#steam screw expanders

[kaishancompressor]

Kaishan Compressor USA https://kaishanusa.com/ is a diversified industrial equipment manufacturer centering around rotary screw technologies. We are best known for producing compressed air equipment for a variety of industries. We engineer the highest quality rotary screw air compressors that enable us to build a better, more efficient future.

[isjeonginsoup]

oooh for the wip i want to know about the superhero au and loose screws?

Hihi!!!! The superhero au is the first skz au that I made! I originally made it as a bday present for my friend Bread, and then it spiraled and continued to expand from there! Most of what is written is already on ao3 under the series #onlyinmiroh (which is a reference to the #onlyingotham fandom meme, if you’ve seen it before!) here’s a little bit of a part that I haven’t slapped on the internet yet:

-

“I should’ve been here,” Jisung huffs, frustrated. “They should’ve let Supers take care of her.”

Their office is a protected space, like most of the offices in the building, but Jisung does not refer to himself as Sting, skirts around the words in an artful deflection even as he says his piece. Hyunjin is, reluctantly, impressed.

“They did, remember?” Hyunjin eases them back into safer territory, familiar as well with the way words hold double meanings. “Boombox was there. Arachne would’ve done far worse to someone else.”

-

(the above makes more sense if you read the other parts of the series hehe)

and as for Loose Screws! As the name suggests, this is the maniac au! Originally titled “Like a Loose Screw (Did You Lose Yourself Too?)” but I’ve used that title format a lot so I’m trying to think of a title in a different format. Still brainstorming that!

I’ve lost a little steam writing it recently, but there’s still a good few pages of it! Have a little snack:

-

Chan shakes his head. “If I’m one of you, why didn’t you realise that when I walked in?”

Hyunjin opens his mouth to retort, then closes it, conflicted. Chan speaks again, while Hyunjin wrestles his thoughts together.

“I used to be like you. I’m not anymore. Forget this ever happened. Looking into it will only bring you more trouble than it’s worth.”

-

(surprise, surprise! It’s another Chan POV!!!!! Who could have guessed?)

[thesassypadawan]

Fireworks *part 2* (Master Qui-Gon x KnightReader)

Note: Read Love’s In Our Hearts On Life Day *part 1* first to get an idea of what’s going on. 

Summary: After a truly wonderful Life Day, it’s time to celebrate the new year with your recently expanded family.  What better of a way to do so then with sipping on some hot cocoa and watching the New Year Fete fireworks all together.  Happy New Year!

Warnings:  Contains fluff, fluff, and more fluff!

Other Notes: I changed the ages for the boys, Anakin is 9 and Obi is 14.

New Year’s Fete Week is the first five days of the year (according to the Galactic Standard Calendar) and is a five-day festival that celebrates the new year.

New Year’s Day, the first dawn of the year. A time of renewal and fresh starts. The moment when we say goodbye to the old and hello to the new…by celebrating with those we care for the most.

“Dear one, what are you trying to do?” Qui-Gon asked, an amused look on his handsome face as he slowly stirred the simmering pot.

“I’m trying to get the thermos to put our hot chocolate in, but someone not only put it up too high…they also hid my step stool!” You sighed exasperatedly, standing on your tip toes.

Reaching above your head, Qui plucked the aforementioned thermos from the top shelf with ease. “That’s because someone doesn’t want to see the two of you get hurt.”

Taking the bottle from him, you jokingly rolled your eyes. “My, aren’t we the overprotective one.”

Wrapping his arm around your waist, Qui-Gon pulled you in close beside him. “Only when it comes to very precious cargo,” he muttered, rubbing your small bump affectionately.

“Oh, Qui,” you whispered, pressing a kiss to the bottom of his jaw. “You know, we still have some time before-”

Your words were abruptly cut short as two overly excited kiddos called out from the next room.

“Mom! Dad! The fireworks are starting soon!” Came Obi-Wan’s crackling voice.

“Yeah! We don’t want to miss a single minute!” Followed by Anakin’s higher pitched one.

You each exchanged a small, knowing smile. Life hadn’t been quite the same since you had adopted Ani, the child “too old to be trained”. It was hectic and a tad overwhelming at times, but Qui and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Because nothing compared to a house filled with so much love and joy.

“Hold that thought,” Qui-Gon said softly, his hand sliding down to your hip and giving it a gentle squeeze…making you giggle.

Turning his head to the side, he shot a simple reply over his shoulder. “We’ll be there in a few moments!”

“Yeah! We’re just finishing up a little surprise for you two!” You added playfully, unscrewing the lid.

The sound of fast approaching footfalls could be heard thundering down the hall.

“Now you’ve done it,” Qui chuckled. Shutting off the burner, he quickly poured the steaming concoction into the bottle and screwed the cap back on. Just in time for the rowdy pair to come stampeding into the tiny kitchen, both bundled up and ready to go.

“Surprise?!” Ani giddily asked.

“I smell chocolate!” Obi enthusiastically exclaimed.

“Hmm, maybe,” you hummed, as you finished filling a container of cookies. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

A joint “aw, man” is what you heard in return.

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” you teased, carefully packing the goodies into your bag. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Your mother is right,” Qui-Gon chimed in, pulling his coat on. “And, with that said, let’s be on our way.”

Ani and Obi each let out a small cheer, before running out the back door and into the freshly, fallen snow.

Draping your shawl over your shoulders, Qui-Gon murmured. “Shall we, darling?”

Placing a loving hand on your stomach, you happily replied. “Yes, let’s go celebrate the new year with all three of our boys.”

[varina-has-a-gun]

Varina Gal (she/her)

Level/Class: 10 Rune Knight Fighter / 2 Bladesinger Wizard

Background: Anthropologist

Criminal Contacts: Fiasco and Johnny

Alias: Cynthia Rox

Friend of: Lake, Cynthia, Sparrow, Katarina, Little Katarina, Johnny, Lionel, Fiasco, William, B3’s BODY and HEAD, Hell Lady

Best friend/sister: Lake

Sister 2: Valentina

Sister candidate: Sparrow

Family: Ever Expanding

Location: Apocalypse?

Wants to be at: not Apocalypse? Well at least I’d get to let off some steam

Party: Chain Breakers

Party Members: Lake Galatfire, Sparrow, Lionel, Fiasco, Johnny Goldfiddle, Me, Wendy, Johnny’s Cat, Snake #4

People who owe me: Lionel

People I owe: Fierna

People who I am no longer in debt to: Pazuzu(screw that guy)

Favorite game: Monopoly

Favorite candy: gummy worms

Head space: 7 apples

Current Objective: laying a trap scooby doo style

[ink-flavored]

Kinktober2023 Day 21: Bath/Shower + Hand-Jobs

banner art by @/auroblaze

Good, Clean Fun contains: groping, hickeys/biting, cis/trans, angel/demon Kinktober2023 Prompt List & Neocities Page Tips are appreciated!

“Please, I want more, Justice.”

“I can’t.”

“I want it, please, please, do more.”

“I already said no.” Justice capped the bottle of bubble bath liquid and put it back in the basket under the shower head. “If I add any more, it’ll flood the whole bathroom.”

Pride grumbled. He put his cheek on his fist, arm propped up on the edge of the tub. Hot water rushed from the faucet, clouds of steam and white bubbles appearing in its wake, but it didn’t matter. There weren’t nearly enough to make it fun.

“When the bath is full,” Justice said, “there will be plenty of bubbles, I promise.”

“Whatever you say,” he sighed.

As an apology, Justice kissed the top of his head. Pride accepted it, if only because he was looking forward to the bath in general. There was never an excuse not to take a bath with Justice—even a startling lack of bubbles.

When the water was a few inches below the rim, Justice turned the faucet off. The cloud of bubbles expanded, sitting high above the water level. It wasn’t the avalanche Pride wanted, but it would suffice. He stood up, shook his hair out of his ponytail, and stripped his clothes off.

“Wait, wait,” Justice said. “I haven’t checked the temperature yet.”

“So?” Pride asked.

He stepped into the tub before he got a response. The water burned delightfully hot, soft bubbles caressing his shins.

“See? It’s fine,” he said. He sank down, letting the heat envelop him up to his chest.

Skeptical, Justice splashed the water with his fingers. “Yah!” he hissed. “How do you stand this?”

“Hell is way worse than a hot bath, J.”

“But you didn’t like it. Did you?”

“Eh.” He scooped up an armful of bubbles, slathering himself in them. “You get used to it.”

Justice looked concerned, but didn’t push the subject. He stripped down too, then flipped his hair upside-down. Bent over, he undid his half-bun, and bundled all his locs back up into a messy bun instead, securing it with a shower cap. Pride scooted over to make room as he stepped into the tub. He hissed as soon as his foot hit the water, face screwed up in discomfort.

“Just sit down and get it over with,” Pride suggested.

“That sounds terrible,” Justice said.

He did it anyway, hitting the water with a plunk. Tiny waves lapped at the rim of the tub, threatening to spill over. Pride floated back into his lap.

“That wasn’t so bad, right?” he said.

“Sure,” Justice said, strained.

Pride snickered, stretching his legs out to relax. The much taller Justice had to bend his knees to fit, sinking down into the water to hug Pride against his chest. Steam fogged the air, hot water turning his bones to jelly. Bubbles popped softly, creating a gentle static. He sighed with all the air in his lungs.

“This is nice,” he mumbled.

“Mhm,” Justice agreed, squeezing him.

Pride closed his eyes and melted, hot water enveloping him like a second hug. Bathing was something he had to get used to, after millennia of never needing it and not even knowing what counted as “dirty.” It was weird and uncomfortable, but after being forced to make it a routine, he sort of liked it. He still thought it was weird, and much preferred the days before he knew what a shower was, but he didn’t avoid it anymore. Especially if it gave him an excuse to be with Justice. Especially-especially if he got to take a bubble bath with Justice.

“Hey,” Pride said, twisting around in his arms. “Check this out.”

He scooped up another armful of bubbles and slathered it all over Justice. From his collar, up his neck, and even on his face. Justice laughed, pretending to shoo him away.

“Don’t get it in my mouth!” he protested, trying to swipe his face clean.

“I’m not!” Pride slathered his cheeks with more.

Justice retaliated, scooping up a handful of bubbles and blowing it into his face. Pride sputtered, swiping at the attacking cloud, only to be faced with another. Scooping like the wind, Justice blew an army of froth, bubbles bursting on the way. Pride smacked one out of the air, and used the opening to pounce, smothering him with even more suds.

“Nooooo!” Justice wailed, bubbles dripping off his face. “I’ve been defeated.”

“Serves you right,” Pride told him.

“For what?”

“For not adding more bubbles.”

“Bubbles for you to attack me with?”

“Exactly.”

He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hide his smile. Pride sank back down, snuggling into the curve of his shoulder. Justice wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. Warm tingles rushed through his mind and body alike, not just from the water.

Pride would take any opportunity to touch or be touched by Justice, even the simplest things. Sitting on his lap instead of the couch, grabbing his arm at the store, even starting a bubble fight. He was almost embarrassed about how often he wanted it, how a single brush of skin brought him immediate comfort. Almost.

He gazed up at Justice, drinking him in while he relaxed. He slouched against the back of the tub, eyes closed. Sweat beaded on his brow and upper lip, sliding across the round curves of his face. Pride wandered his hands up to his chest. Submerged in the hot water, his pecs were soft and pliant under his fingers. Mouth watering a tad, Pride gave them the lightest squeeze.

“Pride,” Justice mumbled, opening one eye, “what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he said. He squeezed again.

“Pretty sure you’re doing something.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you’re all naked and sexy and have amazing tits.”

Justice burst out laughing so hard he made the bath water slosh. “I have what?”

“You know, your big hunky man-tits.”

He did not stop laughing. Pride found himself joining in, abandoning his chest to hug around his neck. Justice hugged him back, giggling uncontrollably. They laughed together for minutes, spells of silence hitting before another round began. Pride snuggled as close to Justice as possible. It was so warm in his arms, in every sense of the word.

“Hey,” he said, trying to calm down. “Hey, shut up for a second.”

“Okay, okay,” Justice breathed. He had to stop and clear his throat. “Yes, what is it?”

“I said before this is better than Hell, obviously. But, uh.” Pride shifted against him. “Was Heaven… anything like this?”

Justice smiled, so softly. “No,” he said, reaching out to smooth his cheek. “This is better.”

His chest clenched. He sniffed a little, covering up his reaction with a smirk. “Because I said you have great tits?”

“Because I love you.” Justice pinched his cheek. “But sure, I guess that too.”

“I love you too.” Pride snuck a kiss. “And your tits.”

Justice barely had time to giggle before Pride kissed him again. He slid their mouths together, wet and warm from the sauna the bath had turned their bathroom into. Justice grunted softly, shifting in the water, and Pride groped his way down his body. From pinching his chest, to squeezing his waist, to raking his nails up his thighs, Pride touched him everywhere he could reach. Justice panted into his mouth, already cramped and spread wide to fit in the tub.

“I know you said this is better than Heaven already,” Pride murmured, kissing a line down his jaw, “but I can make it even better.”

In response, Justice moaned. He was going to take that as a yes.

Pride slid back up his thighs, took his cock in one hand, and started to stroke. Justice dropped his mouth, head hitting the edge of the tub with a dull thud. Accepting another unspoken invitation, Pride scraped his teeth over his neck, biting and sucking. Justice whined, melting under his touch.

The bubbles were mostly gone, but for once, Pride welcomed the lack. With the water clear, he could see his hand working over Justice’s cock. It was almost too easy to jerk him off, rock hard and foreskin sliding easily under his hand. Justice writhed for that simple touch, back arching and making the water splash.

“Pri—hah,” Justice breathed, eyelashes fluttering dizzily.

Pride sank his teeth into his neck and sucked. He gasped, voice breaking into a moan, and he tilted his head for more. Obliging, Pride moved an inch up and did it again, sucking dark hickeys into his skin. When he ran out of room, he ducked under the other side of his neck and began anew. Each one brought a different moan spilling out from Justice’s mouth, more desperate than the last.

His cock streamed pre-cum into the water, all of it useless. Not that Pride needed it, stroking it harder and faster regardless. Justice keened, hips twisting this way and that, but nowhere to go. Pride sucked a hickey right at the corner of his jaw, and he whimpered. He kissed his way back down, landing over all the marks he left before.

“Pride, Pride, I—” Justice panted. “Pride—I’m—mhng—”

Pride licked a long stripe up his neck and nibbled his ear. “Are you close?”

He nodded urgently, whining in the back of his throat. Pride sped up, the water slapping as his arm moved—an acceptable replacement for the sound of his skin.

“Come whenever you want to,” he murmured, mouthing kisses onto his neck again.

“Th-the bath,” Justice warned.

“Don’t worry about it.” He palmed the head of his cock to make him shake. “Come for me.”

Justice choked, tensing up. Pride pulled back to watch, and not a moment too soon. Justice came with a delicate moan, cock blurting into the water. Pride stroked him until he was spent, globs cum floating free in the bath.

“Mfm,” Justice mumbled. “That’s kinda gross.”

“Let’s get out then,” Pride said. He stood up, bath water and bubbles sliding off his body. “We’re clean by now. Plus—” He bent down to give Justice a kiss on the nose. “We can get dirty again in bed.”

[phoenix-feathers]

Faces of Mortality

I faced mortality in my friend’s bathroom

We were just fourteen and she texted me a goodbye that was permanent

A thank you, but please don’t respond

An I’ve swallowed a fistful of pills because the monster inside of me keeps on expanding and if I hadn’t, it would crawl out and eat me whole

It was late and my step dad wouldn’t give me a ride so in a panicked frenzy I took off running before he could finish saying “No”

She lived only several blocks away but each second was an eternity and I burst through the door, flushed and breathless, to her grandfather’s wide eyes

I remember asking where she was and he pointed to the bathroom door in confusion

But I didn’t say another word I just bolted directly inside and found her hazy but alive underneath the steaming shower head

I glanced over to my right to see an opened, scribed in notebook

I sobbed quietly as I begged her to tell me what she took

And I scanned the bottle ferociously but all I could do was pray and thank God she was still breathing

She felt nothing but I found all that I needed to believe in

I faced mortality in a hospital bed

I was eleven when the school nurse ran her finger down my spine and pretty soon we would come to find that the skeleton that exists to support me was defective

I wore two back braces that were ineffective

So at sixteen the surgeon cut me open and drilled holes into my bones

He screwed in titanium rods to straighten out this unforgiving body I call home

I spent days in fleeting consciousness but nothing I experienced had ever been more real than the pain of a skeleton that’s been mangled and restructured

Than an agony that you did not know was possible and that did not have an end in sight

Than the heartbreak when my father’s reaction to his helplessness was sharp and bitter anger and all I needed was a sign of hope

A hope I learned how to dig up out of myself

A faith I found in relearning how to navigate the world in my new body

In the inability to do anything at all aside from remain still on a mattress for so long your body becomes one with it

A miracle I discovered when I realized though I would never be the same, I had recovered

Gifted a second chance at a long, healthy life

I faced mortality in two sentences at two separate times

In two nightmares eerily alike

News of two vibrant, passionate souls who suddenly took their lives

We were all girls together, but two of us did not survive

Two women who directly and ironically taught me more about faith and God than anyone I have yet to encounter since

Two sets of train tracks and two funerals and two vigils and too many tears and screaming into an empty sky begging for answers

Answers I eventually concluded would never satisfy

So instead I felt the brokenness and allowed my heart to bleed

Learned the meaning of true forgiveness in between and

How to love is to carry on their memory after they have ascended into the ether

I have learned that life is painful and death is peace

How we run from the looming doom of our mortality in the hopes it will never come

But it always does

I’ve found magic in our impermanence and in the consistency of loss

I’ve found holiness in surrendering to it all

I’ve found an appreciation for life

And relief in death

One cosmic, massive human mess

[popculturelib]

Happy International Can-It-Forward Day!

Well, technically International Can-It-Forward Day is August 1st, but we're getting started a day early. To celebrate, this week we're bringing to you some books on canning and food preserving from our foodways and cookery collections.

To start, we have the Ball Blue Book of Home Canning, Preserving & Freezing (1949) by the Ball Corporation, the patrons of Can-It-Forward Day and an early creator of mason jars and other home canning supplies.

The book gets started with a vocabulary lesson of jar anatomy, food descriptions, and common hazards in food preserving chemistry:

The next lesson gives more in depth information on molds, yeast, bacteria, and enzymes. We thought the little guys were cute!

Of course, can't make a book about canning and preserving without some product advertisement!

And, lastly, a sample recipe for canning peaches:

Image transcripts are below the cut.

The Browne Popular Culture Library (BPCL), founded in 1969, is the most comprehensive archive of its kind in the United States.  Our focus and mission is to acquire and preserve research materials on American Popular Culture (post 1876) for curricular and research use. Visit our website at https://www.bgsu.edu/library/pcl.html.

Image 2: Home Canning Vocabulary for Homemakers

FRUIT JAR is the traditional name for a glass jar made for use in home canning. There are two styles available:

The Mason jar has a screw thread neck and a sloping shoulder. It seals on the top or on a sealing shoulder, depending upon the type of cap used.

The Can or Freez jar is a tapered, shoulderless jar which may be used for either home canning or freezing. It seals on the top with a two piece metal cap.

JAR CAP is the cover used to seal a jar. There are two styles available:

The two-piece metal cap (example, Ball Mason Dome Cap) is a lid and screw band combination. The lid is fitted with a rubber sealing compound, and no other rubber is needed. The lid is used once only. The band may be reused with a new lid.

The one-piece zinc cap is lined with white porcelain. It is used with Mason jars and rubber rings.

JAR LID is a shallow cover of metal.

METAL BAND is a screw thread band that is used with a metal lid to form a two-piece metal cap.

JAR RUBBER is a flat rubber ring which is used as a gasket between a zinc cap and the jar.

COLD or RAW PACK is a method of filling jars. The jars are filled with raw food, then the filled jars are processed.

HOT PACK is a method of filling jars. The jars are filled with hot food. then the filled jars are processed.

PROCESSING is the cooking of jars of food in a water-bath canner or a steam-pressure canner for a long enough time to destroy bacteria, enzymes, molds and yeasts.

LOW-ACID FOODS are foods which con-tain very little natural acid. Examples of low-acid foods are all vegetables except tomatoes and meats, poultry, sea foods and soups.

ACID FOODS are foods which normally contain from 0.36 to 2.35 or more per cent natural acid, and foods which are Preserved in vinegar. Examples of acid foods are fruits, rhubarb, tomatoes, sauer-kraut, pickles and relishes.

VENTING or EXHAUSTING is forcing air to escape from a jar or permitting air to escape from a steam-pressure canner.

VACUUM SEAL is the absence of normal atmospheric (air) pressure in jars which are airtight. When a jar is closed at room temperature, the atmospheric pressure is the same inside and outside the jar. When the jar is heated, everything in it expands and air is forced out, then the pressure in-side the jar becomes less than that on the outside. As the jar cools, everything in it shrinks. a partial vacuum forms, and atmospheric pressure of almost 15 pounds Per square inch (at sea level) holds the lid down to keep the jar sealed. The red rubber sealing compound on Ball Mason Dome Lids, and the rubber rings used with zinc caps. keep air from going back into sealed jars.

BACTERIA, MOLDS and YEASTS are low forms of plant life known to scientists as microorganisms. These microorganisms are found in vegetable (growing) form or spore (seed) form. They exist everywhere —in the air, in water and in the soil. When they are not destroyed by cooking. they will grow in canned food and cause it to spoil.

ENZYMES are natural substances found in all fruits. meats and vegetables. If they are not destroyed by cooking. they will cause changes in the color, texture and flavor of canned food.

BOTULISM is a poisoning caused by a toxin. The toxin is produced by the growth of spores of Clostridium botulinum in a sealed jar. Spores of Clostridium botulinum are carried from one place to another by dust, wind and the soil clinging to raw foods. These spores can grow in a tightly sealed jar of any low-acid food because they belong to a species of bacteria which cannot grow in the presence of air and which does not normally thrive in acid foods. The spores are destroyed when low-acid foods are correctly processed in a steam-pressure canner which is in good working order. Home canners who use the correct methods of selecting, preparing, packing and processing foods have no reason to worry about botulism. As an extra precaution, all low-acid foods should be boiled for 15 minutes be-fore tasting in order to destroy any toxin which could be present if some error were made in processing. Thick masses, such as greens, should be stirred while boiling.

FLAT-SOUR is the most common type of spoilage in canned vegetables. It is caused by bacteria which give food an unpleasant, sourish flavor. Flat-sour is avoided by the use of correct methods of selecting. handling, preparing, packing, processing and cooling foods.

MOLD may change the flavor of the food, but is not considered harmful when a few flecks are present on top of canned fruit, jelly or preserves. A heavy growth of mold is a warning not to use the food.

FERMENTATION of canned food is caused by yeasts which have not been destroyed during processing or yeasts which enter the jar before it is sealed. With the exception of some pickles, fermented food should not be used If pickles be-gin to ferment in the jar and some of the liquid runs out, the pickles should be rinsed and packed in clean hot jars, fresh pickling solution should be made and poured boiling hot over the pickles and the jars processed in a water-bath canner to prevent further fermentation.

Image 3: Here are some tips on destroying the MOLDS, YEAST, BACTERIA and ENZYMES that could spoil your canning and preserving

WE ARE . . . Microorganisms which are found in the soil, in the water, in the air and on all surfaces with which we come in contact. If we are not destroyed by heat during processing canned foods, we cause the food to spoil: and. if the jar is not sealed when stored away we sneak into the jar and cause spoilage.

We, the molds, form fuzzy patches on food. We the yeasts, cause food to ferment. BOTH of us thrive on fruits and tomatoes and also on jams. jellies and pickles. We are easily destroyed by heat so the acid foods can be processed at a temperature of 212°F in a boiling water bath canner.

Our friends, the bacteria, give food an unnatural flavor called flat sour, and they cause food to become soft and slimy. Bacteria prefer the low acid foods—vegetables and meats. Some of them are very hard to destroy, so the low acid foods must be processed at 240°F. in a steam pressure canner.

(Image: Drawing of molds, yeasts, and bacteria with angry faces)

(Image: Drawing of a man looking through a microscope at a large, scowling creature)

WHAT ARE ENZYMES?

We are chemical substances found in all plants and animals If uncooked foods are not used while fresh. We cause changes in color. texture and flavor If we are NOT destroyed by heat during processing, we cause the same changes in canned foods

(Image: Drawing of two men in a chemistry lab)

MANY FACTORS AFFECT HOW LONG FOOD HAS TO BE PROCESSED IN ORDER TO… DESTROY US

Not only the acidity of the food and the temperatures under which the foods are processed. but also how many of us microorganisms are present in the food and how quickly the heat penetrates to the center of the jai Consequently. to insure we are destroyed. we suggest you follow the recommended methods and times for processing each food as found in the Blue Book. And please remember to check the jars you have sealed before storing them away in a cool dark place ready for use later in the year.

(Image: eight Ball mason jars of various sizes)

Image 4: How to Use Ball Jars and Fittings

(Image: Drawing of two Ball mason jars of different heights with their lids off)

BALL MASON JARS

Examine jars with fingertips for nicks. chips and cracks in sealing surface.

Discard ones unsuitable for canning.

Wash jars in hot soapy water and rinse well.

Do not use wire brushes, steel wool or washing soda for cleaning jars; they are apt to damage glass.

Place in hot water until ready to fill. It is not necessary to boil jars in which food is to be processed.

Seal with Ball Mason Dome Caps or zinc caps and rubber rings. Follow directions for filling and sealing according to fittings being used.

A sudden change of temperature is apt to cause any jar to break. Never put a hot jar on a cold surface or in a draft. Never Pour boiling liquid into a cool jar.

BALL CAN OR FREEZ JARS

To use for canning following step-by-step instructions for Ball Mason Jars.

For jellies, jams, conserves, marma-lades, preserves, see instructions for each section. The sections are listed in table of contents and in the index.

Ball Can or Freez Jars may also be used for canning pick/es or relishes.

Information for use in freezing, read instructions on page 95 at the beginning of the Freezer Section.

BALL MASON DOME CAPS

Examine top and edges of jar: both must be smooth and even. Old jars were made for shoulder sealing: consequently, the top finish is usually unsuitable for top sealing with Ball Mason Dome Caps.

Wash and rinse lids and bands. Cover lids with water. Bring to simmer (180°F.). Remove from heat. Leave in water until ready to use (Image: drawing of water being poured into a mason jar)

Fill hot jar. Leave 1-inch head space for meats, corn, peas and other low-acid foods; 1/2-inch head space for fruits and acid vegetables. Add liquid to completely cover food solids. Leave 1A-inch head space for juices, preserves. pickles and relishes: Ya-inch head space for jellies.

Remove air bubbles from fruit and vegetable packs by running table knife between food and jar.

Wipe top and screw threads of jar with clean, damp cloth. Put lid on jar. compound next to glass. sealing

Screw band tight but do not use force. Band must screw down evenly all the way around.

Process immediately. using and method for product being canned.

Remove jars from canner. Do not tighten bands after processing Test for seal.

Store without bands. right time

BALL ZINC CAPS

Use new rubber rings. Wash caps and rubbers in hot soapy water Rinse. Keep rubbers wet until needed. If zinc caps have been used. boil them for 15 minutes.

Before filling jar. stretch wet rubber just enough to place flat on sealing shoulder.

See step 3 under Ball Mason Dome Caps for amount of head space to leave when filling jars.

Remove air bubbles from fruit and vegetable packs by running table knife be-tween food and jar.

Wipe top surface of rubber and threads of jar with clean. damp cloth.

Screw cap tight. then loosen about inch.

Process immediately. using right time and method for product being canned.

Remove jars from canner. Slowly screw caps tight . quick turns may cause the rubbers to slip.

Let jars cool about 12-24 hours. Check seal .. if top of cap is low in center, jar is sealed. Do not tighten cap after jar has cooled.

(Image: Drawing of three mason jars with a diamond pattern)

BALL QUILTED CRYSTAL JARS CANNING

Quilted Crystal Jars may be used for canning. Follow directions for using Ball Mason Jars. For preparation of caps follow instructions for Ball Mason Dome Caps.

BALL QUILTED CRYSTAL JARS FREEZING

Quilted Crystal Jars may be used for freezing. Follow directions for preparing Ball Can or Freez Jars on page 95. Excellent for Freezer Jams.

(Image: Drawing of two jelly glasses with a diamond pattern)

BALL QUILTED CRYSTAL JELLY GLASSES

Follow instructions given for jelly glasses in Jelly Section. Sealing with Paraffin -use only for jelly. Do not try to process in canner Lid is only cover and does not seal airtight to obtain vacuum seal

(Image: Drawing of a person testing a mason jar lid according to the instructions below)

HOW TO TEST SEALS OF TWO-PIECE CAP

When jars of food are thoroughly cool. 12-24 hours:

Press center of lid; if lid is down and will not move. jar is sealed Remove band, wipe threads with damp cloth, store.

Or tap the center of the lid with a spoon. A clear ringing sound means a good seal Remove band. wipe threads with damp cloth Store in cool, dark, dry place

Check for airtight seal by tilting the jar slightly. If there is no leakage. remove band. wipe jar clean and store in cool, dark, dry place.

Image 5: Canning Peaches...Step by Step

The raw (cold) pack is shown on these pages. When using Ball Zinc Caps and Mason Jars, prepare, pack and process as shown here.

(Note: each step has an image showing what is described.)

Check jars. Be sure there are no nicks, cracks or sharp edges.

Wash and rinse jars and caps. Leave jars in hot water until ready to use.

Sort, wash and drain only enough firm-ripe peaches for one canner load. Fill water-bath canner handful with hot water. Put canner on to heat. Prepare sugar sirup.

Put peaches in wire basket or cheese cloth. Dip peaches into boiling water 1/2 to 1 minute to loosen skins. Dip into cold water. Drain.

Cut peaches into halves, put and peel. Drop halves into salt-vinegar water (2 tablespoons each to 1 gallon of cold water). Rinse before packing.

Stand hot jar on rubber tray, wood or cloth. Pack peaches, cavity side down, layers overlapping. Leave 1/2-inch head space.

Cover peaches with boiling hot sirup, leaving 1/2-inch head space. It will take 1 to 1 1/2 cups sirup for each quart jar.

Run table knife gently between fruit jar to release air bubbles. Add more sirup if needed.

Wipe top and threads of jar with clean, damp cloth. Put lid on, screw band tight...it must screw down evenly to hold red rubber seal compound against jar top.

As each jar is filled, stand it on rack in canner. Water should be hot, but not boiling. If needed, add more water to cover jars 1 to 2 inches. Put cover on canner.

Bring water to a boil. At altitudes less than 1,000 feet above sea level process pints 25 minutes, quarts 30 minutes, at a gentle but steady boil.

Remove jars from canner. Let cool for about 12 hours. Test for seal. Remove bands. Store without bands.

[thatndginger]

Hey there, Happy Wbw!

I'd like to leave this open for you to go off on an worldbuilding tangent you desire, but if you don't mind something more specific, I'd like to ask something about War Witch;

As of the "current" era of the Setting, what is the "best" method of long distance communication or transportation? Is it used exclusively or by all?

Hey Arch! Thanks for much for the question and the opportunity to go into more War Witch lore!

I recently answered the long distance communication part of this answer, but I can happily talk about the long distance travel!!

Short answer: the best form of long-distance travel over land is by train, but by water it is steam-engine boats. Long answer under the cut!

Trains are by far the most reliable and easiest form of transportation if one is taking a long journey cross-country. In major countries, those with power and the wealth to build solid rail infrastructure, it's a fairly simple thing to travel by train from one side of the country to another, or into another country entirely. Imagine the US in the 1890's/1900's: the east coast is practically covered head to toe in rail lines, and while there are wide swaths of land out west that haven't yet seen a track, it's still pretty easy to take a train close to your destination and find another means of transportation the last stretch.

Traveling by rail is comfortable and fast compared to other traditional forms of travel - by horse or wagon or by foot - and accessible to the vast majority of people. The upper classes usually have access to 'first class' cars and isolation from the common rabble, but even the lowest class passenger can book a bunk in the sleeper car.

For those travelers who must cross water, or who's start and stop locations are along major waterways (rivers and oceans, mostly) a steamboat is likely the best bet. River transport tends to lean more towards the paddleboat-type design, though these have been declining in popularity as railroads expand in scale and efficiency. But, if you need to get to a more remote area along a quiet river, a paddle steamer is a good bet.

For oceanic travel, a steel-hulled steamship is the easiest, safest option, though depending on the vessel, incredibly expensive [think Titanic-levels of opulence]. Ocean liners - ships aimed primarily at transporting people - have been growing in popularity and add further convenience to oceanic travel. The largest ocean liners top out at around 450ft in length, with most sitting around the 350-400ft length, and are outfitted with steam engines, screw propellers, and top speeds of around 17 knots (19mph for those like me who have no boat knowledge lol). For those can't afford passage on an ocean liner, there are a variety of smaller steamers and sailboats that ply the waves and take passengers.

[ayakho]

I recently found two old handheld consoles with the games inside of them. I haven't actually used either of them for a stupidly long time.

The DSi needs a replacement battery. The battery in it is expanded. Luckily, however, the process of replacement is just screwing off a backplate and putting a new battery in. Ifixit sells replacements. Also the chassis is pretty banged up.

The 3DS seems to be fine but I need to find a cable to charge it.

I don't think Nintendo software actually keeps track of hours but the amount of time I spent on Pokémon Platinum probably puts anything I have on steam to fucking shame.

I couldn't get a good picture but the pins on that Cats&Dogs game are basically pristine. Almost no wear on them at all lmao. I recall it being a really boring platformer we pulled out of a bin of free games. Was probably marketing for the movie it's based on.

EDIT: I should have wiped them down before taking pictures. I don't know if the material used on the DSi was prone to picking up shit or if younger me was just really bad at taking care of their crap. Probably a mix of both- but largely the latter.

[gumy-shark]

👻 What is one WIP you think you may never pick back up?

there are so many of these. i am a pretty scattered person, so i tend to start and drop new projects just like that with absolutely zero shame, bc i know that for me it all works to improve my writing in the end, and when i do finish things the finished projects will be better for it.

that being said here are some ideas that i've liked and probably won't pick up ever again or expand beyond the initial ideas but good lord are they fun to contemplate (they are also almost all rottmnt or hermitcraft):

rottmnt human au where they don't actually know each other but all know april, who ropes them into becoming a scooby-doo style mystery solving team. shenanigans abound

rottmnt undertale au, where they get zapped into undertale as the characters

this one concept i had of a rottmnt oneshot collection where the characters (especially leo) became self aware that i the author was essentially putting them in dress up outfits and dropping them into Situations, which would turn into an overarching narrative screw. which is way too much work

and finally, 2 hermitcraft aus that i absolutely loved but just ran out of steam for before they were finished:

the zombie apocalypse au where grian, jevin, cleo, tango, and some other nonhuman hermits had to save hermitcraft from a zombie apocalypse (not all of the nonhuman hermits were immune to zombies, but these guys were bc of stuff like doll!grian and robot!tango)

the zits smart house au

[benis-chillin]

Gaming Backlog 2024 lookback

Hey Eggheads and Crackheads!

Another sucky year has passed us, boys and goyles. I kinda whined about 2023 in last year's post, and honestly? I probably shouldn't have. Not for any, "It wasn't as bad as I thought it was" reasons, but just because complaining about your own sucky year to other people who have just had sucky years doesn't really entertain anyone, which is one of the reasons these posts exist.

I suppose one reason it leaked into last year's list was because that sucky year hindered my experience playing games, and in that regard, this year was WAY better. Maybe I'm just doing a bit better with my time, idk, cause it's not like everything else was THAT much better(but that's all I'll say, I promise).

So, for this year, and probably all years going forward, I'm gonna change up the formatting from last time. Since I made individual posts for all of the games, I will more be looking back on them informally, and comparing how I NOW think of them, vs how I thought of them when I first made that review. The only exception will be the last entry, which I will look back on the next year, just to have the distance.

However, we won't be doing that this year since…I haven't completed any new list games since Halo in early November. I've mainly been replaying some older games to wrap up the year, tbh. Bit of a mental break.

Though it'll definitely be easier to get more games in, due to my mom, her boyfriend, and my brother collaborating to get me a Steam Deck for Christmas! I've been breaking it in with Spider-Man, so expect that in next year's recap.

(Steam Deck will also be replacing the "PC" platform after this year, btw)

So anyway, to start us off properly, the non-list entries!

Sonic Superstars

Platform: Switch

I actually made an individual post on this since I'm a Mania hater, and many of my thoughts there were later expanded on in my opinion piece on the Fang the Hunter mini that got released later.

My feelings on Sonic Superstars are still the same. Close to what I want these Neo-Classic Sonic games to be, but also far from it in some instances. Just a mixed bag overall, and I still haven't gone back and beaten Trip's final boss.

6/10

Mega Man 4 and 5

Platform: Switch

I think I'm just at a point where I gotta accept that old school Mega Man is just really boring to me. I couldn't even finish 5 before I had to start writing up this post, it's just so boring.

Though Dr. Cossack DOES look a fair bit like my brother who got me the Steam Deck. That's interesting.

So yeah, Mega Man 2 is still the best one.

3/10

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence

Platform: DS

I actually tried to start this one up back in April 2022, but I was using an emulator to mitigate tank controls, making it hard to aim upwards, and maybe a few too many item cheats, resulting in me giving up not even halfway through.

This time, however, I played on an actual DS Lite(for the better D-Pad), figured out tank controls(simpler than you may think)and reduced my cheats to just invincibility, infinite ammo, and one-hit kills to be fancy.

And yeah, I had a blast going through this in small sections, especially as a game to play while I sat waiting for my mom to use the tanning bed before I donated plasma(tanning bed is on the way to plasma, so saved some gas to do that part first).

Just a fun little B-movie you can play on the go, and that's all you need.

Kinda weird how close the name is to a fart joke, though.

7/10

Sonic Colors Ultimate

Platform: Switch

I mean…It's Sonic Colors?

I am one of many people who complain about the current state of the Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 ports, so I understand being dissatisfied with the state of this "remaster," ESPECIALLY on Switch.

Heck, a mod came out back in September to start ACTUALLY remastering the game on PC, so I'll link up to that here. Might try it out on my Deck whenever I get around to buying a Steam copy on sale.

However, to ME, Sonic Colors is mainly just a casual romp, so it being screwed up a bit didn't really bother me. Sure, it only being 30 FPS on Switch is a bit stinky, but my attempts to emulate the original on Dolphin at 60 have only ever resulted in this, so it doesn't bother me too much here.

I did finally get all of the red rings in this version, though. It being handheld and easy to pick up made that easier. I actually got all of the DS ones back when I played that version, so it felt right. My physical copy was also a European version, so it has that extra U, which is neat to have.

But yeah. It's Sonic Colors.

6/10

Super Metroid Redux

Platform: 3DS(through SNES9X)

I started Metroid with Zero Mission and Samus Returns as my 1 and 2. So, when I then played Super, I had to adjust to a LOT of very dated and clunky controls, both in terms of button layout, and the actual physics of the game itself.

I didn't HATE it, but I didn't connect with it like I did the other games.

But then, as I was looking into widescreen patches I had heard about for an eventual let's play I want to record, I encountered Super Metroid Redux, and while the widescreen didn't pan out, I KNEW I had to play with all of the physics adjustments I was feeling while testing.

And man, did this truly "unlock" Super Metroid for me! Now that it controlled mostly like the other games, I was finally able to just ENJOY my return to Zebes, and explore without feeling so damn restrained!

It's still not perfect, mind you, Crocomire is still a bitch to deal with(especially since I missed the charge beam for a majority of the game), I got lost a few times again, and that fucking wall jump is damn near impossible(but completely optional unless you're going for 100%), but I'd say my opinion on Super Metroid has gone up thanks to this mod, and this will definitely be how I play it going forward.

8/10

Sonic Generations(2011 PC version)

So, imma be real with you. I do not like Sonic Generations that much.

The level design doesn't invite player initiative to forge your own path, but rather railroads you to a few pre-determined paths that you can't stray too far from, even with cheats on, the control layout is questionable and cluttered, the story is a massive missed opportunity, and it's overall a time capsule of when the Sonic Boomers, people who claim to love Sonic, yet have no idea what ACTUALLY makes him appealing, ruled Sega's marketing decisions.

Given how much Sonic Team seemed to fight against the expectations of this game(and Colors to an extent)in the following two entries, part of me thinks this entire game was a corporate mandate that Sega higher-ups held over the team's heads until Frontiers came out, and what do you know? The parts SONIC TEAM wanted to do were well liked, and the bits inspired by Generations were derided.

So did I enjoy my latest romp with it, now that Sonic Team is living their One Way Dream?

A bit, but only because of elements I added. Namely, the double jump mod, a code to have Classic's homing attack by default, fart boost reverb mod, the Retranslated Japanese script, replacing Seaside Hill with a proper recreation of the Heroes stage, and changing my right trigger to be a double of the boost/spindash button through Steam(which the remaster has as a native option, yet doesn't bring over stick click Light Dash, so you're still stuck not using any of your specials).

This game actively fights being played like a regular 3D Sonic game at every turn, but these changes helped me play it "properly," even if it still gave me a struggle.

THAT was what made a middling experience more enjoyable to me for this run, not that the game became actually good.

4/10

But then…

Shadow Generations(2024 PC version)

So I didn't think I would get to play this until WAY later, but a friend of mine who shares his Steam library with me bought it, so thanks to him for the opportunity.

Remember me saying the original Generations was a corporate mandate, and that Sonic Team seemed to fight it for the next few entries? Well, I think they viewed THIS as their means to make the Generations THEY would've preferred back in 2011. A redemption arc for a game they might have grown a distain for, but that they might want to reclaim now that it's not being held over their heads like in years past.

And I LOVE THEM FOR IT.

The level design is the greatest "fuck you" to the railroads from before. It's not TOTALLY free, no Boost game is, but this is as close as the Boost games have gotten to the levels from Adventure 1 and 2. Hell, for the most part, THEY DON'T HAVE BALLOONS! They only appear in the Chaos Island level for two seconds. Instead, they let you do the homing attack on capsules again, and THEY'RE RING CAPSULES! This is just so much more natural, you do NOT understand how much I wanted this!

These levels inspire me to look for that extra path, to forge my own, think outside of the box, and see how much faster I can be the next time! And hey, unlike base Gens, you CAN actually miss that S-rank, so you have ACTUAL motivation to do better!

Admitably, Shadow's 3D White Space isn't as interesting to explore as the islands in Frontiers. Rings to boost already doesn't work as well as the "stamina" thing, imo, and I DID need to use a code to restore the drop dash and bounce for better flow through levels, but the downgrades are so minor compared to how "there" we are that I can forgive them.

However, I probably could've lived without the Doom powers?

Doom Spear is cool, being able to stun enemies, but you could've just…You know…Not made the enemies have to be stunned? It works for the White Space, but just slows the more frenetic pace in levels. Doom Kick offers new shortcut opportunities with minimal slowdown, so let's maybe keep THAT one, but the last 3?

Doom Surf, Doom Morph, and Doom Wing all share the same problems: Extremely situational, and hard to control. Doom Morph in particular has a problem where the camera points AWAY from the next swing point while swinging, so chaining those together in the short window you have is a problem. Doom Wing LOOKS baller as fuck, but only REALLY works in the final battle. It's sort of this game's Super transformation, needing 50 rings to activate, and actually blocking shots taken at you, but the lack of easy ascension and decension controls make its usability limited, and fixing the camera behind Shadow, centering him onscreen like the gliding sections in 06, would've gone a long way.

As for the story, it knows what it is, and takes full advantage of it. I think Ian Flynn knew that having Maria back with Shadow, and the return of Black Doom, was full-on fanfiction tier shit, so he just went all-in on the premise. I've had problems with Ian's Shadow writing before, particularly in Archie's "Shadowfall" arc, but he's clearly gotten over his hurdles. This is the closest to JP Shadow's characterization that ANY English script or dub has gotten, and there is a big fat smile on my face from having any of my doubts proven wrong.

Even as Shadow's story moves forward, it will always tie back to his past. It forged him, he honors it, even if he doesn't dwell on it. But for him to have just a moment in time where he slips, where he has Maria again, Gerald isn't yet the evil person he became, where he can change it even at the cost of who he is now…

To want to do it all again is human. To move on and become better, even as your sorrows try to consume you…That's being the Ultimate Lifeform.

PERSONAL SECTION:

FEEL FREE TO SKIP

So…As I write this, I am having problems with my father. To not go too far into detail, he CAN be the most kind, gentle, generous man that you could ever find. I've seen it, I cherish every memory of it.

But he has an anger, this darkness inside of him that makes him the most petty, greedy, conniving piece of utter dogshit you ever did see. I have that anger too. I fight it everyday. But currently, HE isn't.

For me, this is one of many ways that I relate to Shadow, and to Samus Aran via Metroid Dread. In a metaphorical way, Black Doom is my father's darkness, which wants me to be angry and miserable like him, while Gerald is the light in him, the light which loses to the darkness. Better, nowhere near perfect, but you still want him back.

So as I played, I couldn't help but imagine myself in Shadow's situation. Coming face to face with my dad, somehow transported across time from that brief moment where the light had overcome the darkness…But knowing that the father I love and cherish to this day will eventually lose. How much I'd want to change his fate…

But all I can do is move on. Be better, even as he wonders why I'm not on his side…

And MAN it feels good to beat up that motherfucker in a video game!

PERSONAL SECTION OVER

So yeah, Shadow Generations, easily an…

8/10

And now we get to the actual list! Got a decent amount marked off, though didn't finish as many as I wanted to. I suppose that's the risk you run with experimenting after a lifetime of missing out on a lot of the classics. But hey, maybe I can come back to some of the unfinished ones. I mean, I ditched Resident Evil the first time around, but managed to get through it this year! But for the moment, let's see how my list fares now, vs when I reviewed it.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episodes 2 & Metal

Platform: PC

December 9th, 2023-January 7th, 2024

Ranking: 7/10

Honestly, I feel about the same as I did in my review. It's kinda interesting, really, how my feelings on it mirror my thoughts on Superstars. How they're massive steps in the right direction for THIS form of Sonic, but the missteps are massive, and kinda hinder the possibility of another entry.

I feel like a remaster for the Switch and other platforms with a few tweaks(and an art style overhaul for Episode 1)could REALLY help these games get a better reputation, but I doubt we'll ever see that.

Bionicle: the Game

Platform: GameCube(through Wii)

January 12th, 2024-February 28th, 2024(incomplete)

Ranking: 3/10

Fuck, man! I'm STILL upset about this!

I knew it was gonna be bad! I've played plenty of bad games in my life, and even enjoyed them! But this was MISERABLE!

This is BIONICLE! MY thing! I wanted to have this experience, but it was just too much! Tahu's lava surfing level still hurts so much, I'm not entirely over it.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Platform: PC

February 14th, 2024-March 4th, 2024

Ranking: 8/10

This is a good game…But I barely remember anything about it.

As I said in the review, the story gets the job done, for sure, and the premise is baller, but even if I REALLY concentrate, I don't really remember too much of it.

I suppose it makes sense for things to be a bit basic, given the history of superhero games up to that point, but the main thing I can think of is that rant about the Batclaw.

Maybe the sequel will be better, but I'm in no rush to play it, so I'll wait a year.

Metroid Dread

Platform: Switch

March 9th, 2024-April 4th, 2024

Ranking: 10/10

Was it good for you, too?

My thoughts haven't changed on this game being a masterpiece. Hell, I'd say it's hitting harder now that the ride's over!

With how I'm replaying Metroids lately, I am starting to lean towards this one being my favorite, but I won't say for sure if it's there until I replay it in the new year.

Anyway, if you don't have one, GET ONE!

Fallout New Vegas

Platform: PC

April 27th, 2024-June 23rd, 2024(didn't finish, but I count as a personal completion)

Ranking: 6/10

I'll admit fully to softening on this one, since I DID genuinely enjoy forging my own story…Even if that aspect is what ultimately led to me not finishing it.

I actually like playing DnD and stuff with my Discord buddies, and this game kinda gives me that feeling in a single player sense, so maybe I'll start a new playthrough with a more game-compliant character now that I know some of the various quests and paths a bit better.

We'll see.

Metroid Prime Hunters

Platform: DS

June 19th, 2024-August 10th, 2024(didn't finish)

Ranking: 3/10

Like Bionicle, I am still bummed about this one. So much potential in the premise, just utterly squandered!

I love the DS! I love Metroid! And I, again, love that premise! But this is just NOT a good use of ANY of those elements, man!

Maybe someday, it'll click with me…But not today.

Resident Evil 2

Platform: Gamecube(through Wii)

September 8th, 2024-October 6th, 2024

Ranking: 8/10

Good game, brother, that's a good-ass game.

I've actually done a replay of it since my review, this time with ClaireA/LeonB, and honestly, the story is WAY better in this form. I do think Ada's LeonA death is more impactful, but most of the personal stakes for Sherry come together much more solidly in this version, and Leon's "rookie cop thrown into hell" vibes also land harder when he's not basically stepping into Sherry's story. This is probably how I'm gonna play RE2 going forward, tbh. Even the FMV ending works a bit better this way.

However, I DID notice more of the flaws with how the backgrounds were converted for the Gamecube release this time. Blacks have a sort of reddish tone, to the point that I was able to see Sherry's drop shadow in what was supposed to be a pitch black hallway.

So, guess my ranking stands. Might even do another replay before I dive into RE3.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Platform: PC

October 15th, 2024-November 4th, 2024

Ranking: 5/10

Yeah, I still feel the same about this one. Absolutely no inclination to replay it.

Though I have heard since my review that you CAN find powerups in the later levels. Idk how I missed that, exploring nearly every corner looking to shoot shit, but I'll take the word of others wiser than me and say I was a whiny bitch on that part. Still gonna wait till next year to do Halo 2. That should especially be interesting now that I have the Steam Deck's trackpads and gyros.

And now, for next year's goal list. Remember, I only need to finish 5 of these games, if any don't work out.

Resident Evil 3-Gamecube

I liked 1 and 2 so much that I GOTTA play this one, come on. It may even be the first list game I play this year.

Sonic Unleashed-PS3

Can you believe I've never gone through the HD version of Sonic Unleashed before? It's like, the one MAJOR gap in my 3D Sonic resume.

Well, this is the year I commit! Here we…GO!

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time-3DS

I haven't completed a Zelda yet, so let's see if I can change that.

Ducktales-Steam Deck

Got it for my friend's library before we formed a Steam family, so this will be a lighter game to fall back on.

A Superman Game

There's a Superman movie coming out, so I want to play a Superman game!

I was originally gonna do Shadows of Apocalypse on Gamecube(and I may still), but we'll see if I can emulate 2003's "The Man of Steel," or the console version of Returns on my Deck.

I think Returns on DS may still be better, though.

Lego Marvel Superheroes-Switch

Never played this one, but got it for cheap. Again, lighter fare.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes-Gamecube OR Steam Deck

I may still boot this up on my Gamecube, but now that I have a Deck and the ability to run Primehack…Idk…

Hollow Knight-Switch OR Steam Deck

Back in rotation after being dropped last year. One way or the other, I will beat it!

And our carry-overs(which lack images because I hit the limit)are:

Toy Story 3-PS2

Spider-man 2-PS1

Devil May Cry-Steam Deck

See y'all throughout the year!

[magic-bad]

Not All Numbers Are Integers

For example, the velocity of a space craft (m/s could be used), the price of some steel (USD), the amount of ingredients in a recipe (kg). Computers routinely handle these kinds of numbers. These numbers are not exotic at all. Yet integers are not a natural fit for these applications 🤔

Yes, if you pick sufficiently small units (e.g. millimeters per second, USD cents, micrograms), you will have enough precision that you can use integers in your application. Nevertheless, using integers in this way is ultimately shoehorning. When we do that, what we are really doing is reinventing fixed point. E.g. if you choose mm/s as the units associated with your integer, you are really using m/s, but with three decimal places.

One reason we keep on picking fixed width integers (particularly unsigned) is that's what is most straightforward to implement in hardware, and therefore, that's what lower level programming languages give us. It's what's most readily available. When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Failing to touch screws, or worse, trying to hammer them is a (hilarious) mistake.

Remember when as a child, you first learned about fractions, or negative numbers, and it blew your mind? Remember how after getting used to them, your mind was expanded, and a short later, they became natural to you? Do not regress to your primitive less numerate childhood self.

Although 2^64 sounds like a large number, it is dwarfed by almost all integers. Of course, we can't deal with arbitrary integers, but we can be scalable. In order to be scalable, you can't pick something with baked-in limits from the outset. Scalable doesn't mean infinite capacity. It means that as Moore's Law does its thing, you get to keep riding that wave for free.

Believing that L resources "ought to be enough for anybody" is a mistake we see repeated throughout history. The reason people keep making this mistake is that they assume people in the future will be trying to solve the same problems that we are facing today. What actually happens when a resource becomes more plentiful is that people generally find exciting new ways to exploit that resource even harder. Humans are gold fish.

This is especially true of computational resources. People are not content to merely solve the same problems faster when beefier computers come along. Rather, bigger problems suddenly become feasible. (BTW, this is a very good thing if you have chosen a career in software!) E.g. the prodigious amount of energy required to train AI is just the most recent well-known example of "when resources are more plentiful, people find new things to do with it". This is why we should be scared for when Moore's Law finally runs out of steam.

A closely related idea: if you are not using units, you are leaving half of your brain on the table. Unsurprisingly, when you are only using half your brain, you a liable to cause the loss of a $200e6 spacecraft. This is maybe something you don't want on your resume.

The moral of the story: do not be satisfied with unsigned 64-bit integers. If you have to use them for some reason, be defensive, because they are not a proper solution for most applications. In math, there is no such thing as overflow. That only happens in computers.

[chhajedfastners]

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[rpmtrish]

READY OR NOT, IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

It seems like just yesterday that we stripped away the car cover, checked the air in the tires, disconnected the trickle charger and fired her up at the first sign of spring. Unfortunately, many parts of the country suffered through a cold, wet and snowy "spring" so their car season has been a short one. With beach weather wrapping up and "wrapping up" including long pants and real shoes, it's time for us to offer you our J&L Oil Separator Co. Hibernation Guide for Your Ride. If you live somewhere that you have the ability to drive your car year-around, you can use this handy list as a reminder that sometimes you have to give that baby some TLC. Bath Time! Let's face it, it's more fun to drive it than wash it, but let's use a warm-ish day to truly wash away the remnants of summer. Proper mitts, two buckets, high quality car wash detergent (not Dawn) and maybe a once over with a clay bar. No real need for a wax job at this point. Save that for a Cabin Fever Weekend in early February. Fluids. All of em. Check them, top them or change them. We see a lot of engine bay pics with low brake, power steering or clutch fluid. Empty your J&L 3.0 Oil Separator. Now's the time. Tire inflation. Everyone has their own way to combat flat spotting during periods of extended stillness, but frankly, a +5psi fill and a monthly roll in and out will handle it. Yeah, we know, "jack stands". You don't really want to have your springs, shocks, struts at full extension for 3 months, now do you? STOP! Seriously, this is a great time to head to a reputable shop and have them do a brake check. Pads are cheap and if you can drive and bed them in before you tuck your car in, so much the better for spring. Interior. Lots to do here. A quality leather cleaner and balm is a great idea before cold, dry air takes its toll. Don't spray some synthetic junk on it. Do your homework and take the time to clean the dirt, body oils and McDonald's residue off before you treat it to some hide nourishment. Your leather will love you for it. For fabric seating, nothing will top steam and extraction but that also requires time and heat to fully dry it. There are some new "dry shampoo" entries to the market that actually do a pretty good job. But remember, read the instructions and yes, TEST an inconspicuous spot first! You don't generally need to shampoo the carpet but that will depend on a lot of things. So if it's not grungy, give it a really good brushing and vacuum job. Pro-tip: remove your mats and toss em in the trunk. Let the carpet fibers breathe and expand. Glass....yeah, nobody likes to do windows, but do it anyway. As your vehicle sits for extended periods of time, the plastics in the dash and other areas will emit vapors that will coat your windows. You know the look; like driving on a foggy night. You use the wipers and realize you can write your name on the glass on the inside. Take the time to do it now and it's one less thing you have to screw with in March (well, at least it will be less gunky). Glovebox, console, etc. Really? A receipt from Memorial Day? Lighting. Inside and out. Do a walk around and make sure all lights are in operating condition. If you live in an area where headlights develop an opaque coating, fix it before it becomes permanent. There are a number of DIY kits for this and we can tell you that unless you really like tedious detail work, there are people who do this for a living and normally guarantee their work. Give them 30 minutes and your lights are clear and bright. Or go DIY and spend hours if you really want quality garage time. Electronics. Beyond the obvious lighting portion of your electrical system, we rarely find an old/older/old-ish car without something inoperable with the electrical system. From power ports to wiper motors to the CD that's been stuck in the slot since 2000, there's almost always something. Address it and you'll feel better for it (we speak from experience). And here's a not so obvious tip- Have you ever vacuumed your fuse/junction box? Pop the lid and use a detailing brush and vacuum. Fuses and relays age just like everything else. Critters. They get cold, too. There's really no barrier to entry when it comes to places for animals and bugs to relocate, but you can certainly be proactive when it comes to the major entry and exit points. You don't want anything blocking your intake nor exhaust, so some light fabric or even a paper towel and rubber bands can seal off your intake and exhaust tips. DO check the engine bay with a flashlight monthly to see if anything is using your ride as a VRBO. Fuel. There are as many "right ideas" on this matter as there are opinions on brands of oil. The basics are simple: Before hibernation, burn off old fuel, add the correct amount of a fuel stabilizer and fill the tank. Drive it 15 minutes to let it get through the system. Done. When it comes time to take that first blast down the highway on a warm winter day, just don't. Fuel stabilizers tend to exacerbate knock. It's certainly ok to drive it, but don't beat on it until you've fully exhausted that tank and put a second one through it. And remember, in most of the country you'll still be using "winter blend" fuel well into late April and yes, it's more prone to detonation as well. Oil Separators. We did mention them previously but we know that not everyone has one. Now is the time! Whether your engine is naturally aspirated, turbo or blower, every engine can benefit by keeping the recirculated gunk out of its intake tract. Click the here to learn more! Read the full article

[long-live-astronerd-ghost-king]

Sorry, I did one jajaja on his reaction to oreos and it happened:

Manhunter: Batman, I think Phantom and Red Hood were talking about expanding influence on people. And this time, I’m pretty sure I got it 65 percent right. There were candy eyeballs, cookies, and a damn oreo. Maybe it would affect kids in Gotham. Are you sure your son doesn’t make a living selling drugs? Batman: *tired sigh of a man who’s hearing Martien Manhunter’s crazy theories 15 times a day*.

~~~~~~ ~What Danny and Jason were really talking about: Jason: So about the last book I read, protagonists did not fit into the timeframe at all and so the topic raised by the author was revealed on.. Danny: Hey, Jason, have you ever thought about youtube channel or smth? Jason: Well, B’s gonna be furious if I start show my face online. I’m not officially resurrected yet and people can connect the dots. I’ve always been a bookworm. Danny: Hah. "Guys, the continuation of this cycle of books sucks so much that I crawled out of the grave to tell you how this author screwed up". Jason: Lol, that’s right. I swear, if Talia hadn’t found me first, I would have been found scratching the library door that morning. Danny: You know what, do it like Red Hood. Get into the minds of young readers, make them love literature. The kids in the alley love you, so they’re gonna like to know your hobbies outside of work. Just add more books to the reviews from the school curriculum and it will definitely improve their performance in the classroom. Jason: I don’t know, we don’t spend much time together, and a new hobby just will cut of more… Danny: Babe, the last thing that protected you from the bullet was pages of Franz Kafka. 'cause you forgot to wear the damn armor but you remembered to shove the book under your leather jacket. You sure as hell love literature. If you were a ghost, I’d say it’s your obsession. Jason: ...Bastards paid dearly for ruining that copy. But it was a really hard cover. Danny: So, if talking about books with people who at least understand what you’re saying makes you happy, go ahead! I can just lie around and be eye candy while you’re busy. There’s always more paperwork I need to deal with.

~~~~~~

Kids quickly discovered they really enjoy watching book reviews from the coolest crime lord in Gotham. But even more they like watching live streams.

When Hood gets really excited, he starts talking so funny! At first only the blue-eyed twink lying in the background during steams understood Red but gradually children made up their dictionary: Jason: You see this moment? It’s such a fudge! But if we... look, just read next ten chapters, and oh! Pure as dark chocolate! Danny: Come on, it’s more like a lollipop. Jason: How dare you say such things! You! Who only with my help wrote an essay about it. Lie back and look at the stars with your mouth shut, you’re only here as decoration. What a shame! Danny: Okay, okay, I’m just gummy worm with you. Comments: User1684: I’m telling you, they’re definitely cherry candy. User$532: Ohhh rainbow cake. I love their interaction.

User1114: People, wake up, the guy is probably afraid for his life. Why youtube doesn’t block it? This criminal makes him participate! User3714: Lol, let’s dedicate this moment to thank Red Robin for this channel. In Gotham we have the best hackers. RedRobinsFake:Thanks for your support! User1114: Boy, blink twice if you’re a hostage. Red Hood's Voice: I’m fucking trying, but you can’t see it through the helmet. Danny: *Looks the forty minutes into a camera without a blink and makes hiss*. Red Robin's Voice: On behalf of Batman and his birds and bats, we declare that.. khm.. the civilian on video is a voluntary participant. Danny, stop looking like you’re trying to steal the viewers' souls, 'cause they were worried about you, and now they’re writing about #FreeRedHood. Red Hood: All right, guys, stop. I knew what I was doing when I signed that contract about selling my soul. Oops, I mean the wedding contract. It’s so easy to confuse them. ~Black Screen~ Danny: Oh…I'm soo sorry, Sugarboo, I didn't notice that i did that. Red Hood: Don't be silly, I love when you goes more eldritch as a little treat. Danny: It wasn’t Eldritch, it was just weird. I’ll show you what the Eldritch form means tonig- Red Robin: Stupid lovebirds, why do you always forget to turn the sound off?! D&J: 'Cause you are doing it? Red Robin: Yeah, because you keep forgetting. Just finish the broadcast, is that too much to ask? Danny: Sorry, we have one living braincell for two. Red Hood: Yeah, too much information.

~~~~~

Bruce *watches the video at midnight then breaks into Jason’s room*. Danny with a body of a constellation that contains strange star patterns *turnes black holes eyes while hanging over Jason’s book and working like a lamp*. Jason *throws a packet of popcorn at the head of his dad*: Back off, pervert! Bruce: I was just worried about your safety. Kids these days…*leaves and closes the door behind him*. Danny and Jason: *high five*.

~Video Questions from followers~ Danny: Hey, I’m here for about 30 minutes while Hood's cooking for us. Question from Loyal Henchman: Hello, you as a concubine are handsome, but what about the silver-haired and green-eyed guy? Did they break up? Danny: Heh, damn it, what’s an old-fashioned name? I’ll take a screenshot of this and hang it on the wall. No, we’re in a triad. Child of the Darkness: So you won’t be upset if I praise another guy’s suit? Black looks so hot! (Hood, sir, don’t kill me) Bird Fan: Hey, Danny, right? Why aren’t you cooking? Red Hood likes to cook or he just doesn’t trust lovers with food (like you can poison it or smth). Danny: Of course he likes to cook but it’s not just that. Phantom and I, well, we just eat. If Phantom cooks, the food will be poison. Like, he will not poison the dishes, but they themselves will become deadly in any case. And if I do the cooking, I’ll end up blowing up the kitchen even worse than the explosion that killed the second Robin. The sound of a plate falling and swearing from the kitchen. Danny: Oops, it seems your humble servant has no dessert for dinner. Red Hood *Enters the room with plates and sits next to Danny*. Red Hood: Hey, honey, you’re not gonna be jealous that at Harley and Evie’s anniversary is gonna be only Phantom's performance, right? Danny: Performance, which performance? Jason: Oh, you know that girls are so excited about his "Lip Sync Battle - Tom Holland" act. Danny: ...And when did he say yes? Red Hood: Oh, it’s like his brain is filled with cotton candy, he's always talking about whatever he wants. Danny: Oh. Yeah, yeah, well, he definitely promised it as an apology to you. Right. Red Hood: I’m glad you remember. Have a cookie, sweetie.

Danny: Red, you forgot to bring the tea. Hood: Oh. I’ll be right back. Love you! Danny: Love you too! ….. Danny: Okay Siri, find tickets to the nearest portal to ghost zone.

Red Hood: The nearest portal is you, idiot! Danny: *Sounds of suffering*.

~~~~~~

Superman *wants to make sure that the civilian’s not being coerced into dating Red Hood and Phantom*: So, are you okay with this? One of them is dead, you know? Danny* portrays horror*: What? Just one? What will I tell my parents? Superman: W-What? Danny: It’s not gay if he’s dead, so we say in Amity Park! Jason lied about his funeral? I’m such a lemon caramel about it! Baby *runs up and kicks Superman in the knee*: Get out! No Meta or alien in Gotham! The other child: Yeah, get away from the boss’s love, they’re so cherry coke and all, you know, adult stuff. Baby: Fly to your shitty Metropolis or I will spit on you my "Love is" gum! Danny: aww~

DPXDC prompt: Dead on main. No trick only treat.

~~Сhildhood friends and deals~~

The Justice League has to summon a ghost from another dimension to address the threat. They don’t know what price the Ghost King will take but there’s little time to bargain. Another spirit threatening them has already seized all the computers on their base. John doesn’t know what else to offer. A summoned ghost starts to look bored. Gold, jewelry? A favor from a member of the League? Like the Ruler of All Dead needs it. No one dares to make another offer, and the King is in no hurry to set out his demands. Maybe try to pull off a soul sale scam?

Suddenly, Red Hood breaks into the hall, walks up to Phantom and shakes his shoulder vigorously. Red Hood: You, get Technus out of here right now. I need access to the files and fast. Phantom: That’s rude, dude. Where did you grow up? in the cave? No "hello, no how are you, Danny", really? Red Hood: I’ll pay the usual price. Phantom: Deal.

What is the price? John sees Batman and gets in his way. The usual price, his guy said. Means Jay was already out of the deal alive and well. This hyperprotective bat would only piss off the ruler if he interfered.

The King quickly deals with his subordinate using a thermos and remains to watch working Hood. Red Hood: What do you want? I’m busy. Danny: You and I have a contract~ Red Hood: All right, all right. Jay throws M&Ms right in the face of the ghost. But king doesn’t look angry. He opens the package and starts sorting the candies by color. Phantom quickly eats up all the green ones and passes the red ones to Hood. Jason takes them without any questions.

Strange. John has never seen a summoned creature share its reward with a human. And the son of a bat looks too comfortable with it. Wait, since when do super-powered beings think that candy is a decent wage?John makes one of the most likely deductions using his experience. Constantine: Batsy, how long has your son been sleeping with the King of Ghosts? Batman: He…what?!

~~~~~~~

Dick *knocking at the door*: Little Wing, you hate ectoplasm and everything what is neon green, so why? He’s dangerous! Jason who turned on the music to not listen to his crazy family: ~He’s poison but tasty~

Dick: NoOOoo

~~~~~~

Jason: And now everyone thinks that I sold my virginity to you for a bargain or something, because interdimensional creatures like you aren’t supposed to help for nothing. Like you’re playing favorites. I’m gonna fucking kill John. Danny: Well, I wouldn’t say no to that. Jason: What? Danny: I mean, to k-kill John, yeah. How dare he.. Jason: Omg, you’re still so terrible liar, Fenton.

Danny: Sorry :(

Jason: No. Say it again.

~~~~Twelve years ago~~~~ Maddie wasn’t thrilled to learn that Danny was trying to make friends with Todd’s son. Their neighbor was terrible. And his son was definitely a street rat and probably a juvenile delinquent. Maddie: Danny, honey, there’s got to be a reason this boy is talking to you. Even kids from the crime alley are always looking for a bargain they can make or a fool they can fool. Danny: But Jason is so cool! He knows so much about books and alleys and.. Maddie: But you don’t want to be a fool, do you? Danny: Okay, Mom, I get it.

So, if Danny wants a cool friend, he’s got to offer a bargain.

He didn’t have a lot of pocket money for every month but Jason needed it more anyway. And his lunch that Jack was picking for him was big enough for two and only bitten on Tuesdays. Nice. Jason: Do I understand correctly? You will pay me and give me food, and I, what? Protect you from bullies? Danny: No! I’m not weak, I don’t need to be protected. Just..maybe we could sit together at lunch and walk each other home sometimes? Jason: Nay Danny: But why? You want something else? Jason: Money’s fine but your homemade food is…strange. Danny: I can bring sweets if you want. Jason: Deal. 3 pop tarts for a joint lunch, a party size bag of M&Ms if you waste my time out of school.

~~~~

Sometimes they share sweets when they hang out but more often Jayson takes them home to save in case his parents have money problems. Sweets have a long shelf life stored and he may not be afraid to poison himself. Over time, candy becomes their currency and a secret language for all occasions. Need help without unnecessary questions? M&Ms. Problems with learning? Skittles. The question is about family? Snickers. There will be a serious conversation? Pop Tarts.

Jason: One snickers and a pack of gum. Danny: Yeah, Jason? What do you want? Jason: My mom wants to meet my friend. Come to lunch on Sunday. Danny: Okay, you managed to pay for my expensive services. Jason:…and you just lost the gum from the deal.

~~~~~~

Jason threw a package at Danny: Three pop tarts. We need to talk. Danny: All right? Jason: Why are you avoiding me all week?! Danny: Well, it’s just..you’re Wayne now. Jason. Still Todd. And what about that? Danny: You can hang out with the cooler guys now, I didn’t want to embarrass you. Jason: Bullshit! I’m still the street rat, and you’re trying to avoid our contract. me. And I don’t even need money from you anymore. What the hell? I thought you are my friend. Danny: And I am!

~~~~~~

Robin: What’s a schoolboy doing in an alley at night? Danny: Um, I…nothing? Don’t tell my parents, Mr. Robin sir. Robin: It will cost you so many Chunky Bars, you have no idea. Danny:...Jason? Jason: N-no. Danny: Damn yes. What are you doing in green shorts on the street at night?! Jason: Cosplay. Danny: Oh yeah? Then I’m just your hallucination. Don’t hesitate to ghost me. I’m going home, Disgrace In Pixie Boots, bye. Jason: fu%&c$#u