#Integrated Packaging System

[nichromepackaging]

Say Goodbye to Sugar Wastage with Nichrome's Innovative Bulk Bag Filling

In today's world, where efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand, industries are constantly seeking innovative solutions to minimize waste and maximize productivity. The sugar industry is no exception. With its unique challenges of handling large quantities of sugar and ensuring precise packaging, Nichrome's Bulk Bag Filling machines offer a game-changing solution that not only eliminates sugar wastage but also revolutionizes packaging processes. In this blog, we will delve into how Nichrome's innovative Bulk Bag Filling machines help your industry bid farewell to sugar wastage.

 How Nichrome’s Bulk Bag Filling helps you with perfect sugar packaging:

 1.     Efficiency at its Best

Traditional manual bag filling systems often result in sugar wastage due to inaccuracies, spills, and inconsistent filling. Nichrome's Bulk Bag Filling machines are designed to address these challenges. These advanced machines provide highly accurate and controlled filling, ensuring every bag is filled to the desired level, leaving no room for wastage.

 2.     Precision Packaging

Nichrome's Bulk Bag Filling machines, including the jumbo bag filling machine and bulk bag packing machine, are engineered to handle large quantities of sugar with exceptional precision. These machines offer automated features, such as bulk and dribble feed mechanisms, that precisely control the filling process, eliminating the risk of overfilling or underfilling. With such precision packaging, you can say goodbye to costly sugar wastage.

 3.     Seamless Integration

Nichrome's Bulk Bag Filling machines seamlessly integrate into your existing packaging system, offering a comprehensive packaging solution. The machines can be combined with secondary packaging machines, such as sealing and labeling machines, to ensure the final packaging is secure, tamper-proof, and visually appealing. This integration not only enhances the efficiency of your packaging line but also enhances the overall quality and presentation of your sugar products.

4.     Sustainable Packaging Solutions

At Nichrome, sustainability is a core value. Our Bulk Bag Filling machines are designed to optimize material usage, reduce packaging waste, and minimize the environmental impact. By eliminating sugar wastage, you contribute to a better future while maximizing the utilization of your valuable resources.

5.     Reliability and Innovation

Nichrome is renowned for its innovative packaging solutions and commitment to customer satisfaction. Our Bulk Bag Filling machines are built with robust construction and cutting-edge technology, ensuring reliable performance and longevity. With user-friendly interfaces and easy maintenance, these machines enhance productivity while minimizing downtime.

 Key Features of Nichrome’s Bulk Bag Filling Machines

 1.     The bags could be HDPE woven, PP, paper or valve type.

2.     The PLC-controlled machine delivers output rates of up to 20 bags per minute.

3.     Designed to pack from 5kgs to 50 kgs and 100 kgs to 1 ton.  

4.     Has a special ‘no bag no filling’ safety device.

5.     Has an option of bag stitching or band sealing.  

  Conclusion:

In an industry where efficiency, precision, and sustainability are paramount, Nichrome's Bulk Bag Filling machines offer an innovative and reliable solution. With no sugar wastage, your industry can save costs, optimize resources, and contribute to a sustainable future. Whether you require a jumbo bag filling machine, bulk bag packing machine, or a complete packaging system, Nichrome has the expertise and solutions to meet your needs. Experience the power of innovative packaging systems with Nichrome and revolutionize your sugar packaging process today.

Nichrome stands at the forefront as a leading provider of advanced packaging solutions, offering a diverse range of cutting-edge machines. From tin packing machines and oil tin filling machines to can sealer machines and bottle filling lines, Nichrome caters to a wide array of packaging needs. Our product range includes automatic bottle filling machines, bottle capping machines, and powder bottle filling machines, ensuring precision and efficiency in every step of the packaging process. Additionally, our carton packing machines, box packing machines, and automatic case erectors offer seamless integration for optimized packaging operations. With Nichrome's innovative and reliable solutions, businesses can achieve packaging excellence and stay ahead in the competitive market.        

Contact Nichrome to explore our innovative Bulk Bag Filling solutions and embark on a journey towards efficient and sustainable packaging. Say goodbye to sugar wastage and hello to enhanced productivity and profitability!

[techninja]

Market Forecast: Predicting Growth Trajectory and Opportunities in the Softgel Capsules Industry

Unveiling the Lucrative Realm of Softgel Capsules Market

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of pharmaceuticals, softgel capsules have emerged as a pivotal player, revolutionizing drug delivery systems. These encapsulated wonders offer a myriad of benefits, ranging from enhanced bioavailability to improved patient compliance. At the heart of this innovation lies a bustling market, brimming with opportunities and challenges alike. In this comprehensive guide, we delve deep into the dynamics of the softgel capsules market, unraveling its nuances and potential for growth.

Understanding Softgel Capsules

What Are Softgel Capsules?

Softgel capsules represent a sophisticated dosage form characterized by a gelatin shell enclosing liquid or semi-solid fillings. This versatile encapsulation technique facilitates the administration of various pharmaceuticals, including oils, suspensions, and solutions, with unparalleled precision and efficacy.

Key Advantages

Enhanced Bioavailability: The unique composition of softgel capsules promotes rapid absorption and bioavailability of active ingredients, ensuring optimal therapeutic outcomes.

Improved Stability: The hermetic seal of softgel capsules shields delicate compounds from environmental factors, prolonging shelf life and maintaining product integrity.

Ease of Swallowing: Unlike traditional dosage forms, softgel capsules boast a sleek, easy-to-swallow design, enhancing patient comfort and compliance.

Market Landscape

Growth Trajectory

The softgel capsules market has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, fueled by advancements in pharmaceutical technology and rising consumer demand for convenient drug delivery systems. With an expanding geriatric population and escalating prevalence of chronic diseases, the market shows no signs of slowing down.

Key Players

Leading pharmaceutical companies are capitalizing on the burgeoning demand for softgel capsules, leveraging innovative formulations and strategic partnerships to gain a competitive edge. From multinational giants to niche players, the market is teeming with diverse stakeholders vying for market share.

Market Segmentation

By Product Type

Gelatin-based Softgel Capsules: Traditional gelatin formulations continue to dominate the market, owing to their versatility and cost-effectiveness.

Non-gelatin Softgel Capsules: With growing concerns regarding religious and dietary restrictions, non-gelatin alternatives such as plant-based and fish-derived capsules are gaining traction among health-conscious consumers.

By Application

Pharmaceuticals: The pharmaceutical sector accounts for the lion's share of softgel capsules usage, driven by the need for targeted drug delivery and enhanced patient adherence.

Nutraceuticals: The burgeoning nutraceutical industry relies on softgel capsules to encapsulate vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements, catering to wellness-conscious consumers seeking convenience and efficacy.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Technological Advancements: Continuous innovation in encapsulation technology, coupled with the advent of novel excipients, is expanding the horizons of the softgel capsules market.

Consumer Preference for Oral Dosage Forms: The growing preference for oral dosage forms over conventional tablets and injections is fueling the demand for softgel capsules, driving market growth.

Challenges

Regulatory Hurdles: Stringent regulatory frameworks governing pharmaceutical manufacturing pose a significant challenge for market players, necessitating compliance with stringent quality standards and guidelines.

Price Volatility of Raw Materials: Fluctuations in the prices of gelatin and other raw materials used in softgel capsules production can impact profit margins and operational efficiency, posing a challenge for manufacturers.

Future Outlook

The future of the softgel capsules market appears promising, buoyed by ongoing research and development efforts aimed at enhancing product efficacy and safety. With increasing investments in precision medicine and personalized healthcare, softgel capsules are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of drug delivery systems.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the softgel capsules market represents a dynamic and thriving sector within the pharmaceutical industry, driven by innovation, consumer demand, and regulatory developments. As market dynamics continue to evolve, staying abreast of emerging trends and opportunities is paramount for industry stakeholders seeking to capitalize on this lucrative market segment.

[1st-skills-academy]

A Guide to Building Trust and Loyalty in Food Service Business

Cultivating trust and loyalty among customers, particularly those with food allergies, is indispensable in food service settings where dietary preferences and restrictions are as diverse as the dishes served. Establishing a bond built on transparency, safety, and exceptional service goes beyond mere transactions; it's all about fostering relationships that can withstand the test of time. This article delves into the pivotal strategies food service establishments can employ to earn their clientele's trust and inspire unwavering loyalty.

Trust is built over time through consistently delivering exceptional service, and loyalty follows when customers feel understood, respected, and safe.

Building Trust with Customers

Building trust with customers, particularly those with food allergies, involves a consistent commitment to safety, transparency, and excellent service. Here are key strategies to cultivate trust:

Be Transparent and Honest: Be upfront about your menu and the potential allergens in your food. Honesty fosters trust and is particularly crucial for customers with food allergies.

Ensure Safety: Implement rigorous food handling and preparation protocols to avoid cross-contact with allergens. Customers will trust your establishment when they feel their health is prioritized.

Maintain Consistency: Deliver consistent service quality, from the food quality to the attentiveness of the staff. Consistency signals reliability, building trust over time.

Acknowledge Mistakes: If a mistake happens, own up to it, apologize sincerely, and rectify the situation promptly. This demonstrates integrity and can strengthen trust.

A Guide to Fostering Loyalty

Loyal customers are invaluable to the long-term success of your establishment. They not only frequent your business but also recommend it to others. Here's how you can foster loyalty:

Provide Exceptional Service: Always aim to exceed customer expectations. A satisfied customer is likely to return and become a loyal patron.

Personalize the Experience: Remember regular customers, their preferences, and their allergies. Personal touches like these make customers feel valued and enhance their loyalty.

Encourage Feedback: Ask for feedback and show customers you value their input. Make necessary changes based on their suggestions, which can increase their loyalty.

Reward Loyalty: Implement a loyalty program or offer discounts to regular customers. Rewards give customers a tangible reason to return.

When dealing with allergic customers, their safety is the top priority. Their trust in your ability to cater to their dietary needs and prevent cross-contact with allergens is critical. Their loyalty stems from repeated positive experiences where they feel understood, cared for, and safe.

Maintain clear communication, offer allergen-free options, and train your staff adequately to handle food allergies.

In conclusion, ensuring clear and accessible communication regarding allergens in food packaging and labeling is vital. Factors like label design, multilingual labeling, symbols, packaging materials, and integrity are crucial in keeping us safe, especially those with food allergies.

Every detail matters in creating a safer food environment, from ensuring the labels are easy to read to selecting the right packaging materials to prevent cross-contact. These steps aren't just about meeting regulations but looking for each other's well-being. By prioritizing these aspects, we minimize risks and build trust and confidence in the products we consume.

Overall, it's a reminder of the personal impact of allergen awareness and the importance of taking it seriously in our everyday lives.

[phoebejaysims]

Boutique Mod - DOWNLOAD

Inspired by the sims 2 shopping for clothes system, I present a sims 3 take on buying clothes, accessories and running a thriving boutique! Set up shifts, keep the racks stocked, and you might find yourself in profit!

Required:

Ambitions

NRAAS Master Controller + Integration Module

Optional:

ITF if you want to use the clothes mannequin and some visual effects.

Late Night if you want the animations for the security guard.

Seasons for extra interactions on the mannequin.

Savvy Seller Set for some visual and audio effects.

Full Documentation is included in the download. I spent a while writing it out, so please read thoroughly!

How Stores Work:

Set up a shift

Hire Employees (bosses count as employees so stores are fully functional with only one sim!)

Link at least one rack to the register

Open for business!

Employees:

Store employees can be given three types of roles: register attendant, sales attendant and security guard.

Employees will do their jobs automatically but you can always manually tell them to do things too like: restocking, dressing up mannequins, helping customers, among other things.

Customers:

Inactive and active sims can browse through the racks and have the ability to purchase items. They'll interact differently depending on if they are shopping at a clothes rack, accessory rack, or at a mannequin.

Inactives won't purchase outfits from mannequins unless you direct them to (or you enable auto-purchasing in the XML). However, they may "fake" buy clothes.

Once finished shopping, customers hold their bags and wait to be rung up! Take too long and they may abandon their purchase.

Shopping:

Adjust prices and restrict customers by age and gender to customise your store!

Clothes Racks:

Buy Clothes for your own sim, sims in your household, or (if you're an employee) suggest clothes for customers.

Employees that suggest clothes for customers can fulfil Ambition Stylist jobs this way.

Accessories Racks:

Choose accessories to be sold by adding them to the XML in the package file. The XML comes loaded with a few base game items already plus a couple modded items (Arsil's Sunglasses and lipstick - that won't be loaded unless you have them installed).

Sell buy-mode items as well as CAS items!

Make your CAS items wearable from your sim's inventory using your own meshes or my dummy accessory (see Documentation and XML for details).

Blacklist certain categories from being shown. If you want a dedicated shoe shop or an opticians, you can have it!

Try on products before buying them to see if they suit your sim. If there's a mirror in the room, they'll check themselves out in it.

Clothing Mannequin:

Try on the mannequin outfits to see if they suit your sim.

Plan different outfits to display and even set them to be rotated through seasonally.

Let your employees be creative and choose a random outfit for the mannequin to wear.

Buy clothes for your own sim, household members, or customers.

Allow or disallow inactives from automatically purchasing display outfits.

Security Gates:

Give your security guards something to stand and look threatening by.

You can try your luck at stealing from the shop. If you're caught, you'll have to pay up. If you get past the gates (or if there are no gates), enjoy your bounty!

Boutique Door:

Cloned from the Savvy Seller doors without the annoying 'kick-every-last-person-out-the-building-come-closing-time' feature.

Link this to a register and let the open and close sign automatically flip itself. Also, close the store or rename it, straight from the door.

Phone Interactions:

Ask for time off work (paid or unpaid).

Call in sick.

Cancel vacation days.

Credits and Thanks:

@dhalsims for adding geostates to the ITF rack for me. Modders, I really recommend her if you need any 3D models made also!

DouglasVeiga for the BG rack with the geostates.

@aroundthesims for allowing me to use her objects in my mod as always!

Sims 4 for all the animations that I converted.

Simstate & merchant mods for the idea to go into a mode to link racks to the register.

The OG shop for clothes mod and pedestal by @anitmb.

Arsil and @zoeoe-sims for wearable CAS items idea that I adapted.

Ani's Candle mod & Amb. Makeover XML which I looked at for inspo on how to do accessory rack xml.

Compatibility:

All new objects so shouldn't conflict with anything really.

Removes the 'plan outfit' interaction from dressers.

Made on version 1.67.

If you would like to donate as thanks, please feel free to do so at: my kofi! I don't take your generosity for granted!

Download: - Simblr.cc - 2t3 Boutique Mod Suggested Extra CC: - Lyralei's TS2 Conversions (incl. clothes changing booth) - More ATS3 Security Gates - ATS3 Friperie Set

Known issues, prop information and the full feature breakdown are all in the documentation.

Please be patient with me if there are bugs to fix. Also, anyone who DMs me "I don't know how to create a new shift" will be immediately fined £150.

With that said, please enjoy the mod and tag me in your beautiful boutiques,

Phoebe :)

[anarchotolkienist]

you’re attacking that neopagan kind of birthstone post about druid plants, but could you please elaborate or at least clarify the explicit trope that is being used that has been historically weaponized?

I used to spend about a good third of my time on this godforsaken website attacking that idea, but sure, I'll do it again. This will be a bit of an effortpost, so I'll stick it under the readmore

There is a notion of 'celts' or Gaels as being magicial and somehow deeply in touch with nature and connected to pre-Christian worldviews that the people who decided to make up the "Celtic tree astrology" used. This is also why Buffy used Irish Gaelic as the language of the demons, why Warhammer uses Gaelic as Elvish, why garbled Scottish Gaelic is used by Wiccans as the basis for their new religious construct, why people call themselves Druids to go an say chants in bad Welsh in Stonehenge, or Tursachan Chalanais, or wherever, etc etc. This stuff is everywhere in popular culture today, by far the dominant view of Celtic language speaking peoples. Made up neopagan nonsense is the only thing you find if you go looking for Gaelic folklore, unless you know where to look, and so on and so on. I could multiply examples Endless, and in fact have throughout the lifespan of this blog, and probably will continue to.

To make a long history extremely brief (you can ask me for sources on specifics, or ask me to expand if you're interested), this is directly rooted in a mediaeval legalistic discussion in Catholic justifications for the expansionist policies of the Normans, especially in Ireland, who against the vigourous protestation of the Church in Ireland claimed that the Gaelic Irish were practically Pagan in practice and that conquest against fellow Christians was justified to bring them in like with the Church. That this was nonsense I hope I don't need to state. Similar discourses about the Gaels in Scotland exist at the same time, as is clear from the earliest sources we have postdating the Gaelic kingdom of Alba becoming Scotland discussing the 'coastal Scots' - who speak Ynglis (early Scots) and are civilised - and the 'forest Scots' (who speak 'Scottis' (Middle Gaelic) and have all the hallmarks of barbarity. This discourse of Gaelic savagery remains in place fairly unchanged as the Scottish and then British crowns try various methods for integrating Gaeldom under the developing early state, provoking constant conflict and unrest, support certain clans and chiefs against others and generally massively upset and destabilise life among the Gaels both in Scotland and Ireland. This campaign, which is material in root but has a superstructure of Gaelic savagery and threat justifying it develops through attempts at assimilation, more or less failed colonial schemes in Leòdhas and Ìle, the splitting of the Gaelic Irish from the Gaelic Scots through legal means and the genocide of the Irish Gaels in Ulster, eventually culminates in the total ban on Gaelic culture, ethnic cleansing and permanent military occupation of large swathes of Northern Scotland, and the destruction of the clan system and therefore of Gaelic independence from the Scottish and British state, following the last rising in 1745-6.

What's relevant here is that the attitude of Gaelic barbarity, standing lower on the civilisational ladder than the Anglo Saxons of the Lowlands and of England, was continuously present as a justification for all these things. This package included associations with the natural world, with paganisms, with emotion, and etc. This set of things then become picked up on by the developing antiquarian movement and early national romantics of the 18th century, when the Gaels stop being a serious military threat to the comfortable lives of the Anglo nobility and developing bourgeoise who ran the state following the ethnic cleansing after Culloden and permanent occupation of the Highlands (again, ongoing to this day). They could then, as happened with other colonised peoples, be picked up on and romanticised instead, made into a noble savage, these perceived traits which before had made them undesirable now making them a sad but romantic relic of an inexorably disappearing past. It is no surprise that Sir Walter Scott (a curse upon him and all his kin) could make Gaels the romantic leads of his pseudohistorical epics at the exact same time that Gaels were being driven from their traditional lands in their millions and lost all traditional land rights. These moves are related. This tradition is what's picked up on by Gardner when he decides to use mangled versions of Gaelic Catholic practice (primarily) as collected by the Gaelic folklorist Alasdair MacIlleMhìcheil as the coating for Wicca, the most influential neo-pagan "religion" to claim a 'Celtic' root and the base of a lot of oncoming nonsense like that Celtic Tree Astrology horseshit that started this whole thing, and give it a pagan coat of paint while also adding some half-understood Dharmic concepts (three-fold law anyone?) and a spice of deeply racist Western Esotericism to the mix. That's why shit like that is directly harmful, not just historically but in the present total blotting out of actually existing culture of Celtic language speakers and their extremely precarious communities today.

If you want to read more, I especially recommend Dr. Silke Stroh's work Gaelic Scotland in the Colonial Imaginary, Dr. Aonghas MacCoinnich's book Plantation and Civility in the North-Atlantic World, the edited collection Mio-rún Mór nan Gall on Lowland-Highland divide, the Gaelic writer known in English as Ian Crichton Smith's essay A real people in a real place on these impacts on Gaelic speaking communities in the 20th century, Dr. Donnchadh Sneddons essay on Gaelic racial ideas present in Howard and Lovecrafts writings, and Dr. James Hunter's The Making of the Crofting Community for a focus on the clearings of Gaels after the land thefts of the late 18th and early 19th century.

@grimdr an do chaill mi dad cudromach, an canadh tu?

[reelmegabyte]

ever wonder why spotify/discord/teams desktop apps kind of suck?

i don't do a lot of long form posts but. I realized that so many people aren't aware that a lot of the enshittification of using computers in the past decade or so has a lot to do with embedded webapps becoming so frequently used instead of creating native programs. and boy do i have some thoughts about this.

for those who are not blessed/cursed with computers knowledge Basically most (graphical) programs used to be native programs (ever since we started widely using a graphical interface instead of just a text-based terminal). these are apps that feel like when you open up the settings on your computer, and one of the factors that make windows and mac programs look different (bc they use a different design language!) this was the standard for a long long time - your emails were served to you in a special email application like thunderbird or outlook, your documents were processed in something like microsoft word (again. On your own computer!). same goes for calendars, calculators, spreadsheets, and a whole bunch more - crucially, your computer didn't depend on the internet to do basic things, but being connected to the web was very much an appreciated luxury!

that leads us to the eventual rise of webapps that we are all so painfully familiar with today - gmail dot com/outlook, google docs, google/microsoft calendar, and so on. as html/css/js technology grew beyond just displaying text images and such, it became clear that it could be a lot more convenient to just run programs on some server somewhere, and serve the front end on a web interface for anyone to use. this is really very convenient!!!! it Also means a huge concentration of power (notice how suddenly google is one company providing you the SERVICE) - you're renting instead of owning. which means google is your landlord - the services you use every day are first and foremost means of hitting the year over year profit quota. its a pretty sweet deal to have a free email account in exchange for ads! email accounts used to be paid (simply because the provider had to store your emails somewhere. which takes up storage space which is physical hard drives), but now the standard as of hotmail/yahoo/gmail is to just provide a free service and shove ads in as much as you need to.

webapps can do a lot of things, but they didn't immediately replace software like skype or code editors or music players - software that requires more heavy system interaction or snappy audio/visual responses. in 2013, the electron framework came out - a way of packaging up a bundle of html/css/js into a neat little crossplatform application that could be downloaded and run like any other native application. there were significant upsides to this - web developers could suddenly use their webapp skills to build desktop applications that ran on any computer as long as it could support chrome*! the first applications to be built on electron were the late code editor atom (rest in peace), but soon a whole lot of companies took note! some notable contemporary applications that use electron, or a similar webapp-embedded-in-a-little-chrome as a base are:

microsoft teams

notion

vscode

discord

spotify

anyone! who has paid even a little bit of attention to their computer - especially when using older/budget computers - know just how much having chrome open can slow down your computer (firefox as well to a lesser extent. because its just built better <3)

whenever you have one of these programs open on your computer, it's running in a one-tab chrome browser. there is a whole extra chrome open just to run your discord. if you have discord, spotify, and notion open all at once, along with chrome itself, that's four chromes. needless to say, this uses a LOT of resources to deliver applications that are often much less polished and less integrated with the rest of the operating system. it also means that if you have no internet connection, sometimes the apps straight up do not work, since much of them rely heavily on being connected to their servers, where the heavy lifting is done.

taking this idea to the very furthest is the concept of chromebooks - dinky little laptops that were created to only run a web browser and webapps - simply a vessel to access the google dot com mothership. they have gotten better at running offline android/linux applications, but often the $200 chromebooks that are bought in bulk have almost no processing power of their own - why would you even need it? you have everything you could possibly need in the warm embrace of google!

all in all the average person in the modern age, using computers in the mainstream way, owns very little of their means of computing.

i started this post as a rant about the electron/webapp framework because i think that it sucks and it displaces proper programs. and now ive swiveled into getting pissed off at software services which is in honestly the core issue. and i think things can be better!!!!!!!!!!! but to think about better computing culture one has to imagine living outside of capitalism.

i'm not the one to try to explain permacomputing specifically because there's already wonderful literature ^ but if anything here interested you, read this!!!!!!!!!! there is a beautiful world where computers live for decades and do less but do it well. and you just own it. come frolic with me Okay ? :]

*when i say chrome i technically mean chromium. but functionally it's same thing

[vintage-tech]

useful information: How to get a USB Blu-Ray player to work on your computer

Not a post about vintage technology, just an explanation of what you think might be simple to do but isn't: There are Blu-Ray players that plug into your computer by USB, and you discover that just plugging it in doesn't make it work* in the same manner that CD-RWs or DVD-RWs are automatically recognised and function. You will see "BR Drive" in My Computer and the name of whatever movie you have inserted, but that's as far as you're able to go.

*There is software you can buy to make a Blu-Ray (internal or external) function, sure, and if an internal came with your computer it's likely already installed -- but if you're like me you don't have that software, you're cheap and won't pay for software, and you want to use what you have installed already or find free solutions.

Looking in the Blu-Ray drive's package, there's not a lot of info about what you're supposed to do. The above no-name Blu-Ray player cost $40 from a popular website; name-brand ones can set you back $120 or so. Looking around online for those instructions, I never saw the whole set of directions in one place, I had to cobble them together from 2 or 3 sites. And so here I share that list. To keep out of trouble, I'm not linking any files -- Google will help you.

Get VLC, the free video player available for pretty much any operating system. Thing is, it doesn't come with the internals to make it work with Blu-Ray even if when you go to the Play Media menu there is a radio button for selecting Blu-Ray.

Get MakeMKV, a decoder for reading Blu-Ray disks. This had been totally free during the beta testing period but it's come out and has a month or two trial period you can work in.

Get Java if you don't already have it. Reason for this is, the menu systems on Blu-Ray disks uses this... technically it's not required, however it does mean you don't have options such as special features, language and sound changes, or scene selection if you don't have Java installed; insert a disk, it can only play the movie.

Get the file libaacs.dll online so you have AACS decoding. I am told it hasn't been updated in awhile so there may be disks produced after 2013 that won't work right, but you won't know until you try.

There's a set of keys you will also want to have so that the player knows how to work with specific disks, and so do a search online for the "FindVUK Online Database". There will be a regularly-updated keydb.cfg archive file on that page to pick up.

Got those three programs installed and the other two files obtained? Okay, here are your instructions for assembly...

In VLC: go to Tools, Prefs, click "show all"… under the Input/Codecs heading is Access Modules then Blu-Ray: Select your region, A through C. You can change this if you need to for foreign disks. Next related action: go to My Computer and C:, click into Program Files and VLC, and this is where you copy the libaacs.dll file to.

In MakeMKV: click View, then Preferences, and under Integration - add VLC.

Confirm that Java is set up to work with VLC by going to the computer's Control Panel, going to System Properties, and into Environment Variables. Click System Variables, and click New to create this key if it doesn't already exist: … Name: Java … Value: [the location of the Java 'jre#.##' folder... use Browse to find it in C:\Program Files\Java]

Let's go back into My Computer and C:, this time go to Program Data, and then do a right-click in the window and select New and Folder. Rename this folder "aacs" (without the quotes), and then you click into it and copy the keydb.cfg file here.

REBOOT.

And now you should be able to recognise Blu-Ray disks in your player and play them. Three troubleshooting notes to offer in VLC:

"Disk corrupt" -- this means MakeMKV has not decoded and parsed the disk yet, or that you don't have the libaacs.dll in place so that it can decode the disk. ...After checking the VLC folder for the DLL to make sure, launch MakeMKV, then go to File, Play Disk, and select the Blu-Ray drive. Now it will grind a bit and figure out the disk's contents.

A note appears when a movie starts saying there will be no menus, but the movie plays fine -- Java isn't running. ...Invoke Java by going to the Java Settings in Start: Programs. You don't have to change anything here, so Exit, then eject the disk and put it back in to see if the movie's menu now appears.

Buffering between chapters, making the movie pause for a few seconds? There is a setting for this but I need to find that info page again for where that is. (If you find it, tell me where it is!)

I don't claim to know a lot but if you have any questions I might have some answers or suggestions. So far I've watched "Office Space" and Disney's "Coco" without any issues beside occasional buffering.

[nichromepackaging]

Tin Filling & Packaging System | Nichrome Integrated Packaging Solutions

Nichrome's tin filling line is a sturdy, low-maintenance system made for accurate and efficient performance. The PLC-controlled line has a digital LCD touch screen displaying settings, and safety enclosures with interlocks for rotary parts. Machine construction is available in SS3014, SS316 and MS painted material. Various tin sterilisation and cleaning options are available. Machine's Feature's: Bar Code Scanning Magnetic Conveyor With Airjet & Vacuum Cleaning UV Sterlization Chamber Tin Filling Station Tin Seaming Station

[willow-schmillow]

The Is and Isn'ts of Fusion

(copied from my reddit post x3)

Hiya. I'm someone undergoing fusion-focused therapy to treat DID. Every day I open this app to some new and fascinating misconception about fusion, so I wanted to clear things up.

Please note that I am not a student of psychology or mental health practitioner. The advice I share comes from my personal experience of fusion, as well as my therapist's - who has multiple clients with DID - understanding of fusion-centered therapy. I have also done talk therapy, parts work, cognitive processing therapy (a modified form of CBT to treat PTSD), and DBT.

Fusion isn't...

- **A convenient way to get rid of alters.** I can speak for myself, and other fusions within the system have said the same, that we carry on our personhoods and identities and memories, and even relationships within the system. I was V and M, and now I'm both of them.

- **A loss.** As said above, my personhoods carried over when the parts of me that make up me fused. If anything, I view it as a gain - Ariadne has everything V and M had, plus a bit more because I am a calmer, more controlled, and more mentally equipped person.

- **The death of an alter.** In a literal sense, alters cannot die. And, also, as said above, my personhoods carried over.

- **The end of the involved alters' relationships.** This isn't a problem for us with other people, because we operate as a package deal in our relationships with others. But also, within the system, some of our insys relationships carry over. Gabriel was Monika's best friend, and he's still mine. Some of our insys relationships are different, too (Fray and Cal are no longer romantically involved,) but like all changes we can adapt to it.

- **Purposely killing an alter.** Shut up.

- **The same thing as integration.** Integration is any type of processing and work that results in the system "running better" - smoother communication, greater continuity of memory or experience, more willingness to work together, and fusion are all some examples of integration.

- **The only choice to get better.** Some people with DID find that functional multiplicity suits their recovery goals more.

Fusion is

- **Healthy.** I'm happier fused than I was apart, for sure, even though it was a difficult adjustment at first. I've had to overcome knowing a fuller picture of my childhood. It's difficult, but I know this is what I want and I'm doing better.

- **Stable.** Lots of fearmongering happens in DID spaces, with the idea that once you fully fuse you're prone to splitting apart again. While that is possible, fusion does not happen without *significant* healing and trauma processing. By virtue of being able to fuse, work has been done. New, healthier coping skills have been learned.

- **A fluid experience.** Within our own system, we experience fusion in different ways. Fray is one alter who holds many experiences. I'm Ariadne, but Monika and Val are still two distinct parts within me. There's absolute continuity of experience, consciousness, and emotion, so I don't consider us separate the same way our alters are. But, I'm one and two at the same time.

- **Achievable.** With sufficient trauma-processing, many people are capable of fusing.

- **The right choice for some people.** Functional multiplicity works for many. I'm not devastated by the thought of remaining multiple for the rest of my life, but I'd also like to work towards fusion because I know that's what would make me happiest.

[thydungeongal]

I'm really curious but hesitant to actually dive into Rolemaster but I just love roll tables. What are the tables like? Are they all just weird crit results? Do that have good encounter and character building tables?

On that note, what are some of your encounter and character tables? I wish more games had lifepath systems. Stuff like the Central Casting books (which both aged badly and hilariously)

Sadly, Rolemaster character creation does not involve a lot of tables, which is a terrible oversight on the part of the designers. Similarly, the encounter tables are pretty elementary, being basically D&D style random encounter tables but much more granular (an initial roll might yield a result of "Universal Monster" which leads to that table, or "Vegetation" which calls for a roll on the appropriate table reflecting the Vegetation of the area). In Rolemaster Classic there are some character-creation related tables, but these are for background options that are not exactly a holistic part of the character creation process. You might spend a background option on a random roll on a table and discover that your Dwarf is allergic to Mentalism. It's a fun table, but not as well-integrated as some lifepath systems are.

There are gameplay-related tables that are more than just fun crit results: spellcasting and moving maneuvers are handled via tables that yield results beyond just pass/fail, and in Rolemaster Fantasy Role-playing almost every category of maneuver (by skill category) gets its own action table! This has also been maintained in Rolemaster Unified.

Oh and there's a table for purchasing stuff where possible results include getting swindled or attracting the authorities or potentially getting robbed. So that's fun!

Actually now that I think about it, Rolemaster Fantasy Role-playing did have a lifepath system of sorts that worked in parallel with its level+skills style character advancement. You could use development points to buy career packages for your character, and these took a certain amount of time off of your character's life and always netted them a certain number of skill ranks, BUT also often came with a series of random rolls for finding out if your character had any special experiences during their career. Sadly, no such system in Rolemaster Unified.

(I definitely agree that we need more lifepath systems, and I'm also very fond of the Central Casting books for all their quirks and of-their-timeness.)

[jodeliejodelie]

My utterly correct and well-researched predictions for The Sims 5

no research has actually be done by me at all

EA will make the game a monthly subscription "service" which always needs to be online. There will of course be multiple subscription tiers with the higher tiers receiving some utterly mediocre clothes, hairs, furniture, Sims, you name it, paying lipservice to causes like diversity to make them seem important and un-missable (farm that FOMO). Lower tiers will have ads, a limited number of allowed mods/cc, and reduced graphics or some shit.

And of course there will be expansion packs, a staple of The Sims franchise, but you will need to pay for those too. Unless you subscribe to the platinum+ package, which includes a season pass. Of course there will always be certain cc packs that everybody will have to pay for, such as collaborations with big brands like D*sney, big fashion houses or IK*A. Occasionally there will be a freebie, but it will be a shitty print on a basegame T-shirt nobody cares for.

But that's not all! Not only will there be subscriptions, o no, there will be an ever bigger affiliate system. Basically an inbuilt multi-level management system (pyramid scheme) where people can sell their own mods/cc and recruit other people into their downline and make money of the mods they sell. They will give it a cutesy name, like Mod Families, Creator Visionaries, or Simgineers. There will be so many *shitty* mods, but since EA sits at the very top of the pyramid, there is absolutely no desire for quality control. You will see the same hair, with some added strands/removed strands/shorted/streaked/etc. edits over and over again. Of course there will be major fights and drama when the two biggest teams asset flip/convert create the same thing (some uninspired Second Life high poly blouse or something).

Anyway, I'm having a business meeting with EA next week and I'm very excited to share this plan with them.

P.S. Other features:

Extra in game currency like diamonds that people can use to buy even more junk for the game

Limit mods/cc to the Hub, you can't just put things in folders, it won't work

Sponsored events in the game, like a Simlish concert of K*ty P*rry or a Ad*das pop-up store in the mall

More social media integrations

An additional app for mobile devices where you play with your sims in a very limited way, but most importantly earn in game currency by doing stupid tasks, like playing games or watching ads

No pools in the basegame, that was a A+ decision in The Sims 4, so we're keeping that

[essindia01]

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Buddy Daddies and Existing Outside of Social Norms:

I love how all of the named characters in Buddy Daddies has something about them that places them outside of societal norms. Some of them are more integrated into the regular systems and flows of society to some extent, but others are very divorced from it.

1. Kazuki, Rei, Kyutaro, and Ryo: They all work within an organization centered around assassination. 

We don’t know as much about Kyutaro and Ryo yet, but facts like how their names (either last name in the case of Kyutaro or both their first and last in the case of Ryo, seem to be aliases, due to them not existing at all or in the way they are written and read phonetically, also adds to this).

Meanwhile, Kazuki didn’t grow up with his parents. It seems he was a child who was part of the system. Many of these children often slip through the cracks.

And Rei...Well, Rei grew up within a hitman-based organization and did not have a normal childhood. We don’t know much about Rei’s past yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Rei didn’t get much traditional schooling (and therefore no traditional socialization) either because of this. We’ll have to wait and see on that though.

2. Misaki, Carol, and Dorothy: All women who work within the adult entertainment industry. This is an industry that faces discrimination in Japan still (for example, during the height of the pandemic, adult entertainment workers were excluded from the Covid Aid Package, thankfully, there was public pushback on this - link to an article discussing this topic will be in the comments below).

Misaki is also a single mother, which means she exists outside of the heteronormative “nuclear family” structure. Her being shown as a resentful mother is also something outside of the norm that is often presented of mothers in media (in general).

Meanwhile, in regards to Carol and Dorothy, we can see that Carol has darker skin. She may have naturally darker skin or she could tan her skin. Regardless, darker skin is often looked down upon on women (or fetishized due to the connection it has with the Gal street fashion, which is a whole other can of worms). And Dorothy’s two-tone hair makes her stand out instantly. 

Their names are also non-Japanese. They could be fake names that they use to sound more cutesy and appealing to customers (and for safety), but this could also be an indicator that they are biracial, which also makes them stand apart from “the norm” of Japanese society (despite the fact that number of biracial children in Japan is growing more and more with each year).

All of this is speculation that we may or may not get any further clarification on in the future regarding these two characters, regardless, their line of work and how they choose to express and present themselves makes them stand apart from the rest of Japanese society on some level.

The rest I’ll put under a Read More.

3. Yuzuko and Karin - Now, we don’t know much about Yuzuko, but her marriage to Kazuki instantly placed her outside of normal society, due to the nature of his work. 

And Karin states that she wants to study fashion abroad in France. The number of Japanese living permanently abroad is at a record high currently (as of 2023).

Her desire to learn and study abroad is an example of someone in the cast physically leaving the system and society in place in Japan. It’s for study, but it still shows her having a passion that requires her to exist outside of Japan.

5. Miss Anna - She works in childcare, an accepted field, and doesn’t have anything about her outward appearance that would set her apart (no tan skinned, no dyed hair). However, she isn’t skinny and that does set her apart from what is viewed as “normal” society. 

Being overweight in Japan is still viewed as rare, even though there are plenty of Japanese people who aren’t thin, however, the stereotypical image in society is still attached to thinness. That means Miss Anna exists outside of the societal norm. She won’t be able to walk into any clothing store in Japan and have any and all options available to her and there are also likely other issues that she faces in society because of her weight as well, that others simply would not, doubly so since she is a woman.

4. Miri - She is the product of a mistress and mafia boss. Her father was associated with the underworld part of society, and her mother is in an industry that is discriminated against (on a governmental level as previously noted). Now, she is living with Kazuki and Rei. She has always been in a family structure that was against the societal norms of the heteronormative nuclear family, but at least with her mother they shared a name. 

Whether Miri was registered under a koseki (family register) or not is unknown. But given the situation, it is possible she’s not or wasn’t. We don’t know exactly what Kazuki did for the forged paperwork to get her into daycare. But we do know that they all kept their own last names and that one of the themes the series wants to focus on is a “bloodless” family. So having a family set up like this and having Miss Anna point out that they all have different names, could be a social commentary on the koseki system, since it is so heavily tied to blood relation. (This is something I saw someone on Twitter mention).

Of course, we still have a number of episodes to go, so who knows how they will continue to handle Miri’s status in this regard, as well as the role of her mother, and if we will learn any more of how the relationship between Kazuki, Miri, and Rei is presented in the forged papers. 

We know that the “story” they are telling everyone is that Miri is a relative’s kid. Now, we know that Buddy Daddies takes place in Fukuoka, but what city isn’t made 100% clear (as of yet, as far as I know - if someone does know though, please feel free to share!). One city in Fukuoka, known as Koga City has a (ファミリーシップ) “Familyship” system in place (this is a system that allows same-sex households with children to be viewed as actual “families” and therefore have more access to rights, benefits, and tools that can help with childcare that a simple Partnership wouldn’t allow them access to).

In that system, the child in question has to be related to one of the people in the Partnership, either through birth or adoption (but in Japan, same-sex couples can’t adopt kids and adopted kids must change their last names to that of their adopted parents because of the koseki system). Miri could be viewed as being fostered by Kazuki and Rei, since same-sex couples are allowed to foster, but that still wouldn’t qualify them for the “Familyship” system. I’ll link to the Japanese page for Koga City that goes over the “Familyship” system for anyone interested. It also goes over the Partnership system too.

Anyway, given the nature of this series and how its focus is basically on found family and a bloodless family, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kazuki didn’t place them in a Partnership or Familyship and they are just existing as is. It would be the least “realistic” aspect of the more realistic child-care/SoL aspects of the series, but that may be due to the message they are trying to make. 

Of course, the above is all based on pure speculation, since we just don’t know the details of any of the forgery paperwork stuff. But, definitely some food for thought at the very least, and fitting for the “outside of normal society” message they have going on with all the characters thus far.

[muscledroidscientist]

ALPHA. Our security system android.

While DELTA and GAMMA got acquainted with me and the house, ALPHA silently booted itself up and set itself up as the new bipedal home security system. He is known as a smart device and is integrated into the house. He can lock doors, close blinds, curtains, windows, he could even control the thermostat all without needing to touch a thing. His communication systems were linked with every integral piece of this house.

ALPHA's silence was oddly calming. His obsidian eyes, though lifeless, were very assuring. Whenever he boots up, the red ring around his eyes appear. As the other two operated, ALPHA surveyed our surroundings with care. He was like some souped up security camera. Despite his incredibly alluring physique and incredibly handsome looks.. there was a steeliness about ALPHA, an unspoken promise of violence if anyone dared to threaten this newfound haven he now called home alongside myself and his companions. As long as he didn't resort to actually... offing the people who potentially violate my home's privacy, things felt safer.

Unlike DELTA and GAMMA's affable introductions, ALPHA spoke not a word, choosing instead to express his devotion through his actions. His packaging described him as a capable artificial security guard that provides 24/7 moderation of any premises. With a subtle whir of unseen servos, he began his patrol. There was a power in his every step and every glance. I felt my nerves melting away with every step and sweep of the property. This android was programmed to protect, and protect he would. As long as ALPHA was with us, nothing could possibly go wrong.

[platics]

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