#Thermal paper labels

[pony-packaging]

Thermal paper and Plain paper is differences are there？

What is thermal paper roll?

Thermal paper rolls are special printing media that react chemically when heated to produce images or text. Thermal paper is mainly used in thermal printers, which do not require the use of ink or ribbon. Common thermal paper applications include receipts, labels, tickets, and fax paper.

What is plain paper?

Ordinary paper is the most common paper in our daily lives and is widely used for writing, printing, painting, etc. Regular paper often requires ink, toner, or other printing supplies to render text and images. There are many types of paper, including printing paper, copy paper, notebook paper, etc.

The main differences between thermal paper rolls and ordinary paper？

Printing Principle

Thermal paper: The thermal paper is heated through the thermal print head, causing the chemical coating on the thermal paper to react to form images or text. Plain paper: Images or text are formed on the surface of the paper through external substances such as ink or toner.

Consumables Requirements

Thermal paper: No ink or ribbon required, lower printing cost, suitable for mass printing or temporary recording. Plain paper: requires ink, toner or ribbon, and the long-term use cost is higher.

Service life

Thermal paper: Due to the characteristics of the chemical coating, the images and text on the thermal paper are easily affected by light, heat and friction, and the storage time is relatively short, usually starting after 1-3 years Blackened, yellowed. Plain paper: Content on plain paper can last for years, even decades, if printed with high-quality ink or toner.

Plication Scenario

Thermal Paper: Mostly used in restaurants, retail stores, banks, casinos, etc. where fast printing and instant viewing are required. Plain paper: widely used in scenarios that require long-term storage and frequent use such as office, study, and file preservation.

Environmental protection and economy

Thermal paper: The printing process is more environmentally friendly (because no ink and toner are required), and Pony Packaging-thermal paper does not contain BPA, and because it uses 100% lint-free paper, it can reduce printer jam waste, Images printed on thermal paper are displayed clearly. Plain paper: Ink and toner are required during the printing process, which consumes more resources, but the paper itself is easier to recover and recycle.

How to choose the appropriate paper?

The choice of paper type mainly depends on the specific use needs and environment.

If you need fast, low-cost printing** and the content is not stored for a long time, such as receipt paper, express delivery slips, thermal labels, etc., Pony Packaging-thermal paper roll is a good choice. If you need to keep documents for a long time**, such as contracts, reports, study materials, etc., ordinary paper is undoubtedly a better choice. With high-quality printing supplies, the content can be guaranteed to be clear and durable.

Conclusion

Thermal paper rolls and ordinary paper have their own advantages and disadvantages. Their differences are mainly reflected in printing principles, consumable requirements, service life, application scenarios, environmental protection and economy. Understanding these differences can help you make smarter choices in different scenarios, improve work efficiency, and save costs.

Whether you are an individual or a business, choosing the right paper can not only meet actual needs, but also save resources and protect the environment to a certain extent. I hope this article can provide you with useful information to help you better understand and use thermal paper rolls and regular paper.

[apoloflexoembalagens]

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Imagine trabalhar com autoadesivos comuns, sem tratamento especial, os mesmos utilizados na flexografia convencional, como Filmes PET, PP, PE, e uma variedade de outros materiais ideais para rótulos, etiquetas e embalagens. A VersaPress XL não oferece apenas novidades, mas também uma série de recursos e capacidades inigualáveis. Com uma largura de impressão de até 320 mm e uma capacidade de aceitar bobinas de até 450 mm de diâmetro, ela atende a diversas necessidades de produção.

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[pandapaperroll52352]

Thermal label of Panda paper roll

[carinaelise]

Food Safety Packaging and Labeling

Ensuring Excellence in Food Safety Packaging and Labeling

Introduction

In the dynamic and highly competitive hospitality industry, ensuring food safety through effective packaging and labeling is crucial. With increasing awareness about health and safety standards, both consumers and regulatory bodies demand stringent adherence to these standards. At YashTech, we understand the pivotal role that food safety packaging and labeling play in maintaining quality, preventing contamination, and complying with regulations. This blog explores the importance, best practices, and future trends in food safety packaging and labeling, offering insights into how hospitality businesses can uphold these standards effectively.

The Importance of Food Safety Packaging and Labeling

Food safety packaging and labeling are essential components of the food supply chain. They serve multiple purposes:

Protection from Contamination: Proper packaging protects food from physical, chemical, and biological contaminants. It ensures that the food remains safe and fresh from the point of production to consumption.

Compliance with Regulations: Adhering to food safety standards is not just about maintaining quality but also about compliance with local and international regulations. Proper labeling helps in meeting these regulatory requirements, avoiding legal issues and potential fines.

Consumer Information: Labels provide critical information to consumers, including ingredients, nutritional values, allergen warnings, and expiration dates. This transparency builds trust and helps consumers make informed choices.

Brand Reputation: High standards in food safety packaging and labeling contribute to a positive brand image. Customers are more likely to trust and choose brands that prioritize their health and safety.

Key Elements of Food Safety Packaging

Ensuring food safety through packaging involves several critical elements:

Material Selection: The choice of packaging material is fundamental. Materials must be food-grade, non-toxic, and capable of protecting food from external contaminants. Common materials include glass, metal, and various types of plastic.

Design and Integrity: Packaging design should ensure that the food is sealed properly to prevent contamination. It should also be tamper-evident, indicating if the package has been opened or compromised.

Temperature Control: For perishable items, packaging must support appropriate temperature control to prevent spoilage. This includes insulating materials for hot and cold foods and packaging that supports freezing or refrigeration.

Sustainability: Increasingly, consumers and regulators are demanding sustainable packaging solutions. Eco-friendly materials and designs that reduce waste and support recycling are becoming standard.

Best Practices in Food Labeling

Effective food labeling goes beyond basic compliance. It involves providing comprehensive and clear information to ensure consumer safety and satisfaction:

Clear Ingredient Lists: Ingredients should be listed clearly, including any potential allergens. This helps consumers with dietary restrictions or allergies make safe choices.

Nutritional Information: Detailed nutritional information, including calorie content, fat, sugar, and salt levels, helps consumers maintain a balanced diet.

Expiration Dates: Clearly marked expiration or "best before" dates ensure that consumers are aware of the product’s shelf life, reducing the risk of consuming spoiled food.

Storage Instructions: Proper storage instructions help consumers maintain the quality and safety of the food after purchase.

Regulatory Compliance: Labels must meet all local and international regulatory standards, including language requirements, font sizes, and specific disclosures mandated by law.

Technological Innovations in Food Safety Packaging and Labeling

Advancements in technology are continuously enhancing food safety packaging and labeling:

Smart Packaging: Incorporates technology like QR codes and RFID tags to provide additional information about the product, track its journey through the supply chain, and ensure authenticity.

Active Packaging: Contains substances that actively help preserve food, such as moisture absorbers, oxygen scavengers, and antimicrobial agents.

Blockchain Technology: Used to ensure transparency and traceability in the food supply chain, providing consumers with detailed information about the origin and handling of their food.

Biodegradable Materials: Development of new materials that are both food-safe and environmentally friendly, addressing the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions.

Challenges and Solutions in Food Safety Packaging and Labeling

Despite advancements, the industry faces several challenges:

Cost: Implementing high-standard packaging and labeling can be expensive. However, investing in quality materials and technologies pays off by reducing the risk of contamination and legal issues.

Regulatory Changes: Keeping up with evolving regulations can be challenging. Partnering with experts in food safety and regulatory compliance, like YashTech, ensures that your business stays updated and compliant.

Sustainability: Balancing food safety with sustainability requires innovation and commitment. Adopting new, eco-friendly materials and practices can address this challenge effectively.

Consumer Education: Educating consumers about reading labels and proper food handling is crucial. Clear and informative labeling helps, but broader consumer education initiatives are also necessary.

Future Trends in Food Safety Packaging and Labeling

The future of food safety packaging and labeling is shaped by several emerging trends:

Personalization: Customized packaging and labeling that cater to specific consumer preferences and dietary needs are becoming more popular. This trend enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Increased Transparency: Consumers demand more transparency about the origin and handling of their food. Technologies like blockchain and smart packaging are making this possible.

Regenerative Packaging: Moving beyond sustainability, regenerative packaging aims to restore and improve environmental health, not just maintain it.

Health Focus: With growing health consciousness, there is an increasing focus on highlighting health benefits and nutritional information prominently on labels.

Conclusion

Food safety packaging and labeling are critical to ensuring the quality, safety, and success of products in the hospitality industry. At YashTech, we are committed to providing top-notch solutions that meet the highest standards of safety, compliance, and innovation. By staying ahead of industry trends and leveraging advanced technologies, we help our clients deliver safe, high-quality food products that consumers can trust. Investing in superior packaging and labeling not only protects your customers but also enhances your brand's reputation and market success.

[merchantservices444]

Difference Between Carbonless vs Thermal Receipt Paper

[averydennisonstore]

Explore paper labels on the Avery Dennison website. You will get labels which match your product needs and requirements. Paper labels enhance your product looks. Consider saving the environment with sustainable custom labels.

[globaldataservice]

Take Complete Advantage of Thermal Paper Roll over Ordinary Paper

Thermal paper roll is the most common in many applications like point of sale systems, credit card terminals, cash registers and a lot more. Such application area requires a massive amount of printing. Over the past few decades, the thermal paper roll has gained immense popularity in the banking sector, retail outlet, and government office. Thermal paper rolls manufacturers provide a paper roll with a stunning quality to the customer. It is a special form of paper available with ideal material that formulates to change the color. 

·         The printer head can heat a paper roll and make them readable.

·         The manufacturer uses heat-sensitive material to make a paper roll.

·         The formulation and mixture of chemicals may differ based on the manufacturer's formula and decision.

·         You can explore different qualities of paper rolls in the market at the best rate.

·         Paper roll forms with three layers and bring peace of mind to the user.

·         The first layer works as the substrate layer, base layer serves as a binding element that lets heat via paper.

On the other hand, the active layer manages formulated chemicals that react to heat quickly. The quality paper roll comes with an extra protective layer that prevents the printed surface from fading. 

Ensure long-lasting print:

You can use the perfect thermal paper roll if you want better prints. It is responsible for producing quality prints that stay longer. Business owner uses thermal printing machine and quality paper for a good print. It is a better option to obtain a print with clear details.

Better for the cheap cost:

It is a great choice for businesses to minimize printing costs. When it comes to thermal paper roll printing, you can only use ink ribbon or refill ink cartridge. Thermal printer requires heat to produce anything on a paper roll. You can consult Thermal label suppliers that supply a label that comes under budget. 

Read more:

https://www.storywebarticles.com/2022/11/take-complete-advantage-of-thermal.html

[shelandsorcery]

my thermal label printer has successfully printed on continuous rolls of paper, unlocking a whole new world of zine formats!

i can also print a vertically continuous flow of text, but that's a nightmare reading experience at any real length. but maybe a great webtoon print format?

[bogleech]

I have a mini thermal printer for etsy labels and love it but for some reason it’s easy to find the sticker paper super cheap, while non-sticker thermal printing paper is rarer and more expensive? When I need to include printed instructions or something it has to be on a sticker I just don’t peel off and it feels so wasteful. Sometimes things *I* buy on etsy come with instructions or a note on the same sticker paper so it’s apparently a problem everybody has.

[seat-safety-switch]

Last week, I was driving past the local shoe emporium, when I thought it might be a good idea to buy some shoes. Seizing the wheel with both hands, I roughly jagged the Valiant across four lanes of interprovincial traffic. Did I lift throttle as I approached the casually-landscaped dirt embankment separating the parking lot from the outlet mall? Only if I were a coward who drove an untrustworthy car.

After the '74 Vally ceased its end-over-end rolling, landing perfectly on its wheels like a 3400-lb ballerina made mostly out of iron oxide, I stepped out and headed into the mall. Now, if you haven't been to a mall lately, you're probably a normal human being. The only folks who still roam the shattered husks of Western cultural imperialism that dot our apocalyptic landscape are the poor souls that are paid to be there. And also old people, doing mall-walking, because it's too hot to exercise outside.

When the world still made sense, there was a plinth here, marked "information." You could look at a little map of the mall, broken down by categories. In this era, there is no "Men's Shoes" category. There is no map at all. Two burned-out T8 fluorescent bulbs un-shine behind an empty lens, the paper having been removed by some bitter ex-employee turned vandal decades prior. I do not need a map: I already know this particular territory.

Through an unusual – some might say creepy, although that goes way too far and you should get out more – agreement, the Shoes Unlimited is constantly replenished with footwear that other, richer stores did not want. It's not clear what happens to the shoes that do not get bought here, but I am sure it is not a pretty fate.

That is, if any shoes are ever discarded at all. Without a crack management team, the employees have gone feral, resorting to only the activities required for retail survival. The floor is covered in a couple feet of discarded shoeboxes, crinkly tissue paper, and loose athletic trainers which will never again see their factory mate before the sun konks out.

After a few minutes of searching, I finally pick up a box marked Piloti with a picture of a race car on the side of it. Driving shoes, I reason, or at least ones that were made before Formula One turned into a boating event. Although the thermal label on the side of the box is faded, it looks vaguely like my shoe size. My prize is carried to the counter, where I place it in front of an employee who looks at me with a mixture of fear and disgust. I have played this game before, and we begin a wordless game of negotiation, locked in slow-motion combat like two chess players who are trying to figure out which one of the two of us has to take a shit first.

The world turns. Twenty dollars – a moist but otherwise perfectly legal Lizzy 2 – is placed on the counter, and accepted at last. I change my shoes right there, throwing my old ones into the mess on the floor. Will they benefit some other traveller, in the distant future? We may never know, but we have to keep trying.

[woman-for-women]

hello w4w! i love your blog, thank you for all that you do. i was wondering how you make your stickers? i would love to make some feminist stickers with my own designs! thank you/have a good day!

Hi, and thank you! I think this is a good chance to write up:

How you (yes, you!) can make your own feminist stickers (a comprehensive guide from cheapest to most expensive)

Method 1 - Label Sticker Roll and Markers

This is the easiest and cheapest method. ANYONE can do this! (Seriously, this is your sign.)

You can use regular permanent markers, multicolored markers, or jumbo markers (seen above) for your desired effect. You can also buy label stickers in smaller packs if $10 for 500 is out of your budget. Permanent markers also last a long time and stay visible for ages. However, the label stickers will deteriorate over time, since they're primarily paper-based and not water proof. I use a glossy paper for my stickers, which has held up decently in heavy rain conditions.

Method 2 - Label Sticker Roll and Stamps

You can use a customized rubber stamp, a customized self-inking stamp, or a self-inking stamp that you customize yourself with the provided tray of rubber stamping letters that you place on the stamp tray (seen above). This option is great because you can quickly make tons of stickers. The downside is that stamp ink is a little less weather resistant than permanent marker, and the labels are still not water-proof.

Method 3 - Printing Stickers without a Sticker Printer

These label sticker sheets come in a ton of styles! Since it's just a special 8.5 x 11 in paper, it works in most regular printers! You can format your text or artwork to print on each sticker in Word, Canva, or Adobe Illustrator, then print it at home, at a print shop, or at a local library. Again, these aren't waterproof since they're primarily paper-based, but they stick pretty well and can help you make stickers quickly.

Method 4 - Outsource your Printing

printplace.com does vinyl stickers for super cheap. You just upload your artwork and you can get stickers for around $0.05/sticker. The downside is you have to buy in bulk, meaning prices start around $50, but the upside is the stickers are high quality, waterproof and weather resistant, don't require tons of manual labor from you to produce, and are ready to go once they arrive on your doorstep!

Method 5 - Thermal Label Printer

This is the method I use to make my stickers! The two printers below are the ones I have, and the refills are the tape refills I use. Since they're thermal printers, they don't use ink. Although the printers are a bit pricey, you get a lot of stickers for your money per sticker tape refill order.

Both printers use a phone app to print and design stickers. They work via Bluetooth and connect to your phone to do all the printing. Both printers print black text/designs only. The Vixic label printer app is a lot more limited. You can only use different fonts and text, small emojis/icons, and different borders for your sticker design. The NIIMBOT printer allows for QR codes and uploaded images in addition to different fonts/text. The stickers are also larger. The NIIMBOT printer is compatible with several different sticker sizes. The NIIMBOT stickers are primarily paper-based, so they're not completely waterproof. If you want your NIIMBOT stickers to be waterproof, you can buy their clear stickers! Both printers support clear and different-colored tape refills for more colorful stickers. You can also color on your NIIMBOT stickers with Sharpies to add color.

Between the two I would recommend the NIIMBOT. The refills are a much better value for your money and the stickers are larger and more versatile.

For further resources, I would recommend checking out my w4w how to tag, linked here! It explains how I make my artwork for infographics, posts, (and stickers) in Canva!

You can also order FREE Radical Feminist stickers and dowload FREE ARTWORK for your own stickering/flyering endeavors from my store here!

Because my store blew up overnight a few days ago, I'm introducing limited-inventory drops (hence the X left banner on each item), where every few weeks I will package and add more stickers. That way when someone orders, it's guaranteed their stickers are packaged and all I have to do is address an envelope to them and ship it.

In order to keep up with demand and keep this project afloat, the stickers will remain free/pay-what-you-can, but I'm charging less than $2 for shipping to keep this project funded and make sure I can make and distribute as many stickers. It's also a pretty cheap option for stickers, which is the whole point of my sticker project!

The good news is I'm mailing discount codes on the back of my business cards to customers so they can get a discount on any return orders! I encourage people to order again :)

You can also download 20+ sticker designs, completely for free, in the link above. You can use it to make your own stickers, flyers, whatever you want!

Happy stickering!

[apoloflexoembalagens]

MultiBlade I.A. - Corte Digital Inteligente e Automático para FILAS de TRABALHOS em Rótulos💡 Saiba mais: https://www.apolo.com.br/MULTIBLADE-IA 📞 WhatsApp (11) 3164-9400 💬 Link: https://www.apolo.com.br/WhatsApp

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A MultiBlade 330 I.A. não apenas maximiza a eficiência e a qualidade, mas também reduz significativamente os custos e o tempo de produção, eliminando a necessidade de matrizes físicas. Com capacidade para bobinas de até 450 mm de diâmetro e largura de 340 mm, adapta-se a uma ampla gama de materiais, garantindo cortes precisos e homogêneos que se encaixam perfeitamente em qualquer processo de rotulagem.

Sua operação é simplificada pelo alinhador de banda ultrassônico de alta precisão, que detecta e corrige desvios automaticamente, otimizando o processo de produção. Totalmente pneumática, compacta, e robusta, a MultiBlade 330 I.A. é projetada para ser intuitiva e fácil de usar, permitindo rápida troca de trabalhos e minimizando a necessidade de manutenção.

Transforme a maneira como você produz rótulos e etiquetas, economizando tempo e recursos, enquanto entrega produtos de qualidade superior que atendem exatamente às necessidades de seus clientes.

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 207 Trivia

The Nanami family has about as much backstory as the Ishigami family does at this point… What does this all mean… 🤔

Two half adders make a full adder, which can carry values to the next adder and so on. Eight adders would allows sums up to 8 bits in length, the maximum of which is 11111111, which is equal to 255 in binary.

Xeno's got his gamer chair back, complete with the headset! I bet he's pleased.

Rather than writing E=MC^2 or choosing another scientific option, he chooses… Poop.

This is rather hypocritical of him, as he is now around 5 years older than when he was when he called Taiju immature for doing a similar thing.

The printing paper they make is called thermal paper, as it contains dyes that change color with heat. The paper uses the zinc sulfide from sphalerite as a developer, which is used to improve the color of the dyes.

The fax machine Senku makes is a rudimentary implementation of a rather advanced fax machine, in that the paper and overall design is modern, but lacks the fine details in the final prints that you can get nowadays.

There's several potential issues Senku could be mentioning here depending on how they built the fax machine, but here are 2 likely options:

Mechanical alignment of the two fax machines.

If the sliding of the pin is uneven, you could end up with some lines that are squashed or stretched. It may help to imagine this as pixels on a screen, but some have rows of pixels that are rectangular rather than square.

Data loss.

If the information for a dot is lost, the pin won't move. Instead, it'll print the information for the next dot in its place. This results in the whole image shifting left.

I'm still very impressed by Sai's active ambidexterity, though I'm not sure how he organizes how he writes since he's writing on even lines rather than one being on the odds and the other evens…

Still no update on Joel's arm since the bottom half is hidden, but everyone looks so happy to be in the picture! I wonder if Minami was the one to take it since she's not shown.

The faxed image isn't what it would look like with their setup, since it can only print a black dot or leave it white. In their image, there seems to be several shades of grey.

I altered it so that the dots were more uniformly dark which also brings out the misalignment.

Ryusui goes silent upon seeing the photo, but from the flashback he seems to care more about how Sai feels rather than feeling left out.

What's sad is that Ryusui was missing from the group photo in chp. 99 as well, hopefully not because he feels bad being in one without Sai.

Gen planned on only needing two cups for his casual interrogation of Sai, but then Chelsea happened, so Gen had to go get a third.

Ryusui and Sai are both quite tall, and Ryusui himself is 187 cm. If we take that as the average height of an adult male in the Nanami family, that means that this man here is over 3 meters tall.

Sai & Ryusui weren't born to the matriarch of the Nanami family, meaning they must share a father for them to be brothers. Since Sai looks half Indian and Ryusui doesn't, this likely means they have two different mothers, and that their father has had kids with at least 3 women.

At long last, Sai has formally joined the Kingdom of Science, and team 1 is ready to leave India.

…Or are they? We still haven't seen the "Math city founded!" label, so they may still be traveling around India.

This was a really good chapter. It feels like a classic: we have science, both fun and emotional character interactions, Gen doing important Gen things, poop jokes…

[hyydraworks]

Working on thermal label doodles to help make my packing process easier. I’ll still definitely be including Kraft paper drawings in some orders, but these friends will be becoming more common on my packages. Many kind reviews on Etsy comment on my drawings on packages, some even mentioning it being a real high light of their order. As much as I love putting a hand drawn thank you on every piece that goes out it has slowly taken more and more time when that could be better put to making more lil guys! Thank you for understanding and to be sure, little animal doodles will never cease 🙏

[phantom-pennis]

For context, I work in a shipping warehouse.

Every time that we book a shipment, a little 1x4” receipt sticker gets generated for each shipping label that looks like this:

Back in 2019, my coworkers and I decided to save these stickers and just stick them all together as we work. See what happens.

So these seemingly innocuous strips of paper slowly built up layer after layer, and we’d sorta beat it on the concrete to increase the density…

After about 2 years of commitment, the result was a masterpiece. A life size replica of Thor’s hammer composed entirely of thermal paper and adhesive. It weighs around 12 lbs and packs quite a wallop.

After this project, we started fresh and created a little time capsule that can be encased in receipt stickers. Progress was slow, employees came and went. I promoted up and now I run the shipping department. Our workflow has changed and we no longer have the time to work on the project while on the clock. But I have continued to save each and every sticker that we generate, and just dumped them in a drawer until I can find the time to get back to work.

This brings us to today.

I’m now on paternity leave! And I made sure to collect the massive sum of stickers before I left.

Here’s where we are so far. I’m thinking this one has big pineapple energy, but I’m really not sure how big it will end up! If you have any suggestions for what it should be, let me know!

[blood-darkened-moon]

Isolation

Chapter 1

December 12

What do you actually write in a diary? I guess I just write whatever comes into my mind.

My name is Samantha Blair, and I’ve been stationed at the Aurora Research Facility for about a month now. This place will be my home for roughly the next 11 months. I graduated two years ago with a PhD in chemistry. This is my new job. It wasn’t easy to get it. After all, there are only a few positions available in this facility. There are 12 of us in total, and my job is to analyze ice and soil samples. It’s summer here at the moment. The sun doesn’t set this close to the South Pole any more, and at night it only gets a bit dusky, which, admittedly, bothers me more than I thought it would. Doug* gave me this journal “so I won’t lose track of time.” I wonder if that will help. At least I can try.

*Douglas Garry, station leader

December 13

Nothing interesting. After breakfast, I set about sorting the samples from the last research team and finding out which of them still needed to be analyzed and which didn’t. So the same thing I’ve been doing for over a week now. What were they thinking? “We’ll be gone soon anyway, let the next team take care of it?” After me, the deluge. Typical. Half of the samples are not properly labeled, and even for those that are, it takes forever to find out what has already been done with them. It’s all in the lab books, my ass. I can hardly do anything with the cryptic notes there if I manage to decipher the handwriting at all. On top of that, I have to pick the measurement data out of disorganized piles of paper. It was all planned differently. They were actually supposed to measure their own stuff, but towards the end of their stay, one device after another broke down. The devices are working again. Now, we’re supposed to carry out these measurements first and send them the results.

December 14

Sorting samples, searching for corresponding measurement data. Nothing new. Jeff gave me a new drill core. At least I was able to take a few measurements today.

*Jeffrey Norris, geologist

December 15

As I was going about my usual business, John* arrived and said that we were going to be hit by a heavy snowstorm in the next few days. According to the weather data, the storm will last for several days, maybe even weeks. We have to prepare the station. So we spent the whole day outside moving equipment into storage rooms or fixating it. I’m still freezing.

*John Bennings, meteorologist

December 16

Dark clouds have gathered. After so many days of sunshine, the darkness, if you can call it that, is a welcome change.

December 17

It’s been snowing since last night, and the snowfall is getting heavier, although it will be another 2-3 days before it really starts. David* expressed concerns about the dogs, but Marcus** said they don’t mind the little bit of snow. Quite the opposite. Huskies love this weather. Marcus looks after the dogs. He will know best. When I think about it, it occurs to me that we are probably one of the only stations left that still uses dog sleds. We also have snowmobiles, but Marcus always says the dogs are more reliable.

Later, we decided who should clear the paths and when. The work should continue if possible. However, if the storm gets too bad, the research buildings will remain closed until it subsides.

*David Palmer, technical chief

**Marcus Clark, responsible for the dogs, thermal engineering, welding work

December 18

The howling of the wind gets stronger and stronger. Eerie. I have hardly slept a wink. At least I’m slowly making progress with the samples.

December 19

I spent half the day clearing paths. It is a Sisyphean task. As soon as I was finished, I had to start all over because everything was covered in snow again. And the worst is yet to come. If it goes on like this, I can forget about work for a while.

December 20

Jeff was on clearing duty today. He also said there was no point. After dinner, we agreed that we would only clear the paths to the important buildings, everything else would have to wait until the storm subsided. At least the dogs are having fun. And Lena. She built a giant snowman. Lena Fuchs is still a student and the youngest of our team, and you can tell. When I see her so carefree, I sometimes think I’m getting old...

The fact that Lena is here is not a matter of course. Normally, students are not accepted for research stays. However, Lena has excellent grades, so she was selected regardless of the usual rules. At least, that’s the official reason. For those who believe it. Her father just happens to have a lot of political influence and a ton of money. It would be a true miracle if he hadn’t set the whole thing up.

She’s supposed to help me with the measurements, but that will have to wait until the samples are sorted and the storm calmed down. In the first few weeks, however, I had already shown her how to operate the measurement devices. To pass the time, I’ve now given her a pile of papers to read.

December 21

We have a visitor. The last thing you expect at the South Pole in the middle of a snowstorm is a visitor. Her name is Veronica Edwards. She is British and works at the Umbrella facility nearby. She says she is a senior researcher. There’s been a virus outbreak. She hasn’t said what kind of virus it is, only that it’s not airborne and that the likelihood of her being infected is low. In general, she kept a rather low profile. However, she said that under the circumstances she cannot stay in the Umbrella facility. If she is infected with something, we can’t let her roam around freely, but not helping her is not an option either, so we put her in quarantine. Actually, that was her suggestion. Isaac* has prepared a room in the northeast storage building for the purpose. She waited in the snowmobile she came in. The building is quite large, and it also has a shower room and restrooms. Additionally, the supply in the northeastern storage building is largely separated from the other buildings, and we can lock an area from the outside. That could work. It was supposed to be modified into another research building this summer, but the modification has been postponed for another year or so. However, it has already been largely emptied. She said two weeks of quarantine would be enough. For the time being, only Isaac and Harry** will look after her. Isaac is our doctor. Harry has volunteered. They will stay away from the rest of us to minimize the risk of a virus outbreak during that time. In case of an emergency, they have walkie-talkies.

We have offered to contact Umbrella and tell them what happened, but Dr. Edwards said she had done that before she left the Umbrella facility. They’ll send people as soon as the storm subsides. If they’re taking so long, that must mean it’s not that bad, right? Or that it’s already too late, and there’s nothing they can do anyway. Shit. We’re not prepared for incidents like this.

* Dr. Isaac Copper physician, and by necessity veterinarian

** Harold Childs vehicle mechanic

December 21 Addendum I

I have to distract myself from the thought that the woman might have infected us all with some deadly virus. And I forgot to write that our new arrival is rather strange. She was at least wearing a jacket, but underneath, she had only put on a long purple dress, high-heeled shoes, and white velvet gloves. The clothes looked anything but cheap. She looked more like she wanted to go to a gala than work in a research laboratory. Who walks around like that in Antarctica? Well, maybe she wasn’t on duty when the outbreak happened. That would also explain why she managed to escape and, according to her own statement, is probably not infected. But even as casual wear, her outfit looks pretty bizarre in a place like this.

She had to wait quite a long time in the snowmobile until the provisional quarantine was ready. Wasn’t she cold in her thin clothes? She didn’t complain. And I couldn’t see any signs that she was freezing either. Admittedly, I kept a safe distance. Speaking of snowmobiles, judging by the tracks, she was driving as if she was drunk and almost crashed into one of the buildings. Can she just not drive, or are these signs that she’s not feeling well? A fever, perhaps?

Also, I remembered Doug mentioning in the first or second week that Umbrella isn’t even doing research at the facility anymore. It’s supposed to be a materials storage facility or something like that. Well, Dr. Edwards claims she is a researcher there. I’ll ask Doug about the facility again when I get a chance.

December 21 Addendum II

Nicole*** wanted to contact AAD and ask how we should proceed with Dr. Edwards. However, due to the storm, there is currently no way through with our communication system. Always at the best possible time, of course! At least it’s not broken. Nicole has checked it. In a few days, the storm should ease a little, although not stop. She’ll try again then. Until then, we’re on our own. As old as the communication system is, I’m not surprised that it doesn’t work currently. It probably dates back to when the station was founded in the 70s.

***Nicole Windows, telecommunications, electronics, computers

AAD = Australian Antarctic Division

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