Each new year shimmers with possibility. For example: Maybe 2023 is the year you move into Woody Guthrie’s apartment building.
The fascist-fighting folk troubadour lived in Portland for just one month, starting in May of 1941. Low on cash (Depression, dust bowl), he took a gig from the Bonneville Power Administration to write songs praising the construction of Columbia River dams. For four weeks, Guthrie, his wife Mary, and their three young children lived in a second-story apartment in the Southeast Portland neighborhood of Lents.
That apartment building went on the market this month for $975,000. For that price you get a two-story, 2,748-square-foot fourplex with six bedrooms, four bathrooms and a four-space parking lot. The building was last purchased by Happy Valley real-estate agent Alexandru Ianos for $480,000 two years ago. (Photos suggest Ianos Realty has done some work on the place.) It’s across the street from a Nectar cannabis dispensary and a subsidized housing complex named after Guthrie.
Woody Guthrie didn’t like Portland. (He called it “a place where rich ones run away to settle down and grow flowers and shrubbery to hide them from the massacres they’ve caused.”) And his legacy here is hardly pristine: The songs he wrote were used as advertising for the hydroelectric dam projects that submerged Celilo Falls, Oregon’s largest waterfall, a tribal fishing area and the oldest continuously inhabited place in North America until it was flooded.
Still, Ianos Realty is using Guthrie as a selling point. “Great opportunity to own the Woody Guthrie House, the actual location where the famous musician lived in 1941 while writing songs for the Bonneville Power Administration,” the Redfin listing notes. That’s a change from 2016, when the previous owner told an Oregonian reporter, “I had no idea Woody Guthrie lived here. Had no idea.”
The listing adds that the property is zoned for “potential commercial uses.” Think: This Coffeeshop Kills Fascists. That sort of thing.
It’s a little odd that the proposition boils down to “Imagine being Woody Guthrie’s landlord,” but these are strange times. It’s not like you and three friends couldn’t pool your resources and start a communal living arrangement.
And if the sign says “For sale,” well, on the other side it doesn’t say nothing. This house was made for you and me.
CLV receives an average risk rating from InvestorsObserver analysis. The proprietary scoring system analyzes how much money was required to move the price over the past 24 hours. The metric looks at recent changes in volume and market cap to evaluate how much a token can be manipulated by limited trading. The score ranges from 0 to 100, with low scores representing high risk and high values equating to low risk.
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Trading Analysis
The risk gauge rank for CLV shows the token is currently a moderate risk investment. Traders focused on risk assessment will find the gauge most useful for avoiding (or adding) risky investments.
The price of CLV is 6.32% lower over the last 24 hours, leading to its current value of $0.05. The change in price goes along with volume being below its average level while the token’s market capitalization has risen during the same time period. The crypto’s market capitalization is now $23,913,003.84, meanwhile $5,675,176.48 worth of the currency has been traded over the past 24 hours. The volatility in price relative to the changes in volume and market cap changes give CLV an average risk analysis.
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Recent price movement of CLV gives the cryptocurrency an average risk score due to past 24 hours of price volatility in relation to volume changes, giving traders reason to be not overly concerned on the token’s manipulability at the moment.
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InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust (OTCMKTS:IIPZF) Experiences Significant Short Interest Growth
A significant increase in the number of short positions taken on InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust shares was seen in December (OTCMKTS: IIPZF). The number of shares that were available for short sale increased by 27.5% from the 139,700 shares that were available for a short sale on November 30 to the 178,100 shares that were available for a short sale as of December 15. When an average trading volume of 300 shares is considered, the days-to-cover ratio as of right now is 593.7, indicating that it will take 593.7 days to cover all outstanding shares.
When trading started on Friday, IIPZF was valued at $9.47 per share. The moving average for the past 200 days of the company’s stock price is $9.27, and the moving average for the past 50 days is $9.04. InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust hit its all-time low of $8.06 during the past year, while the company reached its all-time high of $13.29 during the same period. For this calculation, some possible values include a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.54, and a quick ratio of 0.54. In addition, the company’s price-to-earnings ratio is 22.24, and its beta value is 0.65. The company currently has a market capitalization of $1.34 billion.
Recent research has zeroed in on the IIPZF as the subject of multiple investigations, each of which takes a slightly different approach. In a research note released on November 14, BMO Capital Markets announced that the price objective they had set for InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust had decreased from C$15.00 to C$14.50. The original price objective had been set at C$15.00. The Royal Bank of Canada reported in a research note that was made public on November 14 that they have decreased their price objective on shares of InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust from C$18.00 to C$16.50. The previous price objective for these shares was C$18.00. Raymond James changed its recommendation on InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust shares from “outperform” to “strong-buy” in a research note published on Wednesday, December 7. Raymond James has been credited with making the announcement. Finally, the price objective that Scotiabank has set for the shares of InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust has dropped from C$16.50 per share to C$15.50 per share, as stated in a research note public on November 4. The final and most significant adjustment was made here.
InterRent REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust that purchases and owns multi-family buildings to increase the value of its unitholders and create a flourishing and sustainable income. This is accomplished by increasing the number of properties it owns, which creates more rental opportunities. InterRent’s primary goal in expanding its portfolio is to expand in regions with stable market vacancies, sufficient suite supply, and opportunities for accretive acquisitions. This is the company’s primary focus for expanding its portfolio. Because of this, the company will be able to construct an efficient framework for managing its portfolios.
Empire State Building owner Tony Malkin (inset) set off fireworks that are believed to have caused this blaze near Arrowtown. Photo/ Supplied/Getty Images
A controversial New Year’s Eve fireworks display at the billionaire owner of New York’s Empire State Building’s property outside Queenstown is understood to have caused a large scrub fire.
Empire State Realty Trust chairman, president and chief executive Tony Malkin of New York had upset neighbours of his Dalefield property with plans for an extravagant 14-minute fireworks display to bring in 2023.
Now, several neighbours who were watching the display closely with fears for their animals, believe that a sizeable blaze was started by the fireworks.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) said there were three separate fires on steep terrain which spanned an estimated 1.2ha of land in Dalefield near Arrowtown.
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All three fires were caused by fireworks, Fenz said, and were contained about 2.30am.
The New York property tycoon’s fireworks plans had enraged neighbours, the majority of whom owned horses and other livestock animals.
They even launched an online petition, ‘Neighbours with animals say Neigh to Queenstown fireworks’ and had gained more than 600 signatures.
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The locals felt that fireworks, or pyrotechnics, had no place in rural settings.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand had approved a safety plan for the private display, and neighbours had been advised to speak to the Ministry for Primary Industries and the SPCA.
One neighbour spoken to by the Herald this morning said they had moved their animals away for the night but watched the drama unfold on social media last night.
“Fire was obviously our main concern… and it just seemed ludicrous to have a commercial-based fireworks display in a rural area. It just seems to fly in the face of logic with stock and the fire risk,” said the neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous.
“But there’s a bigger story here of someone who has money and seeming to be able to do whatever they want.
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“It’s just not very neighbourly what they have done. We highlighted that at the start.”
The first that neighbours knew of the fireworks was a public notice in the local Mountain Scene newspaper a week beforehand.
A spokeswoman for the Malkin family said, when contacted by the Otago Daily Times this morning, that “we are deeply grateful for the expert work of Fire Emergency New Zealand and the police.’’
Liz Park leases a block of land at Dalefield for her daughter’s retired eventing horse, Louie, who is 18-years-old.
Park said she given up her own New Year’s Eve party to spend the evening with Louie, and was distressed by how upset he became during the fireworks and the subsequent fire.
“I wish I could have a photo for you of the horse’s eyes. They were bulging out of his head,” she said.
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Park said she was lucky she had a massive paddock so Louie did not bolt the fences.
However, his reaction was still “bloody horrific’’ and Fenz deserved a “right royal bollocking”.
She gave them one herself during a 20-minute phone call to Fenz staff in Dunedin, she said.
“I wish they could have seen what it was like.’’
In a statement to the ODT before the event, the property owners said they had “deep and long-lived social and charitable connections” in the area.
“As a courtesy, beyond any requirement, mindful of house pets and livestock, we have reached out to neighbours to ensure they are appraised of our plans,” the statement said.
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“We will happily consider any reasonable request from our immediate neighbours for financial assistance to move their livestock.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience.”
There was no requirement for the Queenstown Lakes District Council to approve fireworks displays, and council media adviser Sam White told the ODT there were no provisions available to council for it to address potential issues regarding fireworks in the district.
Queenstown, Wanaka and other idyllic Central Otago spots have become a new playground for super-wealthy Americans in recent years.
Controversial US billionaire and Trump donor Peter Thiel has snapped up a $13.5 million lifestyle block on the shores of Lake Wanaka, while
Ex-NBC journalist Matt Lauer, who lost his job as one of the world’s highest paid news anchors after a complaint of “inappropriate sexual behaviour in the workplace”, owns a similarly-priced mega property at nearby Lake Hawea.
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– Additional reporting, Otago Daily Times
A growing number of international students are playing high-level sports in college. And since 2021, college athletes have been permitted to make money through product sponsorships and commercials.
Some of the most well-known college athletes are now able to make hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Such deals are called Name, Image and Likeness, or NIL deals.
But the situation is different for student athletes who are not U.S. citizens. That is because they are in the country on a student visa that does not permit them to work.
Some international students become well known in the U.S. because they play on famous sports teams, like the men’s basketball team at the University of Kentucky.
A recent study showed that international students make up about 12 percent of the athletes at NCAA Division I colleges. Division I is the top level of college sports.
Based on 2020 numbers, that means there were 14,000 international students playing Division I sports. Basketball teams are made up of mostly international students at some universities.
The student visa only has rules limiting work in the United States. So, some international student athletes have found ways to make NIL money when they travel out of the county.
Marta Suarez is from Spain and plays basketball for the University of Tennessee. During her team’s recent visit to the Bahamas, she took pictures as part of her work with a company called Influxer.
Influxer tries to help student athletes make money from their fame. If a student who works with Influxer makes an agreement with a company to promote a product, they get paid and Influxer gets paid for setting up the deal. Influxer paid Suarez and other students for the time they spent taking photos in the Bahamas.
Tyler Jaynes founded Influxer. He noted that there is no guarantee that the students will make money. But he said he wants to be sure the students have some photos and videos in case an advertiser wants to use them.
He can then provide the photos to a business that might want to use them to sell a product. The students would be paid a fee for giving the company the permission to use their photo.
One of the students who took photos with Influxer recently is Brendan Favre. He plays basketball for DePaul University in Chicago. He is from Switzerland.
He and Jaynes looked through the images on an iPad after the photo shoot. They said the photos looked good because some of them were taken so that a product could be added in later.
“I’m just glad right now we … get a chance to do something,” Favre said. “It’s still nice to be able to do something.”
Oscar Tshiebwe of the Democratic Republic of Congo was named the best men’s college basketball player last year. He attends the University of Kentucky. The best college basketball players often choose to leave school early and sign with a professional team. Tshiebwe has chosen to stay with Kentucky this year.
One reporter estimated Tshiebwe is likely to earn close to $2 million this year through NIL deals. Tshiebwe was the first player to take photos with Influxer during a University of Kentucky trip to the Bahamas last August.
Other college athletes who were recently in the Bahamas include Jessie Rennie, an Australian who goes to the University of Tennessee and Harrison Hornery, an Australian who goes to the University of Southern California.
Rennie said she is used to doing photos as part of the team in Tennessee. But she said it was nice to do something “that was more about me and who I am, and it’s going to be for my benefit.”
Hornery said it has been hard to watch his American teammates get money that he cannot receive. “We have people come to practice and pitch us stuff all the time, and I’m just like ‘Man, I can’t do it,’” he said.
Hornery said he was happy to have the chance to take photos with Influxer, and “whatever happens, happens.”
Blake Lawrence knows a lot about the deals college athletes are getting. His company, Opendorse, helps American athletes make money. It is not clear how much money the international athletes are missing out on. But he knows they are missing out on something. He said college sports leaders are trying to find a way for international student athletes to be able to earn more money.
“It will be solved,” he said. “They just might have to take a flight.”
For Influxer, there is no way of knowing if their investment in the athletes will pay off. But the company is planning some similar photo events next year.
Steve McLean works to develop business for Influxer. “There’s going to be a lot of trial and error,” he said. “And we’re open to all of it.”
I’m Dan Friedell. And I’m Jill Robbins.
Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.
Quiz – International Student Athletes Work to Find Commercial Money
Start the Quiz to find out
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Words in This Story
athlete–n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength
sponsorship–n. an arrangement in which a sponsor agrees to give money to someone or something
commercial–n. an advertisement
promote–v. to say something good about an item or someone
pitch–v. to tell someone about an idea, usually for business
benefit –n. something that has a good or helpful result
trial and error –v. a test or a guess that is part of the process in discovering something new
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December 31, 2022
By Barrett Seaman—
One of the many and varied bills signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in the final days of 2022 is one that grants the Town of Greenburgh, including the incorporated rivertown villages of Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington and Tarrytown, the authority to tax newly constructed condominiums and co-ops at the same rate as single family homes—which is currently roughly twice as much.
Under current state law, existing condo and co-op properties are taxed—and will continue to be taxed—at the lower commercial rate, one based on the value of a residential complex as if it were made up of rental units.
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The disparity in property tax burdens in New York has long been a matter of contention —especially regarding those condo and co-op units that have almost the same characteristics as a single-family home. Owners at The Landing on the Water in Dobbs Ferry, a complex of 103 attached units built in the 1990s and taxed from the outset as single-family homes, sued the village and the town to be taxed at the lower rate. The owners argued that their homes were essentially the same as other similar complexes taxed at the lower rate. The village and the town fought the effort for four years before reluctantly settling early in 2022 on an agreement that gives residents of The Landing $2.1 million in refunds.
The effort to equalize rates across property categories has been a cause for retiring State Assembly representative Sandy Galef of Ossining since 2007. While a threat to the county’s property tax policy, The Landing settlement did not clarify the law. It is not yet clear if this new policy will do so either, as it must first be codified both by the town and individual village governments. According to outgoing Asemblyman Tom Abinanti, who was a driving force, along with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, in getting the bill to the governor’s desk by year’s end, the new standard must be applied equally across both town and village residents. “There would be total chaos,” said Abinanti, “if a property were to be assessed one way for town taxes and another for village, fire and school taxes.”
While the new law clarifies the distinction between old and new construction, it applies only to the Town of Greenburgh. Leader Stewart-Cousins shepherded a statewide version to the governor’s desk, but it was vetoed. Arguably, that maneuver provided the governor with sufficient political cover to okay a narrower application affecting just one township.
Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, a proponent of the new policy, says the town has been approached by developers who want to build condos around Greenburgh. “We wanted to generate maximum revenue from these developments,” he says. “The new owners will be buying their new homes with the full knowledge that the homes are taxed at the higher residential rates.”
The disparity will have broader economic effects, however. Buyers facing a choice between an older, grandfathered unit and a new one with twice the tax bill (selling prices being equal) are likely to favor older units. That in turn might suppress the selling prices of new construction–or construction itself.
Abinanti, for one, predicts that developers contemplating construction of lower-taxed large luxury units will now shift gears to the construction of affordable housing complexes that provide other incentives to offset higher tax rates–and benefit the larger community.
On the other side of the ledger, as Feiner points out, the Greenburgh grandfathering method avoids a larger problem: “There are about 5,000 existing condo properties in the town,” he says. “It would create great hardships to many existing condo owners to tax them at higher rates. It would be unfair to existing owners to treat Greenburgh condo/co-op owners differently from owners in the rest of the county of Westchester.”
Not to mention the other 61 counties in New York State. This bill may not have been intended as an interim step, but it may turn out to be just that in the long run.
Read or leave a comment on this story…
December 30, 2022
By Barrett Seaman— Longtime residents of the rivertowns know all too well that water flows east to west—down from the…
December 28, 2022
By Rick Pezzullo— A Dobbs Ferry man was indicted December 28 for assaulting two teenagers during an incident in September…
December 26, 2022
By Robert Kimmel — The Tarrytown’s Board of Trustees intends to hold another public hearing in early January on a…
December 23, 2022
By Rick Pezzullo— Westchester County Executive George Latimer has been criticized in some circles for his decision to veto a…
December 22, 2022
By Barrett Seaman— Communities across Westchester County, including the rivertowns, are elevating the status of environmental sustainability enhancement as a…
December 17, 2022
‘Tis the season of giving, when those families that can get out their checkbooks and support charitable organizations. Over the…
December 15, 2022
By Rick Pezzullo— The Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees this week unanimously voted to opt-in to allow cannabis dispensaries in…
December 15, 2022
Members of Irvington High School’s Debate Club earned awards at the American Debate League Winter Classic, held on December 10…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama on Jan. 1 will become the latest state to allow people to carry a concealed handgun without a state permit that requires a background check.
The new state law ends the requirement for a person to get a permit to legally carry a concealed handgun in public. A person can still choose to get a permit if they want to do so.
The proposal had been introduced unsuccessfully for years in Montgomery, before winning approval this year. The legislation was championed by gun rights advocates who call it “constitutional carry,” in reference to the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Opponents, including state sheriffs and others in law enforcement, argued the permits help combat crime and enhance public safety.
The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, which lobbied for the Alabama legislation, said in April that 25 states now allow permitless carry.
“It’s going to be a big step to help the average law-abiding citizen to keep them from having to go through the hoops of getting a permit to carry their weapons,” Rep. Shane Stringer, the legislation’s sponsor, said. Stringer noted the law only impacts the permit requirement. “It’s not going change who can and cannot carry a gun. People that are prohibited now are still prohibited.”
The Alabama Sheriffs Association had opposed the legislation. “Alabama sheriffs are clear on the law taking effect Jan. 1 and have adjusted accordingly,” said Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, president of the Alabama Sheriffs’ Association
Jones and Stringer said there are still reasons a person might consider getting a permit. Jones said, “maintaining an Alabama concealed carry permit is wise when traveling out of state; reciprocity applies — other states may require non-residents to have a permit from their state of residence.”
Stringer noted that people should remember there continue to be places where weapons are banned entirely for security reasons, such as a courthouses.
Alabama lawmakers, under pressure from gun rights enthusiasts, approved the measure during the last legislative session. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey almost immediately signed the legislation into law and highlighted her support in her reelection campaign. The ad showed the governor sitting at her desk at the Alabama Capitol and pulling a small handgun out of her purse, along with a lipstick and cell phone.
Republican lawmakers who previously opposed the legislation said they were more comfortable voting for it this time because the state was developing a “prohibited persons” database to help officers flag people who are banned from possessing a handgun because of their criminal history and other reasons. The database was mandated by an earlier state law creating an option to get a lifetime concealed carry permit.
Stringer, a former deputy sheriff and former chief of the Satsuma Police Department, said the database was a major factor in his decision to sponsor the bill.
Proponents of the bill argued that will be a better system to remove guns from people who cannot legally possess them. Opponents argued the database will only be as good as the data that is entered into it and information gaps will be inevitable.
Hal Taylor, the head of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, sent Ivey a memo on Sept. 30 saying the database had been developed as required by state law.
“Whether issuing a routine traffic citation or investigating criminal activity, all officers using the Law Enforcement Tactical System now can receive instant notice of a person’s ineligibility to possess a firearm,” Taylor wrote in the memo.
Lawmakers included language in the new law reiterating an officer’s ability to temporarily take a handgun during a traffic stop or other investigation. An officer with a reasonable suspicion that a person was about to engage in criminal conduct can temporarily take a handgun and run it through databases to see if the gun was stolen.
An officer could also temporarily take a weapon if it is necessary for the safety of the officer or others. The weapon must be returned unless there is an arrest, or the person is posing a safety threat.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
By Liz Weston
If you’re charitably minded, there may still be ways to get a tax break for your generosity with some planning, even if you don’t itemize.
This article is reprinted by permission from NerdWallet. The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
Most people no longer get a tax deduction when they donate to charity. That shouldn’t keep you from making donations, but you may want to change your approach.
Typically, only taxpayers who itemize deductions can write off charitable contributions. The vast majority of taxpayers instead take the standard deduction, which was nearly doubled by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. (Temporary provisions in pandemic relief legislation allowed taxpayers to deduct $300 of their donations in 2020 and 2021 without itemizing, but those provisions have expired.)
It has never made sense to donate solely to get a deduction. If you’re in the 22% federal tax bracket, for example, you save only 22 cents in taxes for each dollar you give away. If you’re charitably minded, however, there may still be ways to get a tax break for your generosity with some planning, or you could reconsider how you give money away.
Donor-advised funds aren’t just for the rich
Tax experts recommend “bunching” deductions when people’s itemized deductions are close to the standard deduction limits, which in 2023 will be $13,850 for single filers and $27,700 for married couples filing jointly. Bunching allows taxpayers to take the standard deduction one year while moving as many itemized expenses as possible into another year. If you’re maximizing deductions for this year, for example, you might pay your January 2023 mortgage payment in December or make two years’ worth of charitable donations.
One way to bunch deductions is to use a donor-advised fund, an account that allows you to contribute a lump sum in one year and then parcel out the money in future years to the charities of your choice, says financial adviser Mark Astrinos, a certified public accountant and personal financial specialist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Donor-advised funds are offered by major investment companies as well as universities, community foundations and various charities.
If the client normally gives about $5,000 a year to charity, Astrinos might encourage that person to contribute three years’ worth of donations, or $15,000, to a donor-advised fund. The donation would allow the client to exceed the standard deduction for a single filer and potentially make other expenses, such as mortgage interest and property taxes, deductible again.
For more: Donor-advised funds like Fidelity’s are starving charities of the money they need
Donating stock may offer ‘a double tax benefit’
A stock that soared in value since you bought it can create a big tax bill when you sell. You can avoid that bill if you give the stock to a qualified charity or to your donor-advised fund. If you’re able to itemize deductions, you also can take a deduction for the stock’s current price on the day of your donation.
Astrinos uses the example of someone who invested $10,000 in shares that are now worth $100,000. Selling the stock would create a $90,000 capital gain, while donating it would create a $100,000 deduction and avoid capital gains tax.
“It’s a double tax benefit,” Astrinos says.
Consider giving from your IRA after age 70
Qualified charitable distributions allow people 70 1/2 and older to donate money directly from their individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, to charity. There is no tax deduction, but the money isn’t included in their income, either.
Qualified charitable distributions often appeal to people facing required minimum distributions from their retirement accounts but who don’t need the income, Astrinos says. (The IRS requires people to withdraw minimum amounts from most retirement accounts — and pay taxes on that income — starting at age 72.)
Also see: 7 ways to make your charitable donations count — even in a down market
Consider gift exemption limits for direct gifts
The IRS places other restrictions on charitable deductions, such as requiring the recipient to be a “recognized charity” — a tax-exempt organization that’s on the IRS’ list. Gifts to individuals and political organizations don’t qualify.
If you aren’t going to get a tax deduction for your generosity, then you might broaden the list of worthy causes you want to benefit. You could contribute to a political cause, help reduce a friend’s student loan debt or pay someone’s rent if they’re struggling. If you give money to an individual, however, you should understand the annual gift exemption limits. In 2023, you can give up to $17,000 to as many people as you want without having to file a gift tax return. You wouldn’t owe any gift tax until the amount you gave away over that annual limit exceeds the lifetime exemption, which in 2023 is $12.92 million. The $17,000 limit doesn’t apply to gifts to spouses or political organizations or if you’re paying someone else’s medical bills or tuition.
Or you could simply continue giving to your favorite charities, which may need your contribution more than ever. Charities worry that a rough stock market and high inflation may constrain remaining donors’ giving.
“People are more generous when times are good, but people need it the most when times aren’t good,” Astrinos notes.
More From NerdWallet
Liz Weston, CFP(R) writes for NerdWallet. Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @lizweston.
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12-31-22 1630ET
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Genshin Impact fans discover the English voice actor for Scaramouche and Wanderer was previously in a Domino’s Pizza commercial.
Genshin Impact fans recognize the voice actor of Scaramouche, also known as the Wanderer, in a Domino’s Pizza commercial. Scaramouche is one of the most beloved characters in Genshin Impact despite his antagonistic nature, and his redemption arc as the Wanderer further highlights his unique personality in the latest update.
Scaramouche was the sixth Fatui Harbinger before becoming the Wanderer in Genshin Impact version 3.3. He first appeared before the Traveler and Paimon during their quest in Liyue, wearing dark Inazuman attire that would appear foreign to any new adventurer. During the Inazuma storyline, Scaramouche made his intentions known about plunging the nation into chaos for the many betrayals he had faced in his life as a discarded puppet of the Raiden Shogun. The Traveler stopped the Fatui’s efforts in Inazuma, and Scaramouche attempted to become a god in Sumeru. Once more, the Traveler would stop his efforts, and Scaramouche would find an opportunity to discover truth and redemption for the first time.
Scaramouche’s iconic voice was heard in a past Domino’s Pizza commercial promoting a 2 for $15 pizza deal following the Super Bowl according to a Reddit post by user u/Scion-7-Dawn. Patrick Pedraza, the English voice actor for Scaramouche in Genshin Impact, encourages customers to “drown their sorrows in pepperoni and cheese” while the Domino’s Pizza promotion lasted. u/Scion-7-Dawn’s video uploaded to Reddit depicts an edited Domino’s Pizza cut of The Wanderer’s Anemo awakening as the character remembers his life as Scaramouche.
The voice is rather uncanny for Genshin Impact players that recently encountered the Wanderer in Sumeru. Although Patrick Pedraza is speaking in a more natural voice during the commercial, his performance sounds similar to the Scaramouche’s current portrayal as the Wanderer. Following u/Scion-7-Dawn’s Reddit post, Genshin Impact players have begun to research more voice actors that lent their talents to commercials. For instance, fans discovered that Griffin Burns, Childe’s voice actor, worked in Discovery Kids shows.
HoYoverse’s decision to cast Pedraza as Scaramouche and the Wanderer is well-received to the point where players inquire about his past work. Scaramouche is one of the most impactful characters in Genshin Impact, and Patrick Pedraza’s performance as a voice actor fits the role quite nicely. The Domino’s Pizza commercial should remind players that voice actors adapt to many different roles in and out of gaming.
The Wanderer pledges to assist Nahida and the Traveler from the shadows going forward, but his role may prove to be even more vital in the future. For now, players should look forward to Genshin Impact version 3.4, which will introduce playable characters such as Alhaitham and Yaoyao. Adventures within Sumeru will continue until the next region, Fontaine, is finally introduced in 2023.
Genshin Impact is available now for Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. A Nintendo Switch version is in development with no confirmed release date.
