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[smartsafetyindia]

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[snehaleenakashe-blog]

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[timevisionsme]

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[shiraaddison]

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[audio-luddite]

Tripping Down Under.

Just got back and am unpacking my jet lag. In Sydney I met a guy who has 35 guitars and more than a few amps for same. He is a collector so frets about using genuine NOS tubes, but strangely has not put them in his amps and tried them out. It may be all about labels. He also had a large box packed with a lot of tube he did not want. I left it with having his son, my virtual son-in-law, to photograph and make a list so I can figure if there is any treasure there. Unfortunately no KT88s or 6550s for me. So sad Wa Waaa.

In Brisbane I told my brother's best friend that a blue tooth speaker is not really enough for his man cave (in Oz a "man shed") and he should get a real system. His wife agreed. Another potential victim of this hobby.

I looked at the local ads in the Australian Audio Mart and in Gumtree their classified ad thing. Generally the prices are similar to NA. but some stuff is very expensive.

All that said I did no high end activity at all except for attending a concert presentation of Das Rheingold in the Sydney Opera House. It was a long night, even though that is the shortest ring opera. We had decent seats about centered in the first balcony (circle). The sound was good and very realistic.

Wagner had a lot of brass and well loud stuff. The acoustic treatments worked well and the sound was clear and natural.

I tried to explain to my daughter that my audio hobby was an attempt to bring this kind of experience into my home. Great music without having to dress fancy and pay $200 bucks for 4 glasses of wine and some finger sandwiches.

While I was in Australia I got a notice of a black Friday deal for new 6550s at a substantial discount. Good ones apparently as they were new production from China but triple tested in Canada. I was not going to order it from Oz, but once home the deal was gone.

I am in a bit of a fret about getting a new tube set. 8 large power tubes are around $1k right now. The CL60 is voiced for Russian tubes and supply is tricky with that FN war Putin started. There is stock at my reliable supplier for now. In one or two years......

I would like to get a full set of power tubes while the current ones are still good. I figure at least one year is in the cards, maybe two before it is time to replace them. I can wait, but I am nervous.

This is a serious issue with tube electronics. Tubes wear out and are expensive. Golden ear writers can buy sets as a business expense. Affluent people can keep multiple sets for rolling. I just want consistent reliability with good quality. I do not like the idea of swapping tubes to adjust the sound of a system. That is just wrong in my universe.

In other news I read a thing by Frank Doris about imperfect audio systems.

This guy was the house tech at Absolute Sound during the HP years. He has heard it all. I think he is actually getting it. He hints at my thesis that there is no best just preferences but then kinda drifts into his preferences as best.

The title image is an example of Wabi-sabi the Japanese acceptance of imperfection. Call that Ironic given that much of the best audio stuff comes from Japan. Kaisen is the Japanese process of continual improvement.

I have preferences. I like detail and clarity. I made my speakers to minimize room reflections. I like ARC stuff that I can afford. So old stuff. That guided my preamp selection for years. And yes I have now snagged an ARC tube amp. These products speak to me. Yes they need a tiny tweak in the phono loading to work properly with non-mc pickups, but otherwise none. I do not care for McIntosh for irrational reasons. Hell I admit that this is an irrational hobby.

But it is fun.

[electrasev5nwrites]

Ninja Daily: AIC 10

"I don't want to be here all day, kunoichi."

Aiko resisted the impulse to snort and looked up from the rolls of bandages she'd been trying to juggle. "What other equipment do you need?" It wasn't like she was the one they were waiting on.

Zabuza looked like he wanted to push her out of the way to get at the shelf. His jaw clenched. Instead, he stepped around her and took an entire box of the rolled bandage. "Basic medical supplies." His eyes darted to her, small and resentful. "Small weaponry. Rations. Soldier pills, if we can get them."

It felt like he regretted every syllable he had to say to her. Like he thought she was taking something from him.

She didn't take it personally. His shoulders had begun to hunch as soon as they'd entered the town, but now, he was keeping his chin up aggressively and giving dark looks to anyone who came too close.

He seemed like a half-feral animal in the peaceful, normal space of a small-town pharmacy. Zabuza was like a cat that had been kicked before, and viewed consenting to being fed as an admittance of weakness.

'That might not be far from the truth. Mist has never seemed particularly nurturing.'

For the first time, she wondered about his background. What kind of childhood made someone a killer without attending an academy or any sort of comparable training system?

Well.

'A really shitty one. He's been desperate and hungry for a long time. I doubt he even knows what he's hungry for. But he wants to be a leader and fix it. That's… kind of inspiring. I doubt he's doing it out of sentimental love for his childhood home.'

"Hmm." She tossed the bandages into a basket and curled her fingers around the handle lightly. She kept her thoughts off her face. Aiko wasn't thick enough to think Zabuza would want her sympathy, even if she was the type of person who initiated those kinds of conversations. "The pills will be hard. Unless you know a supplier off hand?"

He gave her a withering look and walked away to disappear down another row of splintering shelves.

Aiko rolled her eyes.

'I didn't think so.'

Villages had that kind of thing on a tight leash. There was probably big money in moving those kinds of performance drugs, but the formulas were state secrets and the actual items were regulated and watched. It was a rare example of a time when the risks and annoyances outweighed the potential for profit in smuggling. Bit like the difficulty in getting other types of shinobi equipment outside of a village.

At least the other supplies shouldn't be impossible. Rations really weren't going to be a problem at all. With hiraishin, she was never cut off from supply lines. It was unfortunate that she might have to play delivery girl again, but hardly the end of the world.

Zabuza rounded the stacks again, expression tight and body language impatient.

'If he wants to go so damn badly, why doesn't-'

Oh.

'I have the money. He doesn't want to ask me for an allowance like a child.'

Right.

Aiko yawned, closing her eyes to stretch. "I think I need to recoup." She didn't quite look at him. "Would you get Utakata from next door? I'll go through the line so we can get out of here. We'll make camp tonight, and figure out how to retrieve Haku and deal with Gato tomorrow."

Being tired was a convenient excuse, but it wasn't really a lie. She was still low on energy from reviving Zabuza. Sleep would be best, at this point.

'And isn't that strange? Fuu's body was in much worse shape, but I was still fighting fit after that revival.'

She couldn't entirely explain what the difference was. She'd thought that the main chakra expense correlated to the amount of repair that bodies needed. But if that wasn't true…

'Maybe it's time that matters, instead of damage. Zabuza was dead for at least a week longer than Fuu. Maybe… maybe his soul was more reluctant to leave. More acclimated to death.'

Aiko shook that thought off, creeped out. No. That was ridiculously superstitious speculation. It was below her in every way to spook herself so stupidly.

"Fine." Roughly, Zabuza dropped everything he was carrying into her basket, never mind that it didn't really fit. A bottle of pills rolled off to the floor with a clatter, but he was already halfway down the aisle.

She tried not to roll her eyes again. Aiko bent to pick that up without sending anything else flying. With a little difficulty, she hauled her burden to the clerk. The man gave a watery smile when he saw her. He repeatedly glanced over her head as she worked.

'Probably looking for Zabuza. He does make that kind of impression.'

Somehow, she didn't snicker.

'We need to get weaponry next. That isn't going to be easy, either. Might have to risk making a commission with a weapons smith who can work with shinobi-grade metal. Either that or scavenge. Both options risk bringing contact with a village in some capacity. Not optimal. But of course he wants a full kit if he's going to go take on the Mizukage's forces. That seems so… troublesome. Can we not do that?'

Aiko stilled, eyes losing focus as she had an idea. She'd mostly just been whining, but she might be on to something there.

'When Kisame thought I'd killed Pein, he didn't even think to ask questions about anything other than how I would be as his new leader. Is that… mist-normal?'

"Here you are." The clerk pushed her bags across the counter and managed to look at her long enough to bow properly.

"Yeah. Thanks." Absentmindedly, she slid the supplies off the counter and tried not to hunch under the weight. She wanted to talk to Zabuza. He wasn't in the mood now, but once they were out of town, away from crowds, he might be more amenable.

She tried at the first opportunity, perched close to the campfire. "Hey, Zabuza. Is there anyone other than the Mizukage who needs to die?"

"Lots of people need to die," Zabuza grunted dismissively.

'Stupid and dramatic.'

Aiko huffed. "No, I mean, anyone in specific."

He made a rude sound. "Anyone who gets in my way when I go for the Mizukage."

"Right," Aiko agreed with patience she didn't feel. "But is anyone going fight in his name after he's already dead?"

Zabuza snorted. He finally deigned to look at her, eyes yellow in the firelight. "Doubt it. Fucker's not popular."

"Good." Aiko chirped. She relaxed, nearly melting against a large rock. "That'll make things easier. We'll just go directly to the Mizukage and not bother with anyone else. We don't need to raise an army, if it'll be yours as soon as he's dead. Right?" She made a thumbs up.

Her mist-nin companions exchanged looks.

"Yagura-san will not meet an enemy outside the village," Utakata pointed out. "It will be necessary to fight through most of the village, unless they are persuaded beforehand to stand down. That is likely Terumi-san's plan."

'Do they think I'm an idiot?'

Aiko scowled at her companions, which took some doing, since they were positioned on opposite sides of the fire. Neither of them seemed remotely impressed by her glower, but they registered it. When she was certain her displeasure had been expressed, she put her hands on her hips. "Obvious things are still obvious, thanks for the update. If we're done with that, you happen to know a person who can take you directly to the Mizukage, so that we don't have to fuck around with making friends or killing perfectly useful people. Does that change anything?"

Zabuza opened his mouth. Then he closed it. He became very interested in wrapping his arms back up with bandages that didn't have maggots in them.

"I see." Utakata looked away. "Your backup plan is to sidestep all of a nation's highest security and assassinate the most powerful man who lives there, to save time and effort." He shook his head, lips pulled into the shade of a smile. "Perhaps Zabuza-san would find such information useful."

Aiko blinked. "You're not planning on coming?" She'd thought it had been weird that he'd wandered off when they'd gone on an equipment run, but she hadn't realized his participation was in doubt. He was reliable. Dependable. Familiar.

'Stupid. I got too used to relying on him.'

As soon as she thought about it, it seemed obvious. He wasn't really her teammate. He didn't have to do whatever she wanted. He probably didn't want to go back to the village that had failed him.

His expression indicated all that and more. "Indeed." Utakata tucked his hands inside his sleeves and closed his eyes, earlier amusement gone.

Aiko took the hint: the conversation was over. She passed out easily, eyes closing on distant stars instead of wooden beams. Maybe Utakata wasn't going to stay, but she trusted that he would watch her back while they were still working together.

She woke up with the sun. Zabuza was already up- or perhaps he hadn't slept. She didn't care either way. Aiko stretched, first the lazy, satisfying muscle movements common to the morning. And then she stretched for flexibility, tuning her body like the weapon it was. If they did go after the Mizukage today, she wanted to be in good shape.

He was almost certainly Obito's creature at this point. Maybe it was foolish, but she couldn't help but feel that this would make the Mizukage even more dangerous.

'It's not impossible,' Aiko reminded herself. 'Mei did it.'

Of course, Mei was a completely different type of fighter. It could be that she'd had some advantage that Aiko and Zabuza lacked.

'If I'm completely honest, I think Mei is a lot more powerful than Zabuza. And more observant. I couldn't have taken her down as easily as I did Zabuza.'

Aiko gave the Mist-nin an evaluative stare, even as she worked her small kit of kunai against a whetstone.

Would he be able to do what Mei had done? Even aside from defeating the Mizukage, could he hold the respect of a village?

She didn't know.

He certainly looked imposing, even if he did look a bit like he'd dressed in the dark. That was kind of an admirable caveat to overcome. It could be useful. It was stupid bullshit, but people did react differently to enormously muscled and angry men than they did to people who looked like Aiko. Ninja weren't immune to that silliness.

'Should I even be doing this? I have no idea what kind of leader he is. It's hard to see how he could be worse than Yagura, but…'

Aiko wrestled with her conscience. If she got involved in Mist's internal affairs, didn't she have some kind of moral duty to not fuck them over? It was one thing to shrug, 'oh, that sucks', about people she'd never met. But if she'd been the one to change their lives for a selfish reason, that just seemed- no. She couldn't do that.

'Well. I have some time. I'll see what kind of person Zabuza is. If I don't like what I see, I'll just kill him and deal with Mei. No one else would know the difference, aside from Utakata, and he's not exactly the chattiest bastard around.'

Zabuza's irritated voice broke through her thoughts. "You know, I'm starting to wonder if there isn't a reason that you're staring at me and fondling your little toys."

"Ah." Aiko blinked down at her kunai, which was sparkling in a lovely way in the morning sun. It was perfectly sharp. "I see. Nothing personal." She slipped the weapon away, frowning at the necessity. She didn't like wearing the makeshift weapons pouch. It was either difficult to access or terribly unsubtle over civilian clothing. But she couldn't go to a fight like that completely without weaponry.

'I would do terrible things for a real holster and my shin and arm guards,' Aiko reminisced. 'And that mesh body armor. And boots. I wouldn't even care if the shirt and shorts were just flimsy crap. I'd feel more like me.'

Her companion must have noticed her frowning at her uninspired equipment and gear. "Don't you have that hunter nin outfit?" Zabuza gave her slacks and short-sleeved top a disdainful once-over. "What you have on is shit. It's not a civilian disguise, but it's not armor. Didn't anyone tell you that you need to do one or the other?"

'He's absolutely right.'

She couldn't let him get away with that.

Aiko gave him a condescending look, flipping her hair back. "What are your plans as Mizukage, other than critiquing my outfits?"

"Valid policy decision though it may be," Utakata added. He sat up. His hair lifted behind him in a cloud of knots. He blinked gummily. A hand went up to start picking out knots, as though this was routine.

'Oh.' Aiko felt her face pull into a demented grin without her permission. 'It was worth it. Sleeping on the ground like an animal was worth it, just to see that bedhead.'

"What is that awful face for?" Zabuza sounded like he didn't really want to know.

"I was worried that he was prettier than I am," Aiko explained vaguely. She let her expression settle into a haughty smirk. "He is. But my hair's better. It never does that."

"It frizzes in humidity," Utakata said mildly. "And your split ends are terrible." He was slipping his fingers through his hair quickly, tangles nearly defeated already. No wonder she hadn't seen that before. "I remain superior."

"Fuck you," Aiko rebutted pleasantly. "Zabuza?"

"I don't care about my hair," he spat. He hunched behind his sword defensively.

'I feel like I roll my eyes a lot more in the day I've known Zabuza.'

She valiantly kept her thoughts out of her tone. "Policies. I was asking about your policies. Goals. That kind of thing."

He narrowed his eyes at her. He pressed his lips even tighter together, until they formed a hard line.

Aiko let it drop. "Alright then." She gave one last stretch, and then swiveled her spine back to a more natural position. "We need a plan on how to deal with Gato and get Haku back. Don't you have some chuunin somewhere, too?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Her hair brushed over her shoulder. Oh. Right. She needed to tie that back still. She slipped a hairband off her wrist and-

"We leave him." Zabuza bit out. He hefted his sword. "I don't give a shit about Gato. The Konoha fuckers can deal with him. As for Haku, he's useless to me."

Aiko stared, hair forgotten.

'That seems harsh.'

"He is your student, is he not?" Utakata surged to his feet, looking more like a wave than man. "As his teacher, you have a responsibility to him."

'Utakata's taking this personally.'

Zabuza snorted, an ugly, rough sound. "Teacher? I was never his teacher." He tapped his fingers mockingly against the hilt of his sword. "There's a reason I never trained him in this. He doesn't deserve this legacy. Besides." He turned away. "Little fucker moved in with Konoha as soon as I was gone, didn't he? He's a useless tool."

Something clicked in her head. Oh.

Utakata's pupils turned to slits, and the air began to smell like saltwater. "You are the disgrace. Traitor. Embarassment-"

"Catch up to me when your dog has calmed down," Zabuza shot over his shoulder. Then he leapt away.

Utakata snarled, twisting impotently.

Aiko reached out and didn't quite touch him. "It's fine."

"Fine?" He wheeled on her. Coral was crackling down his jaw. "He is a low and abhorrent creature. How can you condone this?"

'He looks like he's about to loose his demon.'

Carefully, she raised her hands to show her palms. The pacifying gesture seemed to shock Utakata. He blinked, focusing on her empty hands with intensity. Then he subsided, the pale fury beginning to recede. His pupils swelled. The coral fell away. Morning songbirds began peeping again. Aiko hadn't even noticed that they'd stopped.

"I apologize," he said stiffly. "I was… not myself."

'I think you were.'

"Zabuza is proud," Aiko said, instead of acknowledging Utakata's loss of control. "He views emotional attachment as a weakness."

"That does not excuse his behavior," Utakata said quietly.

She nodded. "It doesn't. But I'm not making excuses for his coldness. I'm saying that he wasn't telling the truth, because he doesn't want us to know that he cares for Haku."

Utakata blinked. His mouth opened the slightest fraction. His brows furrowed.

"He doesn't want to take Haku to Mist." Aiko crossed her arms. "He's glad that Konoha took him in. Haku is young and strong, and Konoha is notoriously soft. He thinks that Haku will be happier and better treated there than Zabuza can promise him."

The reasoning made an uncomfortable amount of sense. If Zabuza were to lose his fight against the Mizukage, his companions would die as well. Zabuza didn't want that for Haku. Zabuza recognized that even if the coup went perfectly, Mist was still dangerous and volatile. People who might not dare lash out at Zabuza might think Haku was a fair replacement. It was sort of traditional to kill the vassal to send a message.

Utakata relaxed, but he managed a scowl. "Zabuza-san is still an ass."

Aiko blinked twice. Um. "That's fair," she agreed. "He's not particularly charming. But I'm starting to think that he generally means well."

He focused on her, eyes narrowed. "Perhaps he will not be an abominable Mizukage. Do you care? Or does his ascension merely support your aims?"

'I could stand to be honest with him. It won't matter.'

"I'm trying to find out what kind of leader he is," Aiko admitted. "If I don't think he'll do well enough, I'll kill him and let Mei take over. I'm not interested in putting another violent lunatic in charge of people's lives."

Utakata hummed incomprehension. He closed his eyes. "I see."

She shifted her weight uncomfortably. She rolled her ankle around, digging her toes in the dirt.

He still didn't say anything.

"Right." Aiko bent over to pick up her pack. "I suppose I should get going, then." She cleared her throat, feeling strange and unhappy. "It was… You weren't a terrible partner. 6/10, would do again if I had no other options."

"I give you 5/10," Utakata replied. His eyes flicked open, dispassionately watching her gather her belongings. "Your strange competency is at odds with your occasional bouts of lunacy and inexplicable decisions that seem to have no basis in situations at hand. However, you have some time to improve your score."

She stilled. "Oh?"

Utakata looked away. "You and Zabuza-san will need someone of reasonable intelligence, if you truly insist on leaving behind Haku-san. I shudder to think of what you might inflict on the unsuspecting populace without supervision."

Aiko flung an arm over his shoulder. "I like you too."

He reached out and tripped her.

Konoha, two months later.

"This Hikari-san was a kunoichi, you say?" The Sandaime frowned. "An associate of Zabuza's?"

'If so, she was a terrible ally. Digging up his body indicates investment in his death. Maybe a bounty hunter. Of course, that doesn't explain getting involved in Gato's affairs.'

Kakashi shook his head. "I didn't get that impression. I believe that she was the one who killed him, though I did not receive confirmation." He glanced at his genin. "What did you think?"

Sakura squeezed the fingers laced behind her back. "Hikari-san seemed very competent," she started uncertainly. "She did express sentiments that- that might make more sense in the context of a kunoichi. She attempted to advise me."

The Sandaime's face was dark.

"Nothing strange!" Sakura hastened. "Nothing, um. Treasonous. Just little things, about not letting the boys run off and leave me with chores."

He didn't say anything, but the oppressive air lifted. "I see. Naruto?"

The boy shrugged. "Hikari-san seemed alright to me. She was clumsy a lot, but she liked to help Tsunami-san. She was always cooking or something when she was at the house."

"Clumsy?" The hokage seemed slightly amused.

"Yeah." Naruto put a hand on his hip. "The first time I met her, she dropped her tea. And one time, she was bringing food to us while we worked and she almost fell down."

"That wasn't clumsiness," Sasuke retorted, rolling his eyes. The 'idiot' was unspoken, but heard loud and clearly. "Her eyes lost focus and her body leaned forward. She was lightheaded, probably from overexertion."

Kakashi sighed. "Sasuke-kun believes that Hikari-san was likely a civilian," he explained dryly. "Sasuke, I fought her. She's definitely a kunoichi."

"Ehhh?" Sakura perked up. "When-"

"Why?" Naruto burst out.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "The night you walked her home. She didn't come back after that."

'And isn't that strange?'

It had been what he wanted, but he hadn't really expected that she would never return. But the bridge was finished, and she had never shown her face again. If she'd truly been invested, why?

"Was she any good?"

Everyone looked at Sakura for that question. She flushed pink and looked at her feet.

"She was…"

'Fast. Angry at me personally. She fights a little like I do.'

Kakashi trailed off. Then he plastered on a bright, fake smile. "Maa, she beat me."

The Sandaime fumbled with his pipe, nearly dropping it onto his desk.

The room was dead silent.

'It's highly suspicious that a shinobi of that level was completely unknown to me. How? Who trained her? A Konoha nin?'

Kakashi rubbed at the back of his neck. "She stopped when she realized I wasn't going to dodge in time. Then she called me names." He frowned, faintly puzzled. "Including a vegetable." That still didn't make sense.

'The fact that she panicked when she thought she nearly hurt me, though. That's interesting. It's hard to reconcile that with the way she took down Zabuza. Does she count herself as a shinobi of Uzushiogakure? We are still technically allied. That might explain why she restrained herself around Konoha nin.'

"I see." The Sandaime was serious, now. "This is no ordinary missing nin, then. If she is a shinobi of such caliber, then she should not be unheard of."

"She claimed not to be a missing nin," Kakashi offered. He continued at the politely incredulous eyebrow his superior raised. "I thought she was lying," he admitted easily. "But now, I'm not certain. I don't believe she's a threat, Sandaime-sama."

At least, not directly.

The old man leaned back. "Oh? And why is that."

Kakashi glanced at his team, wondering again if the hokage would decide to keep the probable relation from Naruto. "She was in Wave for personal reasons that were not disclosed. I believe that she was the masked ninja who opposed Gato before our arrival. I do not feel that I can offer insightful speculation into her motivations at that point. However, she developed an interest in our team."

The Sandaime glanced at the genin. Sakura stood a little straighter. Sasuke continued watching the wall behind the hokage, but he tensed. Naruto was scratching at his leg with the toes of his other foot.

None of them looked remotely ready to risk near dangerous foreigners with unknown motivations.

"Yes, that is why I concluded she had to go," Kakashi elaborated carelessly. He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Maa, she admitted to my face that she was attached to one of the genin because they shared similarities with someone she used to know."

And didn't that just open all sorts of possibilities? She hadn't even claimed it had been someone she'd loved. She could have been out for vicarious revenge on an Uchiha, or Minato-sensei, or Kushina-san. They'd all had bitter enemies.

The Sandaime easily caught his insinuation and hid whatever surprise he felt. "That sounds like an excellent reason not to trust this person," the hokage pointed out dryly. "We do not know her motivations or history."

Kakashi hesitated a little. "I think I know some of it," he said slowly. "I had- the first time that I saw her, I noticed a strong physical resemblance. And in our fight, she used a technique that I am familiar with."

The Hokage held up his hand. He inhaled deeply on his pipe and breathed smoke in to the room. His gaze trailed over each genin, thoughts transparent. Sakura-chan was civilian born. Sasuke-kun had only one living relative, and Kakashi wouldn't fail to recognize Itachi. The Hokage offered a guess. "Was it a sealing technique, perhaps?"

Naruto flinched.

"In a manner of speaking," Kakashi hedged. "Chakra chains."

The Hokage nodded slowly, laying his pipe down. "An Uzumaki, then." He said it carelessly, as though he had never considered hiding the information. He met Kakashi's eye, ignoring the open shock on the genin's faces. "I wonder… You said a strong resemblance- to-"

"Yes, to her," Kakashi agreed quickly. He didn't dwell on the hints of Minato he'd seen in her face. He didn't. It was illogical. Seeing Kushina made some sense, however. "Red hair. Slight build." He huffed wryly. "Temper, too."

"Not the traditional red shade, was it?" the Sandaime asked, leaning forward. "A little lighter, perhaps?"

A line appeared on Kakashi's brow. "Yes."

He didn't ask how the Sandaime knew, but the old man answered anyway. "I believe that you are not the first Konoha team to encounter this young lady." He nodded at the door. "Sakura-chan, would you mind asking my secretary for the mission report filed by Maito Gai four months ago, regarding an encounter with two rogue ninja?" As the girl left, he explained. "One of his genin produced rather handy resemblances. The male has already been identified. The young lady, however…" He trailed off. "Perhaps."

"Old man!" Naruto burst out, patience tested. "What do you mean? Who does she look like?" He turned his eyes on Kakashi. They were watering.

'I wouldn't have told him. This will only make things worse, if Hikari-san turns out to be an untrustworthy person.'

It was an effort not to wince.

"Naruto-kun," the Sandaime said sternly. "You are an adult, are you not? Surely you understand that there will always be things you do not know."

Against all odds, that did the trick. Naruto closed his mouth with a click of teeth and looked down at the floor. His bangs hid his expression.

'But he should know. He should know his mother's name. He should have grown up with her.'

Guilt settled heavily in his gut.

Sakura walked back into the room, holding a file.

The Hokage nodded to her. "Thank you, my dear. Would you look at the third page?"

She flipped it open. Her eyes widened. "Definitely her," Sakura agreed, angling the paper so that her teammates could see as well. "She wears civilian clothing even when she's on a mission, then?" She narrowed her eyes, glancing between the sketch and her blonde teammate critically.

"I guess," Naruto agreed softly. He was staring intensely at the sketch, fingers nearly reaching out to touch.

Sasuke huffed. He was looking away. "That seems impractical."

Unless a ninja had no need for armor or traditional gear.

Kakashi met the Sandaime's eyes, wondering the same thing. The jounin shrugged casually, even though no one was looking. "Maa, some shinobi do that. Tsunade-sama, for instance."

"As well as Hikari-san's partner," the Sandaim added slowly. "She was seen with a former Mist-nin known as Utakata."

'The rogue mist jinchuuriki? That's concerning. Could he have been around? Could it be that she has an interest in jinchuuriki?'

Kakashi startled at that. "I saw no sign of him."

"Perhaps they separated," the Sandaime proposed doubtfully. "However. Two incidents gives us a bit more to work with in terms of constructing a personality profile. Team seven. I would like you to complete as detailed a report on this person as possible, then read the account from team 9. See what consistencies and tendencies you can find." He fixed his stare on Kakashi. "You have a month. After that, the village will be otherwise occupied."

Right. The Chuunin exams. They would need all jounin working on security then. Kakashi nodded, even as he herded his genin out.

"Of course, Sandaime-sama."

[fitmanagement]

Running a gym can be a rewarding venture, but there are times when it feels like the fitness gods are testing your resilience. Whether it’s a drop in memberships, unexpected challenges, or an overall slump in revenue, staying afloat in the fitness industry can be tough. Fear not! I’m here to share five effective strategies that can breathe new life into your gym’s sales performance, even when the tide seems against you.

1. Reevaluate Your Pricing Structure

When revenue starts to dip, the knee-jerk reaction is often to cut prices or offer steep discounts. However, a hasty reduction in rates can devalue your services and lead to further financial strain. Instead, reevaluate your pricing structure strategically. Consider creating tiered membership options that cater to a broader range of budgets, while preserving the perceived value of your gym.

Introduce value-added services like personalized training sessions, nutritional guidance, or exclusive access to classes for premium members. A well-structured pricing model can attract new clients without compromising your gym’s integrity.

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One of the keys to a resilient gym business is diversification. Don’t rely solely on membership fees; explore additional revenue streams. Offer group fitness classes, personal training sessions, or wellness programs. Consider partnering with local businesses for joint promotions or hosting fitness events to attract new clients.

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3. Ramp Up Marketing Efforts

When sales are struggling, it’s not the time to cut back on marketing; it’s the time to get creative. Invest in a robust online presence with a user-friendly website and active social media accounts. Use content marketing to educate your audience about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the value of your gym.

Leverage email marketing campaigns to engage with your existing members and entice them with exclusive offers. Harness the power of data analytics to identify the most effective marketing channels and target demographics.

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Customer retention is a golden ticket in the fitness industry. Retaining existing members is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Create an engaging and inclusive gym culture where members feel valued and part of a community.

Implement loyalty programs, rewards systems, and referral incentives to motivate members to stay committed and recruit new clients for you. Regularly solicit feedback and make necessary improvements based on member suggestions.

5. Streamline Operations and Cut Costs

In challenging times, scrutinize your operational expenses. Identify areas where you can trim unnecessary costs without compromising service quality. Analyze your energy consumption, staff schedules, and equipment maintenance. Consider renegotiating contracts with suppliers for better deals.

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Navigating tough times in the gym business requires creativity, resilience, and a well-thought-out strategy. Don’t lose hope when sales aren’t going your way; instead, reevaluate your pricing, diversify your services, revamp your marketing, prioritize retention, and streamline operations. By implementing these five strategies, you’ll be better equipped to not only weather the storm but also position your gym for long-term success in the ever-evolving fitness industry. Remember, challenges are opportunities in disguise; embrace them, adapt, and emerge stronger than ever.

Conclusion

In the quest to rejuvenate your gym’s sales performance, remember that you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. The expertise and guidance of Fitness Management & Consulting can prove invaluable. Their experience in helping struggling gyms find their way back to profitability can significantly shorten the learning curve and provide you with tailored solutions. By tapping into their knowledge and resources, you’ll gain access to proven strategies, industry insights, and a roadmap for success. Together with your dedication and these five strategies, you can revive your gym’s fortunes and thrive in the competitive fitness landscape. Contact FMC here.

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An Outsourced CEO, Turnaround Expert and Author, Jim Thomas is the founder and president of Fitness Management USA Inc., a management consulting, turnaround, financing  and brokerage firm specializing in the gym and sports industry. With more than 25 years of experience owning, operating and managing clubs of all sizes, Thomas lectures and delivers seminars, webinars and workshops across the globe on the practical skills required to successfully overcome obscurity, improve sales, build teamwork and market fitness programs and products. Visit his Web site at: www.fmconsulting.net or www.youtube.com/gymconsultant.

[mattved]

Mega projects

Two years ago, I changed jobs.

The role of BI Analyst that I moved from was about 80% hard-skill based. I took on it while living with a disability resulting from post-operation difficulties and it served me well, providing me with great work-life balance at acceptable wage. Thanks to the arrangement, I was able to take care of myself, deal with my physical handicap, and finally undergo a couple of surgeries, which restored my somewhat healthy status.

Following that, I finally started properly recovering mentally. Soon, I had been able to take on many of my previous hobbies other than gaming. I bought a bicycle, which I'd driven the 20 odd kilometers to work couple of times and even managed to climb the way to the dorms where my then girlfriend (now wife) stayed. I also managed to recondition and sell off computer hardware that I had had piling up for a good while then. I started new electronics projects and fixed appliences for friends and family. I redesigned my blog, made a website, designed a brandbook for an acquaintance, and edited hours of videos. It was almost as if I were back at the uni with little extra money, which allowed me to invest into stuff.

The next obvious thing to happen for any purpose-driven individual was becoming more proactive at work. I suggested expansion and overall improvement of architecture behind the firm's BI suite, because it was clearly necessary - more on that in an earlier article. In spite of my being categorized under finance, there was no real budget for it and most of my proposals ended up in an abbyss. I even paid for Google Cloud resources to automate some of the data science stuff.

When a new CTO came in and things finally started to move, he was more keen on bringing his own people to do the important work. Myself, being previously involved in projects of country-level importance including system implementation and process redesign, even being offered a similar role in the Netherlands, albeit shortly before being diagnosed with cancer, I felt it was unfair not to give me the opportunity. So I left to seek it elsewhere.

I found it with a firm two miles from my birthplace, which was founded some two years after I was born. [Coincidence? Likely.] They (or rather we) are a used car retailer and at that point in time needed to replace an old CRM system. And that's what I was tasked with, all the way from technology and supplier tender to the launch and establishment of iterative development cycles. It was notch up from what I did some time before then, exactly the challenge I felt I needed.

Supported by the director of ICT with profound experience working with a global logistics giant, I completed the implementation in two years. The role encompassed project management, across business stakeholders and external suppliers, creating technical specifications, but most of all, doing a lot of the programming myself - especially the integrations. Along the way, I was joined by a teammate, whom I slowly handed over the responsibility of overseeing the operations and providing L1 - L2 support.

The final 9 months leading up to that were particularly difficult, though - finalizing every little bit to the continually adjusting requirements put forward by the key process owners. In the week before go-live, I worked double hours to finish everything and enable a "big bang" transition. D-Day 3 am, I had to abort due to not making the final data migration in time, meaning that the switch happened on Valentine's day.

The extended care period, over which we had to fix every single bug and reduce glitches took about two more months. And even though we managed to present the whole thing as complete, oversight and further expansion still take about two days of my week.

Over the duration of the CRM project, I was fully invested in it and still managed to deliver some extras, like helping out with reporting, integrating Windows users repository with chip-based attendance system from late '00s, working with some weird APIs, and administering two servers loaded with devops utilities.

Personal life did not suffer entirely. I dedicated most to spending time with my girlfriend, even managed to marry her during that period. There were some home-improvement activities that needed to be done and a small number of hurried vacations. But all my side-projects and hobbies ended up being on hold.

And that is literally the only thing I regret about the project and, to date, from the whole job change. Now is the time to try and pick up where I left off. Regaining the momentum in writing and video editing will be particularly difficult. My wife wants me to help out with her cosplay, so I have good motivation to return to being crafty again and refresh the experience from when I made a LARP crossbow and melee weapons. Furthering home-improvement is a big desire of mine but cost is an issue nowadays, with rent and utilities being entirely on my shoulders.

And then there are two things that I want to achieve that I failed at for way too long. Obtaining a driver's license (or possibly making my wife get it) and losing weight. The latter, I am working on with the handy calorie tracking app that dine4fit.com is, especially in my current region, and my Garmin watch. We will hopefully go swimming again soon as well. The former is a whole different story surrounded by plenty of trauma that still needs some recovery and obviously the sacrifice of cost and time to complete it.

I believe I have now strongly improved my work-life balance, by far not to what I was used to at the uni, but to a level that should let me do things that I want to do. And I wish to maintain it for a while. Maybe before embarking on yet another mega project, albeit with a much better starting point than the one I had in this case? Who knows.

And about the money, I believe a spike will come eventually, with transition to another employer, most likely. But the longer I am here, the more experience comes my way in doses much greater than those I would get elsewhere if I were to move just now. I'm 28 and if I lose weight and make sure to overcome obstacles of personal nature, I will do better. As for not being a millionaire by the age of 30, I should be able to handle that.

I almost died five years ago, gave up on pursuing my master's, lost the chance to take on the opportunity I had in the Netherlands, and now live where I'd wished, even managed temporarily, to move away from. I do well understand how scarce our time is, but I have to cut myself some slack when others don't (upcoming article "cancer perks"). For what it is, I still rock, don't I?!

[mobilityshop]

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Here are just a few of the things that make the Karma Mobility Ergo Lite 2 Transit Wheelchair so special:

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Comfortable: The Ergo Lite 2 features the patented S-Ergo Seating System, which provides maximum support and minimum pressure, while also preventing the user from sliding down in the seat. The AEGIS Microbe Shield upholstery also helps to keep the wheelchair clean and hygienic.

Easy to use: The Ergo Lite 2 is very easy to use, with features such as swing-out/detachable footrests and attendant brakes for safe and gradual stopping on slopes and inclines.

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Order your Karma Mobility Ergo Lite 2 Transit Wheelchair today from Karma Wheelchairs UK, the leading supplier of Karma wheelchairs in the UK.

[remys-rockets]

L2 Certification Attempt

After obtaining my L1 attempt, I had originally planned to fly for an L2 attempt on the same rocket. However, I attended a VRA club night where a swap meet was being held and ended up with a Rocketry Warehouse (now Madcow) Broken Arrow 54. Sometimes a great deal is a great deal.

This was a pretty big step up from the cardboard and plywood construction I was used to, being entirely filament-wound fibreglass. Its large diameter/length ratio combined with its small split fins also made it intimidating. This kit is also intended only for dual-deploy, which is something I had never done before. I decided it was a good opportunity to challenge myself.

Build

The kit was pretty bare-bones, meaning I had to source a retainer and much of the hardware for it. I ordered a 38mm Aeropack retainer, and then I began the build.

The process was relatively simple, with through-the-wall fins like all my previous builds. However, this time they did not fit into divots in the centering rings, so I 3D printed a fin jig to hold them in place while the epoxy cured.

Speaking of epoxy, I moved away from the 5-minute Araldite I had used for previous builds in favour of a more serious adhesive. I used JB Weld for anything motor-adjacent because of its thermal tolerance, and Epiglue for all other structural attachments and fin fillets. This was recommended to me by a friend in Perth who flies truly ridiculous rockets and has used it on flights of up to Mach 2. It is also available from a local marine supplier, meaning I didn't have to pay through my nose to get hold of Rocketpoxy or West Systems. I was very pleased with how nicely it went on and how strong it was.

By this time I'd also nailed down my epoxy application and filleting methods - I use cheap silicone sculpting and grouting tools which can simply be cleaned with acetone after I'm done. For filleting, I also found that mixing the epoxy in a ziploc bag and piping it on like icing worked a treat.

My work gets cleaner with every set of fillets I lay down. These ones don't look fantastic, and the split fins were something I had never dealt with before, but that didn't matter for reasons that became apparent shortly after the epoxy had set.

The morning after I applied these fillets, I got up to continue working on the rocket when I noticed that something had shifted overnight. The motor mount tube was somehow at an angle, as shown in the image above. I know I installed it perfectly level, but I didn't secure it while it set so I think it slipped as it cured. In my defense, I was quite sick and not firing on all cylinders when I had completed all the work up until now, but the realisation of what I'd managed to do was pretty disappointing and a bit of a knock to my confidence. Some measurements and a bit of trig suggested that the offset was only a degree or two, but the image suggests otherwise. I consulted some friends who are far more experienced flyers than I, and the consensus was a mix between 'send it' and Do Not Fly That Rocket, with more in favour of flying it than not. I looked at my OpenRocket sim for stability characteristics, and read some old Rocketry Forum posts about this model, all which pointed to it being rather squirrelly. In hindsight, I feel like I made the right decision, as I just couldn't ignore my gut feeling. I decided to rip it apart and rebuild it completely.

I did not take photos during this phase due to being completely covered with fibreglass dust, but I ended up using a diamond Dremel cutting wheel to first cut the fin can off, then cleanly slice the fins out of the body. I cannibalised a small section of the avionics bay tube to use as a coupler to reattach the aft section. I was then able to epoxy the whole thing back together, sand it all down, and it looked no different - apart from the motor mount being at the correct angle of zero degrees. I re-filleted the fins with a larger radius than before, as I wasn't happy with how they looked initially. I was very pleased with this effort, and confident to a) present this rocket to an RSO and b) fly it safely.

I also took the opportunity during this rebuild to modify the rocket to be motor-eject capable, by removing the bulkhead to which the recovery harnessing would be attached. I cut a small divot in the forward centering ring and attached a looped piece of kevlar around the motor tube before reinstalling it. This 'leash' provides the anchor point for a longer recovery harness to be attached to. I am very glad I did this, as not long after I was informed that my university club possessed a grand total of two (2) grams of black powder. Traditional dual-deploy would no longer be an option. More on that later.

To finish off the construction, I 3D printed rail guides from ABS and bolted them to the body, with a bit of JB Weld in there for good measure. I drilled pressure relief holes in the forward and aft sections of the body, and another in the avionics bay for altimeter readings. I then drilled a more smaller holes and installed screws to pin the nosecone to the forward section, and the forward section to the avionics bay. Since the flight would no longer be traditional dual-deploy, the rocket would not need to separate at these points. Finally, I gave it a purple paintjob and the name of CRUNCHWRAP 3.

At some point, Taco Bell might see these and send me a cease and desist. I am going to keep building and flying them until they do.

Recovery

With a proper dual-deploy ejection now out of the question, I turned to my backup plan. My team calls it the 'poor-man's dual deploy', even though it's arguably actually more expensive than using black powder. This involves deploying a drogue with the motor charge, then using a JollyLogic chute release device to deploy the main at whatever altitude you have chosen. There is a substantial risk of the harnessing becoming tangled using this method, but I didn't really have a choice. I used a 4.5m nylon shock cord, tied to the anchored kevlar leash. I divided the cord into thirds, tying a loop at each third. I attached the drogue to the forward-most loop, and the main to the aft loop. Both chutes were on quick links and swivels to reduce the risk of tangling as much as possible. Each of these chutes were wrapped in their own nomex protector, and then placed in the aft section of the rocket with their harness. I used a 36' (91-ish cm) main chute from Loc Precision, and a 40cm 4-gore drogue which I sewed using Scott Bryce's fantastic Spherical Parachute Pattern Generator.

Avionics

Although it ended up not being needed, I decided to send the flight computer I got hold of along for the ride. I thought it would be cool to get an altitude reading to compare with the simulated apogee. A buddy of mine in the US was getting rid of a few bits and pieces, so I bought his RRC2+ off him with the intent of flying it for my L2 attempt. First, though, it needed somewhere to live.

I found the supplied parts for the av-bay were a little lacking, so I added some modifications - the main one being drilled holes for two threaded rods to pass through. I used two for redundancy, since the idea of a single rod made me a little uneasy. I used wingnuts on these so I could fasten them nice and tight without the need for a spanner. It was also missing enough eye bolts, so I grabbed some from Bunnings.

I then designed and 3D printed a sled to fit onto the threaded rods and provide a mount for the battery and the flight computer. A very simple setup. The sled looks objectively awful since the printer was having a bit of a sook at the time, but the actual functionality was not affected and it serves its purpose just fine.

Motor

With an unbelievably limited amount of motors available in Australia at the time of writing, I had to work with what I could get hold of. I was lucky enough to snag was a CTI J-316 (pink!!) through my university team, which is a 38mm 5 grain reloadable motor with an adjustable delay of up to 17 seconds. Unfortunately, we didn't have a 5-grain case so I made do with a 6-grain case and a spacer. I only became aware of that the night before the launch, so I had to very quickly revise my recovery packing technique to account for the now limited real estate inside the body.

It provided an average thrust of roughly 316N, with a max of 450N, over a burn time of about 2.1sec, for a total impulse of roughly 650Ns. A pretty tame J motor, but still far more powerful than anything I'd ever flown before.

Simulation

After carefully weighing every single component of the rocket and entering them into OpenRocket, I simulated the flight on the motor above. The entire vehicle weighed 2.7kg, with a length of 1.41m. It was simulated to hit Mach 0.77, and fly to an apogee of 5191ft.

Theoretically, the centre of pressure and centre of gravity would be 0.86m and 1m respectively from the tip of the nose cone. This would give a stability calibre of 2.44 at Mach 0.3 - however, this rocket is quite a bit faster than that. Also, the 'rule of thumb' which says a rocket's CG should be roughly 1.5 body diameters in front of the CP is not as helpful on rockets with a length/diameter ratio of over 10, such as this one (which is 24). Here, the CG should be roughly 10% of the overall length in front of the CP, which it was, almost (9.6%). The stability calibre off the rod was predicted to be only a little over 1.5 (6%), but given that it would be going 31m/s I was confident this would be fine as long as it didn't launch into a strong wind gust. At motor burnout, stability would be up near 3.8 (15%), which I was happy with.

I set the motor delay to the full 17 seconds for the simulations, as anything shorter would have the recovery devices deployed before apogee. This would a) cut the flight short and more importantly b) place a huge amount of strain on the harnessing and chutes due to a very high deployment speed. With the full delay, deployment would be at 11.3m/s, which the harness and drogue could handle easily. Ground hit was simulated to be a brisk but not destructive 6.8m/s.

As an aside, OpenRocket includes a little disclaimer about 'jagged edge fin predictions may not be accurate'. I bore this in mind through the whole process, but based on others I'd seen fly and forum posts I'd read online, I was comfortable with what I was doing.

Flight

L2 certifications require passing a written exam with two sections - technical knowledge and the Tripoli safety code. I had already passed the exam (100%, don't mind if I do) at a previous date, so all I had to do was install my motor, altimeter, and recovery gear. I didn't even have to drill out a delay. After a quick field CG test and a visit to the RSO tent, I was ready to rack up.

A few new recruits to our team came out to the launch day, so I enjoyed an opportunity to show them how to set up for flight, install an igniter, and test for continuity.

After a small delay to clear the range and ensure the skies were clear overhead, the LCO hit the button.

The rocket flew straight and fast on a frankly gorgeous purple flame, and almost instantly got high enough that we struggled to keep a visual on it. A puff of smoke indicated the ejection charge had blown, and then I was able to see the fluoro yellow gores of the drogue as it opened. The rocket began to drift slowly as it came down, as there was a fairly stiff breeze blowing at the time. I had programmed my chute release to 500ft, and it performed as intended. The main chute deployed and thankfully none of the recovery gear got tangled. I watched it gently descend, albeit with a decent drift going on, and set itself down in a field about 800m away. After a gentle stroll (read: powerwalk to warm up, it was freezing), we arrived at the rocket. It had been dragged a little and the chute had become tangled on the ground, but all was intact. One quick pitstop at the RSO tent later, I had my L2!

Upon reflection....

Things to improve

Use a much smaller drogue. The one I flew was about twice as big as it needed to be, and it was far too windy for such a chute. I simply didn't have a smaller one, although making one would have only taken about an hour.

I didn't get any useful readings from my altimeter. I don't believe I set it up properly, so I need to make sure I learn to do that and fly it as a passenger on at least one more flight before I use it as a deployment computer. I am disappointed that I couldn't get a figure to compare with the simulation.

Use a proper stand to rest the rocket on, perfectly horizontally, during construction. This would have avoided the whole debacle of the motor mount slipping and me consequentially having to rip it apart and rebuild.

Things that went well:

Being absolutely prepared and packing my car the night before, and bringing spares of most components, made launch prep a breeze

That was the first flight of my homemade drogue, and upon inspection afterwards there was no damage. I can now be confident that others of the same design and similar construction that I have planned for bigger rockets will perform in a similar way.

The recovery technique worked as intended, with no tangling. This is probably not a viable option for rockets going any higher, but it's nice to have in the back pocket for projects of this scale if black powder and/or avionics access might be an issue

I am also extremely relieved that this certification only took me one shot, rather than the three that my L1 took. I think it reflects well on my progress.

Next:

Fly it again with proper dual deploy, if I can get my hands on some black powder

Scratch build of a rocket of similar scale

...... L3?

[smartsafetyindia]

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[snehaleenakashe-blog]

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[timevisionsme]

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[standspro1]

Fruit Logistica 2025: An exhibition for the fruit and vegetable industry

Fruit Logistica will return for its entire vegetable and fruit business in 2025. It is expected that Fruit Logistica 2025 will be held at Messe Berlin, Germany, between February 5 and 7, 2025. The event invites all businesses and brands, big and small, belonging to the vegetable and fruit family, to attend this exciting event. The most important product categories will be showcased at Fruit Logistica 2025 Berlin. The show will also provide an array of organic and fresh fruits, products, and other services offered by the top experts in this area.

Fruit Logistica 2025 in Berlin will be organized into thematic sections, which will focus on the most important topics in the industry and host several interesting events that will support the institutions’ efforts, including technological systems, equipment, and other services.

The Fruit Logistica exhibit features fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and organic foods.

Essential Things about Fruit Logistica 2025

It is expected that Fruit Logistica Berlin 2025 will include a separate department dedicated to displaying new technology, including the latest packaging and processing machinery and logistic services. International companies are part of LOGISTICA Seeds, which covers the entire green aspect, from the seed to the selling point. This makes the fair a perfect gathering place for businesses and professionals to showcase their services and products, establish business relations, and stay updated with the most recent trends in the field.

More than 3,200 businesses from around the globe are expected to attend and tour Fruit Logistica 2025. The attendees are served a range of organic products along with vegetables and fruits, such as frozen vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, nuts, herbs, and flowers.

Benefits of attending Fruit Logistica 2025:

At the Fruit Logistica 2025 Berlin, the products will be offered with more options than before. Fruit Logistica covers all aspects of fresh fruit and vegetables and information on the most recent technologies, products, and services. It’s an ideal opportunity for professionals to network, exchange ideas, and conduct business. More than 80,000 people from over 140 countries attend the fair annually.

It is essential to attend Fruit Logistica 2025 because:

Meeting and interacting with national and international business visitors from all walks of life

Fruit Logistica Berlin 2025 shows the entire chain

Establishing new business relationships and opening new doors to opportunities

Learn business strategies from over 40,000 professional visitors

If you’re planning to take part in Fruit Logistica 2025, make us your exhibitor partner to ensure the success of your event. We are an exhibition stand builder in Berlin who can help you create a fantastic display stand for Fruit Logistica 2025 Berlin. Contact us to get the best presence at the show!

Organiser: FRUIT LOGISTICA is organized by Messe Berlin GmbH, a leading event management company known for hosting major trade fairs and exhibitions in Germany.

Exhibitor Profile: FRUIT LOGISTICA attracts exhibitors from various sectors of the fresh produce industry, including:

Producers and Growers: Fruit and vegetable producers, growers, and farmers showcasing their fresh produce, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts, from around the world.

Packaging and Handling Equipment Manufacturers: Suppliers of packaging materials, machinery, equipment, and technologies for the handling, storage, and transportation of fresh produce.

Logistics and Cold Chain Providers: Logistics companies, transportation providers, cold storage facilities, and refrigeration equipment suppliers specializing in the transportation and storage of perishable goods.

Trade Associations and Exporters: National and international trade associations, government agencies, and exporters promoting their country’s fresh produce, fostering international trade partnerships and collaborations.

Technology and Innovation Solutions: Providers of technology solutions, software platforms, digital tools, and agritech innovations for the fresh produce industry, including crop monitoring, traceability, and quality control systems.

Why Attend the Show:

Global Marketplace: FRUIT LOGISTICA is the leading international trade fair for the fresh produce industry, providing a global marketplace for buyers and sellers to meet, network, and do business.

Product Showcase: Explore a diverse range of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts from around the world, gaining insights into the latest varieties, flavors, and packaging innovations.

Business Opportunities: Discover new suppliers, partners, and business opportunities, expanding your network and exploring potential collaborations and trade agreements with exhibitors and industry stakeholders.

Market Insights: Gain valuable market insights into global trends, consumer preferences, and emerging opportunities in the fresh produce market, helping businesses make informed decisions and strategic investments.

Networking and Knowledge Exchange: Connect with industry professionals, experts, and thought leaders, attending seminars, workshops, and networking events to exchange ideas, best practices, and industry insights.

Organiser Website Link for More Info: For more information about FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025, including registration details, exhibitor information, and the event program, please visit the official website: FRUIT LOGISTICA

In summary, FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025 is a must-attend event for professionals and businesses in the fresh produce industry, offering valuable networking opportunities, product showcases, business opportunities, market insights, and knowledge exchange for all attendees.