#Functional Films Market Share

[pearlsmith25]

Functional Films Market Growth Drivers: Unveiling Key Catalysts

Functional films are multi-layer thin film coatings that provide functional properties beyond basic optical properties. They help enhance the performance of various products by imparting properties such as anti-reflection, anti-scratch, anti-fog, anti-microbial, and energy-saving. The growing need for energy conservation and advantages of functional films in saving energy of buildings is driving the demand of these films. The global Functional Films Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 9.02 Mn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.6% over the forecast period 2023 to 2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. Market Opportunity: The opportunity in energy saving through the use of functional films is driving the growth of the market. Functional films help reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions of buildings by controlling heat and light transmission. They provide insulation properties and prevent heat loss during winters and heat gain during summers. This results in savings on energy costs required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). As energy efficiency becomes a focus area globally to reduce carbon footprint, the demand for functional films is increasing from the construction industry. Their energy saving features make buildings more sustainable and help lower operating costs in the long run. Growing emphasis on green buildings will continue contributing to the increased adoption of functional films. Porter's Analysis Threat of new entrants: Low capital requirement however established brands enjoy recognition and economies of scale. Bargaining power of buyers: High as buyers can negotiate on price and choose from various global and regional functional film manufacturers. Bargaining power of suppliers: Moderate as raw material suppliers have established supply networks however functional films manufacturers can switch suppliers. Threat of new substitutes: Low as functional films have applications across industries however new materials pose threat. Competitive rivalry: High as the market is fragmented with global and regional players competing on price and quality. SWOT Analysis Strength: Wide applications in electronics, automotive and construction industries. Additional functional properties enhance product performance. Weakness: High R&D and production costs. Stringent quality standards and certification processes. Opportunity: Growing end-use industries in emerging markets. Development of bio-based and environment-friendly films. Threats: Fluctuating raw material prices and availability. Strong competition from alternative materials. Key Takeaways The global functional films market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030. The market size is projected to reach US$ 9.02 Mn in 2024.

Regional analysis: Asia Pacific as the fastest growing region due to growth in electronics and automotive industries in China, India, Japan and Southeast Asian countries. North America and Europe hold major shares of the global market currently.

Key players operating in the functional films market are 3M, Toray Industries, Inc., Nagase & Co. Ltd., Eastman Chemical Company, and Tatsuta Electric Wire & Cable Co., Ltd. 3M enjoys leading position with wide product portfolio for various applications. Toray Industries commercializes protection and insulation films targeting electronics and energy industries.

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Only Fans (18+)

Bayverse!Raphael x reader

A/N: Inspired by a post I saw here on Tumblr. I can’t remember who posted it, so if someone knows who they are, please tag them and let them know I wrote something inspired by their little Raph x reader Only Fans idea. Because honestly, I agree. I think he would be into that, ngl.

Takes place in a world where mutants are accepted in human society.

All characters are aged up.

Warnings: Size difference (size kink?), filming, filming of porn?, voyeurism?, rough sex.

It started with small home videos, you and your boyfriend made for only the two of you to enjoy. The first film was due to the simple reason, that Raph wanted you to see what he saw whenever his thick member stretched you out. You were only able to feel it, not see it. His thick, almost over sized green member pushing in and out of you, with your wetness all over it. It was erotic to watch, you would have to admit that. And that was when you and Raph had the idea to continue filming yourselves just for the fun of it.

Then the need for money came into play. Both you and Raph worked a lot, but with the whole world only getting more and more expensive, especially in a city like New York, with everything but the wages raising, you and Raph had to find another way to make income on the side. And the idea came surprisingly quick to the two of you - opening an Only Fans.

Human mutant relationships were nothing new at that point. They had been happening for years, especially after the official acceptance of mutants in society. Yet you and Raph were surprised to see how few videos of humans and mutants that were on the internet. It was an untouched market, just waiting for you and your boyfriend to tap into it. And with the thought of knowing people would watch what your boyfriend was able to do to you, excited the two of you quite a lot.

Your first video was a success. Filmed on your shared bed with the camera angled just right, so that Raph’s large member thrusting in and out of you was on full display, both of your faces out of the line of sight. And with the title “Mutants ramming human hard from behind”, both mutants and humans were on it in no time.

One video became two, and then two became five, and soon it was a whole thing. You and Raph was gaining the money you needed, just by having sex in the comfort of your own home. Even before you and Raphg started this Only Fans thing, the two of you had a very busy and healthy sex life. Now you had a busy and healthy sex life, gaining money on it. You only saw wins.

Your most popular video to date, was one of you and Raph on the couch, with the camera standing on the coffee table. It started with the two of you being dressed in very formal clothing, as the two of you had just gotten home from a date at a local restaurant, making out with your faces just out of the shot. It didn’t take long before Raph had your red dress pushed up, your lace panties pulled to the side, and his long finger inside of you, making you moan and whimper as you held on to him for dear life. Soon, Raph’s slack pants was down around his angels with you straddling his waist, bouncing on his long erection, his large hands holding your dress up and panties to the side. Soon it took the turn that you and Raph’s videos usually did. As the intensity grew, things got rougher, resulting in Raph ripping off your underwear, before grabbing a hold of your waist from under your thighs, leaving your legs dangling up over his big strong arms. From this angel it was easy for him to lift you up before slamming you down onto him once again, making you scream and moan, while Raph groaned and churred. It ended with both of you caming hard, with you having an earth shattering orgasm that left shaking and convulsing on Raph, while he shot his white robes into you.

You couldn’t walk right for a whole week after that, proving in more ways than the numbers on the video, that it had been a success. And as soon as your legs were functioning normally again, you and Raph was back on it again, making hard rough love in front of a camera.

[skaruresonic]

Hey! I just read your post about creating visual novels (this one: https://www.tumblr.com/tartrazeen/759072677603524608?source=share)

I'm trying to make one right now. I'm not too sure which tool I should use - I was thinking RPG Maker so I could use the little sprites - but I figured I could do stick people or something as placeholders for actual artwork.

No matter what tools I use, how exactly did you go about "writing" it? Did you script your story out first and then learn how to program it after, or did you need to know how the program worked to tailor your story to that?

I learned to code in tandem with writing the story. It's moreso the case that the writing evolved in the process of learning how to code, began to mold itself to the medium, if that makes sense. Personally, if I had to do it over again, I would take the time to acquaint myself with RenPy's particular scripting language, as it might have made the process a lot faster and less... growing pains-y. I would recommend learning to code first, but again, it doesn't make much sense to make a test VN without a story to support it, so maybe make something small for your first test project where you get to grind for XP commit mistakes in a space where your art isn't riding on it. People make silly test VNs that never see the light of day for the specific purpose of teaching themselves coding, so don't feel afraid to do that. Writing VNs differs from writing other stories in a way that's difficult for me to explain. You have extra tools in which to deliver the story, and it takes time to learn those tools - telling stories not just with words, but with timing, animation, audio, and images as well. You'll find that it isn't enough to simply have images pop up onscreen; you'll want to make them appear with a flourish, and those flourishes also tell a story. The UI tells a story. How you make elements appear and disappear contribute to the overall story. When you think of everything as a potential contributor to the story, that opens up a lot of possibilities and gets you thinking with portals creatively. In that vein, I'd say depending on your angle (because some VNs are just straight-up text, which is valid too), VNs can function somewhat more like movies. They can benefit greatly from an understanding of cinematography.

This might sound weird, given how we naturally tend to think of writing as the most important element - and it is important, just maybe not the only important element - but I think one of the most important things you need to establish right away, even before setting down any words, is a strong aesthetic. As one half of the medium, the visual part of a visual novel cannot be neglected.

What angle are you shooting for? Romance anime? Comic book? Gritty film noir? What are your visual motifs? In addition to helping you decide how to market your VN, the aesthetics will inform your storytelling, give you some concrete image or symbol to latch on, and can serve to subtly reinforce both theme and narrative. For Doki Doki Literature Club, it was the heart and a pen. You'll notice its motif of writing is reflected in the way in which the title resembles a scrapbook:

You and Me and Her has a cell phone as its main McGuffin and so technology becomes one of its motifs. Its textbox resembles a cloud; the text also moves rather slowly, to make you stop and soak in its story. The dreamlike interface later changes into something that resembles an old-school computer UI when a character decides to manipulate your route, reflecting the artifice of the game:

Worldend Syndrome had the pinwheel as a recurring symbol for narrative purposes and is color-coded to represent each of its characters. In addition, it bears a feel-good early summer vibe that I absolutely adore.

The novel I've been reading sporadically on and off over the past year, Hashihime of the Old Book Town, reflects a 1930s Japanese aesthetic, blending traditional Japanese art and literature with Western influences. Note the juxtaposition of traditional and modern elements, like the film reel beside an ink drawing of a koi fish:

It's also brilliant imagery because the game's plot centers around the MC's frequent breaks from reality; the film reel represents exaggerated realities, while the fish reflects how he "jumps" through various parallel worlds through puddles of water.

Everything sort of "trickles down" from there. It doesn't make sense to have a UI befitting a Resident Evil game if you're writing a cutesy otome game, for instance, unless you're aiming for cognitive dissonance.

For OaS I decided early on that, because it was going to be a slapstick comedy in places, the sprites should be more cutesy and cartoonish than the subdued way Sonic characters are usually drawn:

The goofy exaggeration only served to heighten the story's comedy. A "bounce" animation I found and later tweaked served as the basis for a running gag where Sonic gets hurt and "boings" like a rubber ball.

I also liked the Advance series' checkered tiles and wanted to go for a watercolor manga-cover-esque flavor... which, in turn, fed the ridiculousness of the story:

That's a far cry from this current project's aesthetic, which is slower, moodier, more somber, and more, I guess, "erudite," as it's based on Welsh literature and a little on history. So the aesthetic has to match.

Not to say aesthetics should be the only thing going for your story, of course, but because this is a visual medium, it is significant enough to warrant my huge wall of text about it lol. If you're just starting out, I'd recommend grabbing placeholder sprites and backgrounds until you can procure ones of your own. It's perfectly fine to use stick figures, although eventually you will have to start working with finalized pieces since the individual dimensions of your pieces will impact how your code functions.

If it wasn't clear already lol, I work with RenPy. Despite my frequent moaning and complaining, it's probably the easiest program to learn for coding, as it uses its own framework built atop Python. Once you go through the process of learning the syntax, you can pretty much do anything you want with it, as it's infinitely customizable.

Some auxiliary programs I use are FireAlpaca (a free art program that works just as well as MediBang or Photoshop, and even supports animation), Audacity (free audio mixing; can also convert mp3 files to OGG, which is a must since RenPy only recognizes OGG file format) and Notepad for coding.

Btw, all of this stuff you can do for free. Anybody who tells you that you need to pay for fancy programs is trying to sell you something. Don't fall for it lol. As for actually making the thing... My creative process is messy and probably shouldn't be emulated. For lack of a better term, I call it the "dumping everything out on the table" method. First (and note that this step isn't always "completed", it's an ongoing process) I gather all the "raw materials," and then sift through them and play with them until the final product becomes something coherent. The material-gathering includes art, music, and sound effects, which will take some time. I count writing as a "raw material" as well since it can be edited.

From there, the writing and the coding sort of feed into each other. I have to be able to experience the story as the player will experience it, as it's a different experience than when you're staring at a word processor. What will the player feel at this juncture? Does it Hit Different(tm) when I use different wording, or change the song that's playing in the background, or employ a different sprite, or tweak the timing, or use a different animation?

The general rule I try to abide by in this regard is that if it isn't working for me, it probably won't work for the player, either. Put yourself in their shoes, because they're the ones going to be playing it.

Even something as simple as the way you present choices to the player conveys information. Should I offer a choice during this particular scene, or let the moment play out linearly? How many choices should I offer? Do I stick them in a false choice? An infinite loop? Do I hide choices, making the player feel clever for finding them or powerless to stop the narrative? Do I assign variables to choices? Do I disable rollback for choices so the player has to stick with their decisions? If I do have rollback enabled, will I do something with that? What are the consequences of making choice A first, then choice B, if at all? Many things to consider. Sometimes the sheer volume of work can overwhelm you as a solo dev and make it difficult to maintain motivation. Especially since you can't really show off a buggy game the way you would a story excerpt or a rough sketch. Making to-do lists, especially towards the end of the development process when it seems like a million things are screaming for attention, helped me stay on task and break them down into smaller, more manageable chunks. I might not be able to bang out a 20,000-word route in a week, but I can certainly fix a bug that duplicates a character sprite. This is a medium where you have a lot to keep track of, and small details do add up in the end. Crossing tasks off your to-do list provides small wins that add up over time. That's why I decide that certain days are dedicated to specific kinds of work. Some days are for writing, others coding, etc. (Also, RenPy comes built in with its own list function called TODO, although I haven't personally played around with it yet.)

Although OaS technically features choices, thus making it not a kinetic novel in the strictest sense, it's still a very linear novel with only one branching path. There weren't any persistent variables other than the flag which determined your route placement, and it functioned much like an on/off switch. Which is why I have no idea how Random managed to bypass it. xP

This new project, on the other hand, is much less binary in its structure. It tracks seven variables for three different characters and calculates ending eligibility based on the accumulation of those variables. Which, just in terms of sheer coding, is A Lot(tm) to keep track of. I struggle to scale back the scope creep out of fears that a more standard visual novel experience will bore the player. It's likely that if you're playing a visual novel, you're not expecting a hack-and-slash, but ofc that won't prevent the monkey brain from clapping its hands at you like "Your game NEEDS more interactivity or you're gonna lose them!" That's the devil talking. Ignore him.

So then you're gonna be weeks into implementing a QTE, only to realize that the version of RenPy you downloaded bears a glitch that forces repeat interactions at inconvenient times and you might have to scrap that and do something else entirely.

Based on a true story. xP

[usafphantom2]

Russia would have deployed Su-57 fighters to attack targets in Ukraine

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 02/29/2024 - 16:00 in Military, War Zones

The Russian Air Force would have recently deployed its newest Su-57 fighter for combat operations, specifically targeting Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.

On February 18, 2024, an operation saw a Su-57, accompanied by two Su-35 jets, carry out a missile attack against Ukrainian military installations. The mission originated in the Luhansk region, currently under occupation, where the Su-57, accompanied by its escorts, penetrated Ukrainian airspace to carry out a missile launch, according to the Defence-blog website.

The operation involved the use of a Kh-69 stealth cruise missile designed exclusively for the Su-57. However, due to a malfunction, the missile deviated from the intended trajectory and fell into a field, failing to reach the target. Despite this setback, there were previous cases, specifically on February 7 and 8, in which Kh-69 was successfully used in air strikes. This missile, evolving from the Kh-59MK2, is compatible with several Russian military aircraft.

Some points about the mission are not yet clear. For example, there is a confusion about the type of Kh-59MK2 cruise missiles that would have been used. Strangely, a Su-57 would not normally need to cross Ukraine's airspace to hit targets in Luhansk. That's because the Kh-59MK2 can hit these targets even in the depths of Russia's borders.

Despite the uncertainty, it is known that there was some action in the region in early February. Ukrainian sources confirmed attacks involving Kh-59MK2 on the 7th and 8th. This missile is effective against small and fortified targets, proven by its successful previous use in Syria.

Although the Kh-59MK2 can reach targets up to 300 km away, it is small enough to fit inside the internal weapon compartments of the Su-57. This means that the plane can maintain a low radar profile. The most interesting thing is that no other "fifth generation" jet fighter is known to carry this type of missile internally.

It was also observed that the use of the state-of-the-art Su-57 in the missile attack against Ukraine served a dual purpose, with the intention of producing a military propaganda film. This production aims to demonstrate the feats of the Russian defense sector and is expected to play a significant role in the narrative that will precede the next presidential elections in Russia.

No official image was released of the Su-57 operation in Ukraine.

The Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO codename: Felon), Russia's main fifth-generation multifunctional poacher, represents a significant leap in the country's military aviation capabilities. Developed by Sukhoi, a subsidiary of United Aircraft Corporation, the Su-57 was designed to fulfill aerial and attack superiority functions, boasting advanced stealth technology, supersonic cruising speed and highly integrated avionics.

Despite its advanced capabilities, the development of the Su-57 faced challenges, including delays and excessive costs. However, it progressively advanced to operational status within the Russian Air Force, with the first production model delivered in 2020. The Su-57 is seen as a key component of Russia's future air combat capabilities, intended to challenge fifth-generation Western fighters, such as the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II.

In addition to its military role, the Su-57 is also positioned as a flagship project that shows Russia's technological prowess and its ability to produce a state-of-the-art stealth fighter that could potentially be offered for export to allied nations, further expanding its influence on global defense markets.

Tags: Military AviationRFSAF - Russian Federation Aerospace Force/Russian Aerospace ForceSukhoi Su-57 FelonWar Zones - Russia/Ukraine

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[trendingreportz]

Acetic Acid Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Acetic Acid Market Overview

Acetic Acid Market Size is forecast to reach $14978.6 Million by 2030, at a CAGR of 6.50% during forecast period 2024-2030. Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is a colorless organic liquid with a pungent odor. The functional group of acetic acid is methyl and it is the second simplest carboxylic acid. It is utilized as a chemical reagent in the production of many chemical compounds. The major use of acetic acid is in the manufacturing of vinyl acetate monomer, acetic anhydride, easter and vinegar. It is a significant industrial chemical and chemical reagent used in the production of photographic film, fabrics and synthetic fibers. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, from January to September 2021, the combined operating revenue of 12,557 major Chinese garment companies was US$163.9 billion, showing a 9% increase. Thus, the growth of the textile industry is propelling the market growth for Acetic Acid.

Report Coverage

The “Acetic Acid Market Report – Forecast (2024-2030)” by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments in the Acetic Acid industry.

By Form: Liquid and Solid.

By Grade: Food grade, Industrial grade, pharmaceutical grade and Others.

By Application: Vinyl Acetate Monomer, Purified Terephthalic Acid, Ethyl Acetate, Acetic Anhydride, Cellulose Acetate, Acetic Esters, Dyes, Vinegar, Photochemical and Others 

By End-use Industry: Textile, Medical and Pharmaceutical, Oil and Gas, Food and Beverages, Agriculture, Household Cleaning Products, Plastics, Paints & Coating and Others.

By Geography: North America (the USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Belgium and the Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and the Rest of South America) and the Rest of the World (the Middle East and Africa).

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Key Takeaways

The notable use of Acetic Acid in the food and beverages segment is expected to provide a significant growth opportunity to increase the Acetic Acid Market size in the coming years. As per the US Food and Agriculture Organization, world meat production reached 337 million tonnes in 2019, up by 44% from 2000.

The notable demand for vinyl acetate monomer in a range of industries such as textile finishes, plastics, paints and adhesives is driving the growth of the Acetic Acid Market. 

Increase in demand for vinegar in the food industry is expected to provide substantial growth opportunities for the industry players in the near future in the Acetic Acid industry.

Acetic Acid Market Segment Analysis – by Application

The vinyl acetate monomer segment held a massive 44% share of the Acetic Acid Market share in 2021. Acetic acid is an important carboxylic acid and is utilized in the preparation of metal acetates and printing processes, industrially. For industrial purposes, acetic acid is manufactured by air oxidation of acetaldehyde with the oxidation of ethanol, butane and butene. Acetic acid is extensively used to produce vinyl acetate which is further used in formulating polyvinyl acetate. Polyvinyl acetate is employed in the manufacturing of plastics, paints, textile finishes and adhesives. Thus, several benefits associated with the use of vinyl acetate monomer is boosting the growth and is expected to account for a significant share of the Acetic Acid Market.

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Acetic Acid Market Segment Analysis – by End-use Industry

The food and beverages segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period in the Acetic Acid Market. Acetic Acid is also known as ethanoic acid and is most extensively used in the production of vinyl acetate monomer. Vinyl acetate is largely used in the production of cellulose acetate which is further used in several industrial usage such as textiles, photographic films, solvents for resins, paints and organic esters. PET bottles are manufactured using acetic acid and are further utilized as food containers and beverage bottles. In food processing plants, acetic acid is largely used as cleaning and disinfecting products. Acetic acid is extensively used in producing vinegar which is widely used as a food additive in condiments and the pickling of vegetables. According to National Restaurant Association, the foodservice industry is forecasted to reach US$898 billion by 2022. Thus, the advances in the food and beverages industry are boosting the growth of the Acetic Acid Market. 

Acetic Acid Market Segment Analysis – by Geography

Asia-Pacific held a massive 41% share of the Acetic Acid Market in 2021. This growth is mainly attributed to the presence of numerous end-use industries such as textile, food and beverages, agriculture, household cleaning products, plastics and paints & coatings. Growth in urbanization and an increase in disposable income in this region have further boosted the industrial growth in this region. Acetic acid is extensively used in the production of metal acetates, vinyl acetate and vinegar which are further utilized in several end-use industries. Also, Asia-Pacific is one of the major regions in the domain of plastic production which provides substantial growth opportunities for the companies in the region. According to Plastic Europe, China accounted for 32% of the world's plastic production. Thus, the significant growth in several end-use industries in this region is also boosting the growth of the Acetic Acid Market.

Acetic Acid Market Drivers 

Growth in the textile industry:

Acetic Acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is widely used in the production of metal acetate and vinyl acetate which are further used in the production of chemical reagents in textiles, photographic films, paints and volatile organic esters. In the textile industry, acetic acid is widely used in textile printing and dyes. According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in 2020, textile and garment exports from China increased by 9.6% to US$291.22 billion. Also, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, from January to September 2021, apparel exports increased by 28.94% to US$4.385 billion, while textile mill products rose by 17.31% to US$12.365 billion. Vinyl acetate monomer is utilized in the textile industry to produce synthetic fibers. Thus, the global growth in demand for textiles is propelling the growth and is expected to account for a significant share of the Acetic Acid Market size.

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Surge in use of vinegar in the food industry:

The rapid surge in population along with the adoption of a healthy and sustainable diet has resulted in an increase in demand for food items, thereby increasing the global production level of food items. As per US Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2019, global fruit production went up to 883 million tonnes, showing an increase of 54% from 2000, while global vegetable production was 1128 million tonnes, showing an increase of 65%. Furthermore, world meat production reached 337 million tonnes in 2019, showing an increase of 44% from 2000. Acetic acid is majorly used in the preparation of vinegar which is further widely utilized as a food ingredient and in personal care products. Vinegar is used in pickling liquids, marinades and salad dressings. It also helps to reduce salmonella contamination in meat and poultry products. Furthermore, acetic acid and its sodium salts are used as a food preservative. Thus, the surge in the use of vinegar in the food industry is boosting the growth of the Acetic Acid Market.

Acetic Acid Market Challenge

Adverse impact of acetic acid on human health:

Acetic Acid is considered a strong irritant to the eye, skin and mucous membrane. Prolong exposure to and inhalation of acetic acid may cause irritation to the nose, eyes and throat and can also damage the lungs. The workers who are exposed to acetic acid for more than two or three years have witnessed upper respiratory tract irritation, conjunctival irritation and hyperkeratotic dermatitis. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reveals that the standard exposure to airborne acetic acid is eight hours. Furthermore, a common product of acetic acid i.e., vinegar can cause gastrointestinal tract inflammatory conditions such as indigestion on excess consumption. Thus, the adverse impact of Acetic Acid may hamper the market growth. 

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Acetic Acid Industry Outlook

The top 10 companies in the Acetic Acid Market are:

Celanese Corporation

Eastman Chemical Company

LyondellBasell

British Petroleum

Helm AG

Pentoky Organy

Dow Chemicals

Indian Oil Corporation

Daicel Corporation

Jiangsu Sopo (Group) Co. Ltd.

Recent Developments

In March 2021, Celanese Corporation announced the investment to expand the production facility of vinyl portfolio for the company’s acetyl chain and derivatives in Europe and Asia.

In April 2020, Celanese Corporation delayed the construction of its new acetic acid plant and expansion of its methanol production by 18 months at the Clear Lake site in Texas.

In October 2019, BP and Chian’s Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Corporation signed MOU in order to create a joint venture to build a 1 million tonne per annum Acetic Acid plant in eastern China.

Key Market Players:

The Top 5 companies in the Acetic Acid Market are:

Celanese Corporation

Ineos Group Limited

Eastman Chemical Company

LyondellBasell Industries N.V.

Helm AG

For more Chemicals and Materials Market reports, please click here

[snoodls]

2023 art retrospective! ✨

I can't believe I'm writing one of these again already; where did this year go??

Looking back on this past year, wow! I can see and feel my confidence with my art growing tremendously. Finally it feels like I'm comfortable with tools and the process. I'm not totally lost when I open a canvas; there's a sense of reassurance that I can do it, and if I can't, I will figure it out along the way. 

Overall, finding time, space, and energy for art proves to be both exceedingly difficult and yet the only thing that I want to do when I get home. I know logically this is mostly because of my job--new office, new boss, new responsibilities, new position--and a few huge life transitions, but when you're someone who makes things who is not making things, it can be rough seas in the brain soup.

I think a major theme for this year was getting back into creative habits. It's an annual tradition at this point to nosedive into an artist's block death spiral. February into March into April...were all lean months for my creativity. Intense job/interpersonal stuff plus news of two of my big art inspirations both suddenly dying...the world hit me hard in these months.

I owe a lot to Lynda Barry's Making Comics for giving me my spark back and for helping to heal a part of me that I didn't realize was so broken and bruised. I remember when I picked the book up around my birthday; the cashier said the book made her cry and I didn't understand. I asked why, and she said "It's just healing." I was skeptical, but now I get it. I've been observing more, giving more credence to my creativity, and being less afraid of making a "bad" drawing.

Now I've been focusing on creating portfolio pieces that I'm proud of and happy to display in my space, as well as finally getting around to my hoard of accumulated characters. I've been picking away at my personal site and uploading much more to toyhouse to keep track of them all.

The last month or so has been completely consumed by making gifts, meeting deadlines, finishing owed art, continuing special projects 👀...so I haven't had much of a presence here. I've been doing lots of traditional art--getting back into acrylic painting and hopefully back into oils soon. I started pine needle basket weaving and have made 2.25 baskets so far! it's a long, tedious, menial process, but it's so satisfying to have something physical (and functional) that you've worked on for hours. I've also been living in my sketchbook the past week--practicing with pens, markers, and practicing itself. I've been conditioned to have the sketchbook be a precious space, and I am trying my best to break out of that. If you want to see some of my traditional sketches and offline stuff, I made a little collage for this year's picks too. ↬ sketchbook 2023

I think for next year I'd like to continue finding better balances--in how I spend my time, how I can spend my time...and to continue pushing myself out of my comfort zone with experiments and messiness. I want to continue being creative in so many more mediums--more film photography and video, hopefully!

In my sketchbook I wrote this meandering paragraph that I want to share: this is a living document--of breath, of movement, not of polished stasis. I reject capitalistic notions of being "industrious" "beautiful" "marketable" "pristine" and on public display at all times. I am not a product to be consumed; neither is my work. I embrace the messy, the incomplete, and the ugly. I refuse to tailor myself to an unseen audience. We thirst for the drafts, the brushstrokes, the incomplete works of the famous. Is this because, in our minds, this makes them more human? Less untouchably great? Or do we see ourselves in the struggles and not in the finished pieces? How charitable is that reading? What I would give to see my inspirations' marker streaks, their 12yo sparkledogs. Framing these byproducts--there's that word again--as art reframes them, reframes myself. To be human is to mark-make, to scribble in the dirt. I hear they reconstruct civilizations from stuff like that.

All my best to you & yours, and happy new year!

art featured: garden ghost | Vagabonds - Aqua Fria River | 6040 elk? | i'll still be around | blue sky | umm hihihi omg hi ...? | porcelain | nothing to remember | Lacquer | river bed-time

[louisupdates]

BMG Layoffs Hit Dozens in Film/TV, Theatrical & Marketing Departments – Billboard

Kristin Robinson | Oct 28, 2023

BMG terminated about 40 employees on Thursday (Oct. 27), sources within the company tell Billboard. The layoffs “discontinued” its international marketing department for recordings as well as its Modern Recordings label and “discontinued” its “New York theatrical productions initiative” and “the active commissioning of new films,” according to an internal memo obtained by Billboard. It took place on the day of the New York office’s annual Halloween party, says a source.

The eliminations include company leaders like Fred Casimir (executive vp, global repertoire) and Jason Hradil (senior vp, global repertoire) and affected employees in its Berlin, New York, and Los Angeles offices. A source within the company fears there are more layoffs to come and believes the layoffs may be a result of the company hiring the consulting firm McKinsey & Company in recent months.

After employees were notified they were being laid off, the company hosted a call with the U.S. recorded music team — including those who were let go — according to a source within the company.

“Everyone at BMG says it feels like a venture capital firm now and not a record label,” laments an employee. “Things got dark real fast, and it bums me out watching a lot of amazing people lose their jobs right before the holidays.”

In a video call hosted by CEO Thomas Coesfeld, the leader explained that the restructuring was part of the implementation of its new strategy, BMG Next, according to an internal memo shared with Billboard. “The international marketing team was set up five years ago in response to the needs of the company at the time,” he said to senior managers. “Our talented team has done a great job, driving international campaigns for artists including Lenny Kravitz, Kylie Minogue, and Louis Tomlinson, but unfortunately on a business level, expectations from this novel structure were not met and it created duplication of functions with local teams. The clear business decision is to instead give artists a single contact point with their local repertoire teams.”

A BMG spokesperson declined to comment beyond providing the memo.

In the last year, BMG — which represents talent like Jelly Roll, Halsey and Lainey Wilson as well as certain rights to the catalogs of Tina Turner, Peter Frampton, Mötley Crüe, and more — has made a number of significant business changes. In January, its longstanding chief executive Hartwig Masuch announced he would retire and would be succeeded by then-CFO Coesfeld, effective Jan. 1, 2024. On April 18, BMG claimed it would be the first music company to fully integrate its catalog and frontline music operations. On May 17, Masuch announced he would accelerate Coesfeld’s transition to CEO to July 1 instead.

In September, BMG announced it was winding down its agreement with Warner Music Group’s ADA and would be taking over direct management of its 80-billion-stream digital distribution later this year. (Digital revenues contributed 70% of BMG’s overall revenues in 2022.) Last week, BMG also announced it would be partnering with UMG’s commercial services division for the distribution of its physical recorded music. Coesfeld described the deal as the first project of a burgeoning “alliance” between the two music companies.

UPDATE: This article was updated Oct. 28 at 7:28 p.m. e.t. to quote an internal memo’s characterization of layoffs across departments.

[apcseo]

Finolex Industries Honors Plumbers and Strengthens Brand Position with Inspiring Film

Finolex Industries, a leading manufacturer of PVC pipes and fittings in India, has reinforced its status as one of the most trusted and durable pipe brands in the country. The company recently launched a captivating film titled ‘Peedhiyan Badlengi, Pipe Nahin’ (Generations will change, not the pipe) to express its heartfelt gratitude to millions of plumbers who have played an integral role in its brand journey. The film celebrates the enduring trust, support, and growing connections among various stakeholders associated with Finolex Pipes. Through its storytelling, the film showcases the remarkable collaboration of three generations of plumbers and emphasises the success of those who have long been associated with Finolex Pipes, proudly endorsing its products and brand.

Plumbers, often unsung heroes in the construction industry, play a vital role in ensuring the efficient functioning of water supply and drainage systems. They are instrumental in connecting homes, offices, and public spaces with reliable and durable plumbing solutions. Finolex Industries acknowledges the immense contribution of plumbers and expresses its gratitude through the heartwarming film, which serves as a tribute to their dedication and expertise.

The film ‘Peedhiyan Badlengi, Pipe Nahin’ beautifully captures the essence of Finolex Pipes’ journey and the deep connection it shares with the plumbing community. By leveraging the power of storytelling, the film creates an emotional bond with viewers, evoking feelings of trust, admiration, and loyalty.

The film showcases the enduring legacy of Finolex Pipes by portraying three generations of plumbers who have worked hand in hand with the brand. It highlights the long-standing association between these plumbers and Finolex Pipes, emphasizing the trust and reliability that have been passed down through the years. The film’s narrative emphasizes how these plumbers have witnessed the evolving landscape of the industry while remaining committed to using Finolex Pipes as their preferred choice.

Throughout the film, the emphasis is placed on the unwavering trust and confidence that plumbers have in Finolex Pipes. By showcasing the testimonials and endorsements of experienced plumbers who have relied on Finolex products for decades, the film establishes the brand’s commitment to delivering superior quality and durability. This portrayal further strengthens the image of Finolex Industries as a trustworthy and reliable provider of plumbing solutions.

Finolex Industries understands the significance of building lasting connections with its stakeholders. By recognizing and celebrating the contributions of plumbers, the film deepens the bond between the brand, its products, and the plumbing community. It acknowledges the plumbers’ instrumental role in the success of Finolex Pipes and conveys the message that generations may change, but the quality and reliability of Finolex Pipes will remain constant.

Finolex Industries, a leading manufacturer of PVC pipes and fittings in India, has taken a significant step in strengthening its brand position with the release of the film ‘Peedhiyan Badlengi, Pipe Nahin.’ Created in collaboration with the marketing agency, the film expresses heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated plumbers who have been an integral part of Finolex Pipes’ journey. By highlighting the enduring trust, support, and connections within the plumbing community, the film emphasizes the reliability and quality of Finolex Pipes. Through the power of storytelling, the film establishes a deep emotional connection with viewers and further solidifies Finolex Industries’ position as a trusted and durable pipe brand in India.

This post was originally published on: Apppl Combine

[shraviya]

Repurposing Existing Content for SEO: Using It to Boost Rankings

An Overview of Repurposing Content Content is king in the digital world, but producing new content on a regular basis can take a lot of time and resources. This is when reusing content becomes relevant. Repurposing old content entails changing its format or repackaging it to make it more accessible to new audiences and prolong its shelf life. By repurposing your existing content assets, you may increase their value instead of beginning from scratch every time. Content repurposing is an affordable means to improve your content strategy and increase your search engine optimization efforts. It can involve converting blog entries into podcasts, films, infographics, or guides, or gathering pre-existing content into full guides or eBooks.

Advantages of SEO Repurposing material can save time and resources while also offering significant benefits for Digital Marketing and SEO. Repurposing your content into new formats and distributing it across a range of media can increase its visibility and reach. By targeting different long-tail keywords and phrases, repurposing also improves your website's organic search exposure.

Additionally, carefully repurposing material can increase social media shares and backlinks, two important search engine ranking variables. In general, content repurposing boosts the effectiveness of your search engine optimization (SEO) campaigns by boosting the authority of your website in search engine results pages, boosting traffic, and improving content relevancy.

Evaluating Your Content Doing a comprehensive inventory of your current material is crucial before you begin reusing it. Start by classifying your material according to performance metrics, audience fit, and relevancy to your current objectives and target audience. Determine the best-performing articles, timeless material, and subjects that could be explored further. To determine the level of interest in your audience, pay attention to engagement indicators like time on page, social shares, and page views. Through a thorough assessment of your content library, you may identify potential repurposing opportunities and efficiently allocate resources to optimize impact and relevance.

Identifying Possibilities Finding possible repurposing options is the next step after evaluating your content collection. Seek for content that can be built upon to cover relevant topics in greater detail or that works well across a variety of forms. Think about the formats that best suit your content objectives and connect with your target audience. Analyze audience questions, comments, and feedback as well to identify areas that require more research or explanation.

Adapting Techniques Repurposing content entails changing its format to increase its visibility in search results and appeal to a wider audience. Written content can be transformed into infographics or other visual representations, or it can be adapted for new media like podcasts or videos. Compiling relevant materials into a comprehensive resource is another function of roundup posts and content compilations. Maintaining the relevance of evergreen material requires regular updates. You may efficiently cater to a wide range of audience tastes, optimize your content for several platforms, and extend its longevity by implementing these tactics.

Techniques for SEO Optimization Using efficient Search Engine Optimization(SEO) strategies is essential when repurposing material. To target suitable terms, start by conducting keyword research. Use keywords to enhance headers, meta descriptions, and titles. To increase authority, deliberately use both internal and external linkages. Incorporate descriptive text to maximize multimedia features as well. You may increase the exposure of your content and draw in organic traffic by implementing these strategies.

Distribution on Social Media Make thoughtful use of social media channels to increase the visibility of recycled material. Find and target platforms that are popular with your audience. Create enticing images and captions to promote interaction. Posts should be timed for maximum visibility, and material should be modified to suit the particulars of each platform. You may increase the reach of reused material and increase traffic to your website by strategically distributing it on social media.

Tracking Outcomes Monitor data for repurposed material such as website traffic, engagement, and conversions on a constant basis. Analyze audience behavior using analytics tools, then modify your strategy accordingly. To assess performance, keep an eye on social media analytics, backlinks, and search engine rankings. You can improve tactics and future content efforts by analyzing results on a regular basis and applying data-driven insights.

By optimizing already-existing content assets, content repurposing is a powerful strategy for improving search engine optimization (SEO) performance. By means of methodical repurposing and optimization, it is possible to increase visibility, draw in fresh audiences, and enhance search engine results. Ongoing success is ensured by keeping an eye on outcomes and modifying tactics in response to new information. Accept content repurposing to maximize the value of your material and improve search engine optimization (SEO) campaigns.

[pearlsmith25]

Redefining Boundaries: The Global Reach of the Functional Films Market

The Functional Films Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 9.02 Mn in 2023 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.6% over the forecast period 2023 to 2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

Market Overview: Functional films refer to thin films that provide protection, optics, adhesion or electronics functions. They are used in various end use industries including electronics, automotive, construction and solar energy. Functional films offer advantages such as protection against water, chemicals, UV rays, prevention of fogging and condensation. There is rising demand for functional films from various industries owing to their properties like thermal insulation, durability and energy efficiency.

Market key trends: Rising demand for energy efficient films from the construction industry is a key trend driving the functional films market. Growing need to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from buildings has increased the adoption of energy efficient functional films. These films help to regulate indoor temperature, provide thermal insulation and reduce heat loss. According to research, implementation of energy efficient films can reduce energy consumption from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems by up to 20%. stringent government regulations regarding energy efficiency in buildings in various countries is further promoting the use of functional films.

Porter's Analysis

Threat of new entrants: Low capital requirement poses moderate threat for new players to enter the market.

Bargaining power of buyers: Presence of numerous buyers for functional films reduces buyer's power in price negotiation.

Bargaining power of suppliers: Global presence of film manufacturers keeps supplier's bargaining power in check.

Threat of new substitutes: Emerging technologies in barrier films pose marginal threat of product substitution.

Competitive rivalry: Intense competition among existing players to gain market share.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths: Technological advancements producing films with high barrier and mechanical properties.

Weaknesses: High R&D costs and dependence on raw material price fluctuations.

Opportunities: Rising demand from electronics, automotive and construction industries. Growing adoption of eco-friendly films offers opportunities.

Threats: Stringent environmental regulations and availability of alternatives restrain market growth.

Key Takeaways

The global functional films market is expected to witness high growth, exhibiting CAGR of 5.6% over the forecast period, due to increasing usage in electronics and automotive industries. Asia Pacific dominates the global market and is expected to grow at fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to large manufacturing base and growing electronics industry in China and India.

Regional analysis indicates North America is the second largest market for functional films. Presence of major automotive manufacturers is a key factor driving market growth. In Europe, Germany holds significant share due to well-established automotive industry.

Key players operating in the functional films are 3M, Toray Industries, Inc., Nagase & Co. Ltd., Eastman Chemical Company, and Tatsuta Electric Wire & Cable Co., Ltd. Key players focus on new product development and capacity expansion to strengthen market position.

[romanceyourdemons]

yasujirō ozu’s first film after wwii, records of a tenement gentleman (1947), depicts the postwar social experience in a way that interestingly converges with other contemporary films, particularly the italian neorealist films rome, open city (1945) and bicycle thieves (1948). in terms of visual style, all three films share similar minimalist and hyper-natural sensibilities; however, i believe this is more coincidence than evidence of larger patterns, given that ozu had been developing that visual style for multiple decades by 1947 whereas roberto rossellini’s visuals, and indirectly the visuals of de sica and all those who imitated him, were shaped by rossellini’s desperately low postwar budget, which even forced him to buy his filmstock on the black market. however, the visuals are not the only elements the films have in common. in all three films, the theme of children and the uncommonly great responsibility of the next generation forms the center of the film. the main characters are all adults, whose ability to function as parents has been blunted or amputated by the cynicism and economic struggles that accompany the survival and aftermath of an all-consuming war. although the main characters are adults, the adults’ actions all center around the well-being of children, or rather a specific, precocious, all-but-abandoned boy. this boy stands in for the entire next generation, which, in the postwar fears of ozu, rossellini, and de sica, is given a deeply scarring and unstable upbringing by their war-scarred parents despite the children’s responsibility of building a healed world free of their parents’ struggles. despite being made in film industries with virtually no dialogue with each other, records of a tenement gentleman (1947) shares clear common themes with rome, open city (1945) and bicycle thieves (1948), pointing at larger social anxieties in the immediate postwar world

[patrochillesvibes]

Hi. Are you in for a modern AU where Achilles is a spoiled bratty trophy husband for real? He could be like 19 or 20 years old(early 20s at best) and there is a 20+ age gap here between him and Patroclus. If u r okay with it, care to share more of your thoughts or HCs?

This is gonna be tough bcs to me that’s a sugar daddy scenario, but I’ll try. Let’s see���

Plot scenarios…

Perhaps Achilles is an athlete. Maybe he’s training for the Olympics (gymnastics, track) or is a professional soccer player. There’s a competition. Something goes wrong (perhaps he’s distracted by a fight with his coach), and he has an accident (broken ankle). Pat is his physical therapist. They slowly fall in love through his appointments. Soon after, he retires from his sport and lives with his philtatos.  

Or maybe Pat is a high-profile lawyer. Rich and successful. He’s not corrupt per say, but he cares a great deal about money and winning. So corporate law? Or you could continue TSOA Pat’s SJW attitude and have him as family law/divorce attorney. In any case, he does some trust administering for an important client (or if you want it spicier, one of the firm’s partners). This includes dishing out a monthly annuity to the mysterious son, Achilles. If you want it dark, Achilles would have a drug problem or is a sex worker. For lighter fare, he’s a nepo baby. Pat can see that he’s hurting inside, and he starts to help him heal over the course of their monthly meetings. Pat eventually “rescues” him from his situation and they fall in love.

Hm. Pat is an executive for some company. Achilles is interning in the marketing department. He hates it. He’s a gen z in a room full of gen x. They just don’t get the nuances of ig and tiktok. Maybe Pat oversees marketing? Achilles would be a shameless flirt, trying to seduce him. For extra spice, instead of a typical college student Achilles is the son of a member of the board! How forbidden. I see a runaway lovers angle here. They uncover a scandal with the company. Achilles anonymously calls the Feds. Achilles and Pat run off to one of those islands billionaires hide in. Achilles’ took his dad’s secret stash of money for them to live off of. For an extra twist, there actually was no corruption. It was a setup. By Pat and Achilles for the purposes of getting Peluses’ money (think of the movie Wild Things)!

General HCs…

Achilles is extremely high maintenance. He requires attention 24/7. He’s a princess.

Lot’s of texting. It varies between bratty pouting for something (new designer shoes, a vacation), telling Pat he misses him and just being generally clingy, and sexts. There is always some level of sexting daily. If he’s out and about, it’s pictures of his feet. When he’s getting ready, he always includes a pic of the underwear he’s wearing. If Pat is working late, then it’s sexy pics of what he’ll be finding in the bedroom when he gets home. Innocent suggestive pics (e.g. drinking a cocktail through a straw) are also common. If Pat is away at a conference, then there’s video with toys. And they absolutely have nasty phone sex. Oh, and Achilles likes to film them fucking without Pat’s knowledge or consent. In Achilles’ mind this is okay bcs the vids are for use during conferences.

Pat has a foot kink, so Achilles frequents exclusive spas for regular pedicures. There’s lots of “live tweeting” of this. The first chance he gets, Pat will head to the men’s room at work and jerk off. Achilles has an entire closet devoted to shoes. There are quite a lot of high heels (for play).

Work functions are quite intense. Achilles’ doesn’t play well with other girls, so-to-speak. He’s catty and all the other wives hate him. Pat is his and he will cut a bitch if she even thinks about trying. Pat’s colleagues have mixed feelings. His boss (who’s very old) doesn’t understand that they’re gay and finds Achilles BPD personality extremely entertaining. This works somewhat in Pat’s favor bcs he’s somewhat of his boss’ favorite now. There are a few colleagues that Achilles considers an enemy coughBriseiscoughOdysseuscough. These are the ones who keep telling Pat to divorce Achilles. Anyways, at these functions Achilles tends to hang off Pat’s arm and grope his butt. Achilles likes (expensive) alcohol and has a high tolerance. Pat has to keep an eye on his consumption so that he doesn’t go too far beyond tipsy. Hungover Achilles is no fun.  

Achilles regularly wears a bit of makeup (eyeliner and mascara). He also has a variety of lipsticks and lip-glosses. All of this is for blow job aesthetics. Does choaking on cock really count if your mascara isn’t running? Speaking of blow jobs, Achilles has Pat trained. Achilles always pulls his hair back into a ponytail for bjs. So whenever Pat sees hair elastics or Achilles putting up his hair, he gets hard. It’s an involuntary reaction at this point.

Pat is a pretty brutal dom in the bedroom. This Pat fucks. He likes to call Achilles dirty, naughty, slut, cock whore, hole, cocksleave. There’s a lot of possessiveness over property (this is my hole, your orgasms are mine). There’s a lot of bondage, blindfolds, breath play, and impact play. There’s some sissy play too (Pat likes to refer to Achilles’ anus as a pussy). Achilles is regularly turned into a senseless drooling mess. When it comes to punishment, cock cage. Pat will do this especially when he’s away for a long time. They both enjoy public sex. Members of the mile high club. In restaurants there’s a lot of touching under the table and restroom sex. In traffic, there’s a lot of bjs. And when they’re shopping or running errands, Achilles wears a vibe that Pat controls with an app.

Achilles is active. He’s in the gym daily.

Achilles has a small core group of friends, all trophy wives.

(This is actually a topic I’m passionate about. Achilles really doesn’t have any friends. He just has Pat. Sure he’s fighting alongside others, but let’s face it he’s a prima donna. When they get back to camp he goes directly to their tent. Now when he was young before he met Pat there were admirers, but once Pat came along that was it. The only time in TSOA where he interacts with others in a “casual” setting is Skyros. So in AU settings I don’t see Achilles as having male friends. He has a few female friends, but the dynamic is perhaps more of Mean Girls (or maybe there was comradery and they bonded over forbidden love). If he has any male friends it would be with his cousin Ajax.)

Back to the friends… Monday is brunch, Tuesday is Yoga class, Wednesday is spa day. They also watch the Bachelor and get into heated debates over it. Most of them are low-key alcoholics.

Date night is Friday night. Every. Week. It’s a whole event for Achilles. He spends the whole day getting ready (special bath soak, special skin creams, hair mask and salon visit, douching, etc.). Pat always gives him flowers (roses, peonies). His ig is full of all his beautiful bouquets and arrangements. They go to an expensive restaurant. Then it’s back home for some play.

Gifts are important. Achilles is expensive. Lingerie is probably the most common gift. Then maybe jewelry (anklets, earrings, necklaces, some bangles, watches)… Pat is a health-conscious Dom, so there aren’t too many sweets being gifted. No drugs. No smoking (which is a crime bcs a cigar belongs in Pat’s hand). But Pat will splurge on very expensive wine and champagne. Pat enjoys bourbon and brandy.

Achilles is particular about clothes and has excellent taste. Pat gives him a big clothing budget. Except suits, Achilles selects most of Pat’s clothes (lots of coordinated outfits). Pat’s suits are bespoke, but Achilles usually goes with him for fittings. He will give input on colors and styles.

Achilles does not drive. Pat will drive him, or his friends will pick him up. In a scenario where Pat is extremely wealthy, then they have a driver. Feel bad for the driver because there is a lot of nasty things happening behind the partition. Pat drives expensive cars, but he has class so none of that sports car bs with flashy shit like Lotus or Ferrari or Bugatti. Pat is more of a Maserati and BMW guy. Maybe a Porche. Extremely wealthy Pat might go for an Aston Martin but it will depend.

And obviously Achilles does not cook and clean. There’s a lot of uber eats. Achilles does know how to make drinks. On stressful days Achilles will have Pat’s favorite drink ready for him. Maids come in to clean. They go through a lot of maid companies. They’re the weird gay guys with weird stuff going on in their house and no one wants to work for them. For this reason, laundry is a pickup/delivery dry cleaning service. It is used frequently.

They do a lot of traveling. There’s always a winter ski trip and trip to the islands. Summer is for trips to Europe. They have visited the big cities in Asia as well. And Dubai. But they have to be careful with their destinations as not everywhere is queer friendly. They do a lot of shopping and touristy stuff when they travel. Achilles isn’t afraid to get dirty, but physical activities (hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling, sky diving etc.) is not the main event of their travels. Remember, as a trophy husband his main purpose is to be pretty.

[trulyinspiringmovies]

Avatar

“Avatar” was a fun time, even on a smaller screen, and seems unfairly criticized in some aspects and justifiably criticized in other aspects.

Jake Sully is a former Marine who has lost the ability to use his legs. In the year 2154, the technology to restore his limbs is available, but not with the money made by a veteran. After the death of his twin brother, Jake is offered to take his place on the Avatar project. The project would allow Jake to transfer his consciousness into the lab-grown body of a Na’vi. The reason Jake was chosen is because he shares the same genome as his brother and the Avatar would only work with him. Now, Jake must learn about the Na’vi culture to help the military mine the lucrative Unobtanium from their Hometree.

Just a quick thing before getting in the review; I watched the Extended Edition for this review. I’ve never seen the movie prior to that, so the Extended Edition, and the post-watch research I did, are all that I have to go by. With that out of the way, here’s my review. I had a great time with this film. The visuals were spectacular and I only wish I would’ve gone out to see the re-release in theaters that happened a couple of months ago. This is definitely a theater-experience movie. The reason I didn’t watch it back in 2009 was because I was 11 years old and I was rewatching “Coraline” in 3D in theaters for the third time. There were some criticisms of the story ripping off from other stories like “Pocahontas” and “Fern Gully’. The last time I watched “Pocahontas” was in early elementary school and I never watched “Fern Gully”, so the comparisons didn’t stick out to me immediately. Still, I don’t think it’s a fair criticism because most movies borrow from others and add minor tweaks. There is no such thing as complete originality. It’s crazy to think Quentin Tarantino movies get praised for being remixes of his influence, but this movie gets criticized for it. I do think the ‘white savior’ criticisms are valid. I’m not in a position to weigh in on the discussion, but I do acknowledge that it’s a problem in Hollywood. Still, the movie’s main draw isn’t the story, it’s the visuals. It does a damn good job of transporting you into a whole new world. Granted, I did have minor nitpicks about it. For starters, every creature felt like an ‘alienified’ version of an animal we have here on Earth. Second, it felt like the animals were made to be spectacles, rather than functional. It sort of takes me out of the movie when I’m thinking about how all these animals evolved to have some sort of biological neural link. There’s also this flying amphibian thing that rotates like a helicopter and I couldn’t help but think how disadvantageous it would’ve been for this creature to evolve with that trait. Another tiny nitpick I had was when Jake Sully has to fend for himself overnight and he makes a torch by dipping a stick in some sort of liquid. I don’t know how he knew that the goop was flammable, but I guess it doesn’t matter all too much. I thought a lot of the characters were one-dimensional, especially the villains. Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully was serviceable, but his bad acting really stood out next to Zoe Saldana’s brilliant performance as Neytiri. Usually, I’m critical of movies that go on for too long, but I didn’t feel the long runtime with this movie. The pacing felt great and everything scene seemed important to the overall story. I think the great script is to thank here and it’s impressive that James Cameron is the only writing credit. All in all, I can see why this movie was the number one highest-grossing film for the longest time. It’s not the most perfect movie, but it smartly marketed itself as the ultimate theater-going experience. It has amazing visuals, high-stakes set pieces, and genuinely makes you feel like you’ve been transported to another world. It’s crowd-pleasing and it's super fun if you don’t think too hard about it, which is easy to do with the visuals stealing so much of your focus. I will not make the same mistake of not watching the sequel in the theaters. I’ve already got my tickets to watch it in Dolby Cinema 3D and I cannot wait.

★★★★

Watched on December 30th, 2022

[witchern]

if you wouldn’t mind, may i ask how you got into your career? did you get a degree in it, what is your degree? how long did it take you to progress in the field?

totally disregard this if it’s too much! i just noticed your about and i’ve followed you for awhile and im a bit interested in the field you’re in!

omg of course, i don't mind at all! i actually kinda love talking about it – i'm the type of loser who genuinely likes their career (even though you WILL still see me bitching about the stupid aspects of it lmao).

under a cut because i am apparently incapable of shutting up!!

so i actually kinda fell into this line of work out of desperation lmao. i was originally trying to get a job in book publishing after i graduated college which is, like....notoriously difficult to break into. so after struggling for so damn long, i was at my wit's end when i had a thought like, "well, i grew up using social media. i'm on it all the time. i know how it works. lemme see if i can finagle this into a resume."

and then somehow it fucking worked??? i saw a job posting looking for a social media person to work specifically on this one company's twitter and tumblr accounts. yes, they were on tumblr. in 2016. and they needed someone who knew how it worked and how to run a blog. i was the only terminally online loser who fit the bill, and that's literally how i got started.

as far as degrees go, i majored in creative writing. social media degrees/studies were only JUST getting off the ground when i graduated, so it wasn't much of a thing back then. everything i know was either self-taught or learned via the WONDERFUL community of social media managers i've found over the years. there are SO many people who work in this field who are eager to help each other out, because the irony of it all is that it's.....kind of an isolating job? even though you're basically the frontline/mouthpiece of the company, your coworkers tend to forget about you. i've been left out of whole entire marketing meetings because they figured they could just hand me a pile of random content with ZERO context and i'd just be able to magically piece everything together by myself. so it's nice to have a community of folks that have been through the same struggles and can act as a shoulder for you to lean on when things get frustrating. and yeah, if i ever have a question about anything – from "what's a reasonable salary range for this position" to "what the fuck is going on with the instagram algorithm today" – someone will always answer.

and as for job progression, it's funny – when it comes to the actual job function, i haven't really "risen" up the ranks that much, but i LIKE it that way! i don't want to be a manager or anything like that – i really do love being the person who gets to dream up the content, write the captions, film the videos (sometimes), and figure out the best ways to share them. i've worked at 4 different companies since 2016 and by total coincidence, at each company i was the first person they'd ever hired to run social media as a single entity, rather than just handing it off to an employee who already had a full-time job of their own. so that means i also get to set all the benchmarks and design all the platform strategies from scratch – which sounds daunting but again, i'm the kind of loser who finds that shit fun lmao. it's partly creative and partly analytical, so it never gets boring.

ANYWAY yeah, can you tell i love chatting about this stuff lmao. it started out with me bullshitting my way into that first job by being like "i've been terminally online since 2009, please hire me" and now i actually DO know what i'm doing. kind of nuts!! i love it lol 💕

[amrutmnm]

Projections indicate that the Drone Services Market Size is poised for significant growth, with an estimated increase from USD 17.0 billion in 2023 to USD 57.8 billion by 2028, demonstrating a noteworthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.7% during this period.

The drone market size continues to expand as the drone services industry evolves, offering a diverse range of services for both remotely controlled and autonomously flown drones. This industry integrates software-controlled flight plans into drones' embedded systems, making it a critical component in sectors like agriculture, insurance, construction, marine, aviation, oil & gas, mining, and infrastructure. The demand for these services, which includes tasks such as search and rescue, package delivery, industrial inspections, imaging, and healthcare supply distribution to remote areas, significantly contributes to the growing drone market size.

In terms of market segmentation, drone services are categorized by the type of service provided, including platform services (further divided into flight piloting and operation, data analysis, and data processing), maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), and simulation and training. The application-based segmentation encompasses inspection and monitoring, mapping and surveying, spraying and seeding, filming and photography, transport and delivery, as well as security, search, and rescue.

The industry-based segmentation covers a wide spectrum of sectors, including construction and infrastructure, agriculture, utility, oil & gas, mining, defense and law enforcement, media and entertainment, scientific research, insurance, aviation, marine, healthcare and social assistance, and transportation, logistics, and warehousing. These industries rely heavily on drones for functions like inspection, monitoring, and photography, further driving the drone market size.

Furthermore, the market is categorized by solution type into end-to-end solutions, which encompass all platform services like piloting and operations, data analytics, and data processing. Point solutions are specific to piloting or data processing for applications such as surveying, inspection, and monitoring.

The market report segments the drone services industry across five key regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the Rest of the World (ROW), with a focus on their key countries.

In 2023, North America is expected to hold the largest share of the drone market size within the drone services industry, as these services continue to replace legacy solutions in commercial sectors.

Drone services are progressively replacing legacy services in the commercial sector, such as aerial surveys, filmography, and search and rescue operations. They offer the advantages of prolonged operation, remote control by human operators, or autonomous functioning by onboard computers. The increasing adoption of drone services across various civil and commercial applications can be attributed to their extended endurance and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, the integration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, IoT (Internet of Things), and cloud computing into drone services is expected to further boost their demand across various sectors.

[industrynewsupdates]

Polymethyl Methacrylate Market Insights: Growth Drivers and Key Opportunities

The global polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) market was valued at USD 5,419.3 million in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3% from 2023 to 2030. PMMA, commonly known as acrylic glass or acrylic, is a versatile thermoplastic material known for its transparency, durability, and resistance to UV light, making it a popular choice across a range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to construction and healthcare.

A significant driver of the PMMA market's growth is the increasing demand for lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles in the automotive industry. As automakers continue to focus on reducing vehicle weight to improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions, PMMA has become a preferred material for various automotive applications. PMMA is often used in vehicle windows, lighting systems, and interior components due to its lightweight properties and durability. Its use in vehicles helps manufacturers meet stringent environmental standards while maintaining safety and performance.

Additionally, aesthetic appeal and functional benefits are key reasons PMMA is gaining popularity in the building and construction sectors. PMMA films are widely used in architecture and construction to provide protection against harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays while maintaining a long-lasting, clear, and attractive appearance. These properties make PMMA an ideal choice for exterior applications such as windows, facades, skylights, and roofing. As demand for energy-efficient and sustainable buildings increases, PMMA’s popularity as a building material continues to rise.

Gather more insights about the market drivers, restrains and growth of the Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) market

Regional Insights

North America

North America dominated the global polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) industry in 2022, capturing more than 30% of the total market revenue. This leading share can be attributed to the widespread usage of PMMA products, such as cast acrylic sheets, extruded sheets, pellets, and beads across a variety of industries, including real estate, construction, signs & display, healthcare, and furniture & design. PMMA's versatility makes it a preferred material in sectors that require transparency, impact resistance, and durability.

In addition to its presence in construction and design, the region’s growing electronics industry, rising demand for healthcare equipment, and the increased production of automobiles are also contributing factors to the heightened demand for PMMA in North America. For example, the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) reported that vehicle production in the U.S. reached 9.1 million units in 2021, reflecting a 4% increase compared to the previous year. This surge in automotive production is driving the demand for PMMA in vehicle components such as windows, dashboards, and lighting systems.

Asia Pacific

The Asia Pacific region accounted for one-third of the global PMMA market revenue in 2022 and is expected to continue its robust growth with a CAGR of 6.0% from 2023 to 2030. This growth is largely driven by the region's large population and the expanding demand for PMMA in key industries such as real estate, automobiles, and electronics. Major countries in this region, including India, China, South Korea, and Japan, are seeing rapid urbanization and industrial development, which is positively impacting the demand for PMMA.

For instance, India’s urbanized population stood at 35% in 2021, and China’s urbanization rate was 63% in the same year, as reported by the World Bank Group. These urbanization trends are contributing to a growing demand for both residential and commercial spaces. As cities expand and new construction projects are launched, the demand for materials like PMMA, which is used in windows, roofing, facades, and other architectural applications, is expected to grow significantly in the Asia Pacific region. The expansion of the automotive and electronics sectors in countries like China and India further supports the growing need for PMMA.

Browse through Grand View Research's Plastics, Polymers & Resins Industry Research Reports.

• The global cross-linked polyethylene market size was valued at USD 8.0 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% from 2024 to 2030.

• The global polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) market size was valued at USD 3.63 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% from 2024 to 2030.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The PMMA market is highly competitive, with a mix of global and regional players actively vying for market share. To maintain or strengthen their positions, leading companies are adopting various growth strategies, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, and agreements. These strategies help companies navigate the intense competition and expand their market presence.

A key strategy employed by manufacturers is significant investment in research and development (R&D) to develop advanced PMMA products. These investments focus on integrating new technologies and enhancing the material's characteristics, such as improving energy efficiency, durability, and reducing environmental impact. By innovating and introducing enhanced versions of PMMA, companies can better meet the evolving needs of industries such as automotive, construction, electronics, and healthcare.

Some of the prominent players in the global polymethyl methacrylate market are:

• HCS Group GmbH

• Dymatic chemicals, Inc.

• Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC.

• SK Geo Centric Co. Ltd.

• Lg Chem

• Maruzen Petrochemical

• Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.

• CHIMEI

• Asahi Kasei Corp.

• SABIC

• LOTTE MCC Corp.

Order a free sample PDF of the Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.