FUCK YOU, STOP CALLING ME - September 2016

Ah, new month.  Summer is winding down, school has started, new TV seasons and new series are starting, telemarketers are still calling.

2 September 2016

   213-514-5674  Los Angeles, CA - Ah, something else that is new...new number.  I guess their contract was up with the old numbers, so they registered new ones to try and fool us into picking up the calls.  Nice try, bitch!  Well, I am a little disappointed that there was no call yesterday, on the first of the month.  I guess they need to get at least one call before the holiday weekend.  I wonder if they are going to call during the three day weekend.  Stay tuned.  Oh, almost forgot...fuck you!

7 September 2016
  310-651-6458  Beverly Hills, CA - I did a quick search to confirm, and there were only a few complaints and they only started this weekend up to today.  So, we have a new number.  Feel free to block this number or report it...neither will do any good as blocking this number means they will call from another number...and reporting it does jack shit.  Fuck you!

Pimiento in olive

8 September 2016
  786-205-7819  Palmetto Bay, FL - Palmetto? Pimiento?  Wait, I am burring the lead.  Finally, an out of state call since July...and what do you know, that out of state call was also from Florida.  Apparently, telemarketers have the luxury to have offices in sunny California and sunny Florida.  Where the fuck are they getting this money from?  These guys are sitting by the beach, calling people up with scams, whist sipping on a martini with a pimiento in olive.  Fuck you!

   786-205-7819  Palmetto Bay, FL - What, two calls already? Could we possibly have three calls from the same number in one day?  We have plenty of time.  For the record, I posted the photo of the three olives before during the first post.  Fuck you, but try to go for three.

   786-205-7819  Palmetto Bay, FL - Well, we have three.  Three calls in just over three hours.  Maybe I will need to update that olive photo.  I should mention that a message was left...surprise, it is a bot recording.  Fuck you, fuck you, and fuck you!

Three calls in three hours.

  310-651-6458  Beverly Hills, CA - Fourth call of the day, but not from the Palmetto Bay number...ah, but this is from a return caller.  Good old Beverly Hills number from yesterday.  Fuck the lot of you.

9 September 2016
  310-873-6486  Los Angeles, CA - Fresh number.  According to a quick search, this number premiered today.  There has already been a handful of calls reported since early this morning.  New number, same shit.  Fuck you!

10 September 2016
  310-651-6458  Beverly Hills, CA - Another Saturday call.  Same 'new' number from three days ago.  That Florida number must have been some sort of glitch...they probably forgot to route the call through their California server...good to see they are doing it properly, now. Fuck you! 

15 September 2016
  402-617-4642  Lincoln, NE - A bot from out of state.  How do I know?  Well...Nebraska is out of state.  Oh, the 'bot' part.  They left an automated message.  You would think that they would at least have a human record the messages so it sounds more legit.  Instead, we get Stephen Hawking impersonating a female.  Fuck you for using Stephen Hawking to try to sell me shit.  [robot voice] Fuck you! [/robot voice]

  402-617-4642  United States - Second call.  Someone programmed the bot to hit re-harass on the dial.  I am a bit curious as to why their location changed from "Lincoln, NE" to "United States".  It is the same fucking number from a three hours ago.  Holy shit, I got a call from "United States", it must be important.  If they call back three hours later, will the location be "Earth"?  Fuck you!

16 September 2016
  205-456-9823  United States -  So, is this the new trend?  Telemarketers are 'disguising' their locations, now?  What the fuck?  It does not matter where you are calling from...I am not going to pick up if I do not recognize the number, you fucking idiots.

Some calls from September 2016

By the way, the 205 area code is from the Birmingham, Alabama area. How do I know that?  I did a search.  How do I know that is a telemarketer number...other than meticulously studying the search results?  They left a message...and it was the same chick from yesterday's number.  I totally recognized her voice.  Fuck you!

 310-873-6487  Los Angeles, CA - Take a look at the entry on 10 September, just a week ago. Heck, you can see the 'missed call', more like ignored call, in the screen shot above. The number is just one digit off.  See, even if I had blocked last weeks number, they just use another line to harass me.  This is what we have to deal with when it comes to these terrorists.  Fuck you!

Early morning call

19 September 2016
  213-280-7682  Los Angeles, CA - An early morning call at 7:39 on a Monday morning.  Who the hell in LA wakes up that early to go to work?  Bots, that is who.  They left a automated message, same robo-voice as before.  You would think that they would switch it up a little and use local accents in their bots.  Imagine getting a call from Alabama (like I did the other day) and hearing a bot with a Southern accent.  Take today, how about a bot with an annoying valley girl accent?  You are already annoying me, why not take it a step further?  Get it together, already.  Fuck you!

22 September 2016
  269-838-1932  United States - Hey, first day of Fall or Autumn, depending on what your social class is.  It seems that some calls outside the local area are generating 'United States' as the location.  Obviously, I did a search and found that this number originated from Kentwood, MI.  Here is something interesting.

269-838-1932

That was first result from my search.  The call seems to originate from a funeral home in Michigan.  This could be a legit wrong number.  But, no message was left.  If it was a wrong number, I think they would have left a message about the body.  I mean, a call from a funeral home seems kinda important enough to leave a message.  Well, okay.  It could still be a wrong number.  I guess no message from a funeral home is better than a 'hey boss, what should we do with the body?' message.

So, I am going to say this was another routed call, and those damn telemarketers are exploiting mourners at their time of grievance.  Shame one you, telemarketers...and fuck you, too!

  949-332-1106 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - I have heard that San Juan Capistrano was a nice area.  Well apparently not anymoew.  Looks like your property value just went to shit, because you have a fucking telemarketer in the area.  This is almost as bad as knowing you have sex offenders living in your neighbourhood.  Yes, I am comparing rapist with telemarketers.  We get violated by telemarketers every day.  Fuck you!

  626-461-9199  Arcadia, CA - Third call of the day, all from different numbers. It seems that they are getting closer to my location.  See?  I was not off when comparing telemarketers to sex offenders.  They are among us, they could be your neighbour.  Fuck you!

So many calls

23 September 2016
  310-910-4062 Inglewood, CA - Quite a few calls this month.  I cannot remember the last time my number has been so popular with the telemarketers.  I am beginning to think that someone wrote "For a good time call..." on the toilet stalls at the telemarketers convention.  Fuck you!

29 September 2016
  bjecdfb4x@wngbaoqiang.bid - What the fuck is this shit?

Texting scam

Everything about this text radiates bullshit.  Randomly generated username, who the fuck uses a username like that?  It does not even mean anything.  Domain name could be legit, but fuck you.  Oh, I jumped the gun there.  Where was I?  Nine dollar sunglasses?  Yeah, prepared to have your retinas burnt.  "Official Oakley", you say?  I highly doubt these are 'official' anything...except official crap.  I did not bother clicking on the site, pretty sure it is infected with Zika.  And, what is with the Apple ID?  Fuck this, and fuck you!

Nike Air MAG vs V3 Knockoffs

If you have not heard, there is a new pair or Nike Air MAG knockoffs on the market.  These are known as 'V3' to the cool kids.  I did a review on the V2 a while back...perhaps you have read it. I hesitated on purchasing a pair and doing another review, it is a lot of work and I am kinda lazy.  It is like writing a ten page paper.  But, someone requested that I do a comparison of the two...so, basically on a dare, like calling me 'chicken', I dropped the $600 and got a pair...and here we are again. It is fun to see how well bootleggers can copy something, and I like pointing out the flaws.

As with my previous comparisons, I will go through what to look for to spot the knockoff.  I am sure there will be those out there that will try to pass these off as authentic Nike Air MAGs.  Side note, a few years ago, I caught someone using my photos of my real MAGs in their auction.  Screw that!  I know that fool did not have the real deal and he used my photos without permission or gave credit.  I reported the listing and it was removed.  I thought about watermarking my images, but figure it is best to share these images without any obstructions.  So be careful if you are looking to purchase these shoes and know what you are getting.  Oh, if you need/want to steal/borrow my images, I cannot stop you, but please credit your source.  Like I said, this post takes a lot of time to write, edit, proofread, examine the shoes, shoot photos, etc....and you are getting it for free, and I spent $600 for your enjoyment.

Enough babbling, let us get started.  Remember, as always, that the authentic Nike will always be on the left side of the image and the V3's will be on the right.

Packaging:

Nike Aid MAG boxes

Nike:  The Nike's came in a well protected shipper...well, multiple shippers...so the box is very clean.  There is a subtle texture on the box that is hard to see in photos.

V3:  The V3 came in a standard shipper box, so any mishandling of the package resulted in dings and dents that translated onto the final box.  The walls of the box while a little weaker than Nike's, are still very strong.

The texture is not as noticeable on the V3 box, but it is there.  They even matched the colour almost perfectly.  Although, the wrapping of the yellow paper is not as perfect as Nike's.  You have to look for the minute details.  If you can inspect in person, you can tell right away, but through photos, it is very difficult.  They also weigh about the same.

Close up of MAG logos

Nike:  Of course, the label on the authentics are crisp.  You can clearly see the signatures of  Nike Designers Tiffany A Beers and Tinker Hatfield.  Lines are thin and the label is perfectly centered in a crisp recess on the box.

V3:  While the recess for the label is there, it is not as crisp and the label is slightly off-centered. The recesses is a little smaller than the label...or, the label is larger than the recess.  Note the uniform border on the Nike label versus how my V3 label sits a little lower in the recess.  This causes the corners to curl up a bit on the V3 label.

Looking at the logo, the upper yellow triangle is too yellow, the authentics have a slight orange to it.  Comparing the stylized nuclear logo, you can see the line weight is thicker on the V3.  The signatures of the designers are fuzzier on the V3, as if they are out of focus.  This is most likely due to a low-res scan of the original.  The lines, "Prepared by", and "Approved by" are also what you might call pixelated.  Again hard to see if you have nothing to compare to.

As you may recall, I mention that my V2's were marked as a size 10. These V3's are correctly marked as size 8, but as you can see, the font used is slightly different.  the V3 '8' is more rounded, where as at the Nike '8' is more square and sits flatter, matching the existing font for 'Magnetic Anti Gravity'.   If you really want to be anal about it, the V3 '8' is slightly off centered, too.

Bottom of boxes

Nike:  The bottom of the box as some legal mumbo jumbo, various warning, and logos.  I never mention this on my other MAG comparison posts since this is not usually something of interest.  Until now.

Close up of legal on bottom of box

V3:  What?  They totally copied all the legal and logos.  Even the positioning is near perfect.  Unlike the top label the graphics on the bottom are crisp and clear.  Given a clean box, it would be hard to distinguish the authentic from the knockoff based on the bottom graphics.

Magnets on the box

Nike:  It only makes sense to have magnets on the box. MAG's, Magnetic Anti Gravity...magnets, get it?  There are four magnets on each box, two on the flap and two on front wall of the box.  While it is not a secure closure, the magnets do make a magical closure.

V3:  My V3 box is far from perfect due to mishandling during shipping.  Notice the walls on my box are slightly bent.  This means my lid does not sit properly.  Regarding the magnets under the wrap, they are not as flush as Nike's.  Although the Nike magnets do stick out a little, see image above.  The V3 magnets stick out a bit more and the wrapping is not as clean, leaving what looks like an air bubble.  This is on both sides of the box.

Also, the paper used to wrap the V3 box is a little thinner than the stock on the Nike box.  You can kinda feel the difference and see it in some areas where there is overlap.

Pack out of shoes and accessories

Nike:  The shoes are packed in foam, three layers, with the top two layers cut with the shoe's silhouette.  Bottom layer is uncut and provides protection for the shoes.  There is no foam on the lid to 'seal' the shoes in foam.  The charger is placed on the top left corner with the booklet wedged in between the foam and the back wall of the box.

V3:  Just like the Nike's, the V3's are packed in foam.  From what I can tell, this is the same type of foam in colour and density...you are my density, and the same three layers construction.  There is a booklet included, but this was placed under the left shoe (on top).  The charger is also placed on the top left, but there is an extra piece of foam to wedge in the box.  Note that the V3 charger box is a totally different size and shape as the Nike charger box.  But, we will get to the booklet and charger later on.  I should mention that the V3's came individually bubble wrapped, and the Nike's came in the box as you see in the photos.

Overall, the V3 box is a really good copy of Nike's box.  Every detail has been replicated and executed really well.  With the exception of some minor details (like the label and magnets), it would be hard tell one from the other...especially if you have a clean and undamaged box.

Shoes:

Outer side of Air MAGs

Nike:  Hard to tell at first, but when comparing the two side by side the authentics have a sleeker/sexier overall shape than the V3's.  I will try to break it down as best I can.

V3:  There are a few areas that are slightly different from the Nike's.  The one that stands out the most are the ribs.  On the Nike's, the ribs are very subtle.  I imagine this is very difficult to replicate as none of the knockoffs have been able to pull it off.  The ribs on the V3's look like bad case of visible panty lines.  Still, these are an improvement from the V2's. I will get into more detail soon, but the ribs stand out the most.  Also, the V3 ribs are more vertically laid, the Nike's lean far more forward, giving it more speed.

There is small dip on the outsole, between the first and second rib, that is not as defined in the V3.  This also translates to the outsole/sole curves to be slightly off.  If you look at he peaks of the rear EL panel (light up part), the Nike's are slightly back.  Note that the peak of the Nike arch is pretty center to the opening of the shoe. On the V3, this arch is slightly forward.

Front of Air MAGs

Nike:  Again, it is sexier.  You can tell there was more time spent on the construction of the shoe.  Whereas, there are some areas that look rushed on the V3.  Everything is just a little tighter and cleaner.

V3:  If you look at the quarters, other than the issue with the ribs, you can see that the Nike's sit lower and closer to the foot.  I would imagine this is a tighter fit.  I would not know, since I have yet to put these on.

Another area to notice are the laces.  Sorry, no auto lacing.  Like the Nike's, the V3's use elastic bands in place of traditional or power laces.  The V3 elastic band is much closer to Nike's than on the V2.  If you remember, the V2 elastic laces are too wide.

The V3 laces are not as straight and parallel as they should be.  Also looking at the edge of the quarters, you can see that the Nike's are parallel, while the V3's have a slight V-shape to them.  When compared side by side, the lace area of the V3 is narrower towards the front and wider towards the back.

Inner side of shoes

Nike:  If I say sexy or sleek one more time, you will probably smack me.  But really, look at the edge of the outsole.  From toe to heel, notice how the line is kinda flat and rises up fast at the front, then around the arch, and glides towards the heel. This gives the authentics a faster feel, as if it the shoe is in motion.

V3:  The outsole edge sort of just curves up around the arch and down to the heel.  Note that arc is almost constant, and does not look as fast as the Nike's.  From this side, you can also see that the volume at the throat is larger than the authentics.  The issue with the ribs is also quite noticeable on the inside.  They matched the seam that is between the second and third rib, but it is not as 'invisible' as Nike's.  I think Nike used a tighter stitch with more stitches per inch than the V3.

Heel cup inner side

Nike:  The texture of the outsole and heel cups is very pronounced on the Nike's.  As you can see, there is more of the aqua splatter, and the splatter is very fine.  The size of the splatter dots are about the same size as the small bumps of the texture pattern.  Looking at the wordmark, notice the 'Nike' and 'MAG' are very clean, not so with the V3.

V3:  While they corrected the shape of the heel cup from the V2's to better match the authentics, the issue is with the raised letters.  There are little nipples on the corners of every letter.  These nipples are there for injection molding, having a little extra reservoir allows the material to flow into corners of the letters better.  You see often see these in new tires as they want the rubber to flow into all the corners of the tread or lugs.  The V2's did not have this issue.

Nipples are present in both Achilles pads, but they are more pronounced on the V3.

Heel cup outer side

Texturing of the outsold and heel cup is not as obvious as the Nike's.  There would not be as noticeable the splattering was tighter and smaller.  At quick glance, the Nike's outsole and heel cup almost look more aqua because of the fine splatter.  The V3 did get the base grey correct, but since their splatter is minimal and too large, it does not have that 'aqua-tinted' effect.

Nike's seam along the back, while noticeable, is much cleaner and flatter than V3's.  The seam on the V3 forms a bit of a butt crack...MAG cleavage.  Also, there was traces of adhesive on the V3 along the valley where the heel cup and outsole meet.  If you look closely under the "MAG", you can see it.

Air MAG Soles

Nike:  My Nike's are starting to yellow.  Not sure why, it does not, has not seen any daylight.  Heck, they barely see any light...put the lotion in the basket.

V3:  They finally got the soles right.  In previous reviews, I have mentioned the wide flaring at the base of the soles on the authentic ones, other knockoff versions did not have this, V3 has that coveted flat tire look..  Damn it, their soles are more clear than mine.  One thing you usually cannot see in pictures...if you are trying to copy from photos...is the 'negative pyramid' tread pattern of the Nike's.  The V3's replicate this pattern very well.  Again, if it not for the splatter, it would be very difficult to tell the real ones from the fake ones just by looking at the bottom of the shoes.  Funny, you cannot tell from real from fake if looking at the bottom of the boxes, either.  They really have the bottom view...the view that no one sees...perfect.

Air MAG collar

More minute details to look for as we focus in on specific areas.

Nike:   The Nike collar (white trim) has a slim cross section, meaning that it has the same thickness as the main grey collar part.  It almost has straight sides and only rounds at the top, like an upside down U-shape.  Stitching of course is clean an precise.

The shape collar itself is one smooth transition.  This can be seen better in side view, see previous photos.  The collar starts at the instep and goes straight up, turns down, and flows down toward the Achilles with a subtle flattening towards the last fifth before it reaches the center back.

V3:  Starting at the instep, the collar goes up like it is supposed to, makes a turn down towards the Achilles, but it flattens out faster before reaching the Achilles.  This creates a slight more noticeable S-shape to the collar if looking from the side.   The valley where the white and grey meet also dips down further than the Nike's.  Again, see side view.

The V3 collar is a little puffier than Nike's.  Not as noticeable on the outside, although there is a little butt cracking happening where the white meets grey.  The puffiness is more noticeable on the inside, see image.  You can see that the cross section is more round and the stitching and construction is not as clean as Nike's.

There is also a slight variation on the triangle hole.  The front vertical edge on the Nike's leans a little more forward than the V3's.  I am really nitpicking, here.  But, the V3 holes are really clean and well made.

Air MAG inserts

Nike:  There are inserts placed in the shoes to help keep the form of the collar area.  In addition, the toe box is stuffed with your standard tissue paper...which on mine has yet to be removed.

V3:  I am amazed that they copied the shoe insert.  It is a nice to see they went that extra step include this part than no one really cares about.  The construction is very similar.  Hard to tell the difference as there are no real distinguishable marks. The only difference that stands out is Nike's have a perforated edge where the top folds down, the V3 is a straight crease. Yes, there is also tissue stuffed into the toe box.

Inside of the shoes and  label placement

Since we have the inserts removed, let us take a lookie into the shoe.

Nike:  Here is another part that people rarely see...even for myself.  The MAGs have a standard Nike label on the inner wall of the inside, left side of right foot.  Still has that new shoe smell.

V3:  They flat out copied the inner label.  Yes, even the barcode.  I wonder if they made different ones for different sizes.  These are either a very good scan or they had files of the label to reproduce from.  The V3 label is placed on the opposite side (outer wall of inside), right side of right foot.  No one is going to notice that the label is on the wrong side.  They may even have some that are on the correct side.

The V3 matched the inner fabric of the shoe.  The tongue, inside and out, is near perfect match.  Even the footbed liner fabric, texture,and colour is well matched.

Looking at the insides, it is another tough area to use a reference when trying to compare the two.

Nike Air MAG Swoosh

Nike:  A closer look at the quarters, you can see there is just a hint of ribs.  Photo above shows the texture of outsole and heel cup better.  Take a look at the Swoosh, note that it is just placed on top of the fourth rib with no recess. You can even see a faint outline of the rib underneath.

V3:  One word:  Ribs!  Anyway, there is a recess for the Swoosh.  I guess you need to sink in the Swoosh when you have a rack of baby back ribs on the side of your foot.  Although, placement is pretty much spot on.  The V3 Swoosh is slightly different from Nike's. I am no expert on the logo, but I do know that it was changed a bit throughout the years. The V3 Swoosh has a 'sharper' curve and has a thinner tail than Nike's.

Heel lights

Nike:  No power lacing, but these shoes do light up, just like the movie.  Both the Nike's and the V3's have activation buttons hidden in the outside wing of the collar.  The charging ports are in the same area, even the chargers look very similar.

Charge port location

Nike's heel lights have a more transparent cover, this allows you to see the individual LED bulbs in the heel.  The two D-shaped EL panels in the midsole light up with sharp edges due to the clear sole.

V3:  Tangent - Above is a good comparison of the texture and splatter patterns of the outsole and heel cup.  Not easy to forge a Jackson Pollock painting...not easy to forge the paint splatter on Nike Air MAGs.  Back to the heel lights, the lens (well, really silicone-like cover) is not as transparent as the Nike's.  When these light up, the light is more diffused than the Nike's

Charging port is in the same place.  I think they can even share chargers, although I would not recommend swapping chargers.

Chargers

Nike:  As mentioned, the chargers look kinda similar, I mean you would not know which is which as neither are not branded with any Nike or Air MAG logos. The Nike charger does have a legal/warning label and has a U-shape profile.  A twist tie is used to bundle the wires of the Nike charger unit.

V3:  The V3 charger has more of an S-shape profile, with no wire management system.  Also note the charger boxes are quite different, obviously because of the shape of the chargers.  If you reacall the packout photo earlier, you will see the size and shape difference between the two charger boxes.

Oh, the logo on the ankle strap lights ups, just like the Nike's.  As far as lighting, other than heel light lenses, the V3 pretty much nailed it.  But stupid me, I forgot to snap a photo of it.

Toe box

Nike:  The toe box on the authentics are really low profile. It has been a while since I have said this, but they are sleeker and sexier.  Ha!

V3:  If you have been looking at the other photos, you should have noticed that the toe box on the V3  is bulkier than the Nike's.  This is a pretty constant issue with the knockoffs in general, whether you are talking about he V2, Halloween Costumes, or the V3 versions.  Same can be said about the ribs.  But, they are getting better at it.

Weave pattern

Nike:  The texture or weave pattern of the fabric is very tight, almost smooth to the touch.  Okay, not baby's but smooth, but like 600 grit.

I mention the lacing area earlier, way earlier...for me, it was yesterday.  Notice that the throat is wider, yet the width stays pretty consistent it goes towards the tongue.  The laces are all relatively the same width apart, same with the gap between the two sides.  The laces are a rectangular shape, note that the bottom/first lace is also rectangular.

V3:  The image above shows that the throat is narrower than the Nike.  The first lace is a trapezoid shape, wider at the top than at the bottom. This is consistent all the way up as it gets wider, where the fourth (top) lace is wider than the first (bottom) lace, and they all have a slight trapezoid shape.

The weave of the fabric is not as tight, but it is very close.  I would say the feel of this is more of a 400 grit.  Much better than other attempts in the past.

Well, that is it for the shoe and the box.  But wait, there is more.  Seriously, when will this post ever end.  They included the booklet, too!  Remember?  We are finally going to talk about the booklet.

It's About Time

Nike:  You cannot have a shoe with this much history and not have a booklet.  So, Nike included a booklet that unfolds to a two-sided poster.  One side with instructions, the other a poster...of the shoe.  The great thing about the instruction side is the drawings by designer Tinker Hatfield.

By the way, look closely at Tinker's sketches.  Notice he did not 'draw' attention to the ribs...because they are no supposed to be that raised, damn it!  I mean everything we talked about is in his sketches... the ribs, the flat tire look of the soles, the sleek and sexy toe box, etc...all there.

Booklet poster

V3:  Although folded differently, the booklet is spot on.  It seems like they got a hold of one and did a really hi-res scan and reproduced it near perfectly.  It is possible that they had access to the original file.  There are some flaws, for example, the band around the booklet is poorly constructed where we almost lose part of the text.  The printing is slightly fuzzy, either due to scanning or lower quality printing.

Print quality of posters

Above shows the two posters with Nike at top of the image, the V3 poster on bottom.  The V3 is slightly fuzzier in print quality, also a little lighter. But, the folds are where they are supposed to be.

The Nike booklet included a DVD, you can see it attached to the poster on the bottom right.  No disc was included on V3.  Notice there are two blank spaces on the bottom right of the V3 poster. One is for the disc, the other is for the registration plate...which was included.

Plates

I was surprised to see the V3 plate as it looks just like the Nike original.  Mine has a bunch of scratches  and dings on it, but they nailed it.  Obviously, these plates were inspired by the 2015 plates that are on the Time Machine.  Oh, they are made from aluminum.  The plates had your registration number on it so you can register your shoe with Nike.  I wonder if they picked a random number or used the number from the shoe they copied it from.  Who ever has #64530321 must be pissed.

Wow, that was a long post.  I am surprised you made it this far. I think I pretty much covered everything about the V3 shoe.  Feel free to check on my other posts about the V2 and Halloween Customs versions to cross reference other details of the authentic Nike Air MAG that I may have missed in this post...or, to see if I repeated myself too much.

Conclusion: 

The V3's are the best knockoffs out there, so far.  There is very little room for improvement.  I have been nitpicking many details, but really they are mostly minute details.  They are a little on the pricey side, especially for knockoffs, but it beats paying more than ten times the amount to get the real ones.  It seems that the V3'a are relatively easily available, as they will pump out more if needed, while the authentic Nike ones were limited to 1510 pieces available to the public via high priced auction.

Oh, disclaimer time.  I do not endorse the sale or purchase of bootlegs and knockoffs.  Yes, I know I bought a pair, okay a few pairs, of the knockoffs...but it was for research purposes, I had to write this article for you.  Plus, I bought the real ones with the money going to a good cause.

If you want a pair of Air MAGs for about 1/6th the average 2011 selling price...these are the ones to get. Heck, the cheapest authentic pair is asking about $8000 currently on eBay.  That is over double the average price of about $3800 during the 2011 auction for the authentic Nike Air MAGs.

The average person will not be able to tell the difference with these V3's....well, unless they read this article, too.  The super geeky nerds, like me...and you, can spot the fakes.  Hmm, I just had a thought. What if the V2 bootleggers read my original comparison post and used those notes to help them create the V3?  Or, they could have just looked at a real par and replicate what was in front of them.

You can get a pair of V3's for about $600 at sneakerahead.ru.  Lucky for me, I did not have any trouble getting them and they arrived in about ten days.  But, you are buying a knockoff and they will be coming in straight from China (go figure), you might encounter some issues with 'delayed shipping' and you will most likely have to deal with poor handling of your item.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this post comparing the authentic Nike Air MAGs and the V3 knockoffs.  I hope it helps you whether you are thinking about purchasing an authentic Nike pair and do not want to get screwed or if you are looking to get the V3 and want to know what differences there are.  Get the 'real deal' or the 'real steal'.  Be careful and watch out for scams.  If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment.  While I am not expert on the MAGs, I will answer what I can.  Thanks!

LEGO Minifigures Series 16 - Bump Codes

LEGO Minifigures Series 16 - 71013

LEGO Minifigures are awesome.  Normally, these are hard to find in my area.  I happen to be on holiday in Utah, stopped by a Target, and found a bunch on the pegs.  I noticed that there was a guy in a banana suit on the package.  Seriously, a guy in a banana outfit.  I have to have this!

I also noticed there was a guy in penguin outfit...and a baby Minifigure.  What?  I have to have these, too.

So, like many, I stood there and felt the blind bags for about half and hour.  As I was feeling up the Minifigures, I felt some parts that seemed like they were not part of the line up on the package.  Thanks to free wi-fi at Target, I looked up the line up and realised there was a mini penguin as well.  Oh, this is going to take a while.

LEGO Minifigures Series 16

Above is the image I used as reference as I pinched and felt my way through about 50 bags. Eventually, I got the four that I wanted.

When I got home, I did some more research on Series 16.  That is when I found out about Bump Codes.  What?  There are a series of bumps on the bottom of the bags that can tell you which Minifigure is in the pack.  No need to feel, if you know the codes.  This saves a lot of time and crazy looks from others as you stand there feeling bags.  I know I was on the security cameras and the crew was watching me.

As of this post there has not been an update of bump codes for Series 16.  These four should hopefully helps in that quest.  Anyway, here are the Minifigs I got and their bump codes.  There are no 'official names' for the Minifugures, that I know of, so I made some up.  I have also 'enhanced' the bumps so it shows up better on camera.

Banana Man

Banana Man - Probably the easiest to feel because of the banana outfit.

Bump Code:  Two bumps.  Left bump about 14mm from left edge, 4mm up from bottom. Right bump about 12mm from right edge, 4mm from bottom.

Babysitter with Baby

Babysitter with Baby - Feel for the baby's body.  You will notice the shape of hands and feet. 

Bump Code:  Left bump about 23mm from edge, 3mm from bottom.  Right bump about 15mm from edge, 3mm from bottom.

Penguin Man

Penguin Man - Feel for the arms, they will be straight and flat and will not have hands to twist.

Bump Code:  Left-A, 11mm, 4mm.  Left-B, 25mm, 6mm.  Left-C, 37mm, 2mm.  Right, 14mm, 5mm.

Arctic Explorer with Baby Penguin

Arctic Explorer with Baby Penguin - This one is harder to feel.  Feel for the Explorers hoodie, two big openings.  Then feel for baby penguin, you should be able to feel the shape of the flippers.

Bump Code:  Left-A, 9mm, 6mm.  Left-B, 33mm, 3mm.  Right, 11mm, 3mm.

Hopefully, with the Bump Codes and feel techniques, that will help you find one of the four I found.

Series 16 Bump Codes

These are the four I wanted.  I was also running out of time.  This should help others get started in decoding the bumps.  Good luck and have fun.

FUCK YOU, STOP CALLING ME - August 2016

New month, same shit.  Ah, summer is here and another Olympics are upon us.  There has to be some Olympic-type competition for telemarketers.  Do you think they have company picnics?  I hope it fucking rains during their shitty picnic.  Ants!  I hope there are ants all over their food and the ants crawl up their legs and tunnel into their ass.  That is how annoying you fucking telemarketers are.

5 August 2016
  213-266-7230  Los Angeles, CA - Well, hello.  Just last month we had a call from a number with the same area code, same prefix, and very similar suffix...just nine number off.  I guaran-fucking-tee you this call is from the same telemarketing company.  I hope your air conditioning unit fails on you during the hot days of summer.  Fuck you!

15 August 2016
  213-266-7285  Los Angeles, CA - I bet you are wondering, "Wow, ten days. That is a long time between calls".  Ah, not really.  I was on holiday and my phone was shut off for the last ten days.  So, as soon as Monday hits, I get my first call just before 10AM.  I bet they were just itching to call last week.

Oh, and you may have noticed the reoccurring area code, prefix, and similar suffix.  They have taken over the 213-266-72XX.  I image the 213 area code is in high demand with mobile users.  So, fuck you for buying these up and not allowing people with legitimate businesses to get these numbers.  There should be a specific area code just for telemarketers.  One more time...fuck you!

20 August 2016
  213-210-2465 Los Angeles, CA - Same area code, but at least it is a different number. Another one of those Saturday calls.  This tells me that telemarketers do not get weekends off...or, most likely, this is your typical robo call.  Either way, fuck you.

Stage II and Other Upgrades for the DeLorean

Finally, back home

Welcome home.  I dropped off the car in December, after seven months, my DeLorean is done.  There were some delays and issues that lead to the long turnover time.  For one, the folks at DeLorean Motor Company were backed, so they could not get to my car until March.  Parts had to be ordered, shipped, prepared, and assembled before installation.

New engine and exhaust, Stage II -  Since I had block rot in the old engine, I needed a new engine.  The only option was a Stage II system.  Well, the other option was to keep patching holes until my whole block is made out of JB Weld.

New tires - There was a little dry rot on my tires and they were pushing ten years old.  Why not get some new tires with that new engine?

New transmission - While testing the engine, the transmission failed and broke down.  I was having issues with shifting before bringing it in, but thought that was 'normal thirty-five year old shifting technology'. Better for it to break down on them than on me.  So, new transmission.

New radiator and water pump - When it was almost done, some more testing showed that the engine was running hot.  Long story short, the radiator was shot and I needed a new one...and a water pump as well.  Why not?

So shiny and new.

So, pretty much everything on my car has been replaced/upgraded.

The drive home was interesting as I had hot driving the car in seven months.  It takes a little getting used to.  The exhaust is a lot louder, the shifting is smoother...it is like driving a new car.  Heck, it is almost like I paid for a new car.

FUCK YOU, STOP CALLING ME - July 2016

New month and half way through the year. Crazy things are happening around the world, yet these fuckers are business as usual.

8 July 2016
   323-798-7334  Los Angeles, CA - Well here we go.  Another call from the Los Angeles area.  I like the number because it almost looks like it can spell something cool like, 1-800-SCAM-BOT.  But, it is just your garden variety fake number from your garden variety telemarketer.  So, fuck you!

11 July 2016
   213-266-7221  Unknown - Ha!  It said 'unknown', but we all know that 213 is Los Angeles.  And, we all know, that this could only be from a telemarketer.  According to the Google place, there have been over thirty calls reported via 800notes.com in the last 24 hours.  So, they hacked a new number, made a bunch of calls, and  most likely will 'retire' this number and 'draft' a new one.  Be on the look out for additional calls.  Fuck you!

18 July 2016
  510-283-9985  El Sobrante, CA - Well, this one is interesting.  The phone did not ring, and this went directly to voice mail.  So, they actually left a message. Obviously, this was a scam bot.  I have one of those long intros to my voice mail, this means when a bot 'leaves a message', it starts recording in the middle of their pitch.  For those curious, this was for a health insurance scam.  I did a search on the number to confirm.  Fuck you!

  323-798-7334  Los Angeles, CA - I just finished updating this with the above number and bam, a new call.  Not just any caller, a return caller from ten days ago.  No message was left.  I wonder if the phone system is trapped in some sort of time portal where I get the message first, then the call comes in.  I know, they are from different numbers...but we have been through this before...the numbers are routed and there was a glitch in the code.  Yep, that is what I am going with.  Fuck you!

19 July 2016
  510-283-9985  El Sobrante, CA - Well, la de da.  Another return caller.  No message this time.  In fact, the phone barely rang and they hung up.  Did not even give me a chance to reach into my pocket to decline the call.  But, they called, so it still counts.  Fuck you!

   323-609-6016  Los Angeles, CA - So the plan is to call twice a day now, so you can meet you fucking quota?  First a Northern California number in the morning/early afternoon, then hit me with a Southern California number in the late afternoon.  Okay, I see.  So tomorrow, same thing?  Fuck you!

27 July 2016
   410-100-001  - Yep, that is the number, and this was text.  Oh, you know how I hate texts.  Here is the full text.  Even though it mentions that this is "confidential" and I "should not copy of use it".  Whatever, fucknut.

Lance A Scott is a pussy

Look at the time of text,  just after midnight.  Who the fuck texts at that hour?  What the fuck is up with "1 of 4", yet this came in as one text.  And, where is 4 of 4?  You guys cannot even count.

I even did a quick search on the incomplete number.  Turns out, this is a scam.  Surprise!  Fuck you!

   352-516-2512  Eustis, FL - Who the what the fuck is Eustis?  Apparently, it is a tiny town in Lake County Florida.  I looked at the map and it is surrounded by various bodies of water.  It has just over 19,000 residents.  I am sure this is one of those towns where everyone knows everyone.  Should not be hard to hunt down some of these telemarketers.  Oh, I hope an alligator finds a telemarketer and chomps down on one. Then just when they try to call for an ambulance, the phone rings and it is another telemarketer, so they do not get medical assistance.  Too bad, telemarketers....fuck you!

28 July 2016
  213-277-5033  Los Angeles, CA - One of those 'after hour' calls to try to catch you off guard. The call came in just before 8PM, right at the sweet spot of dinner and winding down time.  All of the sudden the phone rings.  Could be someone I know, could be important.  Then again, could be a fucking telemarketer.  You know which one it was.  Damn it, I was in the middle of watching Stranger Things on Netflix.  Fuck you!

Stage II Sneak Peek

Photo by Cameron at DMC-CA

Almost there.

The new engine is in.  After some testing, the 35 year old transmission failed.  So, new transmission on the way.  Looks like I will have to sell the other kidney.  Should be another week or two and I will new drive train.

Stay tuned.

Titanium Pocket Tool - Kickstarter

I am a sucker for titanium.  Heck, I will sometimes do a search for 'titanium' on auction sites just to see what is out there.  Another place I will go is Kickstarter...which is where I found the Titanium Pocket Tool.  I like multi-function tools and obviously, I love titanium...so of course I had to get this.

Titanium Pocket Tool

The Kickstarter campaign started by Big iDesign around March of this year, with a goal of raising $5000.  When the campaign ended the TPT raised just over $229K.  As promised, the item arrived in June.

I have had the tool for a day and did some non-scientific testing on it.  Here are my thoughts and results with each tool listed on their website

• Bottle Opener - What is a Kickstarter campaign without a bottle opener function?  As I have mentioned, I to a search for titanium and usually a handful of items come up.  I bet if you do a search for 'bottle opener', you would break Kickstarter.  Where was I?  Oh yeah.  It works fine for a bottle opener on a multi-tool.  I am sure you have many bottle openers at home that can do better...or other Kickstarter items you that also have a bottle opener 'designed into it'.

• Flat Head Screwdriver - Again, works fine.  Obviously, this is not as ergonomically friendly as your traditional screwdriver, but like the bottle opener, in a pinch, it works.

• Wide Flat Head Screwdriver - See above for function.  But, I find this 'tool' to be a little misleading.  The wide flat-head screwdriver is the area in the lower left of tool (see above image).  It is like saying a coin is a multi functional currency.  It works, but again, there is no leverage.

• Internal Magnet - Strong enough to hold its own weight (listed at 24 grams).  But, not more than two pieces of paper.

• 1/4″ (6mm) Hex Bit Opening - Good enough in 'survival' situation.

• Measurement Cues - This is interesting.  From the top, the center of the screw to the edge of the button does measure 25mm.  And, from center to center of the bottom screws, it does measure 50mm.  There are no other markers, so this is only good for rough measurements.

• Mini Pry Bar - Just like how a coin can be a pry bar, but you get a little better leverage here.  Bonus, it is also the flat head screwdriver.

• Scraper Edge - Not really feeling this one.  There is a slight overlap where the two halves meet, forming a slight...very slight...edge that can be used for scraping.  Again, you can use a coin to scrap a lottery card, too.

• Stainless Steel Insert “Dual Function” - The "dull edge package opener" works fine.  I have opened packages with keys, even toothpicks.  I give this one a pass.  I wonder if this is 'airport safe'.
  The camping fork would probably work better if it was four pronged.  The three prong design results in wide prongs.  Stabbing something soft like pasta is fine.  Anything harder like vegetables, the fork does not hold very well.  A normal fork is curved and that helps lock in the food. This being straight, anything hard or heavy tends to slip off the end.  Obviously, the prongs are short (they are also angled) stabbing more than one or two pieces of food is going to be a challenge.  Also, noodles are out of the question.

• 550 Paracord Lanyard / Key Ring Opening - To put it bluntly, this is a hole with a string tied in a knot.  The paracord, and anything you have attached to it, can get in the way of tool usage.  But having an option to latch it on to something is a great option.  A soft loop like paracord is a preferred alternative to a hard metal ring that can scratch my beloved titanium.

• Accepts Standard Utility Razor Blades (not included) - The insert is basically a blunt utility razor with notches cut in to make a fork.  So yeah, I give this a pass.  I prefer the included insert as it has a fork and hopefully airport safe.

• Universal Wrench Design (15 Socket Sizes) - Not really feeling this one either.  The best place to grip a nut (you have a dirty mind) is on its sides.  This design grips the nut by the corners, the weakest part.  While it does work, there really is not enough leverage and nut grip (get your mind out of the gutter) to torque a nut.  I found that it slipped more times than expected.  Also, the design means you have to flip it one way to tighten bolt and the other to loosen, much like a pipe wrench.

Well, there you go.  For the price, it might be a little over priced for what it is.  There are better multi-tools out there that can do more for less money.  Although few are as compact and even fewer are made of titanium.  Overall, I like it (mainly for the titanium) and most of the functions are good enough for emergency use.  I recommend carrying a tool with you, whether it be this one or others, for emergencies, at least have something like this in your bag or glove compartment.

If you want to pick one up for yourself, visit the Big iDesign website

FUCK YOU, STOP CALLING ME - June 2016

Well that did not take long.  After a holiday weekend, they got right back on the phone.  Although, did did call me on the Saturday, in the the morning, on a three-day weekend.

2 June 2016
  424-320-8457  Los Angeles, CA - What do we have here?  Folks, I believe this is our first return caller of the year.  This is exciting.  Last call was nine days ago, on 24 May.  As usual, I did a quick search and conveniently Google remembered that I searched for this number.  Until the next time you call, fuck you!

  424-320-8457  Los Angeles, CA - Oh, you thought I was kidding when I wrote, "Until the next time you call, fuck you!"  Yep, you guessed it...they called again.  So, again I will say, fuck you!

For a good time, call 424-320-8457

3 June 2016
  310-849-0617  Beverly Hills, CA - Based on quick search, this is not a 100% confirmed telemarketer number.  So, that means it is just a 99% confirmed telemarketer number.  Most likely, the call has been routed through various ports until a 'local' number shows up on caller ID. But hey, three calls in two days.  I am guess they will take the weekend off and get right back to it on Monday.  Until then, fuck you!

4 June 2016
  No Caller ID - I guess we did not have to wait until Monday, another Saturday call.

June 2016 calls, so far

Hiding behind a "No Caller ID" is a sure guarantee that I will not pick up.  Good try with the local area code trick.  At least for a split second, that gets me thinking someone I might know is calling.  It would do the world a favour if all telemarketer calls came in as "No Caller ID", better yet, "telemarketer".  Fuck you!

6 June 2016
   323-315-9234  Los Angeles, CA - Looks link June is going to be a busy month for telemarketers. The fun part is, I get to post all these numbers.  The hard part is, I will need to come up with some witty comments as to not to bore you.  I mean, this comment seems like a total cop out, I hope future calls will generate better comments.  In honour of the 72nd Anniversary of D-Day, Duck you!

7 June 2016
  323-230-4526  Los Angeles, CA - Ah, let the games begin. It has been awhile since we have calls coming in almost everyday.  Could it be because it is an Olympic year?  Could it be because it is an election year?  This may or be helpful, but elections are held during Olympic years, which is every four years...Leap Years...and the years are divisible by four.  I know, totally random...yet so is the call...but, not this:  fuck you!

8 June 2016
  424-320-8457  Los Angeles, CA - Third call this month, and if you count last month, this is call number four.  I do not recall what the record was, but I think it was around ten calls from a specific number.   However, I do recall that the calls came from somewhere in the Northwest, it was either Washington or Oregon.  Whatever.  If these guys can do half the days in June, fifteen calls, I will be impressed and crown you the undisputed champs.  Fuck you!

11 June 2016
  209-849-9472 Unknown - Unknown?  Well, at least that was the way it was listed on my phone.  But, a quick search tells me that the call originated from Stockton area in Northern California.  I will say that the search did not wave any telemarketer flags, but we all know how 'innocent' numbers can easily turn out to be evil telemarketers.  Oh, and you skipped three days...fuck you!

13 June 2016
  310-849-9471  Unknown - Another 'unknown'.  By now, we all know that 310 is Los Angeles.  Here is something interesting.  Note the same prefix as previous caller from Stockton...and one number off in the suffix.  Seems to me that someone is generating fake numbers to hide behind.  There was one good thing about this call, my phone barley rang before the call was cut off.  Still counts as a call, though.  Fuck you!

16 June 2016
  323-609-6026  Los Angeles, CA - Yeah, everyone knows 323 is Los Angeles.  No need to try to hide that with an 'unknown'.  How exciting is it to have all the calls, so far, coming from California.

Here is some more area code trivia for you.  Back in the day rotary phones where all the rage...and not because of the hipster movement...but because that is all we had.  Area codes in large metropolitan areas had 'shorter' dialing...1's, 2', and 3'.  For example, New York-212, Los Angeles-213, Chicago-312.  Places like Hawaii got 808, 'longer' dialing area code.  Now, with keypads, it does not matter.

Until the next call, hopefully from California, fuck you!

20 June 2016
  323-576-3499  Los Angeles, CA - First day of Summer...first call of Summer.  It is going to be a hot day with record setting temperatures.  Why not start out the Summer with a call from a telemarketer...most likely a bot.  I hope your circuits fry in the heat.  Fuck you!

24 June 2016
  815-867-2491  Pontiac, IL - Illinois?  But, what happened to all the California calls?  Thanks, Pontiac, for ruining the streak.  Now, the Californians will have to start all over next month.  I hope you are happy.  Fuck you!

Bremont Co-Founder Nick English

Hanging out with Nick English

Last month Feldmar Watch Company held a meet and greet event with Bremont Co-Founder Nick English.  The event also showcased Bremont's newest product, prototypes that premiered at Baselworld in March.  I was not going to miss an opportunity to see these new watches and meet Nick.

Nick was busy most of the night mingling with the other guests. No matter, as I was occupied with the prototype watches and hanging out with Neil (Sales Representative?) from Bremont.  Check out these new watches.

New Bremont watches

• MBII-WH - The Martin-Baker collaboration is now available with a white dial.  The exclusive band colour is blue.  Speaking of Martin-Baker, I learned that each time one ejects, there is up to 12-14 g of force in that 0.6 second blast. This compresses the spine, permanently, and can result in a loss of 1.5 inches in height.  The second time is another 1.5 inches for a total of 3 inches.  They will not let you fly after that as a third ejection will kill you.
• ALT1-ZT/51 - The ALT1-Z with colours inspired by the Bremont P-51.  The P-51 was a Limited Edition and is long sold out.  Even if available, it would be at a premium price.  But now, you can get the ALT1-Z in those vintage colours.
• AC-R/SS and OTUSA-R/BK - Both the America's Cup and Oracle Team USA watch features a unique Regatta Chronograph movement.  The AC-R has a five countdown timer in the 12H sub dial, while the OTUSA-R has a five and fifteen minute countdown timer. 
• Boeing 100 - Limited to 300 pieces, this watch celebrates 100 years of Boeing.  The brown motive reflects the interior of vintage Boeing cockpits, which was designed for comfort for the pilots.  The Boeing 'totem pole' logo is at 3H on the dial, and like the rest of the Boeing range, the 'arrow' is subtly placed at the tip of the second counter
• SOLO/PW and PB - The classic SOLO with polished case.  It will also have a larger display back to showcase the movement.
• SOLO-32-AJ/WH and LC/WH - For the first time, Bremont is making a ladies watch.  These feature the Bremont DNA with 32mm case.  These were prototypes with solid case backs, but the production versions will have display case backs.  All Bremont watches have open case backs with the exception of the MB and U2 Range, because of the anti-magnetic iron Faraday case.

Checking out my 3D model

Towards the end of the night, I finally got to meet Nick.  I brought the 3D model of the ALT1-C I made.  Since I posted on the ALT1TUDE forums, he already knew about it.  He was excited to finally see my model in real life...not as excited as me getting to finally meet Nick.  I also revealed that I was the 'face of Bremont'.  Again, he knew about it via the forum.  Apparently, I am semi-famous amongst the Bremont staff.

Nick signed a catalog for me

Neil and Nick from Bremont and the Feldmar staff

For those keeping track, I have visited two (Royal Exchange and Mayfair) of the four Bremont Boutiques.  Now, I have meet one (Nick) of the two Co-Founders.