I’m looking for a primer and setting spray that help with longevity and keep my makeup on through an 8 hour workday (not strenuous work).
If it helps, I have dry skin and a medium olive skin tone. My preferred brands are ELF, wet n wild, and NYX, but I’m open to any drugstore options. I’m currently using the wet n wild “impossible” primer and the ELF dewy coconut spray, but I feel like there might be better options. I would prefer a dewy or satin finish but I’m ok with matte as well.

If you're dealing with a shiny wig, don't worry – there are some simple ways to reduce the shine and make it look more natural. Here are a few methods to make your wig less shiny:
Dry shampoo: This will help to absorb excess shine and create a more matte appearance. Spray a generous amount of dry shampoo onto the wig, focusing on the shiny areas. Gently massage the dry shampoo into the fibers and then brush it out.
Baby powder: Similar to dry shampoo, baby powder can also help to reduce shine. Lightly dust the wig with baby powder, concentrating on the shiny areas. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then gently brush out the excess powder.
Matte finishing spray: If the above methods don't provide the desired results, you can try using a matte finishing spray specifically designed for synthetic hair. Follow the instructions on the product to apply it to your wig.
By trying one or more of these methods, you should be able to reduce the shine on your wig and create a more natural, realistic appearance. Remember to always handle your wig gently and follow the manufacturer's care instructions to keep it in the best possible condition.
" Although shiny wigs are appealing, do you find it annoying that an excessive amount of shine can make the wig, especially the synthetic one, look unnatural? Have you not managed to seek an easy guide on how to make a wig less shiny?
Today, we have listed out a series of tips along with step-by-step instructions to help you learn how to take the shine off a wig. What we illustrate is applied for the synthetic wig and even the human hair wig if necessary.
Are you ready to appreciate a gorgeous wig?
Let’s dive deeper into the following article right now!"
https://jenhair.com/how-to-make-a-wig-less-shiny.html
#JenHair #JenHairVietnam

I have some dining room chairs that have wooden legs and a white plastic seat (unfortunately I can't post pictures as per the sub rules).
I'd like to paint the seat portion black but seeing as these will be getting used quite a bit, I'm wondering what the best paint would be.
I know that realistically I'll probably have to touch it up if the paint gets scuffed up over time but I'd like to have it last as long as possible.
Someone recommended Krylon Fusion plastic spray paint and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this or if there's something better I can use?
Also is there a particular finish that would make the finish last longer or hide scratches better?

Shipping Flat fee of $5 anywhere in California. Everywhere else, in the US, ill split the shipping fee with you 50/50 depending on how much you purchase. Will discuss at time of purchase. Offers are welcome on items you want to bundle. :) I also have some freebies if you want any! Just let me know! Payment via Paypal g&s please :) ANY SWATCHES MADE FOR PHOTOS WERE BY USING A QTIP.
EYES -
Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Eyeshadow Palette $35 (Retail $52) Practically new. Only swatched a few colors. https://imgur.com/a/hKG7VbQ~~
NEW - Haus Labs Glam Attack Liquid Eyeshadow - Color Rose B*tch $10 (Retail $20) https://imgur.com/a/sAu3RQq
NEW - Haus Labs Glam Attack Liquid Eyeshadow - Color Legend $10 (Retail $20) https://imgur.com/a/4gppviE
Haus Labs Glam Attack Liquid Eyeshadow - Color Biker $7 (Retail $20) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/wNPiAlm
Haus Labs Glam Attack Liquid Eyeshadow - Color Dynasty $7 (Retail $20) gently Used. https://imgur.com/a/DiEVRow
Jouer Cosmetics Paris Lights Eye Paint - Color L’amour $13 (Retail $24) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/yWpLf8G
Melt Cosmetics Slick Waterline Pencil - Color Apricot Cream $10 (Retail $19) Used to swatch only. https://imgur.com/a/UyG1Xdo
NEW - Dose Of Color Eyeliner - Color Cloud Wine $8 (Retail $15) https://imgur.com/a/kDEH35l
Violet Voss SunKissed Summer Pigment Palette $20 (Retail $37) Practically new. Only swatched a few colors. https://imgur.com/a/2tRET33
Natasha Denona Cupid Palette $15 (Retail $27) Practically new. Swatch only one color. https://imgur.com/a/KbeWnut
Wander Beauty Getaway Eye and Face Palette $20 (Retail 42) Practically new. Only swatched a few colors. https://imgur.com/a/GdMR0fh
KVD Super Pomade Vegan Eyeliner, Shadow & Brow Pigment - Color Lemme Green $5 (Retail $25) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/vnDNNbr
Mac Powder Kiss Soft Matte Eyeshadow - Color Ripened $5 (Retail $24) Used a few times. https://imgur.com/a/M84b5hx
Lemonhead LA Spacepaste - Color Sunset Strip $12 (Retail $22) New but only swatched once. https://imgur.com/a/lEIaVt6
FACE -
DR. BRANDT Backlight Primer - $15 (Retail $40) Like New. Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/gH9tr1y Urban Decay Stay Naked Weightless Foundation - Color 10NN $25 (Retail $40) Used only twice. https://imgur.com/a/62o3tZb
Tarte Base Tape Hydrating Primer - $15 (Retail $32) Used Twice. https://imgur.com/a/deqsx9U
KVD Good Apple Skin Perfecting Foundation - Color Light 006 $20 (Retail $42.50) Used Twice. https://imgur.com/a/EFV747O
KVD Good Apple Full Coverage Serum Foundation - Color Light 006 $25 (Retail $42) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/xOx0xw2
Wander Beauty On-The-Go Blush & Illuminator - Color Nude Glow $15 (Retail $38) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/ciDDTHa
Jeffree Star Cosmetics Magic Star Setting Powder - Color Fair $15 (Retail $22) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/s6wy961
Jeffree Star Cosmetics Magic Star Setting Powder - Color Lavender $15 (Retail $22) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/4jeVsrM
Kim Chi Puff Puff Pass Set & Bake Powder - Translucent $10 (Retail $18) Used once. https://imgur.com/a/iTOZ10E
Nikkia Joy Cosmetics Velvet Finishing Powder - $25 (Retail $38) Like new. Used a few times. https://imgur.com/a/QyHD6RH
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush - Color Diffused Heat $15 (Retail $45) Slightly Used. https://imgur.com/a/cM3Z29D
Nars Blush - Color Orgasm $15 (Retail $32) https://imgur.com/a/IubCVqn
Benefit WANDERful World Silky-Soft Powder Blush MINI - Color Terra $8 (Retail $18) Used. https://imgur.com/a/suhKoNS
Kosas Revealer Concealer - Color 0.5N $20 (Retail $30) Like new. Used once. https://imgur.com/a/VEQsTZc
Fenty Beauty Contour Stick - Color Amber $10 (Retail $32) Slightly Used. https://imgur.com/a/BA7EFgL
NEW - Elf Cosmetics Stay All Day Setting Spray - $5 (Retail $10) https://imgur.com/a/JBXbKTg
LIPS -
Becca Pearl Glow Lip Tint - Color Blackberry $10 (Retail $25) Slightly used. https://imgur.com/a/CgZeex3
NEW - Beauty For Real D-Fine Lip Liner - Color Neutral Deep $10 (Retail $19) https://imgur.com/a/UtpmYxg
Soda Mouse Fit Tint - Color Mauve $5 (Retail $15) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/KLaSyjU
OTHER STUFF -
KVD Edge Foundation Brush $25 (Retail $34) Used once. https://imgur.com/a/2lDCoLF
Nikkia Joy Cosmetics Lashes - Style Erin $5. New. https://imgur.com/a/XldMJoR
Isle of Paradise Light Self Tanning Drops $15 (Retail $32) Used Once. https://imgur.com/a/CkbfM5R
Heated Lash Curler $5 https://imgur.com/a/xHy7A83
Kat Burki Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream $50 (Retail $116) Like New. Used twice. https://imgur.com/a/Pio6UMp
FREEBIES https://imgur.com/a/UUJj4F6

Bought a new car, (financed) and the windshield broke from a small rock within ~1k miles. I went to a glass shop to have it replaced.
When they finished with my car there is white fingerprints which seem like wet paint all over the interior and airbag covers, black leather. I don’t know what the substance is.
I immediately asked them to look at it and they shop workers tried to use some solvent aerosol sprays and rubbed the fabric and leather until it was damaged.
There is about 20 separate locations with these fingerprints including the edge of the windshield.
The shop says they don’t have anything white that could do this, but the employee telling me this had it all over him. They agreed to replace one of the two damaged airbag covers and nothing else.
I didn’t agree to the partial repair work because I felt like they were negligently damaged car in the last two attempts.
I filed a separate claim with my insurance and let then know their recommended shop did this damage.
Anyone in the glass industry know what the white substance could be or how to handle this with the shop?

I'm painting a scale car body and it has matte and glossy parts next to each other.
Can I paint the main color of the matte parts and then paint the matte without taping off the main glossy body. Then after tape that finished area off and cover the matte with the main body color that will be glossy?
Here are the colors- Underside plastics - black matte Main body - glossy silver
I feel it would be easier with less moving the tape back and forth by just not worrying about covering the silver glossy areas with matte but I'm worried the silver paint will not look the same or not adhere to the matte paint the same.
Am I overthinking this and just paint the black bottom and matte with no tape then cover all that up and finish the silver glossy after or should I tape off all areas that the silver would be and make sure no matte gets on those areas before I spray the silver?
My main process would be as follows: 1. Black bottom side color 2. Matte top coat 3. Tape off bottom side 4. Silver main color 5. Glossy final coat 6. Remove tape

First Chapter
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fifteen
Corporal McCoy had figured out the best reason for getting in good with an udhyr. They had four arms, therefore the hugs were twice as nice. They now lay in her room, with him lying on her bed and her lying on top of him, with her ensconced in the aforementioned hug-squared. She’d been able to get ahold of her Switch, and at the moment was in the midst of some happy early-morning gaming. Takh’s head rested upon hers with a gentle and welcome pressure while he watched her play. By now she was so used to him that even the little random clicks of his mandibles didn’t cause her any fear.
She was still trying to figure out if she and the alien XO were an ‘item’ or not. Zawahir had, with his usual enthusiasm, explained to her that both the udhyr and knuall-toua were pretty much like humans, with equal numbers of both males and females who reproduced sexually. He hadn’t gone into details on how exactly Tab A fit into Slot B, but the overall idea was clear. The auhn were a little more complicated; the ratio of females to males was more like seven or eight to one, plus there was the added wrinkle that the males were non-sapient and about as smart as the average pet dog. That had resulted in a very matriarchal society, of course, one based around clans of females protecting their stable of fertile males with appropriately auhn-like ferocity. The spider-like xyrax were…well, both. Completely hermaphroditic; there was quite a complicated social dance before they reproduced as to who was going to bear the resulting egg. McCoy was sure that, however it worked out, it would look adorable.
“So this Kirby can eat anything?” asked Takh, breaking into her ruminations.
McCoy tapped at her controls on autopilot, hoping that the damned thumbsticks wouldn’t break. Again. “Yep. Fun fact, waaay back in the 80s, Nintendo got sued by Universal Studios, who claimed that Donkey Kong was a ripoff of King Kong. John Kirby was the attorney who successfully defended them in court, and in gratitude they named this character Kirby.” She continued her tapping. “I think they gave him a sailboat as well.”
“Mmm, I must admit a sailboat sounds nice right about now. This place is very nice, but it’s a bit too cold.”
She wriggled against him. “You said it. You and me, off the coast near Nice? Floating in the warm azure waters of the Mediterranean? I can wear a nice little bikini I’ve got saved up for just such an occasion.”
“Oh! Uh, well, yes. That does indeed sound quite nice…”
She grinned. Takh was a dork, but a giant lovable dork and it was always great to get a reaction like this out of him. Even if it didn’t lead anywhere there. As far as she knew, the udhyr reproduced like frogs. Maybe she should discreetly quiz Zawahir on the whole Tab-A into Slot-B thing, just to make sure she wasn’t setting herself up for disappointment.
Of course, she’d just managed to get to the final boss of this particular level when the siren howl of the alarm went off. Haley McCoy blinked as she went from supine four-armed cuddling to standing in an instant, placed upon the floor by Takh’s upper arms.
“The unholy hell?” she muttered, but she was already in motion as she sprinted towards her gear, laid out so as to ensure maximum efficiency in getting it all put on. “Takh?” she called out as she started strapping her armored vest on.
“Yes? What do I do?”
“Simple. Anyone comes through that door who you don’t recognize, kill ‘em.”
“I…I don’t know, I’m still understanding how different humans look from each other, I don’t want to make a mistake.”
“You’ll know,” she said with finality as she picked up her carbine and racked the slide. “Okay. Follow me…”
The door to her room smashed in as a figure clad in black armor came through screaming “Earth belongs to HUMANS!...”
That was all he got out before Takh grabbed the man’s head and simply hurled the offending figure over McCoy and into the far wall. The window set in that wall shattered with the resulting impact, making the corporal duck.
“Fuck me, Takh.” She looked at the broken figure of the oh-so-very dead intruder, then back up to the worried-looking XO. “I mean, not literally. Okay, well you can if you want to, and I for sure would like you to…you know what? Let’s put that whole discussion off to the side for now until we can sit down and have ourselves a nice long chat, okay?”
“That sounds like a very wise strategy, Haley. What do you need from me?”
She finished putting on her headset and helmet. “Right now? You need to stick right behind me while I get you to the bunker.”
“You want me behind you?” Takh’s mandibles quirked in a grin. “That sounds like a very nice place to be.”
“Stop distracting me, you giant dork.” McCoy moved towards the door with a grim set to her shoulders, ignoring the lovely fact that her alien maybe-boyfriend was now checking out her ass. She swept the outside hallway….nothing visible. Then she heard some commotion from off towards the kitchen area.
__________
Martinez surged to his feet upon hearing the alarm, his half-eaten horizontal-cut pimento sandwich now forgotten. “What the fuck…?”
Matt was on his feet as well, with a strange look in his eyes that the corporal had never seen before. “You two. Corner. Now.” He pointed at the corner farthest from the two entrances to the kitchen.
The corporal was on the smaller side, even amongst his fellow humans, but something in the Marine’s tone made him turn and tackle the huge alien. Kexal, to his credit, somehow knew that Something Was Up and accepted the tackle, otherwise there was no way in hell that Martinez could have moved the giant creature.
Just as he did so, he caught a glimpse of a dark form, clad in full armor, holding a rifle, gliding around one of the entrances to the kitchen. In a panic, he fumbled for the pistol at his hip.
Martinez prized himself on his reflexes. But still, he had time for one blink of astonishment as Toke all but teleported himself across the ten feet of intervening space, pushing the intruder’s rifle up towards the ceiling and out of battery as his own arm flashed in a wicked arc. The corporal caught the merest glint of a small but cruelly-curved knife, like a predator’s claw, in the Marine’s fist.
There followed quite the epic spray of blood from underneath the attacker’s armpit, followed up by a few more cruel swipes which made sure that the tendons in that shoulder were destroyed and useless. Toke pulled the rifle away from the now-dangling limb.
Somehow, the black-armored attacker managed to speak in spite of what must be massive pain. “Earth will NEVER submit to…”
Toke’s voice was as hard as granite. “Tell your shit to someone who cares.”
Two more vicious swipes across the man’s throat resulted in a cascade of crimson down his black-armored front, and the would-be assassin toppled to the wooden floor.
“Martinez.” Toke’s robotic voice shocked him back into awareness.
“Y…yeah?”
“Got a pistol?”
“Of course.” He checked to make sure that he had it in his hand. Huh, that was strange. He didn’t remember drawing it, but there it was.
“Good.” The lean man tossed the purloined rifle towards Martinez, who caught it automatically in his off-hand. “Take this. Check this dead motherfucker for extra mags, and take ‘em. You’re on Kexal, understand? Get him safe to the bunker. Anyone you don’t know personally comes at you, you shoot ‘em.” His black, mechanical gaze shifted towards the alien. “Kexal? If Martinez goes down and someone attacks you, you have my permission to yank their arms off.”
The giant planetologist stared in horror at the bleeding and probably-dead sapient before him, then shook himself. “Of course. Yes. I’ll protect myself.”
“No need,” said Martinez as he looked back at his newly-christened charge. He racked the action on his just-acquired rifle, which looked to be a standard AR-platform civilian carbine. The corporal wished for something full-auto, but this was at least better than a pistol in terms of range and punch. “I’ll get you to safety, sir.”
He turned back to ask Matt just what the fuck was going on…but he only saw empty air.
__________
Cécile Savoie was not having a good day. She’d accepted the position of overall chief of security at Camp David with delight…at first. Dealing with the day-to-day of protecting one of the most targeted people on the planet, that she could deal with no problem. Because it was one person. It was an unspoken agreement between all of the agents that SAILOR was the priority. Even the First Husband could be sacrificed if need be.
But then she’d had a bunch of damn aliens dropped in her lap, along with an equally weird group of special-forces types. The latter were what really ground her gears; the aliens were genuinely nice and apologetic about being such a bother, but the human soldiers were the types who would crash on your couch, drink all your beer, and then steal your sweetheart when you weren’t looking.
She crouched behind a little berm to the west of Camp David, the other members of her patrol stretched out alongside her in a roughly north-to-south line.
“Moseby! Report!” she yelled.
She heard a few thumps, then a few cracks in her earpiece which were followed up by echoing reports from the building behind her. Thankfully she heard her agent’s voice in her earpiece. “Shit! Wow, um, you’re really good with that knife…”
She then heard a muffled phrase that sounded a bit like ‘give it to me, son’, and the next voice in her ear was one she was unfamiliar with.
“This is Captain Matthew Tocco, USMC, whom am I speaking with?” The voice sounded as if generated by an AI.
“I’m Agent Savoie,” she responded. “I’m in charge of the Camp David security detail, who are you?”
“I just told you who I am, Agent Savoie. And I just saved the life of one of your agents. Now. Let’s cut through any sort of jurisdictional bullshit. We have at least two confirmed active hostiles in the complex, two more are confirmed down. We’re sweeping the compound to make sure there are no others, plus making sure that our esteemed guests are safe inside the bunker. Where are you located? We need to coordinate our defenses.”
The information made her see literal red. The attackers had made it into the compound? How? There must be some angle, some safe passage made by somebody. She was going to find out who had made that safe passage, and those people would burn. Oh yes, they were all going to burn…
“West of the complex,” she snapped. “We’ve set up a perimeter along the ridge there.”
“Got it, Agent Savoie. Oh, and please don’t shoot me when I show up.”
She ran through various scenarios for the next few minutes, trying to figure out who on the team had betrayed them. And there must have been such a betrayal in order to get armed hostiles into the actual buildings. Her further musing upon vengeance was cut short as a tall, lean man seemed to all but materialize next to her. He held a small, curved blade in a reverse grip in his right hand; that blade dripped red blood. She almost pointed her gun at him, then relaxed. “Captain Tocco, I presume?”
“Call me Toke.” The guy sounded like he was out for a day on the beach.
“Who the hell are you…wait, you’re with the group in there, right?”
Matt nodded. “Yep. The rest of us are in there bundling up our guests and making sure they’re all safe and sound. Actually, by now Corporal McCoy should be…”
Agent Savoie flinched again as a small but very stacked woman seemed to suddenly appear like condensing smoke at her other side, out of the brush. “Speak of the Devil, and she shall appear.”
The tall man grinned at her. “You are pretty damn good, corporal.”
“Hell that means a lot coming from you, Toke. By the way, that’s a nice kerambit. Anyways, everybody on Team Alien is tucked in and unharmed. I got Takh in there fine. Martinez even tagged a couple more bad guys while he was escorting Grakosh to the bunker. Fair warning to everybody listening on this channel, he’s gonna be aaaall sorts of smug about that and it’s gonna turn into a story of taking out four dudes before this week is out. But, right now, it looks like only four of the OPFOR made into the complex…however they did that…so the rest must be out there.” She pointed towards the leafless woods beyond the little rise.
“Any word from Shaw?” asked Toke.
Savoie narrowed her eyes. “Something bad happened in DC. Sounds like an artillery or mortar attack.”
“Shit.” McCoy looked troubled. “This is serious business, then. State player?”
“Maybe,” said Toke. “But it could be some private group with some proper funding behind ‘em. Agent Savoie, do you have any word of a helicopter or plane going down nearby?”
“A Chinook,” she replied, “Went down about thirty minutes ago thataways.” She motioned to the west, out into the wintry forest. “Then we had one of our patrols out in that direction go silent. That’s what triggered the alarm.”
Matt grunted. “Yeah, that’s how I’d do it. Make it look like a crash and infiltrate that way. Right.” He touched his ear to make sure his earpiece was seated. “You just keep this channel open, right?”
“Where are you going?” asked McCoy.
“Out there. You need eyes on assholes, and I’m gonna give that to you.”
McCoy tossed him her carbine. “At least have a gun on you, dude.”
He caught it with his off-hand, since his main hand still held the dripping-red kerambit. He grinned at her. “All right. You got a pistol?”
“Of course.” She pulled it out and racked the slide.
He tossed the rifle back to her. “Give me that instead. We’re gonna need to concentrate some proper firepower here. This might be a proper light-infantry invasion in progress. We need to organize ourselves into a skirmish line running along this ridge, south-southwest to north-northeast. Get whoever you can on your team in there out here to bolster our firepower, understand? Dig in.”
“Got it.” The little corporal’s eyes blazed with purpose as she handed her pistol to Matt. “Now go get you some.”
“Believe me, I will.”
Savoie blinked in astonishment as the tall man vanished again.
“Yeah, he kinda does that,” said McCoy. “Dude could give sneaking-around lessons to fucking Batman.” She pulled a map out of one of the pockets on her cargo pants. “Now, Agent Savoie, how many people do we have available? Let’s get ourselves properly set up.”
__________
Wade stepped carefully over a fallen branch, his boots making almost no noise at they met the soft mulch covering the forest floor. From the curt statements in his headset, it sounded like the four heroes who’d been infiltrated into the devil’s nest had been cut down. There was no word yet if any of the alien menace had been eliminated. That was a shame, but hopefully it drew attention away from his own unit. He and his comrades made up the secondary and much more armored thrust, one which not even the vaunted Secret Service could counter. The latter were armored, yes, but only armored against pistols and they only wielded pistols themselves. He and his team had rifles, level-four body armor, helmets, and most importantly proper communications.
A voice crackled in his ear. “Hold position. The security detail is forming into a defensive line. It looks like they know we’re here.”
“Set timer?” Wade whispered into his headset. His team had a set time to accomplish their mission, before the entirety of the United States military-industrial complex landed upon their heads like the proverbial Wrath Of God.
“Yes, set timer. Twenty minutes.”
There was a soft chorus of “Twenty minutes, aye,” in Wade’s ear as he tapped his own smart-watch to start the timer. “Twenty minutes, aye,” he murmured. As he made to step over another downed branch, he paused.
Something was off. He couldn’t say why, but the air itself seemed a little more still than it should be. He turned to his left and saw a blur heading for him…he tried to raise his rifle, but it was too late…
__________
Cécile Savoie’s head snapped up as she heard a few cracks from the treeline which could only be the sound of firearms. “Anyone see anything?” she whispered into her earpiece.
There followed a myriad of “No, ma’ams” in her ear. “Keep a sharp eye,” she murmured. “Don’t fire on anyone not in black. We do have a friendly out there, he’s supposed to be giving us intel…”
Matt’s voice sounded in her ear. “Indeed. Bagged one of ‘em, on the outer edge of the advancing force. Looks like civvie gear, carbine is only semi-auto. This is a well-funded civilian effort, not a state actor.”
She checked her watch. “Got it. Fifteen minutes until we get backup in place, what do you need from us?”
“Hmm, that explains the ‘twenty minutes’ thing. Right, they know they’re on a timetable. You all need to be, and I hate to put it this way, the meat shield. It looks like they’re going for a solid push towards you, no stealth. Fourteen hostiles all told, and if this guy’s gear is any indication they’re all up-armored. Class Four. Center of mass is no good, go for head or limbs.”
Savoie’s mouth was now dry. “Understood.”
“Don’t worry, Agent. I’ll be behind them, and I’ll do what I can to sow some dissention in the ranks.”
__________
“Wade, report!” hissed Horace into his microphone.
No reply.
He took in a breath to issue another demand when a voice sounded in his ear. Horace had once gone swimming in the ocean off of Florida, and had by pure chance come across a great white shark. He still remembered the vacant gaze of the giant predator, who was probably idly wondering if Horace would make a good snack for today.
This voice brought up once again that dread; it was the voice of a pure predator. “Who is this?”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“The one who just took down…Wade, was it?”
“Sidney, get eyes on Wade!”
“Will do…” There followed a long, long silence before that shark-like voice spoke again.
“You just got Sidney killed too, asshole. Care to keep going? I got no problem with that. Or do you all want to call this a day? You can do that too, you know.”
“Everybody down!” Horace snapped before going prone himself. That taunting voice still sounded in his ear.
“Okay, now you’re all down and less of a target. What now, genius? You got…hmmm…about twelve more minutes before all of the backup in the world arrives. And they will find you. You know what? You’d better hope they find you instead of me. Because I give less than two shits about that whole ‘Geneva Convention’ crap.”
“Maintain radio silence,” said Horace, as he tried to wriggle his way forward.
“Oh, you’re still trying, Mister Leader? How cute. Let me put it this way to you fourteen…sorry, thirteen, assholes. You’re done. Nailed. The best you can hope for is to get some lawyers who want to make a name for themselves. Worst case? You get put in a room with me, and if you have any sense in what passes for your brains you will spill your guts. If I’m honest, I kinda hope you put up a brave front and don’t say anything. It’s been a very long time since I got to cut loose. Gotta keep up that certain set of skills, yanno what I mean?”
“Maintain radio silence,” grated Horace, as he continued to wriggle forward.
Then, all of a sudden, he realized he was looking at boots. A pair of boots, planted in front of him like a goddamn World War Two commando movie. He glanced upwards, hoping against hope that it would turn out to be a gag like that one comedy where it was just boots…
No.
It wasn’t just boots.
Horace looked up into a man with the eyes of a shark, as well as the quite threatening muzzle of a pistol.
“Hey there, my Little Buddy-O,” said Matt. “Whatcha doin out here?”
__________
Milton came to with a gasp. “Shaw…”
A gentle hand laid upon his shoulder. “Shh, dear. He’s fine, everyone’s fine.”
He gazed up at the white-tiled ceiling above him. “But…” He turned to look into the face of the one person he loved above all else…well, her and Johnny. “He’s okay?”
“He’ll live. Just like you. You big doofus.” Teresa leaned forward to kiss his forehead. “I saw the footage. You threw yourself at all of those senior citizens, which might just count as assault with a deadly weapon. Then you went and managed to get all the way across the stage towards Sadaf. You really don’t know when to give up, do you?”
“Guess I don’t”, he chuckled, then glanced down at his arm. His former arm. “Whoof. That medic was really quick with the tourniquet, I’ll give him that.”
“With you and with Sergeant Shaw,” said Teresa. By now she was pretty much clambered on top of him, tucking his big head into the nape of her neck; it was his favorite place to be. He inhaled her scent with relish, before suddenly realizing someone was missing.
“Johnny?” he asked.
“Oh, right,” she said, before making an imperious snap of her fingers to someone out of his line of sight…right before a little ball of energy burst its way into his room.
“DADDY!” yelled the little firebrand, before smacking into his side. Milton hugged them both to himself, realizing that, no matter what happened next, he was right now in the best place possible.
“Keep it all down to a dull roar, okay?” said a voice off to his left. A very recognizable voice.
He picked his head up to stare in that direction. “Shaw?”
The sergeant gave him a casual wave from his own hospital bed. “Hey, slick. Good ta see ya up and about.”
Milton grinned. “You too, you old fart.”
“Aw hell, I ain’t that old. So. Just out of curiosity. Did that torniquet on your arm hurt like hell?”
The agent cuddled his son closer. “You better believe it.”
“Okay, got it. Just for reference, if you get one on your leg it also hurts like a motherfu…uh, hurts like crazy.”
Milton winked at Shaw. “Don’t worry, my son has heard worse. Why are you here?”
“They put you both in one room,” said Teresa. “Something about it being easier to guard. There was an assault on Camp David too, from what I’ve heard.”
“What?” Milton tried to pry himself up off of the bed before getting a mutual shove-down from his wife and son.
“Relax, my man,” said Shaw. “Toke was there. He and my peeps took care of it.” The sergeant looked at the acoustic tiles above him. “Gonna have to promote McCoy and Martinez. They both really stepped up to the plate.”
__________
President Correa rubbed at her temple. “This ‘Toke’ is a menace.” She was seated behind the famed ‘Resolute’ desk while still trying to show the appropriate deference to the barrel-chested man in front of her, clad in a crisp dark-blue dress uniform.
“Let’s be fair, ma’am,” replied General De Vries, “He helped this situation become less complicated, not more. None of our alien…refugees? I suppose that’s a good a term as anything. None of them got killed, hell none of them even got injured. We collected the thirteen of those remaining while trying to assault Camp David. Overall we have ten dead, including the four who somehow made it into the complex and the Secret Service patrol. The attackers had top-of-the-line gear, civilian but first-rate.”
She slammed her fists into the desk-top, making a nearby mug filled with coffee jump. “I fucking VACATION there, General! Me and my family, understand?”
“I know, ma’am. Do you want me to do this questioning…properly?”
She somehow picked up what he was putting down. “No. You have my permission to go off the chain.”
“Then consider me and Toke off the chain, ma’am.”
“Wait…you’re going to use him?”
“He has had experience in similar matters, ma’am. If you prefer, I don’t need to use him.”
She shook her head. “No. We need intel, and fast, on how the fuck this happened. Plus not to mention we somehow had an artillery attack in the midst of goddam DC.”
“I cannot speak for the FBI,” said De Vries with deceptive calm. “But believe me, we will find out how this all happened. And it will never happen again, of that you have my solemn word.”
The president slumped in her seat. “What about those injured in the DC attack?”
“It was a precision single artillery strike, ma’am. Probably GPS or maybe laser-guided, we’re still trying to figure out which. If Sergeant Shaw hadn’t intervened as he did, Captain Sadaf would be nothing but pulverized meat right now.”
She looked up at him with a cynical quirk to her eyebrow. “Did his saving her get caught on film?”
“Oh hell yes. Footage from several phones, it’s all gone viral.”
“Good, make sure it continues to go viral. How is Shaw? And Agent…um…sorry, my brain is going twelve different ways…sorry, Agent Milton Vila, right?”
“You are right, ma’am. Both are still in the hospital, under guard of course, but both are stable. Milton lost an arm, and Shaw lost one of his legs below the knee.”
“Fuck.” It was one of the rare times that De Vries had heard the president swear. “Both can be helped with prosthetics, right?”
“Not my area of expertise, ma’am, but yes. They’ll both live, and we’ll make sure they have the very best technology available.”
President Correa suddenly grinned with an expression that the general somehow knew was going to lead to Complications in his near future.
“You mean the best human technology, don’t you?” she asked, with deceptive calm.
“Well…yes, of course. I mean, Zawahir Ibn Harith is still trying to make sense of how the aliens heal themselves. It’s true regeneration, if I understand it right. Damage to the central nervous system is still kind of hard for them to deal with, but otherwise they can pretty much heal anything.”
The president examined her fingernails. “So…growing back a limb or two should be the proverbial walk in the park, yes?”
“Um…” The general’s eyes widened. He now realized why this unassuming lady had won two terms to the highest executive office in his particular country. “Oh, yes! Of course!”
“The plans for repair efforts on the Rithro have costs which are already pretty much alongside the Manhattan Project,” said President Correa. “Why don’t you appoint Zawahir as the lead of this particular effort? We’ll call it Manhattan-Light.” She fixed General De Vries with her eyes. “Imagine it. Two people, grievously wounded in the line of duty while protecting one of our alien refugees, an effort which was caught on multiple cameras…imagine them then walking out onto a stage with intact limbs.”
“It will make quite the photo op, ma’am.”
“Indeed. I’m glad we understand each other, General.”

I'm painting a scale car body and it has matte and glossy parts next to each other.
Can I paint the main color of the matte parts and then paint the matte without taping off the main glossy body. Then after tape that finished area off and cover the matte with the main body color that will be glossy?
Here are the colors- Underside plastics - black matte Main body - glossy silver
I feel it would be easier with less moving the tape back and forth by just not worrying about covering the silver glossy areas with matte but I'm worried the silver paint will not look the same or not adhere to the matte paint the same.
Am I overthinking this and just paint the black bottom and matte with no tape then cover all that up and finish the silver glossy after or should I tape off all areas that the silver would be and make sure no matte gets on those areas before I spray the silver?
My main process would be as follows: 1. Black bottom side color 2. Matte top coat 3. Tape off bottom side 4. Silver main color 5. Glossy final coat 6. Remove tape

I'm painting a scale car body and it has matte and glossy parts next to each other.
Can I paint the main color of the matte parts and then paint the matte without taping off the main glossy body. Then after tape that finished area off and cover the matte with the main body color that will be glossy?
Here are the colors- Underside plastics - black matte Main body - glossy silver
I feel it would be easier with less moving the tape back and forth by just not worrying about covering the silver glossy areas with matte but I'm worried the silver paint will not look the same or not adhere to the matte paint the same.
Am I overthinking this and just paint the black bottom and matte with no tape then cover all that up and finish the silver glossy after or should I tape off all areas that the silver would be and make sure no matte gets on those areas before I spray the silver?
My main process would be as follows: 1. Black bottom side color 2. Matte top coat 3. Tape off bottom side 4. Silver main color 5. Glossy final coat 6. Remove tape

Hey guys!
I'm thinking about customizing some parts of my 2023 surron with some spray paint I purchased here: https://spraybike.us/collections/all-colors
The company offers special bike spray colors that can be applied without priming so very easy to use on metal/plastic/aluminium/carbon parts and you can also get matte/glossy finishes. Fenders shouldn't be the problem as they are plastic anyway and I can easily replace them if it looks shitty.
But did anyone of you have tried to spraypaint the battery? I'm running stock battery rn. My plan is to wrap up the bottom and top of the battery with tape, then color the main "body" of it. Any concerns or things I should keep in mind?
Nike did a really sick looking custom surron with a german artist called BSTN (The one in the image) so if you like to dive into that build: https://www.bikeexif.com/sur-ron-bike-custom He also painted the battery I think but I don't know if you have to apply anything else to make it "safe" because of the cells inside?!

It's Thursday and there are some very weird watches out today.

What's new

1/
Massena LAB Launches the Mathey-Tissot Mergulhador, a Follow Up to Last Year’s Type XX Chrono
William Massena, owner of Massena LAB, is increasingly profiling his collaborations with watch companies in two directions - either super high end or accessible. Now, we’re getting the latter. Massena LAB has teamed up with the old, discreet and relatively unknown outside of watch circles brand Mathey-Tissot to recreate Mathey-Tissot’s Mergulhador Skin Diver and recreate it into a slightly more modern package.
This is not the first time Massena is working with Mathe-Tissot, as they introduced a pair of limited Type XX chronographs, which were an instant and somewhat unexpected hit. Those watches were inspired by a watch in Massena’s personal collection, and that’s also the genesis of his latest project bearing the Mathy-Tissot name. This time, the watch in question is the Mergulhador Skin Diver, a watch that you’d be forgiven for being enamored with based on name alone. “Mergulhador” means “diver” in Portuguese, and as you’d probably guess, the original version of the watch was marketed to the Portuguese market in the 1970s, and was aimed at both military and civilian customers. It’s a bit obscure, but that’s what’s fun about it, and why it makes sense for someone with Massena’s knowledge and background to bring it to a larger audience.
The star of the watch is the dial, an amber fumé that looks like it’s been exposed to the elements on a divers hand for years. The amber complements the bright orange hour markers and an orange minute track against a black background that feels right out of the 1970s. The dial also features oversized white lume plots at each hour, the size of which is certainly in keeping with the general 1970s aesthetic.
The stainless steel case is pure skin diver, measuring 41mm in diameter and 12.8mm thick, and with a cushion shape. The steel bezel rotates in both directions. While this is not be common on modern divers, it was on pretty much every single recreational skin diver in the 70s. Inside is the reliable Sellita SW200 and it gets a 36 hour power reserve. The watch comes on a choice of a black rubber or black calfskin strap. Water resistance is rated to 200 meters.
Want some bad news? Only 99 will be made and it seems that they have all been sold out. However, the Massena LAB website does allow you to join the waitlist for this watch, so who knows - they might make a new run? Highly unlikely, but one might hope. If you could get it, it would cost you $995.
2/
Unimatic Takes Inspiration From Tuscan Olive Fields For Series 8 Limited Edition
Unimatic is one of those brands you either like or hate. Yes, people will dislike it for some pretty serious quality issues when the brand started, for their pretty strong marketing game or will argue that they are overpriced for what you get. I can understand all of those criticisms, and more. But I like them. They’re fun, quirky and are great summer watches. If you can get one for EUR 500, it’s perfectly fine value for money. However, their prices might vary depending on model and limited status.
Also, I also very much appreciate their collaborations, special editions and new models. Now Unimatic has a new limited edition series of the Modello lines in a gorgeous olive color that the brands says pays homage to Tuscany. All of the models get an olive dial and fantastic creamy markers and hands, as well as olive straps. It’s all very olive here and it’s called the Series 8, applied to four of the Modello models.
Staying true to the familiar style that has marked the Modello Uno, the U1S-80 features a 40mm case with relatively short lugs. It’s the closest to a dive watch that Unimatic makes, so it makes sense that it is water resistant to 300 meters and has a mono-directional safety bezel. However, here form coves over function as it is the most minimalist of bezels, so not very useful for diving.
Then there’s the U2S-80, the new version of the Modello Due, the brand’s field watch. As such, it’s smaller than the diver and very retro. Inside the 38mm case is the automatic caliber Sellita SW200-1b which gives it a hacking second, reminiscent of vintage field watches. The Modello Tre is a combination of a tough chronograph and a rugged dive watch. The U3-80 is an Olive drab rendition of Unimatic's chrono-diver and has a singular subdial at the 9 o'clock position as everything about this brand is minimalist. The U3-80 is the largest watch in the lineup, measuring at 41.5mm including the bezel, and is also the only quartz-powered watch in the series, opting for the Seiko Meca-Quartz VK64A.
The U4S-80, or the Modello Quatro, is definitely the most minimalistic of all the watches. It takes the dive watch model of the Modello Uno and strips it of all functionality by giving it a fixed steel bezel. And it looks even better with the olive green dial and strap.
Each model of the Unimatic limited edition Series 8 will receive a production run of 400 units and each watch ships with both an olive drab two-piece TPO strap and a seatbelt NATO strap, as well as a Unimatic Tough Case for two watches.
The U1S-80 will cost you EUR 925, the U2S-80 EUR 750, the U3-80 EUR 625, and the U4S-80 EUR 750. All of these prices are without tax and the watches can be ordered now.
3/
The Crazy People From HYT Are Back With A Quirky Rainbow Hastroid
HYT has a complicated story. It made outrageous watches that polarized the community. Some argue that the watches were too out there and that there is not a big enough market for them. Those people might have been right, as HYT went bankrupt in 2021. But only a year later later, the brand is revived and it’s return is marked by the Hastroid, a watch with familiar mechanics and the HYT signature move - using fluids to display time. HYT has always been known for bold designs that incorporate flashy colors. Now they go a step further with all the colors of the rainbow on the HYT Hastroid Rainbow.
The HYT Hastroid Rainbow comes with all the features of the existing Green Nebula, Supernova Blue or Cosmic Hunter models. Measuring 48 mm in diameter and over 17mm in thickness, it has a length of 52mm. The case’s multi-layer “sandwich-like” construction also integrates cut-out areas on the sides with grilles. The dial and display have also been redefined with more depth and a complex multi-part structure. Composed of 43 components, the dial has an openworked, textured structure revealing most of the mechanical elements, and both the mechanical section (on top) and the fluidic section (the bellows on the lower part and the capillary tube around the dial) are entirely visible.
Powering the HYT Hastroid is the calibre HYT 501-CM. Made of two separate modules connected by a lever, the upper side is dedicated to timekeeping and is a hand-wound movement running at 4Hz with a power reserve of 72 hours. It is also the driving force for the fluidic indication, giving its power and delivering a constant displacement to act on the motion of the fluids, thanks to an oversized lever and a curved feeler-spindle. This sensor transforms the circular motion of the movement’s wheels into a linear motion that pushes the bellow.
That’s all that remains the same. For the Rainbow, HYT has gone all out on color. The case is made from multi-layer carbon fibre with a profile in matte black DLC-coated titanium. It is worn on a bright, bold purple rubber strap with black inlay. The rainbow effect is applied to the dial’s grille using tinted Zapon lacquer. Each dial is individually executed by Yan Patriarca, a lacquering expert. Each colour is sprayed by hand, in several layers, and with an imperceptible gradient effect. In addition, the fluid contained in the capillary tube is black, and when it moves around the coloured dial, it gives the impression that it is tinted in the shade assigned to each time slot.
The HYT Hastroid Rainbow is released as a limited edition of 15 pieces and priced at CHF 75,000 (excl. taxes).
4/
New Porsche Design Chronograph Is Exclusive To Owners Of The718 Spyder RS
Contrary to popular belief, Porsche Design is not a subsidiary of Porsche, the car manufacturer. Yes, it is owned by by Porsche SA, the holding company, but technically, the folks over at Porsche Design don’t go around designing Porsche cars. Porsche Design was founded in the early 70s by Butzi Porsche, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche with the idea of creating a Porsche boutique that would create car-themed accessories. Pretty soon, Porsche Design started making watches and the popped up on the radar of both watch lovers and car lovers. So it only made sense for Porsche Design to start making car inspired watches to satisfy this desire from customers.
Porsche Design is still doing the same to this day. And their latest watch is an exclusive one that can only be purchased by owners of the just announced 718 Spyder RS, the car that inspired the watch. The concept of owner-exclusive watches is nothing new for Porsche Design, as they have made watches for and inspired by the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the 911 GT3 RS and the 911 Dakar.
The base of the watch remains the same as the aforementioned models (save for the Dakar watch, which uses a different base watch), meaning Chronotimer Series 1 architecture, a watch that pays tribute to the earliest models created by the Butzi Porsche in the early 1970s, with a proprietary automatic flyback chronograph movement. The case, made of lightweight bead-blasted titanium, meadures 42mm in diameter, with a height of 14.6mm. You can get it untreated or with a black titanium carbide coating, just like you can get the bezel in natural or black-coated titanium, with either a tachymeter or a 60-minute scale.
The dial retains the classic architecture of the collection and offers a wide range of personalisation options. First, the individual colour ring around the dial can be chosen in all available Spyder RS standard, metallic, and special colours, but also in the 114 additional colours of the paint to sample programme. Then, the dial itself can be chosen in classic matte black or in genuine carbon fibre. Three styles of hands complete this wide range of options, with Performance (white), Essence (black) or GT (yellow) options.
Under the hood is the calibre WERK 01.200, a highly modified Valjoux base, now chronometer-certified and equipped with flyback function. The final touch comes from the oscillating weight designed to look like the wheels of the Spyder RS. Two designs are available – following the look of the classic wheels or the optional lightweight magnesium alloy wheels of the Weissach package – and available in all colours from Porsche – Brilliant Silver, Aluminum satin, Dark Silver, Neodyme, Indigo Blue, and Black. You think that’s a high level of customisation? Yeah, you can also get the VIN of your 718 Spyder RS engraved onto the rotor…
The watch comes on a leather strap with black Race-Tex inlay and Spyder RS logo embossed, and a titanium bracelet can also be specified. If you’re a owner of the new Porsche 718 Spyder RS, you can get your watch now at a starting price of EUR 9,500.
5/
Singer Introduces The Reimagined Track 1 Endurance Edition 24h Chronograph, Ready To Time The 24 Hours of Le Mans
Speaking of Porsche, especially unique Porsche’s, there’s no other name you need to know other than Singer. The Californian company takes already awesome Porsche models from the late 80s and early 90s, strip them to their core and restore it to the perfect Porsche, incorporating the best aspect of every generation into bespoke cars that have taken the world by storm. Everybody wants one. Not everybody can afford the rumoured $1 million price tag.
What you might not have known is that Singer makes watches and their latest release is the Track 1 Endurance Edition 24h Chronograph to mark their involvement with the Hertz Team JOTA at the 24h of Le Mans this year.
The new version of the Track 1 is going head on into performance and weigh saving. It is made of titanium and uses the openworked case introduced in the Track1 DLS ( Engineering). The 43mm case, with black-coated bezel, crown and pushers, has been matte finished and coated in golden ZRN. The display of the classic Track 1 has been further developed to enable a dedicated 24-hour chrono function. And to provide the best possible legibility of the time indications, this chronograph is equipped with jumping hours and minutes and a sweeping seconds hand.
Inside nothing much has changed - it’s still the same ultra-complex, ultra-innovative movement as previous editions of the Track1 - the AgenGraphe made by Swiss movement maker Agenhor. The watch comes on a perforated rubber strap closed by a deployant buckle.
Limited to 24 pieces, the Singer Reimagined Track 1 Endurance Edition 24h Chronograph is now available for pre-order from the brand’s website and priced at CHF 70,000 (excl. taxes).
6/
Newly Appointed Bremont CEO Gives First Interview, Talks Brand Direction And Overcoming Existing Challenges
Just a few weeks ago, Bremont announced they were appointing legendary watch executive Davide Cerrato as new CEO. Cerrato is perhaps best known for his tenure at Tudor where he introduced the Black Bay line. Just yesterday he gave an interview to Hodinkee and I want to link to it here as I think it’s a great read if you’re a fan of Bremont. He talks all sorts of stuff - his love for cars and watches, what the recent $59 million investment into Bremont means, his vision for the future, the challenges of finding a "hero product" for the brand, and how to bring "made in England" around the world.
-------------------------------------------------------------

On hand - a selection of reviews

1/
Hands-On With The Bremont MBII Anti-Shock Pilot’s Watch
2/
A Review Of The Damasko DC86 Orange Black
-------------------------------------------------------------

Watch Worthy - A look at an offbeat, less known watch you might actually like

Wilbur Watch Co. LEO, an Area 51 Inspired Watch with a Unique Jumping Hour Display
The LEO, on the one hand, seems wildly impractical at its stated dimensions. And this is obviously an aesthetic that is tough to integrate into an everyday style for most people. But that, as with so many independently made watches that border on the experimental, mechanical art side of the spectrum, is where the charm is. The LEO is probably not an everyday watch, it’s a watch for curious and adventurous watch lovers to pull out of the box when they feel like conjuring a particular mood, maybe after an X-Files binge.
-------------------------------------------------------------
People loved the PRX giveaway! That's why I'm doing a new one. This time, we're giving away three Seiko Alpinists in that lovely green. Head on over to the newsletter if you would like to enter the giveaway.
If you would like to receive some additional watch-adjacent content, as well as this news overview, every morning Monday-Friday in the form of a newsletter feel free to subscribe. However, there is absolutely no need for you to subscribe, as all the news from the newsletter is posted here. It is only if you want to receive a couple of daily links that are not strictly watch-related and want to get this news overview in your inbox.