#Bulk Insert method

[thedbahub]

Choosing Between SQL Server Destination and OLE DB Destination in SSIS: Performance & Flexibility

When working with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) to perform data integration and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tasks, you might encounter various destination components that allow you to write data to SQL Server. Two common components are the SQL Server Destination and the OLE DB Destination. Understanding the differences between these two can help you choose the appropriate component…

[crevicedwelling]

the paralyzed cicadas I picked up from a failed cicada killer nest are the perfect material to show off some cool features of insect anatomy! (although the wasp’s venom would keep them alive for her larvae to eat, I froze them to make sure they’re fully dead for dissection).

cicadas are powerful, fast fliers, and all of their thorax is taken up by a bulk of reddish, stringy flight muscles, which I’ll talk more about later. this cicada is a female, so her abdomen is full of white, elongated eggs that she will insert into tree bark with the bladed ovipositor at her rear.

the male cicada’s abdomen, however, is almost entirely empty, and that air-filled space is used as a resonator for his loud calls. the biggest structure visible there is a curved pair of muscles that deforms the tymbals, producing a click with every contraction.

here's a view of the complete muscle, and the tymbals themselves which look like overlapping plates on his belly. if you're curious what the white frosted appearance is, some Neotibicen have a coat of waxy powder or pruinescence; this male N. tibicen is particularly pruinose.

onto the flight muscles:

powered flight is a pretty complex mechanism in any organism, and is never so simple as just flapping wings up and down, but most insects power their flight in a really unintuitive way (at least for us vertebrates): they contract muscles in their thorax that aren’t even attached to the wings!

this method of flight is called indirect flight, in contrast to the direct flight of the dragonflies and mayflies where each of four wings is directly attached to a muscle and can flap on its own.

instead, most insects have a longitudinal (image 1 above, d below) pair and a vertical (2, c) pair of muscles that deform the shape of abdomen, pulling the upper segment of the thorax (notum) up and down, and this moves the wings which are attached to the notum. useful indirect flight gif from wikipedia found here

even if compressed manually, the dead cicadas "flap" their wings due to the motion of the notum:

insect flight is a lot more complicated than this simplified look at them, but I think these cicadas offer a pretty good look at how most insects get around essentially by squishing themselves internally!

[thoughtportal]

Grinding tree stumps is usually how we deal with them. If you have land to clear on your homestead, it could become quite a chore to get these stumps taken care of. But did you know that you can eat your stumps?

Well, that is not exactly true. If you head out there and start chewing on tree stumps, they won't taste very good. And there is no method of slow cooking that will make that poplar edible or appetizing.

However, one way you can both eat your stumps and hasten their decomposition is to inoculate them with a mushroom spore. I understand that is a mouthful of words that don’t really mean much to the average person.

What I'm saying is, you can buy wooden dowels that are covered with the spores of certain types of mushrooms.

These dowels can be easily inserted into your stumps and they will begin feasting on the wood. The best part is that you will get delicious mushrooms several times a year. These spores are prolific and will produce enough mushrooms that you will need to dry them.

If you do this to a field of stumps, you better get your e-commerce ready or set a booth up at the local farmers market.

Shiitake Mushrooms retail for between 8$ and $15.

I prefer the Shiitake because it looks very distinct and I love the taste as well. They also preserve well.

Mushroom Nutrition

The Shiitake mushroom is a delicious little cap. It's full of great nutrients like copper and selenium. It's also a decent source of Vitamin B2 and B6. It contains lipids and amino acids as well.

Shiitake have played a role in Chinese medicine for millennia. There are also studies on their ability to fight tumors. For the most part, though, they are just delicious and grow with little to no effort. You can eat them, dry them, or sell them.

Tools and Supplies

Drill and Drill bit of 5/16th inch bit

Hammer

Wax

Vessel for melting wax

Small Paintbrush

Shiitake Spawn (store in fridge until ready for use)

The Process

7. That’s it! It’s not a tough process. If you can melt some wax and use a drill, you can have all the mushrooms you want.

How to Activate the Spore

It takes about 6-12 months for the spore to initially spread through your stump. So, it will take at least a year before you get any production.

Your stumps will produce in spring and in fall. You may get some sparse production in summer, but the bulk of production happens in spring and fall. The spore will need to be distributed through the stump each season and activated.

The best way to do this is to first soak your stumps thoroughly. When I do this with logs, I toss them into a small creek on my property overnight. You can water the stumps a few times a day for about 5 minutes. Just get them nice and soaked.

Next, you will want to bang the stumps. You can use a bat to hit the stump. Don’t really crack the thing and damage the stump, but give it a couple whacks on all sides. This will kickstart production.

Other Tips

After 6 months, keep an eye on the logs or you may miss the first production.

Stumps in the shade will produce best.

Too much direct sun will dry out the stump and they will not produce.

Harvest them when the cap is between 3-4 inches.

To dry, put them in a 200-degree oven until the caps are shrunken and hard.

Of course, the other payoff is that these mushrooms will hasten the decomposition of that problem stump. It won’t work as quickly as a stump grinder, but you will get years of delicious mushrooms out of it!

[factual-fantasy]

Salutations Factual! As is always the case, I was overjoyed to see your recent works- Wall-E is another childhood movie of mine, and as you always do, you perfectly translated them into your style! I was also delighted to see a small peak at some new original OCs in the new meme post! While I assume you don't have anything massive planned for them, I was wondering if you had any info regarding them you'd be willing to share? I'm always a big fan of bugs!

Alongside that, it's been fun seeing all this TF prime discussion the past few days. And as part of that, I also wished to bring out a few more points regarding the Vehicons. You made some good points in your last post- the difference between the Vehicons and the Starscream's clones despite their shared method of creation is indeed a bit confusing. However, a few obscure lore bits and a couple of statements from the show's producers help rectify some of the plot holes- and some of your ideas actually weren't too far off!

As far as we know, at some point during the war Megatron selected one or more disposable Soldiers to be "cloned" using a process presumably developed by Shockwave. Small copies of their sparks were created, and given life through energon after being implanted into protoform molds. The resulting clones were fully sentient, but like the predacons Shockwave later created, their sparks were synthetic, thus making them a step above true "drones" but not quite natural cybertronians, as their sparks did not come directly from the Well. As you put it, Shockwave did what he does best and "played God".

Notably, this practice of churning out Vehicon fodder during the wars long lifecycle became so routine, that, as confirmed by one of the producers, some protoforms were designed to resemble Vehicons before they even had a spark inserted- including the five protoforms which Starscream found, all of which had the Vehicons distinctive visor before being reformated into his clones...

However, like you hypothesized, similar to the clones from Star wars, it is suggested in the lore that over the years the cloned Vehicons declined in quality, like because, as the originals died or found their sparks exhausted, the Cons had to start making clones of clones, which over the centuries degraded the newer batches. This is also likely the reason that the modern Vehicons differ so vastly from Starscream's clones...notably, in the prequel games set on Cybertron, most of the Vehicons sound identical, and generally, they proved to be slightly bigger threats.

But by the time of Prime, the majority of them seem weaker and less intelligent- and some have started to manifest vastly different personalities and voices as the clones become less "perfect" with each generation. However- as many fans have pointed out- it seems there are a few OGs left. You'll remember these two guys from the first episode:

They, and a few rare other Vehicons, were evidently from the earlier batches- as despite being clones they fought on even terms with Bumblebee and Arcee for a good while, only retreating when Bulk showed up and saved themselves. (Where they went after that, is anyone's guess)

This also explains why Starscream's clones were so similar to him- they were a "first generation" of clones copied directly from his spark- to the point it even linked them together (which probably happened because he didn't know what he was doing) and this is also why, while the Autobots occasionally show sympathy to select Vehicons, generally except that they have to destroy them in combat- ultimately, their all just "clones", and despite being sentient, their sparks are synthetic, and thus not as valued as well-forged sparks. hence why they mow down Vehicons, but constantly hesitate to kill Starscream, Knockout, and other "pure" Cybertronians.

Oops. Somehow I ended up rambling even longer than last time- sorry! But those are the conclusions I was able to gather. Let me know your thoughts, and again, you're still totally free to go whatever direction you want in your AU! I can't wait to see it one day! I wish you have a good evening! (Or morning!)

(WALL-E post) (OCs post)

Thank you so much! :DD And I DO have a litttttle bit developed for those goobers :)

I thought that these bug critters could be a team of researchers/explorers or something. They go from planet to planet to study the life there and what not. The main character is the Bee gal. I was thinking she's the team scout and is interested in one of her coworkers.. but alas.. it must be kept secret because that is not allowed ☝

The Crane fly and Dragonfly are meant to be the scientists of the ship..? Not sure what their specific job title would actually be but they wear white lab coats. 👍Not much personality is built for the Dragonfly as I made him just for the meme. Thinking he might be a tone deaf/strictly logical character..? But the Crane fly is meant to be the classic kooky scientist character that everyone thinks is actually insane but he's somehow always right and always manages to fix things.

Not much was developed for the moth because he was made just for the meme- but he's basically a Ratchet clone XD Grumpy old medic that is incredibly skilled in his craft and secretly cares very deeply for all of his crew. 🧡

The Orchid mantis is either going to be the lieutenant or Caption of the ship, I haven't decided yet <:/ Despite his no nonsense vibe he's actually rather chill and usually is doing something stupid with the rest of the crew.

The Rhino beetle is also rather chill. He's best friends with the Tarantula and they show affection by beating each other up and throwing each other off of cliffs 💞

Not sure what the Tarantulas job is, but he walks around with crazy canons/weapons. Maybe he's a guard of some kind..? Who knows- he has a gruff exterior but he's got a big heart in there somewhere. ☺️

Now all of that aside,, reading through all that text about the Vehicons has left me with some more opinions- 💀

The whole thing with Shockwave playing God, Its just. Ugh. It just should not work. I've already got so much beef with the predacons, but now adding the ability to create sparks is way too much.

Think about it. A spark is the heart and soul of a Cybertronian. Those two are one in the same. You could say Shockwave could make an artificial spark chamber, or a "heart" of sorts. But he should never be able to create the living "soul" part of the spark.

Also another plot hole in my mind is this quote- "But by the time of Prime, the majority of them seem weaker and less intelligent- and some have started to manifest vastly different personalities and voices as the clones become less "perfect" with each generation." This seems like the exact opposite of what should be happening as the clones degrade in quality.

How are the lower quality/less intelligent clones more capable of forming new feelings and opinions when compared to the previous generations? Their minds have degraded over time. As time goes on they should morph more and more into mindless servants who are unlikely to create any new feelings or thoughts of their own, then they are to consider their actions and think outside the box and most importantly feel and choose.

Its more likely that the very first generation of clones could form new feelings and choose things for themselves because the first generation is the closest copy of a living and feeling Cybertronian as you can make. As the generations go on they become less intelligent, lose their critical thinking skills and should be much less likely to think or feel anything they aren't meant to. If they even can-

The more I think about it, the more I want to make clones 100% not living creatures. They have no sparks and are basically just an AI drone meant to replicate the Cybertronian it was cloned from. Its "feelings" are not real feelings and they don't belong to the Vehicon. Its all just an AI copy of the real thing. I cant think of any way to make the artificial sparks make sense. 😔

With the spark extractor thing, maybe I can make it so its designed to rip out the spark chamber/heart, which carries the soul inside of it. If the chamber is removed from the body that is a lethal blow and the soul is extinguished/released. When the Vehicons had their "sparks" ripped out what it really did is just removed their artificial spark chamber which extinguished the artificial power source inside of it and damaged the chamber beyond repair. So Megatron couldn't just waltz down their and shove the chambers back in their chests.

Also speaking of Vehicons and clones- the predacons? I have the same problems with them as I do with the Vehicons but way worse. I will either completely restructure them from the ground up or remove them from my AU entirely 💀💀💀

[misfitgirlwrites]

Doe Deputy (A Self-Hired Secretary!) | Alastor x Imp!Reader

I wanted to get this out around this time, I'm proud of myself! Here's the deal, guys:

You’re a mischievous bean and why would you not take the perks of working for a scary Overlord?

These are headcanons based off of some stories I have already written with my own character :) I hope you guys enjoy them! I'll most likely have more with this whole secretary thing I have going on

Be sure to join my giveaway while you still can! Want a personalized self-insert with a Hazbin or Helluva Boss character? Come enter! It ends July 4th!

I give you the goods now, lads, please enjoy!

CW: Mentions of violence, mentions of cannibalism (?)

a/n: I couldn't make it a bulleted list? I love it here y'all

🖤 I'll take a step into actual author territory, guys. This is pre-season one. I'm talking Alastor's full infamy in Hell

❤️ And there you were after getting fired from quitting your most recent job, taking the walk of shame home to your...decent-ish apartment that you suspect you wouldn't have for much longer

🖤 You needed a solution. You're willing to work for it, of course, but you still had a time limit

❤️ Rumors were going around that a bit of charity work and a promise of good behavior could get you a stay with the Princess of Hell, but charity work was more of a last resort for you

🖤 Finding a nice Overlord that could hand out some work, however...

❤️ It was the best idea you've had since you've been in Pentagram City

🖤 You didn't need a pushover, and you wanted to like who you were working with so that cut out a lot of candidates

❤️ Before you gave up on the idea completely, you heard the static of a radio faintly from someone's house and it reminded you of one candidate

🖤 It would require work and patience, but you weren't taking no for an answer!

❤️ Well, you didn't necessarily ask the Radio Demon, honestly

🖤 You began tailing him when you could and when it was safe to do so

❤️ Large crowds and far as ALL RINGS away

🖤 You didn't want any stumbles or mistakes that led to your little Hellish life going bye-bye

❤️ You had to know at least a little about him before you could really get things started

🖤 Was he a tea or coffee person? Did he like alcohol? Drugs? Just straight murder? (It's looking like just straight murder. You should search up torture methods)

❤️ It was easy for you to blend into crowds and walk right past the demon; he catches on that you're tailing him a lot but you've been evading powerful hell-born demons your whole life

🖤 We all love a liiiittttlllleeee one-up

❤️ You learn of his diet...how much can you judge, you guess?

🖤 Alastor is particular too, he picks his meat up from the same place at least two to three times a week

❤️ The first part of your plan begins

🖤 Dress nicely, a black below-the-knee pencil skirt or black dress pants, either a black or red (any shade) button-up with black or red (or both) dress shoes or heels

❤️ It's time to pick up Alastor's meals for the week! Much better than making multiple trips, right? He's a very busy Overlord ❤️

🖤 You'd waltz in as confident as possible "Hiya! Uh, name's _____. I'm here to pick up Alastor's venison for this week. Figured it'd be better to store in bulk."

❤️ Rosie would tilt her head and stare down at you, "...who are you, dear?"

🖤 "Right! I'm kinda doing a trial run as his secretary! I'm implementing some of my own ideas that I hope will be improvements on how he already moves."

❤️ Now you're nervous. You have no idea how Rosie could respond but you do know you're in fucking Cannibal Town so the only thing you can do is shoot Satan a quick prayer and show off your sharp smile

🖤 You're relieved when Rosie literally lights up, a large smile grows on her face as she clasps her hands together, "he finally took my advice, did he? And here I thought the bugger would never do it!"

❤️ You nodded, "I think this will be a good fit for me! I hope you can agree since you'll be seeing me weekly instead. I moved your hangouts to the end of the week in case the boss likes a drink here and there."

🖤 "A wise decision. You're doing great already if I have any say. Here, I'll grab what you need!"

❤️ Mission fucking SUCCESSFUL

🖤 Now was Alastor happy finding stacked containers of venison outside of his plate with a note?

❤️ The safe answer was no by how he was searching like a beast on the hunt. Luckily you didn't stay where he could see you

🖤 Next is the fun part and if you did this right, you'd be talking to the Radio Demon about this job position very soon

❤️ You knew of The Vee's. Alastor and Vox were never quiet with their quarrels. Why not take this as an opportunity?

🖤 An opportunity to weigh your options a bit if you want to be real. You could simply apply and most likely get the position

❤️ It took one bump in with a very cute spider demon to fill you in on Valentino and your weighing ceases lmao

🖤 Back to the original plan or as you like to call it:

💙 Mission: Blow Vox's Fuse for Money 💙

❤️ It was simple enough, really. The only part to worry about was security

🖤 But you're one of the best at slipping past guards and cameras

❤️ You really got a kick out of your handiwork

🖤 You even dropped off a picture to Alastor as a little warning 💅🏼

❤️ It was funny when you first thought about it and from the early morning power outage, you think you got your point across very well

🖤 Feeling proud of yourself, you decide tonight to go to your cozy roof hiding spot to see if you can get any new information

❤️ You were really getting into this job

🖤 You were so focused on writing down a schedule, that you didn't notice Alastor wasn't where you left him

❤️ "You're a very slippery thing, I must say."

🖤 Your pen stopped moving immediately

❤️ Because FUCK he was in too close proximity for this part of the plan

🖤 A cute way to say you were sure you were well hidden and he wasn't supposed to find you

❤️ So what could you do now? Speed up the plan and jump straight to your proposal? Or jump off the building and run for it?

🖤 And there you were, scrambling to climb over the ledge

❤️ Of course, you didn't make it very far. Your notebook and pen hit the ground as a black tendril wrapped around your torso and tightly might you add

🖤 "Because you've been so busy running around in my business, I'll give you one chance to explain yourself."

❤️ Truthfully because you've thoroughly entertained him now

🖤 Vox threw a complete tantrum and if he wasn't in front of you, he'd start chuckling at the thought of it again

❤️ "...So I figure all the sweet talk I had planned is out the window?" You'd ask.

🖤 "Absolutely."

❤️ Now or never was an understatement but you felt like this was better than being homeless in Hell

🖤 "I wanted to offer my services as a secretary. I think it'll do us both some good."

❤️ "What makes you think I need your assistance?"

🖤 "Need is a strong word, boss. I'm here if you want to focus on all the fun stuff while I arrange all the shows and bring the coffee for the Overlord meetings--I feel like they would appreciate the nice gesture from you, don't think so? While you're out being scary, I can promote your public image at the same time!"

❤️ "I don't need a secretary."

🖤 "Your good friend Ms. Rosie seems to have been telling you otherwise--"

❤️ The tendril holding you in the air tightened

🖤 You give Alastor a big smile and quickly apologize, "What I mean is this is Hell! Order me around and I'll do literally whatever you ask as long as you pay me."

❤️ "So what do you call this then?"

🖤 "A free trial. Wasn't this week just a little bit more relaxing?"

❤️ Alastor hated to admit it, but you weren't wrong. Rising to infamy was a very busy job and it would be easier to have someone else handle the background things

🖤 And you

❤️ You managed to tail him and learn base information to do all this without him knowing. Realistically he was standing in front of a good candidate

🖤 Rosie already met you (did you plan that??) plus nothing you did wasn't...not helpful

❤️ Alastor couldn't believe he was actually considering this

🖤 You hit the ground and let out a small "oof" before staring up at Alastor who was now pinching the bridge of his nose

❤️ "The actual trial starts Monday. We have a morning meeting to go to."

🖤 ...Yes.

❤️ YES!

🖤 Holy fuck! Hail Satan, you did it! Major pat on the back, you!

❤️ "Don't go getting all excited. I could change my mind at any time."

🖤 "Understood, boss!"

❤️ Alastor could get used to that

Taglist: @alastorssimp @saints-wrapped-in-plastic @dasimp777

Requests are open! If you'd like to be tagged in future Alastor or Hazbin Hotel content, please let me know! My asks and DMs are open to all!

[nanowrimo]

12 Tips for Drafting Forward During NaNoWriMo (And Beyond!)

To accomplish your big writing goals, you have to focus on drafting forward. The team over at Freewrite knows how to do that better than most! Freewrite, a 2023 NaNoWriMo sponsor, is a dedicated distraction-free drafting device designed just for writers to separate the drafting from the editing process and get words on the page. Today, the Freewrite team is here to share their top 12 tips for doing just that:

Here at Freewrite, we love when NaNoWriMo comes around, because we’re all about helping writers set their stories free. We’re big proponents of the “write now, edit later” method of writing to help writers reach writing flow and increase productivity. The goal of drafting forward (and NaNoWriMo!) is to get a first draft recorded and translate your thoughts into writing on the page.

We’re going to share the top tips we recommend to writers who want to try this method but don’t know where to start. Try these out during your next writing session to see how they help you ditch the distractions and make serious progress!

1. Save research for later. (Or start with it!)

Yes, research is important. But it can also quickly turn into a form of procrastination. Complete the bulk of your research before you start writing, or, if it’s a topic you know well, commit to doing any research after. When you’re drafting and come to a place where you need to fact-check or gather information, simply leave a note to yourself right there in the text and continue drafting. 

2. Plan well.

With a timed challenge like NaNoWriMo, it helps to plan out your daily benchmarks in order to finish on time. Consider setting a daily word count goal or making a schedule for the month so you know exactly where you stand each day. Make an outline if you’re a plotter, or if you’re a pantser, spend some time getting into the world of your story.

3. Decide you’re going to write a messy first draft.

We recommend stating it outright to yourself, or maybe writing it down on a Post-It where you can see it each day: My goal is to write a messy first draft. Embrace that imperfection so that you can write more freely!

4. Silence your inner critic.

As you write, revisit your messy first draft goal and resist the urge to critique or edit your work as you go along. Instead, concentrate on getting your thoughts down without judgment. This means not overanalyzing each sentence. Did that last sentence sound ridiculous? Who cares?! Anything goes in a messy first draft. You’ll refine and revise later!

5. Turn off your inner spell-check.

Freewrite devices have no spell-check or grammar checker for a reason. Every squiggly line is a distraction, a moment that your writing flow is broken and you have to resist going back to fix typos. Even if your eyes recognize a typo, train your brain to fix it later! Remember: we’re focusing on getting out thoughts and ideas in the first draft, not grammar.

6. Eliminate external distractions.

We’ve done the hard work for you by creating Freewrite. 😉 Now, put your phone in the other room, turn off the TV, and start writing.

7. Write quickly.

This is just another way to trick your brain into writing from that deep, creative place that can’t be reached when you’re overthinking. Strive for a flow state where you’re typing at the speed that your thoughts come to you.

8. Use placeholders.

If you can’t think of the right word or need to look up a source, just insert a placeholder and keep writing. Our favorite placeholder is “xx” because that can easily be searched in editing software later. Other people like the more straightforward “[INSERT SOMETHING FUNNY]” or “[CHECK SOURCE]”. You can fill in those gaps during the editing phase.

9. Keep moving forward.

If you encounter writer’s block or a difficult section, resist the temptation to stop and dwell on it. Skip to another part in your story and return to the challenging section later. We like to add a note to ourselves right there in the draft to remind us to come back to that spot when editing.

10. No back-tracking.

Often while drafting, a brilliant sentence will come to us. But it’s describing something we just described. What to do? Do not go back, delete the first sentence, and replace it. Simply keep writing the new sentence! These redundancies are easy to correct later.

11. Experiment.

Try different styles and approaches without judgement. You can compare and contrast and pick the best one later, during the editing stage.

12. Write!

Relish in the creative flow and the freedom of having one job to do: writing. Don’t worry about grammar or story structure. Focus on the joy of creating.

With a few tweaks in how you draft, we hope you’ll be surprised by how much you write, the creative ideas your imagination comes up with, and how much fun you have while writing.

And if you try the above rules of forward drafting, we’d love to hear your experience!

Reminder: NaNoWriMo 2023 participants are eligible for a special Freewrite offer. Find all the details here. 

[valyrfia]

RE: this ask

Sorry about to go off on one, gender studies and online fan culture from an academic standpoint is a special interest of mine because being film and literature student wasn't annoying enough (participatory culture studies my beloved) 

From a general standpoint, I think the reason M/M ships in fiction have always been more popular is because male characters are historically more developed and complex. I think it’s only in recent years have their been an influx of popular F/F ships, with the added development of women on screen (e.g Clarke and Lexa, Kara and Lena, Regina and Emma, Nancy and Robin) - I think there is also a point to be made this has coincided with gender expression, genderqueerness and more general knowledge of being outside the typical gender spectrum. 

I can’t explicitly say that being in M/M fandom spaces encouraged my personal discovery of being transmasc but it certainly helped to have an avenue where I could project onto these “male” characters and see myself in them. I was so uncomfortable in my own body and what I didn’t know at the time as dysphoria, I can see why I didn’t go for F/F ships. 

There are of course a lot of “fandom elders” but young (early to late teens) afab people do make up a large bulk of it and I get why  it may be easier for them to fixate on M/M ships as a, sort of method of exploring their own sexuality and gender expression. F/F ships may hit too close to home and F/M ships are what they are trying to escape from so it leaves M/M ships to project onto. Which, unfortunately then can become warped by the persons own comphet and/or binary ideas about gender. 

A male character may have more stereotypically “feminine” traits (in terms of interests or emotional reactions) and I can see why people who also have those traits would project there own insecurities onto them, reinforcing the feminisation of the male character but not being comfortable enough in your own gender expression to genderbend the character or write them as trans. 

It’s the same reason I think mafia romance, dark romance etc etc is so popular with cishet women because they can read about a fantasy where instead of the very real every day misogyny and violence they face leading to abuse, assault and death, it brings “positives” ; protected, loved, a happy relationship. 

Which, side note. I think this has A Lot to do with y/n, self insert fics becoming “cringe”. Because, I think a lot of people just want to fuck/date a character and feel like they can’t write a self insert anymore, so just project massively onto one character, leading to a lot of these issues. I don’t think Tony Stark/Peter Parker would be as popular as it is if people just let young women write their self insert fic about being Tony Stark’s sugar baby and then we wouldn’t have the wildly mischaracterised version of Peter Parker that we do! 

But, all this being said. I’m talking about fiction. Dean Winchester isn’t actually affected if people online only talk about him in a stereotypically “female” way. 

RPF is a different kettle of fish (and I’m not going in RPF ethics that’s different - I have no issues with rpf creators/consumers to be clear, I am one) because a real person does become affected. Even if you are keeping your fan works and discussions to private spaces, it can leach over into how you speak about the actual person. That’s where it becomes so incredibly important to remember that your RPF version of celebrities are just as fictional as Dean Winchester is. 

sorry I used mr. supernatural as an example, 13 year old me is still alive and kicking in my head somewhere. 

I love to hear your perspective on it with a trans worldview (and academic credentials), and I do agree that that might be a big driver of some young people only wanting to engage with MLM fic and feeling uncomfortable with WLW fic. You've brought up so many great points so I'll try and address them all.

I can add the perspective of a lesbian who was closeted for the first two decades of my life, came out less than five years ago, and still struggles on and off with comphet now. MLM fics in my teens were a way to consume queer content and relationships without having to think about the implications of enjoying consuming WLW content, and I think that's true for a lot of young closeted teens so it's no surprise that some comphet/hetnorm/cisnorm stuff bleeds through there because it's a framework the authors haven't managed to detach themselves from yet.

But yeah, I agree the issue lies with people wanting characters to be self-inserts partially so that they can experience sex, sexuality, and romance without any of the hang ups of thinking about patriarchy. And I agree with your solution: make y/n fics cool again! The ability we have to hallucinate while we read is magic! You can put YOURSELF in as a character's love interest, how cool is that?

Ultimately, yeah. There's nothing wrong with RPF as long as it isn't actually affecting the person that the RPF is based off, but I've seen a lot of takes escaping containment so to say (ie. leaving this website) with takes about the actual racers so obviously picked up through RPF. The main culprits are Charles, Lando, Max in my experience.

[voidcrystalline]

Glossary for The Kpop Workshop

There are some frequent pieces of terminology that you may find when perusing our catalog. For brevity’s sake, we shall describe them here, and you can always assume the same meaning as you read them below, unless specified otherwise. 

"Elasticity": Akin to "flexibility." High elasticity implies the ability to stretch. For our purposes, this refers most commonly to the capacity to accept insertions. "Increased elasticity" means larger insertions than expected are possible. (Related term below, "Plasticity")

“Mild bulking”: Over time, idols often lose progressively more mass (fat and muscle primarily) in response to societal shame culture and the demands of entertainment companies. Our clients generally have in mind a specific vision of their purchases which doesn’t match the most recent public appearance of the subject. Our natural bulking process involves the basics: eating and exercise.

"Plasticity": Refers to the degree to which something can return to its original shape. To have high plasticity is to be able to reform after an initial deform. The human body is particularly gifted in this aspect. It is a myth that a stretched orifice will remain stretched in perpetuity. In reality, a stretched orifice will almost always (barring physical injury/ailment) return to its original shape and tightness within a day or two at worst or minutes at best. Our preservative modifications make this process extraordinarily consistent and quick, but we are aware that the proclivities of many of our clients may not allow a subject's orifices the necessary time to reform properly. If this is the expectation, we have the ability to increase a subject's plasticity, making recover from temporary stretching even faster and, from harmful permanent stretching, possible.

“Standard preservative modifications made post-acquisition”: We take great pride in our merchandise and want to make sure that purchases you make from us remain in tip-top condition for as long as possible. Our standard preservative modifications halt the physical aging process of the body, and make food consumption a non-necessity. This is a minimally invasive procedure which keeps a subject’s full body entirely intact.

“Very mild breast/glute augmentation”: Entertainment companies employ stylists who, more often than not, find temporary artificial methods by which to enhance the size or shape of certain body parts of idols. In the past, we found that clients would purchase a slave and find themselves immediately disappointed by the subject’s natural form. Wherever we find that a subject’s natural form does not meet the common perception of them as an idol, we make very slight modifications to make the reality closer to the expectation. This most often takes the form of artificial breast or glute augmentation for size or shape. We take great pride in our quality, however, so these augmentations are created by multiplying the subject’s natural cells in the area, rather than implanting foreign objects. Such augmentations are known to break down with time and need to be regenerated, but our preservative modifications make this quite the long process. We recommend returning for regeneration once every four to five years, depending on your preference.

[shituationist]

it's amazing that so many lesswrongers see "sparks" of "AGI" in large language models because

the bulk of them are neo-hayekians, and their widespread belief in prediction markets attests to this

it's now very well documented that "knowledge" which models haven't been trained on ends up being confabulated when models are queried for it, and what you receive is nonsense that resembles human generated text. even with extensive training, without guardrails like inserting a definite source of truth and instructing the model not to contradict the knowledge therein (the much vaunted "RAG" method, which generates jobs for knowledge maintainers and which is not 100% effective - there is likely no model which has a reading comprehension rate of 100%, no matter how much you scale it or how much text you throw at it, so the possibility of getting the stored, human-curated, details wrong is always there), you're likely to keep generating that kind of nonsense

of course, hayek's whole thing is the knowledge problem. the idea that only a subset of knowledge can be readily retrieved and transmitted for the purpose of planning by "a single mind".

hayek's argument is very similar to the argument against general artificial intelligence produced by hubert dreyfus, and I don't think I'm even the first person to notice this. dan lavoie, probably one of the brightest austrian schoolers, used to recommend dreyfus's book to his students. both hayek and dreyfus argue that all knowledge can't simply be objectivized, that there's context-situated knowledge and even ineffable, unspeakable, knowledge which are the very kinds of knowledge that humans have to make use of daily to survive in the world (or the market).

hayek was talking in a relatively circumscribed context, economics, and was using this argument against the idea of a perfect planned economy. i am an advocate of economic planning, but i don't believe any economy could ever be perfect as such. hayek, if anything, might have even been too positive about the representability of scientific knowledge. on that issue, his interlocutor, otto neurath, has interesting insights regarding incommensurability (and on this issue too my old feyerabend hobbyhorse also becomes helpful, because "scientific truths" are not even guaranteed to be commensurable with one another).

it could be countered here that this is assuming models like GPT-4 are building symbolic "internal models" of knowledge which is a false premise, since these are connectionist models par excellence, and connectionism has some similiarity to austrian-style thinking. in that case, maybe an austrianist could believe that "general AI" could emerge from throwing enough data at a neural net. complexity science gives reasons for this to be disbelieved too however. these systems cannot learn patterns from non-ergodic systems (these simply cannot be predicted mathematically, and attempts to imbue models with strong predictive accuracy for them would likely make learning so computationally expensive that time becomes a real constraint), and the bulk of life, including evolution (and the free market), is non-ergodic. this is one reason why fully autonomous driving predictions have consistently failed, despite improvements: we're taking an ergodic model with no underlying formal understanding of the task and asking it to operate in a non-ergodic environment with a 100% success rate or close enough to it. it's an impossible thing to achieve - we human beings are non-ergodic complex systems and we can't even do it (think about this in relation to stafford beer's idea of the law of requisite variety). autonomous cars are not yet operating fully autonomously in any market, even the ones in which they have been training for years.

hayek did not seem to believe that markets generated optimal outcomes 100% of the time either, but that they were simply the best we can do. markets being out of whack is indeed hayek's central premise relating to entrepreneurship, that there are always imperfections which entrepreneurs are at least incentivized to find and iron out (and, in tow, likely create new imperfections; it's a complex system, after all). i would think hayek would probably see a similar structural matter being a fundamental limitation of "AI".

but the idea of "fundamental limitations" is one which not only the lesswrongers are not fond of, but our whole civilization. the idea that we might reach the limits of progress is frightening and indeed dismal for people who are staking bets as radical as eternal life on machine intelligence. "narrow AI" has its uses though. it will probably improve our lives in a lot of ways we can't foresee, until it hits its limits. understanding the limits, though, are vital for avoiding potentially catastrophic misuses of it. anthropomorphization of these systems - encouraged by the fact that they return contextually-relevant even if confabulated text responses to user queries - doesn't help us there.

we do have "general intelligences" in the world already. they include mammals, birds, cephalopods, and even insects. so far, even we humans are not masters of our world, and every new discovery seems to demonstrate a new limit to our mastery. the assumption that a "superintelligence" would fare better seems to hinge on a bad understanding of intelligence and what the limits of it are.

as a final note, it would be funny if there was a breakthrough which created an "AGI", but that "AGI" depended so much on real world embodiment that it was for all purposes all too human. such an "AGI" would only benefit from access to high-power computing machinery to the extent humans do. and if such a machine could have desires or a will of its own, who's to say it might not be so disturbed by life, or by boredom, that it opts for suicide? we tell ourselves that we're the smartest creatures on earth, but we're also one of the few species that willingly commit suicide. here's some speculation for you: what if that scales with intelligence?

[voidsumbrella]

concerns about labor and weird precedents aside, i think ive managed to pinpoint the thing that bothers me about a lot of ai art- the majority of it has zero understanding of media specificity.

like, the way a concept is presented inherently changes the meaning; a plein air painting means something different than a photograph of the same location; a marble sculpture reads very differently than an identical pose made in chicken wire; etc.

it's why live action adaptations tend to struggle, since as with any other form of translation, you have to be able to get the meaning alongside the structure, and that's just really hard. ive said this before, but the lord of the rings movies did a good job of this: they highlighted things that can be conveyed better through visuals (the costuming, the creature designs, the scale of the environment) while reducing focus on the parts that wouldn't work as well (for all that i love tom bombadil, including that section would have severely bogged the pacing down while adding very little to the story). there's about ten bajillion les mis adaptations because no one can agree which parts need to be adapted or how to do that.

there are aspect of ai made/assisted media that are interesting and can be used as effectively, if not more, than other mediums. this is a good example- this same concept could be achieved without ai using photoshop. would it be more difficult? yes. would it be better? probably not! i still think the birds that don't exist thread is really cool. taking something that can identify and assemble common patterns without understanding the meaning or reason for any of them can have some really fun results, and can't be achieved by any other method, that's just not how human brains work. it's neat! it's effective!

but the bulk of serious ai art is just mimicking illustrations. image generation is pretty much just using text to try and force random chance to work towards your goal; you don't have any true control over the method or composition, you can't do anything with intent or purpose in the way that you can in other forms, and that's why a lot of it comes across as soulless to anyone who is familiar with how other forms of 2d art work. the process is treated as disposable in a way that is frequently detrimental to the piece and is inherently read as insulting to the people who have put in time and effort into actually developing the skill required for the process.

again, this isn't unique to ai/image generation and has been a conversation in art ~studies~ for ages and ages (insert rant about how much i fucking hate jeff koons here), but if you want something to be treated as a serious medium, it's going to be held to the same standards and criticisms as the rest of 'em.

[catcheyes-t-shirt]

Have you wonder how a t-shirt is manufactured? Learn about t-shirt manufacturing process

The first t-shirt was manufactured in 1920. There are a huge variety of t-shirts manufactured all around the world starting with different types of neckband such as crew neck, V-neck, scoop neck and tank top. There are variations in sleeves such as full sleeves, half sleeves, capped, raglan and yoked. Raw materials used in the t-shirt manufacturing process are cotton and polyester. The neckband is made with a fabric named twill. A particular thread is used for stitching and sewing. 

T-shirt Manufacturing Process 

Cotton Farming: T-shirt manufacturing process starts from procuring cottons from farmers. Cottons are then converted into bales and transported to Ginning mills.

Ginning Mill: This is the place where cotton fiber and cotton seeds are separated. The cotton fiber is then used in manufacturing garments and cotton seeds are used in manufacturing vegetable oil. 

Spinning : The cotton fibers are now separated and in this unit they are cleaned and cotton yarns are made out of it. Spinning unit involves many steps starting with Blow room → Combing → Carding → Drawing → Roving → Spinning.

Dyeing: The yarn is dyed using three dyeing processes: package dyeing, hank dyeing and warp dyeing. Package dyeing is the most popular dyeing process where yarn rolls are heated together with dye inorder to dye the yarn.

Knitting: Yarn enters the knitting machine as a raw material. There are various yarn inserted into the circular knitting machine, various yarn are intertwined together to make a sheet of fabric. 

Inspection: Once the fabric is purchased by a garment manufacturer it is inspected by them in order to check any defectiveness or to check any shade variation. If the shade variation is found the cutting process is done accordingly. 

Cutting: Many layers of the fabric are stacked together in this process and then using a bend knife cutting machine they are cut into different dimensions like front, back, sleeves, neckband and pocket if any. 

Stitching: Different dimensions of fabric are stitched in this step using 2 methods of stitching overlock and superimposed. First front and back part are stitched then sleeves then neckband and at last the hem of the t-shirt. 

Printing: Printing is done to the t-shirt to make it stylish. There are several types of printing. Screen-printing, digital printing, heat embossing and spray printing. Then these bulk printed t-shirts are transferred to the stitching department.

Finishing: This process is divided into 2 parts. Firstly, t-shirts are ironed in order to give it a finishing and appealing look and secondly, the tagging and packaging takes place. Then wholesalers and retailers offered to buy t-shirts in bulk.

[clockpartsnearme]

Custom Clock Inserts

Quartz Clock Movements Open Your Vistas

Quartz clock movements are the modern-day electronic matching of conventional, mechanical control centers for timekeeping. However quartz clock movements (likewise referred to as clock electric motors) have no springs, weights, wheels, or gears to track time; instead, the quartz crystal generates a stream of pulses that are extremely fast and extremely steady, meaning that checking and subdividing the pulses provides an exact step of elapsed time. Let us see how these marvelous tools can open up a brand-new globe to you.

Non-quartz clock movements run mechanically, utilizing rotational force to turn a flywheel and a collection of equipments to determine specific time units (i.e., secs). Without regulation, the flywheel would certainly spin also quick, which is where pendulums and escapement systems can be found in. The pendulum is limited to turn one extent in half a second, and the gear network converts the oscillation right into secs, minute, and hours.

Modern electronic motors work identically-- at the very least to the onlooker-- although a completely different method is utilized to obtain the exact same outcomes. The first thing one requires to comprehend is that quartz crystals normally vibrate at their resonating regularities when a voltage decrease is related to them. Next, one must realize that the entire point of clocks is to track elapsed time (resetting every 12 or 24 hr), which whether this is done mechanically or electronically is a non-issue.

Nonetheless, the electronic strategy has lots of advantages that exceed just removing the bulk of flywheels, weights, and gears. Electronic motors in essence digitize the entire process, transforming what made use of to be performed in hardware into software program. This gives them a lot better adaptability and adaptability than their mechanical equivalents, and actually they can carry out essentially whatever functionality can be thought up due to the fact that shows has no hardware restraints.

As an example, suppose we intend to extend the resetting time, or the duration at which whatever wraps around to where it began? Twelve hours and twenty-four hours are prominent alternatives, but there's absolutely nothing preventing one from going a full week, and even a month!

Naturally, there's no factor implementing such time expansions if you couldn't reveal them, implying particularly adjusted dials and potentially an additional hand. For the once a week period, the days are printed in the center of the dial and the (short) extra hand leaps to the next day every 24 hr. In a similar way, for once-a-month durations, dates of the month are published along the dial's circumference and a lengthy hand ticks to the following once a day.

A neat option "clock" movement that you can obtain monitors tide level. The only actual distinction is going from a solar cycle to the lunar cycle, which is 24 hr and 50 mins. The motion has to be initialized and calibrated for neighborhood problems, but once this is done the tide degree will certainly always be accurate.

The tide-level motion (which can be combined with common timekeeping to display time and trend on one face), is a kind of lead-in to movements that depart from periodicity. Right here, the thing revealed is a weather phenomenon, such as moisture or temperature, and the single hand revolves between two extremes of a scale. Sensors are made use of to discover present worths, and the electric motor converts the value into hand position.

The astute viewers will certainly understand that we are no longer in the world of quartz movements, as there is no reason to track elapsed time. But the digital quartz innovation has freed up the imagination to assume in regards to software instead of hardware. clock parts

A fascinating by-product of all this is that there is a market for clocks and attributes of the past, such as grandfather clocks with oscillating pendulums. The digital movements can suit such needs via simulation, even though pendulums are no more working components; this is particularly valuable for clockmakers that want to bring back an old, non-functioning heirloom. Obviously, quartz clock movements open your panoramas.

[sureshelectricals]

A Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Wire Dealers in Thane

When it comes to electrical installations—whether for residential, commercial, or industrial use—selecting the right wire is crucial for safety, efficiency, and durability. But equally important is choosing a reliable wire dealer who can offer genuine products and expert guidance. If you’re in Thane, a bustling city with no shortage of electrical suppliers, making the right choice can be overwhelming.

At Suresh Electricals, we understand how vital it is to make informed buying decisions. This guide will walk you through the key factors to consider when selecting the best wire dealers in Thane.

1. Check for Product Authenticity and Brand Partnerships

Quality begins with authenticity. Ensure that the wire dealer is associated with reputed brands like Polycab, Finolex, RR Kabel, Havells, or KEI. Authorized dealerships reduce the risk of counterfeit or substandard wires that can lead to electrical hazards.

✅ Tip:

Ask for brand certificates or purchase invoices to confirm authenticity.

2. Evaluate Industry Experience and Market Reputation

Experience often translates into expertise. Look for dealers who have been operating in Thane for several years and have built a strong local presence. Reading Google reviews or checking ratings on platforms like Justdial or IndiaMART can provide valuable insights.

✅ Why it Matters:

A seasoned wire dealer is more likely to recommend the right products for your specific needs and budget.

3. Compare Pricing and Bulk Discounts

Electrical wires come in various gauges, materials, and insulation types, which can affect pricing. Always compare prices from at least 2–3 wire dealers. Reputable dealers often offer bulk purchase discounts, especially for contractors or large-scale projects.

✅ Pro Tip:

Look for transparent pricing and avoid dealers who hesitate to provide written quotes.

4. Check Stock Availability and Product Range

A good wire dealer should offer a wide range of wires and cables: single-core, multi-core, armored, flexible wires, and more. Having options helps you choose the best fit without compromising on safety or performance.

✅ What to Look For:

Dealers with large inventories can fulfill both urgent and large orders without delays.

5. After-Sales Support and Technical Assistance

The best wire dealers don’t stop at sales—they provide post-purchase support, including technical advice, replacements, and warranty assistance. Whether you’re unsure about load capacity or installation methods, their support can be a game-changer.

6. Location and Delivery Services in Thane

Proximity matters. Choosing a dealer based in or near your locality ensures faster delivery and lower transport costs. Many top wire dealers in Thane also offer same-day delivery, especially to construction sites or industrial zones.

7. Certifications and Compliance

Ensure that the wires sold comply with IS (Indian Standards) and other necessary safety norms. Certified dealers maintain high product quality and sell wires that meet fire-resistant, heat-proof, and voltage-specific requirements.

Conclusion

Choosing the best wire dealers in Thane involves more than just comparing prices. It’s about ensuring safety, quality, and long-term performance for your projects. By considering factors like brand authenticity, dealer reputation, product variety, and after-sales support, you can make a well-informed decision that protects both your investment and safety.

At Suresh Electricals, we take pride in being one of Thane’s most trusted names in electrical supplies. With over [insert number] years of experience, certified products, and unmatched customer support, we’re here to power your next project with confidence.

Need help choosing the right wire? Contact Suresh Electricals today and let our experts guide you.

[floatingumbraswarm]

Acrylic Keychains: The Complete Creative Guide to Custom Designs

Introduction: The Rising Popularity of Acrylic Keychains

In today's personalized world, acrylic keychains have evolved from simple functional items to coveted fashion statements and marketing tools. These versatile accessories combine durability with endless customization possibilities, making them perfect for personal expression, business branding, and unique gifting.

This comprehensive guide explores everything from innovative design techniques to practical applications of acrylic keychains, helping you create stunning pieces that stand out.

Why Acrylic Keychains Dominate the Market

Unmatched Durability

Scratch-resistant surface maintains clarity

Waterproof material withstands daily wear

UV-resistant printing prevents color fading

Limitless Customization Options

Can be cut into any imaginable shape

Accommodates full-color prints and intricate engravings

Available in various thicknesses (2mm-5mm most common)

Cost-Effective Production

Bulk orders significantly reduce per-unit cost

Lower price point than metal alternatives

Minimal material waste during manufacturing

Premium Aesthetic Appeal

Crystal-clear transparency for modern looks

Glossy finish enhances color vibrancy

Professional appearance despite affordable pricing

Cutting-Edge Design Trends for 2024

1. Interactive Keychain Designs

Spin wheel keychains with rotating elements

Puzzle piece connectors for matching sets

Sliding mechanisms with hidden messages

2. Advanced Visual Effects

Dichroic acrylic for color-shifting magic

3D layered designs with depth illusion

Glow-in-the-dark with photoluminescent pigments

3. Functional Innovations

Multi-tool keychains with built-in measures

NFC-enabled for digital interactions

Magnetic attachments for easy swapping

4. Sustainable Options

Recycled acrylic from industrial byproducts

Biodegradable keyring alternatives

Seed paper inserts for plantable elements

Professional Design Techniques

Color Theory Applications

Monochromatic schemes for elegant branding

Complementary colors for maximum impact

Gradient fades using Pantone color transitions

Typography Mastery

Minimum 4pt font size for readability

Stroke outlines to ensure text visibility

Kerning adjustments for artistic spacing

File Preparation Guidelines

SpecificationRequirementFile FormatVector (AI/EPS) or 300dpi PNGColor ModeCMYK for printing, RGB for digitalBleed AreaAdd 1.5mm beyond cut lineSafe ZoneKeep critical elements 3mm from edges

Special Finishing Techniques

Diamond polishing for beveled edges

Soft-touch coating for premium feel

Metallic foil stamping for luxury accents

Industrial vs. Handmade Production

Commercial Manufacturing

Laser cutting for precision shapes

UV flatbed printing for vibrant colors

Mass production capabilities (1000+ units)

Artisan Creation Methods

Hand-painting with acrylic markers

Resin encapsulation for 3D effects

Mixed-media combining acrylic with wood/metal

Quality Comparison

FactorIndustrialHandmadeConsistencyHighVariableDetail LevelExcellentArtisticTurnaroundFast (3-5 days)Slow (1-2 weeks)Minimum OrderUsually 50+Single pieces

Creative Applications Across Industries

Retail & E-Commerce

Product authentication tags

VIP customer loyalty tokens

Limited edition collectibles

Education Sector

Student ID holders

Campus event souvenirs

Fundraising merchandise

Wedding & Events

Seating assignment markers

Personalized guest favors

Photo booth props

Gaming & Esports

Character skill cooldown trackers

Team merchandise

Convention exclusives

Where to Source Quality Materials

Professional Grade Suppliers

TAP Plastics for premium acrylic sheets

Johnson Plastics for printing substrates

Inventables for laser-ready materials

DIY Starter Kits

Amazon basic acrylic keychain packs

Etsy craft bundles with blanks

Local craft stores for small quantities

Eco-Friendly Alternatives

GreenCast Acrylic (30% recycled content)

Bio-based polymers from renewable sources

Reclaimed acrylic from industrial surplus

Maintenance & Longevity Tips

Cleaning Protocols

Use microfiber cloth for daily wiping

Mild soap solution for deep cleaning

Isopropyl alcohol (70%) for disinfecting

Storage Recommendations

Individual pouches to prevent scratching

Climate-controlled spaces to avoid warping

UV-protected displays for colored pieces

Repair Solutions

Acrylic cement for cracked pieces

Nail polish for minor scratch filling

Professional buffing for clouded surfaces

The Future of Acrylic Keychains

Technological Integration

QR code integration for digital expansion

Augmented reality triggers

Bluetooth tracking capabilities

Material Science Advances

Self-healing acrylic formulations

Temperature-sensitive color changes

Anti-microbial surface treatments

Market Growth Projections

12.7% CAGR expected through 2028

$2.3B global market by 2026

Asia-Pacific as fastest growing region

Conclusion: Why Acrylic Keychains Remain Timeless

Acrylic keychains continue to reinvent themselves, merging functionality with artistic expression. From basic identifiers to sophisticated marketing tools, their evolution shows no signs of slowing down.

Whether you're a business looking for promotional solutions, an artist seeking creative outlets, or simply someone who appreciates personalized accessories, the world of acrylic keychains offers something for everyone. Their perfect balance of affordability, durability, and customization potential ensures they'll remain relevant for years to come.

Which innovative acrylic keychain concept excites you most? Share your vision for the future of this versatile accessory!

[dollartmt]

Construct Stronger Futures with Dollar TMT Bar – TMT Bar Manufacturer in Kolkata for Quality & Strength!

In the process of building solid and unshakeable foundations, Dollar TMT Bar stands out as Kolkata's epitome of trust, reliability, and innovation. As a Top TMT Bar Manufacturer in Kolkata, we proudly provide world-class 600 HD TMT Bars that set a new standard for strength and safety for housing, commercial, and industrial developments. Whether you're a contractor, builder, or homeowner, Dollar TMT Bar promises unparalleled performance, and thus we stand as the Best TMT Bar Company in Kolkata.

Why Dollar TMT Bar Leads?

1. Unparalleled Strength with 600 HD TMT Bars

Our high-end 600 HD TMT Bar is built to thrive. With superior tensile strength, earthquake resistance, and corrosion protection, these bars can beat the harshest conditions. Ideal for high-rise buildings, bridges, and heavy-load structures, Dollar TMT Bars make your structures stand tall for generations.

2. Stringent Quality Assurance

Each Dollar TMT Bar is treated with state-of-the-art thermomechanical treatment and rigorous quality testing. BIS-certified, our bars meet international standards, giving architects, engineers, and builders peace of mind.

3. Eco-Friendly & Sustainable

We at HP Ispat Pvt Ltd (the driving force behind Dollar TMT Bar) focus on sustainable production. Our methods reduce environmental footprints while optimizing efficiency, reflecting Kolkata's vision for environmentally friendly construction.

Exclusive Deals for Dealers & Distributors!

Want to become associated with the Top Best TMT Bar Company in Kolkata? Dollar TMT Bar welcomes you to be a part of our growing fraternity via TMT Bar Dealership in Kolkata and TMT Bar Distributorship in Kolkata.

Rich Margins: Get decent returns with high-quality products.

Marketing Support: Enjoy brand promotional activities, campaigns, and customer referrals.

Timely Supply: Our strong logistics provide hassle-free delivery throughout Eastern India.

Training & Assistance: Receive expert advice to expand your business with ease.

Limited-Time Opportunity: Join as a dealer/distributor this month and enjoy special discounts!

Why Builders & Contractors Prefer Dollar TMT Bar?

Cost-Effective: High durability saves long-term maintenance costs.

Flexibility: Easy to bend and weld, saving time and labor costs.

Earthquake & Fire Resistant: Prioritize safety with test bars to withstand extreme conditions.

Wider Range: Offers a variety of grades and sizes to meet every project requirement.

Dollar TMT Bar – The Heart of Kolkata's Infrastructure

From towering skyscrapers to simple houses, Dollar TMT Bars have energized thousands of landmarks in Kolkata. Our dedication to quality has established us as a household name, relied upon by leading builders such as [Insert Local Builder Names] and government projects.

Limited Time Discount!

For a short while, take advantage of 5% OFF on bulk purchasing of 600 HD TMT Bars! Get in touch with us now to avail of this deal and get the best market prices.

Join the Dollar TMT Bar Revolution!

As fastest-growing TMT Bar Manufacturer in Kolkata, HP Ispat Pvt Ltd (makers of Dollar TMT Bar) is here to empower your ambitions. Whether you need premium steel for your next project or want to become a trusted dealer, we’re your one-stop solution. 

Build with Confidence. Build with Dollar TMT Bar. 

Your Strength, Our Promise.

Doller TMT Bar | TMT Bar Manufacturer in Kolkata 

https://www.dollartmt.com/

Martin Burn House, 2nd Floor Room No 210 

At -1. R. N Mukherjee Road Kolkata-700001, India 

marketing.dollartmt@gmail.com 

+91 9748992920

[automatedpostalapis]

How to Print and Mail Cheques from QuickBooks and Other Accounting Software

Even in 2025, cheques remain essential for many businesses. From vendor payments to payroll processing, printed cheques offer control, traceability, and compliance. While digital payments dominate in many sectors, printing and mailing cheques through accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage is still a preferred option for thousands of companies.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to securely print and mail cheques from QuickBooks and other accounting software—automatically, efficiently, and in compliance with today’s financial regulations.

Why Businesses Still Use Printed Cheques in 2025

Despite the rise of ACH and wire transfers, printed cheques continue to play a role due to:

Vendor preferences in certain industries.

Record-keeping requirements for auditing and reconciliation.

Security controls offered by physical documents.

Cross-border transactions where electronic systems may lag.

Advantages of Automated Cheque Printing and Mailing

AdvantageDescriptionSaves TimeNo manual printing, signing, or stuffing envelopes.Improves SecurityMICR-encoded, fraud-resistant checks with audit trails.Enhances WorkflowSyncs directly with your accounting system.Reduces CostsNo need for in-house printers, supplies, or postage.Offers Mailing FlexibilitySend via USPS, FedEx, or Canada Post.

How Cheque Printing & Mailing Works from QuickBooks

Step-by-Step for QuickBooks Online Users

Connect to a Cheque Mailing Service

Use integrations like Checkeeper, Melio, or Deluxe eChecks.

Enter Bill or Payment Info

Record the vendor payment like any other transaction.

Choose “Print Later” Option

Flag the cheque for batch processing.

Log into Your Cheque Mail Service

Import the pending cheques.

Select Cheque Style and Template

Use company-branded checks with MICR encoding.

Confirm Mailing Preferences

Select envelope type, delivery method, and speed.

Process and Track

Monitor mailing status and delivery confirmations.

Using Checkeeper: A QuickBooks-Integrated Solution

Checkeeper is a popular tool for QuickBooks users due to:

Full QuickBooks Online and Desktop integration.

Unlimited check printing and cloud-based templates.

USPS mailing with delivery tracking.

Same-day processing.

Printing Cheques from QuickBooks Desktop

Install Compatible Printer with MICR Toner

Insert Blank Cheque Stock

Go to File > Print Forms > Cheques

Select Bank Account and Cheques

Preview and Print

For mailing, integrate with services like PrintBoss, which automates batching and postal fulfillment.

Mailing Cheques from Other Accounting Software

1. Xero

Integrate with Plooto or Checkeeper.

Export payment details or sync directly via API.

Set up cheque layouts and print/mail options.

2. Sage

Use Sage-integrated tools like Deluxe or Checkflo.

Enable multi-user access for approvals and print queues.

3. FreshBooks

FreshBooks doesn’t have native cheque support but works via Zapier and tools like VersaCheck or Checkeeper.

Features to Look for in Cheque Printing Software

FeatureBenefitMICR EncodingMeets bank processing standards.Cloud Sync with Accounting SoftwareEnsures accurate data flow.USPS/Canada Post SupportOffers mail tracking and delivery options.Custom TemplatesAllows brand consistency.Batch PrintingSpeeds up bulk operations.Two-Factor AuthenticationAdds security for sensitive payments.

Security and Compliance Tips

Use Secure Printers or Cloud Providers

Prevent unauthorized access with role-based controls.

Enable Multi-User Approval Workflows

Require sign-off from finance or management.

Encrypt All Transactions

Ensure data in transit and storage is secured.

Store Cheque Images and Logs

Useful for audits and dispute resolution.

Comply with NACHA & CRA Standards

Meet U.S. and Canadian cheque compliance laws.

Cost Considerations

Cost ItemTypical CostBlank Cheque Stock$25–$60 per 500 checksMICR Toner Cartridges$80–$150 eachMailing Service Fees$1.50–$3.50 per chequeSoftware Subscription$10–$50/month depending on features

Using an all-in-one provider is often more affordable than managing in-house.

Best Practices for Efficiency

Automate recurring payments like rent or contractor payroll.

Outsource high-volume payments to print-and-mail vendors.

Centralize cheque logs for internal control and audit readiness.

Add QR codes for recipients to scan and confirm deposit instructions.

Cheque Printing API Integrations

For developers and finance teams:

Lob API – Ideal for enterprise cheque workflows.

Checkeeper API – Simple integration with CRMs and billing tools.

Melio API – Focused on bill pay and expense management.

These APIs enable fully automated cheque issuance from custom applications.

Conclusion

In 2025, printing and mailing cheques from QuickBooks and other accounting software is easier, faster, and more secure than ever. Whether you're a small business paying local vendors or a large organization handling payroll, leveraging cheque automation tools saves time, reduces errors, and ensures compliance.

By selecting the right platform, integrating with your accounting software, and following best practices, you can modernize your cheque workflow while keeping the trust and flexibility that paper payments provide.

SITES WE SUPPORT

Automated Postal APIs – ​​​Wix