#Line Filter Manufacturers

[rotocareengineers]

Air Compressor Line Filter: A Must-Have for Cleaner, Drier Air

An air compressor line filter is essential for delivering cleaner, drier air by removing contaminants like dust, oil, and moisture. It improves equipment efficiency, extends lifespan, and ensures better air quality, making it a must-have for any compressed air system.

[filterselementsstrainers]

Basket Strainers Manufacturers - Filterselementstrainers

Basket Strainers Manufacturers are an important part of many industrial and municipal water systems. They are used to remove solid particles from fluids, and come in a variety of sizes and configurations. There are two main types of basket strainers: open and closed. A basket strainer is a type of strainer that uses a perforated basket to hold and filter solids from liquids. The basket is mounted in a frame that allows it to be lowered into or raised out of a vessel. The frame can also be rotated to allow the basket to be angled in any direction. Basket strainers are used in many applications, including the processing of food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

Basket strainers are a type of strainer that use a woven wire mesh to strain solids from a liquid or gas. The mesh is held in a metal or plastic basket-shaped frame. The solids are trapped in the mesh while the liquid or gas flows through the openings in the mesh. Basket strainers are commonly used in industrial applications to strain solids from liquids or gases and Air Filter Elements Manufacturers.

There are many benefits to using basket strainers. Some of the benefits include:

ﾷ Easier to clean and maintain than other types of strainers

ﾷ Can be used for a variety of applications

ﾷ Variety of sizes and shapes to choose from

Basket strainers are a great choice for many applications because they are easy to clean and maintain. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, so you can find the perfect one for your needs. Additionally, they offer many benefits over other types of strainers. There are many different types of basket strainers available on the market. Some of the most popular types include the perforated basket strainer, the slotted basket strainer, and the wire mesh basket strainer. Each of these types of strainers has its own unique benefits and disadvantages. The perforated basket strainer is the most basic type of basket strainer. It is made up of a wire mesh basket with small holes punched in it. This type of strainer is ideal for straining small particles out of a liquid. The slotted basket strainer is similar to the perforated basket strainer, but it has larger slotted holes in it. This type of strainer is ideal for straining larger particles out of a liquid. The wire mesh basket strainer is the most versatile type of basket strainer. It is made up of a wire mesh basket with a wire mesh screen. This type of strainer is ideal for straining both small and large particles out of a liquid.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a basket strainer for your application. The first thing to consider is the type of fluid you will be straining. If you will be straining a thick fluid, you will need a basket strainer with a large opening. If you will be straining a thin fluid, you will need a basket strainer with a small opening. The next thing to consider is the size of the container you will be straining the fluid into. If the container is too small, the basket strainer will not fit. If the container is too large, the basket strainer will be too big for the container and the fluid will not be strained properly.

The last thing to consider is the material the basket strainer is made of. If the fluid is corrosive, you will need a basket strainer made of corrosion-resistant material. If the fluid is hot, you will need a basket strainer made of heat-resistant material. Basket strainers are available at most hardware stores. They are usually made of metal and have a mesh basket that can be easily removed for cleaning. Basket strainers are great for straining sauces, soups, and other liquids.

Installing a basket strainer is a relatively easy task that can be completed in a few simple steps. First, remove the old strainer from the sink and discard it. Next, measure the opening of the sink to determine the size of the new strainer. Then, purchase a basket strainer that is the correct size. Finally, follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation. A basket strainer is a great way to strain your pasta or vegetables. It is easy to clean and is dishwasher safe. To clean your strainer, just rinse it with hot water and a little soap. You can also put it in the dishwasher. There are a few potential problems that can occur with basket strainers. First, if the mesh size is too big, it can let pieces of debris through. Second, if the basket strainer is not emptied frequently enough, it can fill up with debris and block the flow of water. Third, the basket strainer can rust if it is not made from a rust-resistant material.

Closed basket strainers are the most common type, and are typically used in industrial settings. They are made up of a metal frame and a woven mesh screen, and the screen can be easily replaced when it becomes clogged. Open basket strainers are typically used in municipal water systems, and are made up of a metal frame and a perforated screen. They are not as common as closed basket strainers, but are becoming more popular due to their low cost and ease of maintenance.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #13

April 5-12 2024

President Biden announced the cancellation of a student loan debt for a further 277,000 Americans. This brings the number of a Americans who had their debt canceled by the Biden administration through different means since the Supreme Court struck down Biden's first place in 2023 to 4.3 million and a total of $153 billion of debt canceled so far. Most of these borrowers were a part of the President's SAVE Plan, a debt repayment program with 8 million enrollees, over 4 million of whom don't have to make monthly repayments and are still on the path to debt forgiveness.

President Biden announced a plan that would cancel student loan debt for 4 million borrowers and bring debt relief to 30 million Americans The plan takes steps like making automatic debt forgiveness through the public service forgiveness so qualified borrowers who don't know to apply will have their debts forgiven. The plan will wipe out the interest on the debt of 23 million Americans. President Biden touted how the plan will help black and Latino borrowers the most who carry the heavily debt burdens. The plan is expected to go into effect this fall ahead of the election.

President Biden and Vice-President Harris announced the closing of the so-called gun show loophole. For years people selling guns outside of traditional stores, such as at gun shows and in the 21st century over the internet have not been required to preform a background check to see if buyers are legally allowed to own a fire arm. Now all sellers of guns, even over the internet, are required to be licensed and preform a background check. This is the largest single expansion of the background check system since its creation.

The EPA published the first ever regulations on PFAS, known as forever chemicals, in drinking water. The new rules would reduce PFAS exposure for 100 million people according to the EPA. The Biden Administration announced along side the EPA regulations it would make available $1 billion dollars for state and local water treatment to help test for and filter out PFAS in line with the new rule. This marks the first time since 1996 that the EPA has passed a drinking water rule for new contaminants.

The Department of Commerce announced a deal with microchip giant TSMC to bring billions in investment and manufacturing to Arizona. The US makes only about 10% of the world's microchips and none of the most advanced chips. Under the CHIPS and Science Act the Biden Administration hopes to expand America's high-tech manufacturing so that 20% of advanced chips are made in America. TSMC makes about 90% of the world's advanced chips. The deal which sees a $6.6 billion dollar grant from the US government in exchange for $65 billion worth of investment by TSMC in 3 high tech manufacturing facilities in Arizona, the first of which will open next year. This represents the single largest foreign investment in Arizona's history and will bring thousands of new jobs to the state and boost America's microchip manufacturing.

The EPA finalized rules strengthening clean air standards around chemical plants. The new rule will lower the risk of cancer in communities near chemical plants by 96% and eliminate 6,200 tons of toxic air pollution each year. The rules target two dangerous cancer causing chemicals, ethylene oxide and chloroprene, the rule will reduce emissions of these chemicals by 80%.

the Department of the Interior announced it had beaten the Biden Administration goals when it comes to new clean energy projects. The Department has now permitted more than 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects on public lands, surpass the Administrations goal for 2025 already. These solar, wind, and hydro projects will power 12 million American homes with totally green power. Currently 10 gigawatts of clean energy are currently being generated on public lands, powering more than 5 million homes across the West. 

The Department of Transportation announced $830 million to support local communities in becoming more climate resilient. The money will go to 80 projects across 37 states, DC, and the US Virgin Islands The projects will help local Infrastructure better stand up to extreme weather causes by climate change.

The Senate confirmed Susan Bazis, Robert White, and Ann Marie McIff Allen to lifetime federal judgeships in Nebraska, Michigan, and Utah respectively. This brings the total number of judges appointed by President Biden to 193

[syoddeye]

thinking about a futuristic/dystopian au where the tech company you work for moves you into one of their r&d flats under the premise of being a paid, live-in tester. you can't refuse—it'd be foolish to refuse. free rent, a pay bump, and all the latest gadgets available at your fingertips? goodbye, communal bathroom and capsule bunk. hello, filtered air and privacy.

of course, in your hurry to get out of your shitty flat, you skip the fine print. you miss the bit about the new ai that will be monitoring your every move to provide real-time feedback and, at times, tangible nudges to improve your quality of life. the part about the extensive research on your person that's been done and will continue to fine-tune. it's just a pilot program, a temporary arrangement, but it doesn't know that.

a deep, rumbling voice wakes you on the first morning of your indefinite lease, a voice you've unwittingly imagined more times than you'd care to admit. your eyes open to the projection of a bearded man at your bedside, looming, staring down his nose. he blithely observes how hard your nipples are in the flimsy little top you wore to bed. are you trying to catch a cold or impress him? he informs you that you're succeeding in both endeavors.

when you jump up, snatch your robe from the hook, and page your superiors—they're unimpressed. you signed on the dotted line. you shouldn't complain, and no, you cannot opt out. they instruct you to deliver your complaints to john directly to test his receptiveness to human-suggested corrections.

they assure you he cannot harm you* and that he is programmed to view your well-being as his primary priority. if you'd like to learn more, refer to the provided documentation or ask john for assistance. the call ends with a dismissive handwave, and you're left alone. well. not alone alone.

john chuckles as you frantically scroll through your tablet, trying to find ways to filter or limit his speech.

"think we're goin' to get along just fine, user." he dematerializes, his voice drifting from the unit's hidden speakers.

"why don't you sit down, relax, and have a cup of tea? then, when you're ready, i will turn the shower to your preferred temperature so that you may perform your customary morning masturbatory ritual."

your head spins, steam practically billowing from your ears. what kind of sick fuckery is this—

the door to the bathroom whooshes open, and you hear water gush from the bath spout.

"hm, your stress spiked, user. i think a bath would be best. would you prefer to adjust the jets manually, or would you like me to take the lead?"

*please be advised that the ai assistant's physical interference capabilities, if any, remain largely speculative and are not fully documented by the manufacturer. users are encouraged to operate the assistant within recommended guidelines, as the system's limitations in physical engagement have yet to be comprehensively understood.

[billpottsismygf]

Space Babies! Weird episode, but it had a charm. I had already prepared myself for the fact that RTD's era was notoriously camp and weird, and that I would for the first time be experiencing new episodes by him as an adult rather than as a 9-13 year-old, so it's not news to me that there would be some campy nonsense with a deeper message, and that this might be more jarring than I'm used to. The deeper themes were really thrown out (refugees, anti-abortion hypocrisy, genocide, capitalism) without being dwelt on, but that's not necessarily a problem.

The babies themselves were... a little unnerving? The mouth movements were quite uncanny, along with their voices and the general "I love you, Ruby!" of it all. I've just now made the connection that the latter puts me in mind of adverts for baby dolls.

The gunky snot monster felt very early 2000s British children's TV. If you weren't there for that, just know there was so much slime; think Slitheen exploding. I am very glad it got rescued. Nice message with the Doctor not usually running from things just because they look scary and, even though this is a creature specifically manufactured to be scary, it still deserves a shot at life.

It feels like a strange story to start with because I suspect it'll have mixed reviews. I would think you'd want a slightly more solid episode to draw people in with. Anyway, there was still a lot of thought put into making this a proper jumping off point with all its Doctor Who 101 stuff. Funny for a long-time viewer hearing it all rattled off in record time, but important to establish for new people, and I do think it's important for the show to remain accessible to people who haven't been obsessing over it for twenty years or more.

As a jumping off point, it very specifically reminded me of The End of the World. There's the big observation deck on a space station where the new companion, in her second episode and first off-world adventure, gets her phone updated so she can call her mum, in particular. The parallels to Rose are interesting, especially with the lecture the Doctor gives Ruby about how they can't travel back to meet her missing parent(s).

Speaking of that, there's some intrigue there with the snow appearing and the memory changing. I didn't like the Doctor doing a DNA scan of Ruby without her knowledge. It feels very 11th Doctor, especially when he literally scanned Amy and withheld medical information, but also the way he treated all his female companions as mystery boxes to solve without telling them. I guess we'll see what that's all about at a later point.

I'm still not completely sold on Millie Gibson, but Ncuti Gatwa is wonderful, and I do really appreciate their chemistry.

Small things:

Jocelyn was a good character, and the Nan-E filter made me laugh several times.

That place name before the Doctor turned the translation circuits off was absolutely not in English. Slightly weird way to phrase that line if it's going to be called Pacifico del Rio.

This is a very early point in the series for Ruby to get a TARDIS key! We're really speedrunning the usual steps here.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Someone asked this question recently. Here's a good source.

by Tyler Vanzo

When masks were in short supply during the Covid-19 pandemic, people started questioning whether N95 face masks expire. Are expired face masks (but otherwise untouched) still effective? Surprising results from a peer-reviewed study have led some to question N95 expiration dates.

Do Face Masks Expire? The answer is yes if you’re talking about disposable masks. Disposable face masks will have a best-by date on the packaging, just like food. While this period is likely to be several years away, it is important to use the masks before then to get the best protection.

Reusable face masks are washable and safe to reuse, making them an excellent choice to stock up on. For the best results, wash the masks according to the instructions on the package and hang them to dry.

Do N95 Face Masks Expire? Researchers at the University of North Carolina and the EPA tested brand new and 10-year-old expired 3M N95 face masks. The oldest masks had expired 11 years before the study. And if the expiration lifespan is 5 years, that means the oldest masks were 16 years old.

Importantly, the researchers tested the masks on real people’s faces, rather than manikins. These fit tests are important because they take into account the part that people most suspect would degrade–the straps and other pieces that influence fit.

Fit tests compare the number of particles inside the mask while a person is wearing it versus the number of particles outside the mask. In this study, the average particle size was tiny–0.05 microns.

10-Year-Old Expired N95 Masks as Effective as New Surprisingly, the expired N95 masks were within one percent as effective as the brand-new masks–essentially indistinguishable.

It’s important to note that this was a small study. The researchers tested two different models of expired masks with three masks for each model.

N95 Masks Have Longer Shelf Life Than We Once Thought However, there is other data suggesting that N95 masks last longer than some people have thought. Our longevity tests found less than a 1% decrease in fit effectiveness in pollution masks worn every day for 30 days.

Why Do Masks Have Expiration Dates? Manufacturers mark their masks with expiration dates. For example, 3M says their masks have a 5-year shelf-life when the respirators are stored in their original packing and proper climate conditions (-4F to 86F, not exceeding 80% RH). That leads some to conclude that masks are less effective after this date.

The motivation behind the expiration date is that mask effectiveness depends on having a good fit. Over time, the elastic bands and nose pieces can degrade. If the straps and other structural pieces degrade, the masks will fit less well.

Bottom Line: Do N95 Face Masks Expire? Fit tests found less than a 1% difference in effectiveness between 10-year-old expired N95 masks and brand new masks.

(Ad segment of this article omitted. Feel free to patronize the author's site for HEPA filters and more.)

Study link: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2769443

[eatyoursparkout]

hello! this ask is prompted by a recent reblog of yours about rubber preservation. I'd love to hear your thoughts relating to TFs and preservation and plastics. what should folks know? any best practices for storage? do you think there's another way manufacturers could produce them to make them more hardy? etc etc. thanks :)

Sure! I'm not a conservator by trade (and even within conservation plastics are still somewhat of a new and niche thing), but I can offer some general advice.

The tl;dr is that like 90% of other materials your best bet is to keep them clean, out of strong light, in an environment that isn't too hot or too cold, and to avoid temperature/relative humidity (RH) fluctuations as much as possible. And above all, make sure that they're well-ventilated.

The tl;dr tl;dr is that plastics just suck.

More detail under the cut! (...Lots of detail. Sorry.)

There's 2 main problems with plastics.

The first is that a lot of them are just kind of inherently unstable. Unlike a nice chemically stable material like glass, they want to deteriorate when exposed to things like....oxygen. Rip. And once damage has set in, it's basically impossible to reverse/treat.

The second is that there's really no regulations or standards when it comes to the manufacture of plastics. There's a bazillion different types, and even if you're able to identify the specific kind via chemical test (and this often damages the object in question) it's almost impossible to know what other kinds of additives went into the plastic soup that created the thing in front of you. This also makes it really hard to develop a standardized approach to caring for and treating plastics, because two things can react wildly differently even if they appear virtually the same.

That means that when it comes to plastics, preventative conservation is the name of the game. You want to mitigate the effects of the agents of deterioration on the object as much as possible. And in the meantime, make peace with the fact that nothing can be preserved indefinitely :')

TFwiki has an article talking about the common types of plastic used in TF figures, which is neat and useful. Gonna hazard a guess that most figures are predominantly ABS, which is great because it's a fairly sturdy hard plastic that probably won't show effects for a while. I'd be statistically more concerned about figures with squishy, rubbery bits (looking with apprehension at my Kingdom line BW figures).

So! While the ideal environment for plastics is cold, dark, dry and oxygen-free (lol), when it comes to personal collections you can obviously only take reasonable measures. They're in our homes, not a vault. The main things you want to keep in mind:

Light fades and discolours plastic over time, and can eventually cause certain kinds to become brittle. The more lux that your figures are exposed to, the faster that's going to happen. So while it's not reasonable for your house to maintain museum-level lighting or shell out for fancy UV filtered cases, I'd keep your displays out of direct sunlight at minimum.

High temperatures can increase the rate of oxidation, and low ones can encourage shrinkage and brittleness. Either one can do damage over time, but what's worse is fluctuations in temp that force the material to weather one extreme to the other. If you've got your figures in a storage unit or something, a climate controlled one would be ideal, or at least insulating the box so that they're kept at a more stable temp. In the home, I'd keep them away from any vents/heaters.

As far as humidity goes, it's less damaging to plastics than a lot of other materials, but you still want to avoid any large fluctuations that will cause the material to expand and shrink (and eventually crack). Wherever you're storing your figures, try to make sure it's somewhere <65% RH (this is a high cutoff compared to most materials, so your home is probably fine unless you live somewhere humid without A/C).

Pollutants are a big one for plastics. Dust can cause microabrasions and damage over time, so keeping your figures clean is a good idea. I'd use a soft brush to avoid scratching your figures, or a lightly moist swab of some kind. Don't risk any kind of chemical cleaners, bleach, vinegar, etc. and I'd even avoid compressed air to be safe. If you want to be really careful about it, wash your hands before handling your figures. Humans carry all kinds of oil and dirt on their fingers- that's why museum professionals are often wearing gloves.

And then there's the problem of off-gassing...

Plastics can unfortunately give off vapours that can negatively affect other plastics in their vicinity. The especially bad ones are called malignant plastics (evil, scary), but it's hard to ID them until they start falling apart or damaging the things around them. Best course of action is to reduce contact between different figures (pose them together, but maybe don't leave someone's hand on someone else's shoulder for five years), and make sure that there's good ventilation.

If you're going to box up figures, don't be like me and store them in your parents' basement for years in an airtight container :') Go for a more pourous material like archival grade corrugated board, and use something as a buffer between figures like polyethylene bags/sheeting so that they're not touching (there's pros and cons to sealing each individual figure in a polyethylene bag- it'll be trapped with its own gases which could speed up deterioration, but the microclimate will keep it from affecting other figures around it).

And if you have boxed figures.... either commit to leaving them boxed forever or crack those bad boys open. My partner opened up their Pacific Rim figures after several years of them stewing in their own vapours and sadly they ended up falling apart in their hands. Thanks NECA.

As for manufacturing, you'd have to ask a chemist! I'm not sure exactly what it is that turns certain plastics to gunk and causes others to shatter, but I'm sure standardizing the way we make them would go a long way. Unfortunately, the stuff that's going to better for the planet in the long run (biodegradable) is also going to deteriorate quicker by design, so that's a whole other issue.

Anyway! That's a lot of info, but I hope it was an interesting and/or helpful introduction to plastic care lol. If you're interested in more thorough reading, I'll direct you to the CCI's handy dandy free online resource. They're an invaluable resource for all kinds of materials care.

[loonarii]

Ari's K-Pop Roundup: June 2024 (LISA, Red Velvet, NAYEON, NewJeans, KATSEYE, CHUU + MORE)

Hope everyone had a nice pride month - I unfortunately was chained to my textbooks for the brunt of it and didn't do anything pride related, but I did see Taylor Swift, so I guess it wasn't all bad. This is the 5th installment of this series - genuinely didn't think I would make it this far - you can check out last month's roundup here, or see my full masterlist here. Enjoy :)

ROCKSTAR - LISA (BLACKPINK)

It's very rare that we see a kpop idol's pure, unadulterated vision for the music they release due to the manufactured, consumerist nature of the industry, but here we have Lisa, arguably the most popular female kpop idol of all time (at least internationally) free from the company that is widely known for formulaic, repetitive music. Will she stick with the brand YG has created for her and reinforce the box Teddy has placed her in sonically, or will she forge her own way?

Right from the teasers, I knew we were in for something a little different. Although conceptually the chrome, futuristic vibe is nothing new in kpop, seeing Lisa without those god forsaken white washing filters was very exciting. And the fact that k-netizens are taking to it very well?? Lisa is here to rock the boat. 'Rockstar' is only a single with no mini album, but hey, it's Lisa, meaning she doesn't need to boost the length of her releases to snatch those extra sales, she do well commercially regardless. Usually a single album would annoy me, but BLACKPINK are back to releasing music, so today I will let it slide.

With a Kendrick Lamar 'Humble' visual reference in the music video, a Tame Impala sample, and a sneaky little writing credit, Lisa clearly wants to reshape her framing in the industry - with 'Rockstar' she's rejecting the somewhat diminishing 'idol rapper' status, and seeking that 'rapper rapper' reputation. She wants to sit at the table with Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, and 'Rockstar', in my opinion, does a decent job at securing her seat.

You can't reference Kendrick and not put in a double entendre in your lyrics, and Lisa (and her fellow writers) delivered in that category with quite a lot of success actually. In the line 'been MIA, BKK so pretty, Every city I go to is my city' 'MIA' is used to mean either 'missing in action', referencing how absent Blackpink has been from the music industry thanks to YG's interesting management choices, or as a reference to the Miami IATA airport code just as BKK means Bangkok, Thailand - in this context its an allusion to Lisa's multilingualism and her international influence as a member of Blackpink. It's a really good line, is what I'm trying to say.

Most of the issues I have with 'Rockstar' stem from the songs length. With the base track clocking in at 2 minutes 18 seconds (oh my god what have we come to), the song feels like it's just begun when it's all over. Excluding the choruses, hooks, and pre-choruses, and pasting what remains together, we are left with one singular, honestly quite short verse. Yeah it's a pretty good verse, both in flow and lyrical content, but one verse in what is clearly trying to be a rap song is unacceptable.

'Rockstar' is frustrating to me because while it has its genuinely great moments, like when 'lala' is used in reference to singing and to Lisa's real name when bounced onto the next line, a lot of that greatness gets eclipsed by the track's shortcomings (pun somewhat intended). However, although she's done solo work before in YG this is undoubtedly something of a debut, and through that lens, while it is flawed, the track shows potential. 'Rockstar' knows exactly what kind of song it wants to be, and even though it doesn't quite measure up, it's still a step in the right direction. I'm very excited to see what Lisa does next with her career. At the very least, 'Rockstar' was fun, for sure.

Cosmic - Red Velvet (Cosmic)

When I write these reviews, I try to describe the feelings and emotions and energies the song in question evokes, and I have found that when I struggle, the song is good - and I mean exceptionally good. 'Cosmic' is one such track - I fucking love every part of it - it's so addictive to the ninth degree, from that gorgeous music video to the low and slow verses to that utterly euphoric chorus. From Joy's slightly psychotic edge to her lines that she perfected in the 'Peekaboo' era, to Seulgi's vocals in the hook, and Wendy's high note pulling us into that final chorus; everything about 'Cosmic' WORKS. Lines like 'I'm riding on your rhythm through the solar system' and 'love is cosmic' work both in their catchiness and emotiveness. This era is obviously inspired heavily by the 2019's 'Midsommar', a visual feast of a horror film about a disturbing Scandinavian cult, and let me tell you, if 'Cosmic' is a cult, consider me initiated. Not to spoil my end of 2024 ranking or anything, but as for right now, 'Cosmic' is taking the cake for the best kpop song of the year, no questions asked.

Red Velvet b-sides always hit, and the 'Cosmic' mini album delivers as expected. 'Sunflower' furthers that 'i just took an edible and i found my way onto Spotify' energy, and that hook of 'OOH WOW FEELING SO FUN FUN FEELING SO FUNNY' is hilariously good, this is a standout for sure. The other b-side I want to highlight is 'Night Drive', the album closer. With elements of citypop and 80s synthpop, 'Night Drive' feels like exactly that - a 3am drive around a city you hardly know with people you know better than yourself. It's a celebration of music, and that's putting it lightly.

SM might be working up to shunting Red Velvet into their peripheral vision, what with the new 12 member girl group debuting soon, but 'Cosmic' proves their legend status once and for all. We freaking love you RV, never change. (And I would in fact join a cult if Seulgi was my fearless leader xx)

ABCD - NAYEON (NA)

Look, JYP may be my op until the day I die, but I'm not going to sit here and lie - he knows how to write hits when he wants to, and 'ABCD' is a HIT.

2022's 'POP!' was just that - pure, unadulterated pop music, exactly what was trending in Korea at the time - the image of modern kpop. And don't get me wrong, I loved it, but when it came for Nayeon's first comeback, I was worried she was again going to pull from the current trend cycle, and right now that means airy, Pinkpantheress type beats with a UK garage adjacent vibe - and that's not Nayeon. Her voice is full and powerful and rich in colour and flavour, a song like that just wouldn't work for her. I was nervous, for sure, but when the teaser dropped, I knew it was going to be good. In 'ABCD' Nayeon is rejecting the trend cycle almost entirely - it still flaunts that 00s vibe unabashedly, but here we are pulling from a trumpet fueled 'Crazy In Love' Beyoncé energy, and oh boy does it work. The lyricism in this song goes crazy, that chorus is masterfully written and unbelievably catchy, and that post chorus build up is INSANE. Nayeon's range is on full display here, and she sounds incredible.

The rest of the mini album is pretty amazing too. 'Butterflies' has some super interesting vocal layering, and many great moments like 'a little mental picture, every time I'm with ya' - and although it's pretty clear this was supposed to be a TWICE track once upon a time, with Nayeon even appearing to imitate the members' styles of delivery (it's like I can hear Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung on this track clear as day) it's still an easy hit that I can't help but love. 'Heaven' doesn't quite work for me, it's not unlistenable, but the feeling that it has simultaneously too much and not enough energy perserveres, unfortunately. 'Magic', the song that my girl Julie features on is pop perfection, and these girls work so well together - Julie's interjections are so catchy and her parts steal the show entirely. 'Magic' is a bonafide hit. 'HalliGalli' is very AKMU (as to be expected), but I can't help but feel like it's a little immature, both for Nayeon and this album. It has some fun elements, but the complete track just isn't it for me. 'Something' is a fun pop song, if a little dull at moments, but that post chorus is a stunner. 'Count It' brings down the tempo of the album a little, in a groovy track with some beautiful vocal production - it's exactly the punch up the tracklist needed after the weaker couple of tracks that precede it.

Nayeon is my blog namesake, and she has done me proud on this album. Yes, some tracks were on the weaker side, but the overall product is strong, with Nayeon's oustanding performance on every track, and a killer title song in 'ABCD'. In terms of other TWICE members getting solos, I would love to see how Sana approached a song on her own, or even Tzuyu, who despite being the maknae and visual, tends to get lost in the sauce of a lot of TWICE releases. We will have to see, I suppose.

Right Now + Supernatural - NewJeans

God, I sound like a stuck record every time NewJeans drops some new music, but holy hell is it always good. Following their 2nd single album 'How Sweet' earlier this year, the girls are dipping their toes into the Japanese market for the first time with two tracks - 'Supernatural' and 'Right Now'. NewJeans have captured the attention of all of South Korea pretty much, it's now time to look further afield.

'Right Now', drenched in sassy lilting vocal runs, is bedroom pop at it's finest. The up-and-down choral melodies evoke the energy of a 2am gossip debrief at a sleepover with your best friends. The dichotomy of Minji's languid repetition of 'I don't care' with a chorus that speedy and spirited is humorous and perfectly captures what it is to be a teenage girl with a crush. NewJeans know who their audience is, and are making music directly for that.

'Supernatural' came next, embracing that New Jack Swing sound wholeheartedly - its very 'early 00s street dance movie'. It's quite a bit more mature than 'Right Now', the girls decorating those gorgeous synths and groovy instrumentation with a genuine collected confidence. As always, it pushes the boundaries of the y2k trend and thematically pulls from the era itself, not other people's recent interpretations of the era. It's experimental for NewJeans I think, which works for a debut, and while it takes a lot of the right risks, and makes a lot of the right choices, the chorus leaves a little something to be desired. The melody and hooks are perfect, I have no issues with them, but the vocal direction needs tweaking. A song like this demands a chant style chorus with all the members in my opinion, and while the vocal layering of the individual members singing attempts that anthemic feel, it comes off as slightly limp-fisted. I'm kind of dramatizing this issue because to be frank, it is rare I find something in a NewJeans track that I can pinpoint as a problem. The song is still of a supremely high caliber, and to be honest, any thinness in the chorus vocals just inspires the listener to fill in the gaps themselves with an impromptu karaoke session.

Lyrically, both 'Right Now' and 'Supernatural' break the kpop-takes-on-the-Japanese-market formula by including not only a blend of Japanese and English lyrics, but some Korean lines too. I find it quite clever, like saying 'this is NewJeans' debut in Japan, but they will always be a korean pop group first and foremost'. While some groups like Girls' Generation and Twice find their discographies split into 2 - kpop and jpop, NewJeans are clearly making an effort to unite both markets under 1 discography.

As a debut, this works. Two tracks united by classic NewJeans production and differentiated by themes and tone. It's really been a rough year for these girls, what with the whole Min Heejin vs HYBE drama and with Hyein's injury leaving her out of promotions for both single albums altogether, but there's a light at the end of this tunnel, and as long as the music stays consistently high quality as it has been, I will have no complaints.

(sidenote: the fact that I wasn't at Bunnies Camp in the Tokyo Dome is a little sick and twisted.)

Debut - KATSEYE

I mean, maybe expectations were unrealistically high since KATSEYE is HYBE's first real stab at the western market, but come on, we all deserved better than this. A half-hearted pop song that fails to innovate in every sense of the word, and they have the audacity to not even make it three minutes. IT'S BARELY EVEN TWO MINUTES. Kpop companies pulling from PinkPantheress constantly is truly a double edged sword, on one hand we get fucking incredible songs like 'LOOP' and 'Super Shy', and then on the other we get every kpop company waking up and deciding that actually it's totally okay to release 2 minute songs and act like it's a completed product. As a British girl, seeing the effects of the recession and the cost of living crisis on the people around me in real time is one thing, but seeing fucking SHRINKFLATION weed its way into pop music as well is like the burning cherry on top of my cesspit sundae.

I genuinely don't know what happened in the production of this song, like they got Ryan Tedder, who has contributed so much great music to this world, and then somehow the end product was so dull and uninspired.

The worst part is these girls are absurdly talented and they are getting served dirt. HYBE - that mini album coming later this year better be good istg. Ok, I'm done ranting.

BUT OH MY GOD TWO MINUTES AND THREE FUCKING SE-

Strawberry Rush - CHUU (Strawberry Rush)

(obligatory note: if you want to stream Chuu's old solo tracks, or any other old loona songs, please stream via the loona podcast or the twelveM account on spotify in accordance with the boycott)

Having the LOONA girls free from that cesspit of a company is one thing, but getting new LOONA music this often is certainly an unprecedented win for me.

Following her re-debut under ATRP in late 2023 with 'Howl', Chuu is back for her first comeback with 'Strawberry Rush'; a mini album drenched in electric pink and cherry red and sunny yellow. Chuu has an innately magnetic quality and Strawberry Rush as a title track takes full advantage of that. It's an utterly adorable song that I genuinely can't imagine anyone not loving. That disco synth thrumming the song's heartbeat is reinforced with a killer baseline, and Chuu's gorgeous vocal colour gives the track even more energy than it already has. The intro and opening are perfect at punching up the mood and setting the scene for the chorus, but it's when Chuu comes in with 'packing that heat, packing that heat, packing that PEW PEW PEW' that the song truly swings into motion and you know that this is going to be a fun one.

The mini album doesn't quite match the energy of it's title track, with it maintaining a more relaxed vibe, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. 'Honeybee' is an acoustic track decorated in summer daisy chains and buttercup bouquets, and it works wonderfully with Chuu's more airy vocals. 'Daydreamer' follows a similar sonic theme to 'Honeybee' but with a more late night nap with the cicadas vibe - Chuu's ability to switch between powerful, call-to-action vocals in 'Strawberry Rush' and featherweight tones in the b-sides is truly commendable. 'Lucid Dream' comes next, a perfect midpoint between 'Strawberry Rush' and 'Daydreamer', heartfelt and addictive. It's a real stand out on the album for sure. 'Chocolate' was released as a single a while back, and I enjoyed it then absolutely, but it makes so much more sense on this album - somehow it just got even more catchy.

Effortlessly adorable, effortlessly catchy, effortlessly perfect - Chuu, you have done it again.

MINI REVIEWS:

Boom Boom Bass - RIIZE: absolutely no notes, im obsessed. I've literally never loved a boy groups music like this before. wow.

Inner Dance - tripleS Glow: tripleS' ability to establish their own sound and musical motifs so early on in their career has served them very well, and 'Inner Dance' shows that clearly. Light and casual and airy, it's the perfect backtrack to your summer break.

Summer Festa - IVE: I usually don't dignify these type of advertisement songs with a review, but this one is actually kind of a bop. A little bit 'Espresso' coded; it's something fun for the summer that inadvertently encourages getting blackout drunk at the hotel bar in Bali. I'm still not drinking Pepsi though. Or Coca Cola for that matter, NewJeans pipe down.

BADVILLAIN - BADVILLAIN: (requested by @a-moth-to-the-light) Although apparently capturing the eyes and ears of seemingly the entire kpop community, this one wasn't hugely to my liking. This might be controversial but my first impression was in fact 'wow this sounds like something babymonster would release' - I can see the appeal but unfortunately these songs just aren't meant for me. I do enjoy the classical influenced production and for the most part the vocal performances were fun too, but with the hook I wish they had bumped up the high note at the end of 'villain' another octave - that's such a nitpick I know but the thought struck me immediately when I heard it. '+82' on the other hand impressed me immensely, such a powerful, call-to-action type song. That background production is a killer, and perhaps I just have Kendrick on the brain from my Lisa review, but the beat feels somewhat along those lines. And holy fuck can these girls dance - wow.

Sabotage - Kwon Eunbi: Can Eunbi release a flop title track? Turns out, once again, no she can't. I love 'Sabotage', it's so hilarious and catchy, and singing along feels like accusing an imaginary boyfriend of gaslighting lol. Woollim giving this song to Eunbi feels a little ironic, considering since she left IZ*ONE, it seems all they've done to her career is sabotage her with poor promotions. The song is fun, and Eunbi sounds excellent as always, with 'Sabotage' boasting many a vocal riff, especially following the bridge. Give this one a listen, and whilst you're there, go check out the rest of my girl's discography, she's truly a hidden gem.

[lynmars79]

Found this in my drafts, and I maybe meant to do more with it, but:

Talking to my friend who's caught up to Midst now, and thinking about Lark's story of how and why she killed Maximilian Loxlee.

In S1 E13 "Loose Ends", when she kills Fuze:

Narrator 1: (Fuze) “Well…” he says to her, his voice going quieter, “I suppose… it’s nice of you, at least… not to bludgeon ME to death…” Narrator 2: (Lark) “I would never do that… to YOU.” Narrator 1: (Fuze) “You know, I always did used to think… you seemed like such a nice young kid…”

And then in S3 E4 "Foundation" when she's talking of the factory they worked at (trimmed):

..."[Loxlee] was a regular visitor to the manufacturing islet. He liked to strut around and watch the assembly lines, the fuse braiding stations, the glass blowers. He really liked to visit testing, though. My mom and I worked in testing" .... "Whenever Mr. Loxlee showed up, he’d send everyone else away except my mom. Sometimes I’d sneak up on the catwalk above the testing vats and watch them, but most of the time I was happy to get out of there. Mr. Loxlee… scared me. He scared most of us there. He loved talking to my mom though. That’s the real reason he came to visit testing so much: just to talk to her."

Then:

"At some point I realized there were people, a few people watching from the doorway. I don’t know exactly when they showed up, but… I knew they saw what I did. They were kind of frozen and seemed just as scared of me as I was of them. I knew who some of them were, there was this nice guy from the… fuse assembly department."

And:

"We just kind of stared at each other for a moment, and then they all ran off, and I knew I had to go. I ran out the back way to shipping, I grabbed some of my mom’s things, and I got inside one of the lightbulb crates that was about to ship out."

Everyone in the factory knew Maximilian. Everyone knew his temper. Everyone was scared of him. Everyone knew he spent time alone with Clara's mother.

Why did no one stop her from escaping? There was plenty of time and opportunity, if she went to get her mother's belongings first.

And when it was over, where was Mom during and after all this? What would make nice little Clara do such a thing? Oh no...

They absolutely knew Loxlee had done something terrible--and that none of them would be believed. Clara was probably terrifying in her rage and grief, sure--but still also a 13 year old girl who'd gotten the jump on Loxlee. Also: that's Lark's assumption of their reactions, filtered through 50 years of memory.

And those others perhaps feared what would happen to her, even if her reaction was justified. What would the Trust to do them, for not stopping her from killing the Most Valorous Mr. Loxlee, from standing there watching this kid kill the man they feared?

So what do you do? Let the terrifying child who just killed your terrifying boss escape. Play dumb. Pin it on the missing woman and/or her daughter, and pray they don't drown everyone in more Caenum--or worse.

50 years later, Fuze knew if it came down to it, Lark would kill him to survive--and he always understood why. In the end, his fear of the Trust was stronger, as it had been that day in their youths in the factory.

[punk-pins]

fundamentally you need to understand that the internet-scraping text generative AI (like ChatGPT) is not the point of the AI tech boom. the only way people are making money off that is through making nonsense articles that have great search engine optimization. essentially they make a webpage that’s worded perfectly to show up as the top result on google, which generates clicks, which generates ads. text generative ai is basically a machine that creates a host page for ad space right now.

and yeah, that sucks. but I don’t think the commercialized internet is ever going away, so here we are. tbh, I think finding information on the internet, in books, or through anything is a skill that requires critical thinking and cross checking your sources. people printed bullshit in books before the internet was ever invented. misinformation is never going away. I don’t think text generative AI is going to really change the landscape that much on misinformation because people are becoming educated about it. the text generative AI isn’t a genius supercomputer, but rather a time-saving tool to get a head start on identifying key points of information to further research.

anyway. the point of the AI tech boom is leveraging big data to improve customer relationship management (CRM) to streamline manufacturing. businesses collect a ridiculous amount of data from your internet browsing and purchases, but much of that data is stored in different places with different access points. where you make money with AI isn’t in the Wild West internet, it’s in a structured environment where you know the data its scraping is accurate. companies like nvidia are getting huge because along with the new computer chips, they sell a customizable ecosystem along with it.

so let’s say you spent 10 minutes browsing a clothing retailer’s website. you navigated directly to the clothing > pants tab and filtered for black pants only. you added one pair of pants to your cart, and then spent your last minute or two browsing some shirts. you check out with just the pants, spending $40. you select standard shipping.

with AI for CRM, that company can SIGNIFICANTLY more easily analyze information about that sale. maybe the website developers see the time you spent on the site, but only the warehouse knows your shipping preferences, and sales audit knows the amount you spent, but they can’t see what color pants you bought. whereas a person would have to connect a HUGE amount of data to compile EVERY customer’s preferences across all of these things, AI can do it easily.

this allows the company to make better broad decisions, like what clothing lines to renew, in which colors, and in what quantities. but it ALSO allows them to better customize their advertising directly to you. through your browsing, they can use AI to fill a pre-made template with products you specifically may be interested in, and email it directly to you. the money is in cutting waste through better manufacturing decisions, CRM on an individual and large advertising scale, and reducing the need for human labor to collect all this information manually.

(also, AI is great for developing new computer code. where a developer would have to trawl for hours on GitHUB to find some sample code to mess with to try to solve a problem, the AI can spit out 10 possible solutions to play around with. thats big, but not the point right now.)

so I think it’s concerning how many people are sooo focused on ChatGPT as the face of AI when it’s the least profitable thing out there rn. there is money in the CRM and the manufacturing and reduced labor. corporations WILL develop the technology for those profits. frankly I think the bigger concern is how AI will affect big data in a government ecosystem. internet surveillance is real in the sense that everything you do on the internet is stored in little bits of information across a million different places. AI will significantly impact the government’s ability to scrape and compile information across the internet without having to slog through mountains of junk data.

[coltgroup]

Why Water Cooled Air Compressors Are Ideal for Hot Climates

Compressors that dissipate heat into the surrounding water are more efficient than their air-only counterparts. This reduces the workload on the compressor and hence lowers energy costs. Water Chillers compressors are also highly recommended for use in hot environments. Since water cools particularly efficiently, the engine may maintain a higher horsepower output while using less oil, thanks to this cooling mechanism.

Air-cooled compressors are quieter than water-cooled compressors but still make some noise when operating. Although this is a potential issue, it can be fixed. There are several air cooler varieties that, until recently, were little known and infrequently utilised but which will reduce noise considerably. Coolers that use water or oil as their medium are the market leaders. Both types transfer heat from the refrigerant and its surroundings to the liquid phase of your cooling system using a sealed heat exchanger.

How Water Cooled Air Compressors Work

Because air is a gas, water-cooled air compressors can compress it efficiently. Its molecules are composed of atoms, and when these atoms hit one another, they generate heat. These impacts provide friction and a mechanical force proportional to the piston head's area and mass.

The motor shaft in Water Cooled Compressors is encased in a water jacket to remove excess heat. In most cases, water is injected into the motor. This keeps the engine from getting too hot to function properly.

The benefits of water-cooled air compressors compared to the more conventional type of air compressor

There is a lot of moisture in the air during the summer, and the air compressor industry is very competitive. This can lead to problems with the compressor's ability to cool the air and provide the high pressure you require for your business. Water Cooled Compressors are suitable for firms operating in hot regions and will assist in ensuring that your business continues to be successful in these conditions.

Compressors that use air cooling are sometimes called centrifugal or reciprocating water-cooled compressors because they continuously use a pump to circulate water through a casing surrounding an impeller.

Water cooled air compressors are more efficient for your business

When the temperature outside soars, your business's offices and production facilities must remain as cool as possible. While big, industrialised hot houses are possible, they also have a substantial energy footprint. Extreme heat makes it hard to cool down or even maintain. Still, a well-designed water cooling system will ensure that your company operates at peak performance, no matter the temperature outside.

There is a lot of moisture in the air during the summer, and the air compressor industry is very competitive. Because of this, the compressor may have trouble reducing the air's temperature and producing sufficient pressure. Water Cooled Compressors are suitable for firms operating in hot regions and will assist in ensuring that your business continues to be successful in these conditions. Providing the high pressure, you require for work.

Conclusion

Colt Equipment's (p) Ltd offers its bandit series of low-priced machines with all the compressor parts needed for the best process in many industrial settings. In addition to reciprocating compressors, also called mobile compressors and field portable compressors, our organisation offers a high-quality Water Cooled Compressors for mechanical equipment.

[malacandrax]

Had the enlightening thought that I could use my blog for blogging. I don't love splitting myself into separate marketable entities, so I'll probably post more craft stuff here. (I have a passing knowledge of So many hobbies it's a bit ridiculous- my most developed are probably doll customisation (wigs, faceups etc), sewing tiny clothes and maybe crochet.) I thought I would share some patch process from...2021? (ugh)

I don't know how many of you will have seen on twitter, but I've started making patches for my jacket after being deeply dissatisfied with what I could find online (I find that I need to know & search for a creator specifically or I just get mainstream patches... 'bee happy' etc)

The Billie patch (of the painting) was actually me going 'I wonder if posca works on fabric' and I tested it on the smallest scrap, which bit me in the ass, because I did that face with no planning or sketch and it came out perfect, no way I was going to do it that good again. SO i stitched it onto a bigger bit of black fabric, which is surprisingly unnoticeable in the end!

The rainbow strip was made because I didn't like how clean and manufactured store bought flag patches are, I wanted something undeniably gay, but a little more subtle and personal. I chose the colours to be a bit softer (I'm aware the dark brown should be black, I had no grey to pastel-ify it with, like I did the others) and I've seen little rainbow strip lapel pins before, so I sort of copied that in fabric form.

The next is Brian Molko in the 'Pure Morning' video, which I watched so much when I was younger. I put a screenshot through a binarization filter, and tried my best to copy it down. It was going really well, and then I foolishly placed it over my photo to see how it lined up (badly) and I went back in and completely ruined the likeness. While it wasn't a good copy, I still think it looked good before I went over it. SO I made another :'). I also sort of fixed up the first, because seeing it on the desk was embarrassing me.

I also added the embroidery in the colours I think of when I try and remember the video (his lips particularly were sort of coral coloured and the androgyny struck me hard as a teen)  The Eve Elloree was from an old gay magazine- the art director asking for assistance, I just thought it was really fucking cute haha Way more info on my long ass twitter thread.

The extremely badass black and white one is from superpose! And the fruits wizard is here (because im a fruit, har har)

Hopefully I can make more this year, I have too many hobbies and not enough wrist stamina!

[seedsofagony]

Overwhelm (KnY ♡ Hotaru)

Cherrytober Day 14: Hotel // Aftercare

Series: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Characters: Haganezuka Hotaru

Word Count: 579

Summary: modern au, x reader (gn), post-sex, allusions to rough sex, slight angst, top/sub drop, aftercare, cuddling

Notes: PSA that top/sub drop can be a normal part of any sexual experience ⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

Disclaimer: Underage, ageless, and blank blogs will be blocked. For everyone 18+, FUB free or filter my unique tag for this event: #sweets🍒24

You lie on your side, covered in a sheen of sweat, trying to catch your breath. Purple half-moon bite marks and hickeys cover your neck and shoulders. The muscles in your lower back are already starting to protest—never mind the absolute pounding between your legs. You're going to be sore later, but, as you come down, lying together with your lover, all you feel is tremendous warmth.

And yet, something isn't right.

"You okay…?" you ask.

Hotaru nods, but says nothing. You cup his cheek in your hand—he's a beautiful mess, hair wild, lips swollen from kissing, but there's a deep furrow in his brow.

"That was pretty intense, wasn't it?"

He looks at you, the furrow creasing into concern. "Does it hurt…?"

You grin. "A little–" his face falls before you can finish your thought, "but, I'm fine! It was great." You stroke his cheek with your thumb. "You were great."

"Great" doesn't even begin to describe the experience you just had—the hunger in Hotaru's bright eyes, the primal urgency, the growling. You rub your thighs together just thinking about it, but round two is definitely out of the question. At least for now.

"We could tone it down if you want?"

"No! I mean, I just…" Hotaru groans and rolls onto his back, pressing his palms against his eyes. "I don't know what I meant."

You shift onto your stomach, propping yourself up on your elbows. "We don't have to do anything you don't like."

"I liked it," he says, voice quiet. "I loved it. It's just that, sometimes," he sighs, "I feel so much…" Lowering his hands to his chest, he turns his head to you. "It's overwhelming."

You hum thoughtfully. After a moment, you sit up and reach for the remote on the nightstand.

"Come here," you say, patting your knee.

Frowning, Hotaru scooches up against you and lays his head on your shoulder. You turn on the TV and flip through the menu, putting on a rerun of the series Hotaru loves to hate—a reality show where the contestants compete to make the best sword.

As the TV flickers, you only half-pay attention to the manufactured drama. Instead, you glance down at Hotaru from time to time, checking his expression. For awhile, his brow remains creased, his mouth a thin line, but eventually, his face begins to soften. He makes a comment here and there, muttering under his breath when he thinks a contestant has done something particularly stupid, clucking his tongue when an inferior sword cracks during quenching.

As the stream rolls over to the next episode, Hotaru sits up. He takes your face in his hands and kisses you softly—a far cry from the earlier ravages of his mouth. You savor it, sweet as honey, leaning your forehead against his when you part.

"Feeling better?" you ask.

"Yes," he says, kissing you again before snuggling back into your side. "Thank you…"

"Of course." And you mean that—of course you would do this for him. This isn't an exchange, an hour or so of cuddling for the most back-breaking sex of your life. It's a continuation of the expression, one strong emotion fading into the next until you're yourselves again.

You stare at the TV without really watching, idly stroking Hotaru's hair while he eviscerates the contestants. He really had been great, the way he handled you so easily, took you in the truest sense of the word—but this?

This is bliss.

[andmaybegayer]

Michael scope

Zeiss Jena Laboval ?3? I think, documentation for the Laboval series online starts and ends with the Laboval 4. By all accounts this is their upper mid range lab scope, with Amplival being the top of the line before you get to big scopes that have to be installed by a technician.

There's a large variety of Zeiss scopes that were manufacturered on this side of the iron curtain, as you can see this is an East German piece. Pretty good condition, scratchy condenser optics but the objectives and eyepiece seem to be in great nick, from a quick inspection, and that's what matters. Eyepieces are 10×'s, Objectives are a 3.2 semiplanar, a 10, a 40 planar (which I think will get a lot of use), and a 100 oil immersion. Pretty normal setup.

I don't have slides and slips yet so I can't do a proper mount, but this is pretty promising for just sliding a sheet of paper into the slide holder. Proper mounting will improve the focus plane immensely. 32× and 100× so far.

The illumination is off-centre and uneven but that's resolvable and anyway it might be fun to move to LED. I also want to build some top illumination brackets for opaque subjects.

I had like. A kiddies toy microscope growing up and I got as far as trying to make it do darkfield with pieces of cardboard, but never something this professional, binocular optics is such a big step up on its own.

The only real issue I've seen so far is that the stage Z axis is very sloppy, huge backlash. Everything has been stuffed with new grease recently so at least it moves smoothly, old scopes and old typewriters both have a tendency to seize if they're forgotten for more than a few months at a time.

I'll swing by the lake and pick up some algae and protist samples later, and I need to order slides and slips. Also I can print some darkfield and oblique illumination filters.

Probably not going to fuck too much with oil immersion, but who knows, also I'll keep an eye out for water immersion objectives.

I think that with an appropriate head replacement and some filter hacking I could get phase contrast microscopy up and running, probably scavenging some Amplival parts. I'd need to see. I can definitely get fluorescence microscopy working with an illumination upgrade. It would also be nice to gut the electronics and put in a simple battery powered illumination system I can charge over USB so I don't have to rely on wall power. Even the stock tungsten lighting is only 5W at 6V so that's easy to swing.

Objectives are DIN 45mm I think, and it sounds like many Eastern Bloc microscopes use standardized head mounts. I'll also be able to print a lot of parts for this, but I'll probably want to get some black filament for optical reasons.

First I want to do some protist sketches, I picked up a protists book at a used bookstore a while ago and it got me really hyped to do protist watching. This is definitely at some level me trying to replace macroscopic wildlife spotting in my life.

[andy-wm]

AI couple photos are crossing the line.

PLEASE STOP!!

What's with all the AI edits suddenly??

The elves, vampires, pirates... fine. Those are fun and cute, although im a bit over them now. Fantasy characters I am okay with, but I am not comfortable with the family portraits. They are just... wrong.

And now this... Even worse!

I unfortunately happened to stumble on intimate (not explicit but very personal) AI edits of JK & T on inst@

I can't imagine how compromising it must feel for them to have all this real-looking manufactured intimacy floating around the web. It's bad enough that AI songs are using their voices but this is another level.

(I've pixilated/filtered these because i don't want to contribute to the problem)

Edits of intimately close couple shots . This is crossing a line.

I'm not specifying who the members are. I'm sure these exist for many pairs that delulu shippers want to see together. I did NOT go looking for jikook photos - i dont want to see them.

I'm sure Hybe knows already - is also their job after all, to protect their artists - but i have reported it on the protect@ email address.

How far will it go?

I'm incredibly frustrated that people who call themselves ARMY are creating and sharing these. If you are doing it, please stop. Put yourself in their shoes. I dont know in what universe it's ok to create photorealistic images of real people doing things they would never do (certainly not in public) and think its all a bit of fun.

YUCK. JUST... NO

It should be illegal imo.

Just as bad are the comments insinuating they are 'real enough'.

Remember the hysteria over the Taennie Paris photos? Especially the ridiculous the cosplay accusations?

It worries me where this will go,

When people are so desperate to prove their ship that they manufacture evidence, where will they draw the line?

If you are tempted to go looking for these, please report them when you find them.

Protect@bighitmusic.co.kr

💜