Critics blast Jaguar over weird new car-less ad: 'Jaguar just pulled a Bud Light'



The British luxury vehicle brand Jaguar released a bizarre new ad Tuesday, prompting intense criticism along with questions about whether the company was still in the business of making cars and whether it may have confused November for so-called Pride month.

Jaguar leaned into the backlash to its loud and car-less campaign ostensibly celebrating deviancy, suggesting that its hackneyed call to defy the "ordinary" — already uniformly and reflexively resisted by massive companies, Western governments, the media, and various other institutions unmoored by tradition — was an introduction to "the future."

Provocative advertisements have long been used to court controversy, secure earned media, and remind the public that a company and its products still exist.

Facing a chicken delivery management crisis in the United Kingdom and widespread closures, the KFC Corporation leaned on the creative agency Mother in 2018 for a novel way to simultaneously apologize and advertise — printing "FCK," the anagram of its brand name, on chicken buckets.

Volkswagen ran its playful "Think Small" campaign in the 1960s to promote the Beetle.

Red Bull, evidently keen to sell more energy drinks, had Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner take a helium balloon up to an altitude of 39 kilometers, jump, break the sound barrier, and land on his feet in New Mexico.

Apple released an ad earlier this year titled "Crush" in which a compressor destroyed the various tools and means for real-world artistic endeavors and in-person activities that its new device would apparently replace and virtualize.

On Tuesday, Jaguar gave it a go, launching an ad campaign on social media with the caption "Copy nothing."

The video opens with a feminine individual with a Pacman-shaped afro leading five androgynous individuals dressed in misshapen apparel out of an elevator and onto a pink moonscape.

The text "delete ordinary" appears over a subsequent shot of an individual painting white lines.

'Fire your marketing team.'

In the following shot, a masculine figure wearing a dress and wielding a yellow sledgehammer appears in a blue room with the text "Break moulds."

Finally, the cast of androgynes, now joined by a heavyset black woman, crews together on the pink moonscape and strikes a well-choreographed pose.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in response to the ad, "Do you sell cars?"

Conservative writer and author Peachy Keenan shared a screenshot of the opening still and wrote, "You lost me at :01."

Keenan added, "Copy nothing [b]ut the worst, stalest cultural trends so you can subvert a storied brand. Congrats and no thanks."

"Well ... we know where the advertising team for Bud Light went," wrote Nick Freitas, Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

"Jaguar just pulled a Bud Light," wrote End Wokeness. "Wtf is this?"

Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck tweeted, "Fire your marketing team and drop the woke stuff."

When asked, "What the actual hell is this[?]" the company responded, "The future."

The company's corresponding splash page states, "We're here to delete ordinary. To go bold. To copy nothing."

Rather than credit the Ohio band Devo or fashion designer Pierre Cardin with its new aesthetic, Jaguar said in a release that its "transformation is defined by Exuberant Modernism, a creative philosophy that underpins all aspects of the new Jaguar brand world."

Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover suggested to Car Dealer Magazine that the company is looking to sell to "younger, more affluent, and urban livers."

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The latest problem with EV charging stations: Power supply



The transition from gas-powered automobiles to electric vehicles has been a gong show, even though Democrat bans on new gas cars have not yet gone into effect. The trouble is not simply that EVs — which require the mining of many times more minerals than required for a conventional vehicle — are less environmentally friendly than promised or that they are both expensive and unreliable.

Electric vehicles require charging stations. Unless Americans are to be confined to 15-minute cities, there needs to be a juiced network of such stations.

The infrastructure is not in place, however, thanks in part to the Biden administration's bungling of its promised national rollout of EV charging stations. The Democratic administration has established fewer than a dozen of the promised 500,000 charging stations across the country.

Even if there was a satisfactory number of active stations, there is no guarantee they would be useful on account of power supply issues.

Last month, the California-based software company Xendee released the results of its survey of leaders "involved in the development, operation, and commercial use of EV charging infrastructure."

75% of respondents said electric grid limitations were a "significant roadblock to the rollout of EV charging infrastructure for commercial EV usage." Despite uncertainty about whether the charging stations will have the power to charge the cars, 84% of fleet owners indicated they expect to draw grid power from the utility.

A new report from ISO New England Inc., the transmission organization that oversees New England's bulk electric power system and corresponding transmission lines, revealed that EV vehicle adoption over the next decade would significantly drive up electricity demand — demand satisfied mostly with natural gas, reported the VTDigger.

Vermont is hardly an exception. Princeton University recently projected that the U.S. will need 3,360% more electricity on hand to satisfy the Biden administration's EV goals, reported the Daily Mail.

"Right now, our infrastructure is likely 'OK' for the slow trickle of EV adoption," Robby DeGraff, the manager of product and consumer insights at AutoPacific, told the Mail. Increased demand shaped by government mandates will, however, mean that "the grid will certainly need to be revamped."

Already states like Georgia, Arizona, and California are buzzing their way toward capacity, and the costly infrastructure needed is far from established.

Michael Stadler, chief technology and marketing officer at Xendee, told Utility Drive that not only have numerous prospective EV charging station developers acknowledged they would be unable to acquire adequate electricity from utilities, electricity prices in some regions make it uneconomic to link up.

"Time of use rates and power charges are a really big problem," said Stadler. "If you end up paying more for electricity than gas, then something is wrong."

Many of Xendee's clients have apparently opted to install fossil-fuel-powered generators to power their charging stations. So in effect, there's a good chance that EVs whose drivers manage to find charging stations are powered by the same energy source EV is supposed to have made redundant — if not by a generator on-site, then by a predominantly gas-powered grid.

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Christian students work with airman to save mother and children pinned under car: 'Oh, thank God, the kids are good'



A mother and her two children were run over by a car in the parking lot of a Christian school in Layton, Utah, last week. Between the initial trauma and the weight of the vehicle pinning them to the asphalt, the Ponson family was facing the possibility of a Christmastime tragedy; however, such was evidently not meant to be.

Nearby, there was an airman from Hill Air Force Base and dozens of capable kids, all ready to help.

"It's a miracle," Chris Crowder, associate pastor and CEO of the school, told KSL-TV. "We have just seen God do so many things here, and this is one of them."

The incident occurred just before 4 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the parking lot outside Layton Christian Academy and Christian Life Center. Bridgette Ponson was walking with her 2-year-old son, Archer, and her 3-year-old daughter, Brightly, when a driver headed west ran them over.

Police suggested it was likely an accident, indicating that the driver may have been unable to see the victims on account of the sun, reported KTSU-TV.

While the little girl was able to wriggle free, her mother and brother remained pinned under the vehicle.

Crowder indicated he summoned students inside the school to help the mother and child.

"I didn't really know what was going on," said Crowder. "I looked across the parking lot and noticed the car and they were screaming, and so I ran over there and I look under the car and I see mom and child underneath the car pinned. ... I immediately just ran into the building because I knew I had to get a lot of people to lift this car."

Around twenty kids answered the call to action.

Surveillance footage shows kids rushing out and attempting to lift the vehicle.

— (@)

"I walked out, there was a lot of commotion going on and people were just telling me to help and I just dropped my stuff and ran over," student Theophious Roach told KTSU.

Senior Airman Dominique Childress was picking up his children from the school when his son's kindergarten teacher alerted him to the commotion outside. Childress immediately bolted over and provided the rescue effort with some seasoned brawn.

"I noticed legs come out and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, there's an actual child under this car,' so I was like, 'Hey, guys, switch it up, let's get the car high enough so we can get the kid out,'" Childress recalled. "Somebody came, pulled the kid out and mom was able to get out 15 seconds later."

One of the student rescuers, Junior Saripsat, said, "We did our best, and the moment I heard the kids crying I was like, 'Oh, thank God, the kids are good."

Archer Ponson was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital. His mother and sister were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

KSL indicated the mother, who is said to have been protecting her little boy in her arms, had to have multiple surgeries. Her children, however, suffered no broken bones. All three are expected to recover.

A GoFundMe campaign set up on the family's behalf to help the Ponsons cover their medical expenses has nearly hit its $35,000 goal.

Crowder said, "The kids were heroes, as well as the gentleman that was there and pulled them out."

Layton Christian Academy stated, "We are so proud of the LCA student body. They leaped into action to save the lives of a mom and her two kids who were pinned under a car. Proud of you all."

The father of the children, Andrew Ponson, met with the students who saved his family Monday. The heroic kids were also surprised at school by members of the Utah Jazz, who gave them tickets to the Dec. 30 home game versus the Miami Heat, reported KTSU.

Childress, who similarly received tickets to the game as thanks for his hand in the rescue operation, stressed that the students "are the purest form of the word hero."

Layton Christian Academy notes on its mission and values page, "We instill a spirit of service and compassion in our students, encouraging them to use their talents and resources to make a difference in the lives off others." Mission accomplished.

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Cops stop car showing anti-Israel slogans, swastikas; say loaded gun found inside. Driver reportedly aimed to 'educate the public' on Israel-Hamas war's 'true events.'



Police in New York state stopped a car this week that photos show was covered with anti-Israel slogans and swastikas — after which police said they found a loaded gun inside the vehicle.

Image source: Westchester County (New York) District Attorney's Office

What are the details?

Hani Saleh, 47, of Elmsford was pulled over Wednesday because graffiti covered his car's windshield, the New York Post reported, citing White Plains police.

In regard to the messages on his vehicle, the Post — citing a criminal complaint — said Saleh told police he was “trying to educate the public to the true events in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas."

Image source: Westchester County (New York) District Attorney's Office

More from the paper:

The hateful messages on his Volkswagen Passat included a Star of David and swastika intertwined and an American flag that had the white Nazi symbol where the 50 stars should be, according to photos from the complaint provided by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Saleh’s car also had “Hamas resistance is not terrorism” scrolled on it and “New ISIS” next to the American and Israeli flags, additional photos showed.

Image source: Westchester County (New York) District Attorney's Office

Image source: Westchester County (New York) District Attorney's Office

He also allegedly said "President Biden is a Zionist," the paper reported, adding that Saleh said he was planning to drive to Washington, D.C., to protest the Middle East war.

Saleh also said he’s been stopped at multiple locations in Westchester due to the slogans and symbols on his car and was in contact with the FBI as recently as last week for the same reason, police said in the complaint, according to the Post.

Authorities told the paper the car was impounded because the license plate was allegedly fake, after which a loaded gun was found under the driver’s seat.

Saleh was arrested and charged for possessing a loaded semiautomatic weapon without a permit, authorities added.

The suspect was arraigned Thursday in White Plains City Court on a charge of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, the district attorney’s office told the Post.

Saleh's next court date is set for Nov. 2, the paper said.

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Video shows horde of radical anti-Israel leftists attack elderly driver in Minneapolis, try to drag him out of his car, then chase him down



Thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators took to the streets of Minneapolis on Sunday, waving Palestinian colors and at least one Hamas flag as part of a leftist coalition's "Stand with Palestine" rally. The demonstrators blockaded the intersection of Hennepin and Lyndale avenues and Vineland Place, forcing drivers to wait through a so-called "die-in" protest of Israel's war on Hamas terrorists.

An elderly man in a white Ford Fusion attempted to bypass the blockade. His efforts did not go unpunished. The mob swarmed and viciously attacked him. Despite his encirclement, footage of the incident appears to shows the driver exercising restraint and slowly edging forward until free from the swarm.

The driver's ability to bypass the initial leftist blockade further incensed demonstrators, who chased the driver down and once again attacked his vehicle.

A Minneapolis Police Department spokesman told Newsweek that "various witnesses reported a vehicle driving through the crowd, and one caller reported the sound of a gunshot. ... At this time, there have been no reports of injuries related to the demonstration, and no victims have come forward."

The MPD spokesman was unable to confirm whether the road that appears to have been illegally blockaded by the leftists was closed at the time of the incident. However, footage of the rally does not appear to show any indication of barriers or signage raised by authorities suggestive of an official closure.

Organizer Meredith Aby told MPR News the blockade was an effort to "keep people from driving through this area, because we didn't want people to get hurt by a car ... because there were thousands of people who were in who were overflowing from the park. And so we were trying to protect the, you know, the space around the protest."

In an aerial video of the incident, the driver can be seen flanked by protesters, including one with a terrorist flag, and stuck behind a truck and an SUV that were parked in wedge formation to block the way forward.

Demonstrators can be seen attacking the vehicle and pounding on the glass.

At the 5-second mark, the driver momentarily exits his car with a small knife in hand and accosts the protester who last kicked his car door.

The mob seizes on the driver's exposure and moves in. The old man narrowly makes it back into his car and begins edging forward while radicals attempt to tear him out of the Ford Fusion.

At the 28-second mark, a radical can be seen grabbing the driver through the window and attempting to yank him out by the neck. The old man manages to fight off the attempt and backs up, but again finds no opening.

Finally, the SUV blocking his way forward backs up just enough to create a way out, which the driver of the Fusion gladly takes.

The ordeal is far from over, however. The driver makes his way down the avenue only to find himself at another blockade. While he idles at the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Groveland Terrace, crazed protesters stampede toward him.

— (@)

At the second intersection, anti-Israeli demonstrators, including a bandana-clad male with a Hamas flag, resume their attacks on the white car.

One demonstrator says, "He not going nowhere now!"

The driver figured otherwise, pulling away, then driving clear of the rally and to safety.

Alpha News reported that dispatch audio captured at least two MPD supervisors instructing officers to avoid the area and stay "out of sight" even after there were reports of the vehicle driving through the protest and possible shots fired.

— (@)

As of Sunday night, no arrests had reportedly been made. The police are reportedly investigating the incident.

According to Newsweek, the rally was organized by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, the state chapter of the American Muslims for Palestine, and the Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Minnesota. On the day of the protest, the MAWC retweeted a post that states, "Israel does not have the right to defend itself against those whom it occupies."

An agenda document on the group's site indicates that in addition to opposing Israel, the organizers support unchecked abortion; voting rights for illegal aliens; prohibitions against pipeline construction; ending cash bail; community control of police; and more taxes.

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Dreading The Back-To-School Mess? Try These Easy Tidying Tips

August is the time to get a handle on the mess and clutter before the stress of the school year overpowers your feeble will to maintain order.

'A lot of blood': Man mows down 10 pedestrians in a stolen car while evading police. New Yorkers made sure he wouldn't get far on foot.



A 20-year-old man driving a stolen SUV mowed down at least 10 pedestrians, including two children, in Midtown Manhattan during rush hour Tuesday, according to police. Upon wrecking his stolen ride, the suspect took off on foot, but New Yorkers ensured he wouldn't get far.

According to the NYPD, the suspect, who does not have a New York State driver's license and was described as "white or Hispanic," was driving a 2018 Hyundai Tucson with Illinois plates that had been reported stolen from the Bronx on July 31.

A license plate reader alerted police to the vehicle's presence at 45th Street and 2nd Avenue around 5:30 p.m.

Officers began following the vehicle while attempting to verify it had in fact been stolen. Having determined the report was accurate, police attempted to pull the vehicle over at 43rd Street and 3rd Avenue amid heavy traffic.

Although the driver initially motioned to comply, he quickly altered course, hit the gas, and attempted to evade the officers, striking a bicyclist, said police.

Patrol Borough Manhattan South Deputy Chief James Kehoe told reporters that officers remained in pursuit, but did so "at a lower rate of speed because of the heavy traffic."

After hitting a yellow taxi, the suspect pulled onto the sidewalk, where he plowed through several pedestrians near Grand Central Station.

"It was crazy, it was horrific," Michael Discioarro, a witness to the mayhem, told the New York Post.

Discioarro indicated one "victim on the ground was seriously injured. A lot of blood."

"Another victim was laid up against the door of a store. She was clearly hurt," said Discioarro. "Her leg was twisted in a way you shouldn’t twist a leg."

The Daily Mail reported that one witness saw a victim go "flying through the air" after being struck.

At a crowded 42nd Avenue intersection, the suspect made a U-turn, hitting additional victims, then sped down Lexington Avenue going the wrong way.

The vehicular component of the chase came to an end when the suspect barreled into a black 2011 Toyota RAV-4.

— (@)

Although his stolen ride was immobilized, the suspect carried on, making a mad dash through the nearby crowd. However, bystanders intervened, pinning him until police could arrive.

Video obtained by the Post shows multiple Good Samaritans tackling the suspect to the ground, then holding him down while he kicked and flailed.

"When the cops showed up, the guy they took into custody was trying to fight with the cops — trying to push the cops away," said Discioarro.

While police got their man, a female suspect who had been with him managed to get away and remains on the loose, according to authorities.

Kehoe indicated, "Upon initial review of this incident, it does not appear to have any connection to terrorist activity."

Among the 10 victims taken to Bellevue Hospital, all of whom survived with non-life-threatening injuries, were a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old. The eldest victim is 72.

— (@)

The suspect reportedly is known to police, with several previous arrests including two on gun charges and others for drug crimes.

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VIRAL: Democrat ARRESTED For Keying Car with 'Biden Sucks' Sticker

VIRAL: Democrat ARRESTED For Keying Car with 'Biden Sucks' Sticker

Footage shows loose tire send Kia Soul flying above LA freeway



A Kia Soul was sent flying heavenward in an accident Thursday in Los Angeles. While the hatchback's ascent over the 118 Freeway was not ultimately rapturous, there may have been something providential about its return to earth, granted that the driver managed to walk away in one piece.

Anoop Khatra witnessed the crash, having trailed behind the Kia at a distance in his Tesla. Khatra's dash camera managed to capture the Kia Soul's aerial acrobatics.

The Kia can be seen in the footage speeding along the left lane. As it progressed, over to the right, a high-clearance silver pickup can be seen signaling a drift into the lane one-over.

Just as the dark Kia drew up parallel to the pickup, the truck's front left wheel popped off and rolled immediately in front of the hatchback.

While the pickup dropped down onto its driver's side rim, the Kia and its driver were sprung at least 10 feet into the air by the loose tire, which had remained upright and continued to spin.

After roughly three seconds of air time and rolling clockwise, the Kia unceremoniously hit the freeway nose-first and upside down. It then completed one more longitudinal roll before grinding to a halt.

To add insult to injury, the truck tire responsible for the Kia's initial liftoff caught up with the wreck and struck it in the rear.

While the debris and glass shed by the Kia settled, the pickup completed its trek to the far side of the freeway.

None
— (@)

Khatra tweeted, "Surprisingly the driver of the Kia was actually able to walk away from this unharmed."

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that there were no major injuries resultant of this accident, reported the Telegraph.

KABC-TV indicated that sheared-off lug nuts apparently led to the tire's initial detachment from the pickup truck.

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