The truth in this particular case is that “majin” is simply an alternate way to read Masato ( 真人) Nishimura’s given name. So if you see rumors say that this message is supposedly from the devil or something like that, this might be why. There’s no singular translation into English you’ll see everything from demon to devil to genie to djinn to warlock to magus. This “majin” word is normally written in kanji as 魔神 or 魔人 and generally refers to a powerful supernatural being with human-like or god-like qualities. Regardless of all this, though, it’s still pronounced “mah-jeen”. But sometimes they get romanized differently too, so it just adds more confusion to the fire. It has the same pronunciation – using ぢ instead of じ in this case is just a stylistic choice. What makes the problem a little weirder is that ぢ is rarely ever used in Japanese instead, じ is normally used. In all cases, though, it’s still pronounced “mah-jeen” regardless of spelling. But other romanization methods might spell it as “madin” or “madzin” or “mazin”. As such, this would usually be written as “Majin” in English using the romanization method that most Japanese-to-English translators and students use. This confusion is a result of different romanization methods – which is the same reason for the Yoshi/Yossy confusion that we looked at a while back.īasically, the name まぢん is pronounced “mah-jeen”. The bottom text seems to be what’s causing a lot of confusion. So, what does this text say? Here’s a look at the text side-by-side with a translation: Japanese Text Here, some Japanese text appears and some creepy music and sounds play: Press Start, and the game will switch to a new screen.On the sound screen test, select FM No.This will take you to the secret sound test screen. At the title screen, press Down, Down, Down, Left, Right, A.The Secret Screenįor the uninitiated, the deal is this: there’s a secret sound test in Sonic CD, and if you select the proper combination of stuff in that sound test, a spooky screen pops up with some Japanese text.įirst, for clarification, here’s how to access this spooky screen to begin with: This question actually goes kind of deep unless you already know Japanese, so this will be a bit long. ![]() ![]() Now, from my understanding, this is apparently either a pun on the similar sound between Madjin and majin ( 魔神) or because “Madjin” is a nickname for Masato Nishimura. I’ve been curious about this mystery message you can find in Sonic CD. ![]() A reader recently asked a question that has some ties to the Sonic the Hedgehog series:
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Even iPhones now come included with USB C to lighting cables. Personally what I think JBL should have done is gotten rid of the USB A port and kept the audio jack instead… cause now that more and more phones are coming included with USB C cables USB A might not be as popular in the near future. Now I know less and less phones these days have audio jacks but I still feel that mid sized speakers like the Charge 5 should still have an audio jack cause you never know. Cause the USB C port on this speaker these speakers are strictly used for charging. And just like its predecessors the Charge 5 still has a USB A out port so you can use it to charge your own devices.īut unfortunately the Charge 5 no longer has an audio jack… which means you can’t use it with a wired connection like you can with these older speakers. ![]() So if you’re an android user this is great cause you can charge your phone and speaker with the same cable. Regarding connectivity, the Charge 5 has been upgraded to Bluetooth 5.1 but more importantly it can be connected to 2 devices at the same time so you and a friend can both be DJ… and performance wise there’s zero latency across the board when watching movies or videos whether you’re using an iPhone or an android device if you’re connected to only one device at a time… but if you’re connected to 2 devices at the same time then latency does show up.īut this now lead us to the ports on this speaker… now the Charge 5 charges via a USB C port just like the Charge 4 as they should. So for all intents and purposes the Charge 5 still has an awesome battery life. Now personally I don’t mind that the Charge 5 has a slightly shorter real world battery life cause it does have a new extra 10 watt tweeter to power which we will touch on in a second and it does get noticeably louder than the Charge 4. However for me the Charge 4 has always been good for a little more than 11 hours at 80% volume. And also keep in mind if you were to use this speaker at a higher volume its battery life is going to drain faster. Real world use with the Charge 5 playing at 80% volume im getting about 10 hours of playback time which is not bad at all. But keep in mind, that 20 hour battery life is for when these speaker are playing at 50 percent volume. And the Charge 5 even has a 7500 milliamp hour battery just like the Charge 4. But regardless, if youre looking for a mid sized speaker that you can take on the go with you and not have to worry about it… then the Charge is a solid candidate.īut now lets talk about tech specs… when it comes to battery life the Charge 5 has an advertised battery life of 20 hours just like its predecessors. Now the 6 just means that the Charge 5 is also dust proof… but really this is just marketing to get numbers on the board cause dust and dirt were never a problem for the Charge 4 and Charge 3… and they’re just as durable. Now just its predecessors the Charge 5 is still water proof… but this time its rocking and IP67 ratting rather than just your IPX7 rating found on the Charge 4 and Charge 3. We’ve still got those exposed passive radiators on either side… we’ve got these hard plastic end caps with rubber feet… and we’ve still got this fabric mesh that not only feels premium and tightly woven… its also going to be able to easily stand up to constant abuse like bumps and scrapes without any problems. Now personally im over JBL’s new design direction… cause more importantly everything else about the charge 5 is still the same. However looks wise the charge 5 is a shrunken down version of the JBL Xtreme 3 with that new oversized logo in toe much to a lot of people’s chagrin. Size wise the charge 5 isn’t all that different from the charge 4 and charge 3… the Charge 5 is still your typical mid sized speaker that you can easily throw into your back pack and take on the go with you. Now when it comes to the design of this speaker…. Regardless if you want to pick any of these speakers up they’ll be linked down below… but I would wait for the Charge 5 to go on sale. ![]() And now that the Charge 5 is here the Charge 4 is on sale for $130. ![]() It has a retail price of $180 but in a few short weeks it’ll start going on sale for $150… and maybe even a little less on major holidays. But then it would list for $150 making you think that you got a deal… So I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the same deal with the Charge 5. Now a few months after the charge 4 came out it got a price increase to $180. So today we’re going to check out the JBL Charge 5 and we’re also going to compare it to the JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3.īut first we’ve got to addressing pricing… the new charge 5 has a retail price $180, which is $30 more than the charge 4 when it first came out. Some that are great and others that aren’t as good. At first glance the new JBL Charge 5 just looks like another redesign with an over done gaudy logo on the front… but there are actually some very major changes here under the hood. Digital templates are a great way to make your plans and save your memories. Then you will see the AirDrop function appear. Free Goodnotes Templates (1 - 40 of 1,000+ results) Price () Shipping Digital Bullet Journal with Hyperlinks, Pre-cropped Stickers, Goodnotes file. One alternative is using a GoodNotes journal template. Then at the top of the Mac screen go to ‘Share’.Ī drop-down menu will appear. It comes with 120 chapters in total and each chapter (10) has 12 sections. We’ll also cover how to customize your bullet journal to track your progress and stay. This is a template from PaperlessUS that you can use on GoodNotes or Notability. digital bullet journal-digibujo notebook-goodnotes planner-best good note template (1. From daily to monthly tasks, we’ll provide you with actionable steps to make your cleaning routine more efficient and effective. Try the BEST Goodnotes Templates (FREE DOWNLOAD). Have the file open on your Mac (making sure any zip files are opened). In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to set up and use a bullet journal to manage all of your cleaning tasks. If you are using a Mac open the files and simply share via AirDrop.įirstly, Make sure your iPad is available to receive AirDrop files by heading to Settings-General-AirDrop.There are a couple of ways you can do this. The easiest way though is to download you digital planner or journal directly on your iPad.īut if you have downloaded your purchased planner onto a computer then be sure to save the files to an online file saving service ( iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox for example) as a backup. Add Your Digital Planner Template To Your iPad If you’re an Android user than my suggestion is Xodo PDF.Ģ. With one purchase you can have the app on your iPhone, iPad and Mac computer. Meaning that your purchase covers iOS, iPadOS and MacOS. Although there are free apps available you will find that they may not have the same functions and usability as GoodNotes.Īnother great advantage of GoodNOtes is that it is a UNIVERSAL App for Apple users. GoodNotes Planner Templates For Notes, To-Do List, and Custom Sections Also, you’ll get a 2022 version of the free digital planner. ![]() (They can be also used in GoodNotes or Notability. How to use templates on Flexcil All of the templates downloaded from the sites above can be used in Flexcil. Before we start it is important to note that the GoodNotes app is a premium app available in your App Store. To download, select the category you want on the left tab of the site, choose the template you like, and then click ‘Download For Free (PDF format)’. This is the main difference between quartzite countertops and quartz countertops. A lot of people would like to use something natural for their house. That is why it will add to the value of your house when you sell it.ĥ- Quartzite countertops are natural. That is why, unless you put something very exotic, it is expected in a regular house. On the other hand, quartz countertops come in black, white, gray in addition to many other varieties.Ĥ- Quartzite countertops will add to the value of your house. ![]() They look beautiful, however they come in only in create, black, blue color tones. A very good example of this would be soapstone countertops. Summit rows are very nice, however, they only come in certain colors. We recommend stealing your quota countertops as often as possible.ģ- Quartzite countertops are available in a variety of different colors. Quartzite countertops can be extremely observant depending on the type of stone. The only thing to be a little bit careful about is standing. That is even harder than granite, so you do not need to worry about having chips, scratches on your kitchen countertops. ![]() Yes, quartzite countertops are very durable. In the meantime, they have the durability of granite.Ģ- Quartzite countertops are durable. They have the look of a marble for the most most part. ![]() This is where quartzite countertops come into play. Granite comes in busier color tones that is why a lot of people like the look of marble countertops, however, without its fragility. 5 REASONS TO CHOOSE QUARTZITE COUNTERTOPSġ- Quartzite countertops are beautiful like marble countertops. The sci-fi plot is fun for the fan, allowing for the logical problems inherent in any movie of this genre. There is some explicit sex, and the usual amount of distasteful language. ![]() Time travel is apparently one of the most deadly of ventures, and almost every conceivable type of death is depicted in this movie (and one that conceived just for this film). However, TIMECOP is filled with non-stop violence and gore. Timecop was originally published as a three-part story, 'Time Cop: A Man Out of Time', in the anthology comic Dark Horse Comics (AugustOctober 1992) and spawned the successful film Timecop. Contents 1 Overview 2 Members 3 Related categories 4 See also 4. It also served as the backbone of the 1994 feature film TimeCop as well as its 1997 television spin-off series, Timecop. Released September 30th, 2003, Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision stars Jason Scott Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Mary Page Keller, Sam Ly The R movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 21 min, and received. Jean-Claude Van Damme makes a credible leap from martial arts action star to plot-driven character, and shows some real acting ability. Timecop is a 1994 science fiction action film that is an adaptation of a Dark Horse Comics graphic novel series. The Time Enforcement Commission (TEC) is a fictional law-enforcement agency featured in comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. The special effects crew can expect to get a nod as Academy Award time approaches. Quickly, he discovers a corrupt Senator (and presidential candidate) is behind the villainy. ![]() His mission is to discover who is behind the sudden rash of “ripples” created when someone causes something to change in the past. Walker, who lost his wife back in 1994 in an ambush at his home, is one of this elite group of agents. But thats about to change John-Claude Van Damme stars as a cop working for the Time Enforcement Agency-assigned to. The year is 2004, time travel has been mastered, and the Time Enforcement Commission, or the TEC, has been established to track down criminals traveling back in time for their own economic gain. Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Max Walker, TIMECOP, in the science fiction action yarn based on the Dark Horse comic series. Now we will see how to Download Stupid Game for PC Windows 10 or 8 or 7 laptop using MemuPlay. It is super flexible, fast and exclusively designed for gaming purposes. Yet another popular Android emulator which is gaining a lot of attention in recent times is MEmu play. Stupid Game Download for PC Windows 10/8/7 – Method 2: Otherwise, you may face loading issues while playing high-end games like PUBG You need to have a minimum configuration PC to use Bluestacks. So using Bluestacks is the recommended way to install Stupid Game on PC. Bluestacks4 is literally 6X faster than the Samsung Galaxy J7 smartphone. However, using the standard method to Install any android applications is recommended.The latest version of Bluestacks comes with a lot of stunning features. You don’t need to go to Google Playstore and install the game. If you have an APK file, then there is an option in Bluestacks to Import APK file. You can use the Game the same way you use it on your Android or iOS smartphones. Now you can just double click on the Game icon in bluestacks and start using Stupid Game Game on your laptop. You can find the Game under list of installed apps in Bluestacks. ![]()
With Kagura and Shinpachi at his side, he sets off to get the device fixed though, as usual, nothing is ever that simple for the Yorozuya team.įilled with tongue-in-cheek humor and moments of heartfelt emotion, Gintama's fourth season finds Gintoki and his friends facing both their most hilarious misadventures and most dangerous crises yet.Īt the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Toyohisa Shimazu is the rearguard for his retreating troops, and is critically wounded when he suddenly finds himself in a modern, gleaming white hallway. Mistaking it for his alarm clock, Gintoki proceeds to smash the device the next morning and suddenly discovers that the world outside his apartment has come to a standstill. A fatally injured crew member emerges from the ship and gives Gintoki a strange, clock-shaped device, warning him that it is incredibly powerful and must be safeguarded. Meanwhile, when Gintoki drunkenly staggers home one night, an alien spaceship crashes nearby. Does Gin-chan really spend all that cash playing pachinko? However, Shinpachi and Kagura still haven't been paid. Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura return as the fun-loving but broke members of the Yorozuya team! Living in an alternate-reality Edo, where swords are prohibited and alien overlords have conquered Japan, they try to thrive on doing whatever work they can get their hands on. As the founder of Yorozuya, a small business for odd jobs, Gintoki often embarks on endeavors to help other people-though usually in rather strange and unforeseen ways.Īssisted by Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses supposedly learning the way of the samurai Kagura, a tomboyish girl with superhuman strength and an endless appetite and Sadaharu, their giant pet dog who loves biting on people's heads, the Yorozuya encounter anything from alien royalty to scuffles with local gangs in the ever-changing world of Edo. With the once-influential shogunate rebuilt as a puppet government, a new law is passed that promptly prohibits all swords in public.Įnter Gintoki Sakata, an eccentric silver-haired man who always carries around a wooden sword and maintains his stature as a samurai despite the ban. However, following feudal Japan's surrender to powerful aliens known as the "Amanto," those aspirations now seem unachievable. The unlikely pair of castaways now fight for their survival and humanity in an unforgiving, demon-infested world.Įdo is a city that was home to the vigor and ambition of samurai across the country. For many years he wanders alone, until one day an orphan boy, Dororo, befriends him. With the death of each one, he regains a part of himself that is rightfully his. The boy lives and grows, and although he cannot see, hear, or feel anything, he must defeat the demons that took him as sacrifice. But as luck would have it, he is saved by a medicine man who provides him with prosthetics and weapons, allowing for him to survive and fend for himself. This child is disposed of in a river and forgotten. When Kagemitsu's first son is born, the boy has no limbs, no nose, no eyes, no ears, nor even skin-yet still, he lives. His prayers are answered by 12 demons who grant him the power he desires by aiding his prefecture's growth, but at a price. The greedy samurai lord Daigo Kagemitsu's land is dying, and he would do anything for power, even renounce Buddha and make a pact with demons. Set in an alternate Edo Period of Japan, Samurai Champloo follows the journey of these three eccentric individuals in an epic quest full of action, comedy, and dynamic sword fighting, all set to the beat of a unique hip-hop infused soundtrack. Despite initially disapproving of this idea, the two eventually agree to assist the girl in her quest thus, the trio embark upon an adventure to find this mysterious warrior-that is, if Fuu can keep Mugen and Jin from killing each other. Though she no longer has a place to return to, the former waitress wishes to find a certain samurai who smells of sunflowers and enlists the help of the now exonerated pair to do so. However, they are rescued by Fuu, who hires the duo as her bodyguards. ![]() The only problem is, they end up destroying the entire shop as well as accidentally killing the local magistrate's son.įor their crime, the two samurai are captured and set to be executed. Unfortunately, Mugen decides to pick a fight with the unwilling ronin Jin, who wields a more precise and traditional style of swordfighting, and the latter proves to be a formidable opponent. That is, until she accidentally spills a drink all over one of her customers! With a group of samurai now incessantly harassing her, Fuu desperately calls upon another samurai in the shop, Mugen, who quickly defeats them with his wild fighting technique, utilizing movements reminiscent to that of breakdancing. Fuu Kasumi is a young and clumsy waitress who spends her days peacefully working in a small teahouse. The actor died Friday morning at a hospital in. The self-proclaimed “Original Don Dada” was instrumental in ushering the dance hall and reggaeton sound into the mainstream. Rob Garrison, who starred as one of the Cobra Kai members in the hit 1984 film The Karate Kid, had died at 59, according to Entertainment Weekly. His musical contributions, more so than his acting, defined him. Owning to his filmography, Screen Actors Guild had awarded him its membership. ![]() “Shottas” and “We Run These Streets” were Louie’s other memorable movies. Reuniting with Nas in 2016, he made a cameo on DJ Khaled’s music video for “Nas Album Done.” Ransack Garrison Obituary has been as of late looked through in a more huge measure of volume on the web, and besides, individuals are anxious to realize. Of all his acting performances, Louie earned the most accolades for his portrayal of a Jamaican Kingpin in 1998 hood classic “Belly.” Starring next to rappers DMX and Nas, he played the character Ox. Fans, family, and friends took to social media and paid their tributes all the while reflecting on his legacy. The news of Louie’s death was met with despair. The accident which transpired in Ontario, Canada allegedly involved a vehicle and a transport truck.Īt the writing of this article, the details surrounding the accident/crash were scarce. And then, you know, it happened as you were saying as you watch the scenes there’s whole added layer to it for all of us,” explained the writer.According to TMZ, Louie’s cause of death is a fatal car crash. According to TMZ, the 59-year-old actor died at a. We were like hopefully he gets better because we know how much he enjoyed working on this and was looking forward to potentially returning. Rob Garrison, known to fans as Tommy from The Karate Kid movies and YouTube's sequel series Cobra Kai died Friday morning, EW has confirmed. You know, we were in production and as Josh said we actually had plans to bring him back later in the seasons and it was like whoa. “When we found out what was happening it hit all of us very hard. Heald also revealed that they intended to “bring back” Garrison to play Tommy in flashbacks and were shocked by the news that he had been hospitalized. Hurwitz shared similar sentiments about the actor and noted that his death made the episode even more significant. The writers explained that they decided to have Tommy die as a way to reference his infamous “body bag” line. At the writing of this article, the details surrounding the accident/crash were scarce. The accident which transpired in Ontario, Canada allegedly involved a vehicle and a transport truck. The Show’s Creators Clarified That Garrison Was Not Sick During FilmingĪ post shared by William Zabka a September 2020 interview with Kristian Harloff, Cobra Kai’s co-creators and executive producers Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald clarified that Garrison shot the episode before anyone realized he was sick. According to TMZ, Louie’s cause of death is a fatal car crash. This may have caused some fans of the Karate Kid franchise to wonder if the actor’s real-life illness inspired Tommy’s storyline. In September 2019, Rob Garrison passed away due to “kidney and liver issues,” as reported by TMZ. Karate Kid and Cobra Kai actor Robert Garrison died Friday amid kidney and liver issues, and now one of his co-stars, Ralph Macchio, is speaking out about his co-stars passing. ![]() When the paramedics arrive, they take him away in a body bag. That night, Johnny discusses his many regrets and Tommy gently reminds that he “still time… to change life.” The following morning, his friends realize that Tommy has passed away and are understandably devastated. They decide to take him on a road trip to Big Bear, where they go to a bar and spend the day reminiscing. In Season 2, Episode 6, his friends Johnny, Bobby (Ron Thomas), and Jimmy (Tony O’Dell) visit him at hospice, as his health is declining. Tommy appears during the second season of the acclaimed series Cobra Kai. ![]() While the character is not as ruthless as some of John Kreese’s (Martin Kove) other students, he does shout out “ get him a body bag” when Johnny faces off an injured Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) at the 1984 All Valley Tournament. Rob Garrison, known to fans as Tommy from The Karate Kid movies and YouTubes sequel series Cobra Kai died Friday morning, EW has confirmed. In the 1984 film The Karate Kid, Rob Garrison portrayed Johnny Lawrence’s (William Zabka) friend and Cobra Kai teammate, Tommy. Tommy (Rob Garrison) and Johnny (William Zabka) share a moment in "Cobra Kai" Season 2, Episode 6. The reverse (tails) design depicts two iconic symbols of the Coast Guard, a life preserver ring and the Coast Guard racing stripe mark, which is found on almost all Coast Guard craft. United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Richard Master created the design, and retired United States Mint Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso engraved it. COAST GUARD” and the Coast Guard motto “SEMPER PARATUS” (Always Ready) are arced around the upper border. The obverse (heads) design depicts a Coast Guard national security cutter at full throttle, speeding head-on toward the viewer. Coast Guard Silver Medal issued through the United States Armed Forces Silver Medal Series that honors the proud history and unique traditions of each branch of the Armed Forces.ĭesigns featured on this medal are emblematic of the history and mission of the U.S. Coast Guard 1.5-inch Bronze Medal on May 11 at noon EDT. Please use the Mint’s catalog site at as your primary source of the most current information on products and services, or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).Washington, DC, (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - The United States Mint (Mint) will open sales for the U.S. Note: To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, the United States Mint will not accept and will not honor orders placed prior to the official on-sale date of May 11, 2023, at noon EDT. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins Congressional Gold Medals silver and bronze medals and silver and gold bullion coins. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. Marine Corps One Ounce Silver Medal.Ĭongress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. ![]() Marine Corps 1.5-inch Bronze Medal, and the U.S. Please visit the Denver or Philadelphia websites because sales centers will be closed when the COVID-19 community level is HIGH to ensure the health and safety of our employees and the public.Īnticipated future releases in the Armed Forces Silver Medal Program include the U.S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (on 5th Street between Arch Street and Race Street) at the Denver Mint, 320 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80204 (on Cherokee Street, between West Colfax Avenue and West 14th Avenue) and from the Mint Headquarters Coin Store in Washington, D.C., 801 9th St., NW, Washington, DC 20220. These products are also available at the Mint’s sales centers at the Philadelphia Mint, 151 N. The shipments continue until the enrollment is cancelled. Structured like a magazine subscription, this program affords customers the convenience of signing up to receive automatic shipments of products in a series. The Armed Forces Medals are also available for purchase through the Mint’s Subscription Program. To view the Mint’s complete portfolio of medals, please visit. To set up a “Remind Me” alert for this product, visit (product code MCGS). Coast Guard Bronze Medal is priced at $20. Coast Guard Bronze Medal is 1.5 inches in diameter and is struck in 95 percent bronze and five percent zinc. Inscribed on the life preserver ring are the Coast Guard’s core values “HONOR,” “RESPECT,” and “DEVOTION TO DUTY.” AIP Designer Thomas Hipschen created the design, and Medallic Artist Renata Gordon engraved it. ![]() The Coast Guard emblem, which is part of the racing stripe mark, is also in the center. The horizontal lines indicate the color blue, while the vertical lines indicate the color red. The racing stripes are depicted with a heraldic hatching tradition to indicate color. The hull number identifies the cutter Hamilton, named for Alexander Hamilton. WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) will open sales for the U.S. 480 companies went public in 2020, a new record high. A modest decline, but nothing compared to the dismal figures of 2001, in which only ninety-one IPOs opened.įrom 2015 to 2019, anywhere from 133 and 255 opened annually, similar to rates in the late nineties. The first year of the new millennium saw an estimated 446. That’s when a company “goes public” with their shares, hoping to hook new investors. The first symptom of financial inflammation is an increasing number of Initial Public Offerings, or IPOs. Today’s tech giants have made that perfectly clear. Enough articles exist about whether our current economic climate is a reincarnation of the bubble burst (it is). It took over a decade of war, high unemployment, and terrible politics for the economy to resemble something “normal.” Now that so-called normalcy is near the vanishing point of the same black hole that swallowed our pre-COVID world. From that point on, it was their game to lose. Each had gifted themselves a chance to redefine the tech industry. By eliminating the income of thousands, the remaining companies exemplified a vicious form of resilience. It ruptured like an organ, and killed just as slowly.įirst generation dot-coms laid off anywhere between 14,000 and 18,000 employees, maybe more. Saddled with marginal debts (around $500 billion today), the hands that fed soon vanished. Their prospects proved a total bust, and they still had to repay their lenders. They had gone all-in, and it was too expensive to buy more money. Too many had gorged themselves on invested capital.įor investors, there was no way out. Why would the world’s most technologically advanced nation experience a recession when demand was high? Looking around them, only a handful of dot-coms survived long enough to pay dividends. News of a Japanese recession troubled venture capitalists. By 2000, borrowing money was no longer worth it. The US Central Bank raised the rate six times in just ten months, up to 7%. Meanwhile, federal interest rates had been climbing. Opportunities for profit dwindled as quickly as they appeared. Divining a dot-com’s earning potential soon became all but impossible while discrepancies between stock prices and profits widened. When a dot-com company fell, its investors fell too, hard. Like the immortal yet ever imperiled Highlander, there could only be one. ![]() Who would survive? Ill-prepared competitors folded fast, exposing the key players (Google hadn’t entered the fray yet, and wouldn’t until 2004). Pressure for dot-com companies to make it big skyrocketed. Margin debt hit an all-time high during the fervor. Some were so confident, they borrowed additional funds from brokers to invest even further, an expense known as marginal debt. High rollers blindly sank their fortunes into start-ups, anticipating huge returns. In response, tech companies everywhere made their shares available for public purchase. The Act simply raised the roof, encouraging further hasty investment. For big investors, lower tax rates mean higher profit ceilings. The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 lowered tax rates on income from trading stocks, or capital gains. Brokers and investors at NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange were pumping millions of dollars through novel corporate channels. Amazon cornered online shipping while eBay became the internet’s first major auctioneer. Booking Holdings rounded up airline connections through Priceline and Kayak. The selling price of your product depended on its irreplaceability, which is largely true today. ![]() The Enron scandal of 2001 effectively eulogized the era.Īt first all you needed was a good idea and a domain name. ![]() It swelled to preposterous size and peaked somewhere between Bill Clinton’s impeachment and 9/11. America’s first tech boom, the dot-com years got their name from companies operating entirely through online enterprises. This was, in part, the setup for the infamous dot-com bubble and its catastrophic burst. No matter what parcel of virtual space you bankrolled, you were almost guaranteed a profitable return-almost. Tech companies sprang up overnight, each hoping to draw big money from a seemingly limitless well of capital funds. The rise of home internet usage was spurring several investors to stake digital claims like an online Oklahoma land run. Is the second dot-com bubble bursting? “Irrational exuberance”įormer Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan first uttered the phrase in 1996, describing what he considered an alarming economic trend. |