#Rivet Technology

[lpsbossard]

Fastening Elements for Robotic Manufacturing

In the realm of robotic manufacturing, where efficiency and accuracy are paramount, fastening elements serve as the backbone of seamless assembly processes. From traditional screws to cutting-edge adhesive technologies, selecting the right fastening elements is crucial for achieving optimal performance and reliability. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the best fastening elements that are transforming robotic manufacturing operations worldwide.

Precision Screws and Bolts: Traditional yet indispensable, precision screws and bolts are the cornerstone of fastening in robotic manufacturing. Engineered for accuracy and reliability, these fasteners provide the structural integrity needed for robust assembly. With advancements such as self-tapping screws and high-torque bolts, manufacturers can streamline assembly processes and achieve tighter tolerances in their robotic systems.

Advanced Riveting Techniques: Riveting remains a staple in robotic manufacturing, offering strong and durable joints for a variety of materials. From aluminum to composite materials, robotic riveting systems ensure precise and consistent fastening results. Modern advancements in riveting technology include blind rivets and programmable riveting robots, which enhance productivity and versatility in manufacturing operations.

Cutting-Edge Welding Technologies: Welding robots are indispensable for joining metal components in robotic manufacturing processes. Whether it's arc welding, spot welding, or laser welding, these technologies offer unparalleled strength and durability in fastening. Robotic welders equipped with advanced controls and sensing capabilities ensure precise welds, even in complex geometries, thereby enhancing the structural integrity of robotic assemblies.

Structural Adhesives and Sealants: The use of structural adhesives and sealants is on the rise in robotic manufacturing, offering high-strength bonding and sealing solutions for diverse materials. Robotic dispensing systems accurately apply adhesives and sealants, ensuring uniform coverage and minimizing waste. Structural adhesives enhance joint strength, while sealants provide protection against environmental factors, making them essential for reliable and long-lasting fastening in robotic systems.

Interlocking Mechanisms and Snap Fits: Interlocking mechanisms and snap fits provide efficient and reliable fastening solutions without the need for additional hardware. Robotic assembly systems are programmed to align and interlock mating components with precision, ensuring a secure fit without compromising assembly speed. Snap-fit designs and dovetail joints are particularly popular for their simplicity and versatility in robotic manufacturing applications.

In conclusion, the selection of fastening elements plays a crucial role in the success of robotic manufacturing operations. By leveraging precision screws and bolts, advanced riveting techniques, cutting-edge welding technologies, structural adhesives, and interlocking mechanisms, manufacturers can achieve unparalleled efficiency, accuracy, and reliability in their robotic assembly processes. As the robotic manufacturing industry continues to evolve, so too will the innovative fastening solutions that drive its success.

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[thefalloutwiki]

Were you previously aware that two P-51 Mustang aircrafts appear in Fallout 3? One is located inside the Museum of Technology and the other in the Capitol Preservation Society in Rivet City.

Museum of Technology

Capitol Preservation Society

You can read more about these two planes on their page here

You can also read their Wikipedia article here

[esmeralda-juniper]

while i don't think that madison li being in 4 isn't anything other than wink wink look who's back 😉!! i still wish you could ask about what she did for the brotherhood and she'd vaguely mention the lw

[malewifehenrycooldown]

I am coming to terms with the fact that SMT is a nearly 40 year old franchise who’s whole premise starts because a teenage boy who absolutely needed therapy decided to get revenge on his school, and apparently he decided to do so by summoning demons using a goddamn computer program of all things…

[gudmould]

Summary of 19 plastic connection methods!

Plastics are widely used in daily chemical packaging, medical equipment, automobiles and in daily products. This article makes a brief introduction to these plastic connection technologies. Content is for reference of friends who are engaged in product structure design: 1 Adhesive connection Adhesive connection refers to technology of connecting surfaces of homogeneous or heterogeneous objects…

[jayrockin]

You have been visited by the Talita of encouragement. She believes in you. I drafted this for a sticker design and was worried it was a little too corny but it was extremely well received on poll, so maybe I just need to be more optimistic and cringe and free. Rosie the Riveter is a actually a great fit for Talita since she's also a lady in aerospace technology, though she's probably ripped more rivets out than put them in.

[spitdrunken]

THIS IS INCREDIBLY SELF-INDULGENT BUT. MY BLOG!

notes: power imbalance, sexual harrassment, murder mentions.

rotating a thought in my head where 'you' are an increasingly popular erotica writer from the pride ring. with writing, you've hit a bit of a niche, as a lot of the big porn producers (VoxTech's subsidiaries) are not exactly known for their riveting dialogue or personalities. no one's there for anything more than that, but there are demons who do want a bit more 'meat', so to say, with nowhere else turn. that is where you come in!

it's not enough to make a steady living off of, not even when you start taking incredibly specific commissions, but it's never been more of a hobby anyway. you are completely anonymous online, keeping care to use throwaway emails and accounts for everything. still, voxtech's products are utterly inescapable: it's either using them, or using nothing at all. (and those rumours about their boss vox having complete control over his technology, even after selling, has to be a rumour... you hope.)

meanwhile, as your penname continues to grow more and more recognizable, it falls in the vees' meeting room. valentino's immediate suggestion is just to kill you. people in the comments keep comparing his dialogue to yours. what the fuck is that about? who the hell watches porn for the DIALOGUE in the first place?

velvette, while shrugging her shoulders, only adds that their new releases tend to go trending, prior to release. fucking far from the top of that list, but still. trending is trending.

vox, sighing internally, plasters a smile on his face. there's really no need to kill new up and coming talent, val. we should suggest them to work for us instead. and if they don't... we can simply prevent them from working. they'll make up their mind, then.

you return to your laptop to an utterly inescapable pop-up describing the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to work at voxtech! it's a whole wall of text, describing your pay (higher than you would have expected), where you will be living (in one of the appartment buildings owned by voxtech), and when to head to their main office. there is no word on denying the contract, an utter impossibility, it seems. not that you'd dare. vox's and the radio demon's showdown was the talk of the ring for days, and apparantly, all that rancour was the source of alastor denying a contract of his own. that really is more shit than you can handle in your undead life now. so, you take the job.

as your stories are starting to get heavily promoted, velvette absolutely insists that you add in at least a couple of looong clothing descriptions, based on her tastes. she's such an overwhelming, pushy presence, that it's hard for you to say no. she goes on about how, if it gets popular enough, people might be interested in somewhat similar outfits. probably not, though, let's be honest with ourselves. she makes you model them, all the while telling you that you really wouldn't be allowed to breathe in the direction of her studio otherwise. when you ask her why you absolutely have the one modelling, she just rolls her eyes. you based large parts of their appearances after you, didn't you? might as well make you look the part.

valentino is one of the worst parts of the job. compared to everyone else, he hardly pesters you, but he's still a terrifying presence. he'll give you 'suggestions' and make you steer your work in certain directions, getting too close and blowing smoke into your face. he gives a graphic description of how he jacked off to one of your stories, just to see your response. (this is a lie: why would he jack off if he can just call some stupid whore over to do it for him? also, he doesn't read.)

if a part of one of your stories ever gets a 'porno adaptation', he's having you play the part of the director, and has you sit in during the entirety of the viewing. you can tell he takes great pleasure out of any of your discomfort, or any of your fumbling- until it's too sloppy, and then he gets mad, of course, and you end up leaving the room with shaky legs.

vox seems to be the nicest one out of the three of them. really, he's only ever been courteous to you. but you've seen him flip his lid during the aforementioned 'radio demon fiasco', which you have been wise enough to never mention, so you still walk on eggshells around him. he can also get pretty pushy about deadlines, so you're not taking any chances.

he insists on having semi-regular meetings with you about the sales figures of your most recent works, wherein you also have to describe your process on other projects and pitch new ideas. frankly, you wish these meetings could be an email! but even when you tried to broach the subject, telling him that, surely, the company leader's time is much more important than this?

he simply brushed you off, telling you that he can decide for himself who and what to spend his time on, thank you very much. now, please continue. he'll inform you of the latest kinks and dynamics that have been most popular, though with some peculiar additions as well. you swear that, sometimes, the main character really does seem to resemble yourself in those suggestions, and the love interest a member of the vees...? you're certain you're just imagining it.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Billboard project

* * * *

One for the history books!

September 12, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

After delivering one of the best debate performances in American political history, Kamala Harris is receiving begrudging and stinting praise from many in the media and commentary class. But 67 million people saw Kamala Harris demonstrate she is made of presidential timber. They witnessed a masterful performance that revealed a penetrating intellect tempered by decency and humanity. On the substance and execution, she should have earned the support of all voters and unqualified praise from the media and political commentators.

Trump's performance was vile and disqualifying. It was worse than Joe Biden’s widely panned debate by far. While Joe Biden turned in a horrible debate performance as measured by the artificial rules of made-for-tv spectacles, Donald Trump made dozens of statements that were objectively depraved, racist, antidemocratic, delusional, and deceitful.

Trump transcended the debate format and devolved into fascist demagoguery that should have resulted in universal condemnation by all voters, the media, and political commentators. If Joe Biden was driven from the presidential race because of his poor debate performance, Trump should be banished from politics, expelled from his party, and relegated to a place of dishonor in the annals of American history.

Talking about the debate is difficult because of the urge to focus on Kamala Harris’s brilliantly executed strategy of baiting Trump into ranting about his insecurities and the horror of Trump's worst-in-the-history-of-the-nation performance on substance.

I get it. Harris’s ninja debating moves and Trump's racist deer-in-the-headlights stare made for riveting television. But we focus on those aspects of the debate to the detriment of the substance of Kamala Harris’s message. She spent a substantial portion of the debate discussing her policies and her plan to help heal the divisions that beset America.

It is disappointing to see so many stories and commentators describe the debate as “fierce” or “contentious.” I heard one commentator on MSNBC bemoan the fact that neither candidate seemed interested in bridging the divide in America. That is false. Kamala Harris promised to be a president for all Americans and to focus on the needs of the people, not the needs and wants of the president. She said, in part,

And I think the American people want better than that. Want better than this. Want someone who understands as I do, I travel our country, we see in each other a friend. We see in each other a neighbor. We don't want a leader who is constantly trying to have Americans point their fingers at each other. I meet with people all the time who tell me "Can we please just have discourse about how we're going to invest in the aspirations and the ambitions and the dreams of the American people?" [¶¶] I've only had one client. The people. And I'll tell you, as a prosecutor I never asked a victim or a witness are you a Republican or a Democrat. The only thing I ever asked them, are you okay? And that's the kind of president we need right now. Someone who cares about you and is not putting themselves first. I intend to be a president for all Americans and focus on what we can do over the next 10 and 20 years to build back up our country by investing right now in you the American people.

Kamala Harris repeatedly offered her policy vision for America, including tax breaks for business startups; subsidizing downpayments for first-time home purchases; incentivizing the construction of starter homes; granting tax credits for families with newborns; investing in American chip technology, quantum computing, and AI; supporting worker’s rights; reducing reliance on fossil fuels; granting tax cuts for the middle class; requiring the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes; and protecting the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. She also promised to protect reproductive liberty, LGBTQ equality, and voting rights of all Americans.

The media has hounded Kamala Harris for weeks about the alleged absence of policies in her campaign. On Tuesday, she talked about dozens of specific policies—and the media is not saying a word about those policies after the debate.

Not. A. Word.

It’s almost as if the media didn’t really care about Kamala Harris’s policies but were only interested in a talking point they could use to criticize her. Hypocrites!

So, before talking about how well Kamala Harris executed her strategy of baiting Trump and how abhorrent Trump's performance and positions were, let’s give Kamala Harris her due on the substance: She gave a presidential-level discourse on policies that will affect the lives of hundreds of millions of Americans. The fact that Trump and the moderators ignored those policies does not diminish the respect she showed for the American people by clearly setting forth her policies if elected as president.

Among the many insipid criticisms of Kamala Harris was that she used facial expressions to convey her disapproval, amusement, and disbelief over Trump's utterances. This was an effective use of her non-speaking time and allowed her to diminish Trump without saying a word.

Dahlia Lithwick demolishes the critics who faulted Kamala’s facial expressions—a criticism that would only be leveled against a woman. See Dahlia Lithwick, Slate, Harris–Trump debate: Kamala Harris’ face on Tuesday was the stuff of legend. (slate.com). Lithwick writes,

It must be beyond maddening for a political actor to be summoned into a “debate” that is not really a debate, pitted against some frothing amalgam of WWE reenactor and Tasmanian devil, warned that your microphone will be muted while he is speaking, cautioned that he will be allowed to talk over you and the moderators, then be criticized for … blinking? [¶¶] Harris’ face roamed free and far on Tuesday, and it was thoroughly warranted and frequently enjoyable. I think of her mobile, legible face as a satisfying call-and-response to Trump’s lifelong preference for female adulation and Botox. Women have faces. Their faces have expressions. If that was upsetting to you during Tuesday’s debate, you might be dismayed to learn that deep beneath our expressive faces lie thoughts, dreams, frustrations, and other markers of human agency. If a woman smiling freaks you out, imagine what happens when a woman votes.

While talking about Kamala Harris’s facial expressions may seem superficial, it is not. One of Harris’s most significant accomplishments was her ability to show herself to be a likable, relatable human being. She did so by using the medium of television to her advantage. Were the expressive facial reactions real or practiced? It doesn’t matter; they were successful. People liked Kamala Harris. For a candidate who has been on the national scene since 2018, the percentage of voters who still say they don’t “know” her is shocking. But she went some distance in the debate to introduce herself to those voters in a positive way.

Among Harris’s many pointed and powerful answers on Tuesday, none were better than her response to Trump's gloating over the demise of Roe v. Wade. Harris said,

In over 20 states there are Trump abortion bans which make it criminal for a doctor or nurse to provide health care. In one state it provides prison for life. Trump abortion bans that make no exception even for rape and incest. Which—understand what that means. A survivor of a crime, a violation to their body, does not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next. That is immoral. And one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree: The government, and Donald Trump certainly, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body. You want to talk about, this is what people wanted? Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term, suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because the health care providers are afraid they might go to jail, and she’s bleeding out in a car in the parking lot? She didn’t want that. Her husband didn’t want that. A 12 or 13-year-old survivor of incest being forced to carry a pregnancy to term? They don’t want that. Understand in his Project 2025, there would be a national abortion—a monitor that would be monitoring your pregnancies, your miscarriages.

There is more room to praise Kamala Harris’s performance in the debate, but we must turn to Trump's horrific statements during the debate. So, let’s get Trump’s “debate performance” out of the way: It was the worst debate performance (in terms of style) in the history of political debates. See The Guardian, Republicans dismayed by Trump’s ‘bad’ and ‘unprepared’ debate performance. Brit Hume of Fox News said, “Let’s make no mistake. Trump had a bad night. We just heard so many of the old grievances that we all know aren’t winners politically.” Coming from a Fox commentator, that is as bad as it gets for Trump.

There were many disgraceful, disqualifying statements during the debate by Trump: Refusing to say that he hoped Ukraine would defeat the Russian invasion; refusing to acknowledge that he lost in 2020; refusing to express any regret for his actions on January 6; claiming that “every Democrat” wanted to “get rid of” Roe v. Wade.; and repeatedly saying that execution of babies after a full-term delivery was permissible under existing law.

To state the obvious, if Kamala Harris had uttered a single statement that was one-tenth as egregious as any of the above, the major media would be calling for her withdrawal from the race.

But Trump's worst statement was the race-baiting claim that Haitian immigrants are capturing domestic pets in Springfield, Ohio and eating them. That trope was originally directed at immigrants from other countries but has been repurposed by Trump to slander Haitian immigrants who are legally in the US.

The claim is false and started as triple-hearsay thrice-removed:

On Sept. 6, a post surfaced on X that shared what looked like a screengrab of a social media post apparently out of Springfield. The retweeted post talked about the person’s “neighbor’s daughter’s friend” seeing a cat hanging from a tree to be butchered and eaten, claiming without evidence that Haitians lived at the house.

So, a “screenshot” of a retweet (three levels removed from personal knowledge) talked about a “neighbor’s daughter’s friend” (three more levels removed from personal knowledge). In short, the claim is the worst sort of internet rumor—intentionally unverifiable. Repeating such a rumor is beneath a candidate for the presidency.

But the crassness of repeating the rumor is the least of the offense. Trump did not repeat a rumor—he asserted the rumor as “fact” for the purpose of stirring racial hatred against Haitian immigrants. The false rumor has been circulating for weeks among right-wing websites that attack Haitian immigrants as the cause of an increase in crime in Springfield. See WaPo, Anatomy of a racist smear: How false claims of pet-eating immigrants caught on.

Trump then leveraged the cat-eating Haitian claim to smear all immigrants as law-breaking, violent, less-than-human invaders whom he would deport en masse from the US. The entire episode was an appeal to the most racist, xenophobic backwaters of American society. It was shameful and divisive. It may lead to violence against immigrants—just as past statements by Trump have led to violence against immigrants in Texas. See NBC (8/5/2019), Trump's anti-immigrant 'invasion' rhetoric was echoed by the El Paso shooter for a reason.

No modern presidential candidate has appealed to racial animus during a presidential debate. Trump's attack on the Haitian community should have been the end of his candidacy. As should his statements about Ukraine, the 2020 election, January 6, and abortion—and that list excludes his dozens of other falsehoods.

In short, the debate should move the needle in favor of Kamala Harris. Whether it will do so is a different question—one that will be determined, in part, by whether the media maintains the same intense focus on Trump's  debate performance that it maintained on Biden’s debate performance in July. On the substance, Trump's debate performance was objectively worse, by far. Let’s hope the media doesn’t get distracted by the less consequential matters.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[omoghouls]

Andhwjsj still thinking about it

He's taught these classes hundreds of times, done these introduction days even more- go over the ground rules, the syllabus, get a grasp on how the students will be like-

Now, if he could only get a grasp on his bladder. He knows not to drink that tea in the faculty lounge. It always filtered through his kidneys far too fast.

But, of course, he had to have woken up after his alarm. Of course, his throat burned from the brisk walk to the hall, and, of course, he had to down the tea like his life depended on it.

He could just end the class early, tell them he's feeling gracious, and wants them to take that time to go gather the required text books- but he's a stubborn man, determined to hold it like a proper professor.

His knuckles whiten from the grip he has on the podium- his voice a bit strained as he impatiently waits for the projector to sync with his laptop.

His bladder protest, not liking to be ignored. He presses his thighs together, squeezing those muscles until they ached with tension. So close to full-on bouncing from foot to foot while standing in front of the pupils in the lecture hall.

He grits his teeth and continues on, his own voice droaning out as his mind lingers, focusing more on keeping the flood back rather than explaining office hours and technology policies- fuck he's so close, class is almost over.

But, he can feel the stinging/tingling sensation of piss brimming and waiting at the end of his cock, the littlest dribble leaking past his handless holdings. His underwear quickly absorbing it, but that little leak has his body crave more- god if he could just let go right now,,,,feeling his bladder relax in an audible hiss as piss pours from him, quickly saturating his pants, puddling beneath him in pathetic drips and drops as he can only groan, curling in on himself as everyone watches the teacher piss himself.

He restrains, barley.

"N-now there's still technically 15 minutes left of class but," he pauses, swallowing hard, "I will allow an early dismissal for today to give you all an opportunity to find your other classes or to gather the necessary materials for next week," he says.

The students just shrug, taking it as a simple good grace on their professor's part rather than the reality of him being seconds away from pissing himself.

Thankfully, no students linger in the lecture hall, allowing him to quickly gather his things and make an escape to the faculty washroom.

However,,,,the requires a flight of stairs. He almost wants to cry from the aching pressure laying heavy on his bladder. He pauses, tightly gripping himself when given the opportunity of solitude in the stairwell- fingers curling against the fabric of his pants, unsure if the dampness he's feeling is from the previous leak or from sweat coating his inner thighs from clenching for so long.

He regains enough control to continue on. One shaky step, then another, then....his pen slipping from his sloppily gathered materials. He doesn't even realize until his shoe steps on it, rolling just enough to catch him off guard.

Hiss

Oh god, oh fuck

Hiss, pssshhh

He squats down, discarding his papers and laptop to the side as both hands dive between his thighs. He trembles, squatting on the stairwell as piss floods past his fingers in angry heavy rivets. Echoing in the enclosed space

The urine puddles, trickling down each step like a river joining a lake- it puddling all the way down to the pausing area of the staircase.

He gasp, no longer even trying to hold it back, just allowing his strained bladder to release, give into the need like an untrained man. Tears prick his eyes when he glances down at the mess he's created.

He tilts his head back, closing his eyes for a moment to gather himself out of this humiliating bliss. At least he was alone in this.

Click

"Professor?"

Fuck

[the-cakemaker-of-kiev]

Uh no no, no, see, while you are well versed in dead guy art I myself am not. My entire criminal career is based on technology built after 1981 so I am riveted quite so please, do go on. -Alec Hardison

Leverage S1E12: The First David Job

[justdiptych]

Trans issues are rarely brought up in the Fallout series. Fallout 2′s cut Environmental Protection Agency location was apparently slated to include 'Top Secret Research into Gender Modification', but there's little suggestion what that content would have actually included. Also, the pre-war USA was a fascist hellscape that was actively hostile to human rights - witness, for example, a federal information release about the New Plague, which conflates contagion, socialism and queer sexuality, and encourages readers to report anyone displaying any of the above for 'quarantine' - so pre-war trans communities likely drew as little attention to themselves as possible. More recently, two non-binary characters (Burke and Orlando) have been introduced in Fallout 76's expansions; their roles have been relatively minor.

All that said… the Auto-Doc technology we see in Fallout 2 and New Vegas would be an absolute boon for trans patients. Auto-Docs can synthesise and administer medications, including hormone treatments (the models in the Sierra Madre Villa Clinic can dispense adrenaline, for instance). Any medications not already available can be added to the Auto-Doc's database by a knowledgeable user - this is how the cure to Jet addiction is manufactured in Vault City.

Auto-Docs are also capable of all manner of surgeries. Cosmetic surgery is not unheard of in the Fallout universe - Rivet City’s Horace Pinkerton and Diamond City’s doctors Crocker and Sun all offer it - but Auto-Docs can go even further. Advanced models can even alter a patient’s entire skeleton, with minimal scarring: Fallout 2′s Chosen One can can have their skeleton reinforced, without any Charisma penalty (unless they opt for the heavier, more invasive upgrade), and New Vegas’ Courier can have their spine and central nervous system replaced with a synthetic alternative. Auto-Docs can even give a patient a new voice - Christine Royce tragically had this done to her without her consent, but this does demonstrate show the procedure’s viability for a willing user.

Whether or not the major medical companies of the Falloutverse would sign off on such uses of their tech, breaking and customising Auto-Doc programming seems to have been a simple matter. A suitably sympathetic or motivated physician could have easily started a trans health clinic that could address the bulk of their patients’ medical needs - hormone treatment, surgery far more advanced than exists in the real world, and even voice alteration.

In short, there is absolute, copper-bottomed, canon-compliant room in the wasteland for fully automated transing of genders, and I hope the devs will recognise and embrace this fact.

[blueiscoool]

Miniature Roman Gold Box Lock From 3rd Century Discovered in Germany

Archaeologists have uncovered a miniature Roman gold lock, measuring just 1.2 by 1.1 centimeters—smaller than a U.S. quarter coin—in a field in Petershagen-Frille in northwestern Germany. The object, dating back to the 3rd or 4th century AD, is believed to be the smallest Roman lock ever found in Europe.

The discovery, made in 2023 by licensed explorer Constantin Fried, has drawn significant attention due to the lock’s size, material, and intricate craftsmanship.

Fried, who found the piece in a cultivated field in the Minden-Lübbecke district, immediately reported it to Bielefeld’s Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe’s (LWL) archaeology team. Experts were stunned.

“I could hardly believe it myself when I held the find in my hand,” Fried said. “Because such Roman locks are usually much larger and consist of iron or bronze parts.”

A lock of mystery and history

Archaeologists believe the lock was originally used to secure a small chest or valuable container. Dr. Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger, a cultural expert and archaeologist at LWL, confirmed that its design matches cylindrical Roman locks. The craftsmanship suggests it was made in a specialized Roman workshop.

Despite missing its original key and chain, the lock remains in remarkable condition. It consists of two small cylindrical plates held together by three gold rivets. Experts say its decorative details indicate it was likely owned by someone of high status.

Researchers are investigating how the lock arrived in Westphalia. Early theories suggest it could have been traded, taken as war loot, or brought back by a soldier returning from service in the Roman army.

Dr. Michael Rind, head of archaeology at LWL, said the lock would have been considered rare and valuable in its time, even if it was no longer functional. “The golden miniature tin lock is the only one of its kind in Europe and is the northernmost tin lock found in Germany,” Rind said.

Advanced technology unveils internal design

To study the lock’s inner workings, researchers turned to modern imaging techniques. Traditional X-rays failed to reveal details due to the density of the gold.

Instead, experts used neutron computed tomography, a rare technique in archaeology, to create a detailed visualization of the internal mechanism.

The scan revealed key structural components, including a spring frame, latch, and base plate. Further analysis showed that the lock had been tampered with, possibly in an attempt to force it open.

Despite the damage, researchers reconstructed its mechanism and created a functional replica four times its original size. The model, crafted by an LWL restorer, demonstrates how the lock once operated and confirms the technical complexity of its design.

A glimpse into Roman influence

The discovery of this lock offers a rare glimpse into Roman craftsmanship and its influence on distant regions. Researchers say it serves as evidence of cultural and economic exchanges between Roman elites and Germanic tribes.

While the lock answers some historical questions, others remain open. Was it a unique commissioned piece? Were similar locks produced? Could more be buried beneath the fields of Westphalia?

Archaeologists continue their investigation, hoping to uncover more about this tiny yet significant piece of history.

By Nisha Zahid.

The 4:1 scale reconstruction of the lock with chain 

[homunculus-argument]

Unapologetic toddler take, but the enjoyability of any ghibli movie is directly proportional to the amount of magical whimsy going on. Forest spirits, random gods, magic existing as a technological tool, magic existing as a symbol for the power of the human spirit, magic happening for insane inexplicable reasons because fuck you I'm Hayao Miyazaki and I ain't gonna explain shit? Riveting, delightful, pours joy into my heart even while illustrating the bleakness and despair that are also an instrinct part of this life that we know, which is equal parts beauty and suffering. Love it.

But the down-to-earth, realistic ones? Coming-of-age stories of school kids doing school kid stuff, a 27-year-old woman having a Single Girl Midlife Crisis and taking a year off at a farm, an enemies-to-lovers slow burn between an obnoxious writer kid and an obnoxious musician kid? Slow-paced slice of life with realistic stakes at hand, a snapshot of the ordinary everyday grind, so painstakingly real that it tastes like the inside of my own mouth? Ew. How am I supposed to enjoy any of this without my side of fantastical nonsenscial bullshit?

If I can spend the entire duration of the movie knowing exactly what's going on and what's going to happen next, then I don't want it. I don't even do that in real life.

[whencyclopedia]

Etruscan Bronze Sculpture

The Etruscans produced bronze goods going back to the Villanovan period (1100-750 BCE) and used the material for all manner of objects, but it is their figure sculptures which have become some of the star attractions in museums worldwide. Bronze was a highly desirable material throughout antiquity and easily melted down for reuse so that it is even more remarkable that such fine works as the Chimera of Arezzo and Mars of Todi have survived to bear testimony today of the exquisite artistry of Italy's first great civilization.

Manufacture

Etruria was fortunate to have rich metal resources, especially copper, iron, lead, and silver. The early Etruscans put these to good use and bronze was used to manufacture a wide range of goods such as tools, weapons, armour, coinage, jewellery, hand fans, oil lamps, incense burners, mirrors, tripods, everyday dishes and utensils, cauldrons, horse bits, chests, and even chariots. Bronze was hammered, cut, cast using moulds or the lost-wax technique, embossed, engraved and riveted in a full range of techniques.

Beginning in the mid-8th century BCE, Etruscan artists benefitted from contact with Greek settlers (especially Euboeans) and traders from Phoenicia, Sardinia, Egypt, central Europe, and the Balkans. This brought technological refinements in metalwork and a whole new range of art ideas.

Many Etruscan towns set up workshops specialising in the production of bronze works and these included Acquarossa, Cerveteri, Chiusi, Populonia, Tarquinia, Vulci, Volsinii, and Volterra. To give an idea of the scale of production, the Romans were said to have looted more than 2,000 bronze statues when they attacked Volsinii (modern Orvieto) in 264 BCE, melting them down for coinage.

Continue reading...

[thatfrenchacademic]

OK so about this "34, unmarried and childless" article about Taylor Swift. Let me tell you about Scam Academia.

TL;DR: some mediocre dude had a half baked opinio nabout Taylor Swift that everyone hated, but like Mother Nature I let nothing go to waste.

Here is the take you have not heard yet, about this opinion: this guy is actually a good case study on how to develop your academic literacy, aka how to recognize a true academic from a scammer who presents themselves as an academic, but is just a crook. In a world of pseudoscience and pretend experts that have enough resources to organize their flat earth conference, let me walk you through the world of Scam Academic, where for a few thousand dollars, you too can claim to be a researcher with a doctorate! Follow me down a rabbit hole that I hate with my whole heart!

Preamble: I have zero skin in the TS game. I don't get the hype, the lore, the obsession with those 2000s bracelet or dissecting every single line or every single song.

But then. Some guy had to write an op-ed stating Taylor Swift was not a good role model for girls ("in the US and beyond"), and it is a terrible take on so many level, but here is the thing. Whiny conservative think-pieces about highly successful women who should get back to the kitchen and think of the children are nothing new. But this one is different.

This one is fucking terribly written. It's just an abysmally written blog post. Genuinely one of the worst thing I have ever read, and I read hundreds of undergrad essays every year for a living. It contradicts its own arguments in every paragraph. It over-explains concepts like it's a high school essay and he's trying to meet the word count. It says "this is a valid question worth asking" but does not actually explain why it is worth asking. It is so, so, so bad.

Conservative writers are usually more the "high brow, drowning you in grandstanding" kind of writers. They are, usually, good technical writers - it's the one thing that helps make their talking point sound legit and palatable. So an abysmally bad conservative writer? Ok, I am intrigued.

The author is one John Mac Ghlionn. I look up the guy on Google and...

Oh.

Oh no, John.

Spewing conservative bullshit at women AND a researcher? You're in my turf now, John. You could have continued to cover UFC Pillow Fight Championships, or alien technology and other riveting subjects, but you had try to connect two brain cells to argue a thing, and slap "researcher" on top of it. Now I'm offended, as a researcher.

1. I am sorry, researcher WHERE?

Ok so if one is a "researcher", it means one conduct "research". and contrary to what backyard conspiracy theorists think, "researcher" is an actual job. It is an actual professional occupation. You get an actual contract, and you are paid actual money. By an actual employer: public (University), private (Think tank, private company), or a mix of both (at Unviersity, but on a privately funded project, for example).

So where does our John Mc Ghlionn work?

Well. Nowhere, as far as I can tell.

John does not list any affiliation. Usually, when they write, academics will state their exact position (Researcher, Doctoral Researcher, Associate Professor, Chief Engineer, Head of Department, Research Director...) and where they work. For example:

That's what it is supposed to look like.

But John? Nope, no affiliation anywhere, on anything he ever published. That's a pretty massive read flag. Research takes ressources: at the very least, time and access to database and documentation, even in social sciences in humanities. You may not need a lab, but you sure as hell need money and full access to JStore at least.

So I thought he was just one of these "I google therefore I research" kind of dude. But then, out of nowhere:

I am sorry. He has a WHAT.

2. I am sorry, a Doctorate from WHERE?

So. One thing to claim to be a researcher when you are just a professional yapper. Another to claim a DIPLOMA.

And not any diploma. A doctorate.

Let's pause. "Doctorate" is actually a really broad umbrella term of all doctoral-level degrees. The most famous (and most prestigious, for better and worse) is the PhD, but a PhD is technically just one of many Research Doctorate of, theoretically, the same level (cue this helpful reddit post). A second category of doctorates are the Applied Doctorates, and while there is Discourse on where they sit vis-a-vis PhD, the easiest is to consider that they are not research-oriented. They are hands-on, practice-oriented degrees. For example: you can practice medicine with an MD. You don't need a PhD. You can still call yourself a doctor, though.

Alright, so which of these does our friend Johnnie has? Or is currently enrolled in? And in which University?

You will notice that John does not go by "John Mac Ghlionn PhD" or even "Dr John Mac Ghlionn", when you just KNOW he is the sort of person that would but that shit everywhere. And no shade here, because I, for one, do put that shit everywhere. Maybe he is just currently enrolled in a program and has not graduated. Fair.

Since John does not list affiliation, I had to switch from academic to internet sleuth, and dig out this article:

But we learn that in 2021, John was a "PhD Scholar" in "Parkmore Institute". "PhD Scholar" is not a title I am sued to, but it's also not raising any red flag: ongoing PhD researchers can be "PhD students", "PhD fellows", "PhD researchers"... It varies from country to country and from institution to institution, so why not "PhD Scholar".

Let's check out the Parkmore Institute.

Ok, they are not a traditional university, but they appear to be more of a postgraduate institution: offering only higher level degrees, not undergrad courses. Once again, not necessarily a red flag. They are usually very heavily research focused, and embrace the "research" side of academia more than the "teaching" side. In Germany, the Max Planck Institutes are research-only institutions who deliver PhDs. They conduct cutting edge research, in part because their researchers rarely have to spend time teaching.

But that is NOT the Parkmore Institute. First of all, let's see what programs they offer:

None of them are legit.

And I mean, none of them are recognize as even Applied/Professional Doctorate by the National Science Foundation (US based). And while a PhD in Human sexuality would be perfectly valid, but I'm going to on a limb and say I have some serious doubts about "Bodymind Healing" as an academic field.

These are not legit academic degrees.

What they are, is an excellent money-making opportunity for anyone working at the Parkmore institute. Students will pay, at the very least:

And 60% of this goes to their " faculty mentor". The Parkmore institute provides no research fund, no desk or office space (they are entirely digital), no access to any resources or library, not even a Zoom account. There is also no mention of any timeline: how long a PhD take to complete? Who knows. 6 months ? A year ? 5 years? What are the requirements to graduate ? Who knows ! And I would need to pay $200 to get in touch with them, so I sure as fuck won't know any time soon!

But let's get back to our friend John. Remember that he stated, in that 2021 publication, he was a "PhD Scholar" at Parkmore ? Well that's a shame because Parkmore does not deliver PhDs. Ain't that a bitch.

ALSO. Parkmore helpfully has page with all their Doctoral Recipients! And guess who is NOT HERE ! That's right, our Johnnie !

How can this be ? Well, three possibilities:

John is still not done with a PhD. After 4 years ? In a crank university where I am pretty sure I can submit the first draft of a litt review and graduate ? Nah

John never completed the thing. Boo, that would mean that John is lying, when he says he has a doctorate. Bad, bad.

John did graduate, and obtained his doctorate in [scrolls back to check] psychosocial studies, and then was not put on the website or was withdrawn some time before today, as Parkmore institute ended their affiliation with him, as per this bit in their application form

A shame, really. If John had been affiliated with the Parkmore Institute, it would give a shred of legitimacy to anything he writes to anyone just skimming.

Now, I would love to get in touch with the Parkmore Institute and ask to see John's doctoral work, which they DO have, since the application for also has this very interesting section:

(definitely very legit, very normal).

But I am not sure how I would even phrase that request without transparently going

"hey, would love to see what bullshit research is being done over there, since one of your graduate decided to go all Handmaid's tale for the last 2 years".

If anyone feels like sending that email, I am begging you to keep me in the loop.

3. Back up, back up, what's up with that article?

Remember the article where he was listed as a "PhD Fellow"?

Well, about that... No. Welcome to the world of predatory publishing, one more cog in the Bullshit Academic ecosystem.

First: not at article. It's a "commentary". Could be worth something ia good journal, but still would not be a piece of research. But that is the least of its sins.

Its sins are being published in a journal called "Sociology and Criminology-Open Access", by a publisher called "Longdom". Longdom publishing has a bunch of journals on a lot o different fields, with the particularly of being predatory; they will publish absolutely anything you send them, as long as you pay their Article Processing Charges:

There are entire lists of Predatory journals on the web, you can find on here and another here , Longdom Publishing is in both.

This is how John can publish this last minute, Redbull-and-weed-induced essay in an actual journal, with an abstract that, I kid you not, finishes with "Please find the paper attached." He slapped together a shitty essay about people in India are poorer and therefore more likely to exhibit psychopathic traits and therefore engage in corruption, purely base on vibes. It does not even deserve be given any consideration, not even to be debunked. There is nothing to be debunked. This would be a failing grade for a 1st year intro class.

CONCLUSION

On the surface, John Mac Ghlionn is the poster boy of failed edgelords who really wish they were Jordan Peterson, but unfortunately are just Doug, the guy for 10th grade who failed the Literature class and decided it was because litterature was too woke today anyway.

Beneath the surface, John is a case study in Scam Academia, and the proof that no matter how bad actual academia is, Scam Academia can always get worse.

A quick checklist to go through whenever someone claims be a researcher, an academic, a fellow, a doctor, a PhD or anything of the sort:

What is their affiliation? Is this a legitimate organization?

Do they have a PhD? Another doctorate degree? From where?

Have they published ? Where is it published?

[theramblingsofadork]

Character Profile: Rivet The Cat

> Age for the AU: 18-Early 20’s

> Personality Strengths: A sweet and caring cat, Rivet is fairly mature and can be a bit of a flirt. She has a big heart, enjoys riding her hoverboard and doing competitive racing, is very affectionate and loyal to her loved ones, and enjoys partaking in long, intellectual talks. She also believes that everyone deserves a chance to make a change. (“We all make mistakes. Some greater than others. What matters is if we choose to stay there.”)

> Personality Weaknesses: Rivet can be a bit much to some, being a touchy type who likes to drag people out of their comfort zones for the sake of wanting them to be involved and be the best they can be. Especially with the sensitive types, this can tend to put unwanted pressure on them.

She also gains a singularity complex after certain events, leading her to bottle things up to try and bear the weight of the world on her shoulders to the point of exhaustion, despite being someone who is fairly reliant on the strength of others.

She’s also her own brand of stubborn, and tends to stick to her guns on what she believes, even if it isn’t the popular choice. (Like believing everyone deserves a second chance.)

> Strengths and Weaknesses:

⚙️ Mechanics: Rivet’s developed a pretty decent grip on mechanics and inventing over the years thanks to her mentors and a lot of trial and error.

While her work tends to lack the clinical precision and polish of a classically trained inventor, she’s clever and resourceful, and knows workarounds to get ‘the thing’ to work. However, this does mean her builds aren’t always the most stable, and she’s had more than one project blow up in her face.

> Energy Bracers: Rivet built these to give her the ability to fight back against enemies. They can absorb and store up energy from external sources like Charge’s electricity, which then allows her to fight back with it by fortifying/enhancing her natural abilities (Ex: Strength, Durability, Speed, etc); Essentially borrowing the power of others to make up for her lack thereof.

However, excessive overuse or overcharge can cause the tech to backfire, putting a massive strain on her body and making her eat the damage until she collapses.

> Hoverboard: This is Rivet’s primary form of transportation, and a key element to her combat style. While it started out as an old, abandoned, Extreme Gear board, it’s since been lovingly upgraded multiple times, making it a mix of both Mobian and Eggman tech.

⚔️ Combat: Rivet is fairly decent at fighting thanks to her training with Hunter, but without her tech or hoverboard to support her, she doesn’t stand much of a chance against a strong opponent, and will go down fairly easily.

> History: Rivet and her brother Charge were found unconscious and amnesiac in the forest one day by a lone forest dweller named Hunter. Talking pity on them, he took them in and raised them as his own, training them to be protectors of the forest.

Rivet eventually became curious about the world outside their village and wanted to go explore it, but Hunter refused, wanting to keep them safe. However, the outside world eventually found them when a group of Badniks attacked, and as Rivet discovered Eggman tech for the first time, she became fascinated with it.

Against Hunter’s wishes, she began to tinker with it to see if she could use this ‘technology’ for good, crafting improvements for their village as well as various little inventions. Eventually she even found and fixed up a broken down hoverboard, which her and Charge then used to explore and visit a nearby town.

There, she began to learn more about the world and it’s people, even meeting some other inventors. Hunter wasn’t happy when he learned of their little trips, but ultimately, he knew he couldn’t stop them, so he sent them on their way with his blessing, and a warning for them to look after each other no matter what.

The two siblings then began to travel about and explore the various regions. As Rivet began to take notice of the villain problem, she wanted to do something about it, so she dragged Charge into helping her stop them.

They became a little vigilante duo for a time, keeping crime off the streets. But as Charge began to lose interest in crime fighting, and tension began to grow between them, Rivet decided to create her now-trademark bracers to help solve the issue.

This allowed her to siphon off Charge’s power to use it as her own, which made her strong enough to fight villains without his direct help, freeing him up more to do more of what he wanted to. A win-win in her book.

Eventually though, the two learned about the Atmos Innovator’s Competition, which she then convinced him to join her in as a less violent way to help protect people and the planet.

There, she met Starline and the Starpoint Squad, and a new chapter of life began…

> Likes: Nature, technology, being able to protect people, tinkering with new ideas, competitive racing, helping others, her friends, playing the occasional video game (Hex got her into Hero Mania), the Starpoint Squad, Team Dark, Sonic and Co, Hunter, Surge and Kit, kids (she’s actually quite weak to them), winning against her racing rivals.

> Dislikes: Losing her temper, saying the wrong thing, feeling helpless, losing the people she loves, being alone, undeserved cruelty, Eggman (at least what he does), water (her fur becomes a nightmare when she’s waterlogged), pollen (she’ll sneeze forever), milk, Zeroth, Yvetica Yew, her racing rivals: The Babylon Rogues and Crimson Coral.