Author: raymond padilla

Vaping Diaries #377: Dream by Shy Kane E-Liquid

Dream by Shy Kane is a new line of e-liquids from one of the most popular models in the vaping business. At ECC 2016, Shy Kane was on hand to debut her new flavors. Many enthusiast vapers are familiar with Shy from her various promotional work and beautiful photographs. She has access to all kinds of vaping hardware and e-liquids, so she certainly knows her stuff. When she decided to come out with her own brand of e-liquids, her legions of fans took notice.

Dream by Shy Kane has launched with two flavors Glitter and Gold. Glitter is described as “strawberry white chocolate wafer,” while Gold is described as “creamy green tea wafer.” I tried some of both at ECC 2016. While I enjoyed both flavors, I greatly preferred Gold.

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Vaping Diaries #376: Beautiful People at ECC 2016

While ECC 2016 had loads of excellent vaping hardware and delicious e-liquids, my favorite part of the show was the people. More specifically, the beautiful people of ECC 2016 made the event something that I’ll remember for years. The vaping business is full of beautiful people that are clever and charming. There are so few of us. To have several of us together at the same event over the course of a weekend is…miraculous. Below is an extremely special photo gallery of several of the outstanding people I spent time with at ECC. For your convenience, their Instagram handles are below so that you can see more of these beautiful people.

Included in the “Beautiful People of ECC 2016” gallery are:

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Vaping Diaries #375: Closing Thoughts on ECC 2016

I just got back home from ECC 2016. It was a great time, full of excellent people, interesting products, and a few surprises. I have plenty of previews to write and photos to post from the event, but before I get to that, I wanted to talk about the show as a whole. The best word to describe it was surprising. Here’s a brief breakdown of ECC 2016.

Bigger Than I Was Expecting

Given California’s new laws — no vaping indoors and a higher vaping age of 21 — I was expecting a relatively small show. While ECC 2016 was certainly smaller than the gargantuan expo in Pomona last year, it was bigger than I thought it would be. There were more companies and more attendees than I expected, which is a credit to the show’s organizers. Several of my industry colleagues were similarly surprised.

The word on the show floor was that ECC 2016 will be the last major vaping event in California, given the new restrictions. If that’s the case, at least California vape shows went out on a strong note. Hopefully that’s not the case and there will be more great California vaping expos in the future.

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New Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Teaser Trailer

The latest teaser trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (embedded below) is glorious. It has elements of what people loved about the original movie, but with several new twists. Since we’re still in the “teaser trailer” stage, you don’t have to worry about spoilers or clips that give away too much (the latter of which is a concern of several RPadholics). The new Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a fun video that doesn’t give away the farm. Now it’s time for some random thoughts on teaser trailer two!

Batista Brings It: It pains me to say it, but Dave Batista shines in this clip as Drax the Destroyer. As much as I hated his WWE career, he’s been utterly delightful in Guardians of the Galaxy. From cursing the skies to his hilarious comedic bit at the end, Batista was my favorite part of the new teaser trailer. Considering how much I disliked him as pro-wrestler, I never imagined Batista being my favorite part of anything. Well done, Sir.

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Coffee Talk #670: Help Me Understand Broken Matt Hardy

I don’t get Broken Matt Hardy. He looks stupid. He sounds stupid. And his gimmick is stupid. For reasons that completely escape me, Broken Matt Hardy is incredibly over with smart marks. While I respect and appreciate his late-career resurgence, I don’t understand why pro-wrestling fans are into Broken Matt Hardy (Matt Hardy Version 4?). Hopefully you can help me understand the phenomenon.

Let’s start with the new and not-at-all improved look. Broken Matt Hardy has a Gentile-fro…with a white streak. He was never chiseled, and at age 42 looks softer than ever. The first time I saw a photo of him in 2016, I thought it was a photo of Eugene, the mentally challenged WWE character. I can’t be the only smark that noticed the resemblance. Whatever the case, I can’t think of a reason why a pro-wrestler would want to look like Eugene, unless he was playing a mentally challenged character.

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Vaping Diaries #374: MasterCard vs. Vape Retailers

MasterCard Incorporated appears set to take action against vape retailers in 2017. Some of it was expected, as per the recent FDA regulations. Some of it is arguably excessive. The ones set to be hit the hardest are online vape retailers.

I recently obtained an email sent from credit card processor US Merchant Systems that was sent to a vaping retailer friend of mine. He has a brick-and-mortar store, as well as an online business. The email was a warning that his business must be in compliance with MasterCard’s Business Risk Assessment and Mitigation (BRAM) program. Here are the BRAM requirements from the email that pertain to brick-and-mortar vape shops.

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Thank God For Lucifer (S02E10)

The mid-season finale of Lucifer was the best thing I’ve watched on television in 2016. The writers, directors, and actors did a stellar job of deftly mixing comedy, drama, and action. The big reveal at the end was fantastic…though a bit evil (*snicker*) considering that the next episode won’t air for seven weeks. Lucifer S02E10 was, quite simply, the show at its best. Here are some random thoughts on the mid-season finale. (Kindly put on your spoiler wings!)

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Coffee Talk #669: Black Friday Open Thread

It’s that time of the year again — a time for ridiculous deals, retail violence, and questionable purchasing decisions. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly here. As always, I’d love to hear about the deals and steals you walked away with this year. Prior to the shopping extravaganza, feel free to share special deals with your fellow RPadholics in the comments section.

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Rat Queens Returning March 2017

The outstanding comic book series Rat Queens is returning on March 1, 2017, according to writer/creator Kurt Wiebe. The book has been on hiatus since May 2016. Owen Gieni will be the new Rat Queens artist.

If you’re not familiar with Rat Queens, the comics tell the adventures of four very different friends that are outcasts, but have found love and acceptance in each other. The setting is swords-and-sorcery fantasy, but with a hilarious satirical edge. The swords are sharp, but the humor is even sharper. The way it pokes fun at Dungeons & Dragons and fantasy conventions is fantastic. Beyond that, the books have a lot of heart and portray four strong women. The humor and satire are Rat Queens’ obvious hooks, but the portrayal of their friendship is touching.

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Thoughts on We Got it From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service

We Got it From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service is the latest and final album from A Tribe Called Quest. Released 18 years after the group’s last record and months after the death of mercurial MC Phife Dawg, We Got if From Here is an outstanding record. For longtime Tribe fans, it’s a reminder of how excellent they were. For newcomers, it’s a great introduction to Tribe’s brand of thoughtful, layered, and catchy hip-hop. Here are some random thoughts on We Got it From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service.

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