#and also their matches were literally the last ones to be decided in the euro playoffs back in october because both went to extra time

[kzuhadovey]

promises must be kept

character: timeskip!hinata x f!reader

type: fluff

warnings: -

song recommendations: mrs.magic - strawberry guy

remember to drink your water and eat your food, i love you!!

At the ripe age of 7 years old, you made a promise.

“At 25 years old, if we’re single, we get married.” “25? That’s a little early.” “That’s old enough. I’m sure that when we’re 25 we’ll look old so no one will like us.” “Okay then.” “Okay. It’s on, Y/N.” “You’re stuck with me for life, Shoyo.”

You smiled at yourself as you find the messily scribbled paper you found deep in your drawer. It was a scrawny drawing of you and Hinata, with the words, “Y/N and Shoyo gets married when we’re 25.” The memories rush back, like a wave of nostalgia, and you sigh. If only things were that easy. You and Shoyo have been friends since the literal day you’ve been born. You guys were a package deal- you have Y/N? You get Shoyo aswell. You both told each other everything, from your first kisses to your other friends’ secrets. You supported Shoyo through his volleyball career, and he supported you throughout yours. He was the best friend you could ask for.

Until that day, you moved to Paris. You’re a writer, and you’ve had over 5 million copies of your latest book, Over The Moon. It was a love story like you usually wrote. And even though your writing career was soaring, your own love life hasn’t been so good. Yes, you were an astonishing writer with beautiful facial features, but you’ve never found the right, exact guy. He was always too pushy, or too confident- it was never the right match for you. So ever since, your love life has been incognito. You’ve mostly focused on writing for now- your book was almost finished. You just needed an ending- which you couldn’t exactly grasp. The two main characters, Tracee and Elliot, were definitely in love, but you didn't really know what to do with them. Writer’s block, as it was called.

After around an hour of staring at the blank page on your laptop, you decide to take a walk outside. It was a very beautiful day- the streets were packed with tourists and small shops were blooming with food and objects. You stared at one of the shops- a sweet, enticing Lilly grasping your attention. “Might as well just buy it.” You thought to yourself as you approached the old lady selling them. “Salut! Combien coûtent ces lis?” You said, taking a bouquet in your hands, sniffing them. “Bonjour mon cher. L'un coûte 4 euros.” The lady said as she started packing one for you. “J'en prends deux, s'il vous plaît. Je vous remercie.“ You said as you paid the lady 8 euros.

”Uhm… Pouvez-vous- a-acheter tr-trois, right? trois fleurs, s'il vo- vous plaît?“ A man beside you said. You chuckle. He was obviously not from here- he had broken french. You squinted as you tried to make sense of his sentence. ”Quoi? Je ne comprends pas!“ The lady said as she rolled her eyes, passing you your flowers. You gulped- the man seemed nervous. His cheeks were red and he was looking down of… embarrassment, maybe? ”Il veut trois de ces fleurs.“ You say, pointing to a bouquet of pink-white orchids. He looks at you with wide eyes- why’d you even want to help him? ”Oh. Ces étrangers, ils parlent à peine français.“ The old lady rolled her eyes as she prepared the bouquet. ”C'est 11 euros pour un bouquet.“ The lady said as she shoved the flowers onto the man’s chest lightly. The man seemed to catch on with the numbers as he hurriedly took out his wallet, paying the lady. ”Passez une bonne journée, ma chère.“ You say as you walk away, sniffing your flowers.

“Mademoiselle! S'il vouz plait- wait.” The man said as he rushed in front of you. He had fiery orange hair, and he had tan-ish skin. “Merci. I- I just came here, yesterday.” He said, scratching his neck awkwardly. You would usually just laugh it off and say your welcome since it wasn’t your first shenanigans with tourists. But this man was special- you recognized him. With the way he spoke, and the way he combed through his hair-

“Hinata?”

His eyes glance over to yours as the gears spin in his brain. “Y-Y/N? Ah- I found you!” He shouts, surprised. Your heart is beating so fast- you could barely recognize him. He’s grown taller over the years- and his hair’s turned more orange. “Hinata… Hello.” You mutter out. Your head can’t process this- the last time you saw him- he was literally tiny. Bruises on his arms and a big, large smile on his face. “I missed you so much!” Hinata says as he jumps to wrap you in his embrace. He smelled like citrus- sour and sweet at the same time. You nuzzle your head in his neck- you finally found your best friend. “Shoyo.” You muttered, tears pricking your eyes. Your stomach’s whirling with nervousness and your brain’s spinning with excitement.

“So… you’re a writer now!” Hinata says as the waiter gives him his coffee. You were both sat in a cafe- you’ve decided to catch up with him. “I- I saw your book in Brazil last year. You’re so famous!” You chuckle-  Hinata looks hella excited. “It’s nothing, Hinata. You’re better than me- how are the others, by the way? I saw your game with the Schweden Adlers.” You cock your head to the side curiously. “Y-yes. I’m in a team with Bokuto and Atsumu now.” Hinata chuckles. He’s turned out from a scrawny middle school amateur to a literal professional player. “What are you doing in Paris?” You sip more of your hot chocolate. “I- I wanted to look for you. I heard you were in Paris.” His cheeks turn red- it was amusing, really. So, he came for you. WAIT- HE WAS LOOKING FOR YOU?? “Me? Why?” You widen your eyes in surprise. “Because- I wanted to see you! It’s the first break I’ve had in a heck long time- might aswell take a vacation too, right?” Hinata lets out a weak chuckle. “Woah- so it’s your first time here?” You ask excitedly. Hinata nods and you smile widely. “Yes!- Let’s go around- you have nothing to do, right?” You ask as you stand up. “W-well- yes- but I don’t want to- take your time up-,” Hinata says, chuckling. “No no no! It’s fine! I’m free today anyway.” You smile as you take him outside. “You’re my best friend, Shoyo. I will always make time for you.”

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

You both slump on your sofa tiredly. “I love Paris so much!” Hinata says, jumping up from the sofa. You chuckle- he was always a hyper boy. “The louvre, and then Notre Dame- It’s so pretty!” Hinata says as he sits back down, sighing heavily. You chuckle softly- he was like a very hyper puppy. You both have been exploring Paris all day, talking and taking pictures. You ended the day with dinner and now you were both slumped on your sofa. You yawn and stretch your arms- before laying your head in Hinata’s lap. He was soft and warm- his thighs were very much like pillows. Hinata tenses up- your head’s in his lap. “Do you have anywhere to sleep tonight?” You ask, staring at him. He tries to relax, leaning back more. “I actually- hoped you would help me find a hotel for me.” Hinata chuckles, scratching his neck. “You can sleep in my place. We’re friends, right?” You say as you yawn again. Hinata’s eyes light up and he smiles. “Thank you!” Hinata smiles and he looks around. You’ve got a pretty tiny apartment, with the view of a flower garden. It was already pretty quiet since it was late at night but you could still hear people talking far down the road. You notice Hinata staring at the balcony view and you chuckle. “It’s pretty, right?” You ask as you made your way towards the balcony.

A wave of fresh air hits your face as you step onto the balcony. The night air is peaceful and calm- just how you liked it. “Hey, I have a question, Y/N!” Hinata says as he takes off his jacket and joins you on the balcony. “Yeah?” You ask as you look at him. You take the time to observe him more- his cheeks are a warm tone of peach and freckles dotted his face. He’s tanner than when you last saw him- he’s also gotten buffer and taller. He looks really pretty under the moonlight. “Y/N? Hello?” Hinata snaps you out of your thoughts and you smile awkwardly. “Sorry- I spaced out.” You chuckle. “It’s- okay,” Hinata says, smiling. “I need to tell you something.”

You nod and eye him more- he’s redder now- he seems nervous. “Y/N. I like you.” He mutters under his breath, looking down. Your heart drops to your stomach and you gulp. Did you hear him right?- “W-what?” He shuts his eyes nervously. “Y/N! I like you a lot! Will you marry me?!” He shouts and the minute the words leave his mouth your eyes widen. Marry?! Your head is spinning with confusion and butterflies were swarming your stomach. Your eyes are looking around frantically in an attempt to see if this was a dream. “Y/N. Do- do you like me back?” Hinata squeaks out, snapping you out of your thoughts. You think again- well, kinda. You’ve always laughed more at his jokes than others, you were touchy with him, and well- he was your first kiss. “Hinata…” You manage to mutter out and fear strikes in Shoyo’s eyes.

“Yes, I like you.” You reply slowly.

Shit shit shit- what was he gonna say- “Thank you for telling me. Don’t lie though- I really like you- and I don’t want to get my heartbroken, o-okay?” Hinata mutters out, scratching his neck. You smile a little, looking at the floor. Hinata takes a deep breath before kneeling down on one knee. “Now… will you… marry me? Please?” Your heart stops- what the hell was he doing? “We made- a pact- right? You’d marry me when you’re 25 and still- single.” Hinata mutters out and you finally remember the letter you found earlier. Wasn’t that a joke? “Will you marry me… please?” Hinata takes your hands in his and kisses them- making you blush.

Your head was very busy. Thoughts were running around and your heart was beating really fast. You didn’t know what to say- you wanted to say yes but it was so sudden, but then again you didn’t want to reject him- he just said he didn’t want to get his heart broken. “…Yes. I’ll marry you, I guess.” You say, chuckling. Hinata looks up at you- his eyes are bright and happy. “OH MY GOD- Y/N I LOVE YOU!” Hinata shouts as he takes you in his arms, wrapping you in a large hug. Your bones feel crushed- he definitely turned stronger. You giggle a little bit, nuzzling your head in his neck. “I love you so much! Y/N’s gonna be my wife!” Hinata says as he shouts across the balcony. “I’M GETTING MARRIED GUYS!!!”

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

You huff in annoyance before dialing your now husband. “Yes, my wifey?” Hinata says, answering the phone. You chuckle at that silly nickname- he’s been using it ever since you two got married. “Can you pick Emmy up from daycare? They’re closing up early and I have to go to a book signing.” You say as you walk to your car. Ever since you moved to Japan with Hinata, life’s been great. Your newest book has been pretty successful, and you have a daughter with Hinata! “Ah, alright. I’ll pick her up in a sec- practice is almost done.” Hinata says. You can hear Bokuto in the background- he’s screaming and throwing balls around. “HEY SHOYO IS THAT YOUR WIFE?!” Atsumu shouts and you chuckle. “Sorry, wifey- I have to go or else Atsumu will attack you-” Hinata says as he makes a kissing noise. “I love you, bye!” The phone hangs up and you chuckle. This marriage has been a little tough since you both married early- but it’s been alright. Promises had to be kept, after all.

#hinata shoyo #hinata shouyo #hinata #haikyuu #hinata shoyo imagines #timeskip!hinata imagines #timeskip!hinata #msby jackals #hinata shoyo x y/n #hinata shoyo x reader #hinata shoyo x f!reader #hinata shoyo x you #hinata shoyo imagine #hinata fluff #hinata shoyo fluff #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu!! #msby jackals imagines #hq fluff #hinata headcanons #haikyuu x reader #haikyu x reader

[dieclownschaft]

idk if you ever answered this but why/ how did you end up being a germany fan? as in why do you support a team that isn't your country's, especially since brazil isn't like... bad (i mean it depends on the occasion 👀) also this isn't supposed to sound judgemental hajsghs i'm just genuinely curious...

- özilette

KLDJAKLS no its alright i get it!

WELL IT ALL STARTED WHEN I HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO ON JUNE 13, 2010... i did not care about football at the time, never had, but the tv was on and it was germanys first match at the world cup. and as a good whore i fell in love with mesut during the fucking anthem. u know a very sexy moment. very sexy tune dlksjdslk no seriously i just saw him and i thought he was cute so i decided to watch the whole match just for him 😭 ive never been valid !! thank god mesut is a good player tho imagine how embarrassing that would have been !!!!!!!!

so germany won that match 🥰 but not the following one 🥰 so things were looking awful for us 🥰 i dont remember exactly the maths or how the table was looking, but it was a messy group, it came down to the last day to decide who was going to qualify and basically wE HAD TO WIN !! and we did bc of mesut 🥰🥰🥰 his goal literally qualified us like leons goal did at euro 2020 dlkasjdkl BOTH OF THEM ON THE SAME DAY !!! june 23 !!! CRAZY !!!1!!!!11! so what was i supposed to do? not stan the man? thats when i really fell in love

so i kept watching germanys matches in the wc and rooting for them like crazy and getting my heart broken in the semifinals.......... but we won 3rd place 🥰and i of course discovered the other gnt players lmao and kept being a mannschaftie since (not really bc i did retire when mesut did. but now i came back for whoreish reasons. yet again. ill never be free.) bUT TO BE HONEST i deserved a break bc if i did not watch a germany match from 2010-2018 its because i simply couldnt. i even stopped at a restaurant to watch the euro 2016 penalty shootout against italy yes it was a very public embarrassing moment for me. keep scrolling.

so brazils nt was never. even. an option i never cared about them 💀never had a reason to...

#love that u were the one asking the question cuz idk if anyone else will understand me being this crazy about mesut lkjKLJDLK #asks #ozilette anon

[dcmeterwrites]

who is that walking on the quad ? that’s KLARA HAVENER, of course. she may look like milena tscharntke but the twenty two year old is actually a junior studying law with criminology. on game days, she’s earnest and conscientious ; during finals week, she’s stubborn and pampered. if you catch her at a party, she’s probably dancing to teen idle by marina and the diamonds.

— RUNDOWN.

full name: klara minerva havener

name meaning: clear, goddess of wisdom


date of birth: june 18th

place of birth: frankfurt, germany


age: 22


star sign: gemini


year: third


department: law

clubs: debating society

alignment: lawful neutral

mbti: entj

spoken languages: german ( native speaker ), english ( native speaker ), french ( proficient )

mother’s name: angela havener, née richards

father’s name: tobias havener

foster parent: friedrich havener

siblings, if any: none

height: 5′5″

hair colour: blonde

eye colour: blue

— BACKSTORY.

klara was born and brought up in frankfurt, germany, by two investment bankers. her mom is an american citizen, so she has dual citizenship. she had no siblings, as both her parents were relatively old when they had her. so she was kind of a miracle baby, conceived after many long years of marriage, by parents who had tried for a long time for her. she was the apple of her parents’ eye from the very start. 

she got super used to having the best of the best. her parents were pretty well-to-do, and because only child privilege, everything she ever wanted was at her doorstep, not least of all the utter adoration of her parents. fell into a solid case of gifted child syndrome, because her parents made sure that she developed her reading and arithmetic at a higher level than her peers. was a joy to have in every class, and was an award winner for all the recitations and track meets. 

highkey began to base her entire self-worth on the approval of coaches, professors and her parents. became too competitive to make very close friends, and even when she did, they ended up using her to their advantage to get better notes or tips for exams. it was okay though, because she was the kid that was invited to the staff room to help correct papers and told that she was destined for incredible things.

the stuff that she was most involved in at the school level was debate, political science and journalism. as she got older and the time they spent together steadily shrank, her parents began substituting their time with her for gifts. but as a kid, she didn’t mind it one bit. it was the world to her. 

at the age of sixteen, things were going as great as they could be. klara got a bit of fame in her school for literally breaking a leg while defending her goal during a game of football, and thus denying the opposite team the chance to score in the last thirty seconds of the match. she was riding on waves of sheer and general adoration.

then lady luck kind of bailed. her parents were exposed as having evaded millions of euros in taxes, and assisting many corporate partners in doing the same through an offshore company. it was under their nose. honest investment banking in a heavily regulated economy doesn’t pay enough to buy multiple homes in multiple countries all while sending your daughter to the finest schools in the finest clothes with a fantastic car. 

her parents were sentenced to prison for six years. and everything changed.

for one, the press went absolutely wild. klara was the centre of attention in germany for quite some time, the subject of enormous pity and some cruel sarcasm, about how she’d cry into her louis vuitton blankets and maybe have to stop having designer frappucinos for breakfast every morning. she almost became a meme, á la olivia jade, but thankfully, the joke didn’t get too far out of her country.  

to get away from the media attention, klara moved to hamburg to finish her last year of high school, living with her uncle friedrich, who was a bachelor with considerably less means than her father. he loved her, but she had gotten so used to the kind of over-performed love that she’d received all her life, that even the slightest reprimand from him felt like a deep insult. 

it was alright. she wiped her tears and dove into her work, seeking some sort of satisfaction out of it. but nothing came out. every effort felt empty, every day spent working for debate or science club or soccer club felt like a pointless day. she spiralled into a period of inactivity. 

in her last year, she decided that she wouldn’t study in germany at all. navigating higher education after the reputation she’d built up was going to be a living hell. her mother’s american citizenship offered her a way to live and work in the united states, and she took it. new country, fresh start, redo, yada yada yada. and she was ready for it, sort of.  

the period of apathy she went through somehow didn’t cause her grades to dip too much, although they certainly weren’t her best. her first choice for university would’ve been harvard or cornell, but she was rejected from every ivy league she applied to— which was all of them. the best university she could manage in the united states was riverbank university, and despite the fact that she knew very little about it, she leapt at the opportunity.

because most of her parents’ properties were confiscated and sold based on the fact that they were bought with black money, planning for college was now a herculean task. klara had few things she could sell off for the sake of paying her tuition, so she took out pretty much all the money she had in fixed deposits, and even had to take a couple of loans. never in her life has she ever held this much debt, and the prospect of paying it back is difficult, to say the least. 

with that, she arrived at riverbank with meagre supplies, ready for a real taste of american student life, ramen noodles and all. 

three years into her degree, and it’s going surprisingly okay. the first few weeks were a blessing, because nobody knew where she was from or what her story was. just a couple of those business freaks that read the news every single day knew, but they kept quiet. new start enough for her. 

she also tried for alpha beta delta, despite being a bit cynical of greek house culture in her freshman year. once she gave it a go in her sophomore year, she made it. 

law was always something she wanted to try ; if not for her love of passionate oration, she would’ve done something equally taxing, and beneficial to society, like medicine. alas, all she wanted was to get rich easy and make money off of doing what she did best — proving others wrong, and doing her best work. combined with the more abstract field of criminology, klara decided she was on her way to becoming the best defense lawyer in the united states — all with the support and approval of professors poppy bryant and mandy baker. 

you would think she’d have learned to have a little faith in herself ; but oh, she has no time for all that self love crap. there’s cases to be read, you know. gotta ace that midterm — 

#i sure hope this is coherent bc i am so tired #* introduction. #* introduction / klara havener. #* i am now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy / klara havener.

[180abroad]

Day 178: ...and We’re Still in Bruges

After a pretty intense day visiting the WWI battlefields and memorials of Flanders Fields, Jessica and I decided to spend our last day in Bruges enjoying some of the lighter things it had to offer: chocolate, fries, and a whopping bell tower.

After a return trip to the I Love Coffee espresso bar and a walk through the market square---this time filled with stalls of flowers and produce---we started the day with a trip to Bruges's Choco-Story museum.

We'd visited a different chocolate museum back in York, so we were interested to see how the chocolate museum in this other world capital of chocolate compared. A lot of the subject material was similar---obviously---but we found the Bruges museum much more interesting. Instead of a flashy guided presentation like we experienced at the York Chocolate Story, the Bruges Choco-Story is an actual museum filled with informational displays that we could take in at our own pace.

As we already knew, the earliest form of chocolate was a sort of cold bitter tea brewed in Central America from cocoa nuts.. What I hadn't known is that the word chocolate is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word cacahuatl, meaning "cocoa water." The earliest known use of cocoa was by the Shuar people of Ecuador around 5,000 years ago. Archeologists have found traces of Shuar pottery still coated with traces of brewed cocoa.

The later Mayan and Aztec civilizations especially favored a type of foamed cocoa made by churning it with a special whisk. The foam apparently cut down the bitter taste of the unsweetened chocolate.

In addition to the more typical museum displays, the Choco-Story also had some delightful Duplo block dioramas.

Much later, Spanish nuns in Oaxaca were the first to add sugar to their cocoa. The drink became so popular among female Spanish colonists that they couldn’t even make it through church services without taking a break for their servants to bring them more. A local bishop tried to crack down on the problem by banning cocoa in church and was found murdered shortly thereafter. (An important lesson about men trying to get between a woman and her chocolate…)

It was nearly a century after Columbus’s first voyage before cocoa made it back to Spain, and it was another century after that before it became popular outside of Spain. But when it finally did, it quickly became a sensation across the continent. In the 1700s, the French philosopher Voltaire mixed cocoa with coffee to create the world’s first mocha. He drank over 40 cups of it per day---to his doctor’s great distress.

Apparently, people were so afraid of spilling their cocoa that a new type of saucer was invented with a basket or cup for holding the cup secure. Maybe they were so afraid of spilling it because it was so expensive. In 1800, a pound of chocolate cost five times the average daily wage.

It wasn't until the mid-1800s that solid chocolate as we know it was first developed by the Quakers of northern England, whom we'd learned about at the Chocolate Story in York. But even though the English invented solid chocolate, the Belgians would argue that they perfected it.

Belgian chocolatiers pioneered the use of fun shapes and fillings to make chocolates even more enjoyable. Belgium was also one of the first countries to impose strict purity laws governing the production of chocolate---sort of like what Bavaria did with beer centuries earlier.

We also learned a bit about the process of making chocolate. (Or rather, I learned, since Jessica was already well-versed in the making of chocolate as a former chocolatier herself.)

I learned that there are three main varieties of cocoa plant: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario. Of these, Criollo makes the best chocolate and Forastero makes the least-good chocolate. Still, Forastero is much easier to grow than the other two, so the vast majority of chocolate is made from Forastero beans.

On average, one cocoa tree produces enough nuts to make just one pound of dark chocolate per year. That means that it takes literally billions of cocoa trees to feed the world's sweet tooth.

They also had a diagram showing the composition of dark, milk, and white chocolate. I knew that milk chocolate has a lot more sugar and less cocoa than dark chocolate, but seeing the pie charts really drove the difference home for me.

We also got to eat as many sample pieces of dark, milk, and white chocolate as we wanted, which was nice.

The museum ended with a walk through some incredible chocolate statuary and a demonstration of how to make Belgian pralines. It was pretty much exactly like the demonstration we saw in York---the chocolatier filled a mold with chocolate, poured it out, filled with filling, then filled with chocolate. But it's always fun to see people make chocolate, and it's even better to get free samples afterward.

On our way out to the gift shop, a set of computer terminals offered to reveal our perfect origin chocolate based on our taste preferences. Apparently mine is Venezuela and Jessica’s is Vietnam.

Our next stop was to climb the iconic bell tower that overlooks the market square. I have to admit that I spent a lot of that time thinking about the movie In Bruges, in which the tower plays a prominent role.

Crowds have apparently become more of an issue in the ten years since the movie was released. It was about a thirty-minute wait in the newly installed queue room before we could climb the tower. The price has also grown along with the crowds–twelve euros per person instead of the five quoted in the movie.

While we waited, we watched a looping video showing how the design of the tower has evolved over time. It was once actually even taller than it is now.

During the Middle Ages, a lot of towns around Belgium made deals with the local lords. The lords gave the towns economic autonomy, and the towns used this freedom to make astronomical amounts of money that the lords could use to raise armies when necessary. Each town had a market hall where local merchants would keep their wares safe during winter, and it became a point of pride for each town to build the biggest, most elaborate tower possible on their market halls.

As we climbed up, we got to see some exhibits along the way. We saw an old lock-box and the original wrought-iron doors dating back over 700 years to the hall’s original construction. Back in the day, this chest would have contained important contracts and decrees, and it would have required multiple respected members of the community to open it together, since they each would carry one of several keys that were all needed to open it.

We also saw the giant brass cylinder that runs the tower’s carillon bells just like a music box. I hadn’t known before this trip that that was how they worked!

It's very clear from the inside how much the tower has been expanded and renovated over the centuries. The designs and angles of the staircase change dramatically every few floors or so, seemingly without any care for convenience or continuity. It clearly feels like a place that was originally intended to be behind the scenes and not seen by visitors.

Also, as far as I could tell, there wasn't any point along climb where the stairway matched the one shown in In Bruges. Oh well.

The view from the top of the tower was just as spectacular as we could have hoped. There was a web of wire mesh covering all the windows, possibly to prevent people from inadvertently reenacting the film’s climactic scene.

Still, we were able to get some spectacular shots of the surrounding town and skyline.

Back on the ground, we bought some fries at one of the stands flanking the entrance and sat down in the bell tower's courtyard. Fries are a big deal in Belgium, and there are dozens of condiments to choose from. There's the American staple of ketchup, the Belgian staple of mayonnaise, and a host of other sauces we'd never heard of before. Thankfully we had plenty of time in line to do some quick research on our phones.

We both settled on “Andalouse sauce”–a blend of mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and peppers. If you've ever tried Red Robin's Campfire sauce before, it is very similar to that. They were easily the best fries either of us have ever had.

After doing a bit of final shopping in town, we headed back to our Airbnb to rest up and get packed for the next day's trip up to Amsterdam, where Jessica’s brother Nic was already waiting for us. We were leaving a day earlier than we had originally planned at the beginning of the trip since we'd gotten tickets to a soccer match in Amsterdam tomorrow night, but we still had a great time. Belgium seems to have a bit of a reputation for being an underwhelming tourist destination, but we had a fantastic time. The people were great, the food was great, the beer was great, and the scenery was great.

Speaking of beer, we didn't do any other beer-related activities after the De Halve Maan brewery tour, but we did our best to sample the local offerings back at our Airbnb in the evenings. We enjoyed a bottle of Kasteel Rouge, the cherry-liqueur-fortified dark ale we'd tasted back in Prague. Just like before, the first sip was heavenly, but each sip afterward was increasingly cloying. It would make a great digestif, but a full bottle---or even half a bottle---is far too much.

Another ale we enjoyed was the ubiquitous but still impressive Leffe Brown. It is the standard dubbel offering of the Belgian abbey-style macrobrewery Leffe, part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev family. But like I said, it is still really good. As long as you like dark ales, that is. The first thing that struck me was just how appropriate the name was. Sure, "Brown" doesn't seem like the most unique or descriptive name for a dark beer, but I can't think of a better word to encapsulate its flavor. It's earthy, bready, and nutty---like drinking a fermented organic bakery.

And of course, we got some Lambic beers. Jessica had gotten me into Lambic beers back when we were first planning this trip. Technically, Lambic beer is just beer that's produced in a very specific part of Belgium using wild yeast instead of brewer's yeast. But commercially, Lambic beers are known for being mixed with fruit syrups to create a deliciously refreshing beverage that even people who don't normally like alcohol can enjoy. The main brand you can find in the US is Lindeman's, and one of the first drinks we opened upon our arrival in Bruges was a Lindeman's Framboise (raspberry). It tasted pretty much the same as it does in the US--which could be seen as either mildly disappointing (since it wasn't any better) or moderately encouraging (we don't have to feel depressed for not getting "the good stuff" back home).

Plus, we also had a ton of chocolates we had to eat our way through. Yeah, life was pretty hard for us in Belgium. But all good things in this life must come to an end, even if it is only to move on to the next good thing. And the next good thing for us was Amsterdam, a family reunion, and my first European soccer match.

#180abroad #bruges #belgium #travel #chocolate #bell tower #french fries #architecture #europe #beer #lindeman #still in bruges

[anewkaiju]

You Can See Your Own Way Out (a Premier League write up)

Everyone finds their own club in their own way. This isn't a hot take, closer to a statement of fact. My cousin had a friend who went to study abroad in Newcastle, and in a show of solidarity, my cousin decided on that day that Newcastle United was his club.

I was thinking about my cousin a lot on Saturday. Most, if not all, Premier League coverage I've read so far this season has suggested that Newcastle are dangerously close to relegation. Amazingly, this may be a sunnier prognosis than what my cousin has described to me in recent weeks. A notoriously cheap owner. A director of operations who literally does nothing except hide. A manager effectively handcuffed by the owner and director of operations. A team without enough talent. A fanbase at their wit's end. Despite all of this, Newcastle United hung with Manchester United for nearly 60 minutes on Saturday at Old Trafford. A football match is 90 minutes, but still.

It felt inevitable when Cristiano Ronaldo struck first and gave Manchester United the early lead. However, Javier Manquillo's equalizer in the 55th minute was both unexpected and wildly pleasant. It turned the game back into a match. It felt like anything was possible. That being said, this feeling did not last long. Maybe two minutes after Manquillo's score, Ronaldo put one through Newcastle goalkeeper Freddie Woodman's legs (literally) and then the rout began. Apparently, after the match, Newcastle manager Steve Bruce used the post-match press conference as an opportunity to take on ownership, operations and the fans. He may or may have taken his shirt off to hammer home his point, but details are murky.

According to my cousin, this is the general Newcastle vibe. To me, the weirdest part is how accepted it all is. If an NBA team were this poorly managed from top to bottom, it would come up on television, on podcasts and behind paywalls all the time. Hell, last year, the Athletic did a whole eight-part podcast on James Dolan's tenure owning the New York Knicks (tl;dr: Dolan is a meddlesome asshat with garbage taste.)

On the pods that I've been spending time with, there's been a lot of talks in recent weeks about everything that's wrong with Arsenal, and on at least one pod, there have been a lot of jokes made about the money Arsenal has spent in the transfer market so far this season. The same pod also likes to shit on Tottenham for kinda the same thing: spending money but not winning. Look, I get it. Only a handful of football clubs can raise a trophy in a given year, and there's always the chance that the same team could take all the trophies. But does that mean all the other teams in the league simply shouldn't try? I've never understood this line of reasoning.

It crept up in the NBA a few years back when the Golden State Warriors were in full-on dynasty mode. When the season began, media outlets started running their annual predictions and every single analyst everywhere gave Golden State the title before a game was even played. Yes, they were overwhelming favorites but you mean to tell me that in the other 28 NBA locker rooms everyone just said "Well, gee, the Warriors are just too good. We may as well pack it in." That obviously did not happen. Teams continued to try. As fans, isn't this what we want? Strong competition throughout the league and then ever tighter races once the postseason begins.

Part of this may stem from the fact that I live in America and the only soccer fans around throw their support behind Manchester United, Manchester City or Liverpool. Honestly, the one pod that I listen to is based where I live and the dudes on there dunk on Arsenal and Tottenham with so much frequency that I have a feeling that one of them will be the club who I throw my support behind. This idea of dumping on teams for trying to be competitive makes little sense to me.

In my time reading about Prem, I've been struck by just how much of an outlier Leicester City was when they won the league. Were they mocked on their way to the top too? Are underdogs ever embraced or is all club soccer just awash in some sobering reality where there are only a handful of contenders?

There were some fun matches on Saturday. Tottenham versus Crystal Palace was fun until it wasn't anymore. Truth be told, all the business with Japhet Tanganga really bummed me out. Granted, I've only been a Tanganga diehard for about a month now but still. As mentioned earlier, Newcastle United versus Manchester United was pretty decent for the first 60 minutes or so before it all unraveled. I ended Saturday with Aston Villa versus Chelsea where highlights included: Aston Villa's kits which never get old, Romelu Lukaku scoring a goal with total ease which also never gets old. My football knowledge only goes as far back as the Euros, but in that short time, I still feel comfortable stating that Lukaku is the best goalscorer that I've seen in that time and that Chelsea are the strongest team I've seen as well. That being said, I am still not a Chelsea fan.

#Arsenal #aston villa #chelsea #Leicester City #football #soccer #premier league #tottenham hotspur #spurs #manchester united #Manchester City #crystal palace #Japhet Tanganga #romelu lukaku #newcastle united #steve bruce #new york knicks #golden state warriors

[brandonnatali]

The Lotus Esprit: History, Generations, Specifications

Lotus Esprit Essential History

The Lotus Esprit is a fiberglass-bodied, mid-engine, two-seat premium sports car that lasted in the market for 28 years and four distinct generations. In the early 1970s, Lotus founder Colin Chapman had decided that building niche, stripped-down sports cars wasn’t the most profitable way forward and decided to replace the aesthetically challenged and aging Lotus Europa with a thoroughly modern sports car with exotic looks. Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign was chosen to style a new car on a modified Europa chassis and in 1972, the Lotus M70 concept debuted alongside Italdesign’s wild Boomerang concept.

Lotus Esprit S1

While the M70 looked much like the production Esprit, it would take until late 1974 before a drivable prototype was assembled and the finalized Series 1 Esprit went on sale to the public in 1975 for the 1976 model year. Sleek and exotic-looking with its wedge-shaped profile, Lotus finally had a car that appeared as if it could take on luxury marques like Porsche and Ferrari. The first Esprit kept the steel backbone chassis design that had been in use since the Elan for virtue of its lightness. With A-arm suspension up front and trailing arms behind, the car’s handling was, in true Lotus fashion, superb. The only thing keeping the first Esprit back was a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 140 horsepower in U.S. spec (160 horsepower in Euro trim). Though the Esprit only weighed 2,200 pounds, its acceleration was no match for the six- and eight-cylinder cars coming from other exotic makes.

Lotus Esprit S2

A facelifted Lotus Esprit arrived for 1978, the car that would come to be known as the Series 2 Esprit. The updates consisted of light cosmetic changes, such as replacing the previous Fiat X1/9 taillights with Rover units and the Wolfrace wheels with Speedline alloys, and concessions to comfort with a slight interior redesign. In 1980, a torquier 2.2-liter engine replaced the original 2.0-liter four and the chassis was galvanized for the first time, for rust prevention. Also in 1980, Lotus began experimenting with turbocharging the Esprit with a limited-production Essex Turbo Esprit model, reflecting the sponsorship of its Formula 1 team. With dry-sump oiling, a revised chassis and suspension and a new exterior aero package, among other changes, the Essex Turbo Esprit and its 210-horsepower output was a sign of things to come.

Lotus Esprit S3

The first standard production Lotus Turbo Esprit arrived in 1981 with the same chassis and 2.2-liter turbocharged inline-four engine as the Essex special edition car, but with wet-sump lubrication. The Turbo Esprit also continued with the external add-ons from the previous Essex edition, keeping it apace with the various ducts, scoops, and various ground effects that its competitors were rushing to add to their cars. Bumpers were enlarged to meet new safety regulations, while the interior became roomier again with another subtle redesign and a slightly enlarged body shell. In 1985, another minor refresh was made, and new high-compression (HC) models were introduced with more power for 1986. U.S.-market Turbo Esprits were the first to receive fuel injection to meet more restrictive emissions measures.

Lotus Esprit X180

This series of Lotus Esprit brought the model’s most extensive exterior revision yet, handled by Peter Stevens. With more rounded surfaces, better-integrated bumpers, and a more luxurious interior, the Esprit had been brought kicking and screaming into a new era. The chassis remained much the same as the Series 3, and perhaps because of this, the 1988 model year Esprit wasn’t given a new series, but rather tends to be referred to by its model code, X180. Also, the Turbo Esprit was now called the Esprit Turbo. In 1989, engine modifications including a new intercooler arrangement and fuel injection system bumped power to 264 horsepower and cut 0-to-60-mph acceleration times to (then-) world-class levels at under five seconds. An SE model added a rear wing, side skirts, and various air scoops and ducts, which proved especially popular in America. This was also the first new Esprit designed under GM ownership, which resulted in U.S.-market cars being fitted with Pontiac airbag-type steering wheels, among other details.

Lotus Esprit S4

For the 1993 model year, Lotus had designer Julian Thomson take another crack at keeping the Esprit relevant. The biggest changes were to the bumpers and the aero package, with a restyled rear spoiler. Engine output remained the same as the previous SE model at 264 horsepower. In 1994, the Esprit S4 Sport arrived with a larger wing and more engine modifications for an upgrade to 301 horsepower from the 2.2-liter turbo-four.

The introduction of a V-8 powered Esprit in 1996 was the biggest news for the car in some time. The flat-plane-crank-style engine was of Lotus design, displacing 3.5 liters, with twin Garrett turbochargers. Changes were needed to the aging Renault five-speed transaxle to maintain reliability with the twin-turbo V-8’s 350-horsepower output. The 0-to-60-mph sprint dropped once again, this time to the low-four-second range. A Sport 350 variant included bigger brakes, bigger aero bits, and stiffer suspension. A final facelift in 2002 by Russell Carr was the last major change for the Lotus Esprit, which ended production in 2004.

A new Lotus sports car called Esprit was planned for 2008, but was canceled after Lotus’ finances declined and the company was sold to Chinese company Geely.

Lotus Esprit Highlights

When the Lotus Esprit was launched in the mid-1970s, Lotus, like Ferrari, had a primary interest in motorsport. Road cars were mainly sold to fund the racing operations, though that would change as the Esprit continued through the decades. While Esprits didn’t feature heavily in racing, there were a few cars built for the task. The X180R was a race version of the 1990 Esprit that started life as an SE trim car with the interior mostly stripped out, racing safety gear added (including a full roll cage) and a revised 2.2-liter turbocharged engine producing nearly 290 horsepower. The cars were run to good success in the 1990 SCCA Escort World Challenge race series in the U.S., and then in the IMSA Bridgestone Supercar Championship in 1991 and ’92. A special-edition roadgoing Esprit X180R was produced towards the end of 1990 to homologate special motorsports parts for the final two race seasons, of which just 20 examples were built.

The Lotus Esprit also featured heavily in pop culture early in its life with an appearance in the 007 film, The Spy Who Loved Me. In this 1977 installment of the James Bond franchise, the Esprit transforms from a wheeled road machine to a finned submarine. That car sold at RM Sotheby’s auction in 2013 for nearly $1,000,000.

Lotus Esprit Buying Tips

Although the earliest Lotus Esprits are finally starting to gain attention, the general rule is that the newer the Esprit, the bigger the price tag. Esprits were very much improved in terms of comfort, reliability, and performance through the years and comparing a 1976 Esprit S1 to a 2004 Esprit S4 V8 today, the two cars are incredibly different in both capability and curb appeal. While the earlier cars are more indicative of the traditional Colin Chapman vision with their elegant simplicity, the later cars, with their scoops and wings, make more power and more of a visual statement at the betrayal of lightweight design and purity. While Esprit fiberglass bodies don’t rust, the steel frames do, and the interiors in nearly all Esprits tend to look more tatty and tired than mileage would suggest. You’ll also want to be sure a Lotus specialist mechanic is somewhat local to you before you take the plunge, just because most Esprits have small four-cylinder engines doesn’t mean that they’re all that easy or inexpensive to service properly.

Lotus Esprit Articles on Automobile

This 2002 Lotus Esprit V8 is an Affordable Exotic

It may not be the Evija, but it’s certainly cool.

Just Listed: 2002 Lotus Esprit V8 25th Anniversary Edition

The betting man’s supercar.

2014 Lotus Esprit Could Get Hethel-Built V8

Engine news about the Esprit that never was.

Petrolicious Looks at Why the Lotus Esprit is an Unknown Supercar

Lotus’ sweet spot.

This Seat is Taken

Jamie Kitman reflects on driving a Lotus Esprit cross-country.

1990s Classics at RM’s Amelia Island

A 1995 Lotus Esprit S4 crosses the auction block

10 Affordable Classic Cars from the 2016 Scottsdale Auctions

How does a 1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo sound for under $20,000?

Lotus Esprit Recent Auctions

1977 Lotus Esprit Series 1

1977 007 Lotus Esprit ‘Submarine Car’

1978 Lotus Esprit Series 1

1983 Lotus Turbo Esprit

1991 Lotus Turbo Esprit

1993 Lotus Turbo Esprit

2002 Lotus Esprit V8 25th Anniversary

Lotus Esprit Quick Facts

First year of production: 1976

Last year of production:2004

Total sold: 10,675

Original price (base): $15,990

Characteristic feature: The Lotus Esprit is England’s answer to the mid-engine exotic car, with wedge-like styling by Giugiaro and a luxurious interior that absolutely feels special and unique.

Lotus Esprit FAQ

Is the Lotus Esprit a supercar?

While the Lotus Esprit began life as an exotically styled sports car with a somewhat underpowered four-cylinder engine, with the help of turbochargers and, ultimately, a Lotus-designed V-8 engine, the Esprit Turbo and Esprit V8 became very quick cars that could rival the contemporary naturally-aspirated Porsche 911, V-8-powered Ferraris, the Acura NSX and others. It falls just short of supercar status, however, never really boasting price, performance, or pedigree to compete with icons like the Ferrari Testarossa, Lamborghini Countach, or Porsche 911 Turbo.

Is the Lotus Esprit reliable?

While any classic exotic performance car will generally be less reliable than average, the Lotus Esprit is probably not a car that you’d want to use as a daily driver today. It’s not just a matter of things going wrong, in some cases it’s also a matter of parts and service availability that could see a broken Esprit down for not just days, but weeks or months. That said, a properly maintained Esprit should be able to be driven regularly and spend more time on the road than in a service bay.

What engine is in a Lotus Esprit?

The Lotus Esprit started out with a Lotus/Ford 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine making 140 horsepower in U.S.-market cars. Gradually, displacement was increased to 2.2 liters, a turbocharger was added, before finally a 350-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-8 engine was added to the last Esprits.

Who makes the Lotus Esprit?

That’s easy, Lotus Cars! In 1986, General Motors bought Lotus Cars and kept it for a time, continuing development of Lotus models while also using Lotus engineering resources on its own Isuzu projects and the C4 series Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s DOHC V-8 engine.

1997 Lotus Esprit V8 (S4) Specifications PRICE $78,950 ENGINE 3.5L DOHC twin-turbo V-8/350 hp @ 6,500 rpm, 295 lb-ft @ 4,250 rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed manual LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, mid-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 14/21 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 173.8 x 74.1 x 45.3 in WHEELBASE 95.3 in WEIGHT 2,900 lb (est) 0-60 MPH 4.4 sec TOP SPEED 175 mph

The post The Lotus Esprit: History, Generations, Specifications appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

The Lotus Esprit: History, Generations, Specifications published first on https://kwsseuren.tumblr.com/

[thepoolscene]

The Pool Scene - Alex Pagulayan, Chang Jung Lin, Fedor Gorst, Ko Ping Chung, Ruslan Chinakov, World 9-Ball - World Pool Association

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=55472

World 9-Ball Championship Comes Down To Four

Ko Ping Chung, Fedor Gorst, Chang Jung Lin and Liu Haitao stand on the brink of history in Doha.

By Ted Lerner WPA Media Officer

(Doha, Qatar)–After nearly ten hours of some of the most grueling and pressure packed pool seen in years, the 2019 World 9-ball Championship has now come down to the Final 4.

The four players left, Taiwan’s Ko Ping Chung and Chang Jung Lin, Russia’s Fedor Gorst, and China’s Liu Haitao are, to a man, already proven monsters of the game. Now each is poised on the cusp of history and will get their crack at pool immortality.

In one semi-final, the current World 10-ball Champion Ko will battle it out against Gorst. In the other semi-final, Chang will match wits with Liu.   Both semis, which will be race to 11, alternate break, will begin at 11am Tuesday in Doha(GMT +3) at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation.  The Final, which will be race to 13, alternate break, will begin at 3pm Doha time.

Pool fans around the world looking at that list of talent on their betting sheet might be hard pressed to pick who to put their money on to take the sport’s most coveted crown. But anyone who has been lucky enough to be on hand in Doha for the last week, or watch the action online, would probably not hesitate to favor the man fondly known as “Little Ko.”

Ko got that endearing moniker by being the sweet younger brother to the great Ko Pin Yi, himself a two time former world champion. Fans have known Little Ko to have as much prodigious talent as his older brother, but it wasn’t until he won the World 10-ball Championship in Vegas in July this year that the diminutive 24 year old clearly had stepped out of that long shadow and started to establish his own greatness.

Indeed over the last four days in Doha, the 24 year old Ping Chung has exhibited an almost surreal-like confidence to do whatever it takes to win. His shot making is from another planet, he never, ever gets flustered, and he seemingly can do what he wants, when he wants. 

These other-worldly skills were on full display in his three tough matches over ten hours today. In the round of 32 match against talented compatriot Lin Wu Kun, Ko got out to an early lead and held off Lin at every turn to win 11-8. In the round of 16, Ko came up against Russian veteran Ruslan Chinakhov who was playing some of his best pool in years. But Ko was in no mood to play nice, and he dominated Chinakhov 11-4.

By the time his quarterfinals battle against Vietnam upstart Do The Kien began, Ko looked a bit worn, and he fell behind 6-2.  But as he did against Hungary’s Oliver Slzolnoki the night before in the round of 64, Ko grinded his way back in the match. In this case the Taiwanese absolutely put his boot down hard, winning 9 racks in a row for an emphatic 11-6 win and a spot in the semi-finals.

Little Ko’s battle with Russia’s Gorst promises to be a fascinating match up of two of pool’s great young talents. Gorst, just 19 year’s old, is a former  World Junior Champion and has also won one Euro Tour event. His game and his personal demeanor appear well beyond his years, and this is not surprising when you discover that he has traveled and played extensively, especially in the US. He even speaks excellent English.

Like Ko, Gorst has a rock-solid game and low-key demeanor that serves him well when under pressure.  His three fine performances today showed he is certainly ready for the big time. Should he win here in Doha, he would become the second youngest player, after 16 year old Wu Chia Ching in 2005, to win the World 9-ball Championship.

Gorst started the day with a very impressive 11-7 win over Taiwan’s Kevin Chang. In the round of 16 he blew a 7-1 lead over Poland’s Mateusz Sniegocki, and the match headed for the cliff and a sudden death rack. Gorst held his nerve with a very fine break and run to advance to the quarterfinals.

Without so much as having a bite to eat, he met up with Ko Pin Yi for what promised to be another slug fest. The early part of the match remained tight and nervy, but the young Russian stayed loose and calm and pounced on the few mistakes by Ko for an impressive 11-6 win.

The other semi final between Liu and Chang could well be described as pool’s battle of the hard core men. Both players are known for their tough, grinding style and it will be fascinating to see who blinks first.

With his many trips to the US and other countries over the years, Chang has certainly endeared himself to worldwide fans. Over the last few years the 34 year old Chang, the 2012 World 8-ball champion, has taken his game to new heights, including a win at the International in 2018. Another world title for Chang would certainly surprise nobody.

Chang played like a champion today, at least up until the end where he literally limped over the finish line. In the round of 32 he manhandled Poland’s Mieszko Fortunski, 11-5. In the round of 16 Chang came back from an early deficit to beat Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, 11-7. Then in the quarters he looked to be in total control over Finland upstart Casper Matikainen, with an 8-2 lead.

Matikainen, who had defeated defending champion Joshua Filler in the round of 64, and had just beaten 2016 World 9-ball Champion Albin Ouschan in the round of 16, was a total revelation this week in Doha. And just when the quiet Finn looked like he would run out of gas, he began a glorious fight back against Chang. The pair ended up tied at 10 in a battle of sheer will and stamina. Chang, though, mustered one last bit of energy and skill and held on to break and run the very last rack for a nail-biting ticket to the semis.

China’s Liu has been knocking on this door of greatness for the last several years, and his three matches today showed he is ready to finally kick it in. In the round of 64, he came from two down late against Greece’s Alexander Kazakis to win 11-9. In the final 16 he came back from 6 -2 down to defeat Japan’s Naoyuki Oi, 11-9. In the quarters the Chinese went toe to toe with a streaking Alex Pagulayan. The pair had nothing between them for the first half, until Liu decided this time was his, and he put the Filipino-Canadian away, 11-8.

Should Liu win it all on Tuesday, he would become the first Chinese player to ever win the WPA World 9-ball Championship.

The winner of the 2019 World 9-ball Championship will receive $30,000. The total prize fund is $150,00.

*The 2019 WPA World 9-ball Championship takes place at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation in Doha, Qatar from December 10-17, 2019. The event is hosted by The Qatar Billiard and Snooker Federation(QBSF), and is sanctioned by the World Pool Billiard Association, the governing body of the sport of pool.

Fans around the world will be able to view live scoring, results, brackets and live streaming of many of the matches via the QBSF’s free live streaming platform at esnooker.pl.  Multiple tables will be available to view online at no charge to the public.

SEMI-FINALS

Tuesday, December 17 11am, GMT +3

Race to 11, Alternate Break

Jung Lin Chang (TPE) vs. Lui Haitao (CHN)

Ping Chung Ko (TPE) vs. Fedor Gorst (RUS)

FINALS

3PM Doha

Race to 13, Alternate Break

RESULTS QUARTERFINALS

Jung Lin Chang (TPE) 11 – 10 Casper Matikainen (FIN)

Lui Haitao (CHN) 11 – 8 Alex Pagulayan (CAN)

Chung Ko Ping (TPE) 11 – 6 Do The Kien (VET)

Fedor Gorst (RUS) 11- 6 Pin Yi Ko (TPE)

RESULTS FINAL 16

Casper Matikainen (FIN) 11 – 6 Albin Ouschan (AUT)

Jung Lin Chang (TPE) 11 – 7 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP)

Lui Haitao (CHN) 11 – 9 Naoyuki Oi (JPN)

Alex Pagulayan (CAN) 11 – 9 Billy Thorpe (USA)

Chung Ko Ping (TPE) 11 – 4 Ruslan Chinakhov (RUS)

Do The Kien (VET) 11 – 8 Waleed Majid (QAT)

Pin Yi Ko (TPE) 11 – 9 Aloysius Yapp (SIN)

Fedor Gorst (RUS) 11 – 10 Mateusz Sniegocki (POL)

RESULTS FINAL 32

Casper Matikainen (FIN) 11 – 8 Yip Kin Ling (HKG)

Albin Ouschan (AUT) 11 – 8 Denis Grabe (EST)

Jung Lin Chang (TPE) 11 – 5 Mieszko Fortunski (POL)

Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) 11 – 5 Xu Xiaocong (CHN)

Liu Haitao (CHN) 11 – 9  Alexander Kazakis (GRE)

Naoyuki Oi (JPN) 11 – 6 Johann Chua (PHL)

Alex Pagulayan (CAN) 11 – 7 Chang Yu Lung (TPE)

Billy Thorpe (USA) 11 – 10 Carlo Biado (PHL)

Chung Ko Ping (TPE) 11 – 8 Lin Wu Kun (TPE)

Ruslan Chinakhov (RUS) 11 – 8 Maximilian Lechner (AUT) 

Do The Kien (VET) 11 – 7 Chris Melling (ENG) 

Waleed Majid (QAT) 11 -10 Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) vs.

Pin Yi Ko (TPE) 11 – 9 Jeffrey Ignacio (PHL)

Aloysius Yapp (SIN) 11 – 5 Darren Appleton (ENG)

Fedor Gorst (RUS)11 – 7 Yu Hsuan Cheng (TPE)

Mateusz Sniegocki (POL) 11 – 7 Liu Ri Teng (TPE)

#Alex Pagulayan #Chang Jung Lin #Fedor Gorst #Ko Ping Chung #Ruslan Chinakov #World 9-Ball

[freeninjatraderindicatorsbl-blog]

Day Trading Indicators - Top 10 Things to Look For

For those of us who were born without the ability to look at a trading chart and determine potential risk and success, indicators are our best friends. What is an indicator? In this article, an indicator can be simply defined as visual feedback displayed on a chart that is based on market analysis. I've found that best selection of indicators can be found at Indicator Warehouse. These indicators are specifically for NinjaTrader, a software trading platform that offers quite a few customizable ways to display trading information. Day Trading Indicators - Top 10 Things to Look For 1.   If you loved this article and you would such as to receive additional details relating to ninjatrader ichimoku kindly check out our own page. Easy and quick installation and use - setting up an indicator should be hassle-free. Who wants to sit around and configure an indicator (or guess if it's configured correctly) while the market could be having the best day it's had all week? Also, check if the indicator is automated. The less you have to do, the better. As a trader, I know how difficult it can be just deciding to pull the trigger on a trade... 2. A reasonable price - since indicators are an investment, the indicator should pay for itself within a reasonable amount of time. This is of course subjective; only purchase what you can afford. 3. Customer support - how accessible is the support service? Is there any material out there or live support than can guide first time users? 4. Cross-platform support - do you also work with TradeStation? Will your indicator be supported? 5. Time-tested. Make sure the indicator has been available for a bit of time. Sure, it's easy to program an indicator and sell it. It's far more difficult to continue selling it after a couple of months (these things are filtered and removed). 6. Easy to read - let's try an experiment here, visit Chart.ly and look at a few screenshots that other traders are posting. About 95% of the pictures posted to Chart.ly appear to be overly complicated and clutter the screen. Select an indicator that will save you screen space, and most importantly, mental space! 7. No time limit - make sure your indicator works throughout the trading day. If your indicator only operates when the market opens and then turns off, you're really at a loss (literally!) for the rest of the day. Your indicator should be running and active to assist your with trading throughout the day. 8. Synergy - a confusing word, but no single indicator is effective 100% by itself. See if the creators of the indicator offer any other software, methods, or strategies that can be coupled with the indicator. Don't be caught in the rain with just an umbrella! 9. Licensing - this one goes back to number two, but really deserves a separate mention. Is the indicator subscription based on the day, week, month or year? What about a lifetime license? What if the license expires while you're trying to trade? 10. Proven effectiveness - last but not least, make sure the indicator actually does what it claims. Search for reviews, get in touch with users of the indicator, attend webinars and view videos that show the indicator in a real trading situation (live if possible). Based on my research, I can recommend only one indicator that matches the above criteria. The DayTradeToWin Atlas Line has proven to be effective in every market on a daily basis, including the E-Mini, Crude Oil, the British Pound, the Euro, etc. The Atlas Line has excellent reviews, forum, e-mail and live phone / screenview support (John Paul and his staff are very friendly), a lifetime license, and is entirely automated. Also, there's no second guessing - the Atlas Line allows the user to stay on the correct side of a trade just by following a simple line! In short, if you want to become a day trader, or want an easy technique, definitely check the Atlas Line out.  

[luceroherrera]

AmsterDAMN

Long time, no see!! I’ve had spotty wifi while in Amsterdam. And I’ll explain how I got here!

June 6

This morning I had an early call time, and had to be out of the apartment and at our school headquarters at 7:45a AND look presentable for our company site visit! Oof. We took a metro ride over to Engie, an electric utility company that used to focus on natural gas but currently does lots of research into other types of energy. There were three separate presentations, some confusing and all of them interesting. My favorite presentation was on this small side project involving drone use to identify and clean out pipes, instead of sending a single individual. And then they use photogrammetry to map where they’ve been! One of my projects this last semester involved the use of photogrammetry for art, so my ears perked up when I heard that. Otherwise, the presentations were interesting but not necessarily a field I’m very interested in at the moment. 

We spent the morning at Engie, where I also started my period. This is probably too much information, but it’s relevant because I felt terrible and in the process of packing my bag, I forgot to move over my pain medication from my backpack. I usually have two kinds with me! And the women of Engie who were showing us around quietly banded together and found a Tylenol equivalent for me to take, and I was able to carry on after that. It’s always the humanity and kindness of people that makes an impact on me. 

After the presentations at Engie, we headed back to the school headquarters and broke off for a lunch break and met back up at 3p at the Musee des Artes et Mertiers, a scientific/engineering based museum. It was really interesting and featured the historical side of inventions such as the loom. We had a really funny tour guide who quizzed us on things we didn’t know. I cut this visit short, because Tylenol only works for so long on me. 

On my way home, it started to rain. Actually, it was hailing too. And I was so tired and crampy that I just decided to take out my umbrella and power through it when I got out of the metro. So, I soaked my flats inside and out and by the time I got home I had tiny ice pieces stuck to the bottom of my feet. In a day, I managed to start my period at a major company site visit, got hail in my shoes, and they day before had my card eaten by an ATM and was told at lunchtime that the technician hadn’t come in that day so I could retrieve my card. Truly, when it rains it pours. Or hails, in this case. (A bit of a spoiler, it all works out in the end!)

-

June 7

We had a late start day, luckily, after our early call time yesterday. I met up with my group for one of our big projects and got some details hammered out. And the lecture was really informal, just a debrief of the site visit from yesterday. And then, about five minutes before leaving to our metro-train-tram journey to Amsterdam, our program director pulled me aside and told me the bank had gotten my card out of the ATM! Literally in the knick of time, I was able to go to Amsterdam with more than 40 Euros in my pocket. Yay! (For the record, my TA had committed to helping me if need be, although I really didn’t want to need her help!) 

We’re in Amsterdam for a few days for some energy company visits! Yes, more of them. It’s pretty exciting, even though at this point, I still didn’t know much about who were were meeting with. We all took our backpacks and carry-on sized suitcases and travelled the metro, and definitely didn’t look like tourists. :-) After we made it to the train station, I picked up a meal for the road that’s been my favorite in Paris so far -- a sandwich and Orangina, a type of orange fizzy drink. Think Fanta, but less sugar. 

The journey itself was unremarkable on my end, because I slept most of it! Ha ha! And then I woke up in Amsterdam (more like AmsterDAMN am I right??) and we left the train station and quickly found our Dutch program coordinator. It was a lovely change, even though as soon as I stepped out of the station I was greeted by the smell of West Campus (weed, I’m referring to weed.) We used the metro to head to the hotel which was super cute! Amsterdam is all very cute, and everyone is tall and rides bicycles. I’m not kidding. 

Later, we had dinner as a group which was interesting! We’ve all had different sites to see and so my plans haven’t matched up with many people’s. It was nice getting to know people. I had a very fancy meal, and they were very good about accommodating my food allergy. I had veal! It was great, and very different from French food that I guess i’m used to at this point. We walked around and took an impromptu tour around the area. It was still light out, even though it was past 10p. After wrapping up the tour, I headed back home and crashed out because there was an early start time!! 

-

June 8

After complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we headed off to start the bike tour. We had this older, Dutch lady named Wilma who was our guide. She was actually insane. Nah, not really but she definitely didn’t go easy on us. Everyone says Amsterdam is flat and it’s easy to cycle there, yet Wilma found all the weird hills and dirt roads and cobblestones for us to ride over. She’d periodically stop, explain the significance of wherever we were, and would promptly return to the road without so much as a glance as us. There were a few times where people were left behind because we’d cross a busy intersection, and Wilma was not happy to wait. It also began to rain! I put on my poncho early, but we also lost people who were left behind putting on their raincoats. Otherwise, it was a very nice and scenic tour and I’m glad I got the full Dutch cycling experience (rain, busy traffic, holding a stroopwafel with one hand and trying to steer with the other, etc). 

After the morning bike tour, we went back to the hotel and had bagged lunches and then walked over to the University of Amsterdam for the beginning of the company visits. We had a presentation from Waternet, a Dutch water company for Amsterdam and the surrounding areas. It was really interesting to see the innovations they’ve had to come up with, as Amsterdam sits on former swampland and rains increase by the year. Following them, we listened to a speaker from Amsterdam’s Advanced Metropolitan Solutions Institute, which was also interesting! Definitely my favorite presentation, because our speaker went into detail about De Ceuvel, a project in Amsterdam meant to help reclaim land heavily polluted from shipping. I liked this presentation because we’d stopped by De Ceuvel on our bike tour, so I was familiar with the project.

Following hours of presentations, we were left free to wander the city and grab dinner. I walked around on my own in search of a pharmacy, because I was almost out of pain meds and I wasn’t doing so hot that day (yay, periods). In the process of exploring a little, I picked up some stroopwafel from a local grocery store. Stroopwafel is a thin waffle filled with caramel, honey, or other syrup. It’s delicious, and egg-free! After finding my favorite dessert, I found actual food at a local pizzeria and it was lovely. 

From there, I met up with a few friends and we traipsed the red light district together. It’s a bit of a risqué topic, but more than anything the area was very touristy. I saw lots of ladies and smelled a lot of smells, but otherwise it was not as intense as I’d imagined. I’ve definitely seen more promiscuity in movies or in advertisements. It was an experience for sure, but I wasn’t left scarred or shocked by any means. Definitely glad to have experienced a little of it, though! When we were down walking around (there are only so many windows and so many novelty shops to stop at), we walked back to the hotel for a good night’s rest. 

More to come!

Lucero 

#paris #france #amsterdam #netherlands #bike tour #red light district #photography #uhhh #maymester #blogging #whatever i hate tags

[mesutosil]

i was tagged by @sterndesuedens yay thanks!

1. favorite player of all time

Mesut Özil okay 

2. a game you will never forget (try to pick ONE)

it’s hard to say. i’m a pretty new fan to football, having only really started following from june of last year, but watching my first world cup in 2014 was so exciting and i suppose i would go with the germany v brazil match or perhaps from last year, the germany v italy match i nearly died during the penalties. (i literally ended up having to go to the hospital because i couldn’t breathe and it ended up i had bronchitis despite having no symptoms until i suddenly couldn’t breathe)

3. the national team u support the most

germany 100000000%

4. if you could pick one of your teams to win any trophy, who and which?

first and foremost, i would like to see arsenal win the league again. that would be great. just please win it once in my lifetime at least... the wins from before i started watching football don’t count!!! and then i would also like to see germany winning the world cup again. i love back to back shows of domination!!!! but there are so many good and talented national teams idk about that happening

5. whats the story of how you got into this sport!!!

it started in 2014. my sister and i were bored and we decided to start watching the world cup for no reason other than it was kind of cool to learn about and watch a new sport. we really ended up enjoying it and both of us just loved the german national team. i guess in a way it made us feel a tiny bit more in touch with our german roots. since i liked watching it so much, i decided to look into the leagues and regular club teams. well, needless to say i was extremely overwhelmed by the amount of leagues, clubs, and cups. it was just too much for me to handle and i stopped looking into it. fast forward to june 2016, the euros are happening and it’s the national teams! i had to watch because ~germany~ and this time i slowly started researching my favorite players and what leagues they were in and their clubs. i got to know a handful of them and decided to learn about the premier league and the bundesliga. i learned about the teams, the cups, everything i could and i chose my main teams that way (arsenal, bayern) which has since expanded to learning about ligue 1 and serie a as well (and psg and juventus). i’m still learning all i can (brazil serie a is being learned about as well) but yeah that’s how i got into it. 6. how many games a week do you watch (approx.)

i would say consistently 5 (arsenal, bayern, bvb, juve, and psg) but i have also started watching all schalke and köln games possible. if liverpool is on i’ll watch that and if @sterndesuedens has spfc on, i’ll watch that, and if i can find chapecoense matches, i’ll watch those too. if i am super bored and none of those teams are on, i usually will put on a bundesliga or premier league match just to have it on.

7. world cup or copa américa/euro cup?

since the euros were what really catapulted me into the football life, i’d say that but watch me change my answer once the world cup comes around again.

8. do you want uefa to rot in hell for how they treated borussia dortmund the latest weeks (yes/yes)

yes x301823073982749823 that was bullshit. 

9. god im running out of ideas hmm… have u played football urself?

i used to play it when i was around 6 but then i sprained my ankle and refused to play again but i wish my parents made me continue it honestly. tagging @draxlerr @dailykevintrapp @sergegnbry @tonismadrid @notdaredvl and whoever else wants to!

#tag games

[bo-sin-limite]

Berlin - political epicenter of the 20th century

Berlin was not always the most relaxed place to spend your time, but in the 20th century it was definitely one of the most exciting - It’s political relevance as the political stage for three World Wars is hard to match. Today it is like a huge outdoor museum - to itself. 

The Germany we know today is very young: 

In the 19th century there was no single Germany. Instead it consisted of a multitude of principalities loosely bound together as members of the German Confederation. The Germany we know today was forged into a national kingdom for a war against France in 1871 by the Prussian political strategist and first Reichskanzler Otto von Bismarck. 

-German Chancellor and political strategist Otto von Bismarck-

Now the man wasn’t exactly a pacifist, but is still hailed today as the genius architect of dynamic non-attack and mutual assistance treaties with the other powers to keep Germany out of trouble in a very unstable Europe. The basic idea, much like the nuclear proliferation that followed, was to render the potential costs of aggression against Germany so high as to prevent anyone from attacking at all, thereby assuring peace. 

Sadly in 1914, when the Austrian king’s successor was assassinated by rebels in Serbia, the network of treaties did not only fail to keep the peace, but backfired colossally. It triggered a chain reaction of allegiances, turning a bilateral political conflict into World War I. 

As German and French soldiers dug trenches at the border and tried to push through each other with all sorts of new military equipment (like machine guns and poison gas), the death toll is estimated at around 20 million making it one of the most lethal conflicts in world history.

-German and French fighting in trenches at Verdun during WW I-

The war ended in 1918 with Germany’s surrender, and so did the German kingdom. 

It made way for the first German democracy, the Republic of Weimar. Sadly the next two decades were very difficult economically. The victors of WW I were rather pissed and made Germany sign the treaty of Versailles, demanding high reparation payments and economic limitations. German politicans found a smart way out by just printing lots of money. Sadly by 1923 this resulted in hyperinflation, a trauma that sits so deep that even a hundred years later Germany remains obsessed with the Euro's currency stability. The global economic crisis of 1929 resulted in recession and unemployment.

The German people became so desperate for change, for hope, for pride, that Hitler became chancellor and soon the Nazis came to power. Unfortunately they were very quick to disassemble the institutions and safeguards of the young democracy, installing a dictatorship called the Third Reich in 1933. There is an excellent exhibition on this process called Topographie des Terrors close to Checkpoint Charlie. 

Hitler invested heavily in the German military and - by marching into Poland - effectively began WW II in 1939. He invaded most of Europe at lightnig speed (“Blitzkrieg”). With highly advanced military technology like tanks, fighter planes and submarines, and no remorse, the Nazis had soon occupied most of Europe.

-Highly motivated German soldiers in the Third Reich-

Nazi Germany entered into alliances with fascist Italy, Japan and initially even Russia, but ultimately ended up in a two-front war against Allied forces (mainly Americans & English) in the West and the Soviet Union in the East.

-The third Reich swiftly invaded most of Europe, ultimately overstretching into a 2-front war against the Soviet-Union in the East and American/British forces in the West-

Hitler’s lasting reputation as pure evil is not so much the result of his mad ambition or his ignorance for the 10s of millions who died in the war, but of the holocaust: A campaign to destroy people of Jewish descent and other groups at industrial scale. More than 6 million people were annihilated based on an inhumane racist pseudo-science of genetic purity/ “social darwinism”.

Hitler's ambition was to build a Nazi world empire - its capital “Germania” was to be Berlin. The war only ended in 1945, with American and Soviet troops simultaneously rolling into the capital. Other than debris and corpses there wasn’t much left.

-The Gedächtniskirche in destroyed Berlin after WW II-

Nonetheless for the next half century Berlin would play another prominent role - it became the European stage for the cold war. With the Nazis defeated and the former European colonial powers gone, the two remaining superpowers each sought to install a new world order. The US opted for capitalism (branding it “freedom”) society, while the Soviet Union propagated communism (branding it “equality”).

-The US-Soviet propaganda battle for peoples’ hearts and minds-

The ensuing struggle for world domination would divide the world in two and shape governments, technology and thinking for the next half-century. The opening scene was post-war Berlin.

-Stand-off between American and Soviet tanks at Checkpoint Charlie-

Each side embraced their chunk of postwar Germany and rebuilt their former enemy with money, resources, training and political support in an effort to show that their economic system could build the cooler Germany.

The Soviets held the Eastern sector while the American, British and French sectors soon merged into “West-Berlin”. The latter was in an awkward geography, as the entire city of Berlin was afloat in Soviet-controlled East Germany (Deutsche Demokratische Republik or DDR for short).

-Post-war Germany was divided into the Western American-controlled Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD) and the Soviet-controlled Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR) in the East. - Source: Wikimedia / Alexrk2, CC BY-SA 3.0.

In 1948 the Soviets attempted to starve out the Americans. They used their control of the land routes to cut the power lines, and block roads and railways leaving West-Berlin completely isolated - no people or shipment could enter by land or sea. 

This set a stage for the Americans to show their commitment to “a democratic Europe”. They promptly decided to launch the largest aerial logistics operation the world had ever seen: With the “Luftbrücke” (Berlin air lift), the US and British air force supplied the 2.2 million people of West-Berlin by air freight! They transported more than 2 million tons of supplies into West-Berlin: Food, medicine, gasoline even coal for heating and power! To achieve this, a supply plane would land EVERY 3 MINUTES.

-In the Luftbrücke a plane would land every 3 minutes to supply West-Berlin-

Still today the Germans thankfully remember the American Douglas C-47 planes - dubbed “Rosinenbomber” (raisin bomber). The receiving Tempelhof airport today is a beautiful park where people go for a run or have a barbie. The gigantic airport building had been constructed by the Nazis to look like an eagle from above. You can also look inside on a tour.   

Following the famous “Marshall plan” the Americans invested heavily in reconstructing the infrastructure and economy in West Germany. This success attracted many Germans from the Soviet zone to come to the American sector and legally travel on into West-Germany. Desperate to stop this massive drain of human resources, in 1961 the Soviets built a radical, but effective anti-emigration policy: The Berlin wall.

-Berlin wall death-strip-

-Map of the inner-German wall surrounding West-Berlin Source: Wikimedia / Sansculotte. 05/2004 A. Darmochwal-

For almost 40 years to come, the wall encircled and isolated West Berlin, heavily guarded. When I see tourists today taking selfies at the Brandenburg gate, it’s hard to imagine they are saying cheese in the former death-strip - before 1989 they would have been shot on sight. It’s hard to imagine living in a city split in two, but in many places you can still see remnants of the wall (famously the East-side gallery or the Berliner Mauer memorial).

-Brandenburg Gate sealed off during cold war versus today-

This history is so powerful and recent that as you walk through Berlin, you can literally experience the major political twists that shaped the 20th century. 

Since the Soviet Empire collapsed in 1989 the political architecture has changed completely. The world is no longer divided in two. West- and East-Germany were reunified with their joint capital in Berlin: Nearly all the major political institutions have moved here from sleepy West-German Bonn and following a city-wide reconstruction boom, they have received new architecture - an elegant example of this being the house of parliament Reichstag. 

This new Germany is deeply integrated politically and economically into the European Union (EU). The founding idea was to have a common control of war-critical resources (coal and steel) and that close economic partners would have much more to lose than to gain from war. From this rather narrow idea of war-avoidance, the EU has developed into a strong federation. It has been swift and eager to include countries across Eastern Europe into their midst, now spanning 27 member states. For all its petty criticism, the EU has maintained a war-free period of 75 years...longer than Europe has seen in many centuries. But even with the deep EU integration, most policy is not decided in Brussels, but rather by the various heads of state. One of the most decisive pro-European forces in the last 15 years has been legendary German chancellor Angela Merkel, right here in Berlin. 

I highly recommend a visit to the Deutsches Historisches Museum. It offers a wrap-up of European history by asking “What is a border?” For me this was an eye-opener: the exhibit shows how many borders are purely political demarcations and how dynamically they can change. It helps to grasp the unbelievable number of conflicts and resulting changes in borders in Europe  as a map of changing colors in time reel. Furthermore the museum offers an excellent selection of historic objects and historic explanations to understand German history, from the middle-ages through both World Wars to today. Depending on your interest and endurance, you can dive in for anytime between 2 and 10 hours.  

Also, for a glimpse into life in the East-German Democratic Republic, check out the DDR museum. 

#Berlin #epicenter #world stage #cold war #nuclear #spies #boom #war #berlin wall #history #nazi

[wishingfornever]

9/21/17 – No Contact:  Wrath of Rando

Yesterday, you finally got around to messaging me.  You probably were curious why I texted you.  It was because I knew I wouldn’t have data so if we were to talk, it wouldn’t be over skype.

You responded more human this time.  Not so cold I think, but not so warm either.  I dropped the fact that I was leaving in ten days to you and you wished me luck.  Not sure how true that is, might have just been acting friendly.  Especially since I had important shorts, probably. You know, I wanted to do something similar.  Say you forgot something.  However, it’d be a piece of lint instead. However, I felt that joke would fall a bit flat.  Maybe soon.  I wish we could talk more.  I would rather talk to you than through this journal.  Idk.  I’m starting to doubt if you’d go to Texas or not.  I guess you will be.  Shane messaged me yesterday asking about your gecko.  He’s preparing I guess.

I’m tired.  It’s almost two in the morning.  My sister kept me up again.  Lost to Rando.  Ain’t that some shit?  Anyways, I’ll message you when I wake up.  Not irl but soon.  Probably a few days before I leave for actual messaging you.  I’m talking about the journal…

Whatever, not important.  Good night; I love you.  I hope you’re safe.

I woke up at 11.  Went to sleep at about 2.  9 hours, basically.  Oof. I was doing really well in waking up early.  Series of dreams last night.  I remembered the dream from the night before briefly and I wanted to tell you, but it’s gone now. The first dream was us in a heavily Halloween’d Susanville.  We were doing some shopping together.  I checked several stores for a specific item and the last store we went to, I asked about it.  I then asked where it was made and he gave me a name.  I reiterate that I asked where and asked if the guy who made it was local or whatever?  Because why the hell would he give me a name?  Then he asked me to leave.  I was heartbroken.

The dream involved a series of unfortunate events for me.  We bumped into this guy who was really nice to us and we discussed how bad of a day it was.  He asked if we were broken up and before I could tell him we were you said you were giving me another chance.  I couldn’t help but smile and tell this guy that today wasn’t that bad, really.

I know… how unrealistic.  What was weird was that it spanned an entire day.  Super long.

The second dream, which came about by me waking up for a split second because I heard an alarm (my sister’s).  I immediately went back to sleep as it blared.  Thus, I began dreaming of the second dream.  It was World of Warcraft.  I wouldn’t play that game again.  I fucking hate the grind.  Too much time, if you can believe it.  But, this was a bit different.  A lot of influences and dumb things.  After a while of playing WoW in my head, my sister ate my leftovers from yesterday and I was so upset. Turned out, she didn’t though.  She just claimed to have eaten it.  I found the box next to her and opened it.  Something you should know is that I carefully packaged it.  But the sandwich came with a large toothpick thing in the middle.  So large that the box wouldn’t close.  My sister said I needed to pull it out or it wouldn’t close.  Then I just rammed it through the box so it had a stick protruding from it.

I found it pretty amusing.  You know me.  I thought about removing it after but then I thought about it some more and figured it’s better to leave it.  Going to have some in a bit when my dad leaves for town.  It was good.  We went to Claim Jumpers yesterday and it was stupid expensive.  Like, $84.  The cost of living in the US is so high when compared to Salamanca.  The food prices for restaurants of the same caliber would be lower as well.  Then again they use the Euro.  I guess I’ll have to learn that as well as metric soon. Still, the waitress was super nice to me.  Called me little names like “Sweetie” and whatever.  She was cute too. Could have been flirting, but I doubt it.  Natural skeptic, amirite? Anyways, I need to do my sets, take a shower, and continue with life.  I’m feeling productive today so I think I’ll work on my book, too.  Until my dad leaves (I hear him talking with someone and my sister just left, so probably Allen) I’ll stick in bed.  I don’t feel like dealing with Allen.  Like ever.  x.x Right now, I’m biding my time and watching airsoft videos from one of the airsoft sites in Salamanca.  When I’m at Adela’s, I’m going to start learning Spanish from Rosetta Stone and I’ll ask her to only speak Spanish to me.  I’m clever and my impersonations are decent. So once I get the hang of it, I have no doubt I’ll figure out the accent and not sound like such an American. I never tried to learn it because I felt ashamed of being Mexican.  I’ve had a lot of issues growing up, but this is my biggest regret.  I wish I took more pride in my heritage.  Now I do, but it’s a bit late for that, eh? Ironic that now I want everything that is American inside me to die.  I hate English.  I hate being American. If I go to Spain and speak Spanish fluent enough, I won’t tell anyone that I’m American but Mexican.  I will revoke my American citizenship when I do, even if Trump is no longer president.

Maybe I shouldn’t burn that bridge.  Idk, I have a lot of goals to complete within the next few years.  I guess I’m getting good at burning bridges though.  Fucking life, amirite? Dad stopped talking.  I think I hear his truck. I see Allen driving away.  I don’t see anyone in my dad’s truck… you know, anyone like my dad as a random example.  I’ve been getting dumb lately.  x.x

Anyways, listening to the airsoft videos I can hear people saying like “After this match we can go get some food.” and I here “Venga” a lot. The last word of the video was “venga” with no conversation beyond that.  Great stuff.  I’ll probably start using “venga” myself.  I’m not sure if I want to tell Adela that my end goal is to go to Spain.  If I did, she’d tell me, “Why not Mexico?” She’s right.  Why not Mexico?  Assuming she’d think so and then say so. Mexico isn’t a developed nation.  It’s also really hot.  No winter at all.  Go figure.  That said, Mexico is like… super corrupt.  Like, one of my cousins was robbed by the military.  The MILITARY.  Soldiers ran into their house and grabbed shit.  It’s a nice place to visit but I’m not sure about live.  The cost of living in Mexico is far lower than in Salamanca, mind you. The cost of living in Reno is 142.  Houston is 151.  Salamanca is 98. Mexico is 63 in Mazatlan and 91 in Mexico City.  It’d be easier for my family to visit me in Mazatlan which would be my first choice if I lived in Mexico City, but I’d be a part of the Eurozone in Salamanca.  I’d be able to explore and see things I’ve never seen before like France, Italy, Germany, even the UK.  Could probably travel by car, too.  I guess I just want to get as far away as possible from the US.  I mean, I could always move to Mongolia but… eh. I wanted a place that either spoke English or Spanish as it’s primary language.  I wanted it to be super affordable to live in.  Mexico can apply for both.  But Spain?  That country occasionally gets winters.  Of course, Salamanca is basically in a desert, but still.  It has 7 snow days on average.  That’s a decent number assuming the snow doesn’t melt.  The most expensive place to live is Connecticut for the US.  It scored 254 on the index.  Christ, fucking bourgeoisie.  Maybe CA isn’t that expensive afterall.  I mean, it’s still on average higher than Spain and DEFINITELY Mexico.  Higher than Ireland and the UK too. Amarillo’s cost of living was 126.  I did just fine on my own there.  Augusta, Georgia has the lowest cost of living in any US city.  102. Interesting stuff. Maybe I’ll reconsider Mexico in the future.  Mazatlan would be a safe place to live because the Cartels would lose money if they did the shit there that they do anywhere else.  Spain has about 400 murders a year.  Mexico has 25k murders a year.  Stats are from 2010. In term of crime rates, Spain is like top 10 for lowest.  Mexico is about the same as the US.  Not the worst, technically, but oof. We’ll see.  By the end of my book series and if I decide to make another, I’ll determine where I live by how well my book is selling.  If it’s doing well, I’ll go to Spain.  If it’s doing not as well but gives me enough money to move out of the US, I’ll go to Mexico.  Mexico would be a cheap move. Their airsoft laws are kinda lax, though you need express permission from the State to own gas pistols.  Oh, and there are checkpoints basically.  Toll booths.  I hate that shit.  And, of course, some parts of the country are militarized. Eh… discouraging.

I should stop thinking about it.  Mexico is a fine place and Mazatlan would be great to live in.  I’ve seen it.  I mean, there is a lot of smog but that’s any city.  And I’d be more familiar with Mexico than with Spain.

Oh, and I think you’d be less likely to get kidnapped in Spain if you decided to go with me.  A lot of Spaniards are white.  Not all, of course.  Just most.

Barcelona in Spain is just a little bit more expensive than Reno.  Weird, I was thinking it’d be WAY more expensive.  I really should learn how that index they use to measure shit works. Alright, just checked.  Spain isn’t top ten for least amount of crime.  27, actually.  Still, really good out of 200 nations.  Crime index of 30. They’d be considered “green”  US is 67 and their rate is 48. Mexico is 79 at 50.

Venga. It’d be easier to become a citizen in Mexico.  Should have dual-citizenship.  Anyways, my dad just left.  Time for noms.  :D

Sweet. Mazatlan has an airsoft field apparently.  There is a video where they go up against Culiacan’s team (Culiacan is where my family is from).  Good news, eh?  So, both can support a controversial hobby I enjoy.  Both speak Spanish.  Both have a long, rich history. Technically, neither are Americans (though Mexico epitomizes America, so fuck you, US).  Both have delicious food. I have a lot going on in my neck of the woods, I think.  I literally can’t fail. Good news, eh?  I’m bound to succeed in leaving the US.

I just finished my left overs (they were amazing, btw, thanks for asking) and Miller comes up to the door and start meowing weakly. Thing is, when I was getting food, I petted him and woke him up.  He was so upset that he hissed at me.  HISSED!!!  And now he wanted to come in here?  I said fuck it and let him in.  He ran in and immediately jumped up on the bed and is now laying at my feet.  What a little fuck. He’s lucky he’s so fucking cute. Little brat. >:C I think I’ll miss him.  Definitely more than Larry and Brandy.  Fuck those two.  >:C

Oh… if I move to Spain, I’ll need a new phone.  If I move to Mexico, I’ll need a new phone.  In Spain, I’ll probably need new outlets. Or at least I’ll have to live off FUCKING travel adapters.  More expenses that I hadn’t considered. At least in Mexico, I wouldn’t need the adapters unless I were vacationing in Europe. Living there would be fine.  So, that’s a bonus point for Mexico. Checking internet, Spain on Average is better than Mexico but worse than the US.  Average peak speeds, however, favor Spain?  So does Mbit/s.  I have no idea what that means.  Best speed in the world belongs to South Korea.  Really, of the three nations (US, Mexico, and Spain) Mexico is just… the worst.  So, I guess they lose a point for crap internet.  The US and Spain are close enough to not matter.  Probably won’t even matter in Mexico, either.  It’ll ALL be better than Wendel.  Thing is, I can actually game with Ariel if I’m in Spain.  That’s something she used to pester me about. Guess I’ll have to learn CS:GO in Spain. Can’t be that bad.  She’s just CRAZY good and I don’t stand a chance if she actually decided to play against me.  She’s sweet like that and gives me a chance. She’s better than me.  I wouldn’t give her a chance.  >:C Christ, there is so much to consider when emigrating nowadays.  Back then, you said, “Hey, we’re being targeted by Ethnic Cleansing.  Let’s go to the US, they advertise themselves as a paradise for foreigners.”  There are places in North Dakota that speak EXCLUSIVELY Swedish.  Fucking. Swedish. I don’t want to be a part of a community in Spain or Mexico that speak exclusively English.  In Mexico, there are a lot of Canadians in Mazatlan.  -,-

God, Miller is cute.  I touch his little butt, he stretches and purrs SO loudly that I can hear him from a yard away.  Audibly, too.  Aw, he just meowed super softly.  I love him… so much.  T,T

Well, not that much.  He’s a little dick.  Fuck that dude.  >:C

But soooooo cute! NO!!! YES?!? Maybe… idk…

Talk about a waste of time.  Sorry, didn’t mean to place meaningless text in here.  So much for my journal being super serious.  Even if you don’t live with me in Spain and/or Mexico… maybe you’ll visit.  I owe Jeremiah a promise though.  Wherever I’ll go, I’ll be sure to SMUGGLE him with me.  Probably would be harder in Spain to do that. I doubt he’d want to emigrate let alone learn a new language. Still, if I establish myself I’ll have to let him know it’s an option.

There is a lot to prepare for.  I don’t see myself moving within the next two years.  I might, though.  I might move to Mexico first and THEN to Spain.  That’s an idea.  Hrm… might be easier in the long run.  Might be cheaper, too.  Idk, yet.  Again, I’m just kind of winging it.  Sort of fitting, don’t you think?

We’ll have to see.

Hrm… both places, being super catholic, don’t celebrate the Halloween I like.  Fuck.  Ah, well.  I can celebrate it on my own terms by myself.  >:C Oh… FUCK!!!  FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!  GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!!! Remember how I uninstalled everything to prove to you that nothing will get in between us?  I SHOULDN’T have uninstalled Napoleon Total War.  That was my source for the naval battle and if I intend to rewrite that chapter, I’ll have to see it again.  FUCK!!! Whatever, it was symbolic and it should still be saved on the steam cloud.  If not, I’ll copy the original chapter and use that as a source.  It’s a hassle but I can overcome.  I’m an idiot.

[freedomfaucet-blog]

  WTF is an Airdrop? A Detailed Guide to Free Cryptocurrency Money can’t appear out of no where… But cryptocurrency can. Polymath did an airdrop (free coins) worth $300 In December 2017, I signed up to learn more about a coin called Polymath. As I learned...

http://markethive.tv/?p=283

WTF is an Airdrop? A Detailed Guide to Free Cryptocurrency

  WTF is an Airdrop? A Detailed Guide to Free Cryptocurrency

Money can’t appear out of no where… But cryptocurrency can.

Polymath did an airdrop (free coins) worth $300

In December 2017, I signed up to learn more about a coin called Polymath. As I learned more about it, my interest peaked and I wanted to learn how to get my hands on some of the coins. Turns out, the coins weren’t available yet; in fact, the team wasn’t even doing an ICO. Instead, they were conducting an airdrop. I signed up for it, and didn’t have to pay a penny (only enter some identifying information to comply with KYC regulation). A month later, 250 POLY showed up in my Ethereum Wallet. As of the time of writing, that’s worth around $300.

What is an Airdrop?

The simple answer: it’s literally just free coins just waiting for you. The method behind the madness, though, is a decision regarding marketing strategy. As a way to spread awareness to the relevant audience of potential investors and eventual enthusiasts, coin teams will, from time-to-time, do airdrops.

A Brief History of Airdrops

Coins have been doing this for a while — pretty much since the first Ethereum ICO. If you check your wallet on Etherscan (which I totally recommend doing — never open your wallet with a private key just to check your balance, it’s riskier than necessary), you’ll know there’s a row up top named Token Tracker. If you see it, then there are also tokens in your account; if you don’t, then you don’t have any tokens or airdrops — yet. Some of you ETH wallet holders that have had wallets with balances for a while now might’ve noticed this — one day you just see an extra random token in your Token Tracker. No, someone didn’t randomly deposit some obscure token into your wallet address on accident; instead, the coin’s team decided to send a small amount to a population of Ethereum wallets in order to spread the word.

After getting the token, one of the first things you might’ve done is Google what the coin is. Or you might’ve taken it a step further — asked someone else if they knew what the token was. Also, you could just choose to ignore it. Of course, in the last scenario, the airdrop failed its intention. But scenario 1 means that you have now learned about the coin, and scenario 2 is even better — you’ve just told your friends about the coin, too. In both of those scenarios, the airdrop did its job for a small price (well, potentially a larger price if it moons).

Eventually, airdrops became a method beyond marketing. As a method to pump coin value, coins would announce airdrops where coin holders would receive bonus coins proportional to the amount of total coins they hold. Coin investors that wanted to get the airdrop would have to buy the coins if they didn’t have any yet, or buy more if they wanted a larger proportion of the airdrop. That being said, I want to emphasize that this airdrop strategy won’t be examined further in this article, since my article is focused on how you can get coins for free, not on how you can get coins by buying coins.

Recently, with Facebook’s new advertising policy explicitly stating bans for ICOs, many ICOs have turned to airdrops as an alternative method for pay-per-click advertising. With many ICOs being consumer-focused products, they focus on one metric: viral growth through the network effect. In layman’s terms, they want to spread the word to you and hope that you spread the word to your minions, too. They address this by using a strong referral system method.

Participating in Free Airdrops

The Tools You’ll Most Likely Need

Here’s what you need to catch airdrops like a stud

An Ethereum Wallet: Not one that is on an exchange. It has to be a personal address that is ERC20 compatible because most of the tokens that are airdropped are ERC20 tokens, which are or were originally Ethereum-based ICOs. I suggest using MetaMask or MyEtherWallet to get started immediately, but in the long-term I always recommend getting a hardware wallet like the Ledger Nano S.

The Ethereum Wallet Must be ACTIVE. By active, I mean that you have to show at least some human use of it. Lots of airdrops have checks in place to make sure that you aren’t just randomly generating a bunch of addresses and signing them all up to unfairly obtain more coins. This means that if your wallet doesn’t show activity, it might not receive the airdrop. Sometimes, coins will be explicit in what they look for, including some type of balance in the account.

A Telegram Account : I’m sure there are amazing reasons why Telegram is the chatting tool of choice for many of these ICOs. The coins want to boost the audience count. Usually, these airdrop coins will also require you to sign up for their Telegram accounts. Until you receive the coin in your Ethereum wallet, do not leave the Telegram accounts or you risk disqualification for the airdrop.

A Twitter Account : Similar to the reasons behind the Telegram account, many of the airdrop coins will also require you to follow them on Twitter. Some of them will even ask you to retweet some tweet.

An email address. Sometimes airdrops will ask for your email, too. If you don’t feel comfortable with giving them your real email, just create a spam one. Remember the password, though; some of them actually ask you to confirm your email.

Obtaining and Withdrawing Tokens

Usually, it takes about 1–2 months after the end of the airdrop before you receive your tokens. This is primarily due to the fact that many airdrops occur before or during token sales, in conjunction to spread awareness. And tokens are not distributable until the end of a token sale anyway (I’ll write a separate piece on Token Sales, or ICOs).

To check your wallet info and see if the token has appeared in your wallet yet, just go to Etherscan (https://www.etherscan.io). Type in your ETH address into the search box.

Circled in Red is the area you want to look. If the token is available in your wallet already, it will show up in the token tracker dropdown. If you don’t have a token tracker appear on your result, then you don’t have any tokens in your wallet yet, and it also means you didn’t receive it. Once you actually obtain the tokens, you can withdraw them directly through a services like My Ether Wallet (MEW). All you have to do is access your wallet (through MetaMask, Ledger Nano, or some other way — direct private key pasting is not recommended) and select the token you want to withdraw.

Don’t Get Scammed

With all the promises of free coins out there, it’s easy to lose track of everything and just start a clicking frenzy. Here are some tips to avoid getting scammed:

Never send any private keys. No one needs to have your private key in order to be able to check you wallet balance. They can do so very easily with tools like Etherscan.

Don’t send any money to any addresses. Remember this — airdrops are free. Whether it requires you to be holding a certain coin, or if it’ll just appear in your wallet, an airdrop will never ask you to send any amount of some coin to some type of address. If they ask for this, steer away immediately.

Check official sources. If a coin is actually doing an airdrop, it is likely they’ll have announced it on their official social media accounts, such as Twitter. Check there to make sure that the airdrop is official; otherwise, you might be subject to a scam with scammers trying to collect your data.

  This is an example of a scam airdrop. The first red flag is the fact that the Twitter account is asking you for an amount. But these scammers have become pretty sophisticated. If you check the comments, you’ll see there are 8 responses to this. 7 of them are from fake Twitter accounts pretending to have participated and being “super stoked” about receiving their coins. The other one is from me, tweeting that it’s a scam to try to warn people.

If you look at the Twitter account, you might see that it has 3,000 followers (or maybe even more) but the tweet history is less than 24 hours long. Does that make sense? A coin that just supposedly raised 8m euros has only tweeted for 24 hours? If the story seems fishy, there is a disgusting, rotting corpse somewhere. Don’t believe it.

The image is a terrible Photoshop job with font that doesn’t match the rest of the announcement. This scam is a metropolis of red flags. A simple Reverse Google Image Search shows that the logo actually belongs to Thrive. As a best practice, always look for reasons why an Airdrop would be a scam. With that mindset, you are more likely to be able to sniff out the rotting fish from the sushi.

Resources to Help You Find Airdrops

There are many communities and newsletters available to help you with identifying airdrops as they come along. I definitely recommend signing up for them (they’re free), rather than trying to look for them yourself. That’s because there are many scammers out there, and they make themselves very present and legitimate-seeming. These resources that you subscribe to have (hopefully) already screened the airdrops.

Let Cosmic Trading help you find those awesome Airdrops

If you’re looking for one to join right now, take a look at Cosmic Trading. Members post airdrops in that channel that they’ve already verified are legitimate. Furthermore, the community is just a huge group of cryptocurrency traders and enthusiasts with experience levels ranging from years of trading and HODLing to people who just started yesterday.

Article Produced By Kenny Li

A Blockchain and Fintech Enthusiast. Founder of Worthyt, Managing Partner at Empyrean Global Advisors. MIT Sloan Class of 2020.

https://hackernoon.com/wtf-is-an-airdrop-a-detailed-guide-to-free-cryptocurrency-e70e8777dd83

Susan Benitt

#airdrop #airdrops #cryptocurrency #markethive #business