can't quite remember how it got on my list, but Trip Hop is another one of those genres that outside of Massive Attack and Portishead that I have very little experience with. Even though the lyrics are in a foreign language, it didn't hurt the overall experience of the album (it have may limited it being better though). Melancholy in his voice and the music, contrasting with the Trip Hop style. Tabu, Rio Babel, and Pasco Immoral are the ones that I recommend checking out if the runtime can be off-putting to some; but it's well worth the journey. Wonderful album that I'm glad I came across.
19. Immolation - Close to a World Below (2000) A [4 listens A+/A/A/A] Better than most Death Metal. Love that the vocalist is slow with his pace (he was great!), along with a solid and steady guitar riffs. I really dislike that drum sound (banging on the toms), but that's a hurdle it feels like you have to overcome to really get into the genre itself. Any of the first 4 songs and Lost Passion are worth checking out.
20. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001) B+ [3 listens B++/B++/B+] I get why they're labeled Blues Rock. Maybe I didn't notice it before, but he sings like John Lennon, where he constantly on that upper octave (which is well out of their ranges) and they crack notes a lot. It's charming to a certain degree, but I don't think it really works with this heavy style. My biggest issue with it is that it's doing multiple things at once, instead of separately. The loud songs are too understated, as Union or Offend should be a bigger, hard, fast paced songs but instead have slow sections. They have this heavy guitar for no reason. We're going to Be Friends and This Protector being tender songs, when it's full acoustic and has a consistent theme, further adds to the lack of uniformity. Also, songs rarely change/switch up, which normally isn't that big of a issue, but when they're all 3+ minutes long, they all drag on. I know what a "perfect version" sounds like from them, so a lot of missteps feel more obvious than if it was blind to me, but I'm not super invested in this album, even with the number of listens.
21. Muse: i. Absolution (2003) A++ [5 listens A++/A+/A++/A++/A++] what if Radiohead chose to stay in 1997? What is it with these Post BritPop bands with incredible sophomore releases? Similarly to Coldplay, I didn't care much for Origin of Symmetry and had low expectations going into this. I don't know if I'm being too generous as only about 3 or 4 of these songs are really strong, however none are what I'd consider skips. This album is so damn tight in its tracklist. Some of the best collections of hooks and bridges ever. The singing isn't always on point, but the way they nail down the perfect formula for every song overshadows most of their faults in not being too special in any particular category. ii. Black Holes and Revelations (2006) A++ [3 listens A/A++/A++] Back to back bangers?! This one is probably my favorite, especially with how strong the second half of the album is. All the songs are great, but aren't straight retreads of what Absolution brought with the varied added instruments. Again, nothing they're doing is otherworldly, but they execute the structures of all of the songs so perfectly, that you tend to ignore the mediocrity of the band members' skills individually. They're the sum of their parts; heavily carried by their collaboration with the songwriting. These two albums are BARLEY A++ though... so if I give these two A++s, then I'm going to retroactively make Ok Computer a "Masterpiece", because it doesn't sit right with me with them being on the same level. Great pair of albums; y'all sleeping on Muse?
22. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) B+ [3 listens B+/B++/B+] okay, this is emo, like legit emo pop. TBP had a bigger theatrical element infused in its identity, whereas this has all of its personality in its lyrics. And the lyrics are very... tbh cringe. Songs go in too long; great choruses and lyrics, but having the same structure over and over is too repetitive for me to really get into it. It's very melodramatic, particularly in the singing, which at least does make it a compelling listen. I just wish the music followed suit as well. He is also too frantic in his performance, where on TBP it is limited to a few songs. Maybe this is the line where it is too raw.
23. Joanna Newsom: i. YS (2006) B- [2 listen A-/B-] DENSE AS FUCK. Makes Bob Dylan look like an haiku writer. Each song is a storybook, that requires heavy attention. Music itself is not too impressive outside its complexity in the instrumentation. This non-stop, continuous nature of her singing is the major turn off. To a point where it's very hard to follow any story she's trying to paint and the entire thing feels tiring. I do like the harp playing and the orchestral spurts that brighten phrases, but that's the only positive I can come up with. Big disappointment and kinda soured me on her going forward. However, I decided on a whim to give her one more try and.... ii. The Milk Eyed Mender (2004) Masterpiece [3 listens A++/MP/MP] being majorly disappointed with YS, I decided to try her more stripped down Debut before completely writing her off, as the albums following YS are very long listens. And it turns out I actually enjoy this much more; matter of fact, I can't find any flaws within it: ZERO. Yes, her voice is even more of a sore thumb when most of the attention is on it (those harmonies on Peach Plum and Pear sound like Nightmare Fuel tbh). But if I can call Blonde on Blonde a perfect album, I can give a pass to her voice. Her flow in the songs are SOOO much better, that it makes YS looks even worse in that department. The harp playing isn't grand, but subdued in line with her wandering through each song; ebbing and flowing along with her energy in each track. Her cadence and timbre in how she sings is second to none her.
24. The Beach Boys: Brian Wilson Presents Smile (2005) A- [2 listens A/A-] most of my thoughts on in the Sessions review, as his worned voice hampered the album. I will say this imo would've bombed in 1967; baroque ballads, no rock lol. It would've kicked started Progressive Rock about 5 years sooner, but it wouldn't have made such a huge splash considering the trend all of music was already headed in at that point. This feels more like a live album / The Smile Sessions (2011) A++ [5 listens A/A/A+/A+/A++] BWPS felt like a monkey Brian needed to finally get off his back. A personal album made by Brian himself, whereas BWPS kinda feels like the "gift" to the world that SMiLE was promised as. This still has that youthful, tender energy of creation, where it's unabashedly open with its oddities. Kind of like how Beach Boys Today! was a left turn in their careers, this would've been that for Pet Sounds. BWPS was trying to meet SMiLE's high expectations; this is more honest. The harmonies are so warm, with the perfect blend of pathos. There's more playful instruments in the background that make the whole thing feel more playful. A few of the mixes aren't done well - "Wistful" is the best way to describe this project. Good vibrations finally "fits" inside an album; we can all die in peace now. It's too baroque to be really accessible and too Prog to have real standout hit singles. But as a confined experience, BY FAR the best the Beach Boys have made... or uhm would've made.
25. Sweet Trip - You Will Never Know Why (2009) A++ [4 listens A-/A++/MP/A++] ...I wish I didn't look up the background of this band before I listened to this. I went into Velocity Design and Comfort fully blind and while it's not the exact style I'm personally into, it's still so unique in what it brought, that I still think of it fondly. That is until I learned about one of the band members. The thing people don't understand about the "separate the art from the artist" thing is that is isn't because of a sense of "morally superiority", it's that every time I listen or consume the art.... I can't NOT think of them and what happened. I enjoyed this album a lot, but most of my time listening, my mind was clearly distracted. I was dying for them to go fully into the Electronic-Jangle Pop space they only would briefly explore on VDC. Valerie Cooper's singing is still SO awe inspiring and freezes you in time, easily the greatest part of the music. The only flaw is that it has only a handful of jingles that really grip me. Also, no entire song pulls me in the whole run, it's only really the chorus and occasionally the transitions between tracks (which are outstanding btw) which was also an issue with the VDC. If it was also a tad bit heavier in certain moments, that would've helped me overlook a lot of this minor flaws. Phenomenal album and perfect follow up, but it's gonna take some time before I can revisit this, as it's hard to mentally disassociate the individual from the music while it's so fresh in my mind.
Bonus Albums: (shorter reviews)
⢠Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor (1979) A [3 listens B/A/A] colorful and joyful. Sounds like this was the singular inspiration of every Nintendo soundtrack from the 80s and 90s lol. Liked the slow parts, but the bouncy songs are very fun to listen to. Low stakes but still aged wonderfully.
⢠Gary Numen - The Pleasure Principal (1979) B [2 listens B+/B] futuristic, yet undefined. Weird vocal style is kinda weird, not everyone can pull it off like David Byrne or Devo. Isn't jovial enough like YMO nor is breaking any new ground with the layout like Kraftwerk to compensate for its simplicity. Cars was a nice surprise tho.
⢠Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture and Morality (1981) A- [3 listens B++/A-/A-] finally a legit "Pop" singer. Synths are used as an aesthetic and not a crutch, now starting to feel like a more modern (or 80s I guess) style. Joan of Arc and Souvenir are my favorites. Good, but nothing too incredible.
⢠Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair (1985) A++ [2 listens A++/A++] holy hell, way way better than I expected it would be. I knew the two popular songs, but they were more denser and bigger than I assumed they were. The production here is so lush and wide, immediately obvious they were very "familiar" with the technology by then. I will be adding more of their albums for more detailed reviews on a future list. (Prob the Hurting and Seeds)
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2. Yes: i. The Yes Album (1971) A++ [6 listens A+/A++/A+/A+/A++/A++] Close to the Edge is still one of the most Epic-like songs in Rock history, so I was thinking it was going to be pretty hard to top that, and it turns out, they already did lol. CttE is a great song, but the rest of the album is merely ok, whereas Venture is the only weak song. Everything else is MAGNIFICENT!! Move over harmonica, the organ is officially the most underrated instrument now. EVERY climax of each song is immaculate, the guitar and keyboards are always on point, the singing has never been better! Nothing could ever match what CttE is, but they started off with making a more consistent album throughout instead of only in one song. All timer. ii. Fragile (1971) A- [3 listens A-/A-/A-] first time I actually felt like I got Rick Roll'd by an album, as I didn't realize that the song from that meme was from Roundabout lol. The song is great and is even better the longer it develops. However, it does fall apart as the album gets deeper, particularly in the second side. I read on the recording of this album and saw that the individual members worked on separate tracks as they were being rushed and it really shows, as there are very understated and disconnected from everything else next to them. It becomes very noticeable when a song like Roundabout literally kicks off the tracklist and you have to follow it. Now, I can see the path on their way to how CttE is formatted, as it's just 3 "Roundabouts" in a row. Good listen, but very unbalanced.
3. ZZ Top - Tres Hombres (1973) A++ [6 listens B/B++/A-/A+/A+/A++] I listened to Eliminator and thought it was kinda meh and someone suggested to listen to this, as this is their "signature sound". Thank God I did, because this is probably my favorite Blues Rock album I've heard so far. The choruses are solid and aren't straying too far from the standard Blues layout, but it's the drumming, guitar licks and the solos that won me. That drum lick on the opening of La Grange is so damn sweet. Hell Raiser's solo is so amazing. The guitar riff on Master of Sparks is so catchy. The guitar & bass interplay on Shiek and Precious and Grace are amazing. Honestly, even though the song structures aren't that unique, they did the absolute best with what they had. But if I'm being honest, the 3 additional live tracks at the end put it over the edge for me. The energy is palpable.
4. Joni Mitchell: i. Court and Spark (1974) A [3 listens A/A/A] been awhile since I listened to Joni Mitchell's Blue, but I still catch myself randomly humming verses from My Old Man and Carey, so she's managed to find a place to hide out in the corners of my brain. It's a more jovial Mitchell and a forward looking project, instead of her sulking in her life experiences. A "recollection" of memories with her stories, with how scattered the writing flows. My favorite songs are Help Me, Free Man in Paris, Just Like This Train, Raised On Robbery. Nice album, she's starting to flirt with Jazz, but not as risky as what would come after. Also, Twisted needs to be cut from this album tho; such an odd fit. ii. The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975) A [3 listens A/A+/A] she's completely single and ready to mingle now with this one; in terms of the music. Playing off the cover art, its sound likes she's taking a stroll through the park, meeting strangers with different instruments and styles, stopping to sit in the grass or dance around with someone and moving on to the next person. This feels more unplanned compared to the others, which helps it create a separate identity from the rest of her work. I do think the songs struggle in the first half, but the second side are much stronger. Shades of Scarlett, Harry's House, The Boho Dance and the title track are my favorites. Also, the music and the combination of instruments on display is way more enthralling than the lyrics and her signature storytelling. It's very good, but there's definitely more complete albums she's made. iii. Hejira (1976) A+ [3 listens B/B++/A+/A+] For some reason, early on this is the album that hit the wall for me, as I i kinda got tired of her not really changing her vocal cadence that much in the first 2 listens. After getting pass that, it's hard not to respect her. I still don't think this album does much too advance her music on a stylistic level, as the previous two have, but fuck, she's so damn great at writing. Furry Sings the Blues, Refuge of the Road, A Strange Boy... just such amazing storytelling in those alone. Also, Song for Sharon is possibly my favorite Joni Mitchell song now; just perfection. Had that slow, casual feel reminiscent of Blue that is rare to come across. I honestly hate albums like this, "growers", as even now, I feel like if I listen to this a few more times, I'd come to admire it more.
5. Iggy Pop: i. The Idiot (1977) A+ [5 listens A-/A/A/A+/A+] I've gone through all of the Stooges albums and now it's time for Iggy Pop's solo material. Both of these were made along side Bowie's Berlin Trilogy and as the producer, his fingerprints are all over it. The desolate guitars ringing, while a very uncommonly low energy Iggy sings over it all. If the first half of Low could be called a trial run for New Wave music, then this album is the trial run for Post Punk. Also, the album art perfectly matches the tone of the album: a blue/black picture in the cold, mysterious darkness of night... with a clueless Iggy just along for the ride lol. This has his signature deadpan style, but none of the Garage Rock energy he's knows for, which imo makes this effort a more respectable leap then he may think. I read he really doesn't "claim" this album, as he sees it as more for a Bowie project, but this album is definitely made better with his inclusion. Yes, the music is the biggest part, but idk if you could just replace Bowie on any of these songs and it'd be instantly better. ii. Lust of Life (1977) B [3 listens B-/B+/B] Wow, the album where he put his "foot down" and went in on making an album that HE wanted, is of course the one I left unimpressed by. Not that it's bad, but it's just a Stooges album with, again, not of that high octane energy. Success and The Passenger are phenomenal songs, but everything else is just your by "the numbers" Rock n Roll standards with an updated Garage spirit than anything as inventive at The Idiot.
6. Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy (1978) B+ [2 listens B+/B+] Genuinely can't remember how he got on my list or even remember if anyone even recommended him. But this is considered his "best album" and plus, outside of Elton John, I haven't really explored many Rock that centers around the Piano. It's a fun album, albeit very crude and satirical at times, it managed to balance it out well. Outside the double take lyrics, none of these songs are too special. I like the nice piano jingle of Werewolves of London and the title track is an interesting song. However, the last few songs tanked it. Okay listen; not everybody is an "album artist", as the singles were the best parts.
7. Wire: i. Chairs Missing (1978) A [4 listens B++/A/A/A] Wire! Pink Flag has managed to become an all time favorite since discovering it and honestly wasn't aware that they actually had other albums just as critically praised as it. As a 2nd album, it comes off very odd, but with hindsight of what follows it, it's easy to see that it's just stuck between two worlds: the world of "Proto"-Post Punk and the extended end of the "concept" of Post Punk. None of their music really feels like "Post Punk" as they never seem to conform to any genre sound. Where Pink Flag feels like a group of teens making Punk with a solid background in music, they weren't out to be "experimental" with the music. Here the Hardcore edge is removed, which allows their artistry to become more visible, but they're moving away from this subversion. Mercy, Practice Makes Perfect, I Am the Fly, Marooned, Outdoor Minor are the good ones. It's still very ahead of its time and still ahead of the curb. ii. 154 (1979) A++ [6 listens A-/A+/A++/A++/A++/A++] sometimes you have to let the thing you want go in order to fully accept the possibility that something can be better. I still desire a Pink Flag 2, but I'll be a fool to dismiss how amazing this is. The extremely eeriely brooding and atmospheric environment is pushing the limits of what Post Punk should even be. A song like Other Window creepy as fuck, due to Graham Lewis' increased vocal role, adding SO much to this tone. Touching Display is how every droning guitar should be used; deep, whole notes and if it was made in the 90s, it'll be my favorite Post Rock song outside of Slint. This is Avant-Post Punk essentially; carving out a deep future path for Gothic Rock to eventually go down. Also, SYNCOPATED RHYTHMS!! There are many bands to do it (often Pop bands), but none do it better with a heavy and Punk sound as they do. Also, compared to Pink Flag, there's SO little fat on here; so yes, it's definitely their best album. The ONLY flaw is the ending sequencing of it... Map should've been the closer and it would be PERFECT. / Colin Newman - A-Z (1980) A [4 listens B++/B/A+/A] Colin Newman's solo project and the "unofficial 4th Wire album" as many of the songs were written while the band was together. And it is obvious the time frame when, as it's more of a 154 Part 2 with how very unattached it is to being "Post Punk". However, similar to Chairs Missing, it's an unfocused album with so many great ideas. This is probably where I'd say it's too experimental, as some of these songs are just too intentionally eccentric. To be frank, I think he's trying too hard to be "weird" to match that energy of 154, but the weirdness was from the tone and how desolate the energy was. Whereas here, the energy is completely up and down and the oddness is in the erratic style than it's ambiance. This one probably has more moments and songs that I love more, but this makes Chairs Missing appear more concise lol. Still very good if you're a Wire fan, even if you can still sense that it's not really a true "Wire" project.
8. Siouxsie and the Banshees: i. Kaleidoscope (1980) B+ [3 listens A/A-/B+] with a different lineup this time around, interested to see how they will develop their sound going into the 80s. And it's kinda as I expected: more diverse instruments, more grooves with in the basslines and leaning on the singing to lead the direction. As the songs go on, they (specifically Siouxsie Sioux) lose their energy. Side 2 has all the best songs, while the first is lacking. Solid listen, but feels they overdid it when they should've kept it simple like on Scream. I respect the attempt and was probably a needed change due to how fast Post Punk was developing, but it could've been done more succinctly. ii. Juju (1981) A+ [2 listens A/A+] Well shit, it's like they already knew my criticisms lol. Finally dynamic songs! Partially why Bauhaus has become my favorite Post Punk/Gothic band, is that the song's layout and rhythms changes throughout a single song and doesn't remain static. Sioux is an all timer in presence, but not so much with singing imo, so she's used so much better as she's highlighted spottingly, particularly in crescendoing over the music. Also, this is heavy as hell; Monitor sounds like a SOAD track... Damn! Honestly, I thought this was going to be a repeat of Kaleidoscope, but man did they knock it out of the park. Fine tuned what they did and allowed themselves to amplify it without losing their identity completely.
9. Bathory: i. Self-Titled (1984) B++ [3 listens B++/B++/B++] the first "official" Black Metal album or EP given its length. Not only are the song structures primitive, but the mixing is as well. I think it works for what it is; something completely new. Even they didn't know what they were doing and it feels that way. The bassline is what seals the deal, as it keeps things very grounded. And the guitar is... well, it lays down the foundation of what Black Metal will become; for better or for worse. The production is really holding this back; it's very poorly mixed. The frayed sound of the guitars looses a lot of edge, which admittedly does make it an easier listen, but so much of its power is lost. Reaper, Raise the Dead, Necromancy, guitar solo on Sacrifice are the highlights. ii. Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) A+ [4 listens A+/A/A+/A+] I really love this album. Woman of Dark Desires, Massacre, 13 Candles, Enter the Eternal Fire, with that AWESOME guitar solo in the middle! This is the perfect step up, sound quality included. More songs with distinct identities, loved the pacing throughout and a very "easy" listen (i.e. no overly chaotic guitar solos). That's usually my main critique with most Extreme Metal albums is that songs tend to run into one another and there's very little differences between them all. The riffs are different, the tempo is different and the drumming is changed up on every song. Great album! But similar to all of their other stuff, I just wish it was longer. iii. Blood Fire Death (1988) A [3 listens A/A+/A] Another great album, but it's not a consistent as UtSotBM. I enjoyed the acoustic sections (that would later influence viking metal) which raises it up some points. It was an unexpected skill I didn't think they were capable of. However, this album is one that's trying to be two things: it does one really well and just "sorta" touches on the other one. It would've been great to see a better balance between these terrific Black Metal sections and these Viking Metal acoustic ones, giving equal time to each. I hope they would find a better balance in a future album, but I'm only listening to these 3. All were good listens and held up much better for pioneers of a genre.
10. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985) A [4 listens A+/A/A/A] a long awaited listen after seeing so much about this. It doesn't really come off as "Punk" but as legit, Irish/Celtic shanties. The novelty wears off after a few listens though. It's very genuine in its execution and doesn't come off as gimmicky at all. It's very 2 note: uptempo or slow wailing songs. Waltzing Matilda and I'm a Man You Don't Meet Everyday are by far the best songs here, with Dirty Old Town, Wild Cats and Sally MacLennane in that 2nd tier below. Really good and takes itself very serious.
11. Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician (1987) C+ [2 listens B-/C+] speaking of talking itself seriously.... here's the complete opposite. It's very VERY hard to actually get into this as it's just absurdist for absurdism sake as most of it is just so empty. There are a few sparks of musical inspirations that show they are capable of something more serious, but they seem to enjoy being nonsensical over making compelling music. It doesn't necessarily have to be serious satire or just cut and dry (I love Ween), but there has to be a point to this madness or else it just comes off as simply... madness.
12. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988) A+ [2 listens A/A+] Sounds like a "Heavy" Hair Metal band. The story is simply "okay" and that's being nice, as this was way over hyped, that I expected something like a To Pimp a Butterfly of themes and stories intersecting. This is like a Hair Metal version of the Wall. It feels more like a musical than a concept album with a linear story, which loses stream after Breaking the Silence. It is very melodramatic especially in the second half, but it was the 80s... However, it has Spreading the Disease so all of that is a wash; we don't got guys hitting high notes like that anymore, which you gotta admit Hair Metal nailed that with perfection. A++ music but A concept, so right in the middle.
13. Coroner: i. No More Color (1989) A- [3 listens A+/A/A-] first non big 4 Thrash. I don't know how popular they were beyond Europe, but they were pioneers in the Technical Thrash Metal (sometimes called Prog Thrash). The main issue is that all the songs run into one another, without any significant parts to either of them. They set their songs around the guitar solos (which can be unmemorable at best and very messy at worse), which furthers mushes everything together. This is why I tend to value pacing in music, especially in Heavy Metal. There's plenty of good riffs to be found, but you have to sludge your way to find them. ii. Mental Vortex (1991) A+ [2 listens A+/A+] great follow-up. The guitar is still leading every song, but it's not fully taking control over the identity of every one. The drumming and the shifts in the music (similar to Metallica's 80s work) better distinguishes each track, making every phrase more dynamic. It's pretty good, but admittedly the She's So Heavy cover puts it just over to be an A+; better than the original because its fully realized metal and ends 30 seconds sooner :p
14. Swervedriver - Mezcal Head (1993) A++ [4 listens A++/A++/A++/A++] a Grunge album in Shoegaze clothing. The music is very unassuming with its generic 90s vocals, but that's how that Shoegaze sound sneaks up on you. The reverb on every guitar note constantly adds texture to every moment, almost drowning you with its heaviness. And THEN, that's when the vocals start to shine; like warm light of a log cabin in the middle of a heavy, blinding blizzard. Also, Duress is up there along side Venus in Furs as those all timers I know I'll forever be listening to for decades to come. Phenomenal album, highly recommend! ii. Raise (1991) A- [2 listens A/A-] literally decided to listen to this days before finishing up as I didn't know this album was also a landmark in Shoegaze (maybe moreso than MH). This is the album shows that less discussed bridge from Noise Rock to Shoegaze, as so many places only consider Shoegaze as a direct evolution of Dream Pop. This is a true Alternate Rock sound, with heavy guitar distortion; but not to the extent to what Shoegaze is really known as. This is closer to Dinosaur Jr or Sonic Youth than MBV or Slowdive. That aside, its pretty good for a debut. The melodies aren't as great as MH, but a few songs like Son of Mustang Ford, Sandblasted and Sunset were great foundation points of what would follow. Wouldn't say it's a must listen, but it's a good entry.
15. Kyruss - Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) A [3 listens A-/A/A] Josh Homme from his original band and the "birth" of the Desert Rock genre. Solid album, I like the atmosphere it creates as a laid back, background album. Complete opposite of QQTSA in where it's like wandering down a barren "desert", instead of a isolated highway listening to a radio station. It works. Nothing here will jump out at you, but it's very clear that that's not the intent with it. Idk if I'd say it's a must listen, as I can see it being called uneventful. But it's a good listen if you want some background music with some grit to it.
16. Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind (1996) A+ [2 listens A+/A+] the last Swans I'm going to listen to as I didn't care much for To Be Kind, so I imagine I'm not gonna like any of their other stuff. This is in a different direction, where it doesn't even seem to be "music" at times. This makes GY!BE appear accessible in comparison. This is like flicking through the channels on a TV in this weird, strange motel in the middle of nowhere. A lot of dull, drawn out moments that actually work this time around, as it helps paint a better scene of this eldritch-like world it's in. If it had more of those spontaneous, random fully formed tracks, I'll love it more, however their sporadic appearances make them more special when they're coming out of nowhere. This is rare project where I feel that more listens would lower my love for it, as that unpredictability of it is its greatest strength.
17. Duster - Stratosphere (1998) A [3 listens A/A/A] VERY lofi with its low quality mixing. It's the pacing of Shoegaze without the distortion and the blasĂŠ attitude of Slacker Rock without the traditional song structure, to a point where it's closest to Post Rock but still has that character of your favorite 90s Indie Rock band (I'm also lost as well). RYM calls it Slowcore, which I find kinda cool. This is like if depression was an album; all the ebbs and flows of your mood slowly dropping, staying at a low point, that occasional optimism and right back into that shallow pit of somber, where you managed to make a somewhat cozy cottage due to you being there for so many times. Slowest part of a Built to Spill album, with a budget of $18 for production, bring a singer with possible self-esteem issues and tell them to make a 50 min lullaby to get a shoegaze-loving kid to sleep. I'm all out of metaphors.
18. Gustavo Cerati - Bocanada (1999) A+ [3 listens A+/A+/A+] another album I can't quite remember how it got on my list, but Trip Hop is another one of those genres that outside of Massive Attack and Portishead that I have very little experience with. Even though the lyrics are in a foreign language, it didn't hurt the overall experience of the album (it have may limited it being better though). Melancholy in his voice and the music, contrasting with the Trip Hop style. Tabu, Rio Babel, and Pasco Immoral are the ones that I recommend checking out if the runtime can be off-putting to some; but it's well worth the journey. Wonderful album that I'm glad I came across.
19. Immolation - Close to a World Below (2000) A [4 listens A+/A/A/A] Better than most Death Metal. Love that the vocalist is slow with his pace (he was great!), along with a solid and steady guitar riffs. I really dislike that drum sound (banging on the toms), but that's a hurdle it feels like you have to overcome to really get into the genre itself. Any of the first 4 songs and Lost Passion are worth checking out.
20. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001) B+ [3 listens B++/B++/B+] I get why they're labeled Blues Rock. Maybe I didn't notice it before, but he sings like John Lennon, where he constantly on that upper octave (which is well out of their ranges) and they crack notes a lot. It's charming to a certain degree, but I don't think it really works with this heavy style. My biggest issue with it is that it's doing multiple things at once, instead of separately. The loud songs are too understated, as Union or Offend should be a bigger, hard, fast paced songs but instead have slow sections. They have this heavy guitar for no reason. We're going to Be Friends and This Protector being tender songs, when it's full acoustic and has a consistent theme, further adds to the lack of uniformity. Also, songs rarely change/switch up, which normally isn't that big of a issue, but when they're all 3+ minutes long, they all drag on. I know what a "perfect version" sounds like from them, so a lot of missteps feel more obvious than if it was blind to me, but I'm not super invested in this album, even with the number of listens.
21. Muse: i. Absolution (2003) A++ [5 listens A++/A+/A++/A++/A++] what if Radiohead chose to stay in 1997? What is it with these Post BritPop bands with incredible sophomore releases? Similarly to Coldplay, I didn't care much for Origin of Symmetry and had low expectations going into this. I don't know if I'm being too generous as only about 3 or 4 of these songs are really strong, however none are what I'd consider skips. This album is so damn tight in its tracklist. Some of the best collections of hooks and bridges ever. The singing isn't always on point, but the way they nail down the perfect formula for every song overshadows most of their faults in not being too special in any particular category. ii. Black Holes and Revelations (2006) A++ [3 listens A/A++/A++] Back to back bangers?! This one is probably my favorite, especially with how strong the second half of the album is. All the songs are great, but aren't straight retreads of what Absolution brought with the varied added instruments. Again, nothing they're doing is otherworldly, but they execute the structures of all of the songs so perfectly, that you tend to ignore the mediocrity of the band members' skills individually. They're the sum of their parts; heavily carried by their collaboration with the songwriting. These two albums are BARLEY A++ though... so if I give these two A++s, then I'm going to retroactively make Ok Computer a "Masterpiece", because it doesn't sit right with me with them being on the same level. Great pair of albums; y'all sleeping on Muse?
22. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) B+ [3 listens B+/B++/B+] okay, this is emo, like legit emo pop. TBP had a bigger theatrical element infused in its identity, whereas this has all of its personality in its lyrics. And the lyrics are very... tbh cringe. Songs go in too long; great choruses and lyrics, but having the same structure over and over is too repetitive for me to really get into it. It's very melodramatic, particularly in the singing, which at least does make it a compelling listen. I just wish the music followed suit as well. He is also too frantic in his performance, where on TBP it is limited to a few songs. Maybe this is the line where it is too raw.
23. Joanna Newsom: i. YS (2006) B- [2 listen A-/B-] DENSE AS FUCK. Makes Bob Dylan look like an haiku writer. Each song is a storybook, that requires heavy attention. Music itself is not too impressive outside its complexity in the instrumentation. This non-stop, continuous nature of her singing is the major turn off. To a point where it's very hard to follow any story she's trying to paint and the entire thing feels tiring. I do like the harp playing and the orchestral spurts that brighten phrases, but that's the only positive I can come up with. Big disappointment and kinda soured me on her going forward. However, I decided on a whim to give her one more try and.... ii. The Milk Eyed Mender (2004) Masterpiece [3 listens A++/MP/MP] being majorly disappointed with YS, I decided to try her more stripped down Debut before completely writing her off, as the albums following YS are very long listens. And it turns out I actually enjoy this much more; matter of fact, I can't find any flaws within it: ZERO. Yes, her voice is even more of a sore thumb when most of the attention is on it (those harmonies on Peach Plum and Pear sound like Nightmare Fuel tbh). But if I can call Blonde on Blonde a perfect album, I can give a pass to her voice. Her flow in the songs are SOOO much better, that it makes YS looks even worse in that department. The harp playing isn't grand, but subdued in line with her wandering through each song; ebbing and flowing along with her energy in each track. Her cadence and timbre in how she sings is second to none her.
24. The Beach Boys: Brian Wilson Presents Smile (2005) A- [2 listens A/A-] most of my thoughts on in the Sessions review, as his worned voice hampered the album. I will say this imo would've bombed in 1967; baroque ballads, no rock lol. It would've kicked started Progressive Rock about 5 years sooner, but it wouldn't have made such a huge splash considering the trend all of music was already headed in at that point. This feels more like a live album / The Smile Sessions (2011) A++ [5 listens A/A/A+/A+/A++] BWPS felt like a monkey Brian needed to finally get off his back. A personal album made by Brian himself, whereas BWPS kinda feels like the "gift" to the world that SMiLE was promised as. This still has that youthful, tender energy of creation, where it's unabashedly open with its oddities. Kind of like how Beach Boys Today! was a left turn in their careers, this would've been that for Pet Sounds. BWPS was trying to meet SMiLE's high expectations; this is more honest. The harmonies are so warm, with the perfect blend of pathos. There's more playful instruments in the background that make the whole thing feel more playful. A few of the mixes aren't done well - "Wistful" is the best way to describe this project. Good vibrations finally "fits" inside an album; we can all die in peace now. It's too baroque to be really accessible and too Prog to have real standout hit singles. But as a confined experience, BY FAR the best the Beach Boys have made... or uhm would've made.
25. Sweet Trip - You Will Never Know Why (2009) A++ [4 listens A-/A++/MP/A++] ...I wish I didn't look up the background of this band before I listened to this. I went into Velocity Design and Comfort fully blind and while it's not the exact style I'm personally into, it's still so unique in what it brought, that I still think of it fondly. That is until I learned about one of the band members. The thing people don't understand about the "separate the art from the artist" thing is that is isn't because of a sense of "morally superiority", it's that every time I listen or consume the art.... I can't NOT think of them and what happened. I enjoyed this album a lot, but most of my time listening, my mind was clearly distracted. I was dying for them to go fully into the Electronic-Jangle Pop space they only would briefly explore on VDC. Valerie Cooper's singing is still SO awe inspiring and freezes you in time, easily the greatest part of the music. The only flaw is that it has only a handful of jingles that really grip me. Also, no entire song pulls me in the whole run, it's only really the chorus and occasionally the transitions between tracks (which are outstanding btw) which was also an issue with the VDC. If it was also a tad bit heavier in certain moments, that would've helped me overlook a lot of this minor flaws. Phenomenal album and perfect follow up, but it's gonna take some time before I can revisit this, as it's hard to mentally disassociate the individual from the music while it's so fresh in my mind.
Bonus Albums: (shorter reviews)
⢠Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor (1979) A [3 listens B/A/A] colorful and joyful. Sounds like this was the singular inspiration of every Nintendo soundtrack from the 80s and 90s lol. Liked the slow parts, but the bouncy songs are very fun to listen to. Low stakes but still aged wonderfully.
⢠Gary Numen - The Pleasure Principal (1979) B [2 listens B+/B] futuristic, yet undefined. Weird vocal style is kinda weird, not everyone can pull it off like David Byrne or Devo. Isn't jovial enough like YMO nor is breaking any new ground with the layout like Kraftwerk to compensate for its simplicity. Cars was a nice surprise tho.
⢠Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture and Morality (1981) A- [3 listens B++/A-/A-] finally a legit "Pop" singer. Synths are used as an aesthetic and not a crutch, now starting to feel like a more modern (or 80s I guess) style. Joan of Arc and Souvenir are my favorites. Good, but nothing too incredible.
⢠Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair (1985) A++ [2 listens A++/A++] holy hell, way way better than I expected it would be. I knew the two popular songs, but they were more denser and bigger than I assumed they were. The production here is so lush and wide, immediately obvious they were very "familiar" with the technology by then. I will be adding more of their albums for more detailed reviews on a future list. (Prob the Hurting and Seeds)
2024.05.09 08:49 Naive_Ad_9207 What are some suggestions for customizable basketball uniforms?
 | I just got a custom basketball jersey with my name and favorite team name from Fansidea. It's a good matching piece for my sneakers. submitted by Naive_Ad_9207 to SportsGearTalker [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/xot5nac8lczc1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b46d6efeb6a1ba2b6ee7a77d743cf5cc8f8f114a When it comes to customizable basketball uniforms, there are endless possibilities to make your team stand out on the court. Here are some suggestions for customization options: Color Scheme: Choose colors that represent your team's identity or match your school or organization's colors. Consider incorporating multiple colors for a vibrant and dynamic look. Team Logo: Feature your team's logo prominently on the uniform. Whether it's an emblem, mascot, or customized graphic, the logo adds a personalized touch and reinforces team pride. Player Names and Numbers: Personalize each jersey with the player's last name and a unique number. This not only helps identify players on the court but also adds a professional touch to the uniforms. Jersey Style: Select a jersey style that suits your team's preferences and needs. Options include sleeveless jerseys, tank tops, or traditional short-sleeved jerseys. Consider features like moisture-wicking fabric and mesh panels for enhanced comfort and performance. |
2024.05.09 08:47 Naive_Ad_9207 Why do people buy athletic jerseys for casual wear?
 | It's a stylish accessory that goes well with my clothing. I always buy some baseball jerseys, football jerseys, or basketball jerseys to match mini dress with my friends. submitted by Naive_Ad_9207 to StyleWearFashion [link] [comments] There are some tips for matching outfits. Comfort: Athletic jerseys are often made from lightweight, breathable fabrics like polyester or cotton blends, making them comfortable to wear for everyday activities. The relaxed fit and casual styling of jerseys provide freedom of movement and allow for easy layering with other clothing items. https://preview.redd.it/v12n2nbtkczc1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe18566a1c60bbb51812488a3d96b386e99d8001 Fashion Statement: Athletic jerseys have become a popular fashion trend in recent years, transcending their original purpose as sports uniforms. Celebrities, influencers, and fashion-forward individuals often incorporate jerseys into their streetwear looks, pairing them with jeans, skirts, or sneakers for a stylish and edgy vibe. https://preview.redd.it/zzew8g6vkczc1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ab12b0bc1293062b61a393b0bbd952e8e3927e6 Casual Style: Athletic jerseys offer a laid-back and casual aesthetic that appeals to many people for everyday wear. They can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion, making them versatile wardrobe staples for leisure activities, running errands, or hanging out with friends. https://preview.redd.it/ftakvijwkczc1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd3515745244698d3bb3db6934ad1f69096e729c Statement Piece: Bold and colorful athletic jerseys make a statement and stand out in a crowd, adding personality and flair to any outfit. Whether it's the team's logo, vibrant colors, or unique design elements, jerseys command attention and make a statement wherever they're worn. https://preview.redd.it/rwmsgqexkczc1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8218683232b6ad5e2c6ebd9bb545bd1b2d4a644 |
2024.05.09 00:21 BOSsStuff Honest to God Cop Convention...
I guess there is a Law Enforcement Association thing some where downtown this week, and I'm meeting a buddy from out of town in the food court at Waterside. There are about 170 30s-60s white dudes in all their back the blue splendor in here. There was just a guy in a Uniform Shirt w/ badge, playing BagPipes. Scotland the Brave. If I had a hair on my Ass I'd have told him no even likes Old Spice anymore
submitted by BOSsStuff to norfolk [link] [comments]
2024.05.08 20:14 Carl_Sefni Cell 11
Yes, I was arrested. It's been at least 5 years since I served my debt to society and tried to live a normal life. Don't think I'm trying to make excuses and repeat a well-known clichĂŠ, but I really had a rough childhood. I lost my father in a work accident, and shortly after, my mother succumbed to alcoholism. If I wanted to eat, I had to learn to beg... or steal. So, it wasn't hard to get involved in more serious things, dangerous groups, and bad influences. That's the recipe for ending up in jail at 21.
Even though I had some run-ins with the police and even spent a night in the local precinct cell, nothing prepared me for what I would face behind bars. I got there and felt weak, like the kid I was, just a child who had barely left diapers and already thought he ruled the block. There were many internal rules there, and you'd be surprised how respectful men who broke the law could be with each other. There were certain ethical norms, and in cases of disrespect, the "Court" came into play.
The "Court" was a group formed by Francis, the boss of a faction, and some of his trusted men; they judged some issues and decided punishments, which could range from doing the laundry for the guy you offended for the rest of the week to something heavier. The guards didn't even bother, actually, it seemed to work well and saved them some trouble, and in return, Francis and his buddies received some "perks" like cigarettes and chocolates.
Some of the most notable rules in jail were: "Never cut in line at the cafeteria," "Don't touch others' things without permission," and "Don't disrespect other inmates' visits." All of this seemed normal and reasonable, but there was one specific rule that bothered me: Never look at the painting on the wall of cell 11. I remember hearing some murmurs down the corridor from time to time, but the first time I understood the issue was on a night when old Munford was telling his stories.
Old Munford was a card-carrying swindler, used to deceive people with a mask of senility, and as you might expect, prison was a gold mine for him, where his skills of smooth talk and diplomacy fit well along with, of course, an excellent talent for storytelling to pass time on nights when it was too hot to sleep early. That particular night, the conversation revolved around the unwritten rules of the prison, and that's when Munford mentioned the mysterious rule of cell 11.
"Listen up, lads," he said with a tone of seriousness that grabbed everyone's attention. "In cell 11, there's a painting on the wall, and there's a very clear rule about it: never, under any circumstances, look directly at it."
The murmurs spread throughout the circle of inmates.
"It was painted by a guy who passed through here a long time ago for killing his own mother. He was locked up in solitary confinement in cell 11, and during a psychotic episode, he used something that no one really knows what it is to paint the eye. They say that since then, strange things happen to those who defy this rule, from terrible nightmares to disappearances."
"Alright old man, enough of scaring the ladies," Francis's voice interrupted, and I swear I could see some inmates jump in fright.
Some colleagues nervously laughed, trying to dissipate the heavy atmosphere that had settled. I, on the other hand, couldn't shake those words from my head. The painting in cell 11, the psychotic murderer, the stories of nightmares and disappearances... All of it intrigued me in a way I hadn't expected.
That night, lying in my own cell, the thought of the painting haunted me. I couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister loomed over that macabre art. Days passed, and I did my best to avoid any mention of cell 11 even though I thought about it all the time. It was a kind of obsession mixed with fear and apprehension; I longed to know more, but I didn't have the courage to ask. However, fate, or perhaps my own imprudence, decided to play with me.
I was playing basketball on one of the sports nights we had in the yard when Bob, a big, tall guy, threw himself against me to prevent a basket I was about to make. I felt my body collide with Bob's, and for a moment, the air seemed to have been sucked out of the room. I found myself awkwardly falling to the ground, the sound of my body hitting the concrete echoing in my mind. As I tried to catch my breath, I saw Bob's face, contorted in a mixture of anger and triumph. He knew he had taken me down.
I took a deep breath, ignoring the throbbing pain spreading through me, and struggled to get up. Bob was laughing, a guttural sound that seemed to resonate in my ears. It only fueled my irritation. I wanted to retaliate, but I knew it would only result in bigger problems. So, I swallowed my wounded pride and moved on, trying to focus on the game.
But when the game ended and everyone began to disperse, I felt a heavy gaze upon me. It was Bob, staring at me with a disturbing intensity. I frowned, feeling uncomfortable with the way he was watching me. It wasn't like I had never faced intimidating stares before, but there was something different about the way he was looking at me, something that sent shivers down my spine.
I tried to ignore him and move on, but his presence hung over me like a shadow. As I walked away from the court, I felt a chill run down my spine. I decided to head back to my cell, hoping to find some peace and quiet there. But, upon arrival, I was met with an unpleasant surprise. The guard responsible for the corridor, Tulley, was standing in front of cell 11, with the door open and staring inside, mouth agape.
"Hey, Tulley?" I asked, approaching at a safe distance. "Guard Tulley?" I leaned toward him.
Suddenly, his neck jerked, his face slowly began to turn to face me. Now, the moonlight caught his face very well, illuminating the pale skin that reflected like a beacon in that dark corridor. I could see now the tear streaks down his cheek, his eyes staring at me with an irritated red hue, as if he hadn't blinked in a while. Without changing the expression on his face, a scream poured from his throat along with a thick strand of saliva.
My legs started to tremble as I watched that surreal scene unfold before me. Part of me wanted to run away as fast as possible, but another part was paralyzed by fear and morbid curiosity. What the hell was happening to him?
Tulley continued to stare at me with his bloodshot eyes, emitting that shrill scream that echoed through the empty prison corridors. I could feel my heart pounding irregularly in my chest as my mind tried to find a logical explanation for it all. The guard then staggered towards me, with a wobbly step, and placed his hand on my shoulder. I felt the grip tightening.
"Tulley, please!" I said louder, not to him, but to see if it would attract the attention of someone who could help. He put the other hand, even stronger, his face now inches from mine, allowing me to smell an acidic odor emanating from his hoarse voice, now his nails digging into my uniform, and I could hear them entering my skin, tearing "STOP! PLEASE!"
My screams attracted another guard, who intervened in the situation before things got even more out of control. It took two more colleagues to get him off me, and three more to take him away from there, while I remained trembling and trying to process what had just happened. My whole body was tense, muscles contracted by fear and adrenaline. I couldn't get the image of Tulley's face out of my mind.
My mind automatically returned to the stories Munford had told about cell 11 and the wall. Did that have any connection to what I had just witnessed? Was there really something painted on the wall? I looked at that open door, the number 11 engraved on the door's lead. It seemed to invite me, to mess with me. I could go there, see what was inside the cell, no one would need to know, right?
I found myself raising my hand without even realizing it, heading towards the door, ready to open it a little more and see inside the cell, when a voice echoed behind me in the corridor, calling my name. I jumped out of the trance startled, and turned to see the nurse, who was calling me to be taken to the infirmary.
"These are pretty nasty injuries," she commented, as she examined the wounds.
"It was nothing," I tried to sound tough. The only thing I noticed was the surreal beauty of the woman I hadn't seen before. I saw the name "Linda" pinned to her badge. "I've been through much worse on the streets, Linda."
"Miss Linda" she corrected, tightening the bandage knot with a hint of annoyance at the taunt. I let out a small "ouch" of discomfort, and I could see a small smile forming on her face.
"And Tulley?" I continued, trying to change the subject. "He, well, seemed strange, very strange tonight."
Linda's expression instantly changed upon hearing the guard's name, her eyes darkening slightly, and a shadow of concern crossing her face.
"We still don't have much information. It seems to be a psychotic episode; we had to sedate him," she shook her head, pointing to the stretcher behind me, where he now lay peacefully, in contrast to moments before.
"A psychotic episode?" I repeated, my voice sounding more like a whisper than I would have liked. "Does... does this happen here often?"
Linda hesitated for a moment, as if pondering what to say.
"Not so often, but it happens," she finally replied, carefully choosing her words. "The environment in here can be... challenging for some. Not everyone can handle the pressure."
A guard entered, requesting the girl's services for a sick inmate. She quickly adjusted the IV in my vein and bid me farewell, saying that I would be under observation that night. That early morning in the infirmary was long and restless. As I lay on the stretcher, watching the shadows dance on the walls in the dim light of the lamp, my mind was in turmoil. The image of Tulley's contorted face, his red and empty eyes, continued to haunt my thoughts.
Whenever I tried to close my eyes, that memory came back, until, irritated, I decided that I would sleep one way or another. I began to ignore the thoughts and try to induce sleep, no matter how shallow. Gradually, I calmed down, clearing that terrible picture from my mind, when I felt something strange. A tingling sensation took over my body, I felt my face start to warm up, and a familiar smell in the air. I could smell that acidic odor coming from Tulley's mouth, now, right in my nose, I started to tremble, the palms of my hands sweating as I thought it was a vivid nightmare... wishful thinking.
I opened my eyes only for my heart to race abnormally. There, with his face almost lying on mine, with his eyes glazed and his mouth wide open in a silent scream, was Tulley, standing. I could see the empty stretcher and the sheets on the floor. On his arm, the needle now disconnected from the IV dripped blood all over the floor, in a darker tone than normal.
Panic took hold of me as I stared at that surreal scene before my eyes. I wanted to do something, scream for help, but it was as if I were in sleep paralysis. I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible, but my throat seemed closed, as if fear had completely taken over me. Tulley remained there, motionless like a statue, with those empty eyes and the mouth open in a silent scream. Blood slowly dripped from his disconnected needle, forming small dark puddles on the infirmary floor.
Finally, after an eternity, I managed to gather the strength to move. With a tremendous effort, I reached for the button that called for help and pressed it with all my might. Soon, the guards came running towards me, and I pointed to that flesh statue, trying to explain what had happened. They quickly took control of the situation, removing Tulley from the infirmary and calling a medical team to check his condition.
I still wake up occasionally trembling and sweating, with the image of the guard staring at me. On some warmer nights, I can even smell the ocher odor escaping from his mouth. I returned to my cell the next day, and Tulley never returned to duty; they say he spent the rest of his days in a mental institution. But at that moment, considering all my ignorance, I could only wonder one thing as I stared at the metal bars: What the hell was in cell 11?
Update
submitted by Carl_Sefni to nosleep [link] [comments]
Even though I had some run-ins with the police and even spent a night in the local precinct cell, nothing prepared me for what I would face behind bars. I got there and felt weak, like the kid I was, just a child who had barely left diapers and already thought he ruled the block. There were many internal rules there, and you'd be surprised how respectful men who broke the law could be with each other. There were certain ethical norms, and in cases of disrespect, the "Court" came into play.
The "Court" was a group formed by Francis, the boss of a faction, and some of his trusted men; they judged some issues and decided punishments, which could range from doing the laundry for the guy you offended for the rest of the week to something heavier. The guards didn't even bother, actually, it seemed to work well and saved them some trouble, and in return, Francis and his buddies received some "perks" like cigarettes and chocolates.
Some of the most notable rules in jail were: "Never cut in line at the cafeteria," "Don't touch others' things without permission," and "Don't disrespect other inmates' visits." All of this seemed normal and reasonable, but there was one specific rule that bothered me: Never look at the painting on the wall of cell 11. I remember hearing some murmurs down the corridor from time to time, but the first time I understood the issue was on a night when old Munford was telling his stories.
Old Munford was a card-carrying swindler, used to deceive people with a mask of senility, and as you might expect, prison was a gold mine for him, where his skills of smooth talk and diplomacy fit well along with, of course, an excellent talent for storytelling to pass time on nights when it was too hot to sleep early. That particular night, the conversation revolved around the unwritten rules of the prison, and that's when Munford mentioned the mysterious rule of cell 11.
"Listen up, lads," he said with a tone of seriousness that grabbed everyone's attention. "In cell 11, there's a painting on the wall, and there's a very clear rule about it: never, under any circumstances, look directly at it."
The murmurs spread throughout the circle of inmates.
"It was painted by a guy who passed through here a long time ago for killing his own mother. He was locked up in solitary confinement in cell 11, and during a psychotic episode, he used something that no one really knows what it is to paint the eye. They say that since then, strange things happen to those who defy this rule, from terrible nightmares to disappearances."
"Alright old man, enough of scaring the ladies," Francis's voice interrupted, and I swear I could see some inmates jump in fright.
Some colleagues nervously laughed, trying to dissipate the heavy atmosphere that had settled. I, on the other hand, couldn't shake those words from my head. The painting in cell 11, the psychotic murderer, the stories of nightmares and disappearances... All of it intrigued me in a way I hadn't expected.
That night, lying in my own cell, the thought of the painting haunted me. I couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister loomed over that macabre art. Days passed, and I did my best to avoid any mention of cell 11 even though I thought about it all the time. It was a kind of obsession mixed with fear and apprehension; I longed to know more, but I didn't have the courage to ask. However, fate, or perhaps my own imprudence, decided to play with me.
I was playing basketball on one of the sports nights we had in the yard when Bob, a big, tall guy, threw himself against me to prevent a basket I was about to make. I felt my body collide with Bob's, and for a moment, the air seemed to have been sucked out of the room. I found myself awkwardly falling to the ground, the sound of my body hitting the concrete echoing in my mind. As I tried to catch my breath, I saw Bob's face, contorted in a mixture of anger and triumph. He knew he had taken me down.
I took a deep breath, ignoring the throbbing pain spreading through me, and struggled to get up. Bob was laughing, a guttural sound that seemed to resonate in my ears. It only fueled my irritation. I wanted to retaliate, but I knew it would only result in bigger problems. So, I swallowed my wounded pride and moved on, trying to focus on the game.
But when the game ended and everyone began to disperse, I felt a heavy gaze upon me. It was Bob, staring at me with a disturbing intensity. I frowned, feeling uncomfortable with the way he was watching me. It wasn't like I had never faced intimidating stares before, but there was something different about the way he was looking at me, something that sent shivers down my spine.
I tried to ignore him and move on, but his presence hung over me like a shadow. As I walked away from the court, I felt a chill run down my spine. I decided to head back to my cell, hoping to find some peace and quiet there. But, upon arrival, I was met with an unpleasant surprise. The guard responsible for the corridor, Tulley, was standing in front of cell 11, with the door open and staring inside, mouth agape.
"Hey, Tulley?" I asked, approaching at a safe distance. "Guard Tulley?" I leaned toward him.
Suddenly, his neck jerked, his face slowly began to turn to face me. Now, the moonlight caught his face very well, illuminating the pale skin that reflected like a beacon in that dark corridor. I could see now the tear streaks down his cheek, his eyes staring at me with an irritated red hue, as if he hadn't blinked in a while. Without changing the expression on his face, a scream poured from his throat along with a thick strand of saliva.
My legs started to tremble as I watched that surreal scene unfold before me. Part of me wanted to run away as fast as possible, but another part was paralyzed by fear and morbid curiosity. What the hell was happening to him?
Tulley continued to stare at me with his bloodshot eyes, emitting that shrill scream that echoed through the empty prison corridors. I could feel my heart pounding irregularly in my chest as my mind tried to find a logical explanation for it all. The guard then staggered towards me, with a wobbly step, and placed his hand on my shoulder. I felt the grip tightening.
"Tulley, please!" I said louder, not to him, but to see if it would attract the attention of someone who could help. He put the other hand, even stronger, his face now inches from mine, allowing me to smell an acidic odor emanating from his hoarse voice, now his nails digging into my uniform, and I could hear them entering my skin, tearing "STOP! PLEASE!"
My screams attracted another guard, who intervened in the situation before things got even more out of control. It took two more colleagues to get him off me, and three more to take him away from there, while I remained trembling and trying to process what had just happened. My whole body was tense, muscles contracted by fear and adrenaline. I couldn't get the image of Tulley's face out of my mind.
My mind automatically returned to the stories Munford had told about cell 11 and the wall. Did that have any connection to what I had just witnessed? Was there really something painted on the wall? I looked at that open door, the number 11 engraved on the door's lead. It seemed to invite me, to mess with me. I could go there, see what was inside the cell, no one would need to know, right?
I found myself raising my hand without even realizing it, heading towards the door, ready to open it a little more and see inside the cell, when a voice echoed behind me in the corridor, calling my name. I jumped out of the trance startled, and turned to see the nurse, who was calling me to be taken to the infirmary.
"These are pretty nasty injuries," she commented, as she examined the wounds.
"It was nothing," I tried to sound tough. The only thing I noticed was the surreal beauty of the woman I hadn't seen before. I saw the name "Linda" pinned to her badge. "I've been through much worse on the streets, Linda."
"Miss Linda" she corrected, tightening the bandage knot with a hint of annoyance at the taunt. I let out a small "ouch" of discomfort, and I could see a small smile forming on her face.
"And Tulley?" I continued, trying to change the subject. "He, well, seemed strange, very strange tonight."
Linda's expression instantly changed upon hearing the guard's name, her eyes darkening slightly, and a shadow of concern crossing her face.
"We still don't have much information. It seems to be a psychotic episode; we had to sedate him," she shook her head, pointing to the stretcher behind me, where he now lay peacefully, in contrast to moments before.
"A psychotic episode?" I repeated, my voice sounding more like a whisper than I would have liked. "Does... does this happen here often?"
Linda hesitated for a moment, as if pondering what to say.
"Not so often, but it happens," she finally replied, carefully choosing her words. "The environment in here can be... challenging for some. Not everyone can handle the pressure."
A guard entered, requesting the girl's services for a sick inmate. She quickly adjusted the IV in my vein and bid me farewell, saying that I would be under observation that night. That early morning in the infirmary was long and restless. As I lay on the stretcher, watching the shadows dance on the walls in the dim light of the lamp, my mind was in turmoil. The image of Tulley's contorted face, his red and empty eyes, continued to haunt my thoughts.
Whenever I tried to close my eyes, that memory came back, until, irritated, I decided that I would sleep one way or another. I began to ignore the thoughts and try to induce sleep, no matter how shallow. Gradually, I calmed down, clearing that terrible picture from my mind, when I felt something strange. A tingling sensation took over my body, I felt my face start to warm up, and a familiar smell in the air. I could smell that acidic odor coming from Tulley's mouth, now, right in my nose, I started to tremble, the palms of my hands sweating as I thought it was a vivid nightmare... wishful thinking.
I opened my eyes only for my heart to race abnormally. There, with his face almost lying on mine, with his eyes glazed and his mouth wide open in a silent scream, was Tulley, standing. I could see the empty stretcher and the sheets on the floor. On his arm, the needle now disconnected from the IV dripped blood all over the floor, in a darker tone than normal.
Panic took hold of me as I stared at that surreal scene before my eyes. I wanted to do something, scream for help, but it was as if I were in sleep paralysis. I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible, but my throat seemed closed, as if fear had completely taken over me. Tulley remained there, motionless like a statue, with those empty eyes and the mouth open in a silent scream. Blood slowly dripped from his disconnected needle, forming small dark puddles on the infirmary floor.
Finally, after an eternity, I managed to gather the strength to move. With a tremendous effort, I reached for the button that called for help and pressed it with all my might. Soon, the guards came running towards me, and I pointed to that flesh statue, trying to explain what had happened. They quickly took control of the situation, removing Tulley from the infirmary and calling a medical team to check his condition.
I still wake up occasionally trembling and sweating, with the image of the guard staring at me. On some warmer nights, I can even smell the ocher odor escaping from his mouth. I returned to my cell the next day, and Tulley never returned to duty; they say he spent the rest of his days in a mental institution. But at that moment, considering all my ignorance, I could only wonder one thing as I stared at the metal bars: What the hell was in cell 11?
Update
2024.05.08 04:26 powerballsite7 First Asian Quarter MVP in History
 | submitted by powerballsite7 to u/powerballsite7 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/moiu9d8f54zc1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e34fe8af5fe113dac4821102f71b8f667e63cbd1 [Professional Basketball Settlement] First Asian Quarter MVP in history⌠First game with 10,000 spectators in 12 years Laguna's records are rich, including being the first foreign player to score and the first win for the KCC 5th place team. In the 2023-2024 professional basketball season, which ended with Busan KCC winning the championship, various records were recorded, adding to the fun of watching for fans. First of all, for the first time in history, a non-Korean player was selected as the âKoreaâs Most Valuable Player (MVP)â, attracting attention. Ethan Albano, who has dual citizenship of the United States and the Philippines and has played for Wonju DB in the Asian quarter since last season, became the domestic player MVP. Asian quota players, introduced starting with Japan in 2020, were tied with domestic players in various records and awards and produced MVP for the first time. Albano appeared in all 54 regular league games this season, averaging 15.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds, taking the lead in DB's regular league rankings and standing tall as the 'best star'. íěëłź KCC's La Gun-ah, a 'long-lived foreign player' in domestic professional basketball, remained healthy this season and left a deep mark in the cumulative record. He played in 53 regular league games this season and scored a total of 829 points, recording a total of 11,343 points. He is the 2nd highest scorer in professional basketball history after the retired Seo Jang-hoon (13,231 points) and 1st among foreign players. I got to the top. Laguna was crowned the âhighest scorer of all timeâ among domestic players based on his playoff (PO) record alone. La Gun-ah, who played very well in 12 games from the semifinals to the championship game and scored a total of 264 points, accumulated 1,560 points in total, surpassing DB coach Kim Joo-sung (1,502 points) and ranked first in PO's all-time scoring list. Goyang Sono's guard Lee Jeong-hyun solidified his presence as a 'local ace' by being selected as 'unanimous round MVP' for the first time in history in the 6th round of the regular league. Lee Jung-hyun, who dominated the 6th round MVP voting with 80 votes, was the only domestic player this season to be selected as round MVP. Changwon LG's Yoo Sang-sang set a new record for the most 3-point shots made in a rookie season. Yoo Yoo-sang, who hit his 89th and 90th 3-point shots of the season in a game against Anyang Jeonggwanjang on March 19, became the all-time leader, surpassing Shin Ki-seong's 88 in the 1998-1999 season and Kim Min-gu's 88 in the 2013-2014 season. He made a total of 95 3-point shots. Among the coaches, KCC's coach Jeon Chang-jin, who led the 5th place team in the regular league to win the championship game for the first time in history, stood out. Coach Jeon, born in May 1963, became the first coach in professional basketball to win a championship in his 60s. At the age of 39, he rose to the top at Wonju TG (currently DB) in the 2002-2003 season and held the record as the youngest coach to win the championship. He also broke the record for being the 'oldest' player, surpassing former Ulsan Hyundai Mobis coach Yoo Jae-hak's 56-year-old record and becoming one of the leading players in domestic professional basketball. It was reaffirmed that he was a âmasterâ. KCC, led by former coach, was called a 'super team' with a brilliant lineup including Heo Woong, Lee Seung-hyun, La Geon-ah, Choi Jun-yong, and Song Kyo-chang, but in the regular league, it finished in 5th place due to injuries to players, and then showed off its power from the 6th round PO and won the home country. Won the championship the first year before. In the regular league, DB showed off their power by winning 'Wire to Wire' for the fourth time in history, never losing first place throughout the season, but they were blocked by KCC in the semifinal PO and could not even advance to the championship game. Professional basketball, which left a milestone in terms of box office success as the regular league admission revenue exceeded 10 billion won for the first time, is the first game in 12 years thanks to the clash between KCC and Suwon KT, where the league's top stars, brothers Heo Woong and Heo Hoon, play respectively, in the championship game. A monumental monument called â10,000 spectatorsâ was also erected. On the 1st of this month, 10,496 people flocked to Sajik Gymnasium in Busan, where the third round of the championship was held. On March 24, 2012, the semifinal PO match between KT and Anyang KGC (currently CheongKwanJang) of the 2011-2012 season (Sajik Gymnasium, 12,815) After 12 years, there was a game attended by 10,000 spectators. Likewise, 11,217 people attended the 4th game held in Sajik on the 3rd, making it the first time in 13 years since the 5th and 6th games of the 2010-2011 season's Dongbu-KCC championship (neutral game in Jamsil, Seoul) that there were 10,000 spectators for two consecutive games. It was recorded. In the 3rd and 4th games of this championship, admission revenue for one game exceeded 100 million won for the first time since KBL began operating an integrated marketing platform for the 2020-2021 season. With great interest from fans, Heo Woong led KCC to the championship and was named PO MVP. He was named the first 'father-son PO MVP' along with his father, former national team coach Heo Jae, who was PO MVP in the 1997-1998 season. Heo Hoon won in 4 consecutive games. A 40-minute full-time fighting spirit left behind a famous victory. In addition, 'famous' Hyundai Mobis achieved 800 wins for the first time in professional basketball history and SK's cumulative home attendance exceeded 3 million were also meaningful records that graced the court this season. |
2024.05.07 04:21 Plop40411 [DISC] Manga that inspired Japanese to do sport
![[DISC] Manga that inspired Japanese to do sport](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/_B9jkGw32xdQjWRuGCNter4NNhJkOrER3QiqaOE-J2w.jpg "[DISC] Manga that inspired Japanese to do sport") | A Japanese variety show, Wednesday Downtown (ć°´ććĽăŽăăŚăłăżăŚăł), surveyed 11,107 people in their 20s to 60s. About 14% (1543 people) of them started sports because they got inspired by manga. They were also asked which manga inspired them. submitted by Plop40411 to manga [link] [comments] The sport rank is:
The breakdown: Boxing, Baseball, Basketball, and Football Kendo, Tennis, Volleyball, and Karate Judo and Golf Then I analyzed further to see the influence of every manga if we break the sport category. Further analysis The top 20: Top 20 of sport manga that inspired people to do sport The complete breakdown of all manga with miscellaneous data: List of manga sorted by % of total Publisher breakdown: The breakdown per big publisher Interesting and unexpected things:
Miscellaneous data were from JP Wiki, MangaSeek, and Mangapedia It is for variety show, so this data is for fun. My Japanese suck, and I didn't watch the show, so please CMIIW. The show also mentioned the breakdown of respondent age in the every top sport manga, but I could not find any article that covered all sports. I noticed this thanks to the thread in Ao_Ashi made by suemos, so credit to him also. ------------ ETA: Correlation with popularity A bit faulty since I think it's not specific to Japanese and included sequels, if we use list of best-selling manga (Wiki) as a metric of popularity, there are 13 popular sport/samurai manga that're not mentioned: Popular manga (based on volume sales) that was not mentioned They were:
To add, there were no golf manga in the list. If we used the existence of adaptations (anime, live action, audio drama) and awards as the metric of popularity, there were 11 inspiring manga that didn't get any adaptation or awards: Sport manga without any adaptation/awards that got mentioned Despite that, they could still inspire readers to do manga. Probably it's because of the magazines (WS Jump, WS Magazine, WS Sunday, Ribon) so they got big exposure, or has many volumes (Eleven). Not sure how to explain the Golf. |
2024.05.06 21:11 Feeling_Sky_4255 New Idea for 2k 25
So I am a big fan of MyNBA especially a fan of the Eras. I like living through NBA history. There are only 2 Eras I would like to see them add to the game mode O would love to see a 60s or 70s era but I donât think it could work seeing as this could cause many likeness issues. The one Era nobody is talking about would be a fun one. Just imagine this you are halfway through the season and then a animation starts to play showing Rudy gobert touching everything in the press room then showing news clip after news clip and then the video fades out in the same donât they use to introduce you to every era it says The Bubble and you get to have the exiting high scoring high stakes basketball of the 2020 NBA bubble in Disney world this is a piece of NBA history that should be remembered for its season that was really unlike any other in the past.
submitted by Feeling_Sky_4255 to NBA2k [link] [comments]
2024.05.06 20:21 Electrical-Aspect-13 Womens Basketball uniforms of the USA in the early XX century (1900s). From the Pacific Coast to New York.
 | submitted by Electrical-Aspect-13 to TheWayWeWere [link] [comments] |
2024.05.06 17:50 Secret_AznMan Logo/uniform rebrand
Now that weâre in the ânext eraâ of Magic basketball, are they finally going to get new logos and uniforms for the first time in 16 years? Or better yet, rebrand back to an aesthetic with the classic logos that everybody loves.
submitted by Secret_AznMan to OrlandoMagic [link] [comments]