#cost-effective compliance

[regulatoryrisks]

Benefits of Hiring a Compliance Consultant for Financial Services

Discover how a compliance consultant can help your financial services business stay compliant, reduce costs, and mitigate risks with expert, tailored solutions. Click on https://www.regulatoryrisks.com/blog-details/benefits-hiring-compliance-consultant-financial-services

[madisonellie1]

At FineX Outsourcing we have clear liability with giving wide VAT Return HMRC relationship to ensure your business remains clear with all cost rules. Our party of experts is learned in the intricacies of VAT rules and HMRC essentials, raising the cycle smooth and crushing free for you. Our affiliations coordinate careful appraisals to ensure that each trade is tended to unequivocally, keeping the bet of messes up, and titanic locale to adhere to HMRC deadlines, avoiding any late trains or interest charges.

[internett1line]

The Enduring Relevance of Fax Lines in Modern Business Communication

In an era dominated by digital communication, the humble fax line may seem like a relic of the past. However, for many industries, fax lines remain an indispensable tool for secure and reliable document transmission. At SolveForce, we understand the importance of integrating traditional and modern technologies to meet diverse business needs. Here’s why fax lines continue to hold their ground in…

[einnosyssecsgem]

SECS/GEM on Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner Through the EIGEMBox

In the dynamic world of semiconductor manufacturing, ensuring that legacy equipment can keep up with modern communication standards is essential for maintaining productivity and efficiency. The Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner, a widely used piece of equipment in semiconductor fabs, often lacks the native SECS/GEM capabilities required for seamless integration into contemporary manufacturing systems. Enter EIGEMBox, a patented, plug-and-play solution that brings SECS/GEM compliance to legacy equipment without the need for extensive hardware or software installations.

In this blog, we will explore the benefits of using EIGEMBox to enable SECS/GEM on the Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner and how this can revolutionize your manufacturing process.

What is SECS/GEM?

SECS/GEM (SEMI Equipment Communications Standard/Generic Equipment Model) is a set of protocols developed by SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) to standardize communication between semiconductor manufacturing equipment and host systems. These protocols are critical for enabling automation, real-time data collection, and equipment control, which are essential for the efficiency and productivity of modern semiconductor fabs.

The Importance of SECS/GEM Compliance SECS/GEM compliance offers several significant benefits for semiconductor manufacturing: Automation: SECS/GEM protocols enable the automation of equipment operations, reducing the need for manual intervention and minimizing the risk of human error. This leads to higher throughput and more consistent production quality.

Data Collection and Analysis: SECS/GEM allows for real-time data collection from equipment, which can be analyzed to monitor performance, optimize processes, and predict maintenance needs. This data-driven approach helps in making informed decisions that improve overall efficiency.

Equipment Control: With SECS/GEM, equipment can be controlled remotely by the host system, allowing for better coordination and scheduling of manufacturing tasks. This ensures optimal utilization of resources and reduces downtime.

Interoperability: SECS/GEM provides a standardized communication framework, ensuring that equipment from different vendors can work together seamlessly. This interoperability is crucial for maintaining a cohesive and efficient manufacturing environment.

Challenges with Legacy Equipment

While SECS/GEM offers numerous advantages, many legacy equipment like the Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner lack native SECS/GEM capabilities. Upgrading these machines to meet modern standards can be a complex and costly process, often requiring significant hardware and software modifications. This is where EIGEMBox comes into play.

Introducing EIGEMBox

EIGEMBox is an innovative, patented solution designed to bring SECS/GEM capabilities to legacy equipment without the need for additional hardware or software installations. This plug-and-play device makes it easy to upgrade older machines, ensuring they can communicate effectively with modern control systems and integrate seamlessly into automated manufacturing environments.

Key Features of EIGEMBox

Plug-and-Play Convenience: EIGEMBox is designed for easy installation and operation. Simply connect the device to your legacy equipment, and it starts working immediately, without the need for extensive configuration or setup.

No Hardware or Software Installation Required: Unlike traditional SECS/GEM integration solutions that often require complex hardware and software installations, EIGEMBox eliminates these hassles. This makes it a cost-effective and time-saving solution for upgrading your equipment.

Patented Technology: EIGEMBox utilizes patented technology to ensure reliable and efficient communication between your legacy equipment and modern control systems. This guarantees seamless integration and improved operational efficiency.

Enhanced Data Exchange: With EIGEMBox, your legacy equipment can exchange data in real-time with control systems, enabling better monitoring, analysis, and optimization of manufacturing processes.

Benefits of Using EIGEMBox with Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner

Upgrading the Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner with EIGEMBox offers several significant benefits:

Extended Equipment Life: By enabling SECS/GEM compliance, EIGEMBox extends the operational life of the Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner, allowing you to maximize your investment in this equipment.

Improved Efficiency: Enhanced communication and control capabilities lead to better coordination of manufacturing tasks, increased throughput, and reduced downtime. This results in the overall improved efficiency of your manufacturing process.

Cost Savings: EIGEMBox eliminates the need for costly hardware and software upgrades, providing a more affordable solution for integrating SECS/GEM protocols into your manufacturing processes.

Seamless Integration: EIGEMBox ensures that your Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner can communicate effectively with modern control systems, enabling a smoother and more efficient manufacturing operation.

Case Study: Successful Integration of EIGEMBox with Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner

One of our clients, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, faced challenges in integrating SECS/GEM protocols into their Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner. After implementing EIGEMBox, they experienced a significant improvement in production efficiency. The plug-and-play nature of EIGEMBox allowed for a quick and hassle-free integration process, resulting in a 20% increase in equipment utilization and a 15% reduction in downtime. The client was able to extend the life of their existing equipment while achieving substantial cost savings. How to Get Started with EIGEMBox Ready to revolutionize your semiconductor manufacturing processes with EIGEMBox? Here’s how you can get started:

Contact Us: Reach out to our team for a consultation. We’ll assess your current equipment and provide tailored recommendations for integrating EIGEMBox into your manufacturing environment.

Easy Installation: Once you’ve decided to move forward, our team will guide you through the simple installation process. No need for extensive configuration or setup – just plug it in and start reaping the benefits.

Ongoing Support: Our commitment to your success doesn’t end with installation. We offer comprehensive support to ensure that your EIGEMBox operates seamlessly and delivers the desired improvements in efficiency and productivity.

Contact Us Today! Don’t let outdated equipment hold back your semiconductor manufacturing operations. With EIGEMBox, you can achieve modern communication and control capabilities without the need for costly hardware or software installations. Contact us today to learn more about how EIGEMBox can transform your Canon MPA 600 Super Aligner and drive your manufacturing processes forward.

[glancetelecom]

We don't just offer traditional communication solutions. We're at the forefront of innovation, leveraging the power of AI to take your interactions to the next level. Experience the difference with Crystal-clear VoIP calls, Effortless SMS solutions and AI-powered features. https://bit.ly/4cG4F2U #GlanceTelecom #AI #Communication #Results #VoIP #SMS #BusinessSuccess #CloudSolutions #CustomerSuccess Glance Telecom

[aningamoah2002]

Cyber Security

[reasonsforhope]

A new treatment combining ReCET and semaglutide could eliminate the need for insulin in type 2 diabetes, with 86% of participants in a study no longer requiring insulin therapy. The treatment was safe and well-tolerated, and further trials are planned to confirm these results.

Groundbreaking research presented at UEG Week 2024 introduces a promising new treatment approach for type 2 diabetes (T2D) that has the potential to greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for insulin therapy.

This innovative approach, which combines a novel procedure known as ReCET (Re-Cellularization via Electroporation Therapy) with semaglutide, resulted in the elimination of insulin therapy for 86% of patients.

Globally, T2D affects 422 million people... While insulin therapy is commonly used to manage blood sugar levels in T2D patients, it can result in side effects... and further complicate diabetes management. [Note: Also very importantly it's fucking bankrupting people who need it!!] A need therefore exists for alternative treatment strategies.

Study Design and Outcomes

The first-in-human study included 14 participants aged 28 to 75 years, with body mass indices ranging from 24 to 40 kg/m². Each participant underwent the ReCET procedure under deep sedation, a treatment intended to improve the body’s sensitivity to its own insulin. Following the procedure, participants adhered to a two-week isocaloric liquid diet, after which semaglutide was gradually titrated up to 1mg/week.

Remarkably, at the 6- and 12-month follow-up, 86% of participants (12 out of 14) no longer required insulin therapy, and this success continued through the 24-month follow-up. In these cases, all patients maintained glycaemic control, with HbA1c levels remaining below 7.5%.

Tolerability and Safety

The maximum dose of semaglutide was well-tolerated by 93% of participants, one individual could not increase to the maximum dose due to nausea. All patients successfully completed the ReCET procedure, and no serious adverse effects were reported.

Dr Celine Busch, lead author of the study, commented, “These findings are very encouraging, suggesting that ReCET is a safe and feasible procedure that, when combined with semaglutide, can effectively eliminate the need for insulin therapy.”

“Unlike drug therapy, which requires daily medication adherence, ReCET is compliance-free [meaning: you don't have to take it every day], addressing the critical issue of ongoing patient adherence in the management of T2D. In addition, the treatment is disease-modifying: it improves the patient’s sensitivity to their own (endogenous) insulin, tackling the root cause of the disease, as opposed to currently available drug therapies, that are at best disease-controlling.”

Looking ahead, the researchers plan to conduct larger randomized controlled trials to further validate these findings. Dr. Busch added, “We are currently conducting the EMINENT-2 trial with the same inclusion and exclusion criteria and administration of semaglutide, but with either a sham procedure or ReCET. This study will also include mechanistic assessments to evaluate the underlying mechanism of ReCET.”

-via SciTechDaily, October 17, 2024

--

Note: If it works even half as well as suggested, this could free so many people from the burden of the ongoing ridiculous cost of insulin. Pharma companies that make insulin can go choke (hopefully).

[shrutiwork22]

Dealing with Rejected Materials in Pharmaceuticals - QodeNext Blog

[treasure-mimic]

So, let me try and put everything together here, because I really do think it needs to be talked about.

Today, Unity announced that it intends to apply a fee to use its software. Then it got worse.

For those not in the know, Unity is the most popular free to use video game development tool, offering a basic version for individuals who want to learn how to create games or create independently alongside paid versions for corporations or people who want more features. It's decent enough at this job, has issues but for the price point I can't complain, and is the idea entry point into creating in this medium, it's a very important piece of software.

But speaking of tools, the CEO is a massive one. When he was the COO of EA, he advocated for using, what out and out sounds like emotional manipulation to coerce players into microtransactions.

"A consumer gets engaged in a property, they might spend 10, 20, 30, 50 hours on the game and then when they're deep into the game they're well invested in it. We're not gouging, but we're charging and at that point in time the commitment can be pretty high."

He also called game developers who don't discuss monetization early in the planning stages of development, quote, "fucking idiots".

So that sets the stage for what might be one of the most bald-faced greediest moves I've seen from a corporation in a minute. Most at least have the sense of self-preservation to hide it.

A few hours ago, Unity posted this announcement on the official blog.

Effective January 1, 2024, we will introduce a new Unity Runtime Fee that’s based on game installs. We will also add cloud-based asset storage, Unity DevOps tools, and AI at runtime at no extra cost to Unity subscription plans this November. We are introducing a Unity Runtime Fee that is based upon each time a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user. We chose this because each time a game is downloaded, the Unity Runtime is also installed. Also we believe that an initial install-based fee allows creators to keep the ongoing financial gains from player engagement, unlike a revenue share.

Now there are a few red flags to note in this pitch immediately.

Unity is planning on charging a fee on all games which use its engine.

This is a flat fee per number of installs.

They are using an always online runtime function to determine whether a game is downloaded.

There is just so many things wrong with this that it's hard to know where to start, not helped by this FAQ which doubled down on a lot of the major issues people had.

I guess let's start with what people noticed first. Because it's using a system baked into the software itself, Unity would not be differentiating between a "purchase" and a "download". If someone uninstalls and reinstalls a game, that's two downloads. If someone gets a new computer or a new console and downloads a game already purchased from their account, that's two download. If someone pirates the game, the studio will be asked to pay for that download.

Q: How are you going to collect installs? A: We leverage our own proprietary data model. We believe it gives an accurate determination of the number of times the runtime is distributed for a given project. Q: Is software made in unity going to be calling home to unity whenever it's ran, even for enterprice licenses? A: We use a composite model for counting runtime installs that collects data from numerous sources. The Unity Runtime Fee will use data in compliance with GDPR and CCPA. The data being requested is aggregated and is being used for billing purposes. Q: If a user reinstalls/redownloads a game / changes their hardware, will that count as multiple installs? A: Yes. The creator will need to pay for all future installs. The reason is that Unity doesn’t receive end-player information, just aggregate data. Q: What's going to stop us being charged for pirated copies of our games? A: We do already have fraud detection practices in our Ads technology which is solving a similar problem, so we will leverage that know-how as a starting point. We recognize that users will have concerns about this and we will make available a process for them to submit their concerns to our fraud compliance team.

This is potentially related to a new system that will require Unity Personal developers to go online at least once every three days.

Starting in November, Unity Personal users will get a new sign-in and online user experience. Users will need to be signed into the Hub with their Unity ID and connect to the internet to use Unity. If the internet connection is lost, users can continue using Unity for up to 3 days while offline. More details to come, when this change takes effect.

It's unclear whether this requirement will be attached to any and all Unity games, though it would explain how they're theoretically able to track "the number of installs", and why the methodology for tracking these installs is so shit, as we'll discuss later.

Unity claims that it will only leverage this fee to games which surpass a certain threshold of downloads and yearly revenue.

Only games that meet the following thresholds qualify for the Unity Runtime Fee: Unity Personal and Unity Plus: Those that have made $200,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 200,000 lifetime game installs. Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: Those that have made $1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 1,000,000 lifetime game installs.

They don't say how they're going to collect information on a game's revenue, likely this is just to say that they're only interested in squeezing larger products (games like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Fate Grand Order, Among Us, and Fall Guys) and not every 2 dollar puzzle platformer that drops on Steam. But also, these larger products have the easiest time porting off of Unity and the most incentives to, meaning realistically those heaviest impacted are going to be the ones who just barely meet this threshold, most of them indie developers.

Aggro Crab Games, one of the first to properly break this story, points out that systems like the Xbox Game Pass, which is already pretty predatory towards smaller developers, will quickly inflate their "lifetime game installs" meaning even skimming the threshold of that 200k revenue, will be asked to pay a fee per install, not a percentage on said revenue.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Hey Gamers!

Today, Unity (the engine we use to make our games) announced that they'll soon be taking a fee from developers for every copy of the game installed over a certain threshold - regardless of how that copy was obtained.

Guess who has a somewhat highly anticipated game coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2024? That's right, it's us and a lot of other developers.

That means Another Crab's Treasure will be free to install for the 25 million Game Pass subscribers. If a fraction of those users download our game, Unity could take a fee that puts an enormous dent in our income and threatens the sustainability of our business.

And that's before we even think about sales on other platforms, or pirated installs of our game, or even multiple installs by the same user!!!

This decision puts us and countless other studios in a position where we might not be able to justify using Unity for our future titles. If these changes aren't rolled back, we'll be heavily considering abandoning our wealth of Unity expertise we've accumulated over the years and starting from scratch in a new engine. Which is really something we'd rather not do.

On behalf of the dev community, we're calling on Unity to reverse the latest in a string of shortsighted decisions that seem to prioritize shareholders over their product's actual users.

I fucking hate it here.

-Aggro Crab - END DESCRIPTION]

That fee, by the way, is a flat fee. Not a percentage, not a royalty. This means that any games made in Unity expecting any kind of success are heavily incentivized to cost as much as possible.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A table listing the various fees by number of Installs over the Install Threshold vs. version of Unity used, ranging from $0.01 to $0.20 per install. END DESCRIPTION]

Basic elementary school math tells us that if a game comes out for $1.99, they will be paying, at maximum, 10% of their revenue to Unity, whereas jacking the price up to $59.99 lowers that percentage to something closer to 0.3%. Obviously any company, especially any company in financial desperation, which a sudden anchor on all your revenue is going to create, is going to choose the latter.

Furthermore, and following the trend of "fuck anyone who doesn't ask for money", Unity helpfully defines what an install is on their main site.

While I'm looking at this page as it exists now, it currently says

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

However, I saw a screenshot saying something different, and utilizing the Wayback Machine we can see that this phrasing was changed at some point in the few hours since this announcement went up. Instead, it reads:

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming or web browser is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

Screenshot for posterity:

That would mean web browser games made in Unity would count towards this install threshold. You could legitimately drive the count up simply by continuously refreshing the page. The FAQ, again, doubles down.

Q: Does this affect WebGL and streamed games? A: Games on all platforms are eligible for the fee but will only incur costs if both the install and revenue thresholds are crossed. Installs - which involves initialization of the runtime on a client device - are counted on all platforms the same way (WebGL and streaming included).

And, what I personally consider to be the most suspect claim in this entire debacle, they claim that "lifetime installs" includes installs prior to this change going into effect.

Will this fee apply to games using Unity Runtime that are already on the market on January 1, 2024? Yes, the fee applies to eligible games currently in market that continue to distribute the runtime. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

Again, again, doubled down in the FAQ.

Q: Are these fees going to apply to games which have been out for years already? If you met the threshold 2 years ago, you'll start owing for any installs monthly from January, no? (in theory). It says they'll use previous installs to determine threshold eligibility & then you'll start owing them for the new ones. A: Yes, assuming the game is eligible and distributing the Unity Runtime then runtime fees will apply. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

That would involve billing companies for using their software before telling them of the existence of a bill. Holding their actions to a contract that they performed before the contract existed!

Okay. I think that's everything. So far.

There is one thing that I want to mention before ending this post, unfortunately it's a little conspiratorial, but it's so hard to believe that anyone genuinely thought this was a good idea that it's stuck in my brain as a significant possibility.

A few days ago it was reported that Unity's CEO sold 2,000 shares of his own company.

On September 6, 2023, John Riccitiello, President and CEO of Unity Software Inc (NYSE:U), sold 2,000 shares of the company. This move is part of a larger trend for the insider, who over the past year has sold a total of 50,610 shares and purchased none.

I would not be surprised if this decision gets reversed tomorrow, that it was literally only made for the CEO to short his own goddamn company, because I would sooner believe that this whole thing is some idiotic attempt at committing fraud than a real monetization strategy, even knowing how unfathomably greedy these people can be.

So, with all that said, what do we do now?

Well, in all likelihood you won't need to do anything. As I said, some of the biggest names in the industry would be directly affected by this change, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they're not just going to take it lying down. After all, the only way to stop a greedy CEO is with a greedier CEO, right?

(I fucking hate it here.)

And that's not mentioning the indie devs who are already talking about abandoning the engine.

[Links display tweets from the lead developer of Among Us saying it'd be less costly to hire people to move the game off of Unity and Cult of the Lamb's official twitter saying the game won't be available after January 1st in response to the news.]

That being said, I'm still shaken by all this. The fact that Unity is openly willing to go back and punish its developers for ever having used the engine in the past makes me question my relationship to it.

The news has given rise to the visibility of free, open source alternative Godot, which, if you're interested, is likely a better option than Unity at this point. Mostly, though, I just hope we can get out of this whole, fucking, environment where creatives are treated as an endless mill of free profits that's going to be continuously ratcheted up and up to drive unsustainable infinite corporate growth that our entire economy is based on for some fuckin reason.

Anyways, that's that, I find having these big posts that break everything down to be helpful.

[driptillyoudrop]

The Brainwashing Bed

The title gives this one away just a bit, don't you think? This one may receive some revisions, like several of my recent posts. We'll see.

Consider your bed. Lay down, if you like.

It's comfortable, I hope. You spend an awful lot of time in it...although, probably not as much as you'd like. That's common. Few of us get enough sleep, these days. But let's focus on the bed itself.

A good bed is the right balance of soft and firm, providing a certain measure of support along with a certain degree of cushion. Everyone has a slightly different preference on this, sure, but the idea remains universal: your bed has to have the right balance.

Beyond that, it should keep you warm - but not too warm - and cozy. Pillows and blankets and comforters and all those nice accessories help with this, that's true. Your bed may be any of several different compositions, ranging pretty wildly in cost. It could be one of the larger investments in your home.

But underneath all that variability, the goal is shared. A good bed helps you sleep. You feel safe in it; it's easy to get comfortable, relax, and enjoy the way it feels.

This makes it the ideal delivery mechanism for a particular experiment of mine...not that I'd modify your bed, of course. The experiment is a fun one to discuss, however, so indulge me a bit, won't you?

I thought you might.

Consider your bed, with a subtle shift in purpose. It remains primarily designed to keep you comfortable, warm, and safe, but there is an additional function hidden beneath. There is an intent to guide that relaxed version of you into a state of compliance, submission, obedience. In short, something has been done to your bed so that it will help brainwash you.

It's perfect, really, don't you think? All the necessary components are present already. Your brain associates the bed with comfort, safety, relaxation, sleep...so the bed need only be given the smallest degree of capacity to guide that state in a different direction.

It varies from bed to bed, as most experiments vary from person to person. Some are given a device that emits a low pulsing vibration: soothing, inexorable. Others receive the less-tame form of a heating pad: penetrating warmth to relax the body and melt the mind. Still others find an almost imperceptible static sound surrounding them at bedtime: slowly overpowering the sound of your own thoughts.

But it wouldn't be very scientific of me to reveal which one you'd get, would it? You'd expect the effect and react accordingly. If I were going to make those modifications, your bed would receive all of those upgrades...and perhaps more.

Like I said, though, I wouldn't do that. Well, not unless you volunteered for the experiment, or really really really wanted me to do it. What other things would I change about your bed? Good question.

Subtle is the goal at first. You shouldn't notice anything immediately; it needs to take awhile. You'd find it more difficult to think, of course, and you'd feel more willing to accept my words without a second thought. Would you be able to distinguish that from simple drowsiness, though? Would it be too late by the time you did?

That's the idea. Your bed knows you, in a way, spending so much time together with you. It's fairly straightforward to use that knowledge to make the correct alterations. I like to provide a sense of intent, as if the bed itself wants you to surrender. If you were, somehow, part of the test group, your bed would be able to slip restraints over your legs without your perception of it.

What's that? Are your legs bound? Interesting.

It's important to relax, still, so you'd find it extremely difficult to struggle against the restraints. Whatever means of influence the bed has been enhanced with would be dedicated to keeping your body as close to limp as possible. Your mind, well, that follows naturally with your body. Heaviness makes it hard to think.

Besides, there'd be no time to really focus on your predicament before the bed entered the programming phase. That's where the design truly shines, if I do say so myself.

You see, we both know you've pleasured yourself in bed; it knows that, too. It knows the method you use most, the way your body moves, the sounds you make, the toys you've tried...all of it. All I have to do is provide it with the means to stimulate your body; it could already have your legs restrained, and spread. Oh, there are also restraints for your thighs, hips, torso, arms, and even your head. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, thrashing about, now would we?

The restraints can be selective, yes. The primary purpose is still to keep you comfortable (and perhaps you aren't even in bed yet, only learning about the experiment and deciding whether to participate). You'll be bound only as tightly as needed, or wanted.

What happens then? Programming phase requires you to be more receptive than usual, so you'd be stimulated accordingly. The bed has new attachments for that in case you aren't able to move: vibrators attached to arms attached to pistons and springs whirring to life between your legs, pheromone emitters beneath or inside your pillows to flood your body with instinctive heat and lust, cables to connect to your headphones and override the sounds, maybe even a gag to slip into your slightly open mouth if you tend to get loud when you pleasure yourself.

In early stages of testing, the bed simply used the influence methods - sound, vibration, warmth - to compel you to pleasure yourself. You've felt the urge before, I suspect, even before the upgrade. Simple, but very potent. It's okay, if the restraints weren't comfortable, you'll be free to touch yourself -or- use the attachments.

Once you begin to feel the pleasure from whatever source, the bed begins to feed you instructions. These are typically echoes of my words, mantras, coupled with flashes of obedience, submission, and surrender. If the restraints seemed too excessive, you'd be touching yourself while these compulsions are fed to your relaxed, compliant brain. If the restraints were necessary, the bed would be stimulating you just the way it knows you like.

The beauty of the design is that you are naturally fairly helpless when you're in bed, especially if you've been appropriately relaxed, restrained, or otherwise subdued. The brainwashing is able to flow freely into your receptive head, and by the time you've been brought to orgasm - by your own hand, or by the bed itself - you're simply...sleepy.

Because the bed, of course, is still meant to guide you to sleep. The entire programming phase, it would be draining you as much as needed. Drifting off becomes a bit of a foregone conclusion, by then.

Does the stimulation continue even after you fall asleep? Of course. Additional programming is fed to your sleeping self, even as the bed resumes its more innocuous disguise while the night goes on. Some subjects forget the brainwashing bed by the time they awaken. Others remember clearly and are drawn to it, eager to surrender again.

That's the real experiment, you see. I wouldn't modify your bed like we've discussed, unless I already have. I seem to have misplaced my notes, so who knows?

Do you have a brainwashing bed? Do you feel it calling?

Or are you already bound and being brainwashed as we discuss it?

Either way, as always, enjoy.

[lilmajorshawty]

The 10th house is your inner thoughts and how you cope with your external environment. It can often be the difference between the EGO and the ID. In respective formatting your 10th house is your face beneath the mask and can denote to your more detached or impersonal, and personal feelings that are not readily expressed to the people around you.

Midheaven series : how your monologue effects you.

Aries Midheaven : “ CEO”

these natives lcan have a critical and rather professional inner voice. One that is big on ensuring the way the outer image is presented is calm/collected and put together. But this can also make the person cut throat, a social and career climber no matter the cost and the type of person whom is very tactile and calculative when it comes to the way they present themselves. The latter can also be said that in the true spirit of Capricorn these natives can have inner issues with authority and routinely set up situations in which they can be in charge.

Aquarius Midheaven: “The Observer”

These natives are often regarded as the most detached of the midheavens. They tend to have a very complex inner monologue with themselves and their surroundings. They often times had a childhood that may have been over emotional/dramatic/passionate but at many moments lacking objectivity and rationalism. As a result in their dealings with the external world they tend to be a bit aloof. They process the world around them from a distance never readily diving all the way in, if it all. They are curious about people and their emotional motivations behind the actions they make but they still have difficulty connecting to these feelings often time taking a “collective” approach to strangers and outsiders. They’re friendly and captivating due to their messiah like ambivalence but they can also seem intimidating and come across as indifferent to the presence of others due to their at times cold nature. They’re often very detached and not readily emotionally available in a way that sacrifices their own vulnerability. Though they might be friendly and though they might have that playful impartialness that makes them seem warm and open you will soon find out that they’re very difficult to get close to if at all. Everything lay on the surface no matter how “open” they may seem. There is quite the wall that prevents any from getting closer. Their inner monologue tends to be inspective, box and prism like. They find the outside world to be a cage and one they seek to escape and every scenario plays out as a situation they seek to rebrand and resculpt in some way.

Pisces Midheaven : with a Pisces 10th house there’s this painful nature to their inner monologue. It’s can present as machinist tendencies and can be the inner monologue that tears down the native only to create a accommodating outer image. They have to be liked and seem agreeable. Many Gemini risings fall into the outer image of compliance and socially acceptable tendencies as to not ruffle feathers as the Piscean 10th house forces them to hide their true feelings on matters, be it disagreeing, be it wanting to go a different path or be it outright not liking another person. Their inner monologue forces them to mask these aversion to things and others and often ridicules them for feeling such intense feelings even if they’re completely justified in feeling that way. They’re perceptive and can easily pick up in the nuances and animosity or bad intentions of others but they will seldom do anything about it. They much rather swim away from bad energy then confront it which is more often then not why once overstimulated these natives run.

[madisonellie1]

VAT Return HMRC

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[jubileemon]

Hazbin Hotel: The Terrifying Reality of Overlord Domination

Both Husk and Angel Dust are victims of their circumstances, having their souls bound to the will of their overlords. Their experiences mirror real-world issues of abuse and exploitation, where individuals are trapped in cycles of control at the hands of those with power over them.

While both characters are subjected to manipulation and control, the nature and extent of their abuse differ significantly, reflecting the individual sadistic tendencies of their overlords. Valentino exhibits traits of control and abuse. Alastor's sadistic tendencies and enjoyment in inconveniencing Husk are paralleled by Valentino's predatory behavior towards his workers like Angel Dust.

While Husk's servitude to Alastor is marked by manipulation and intimidation, Angel Dust's experience with Valentino is characterized by sexual exploitation and abuse. These narratives serve as a grim reflection of real-life issues, where individuals find themselves trapped in cycles of control and mistreatment at the hands of those with power.

Valentino's Control Over Angel Dust

Valentino exerts control over Angel Dust through a soul contract, inflicting pain and torture as a means of coercion. His actions escalate to heinous levels, including sexual exploitation and physical violence, as he seeks to punish Angel Dust for his defiance and escape from servitude.

Bound by a demonic contract to Valentino, a moth demon, Angel's autonomy over his soul is compromised. This contract, which he signed under his given name, Anthony, effectively transfers ownership of his soul to Valentino, leaving him at the mercy of the demon's whims. The contract's terms are non-negotiable and enforce a grim reality where Angel must comply with Valentino's demands, no matter how degrading or exhausting they may be.

Husk's Fall from Grace and Enslavement to Alastor

In contrast, Alastor maintains a psychological grip on Husk, leveraging his vices and inducing fear to ensure compliance. Despite occasional gestures that may seem friendly, Alastor's true nature is revealed in moments of rage, where he threatens Husk with severe consequences for disobedience, highlighting his capacity for cruelty.

Once an Overlord, Husk experienced a fall from power after a losing streak in gambling led him to Alastor. The bet that cost him his soul also stripped him of his status, leaving him in a state of servitude to the Radio Demon. This power dynamic is a stark reminder of the precariousness of status in the underworld.

The episode 'Dad Beat Dad' serves as a chilling example of the extent of Alastor's control over Husk. When Husk dares to mention Alastor's own soul contract, he is met with uncharacteristic fury and threats of violence. This encounter leaves Husk in a state of terror, illustrating the abusive power wielded by overlords like Alastor.

His immediate threat to destroy Husk's soul if he divulges any information is a display of psychological warfare. The fear instilled in Husk, leaving him a 'shivering, terrified wreck,' is indicative of the abusive power Overlords hold over their subordinates. This incident serves as a reminder that Alastor's charisma masks a deeply sadistic nature, which can be as harmful as the physical abuse perpetrated by Valentino.

The Shared Victimhood of Husk and Angel Dust

Hazbin Hotel's portrayal of Husk and Angel Dust's situations is a grim reflection of the terror that comes with being under the thumb of an overlord. The show's narrative serves as an allegory for real-world power imbalances and the devastating impact they can have on individuals, making it a poignant commentary on abuse and the struggle for autonomy.

[cindylouwho-2]

The European Union's General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR): A Huge Mess For Some Small & Micro Businesses

Above is an email Amazon sent to sellers many months ago that covers the basics. Not all marketplaces were as forthcoming - or early - with info.

As many of you know, new laws coming into effect Friday December 13, 2024 affect businesses' ability to sell products into the European Union and Northern Ireland (EU and NI). The General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) impose various requirements on most goods being sold to the EU and NI, and some of those new rules will be very onerous for some small businesses. Furthermore, there are still some unanswered questions that the relevant government bodies hadn't covered until the European Commission did release some more details and an FAQ page very recently [pdf for download at the end of the first section on that page], and until public Q & A sessions were held.

This post contains a brief summary of the GPSR and of the key questions for common small business types, with the best answers I can find at this time. There is a section discussing problems on Etsy (which hasn't yet adapted their platform to the new regulations). I also compiled a list of helpful links including government and marketplace information pages, and places to obtain an "EU Responsible Person" to represent your business.

If anything gets clarified in the near future, this post will be updated.

What Does GPSR Require?

The Amazon summary in the screenshot at the top of this post is one of the easiest to understand, but a shorter overview may work better for some, so here is what eBay has to say:

To comply with the GPSR and related regulations, all business sellers listing items for sale in the EU and NI must include the following information: 1. The product manufacturer's name and contact information 2. If the manufacturer isn’t located in the EU or NI, you’ll have to indicate an EU-based Responsible Person or entity, along with their name and contact details 3. Any relevant product information like model number, pictures, and type 4. Product safety and compliance information like warnings and safety information (which can be included in labels and product manuals) in the local language 5. The CE marking when required by the related regulations applicable to your product

And yes, all of this applies to merchants of all stripes, including small and microbusinesses. Per the EU, “...the GPSR obligations apply to businesses of all sizes. Consumers are entitled to only safe products and therefore exceptions cannot be made based on the size of a business.”

Clearly there are significant hurdles for small and micro businesses: the cost of hiring a responsible person, and the cost of producing the required safety and use instructions and of translating them into local languages. Some may choose to stop sales to the EU and NI instead of complying.

Are There Any Exceptions?

Yes, several types of products are excluded, but most of those already subject to equally strict or even stricter regulations, e.g., medicine, foods, animals etc.

The two main known exceptions of interest to most of my readership are:

Antiques, which seem to be limited to items that are old (but no age is given, as far as I can tell) and generally to art or other collectible items.

Items already available for sale before December 13 of this year.

That second point is good news for many businesses, but please note it only seems to apply to stock made before December 13, not just listings made before that date. Once you run out and need to order or make more products, they then become subject to the GPSR.

Does The GPSR Apply To Digital Products?

It now appears that the new regulations cover items such as digital downloads. The FAQ pdf put out by the European Union very recently states "[t]he GPSR applies to all types of products (physical or digital products too, including software) that are placed or made available on the EU Single Market". At least some analysts agree this can include pretty much everything digital:

I can understand why some folks think that a knitting pattern or a simple art downloadable file should not be covered, and in the future once there is more discussion of and action taken under the GPSR, those products might be excluded. But note that the pdf of FAQs also states "[t]he GPSR is about avoiding and preventing “risks to both physical health and mental health”. Including image files and similar downloads therefore makes some sense.

How Do I Find A "Responsible Person" To Represent My Digital Download Business In The EU?

That's a good question, because I haven't found any verified sources saying they will cover digital items, or any digital sellers mentioning they have found coverage. Many have been denied by the companies they have contacted. [UPDATE: A company called EAS has agreed to represent at least one digital seller.]

If you are aware of any other firms or individuals offering "Responsible Person" services for digital products, please let me know!

(Remember, If you are in the EU/NI, you are the Responsible Person. If your products are manufactured in the EU/NI, the manufacturer is the Responsible Person.)

Does the GPSR Apply To Free Products?

Yes. From the FAQ pdf: "an item provided free of charge falls within the scope of the GPSR.”

In addition to complimentary physical items ("free gifts") sent out with orders, this would seem to include free downloads provided on blogs and social media, on a Patreon site, in YouTube descriptions etc. I’ve not seen much discussion on this aspect of the law for some reason.

Items Offered For Sale Before December 13 Are Exempt, But How Would The Government Know When I First Offered The Product Or When It Was Made?

If you had 100 widgets in stock before December 13 and had them listed on a marketplace or website, by law you can continue to sell those widgets to the EU and NI until all 100 are gone. And if you created a digital file and offered it online before December 13, it should be exempt forever, as long as you do not edit the file after December 13.

But proving you had 100 widgets already made, or that you listed a specific product before the law took effect could be difficult, especially for anyone handmaking their own items. If you are going to continue to sell to the EU and NI after December 13, keep careful records of which stock needs labelling, safety information and translations of use instructions.

Online marketplaces could also create problems if they don't display the date an item was first offered for sale, as happens on Etsy, for example. Every time an item renews, the visible date is reset, and it can be difficult to go through spreadsheets looking for the original listing date, and csv files may not be adequate proof under this law (since they can easily be changed after downloading).

Unfortunately, we won't truly know what evidence will be accepted in these circumstances until the authorities start enforcing these regulations, but this will only be a concern for anyone continuing to sell "old stock" into the EU and NI after December 13, so it is far from the largest concern.

The Case of Etsy - Failure To Comply With The GPSR

Unlike some other marketplaces, Etsy was fairly late in warning its sellers that the GPSR affected them, and how Etsy will approach the law. The blog post included the line "[s]hould Etsy receive a notification from an authority that your product is non-compliant, we will take appropriate action, which may include removing your listing and/or suspending your account." So, the stakes are high here - you could lose your Etsy shop if accused of not complying with the GPSR.

There are currently 2 problems for sellers who decide they can't/won't comply with the GPSR and therefore do not want to offer their items to the EU and NI any more:

Shipping to the UK on Etsy includes Northern Ireland, and sellers anywhere within the UK cannot remove the UK from their shipping profiles. That means they are forced to offer their goods to NI even if they don't want to.

Digital products on Etsy are sold to the whole world by default; there is no way to exclude any countries that Etsy allows sales to. That means every digital listing on Etsy is currently offered in the GPSR jurisdictions, regardless of the seller's wishes or compliance.

The GPSR was published on May 10, 2023. That gave everyone 19 months to get their ducks in a row. However, Etsy has so far done nothing to allow UK and digital sellers to remove their listings from being available in the EU and NI. Nothing.

Support has told some sellers that the corporation is working on it, and that UK sellers could just cancel any sales to NI:

However, it is not good enough to refuse to complete orders to the EU and NI. Any item offered for sale in the EU and NI is automatically subject to the GPSR; just allowing someone to check out is a violation, if the listing and product does not meet the law's requirements.

As of December 13, there is still no way to stop selling to Northern Ireland on Etsy if you are a seller in the United Kingdom, and there is no way for a digital product to be excluded from offer in either the EU or NI. Sadly, this means the only way shops can follow the law is to close for the time being, and some are planning on doing that.

Etsy has failed its sellers, and there is no excuse.

UPDATE (December 13, 2024): Etsy now says it is working on the issues of excluding the EU and NI, but still advises cancelling sales to those locations in the interim, which does not comply with the GPSR. The company had 19 months to figure this out, but they still need a few more weeks at a minimum? Absurd.

Resources and Responsible Person Offerings

I've compiled a separate post on my Patreon, listing some of the official legal and government resources on GPSR, as well as rules and Help pages from some major marketplaces and Print on Demand companies, and a short list of places you can hire a "Responsible Person" for your products:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/sources-and-for-117871846

Please let me know if you find any broken links there, or have other resources to add!

This post will be updated as required.

UPDATED: December 13, 2024