A lowrider (sometimes low rider) is an automobile or other vehicle modified so that its ground clearance is less than its design specification. This can be accomplished by substituting tires with a smaller outer diameter or through more extensive modifications based on desired aesthetics or performance, such as altering the vehicle's aerodynamics, lowering its center of gravity, or changing the effective gear ratios of the drivetrain. The term "lowrider" can refer to both the vehicle and its owner or operator; the verb form "lowriding" can likewise refer to the process of modifying a vehicle in this manner, or to its operation.
Description of the subculture
There is no definitive date or location for the origin of lowriders, but likely began in the Mexican-American Barrios of Los Angeles California in the mid-to-late 1940s and during the post-war prosperity of the 1950s. Initially, some youths would place sandbags in the trunk of their customized cars in order to create a lowered effect. This method was replaced by lowering blocks, cut spring coils, z’ed frames and drop spindles. The aim of the lowriders is to cruise as slowly as possible, "Low and Slow" being their motto. By redesigning these cars in ways that go against their intended purposes and in painting their cars so that they reflect and hold meanings from Latin culture, lowriders create cultural and political statements that go against the more prevalent Anglo culture. The design of the cars encouraged a "bi-focal perspective-they are made to be watched but only after adjustments have been made to provide ironic and playful commentary on prevailing standard of automobile design." However, this resulted in a backlash: The enactment of Section 24008 of the California Vehicle Code in January 1, 1958, which made it illegal to operate any car modified so that any part was lower than the bottoms of its wheel rims.
Lowrider is an American automobile magazine, focusing almost exclusively on the style known as a lowrider. It first appeared in 1977, produced out of San Jose, California, by a trio of San Jose State students. As of 2007, it is published out of Anaheim, California, and part of TEN: The Enthusiast Network (formerly Source Interlink Media).
Lowrider focuses on all aspects of lowrider culture, from cars to music and fashion. It also covers political and cultural issues related to Chicanos, and funds an annual scholarship program. The magazine has also released a series of music videos through their label, Thump Records.
Lowrider's monthly circulation is about 50,000, but the magazine sells more newsstand copies than any other U.S. car magazine — probably due in large part to the bikini-clad women featured on the cover every issue. (In 2000, the magazine's monthly circulation was more than 200,000.)
History
Lowrider was founded in the mid-1970s by San Jose State students Larry Gonzalez, Sonny Madrid, and David Nunez, "who sought to present a voice for the Chicano community in the Bay Area." The first issue debuted in January 1977. Essentially self-distributed, the magazine struggled until the November 1979 issue, when it began pairing bikini-clad women with lowriders on the cover each issue. During this time, it also featured cartoonist David Gonzales' monthly comic strip The Adventures of Hollywood, which eventually morphed into the Homies line of toy figurines. Even so, after being taken over by its printer, Lowrider folded in December 1985.
A lowrider is a car or truck modified to have less ground clearance than most other cars.
Lowrider may also refer to:
Music
Bands
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Other
Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun, in particular infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through Earth's atmosphere, and is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon. When the direct solar radiation is not blocked by clouds, it is experienced as sunshine, a combination of bright light and radiant heat. When it is blocked by the clouds or reflects off other objects, it is experienced as diffused light. The World Meteorological Organization uses the term "sunshine duration" to mean the cumulative time during which an area receives direct irradiance from the Sun of at least 120 watts per square meter.
The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight has both positive and negative health effects, as it is both a principal source of vitamin D3 and a mutagen.
Summary
Researchers may record sunlight using a sunshine recorder, pyranometer, or pyrheliometer.
Sunlight takes about 8.3 minutes to reach Earth from the surface of the Sun. A photon starting at the centre of the Sun and changing direction every time it encounters a charged particle would take between 10,000 and 170,000 years to get to the surface.
Sunshine is the fourth studio album released by The Archies, a fictional bubblegum pop band of The Archie Show and the Archie Comics universe. The album includes 12 tracks and was issued on Kirshner Records. It was produced by Jeff Barry. The album features the single "Sunshine". The song peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album peaked at number 137 on the Billboard Top LPs chart.
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References
"Sunshine" is a country folk song from 1971 by Jonathan Edwards, released as the first single from his debut album Jonathan Edwards. The single reached Billboard #4 and earned a gold record.
"Sunshine" was not originally planned for release, but when an engineer accidentally erased the master of a track called "Please Find Me" near the end of sessions for the album, "Sunshine" was used to fill the hole.
The song was released as a single and first gained popularity on Boston radio, then nationwide, hitting #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on January 15, 1972 and earning a gold record. Here's Edwards' take on its success: "It was just at the time of the Vietnam War and Nixon. It was looking bad out there. That song meant a lot to a lot of people during that time--especially me."
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Covers
In 1980, Juice Newton scored a Top-40 hit, peaking at #35 on the Billboard Country chart with her version of "Sunshine".