#vacuum fried technology

[dykeishheart]

Actually tbh I think I can explain why the "tumblr user base is aging" comments being consistently left so frequently on posts about mundane household chores usually made by 20somethings, and why that cognitive dissonance is happening now. Think about what one really big thing might be driving a huge wedge into the two current major generational demographics of tumblr users' worldviews on housework's relationship with aging. It's down to a combination of factors really.

Firstly, our cultural milestones around the proper age to be living independently, taking care of one's own need for food and clean stuff, and buying things have undergone massive cultural changes that our collective ideoformic culture hasn't fully wrapped its head around. People used to move out at different ages than they do now, which is primarily down to rent being exirbitantly higher now and homeownership becoming a unicorn. Self-sufficiency is largely a skill reserved for second class citizens because white America has historically offered the privilege of building servants into their models of familial units; wealthy families have servants, middle class families have mothers, poor families have children. If you're someone whose white family used to be well off enough to not rely on the work of their kids to do household chores because one parent stayed home to do that, but you now exist in a time when both parents need to work to stay even, you might be shocked to learn a teenager has a favorite burner on the stove. If you're black, this is not shocking at all because there's never been a time when that wouldn't be the case for you, because second class citizens don't typically get to benefit from good economies.

The second big contributer here is technology. Kitchens and laundry rooms have only gotten fancier and more technically capable in the last 30 years. Smart technology in appliances, sensors in microwaves and dryers, autopilot vacuum cleaners, remote starting and stopping of tech, this all represents a huge dropoff in how much skill and input various household tasks require. If you're rich. This shit is expensive and a huge majority of people will never get to use this stuff while it's new, while the people already in a position to have it have an easier and far less personal relationship with their household tasks in a way that would absolutely impact how they respond to hearing about someone having a favorite set of measuring cups. Fact is, a person who air fries all their meals, has a pre-measured laundry pod that works for all clothes regardless of color or material, can rely on their microwave to perfectly defrost everything with no experimenting, has a robot clean their floor, and has a fridge which makes a digital shopping list with a button to automatically place Walmart and Amazon orders when things get low, is living a VERY different life than a person their own age who has to do literally all of that manually with direct input that relies on knowledge of how all their appliances work and how to balance all those tasks.

When you have a website that has no monetary requirement for use beyond the pre-imposed limit of living privileged enough of a life for internet access in an english speaking country (okay that's not a requirement but we all know how white this website is, and how American it is besides), you can just end up having a lot of really popular posts about doing chores made and shared by people poor enough to have to have done chores as children, and a hell of a lot of comments from people rich enough to not have had to do chores as a child and still rich enough to have their chores done by their Amazon Smart Home, but who remember their parents talking about chores all the time and assume the post was made by a middle-aged person. It's a quirk of generational shifts in culture, lack of any significant communication between demographics within the same generation, and good ol' classism and racism.

[redstringraven]

some lil OC tidbits using a server template! i wanna start sharing and talking about them a bit more outside of my artwork just... both as a form of documentation and also because it makes me happy. c:

---*---

Cassia Dubois five random facts:

mains boo in most, if not all, mario games. if boo's not an option, she mains peach or yoshi.

a nervous laugher; will start giggling when nervous or unsure how to handle a situation. this has mixed results.

gives nicknames to basically everyone. if you're a friend in any form or fashion, you will get a few nicknames unique to you. (i.e., mikey's nicknames are 'tangerine', 'champ', and 'jell-o').

will sometimes text exclusively in emojis. leo can never decipher it, and sometimes it drives raph up a wall (she does this on purpose).

professional french fry thief.

favorite food: snickerdoodles or pretzels dipped in cool whip least favorite food: anything with the texture of cottage cheese cause of stress: having an inconsistent friend group at school; after the triceraton invasion, she worries about her dad a lot while he travels for work (he's a train conductor) a quote I associate with them: "cooler than a strawberry shake~!"

---*---

Nyxram five random facts

would not participate in the battle nexus despite that she'd most certainly win; she doesn't enjoy "combat for sport".

can fluently speak a handful of languages throughout the galaxy and can understand/read several more.

favorite third-earth instrument is the harp.

lowkey fascinated by third-earth's older technology (gramophones, steam-engine trains, etc) but unimpressed by the modern technology.

currently training traximus; she worries that, as the rebellion's leader, he'll quickly get targets on his back from other triceratons who disagree with the shift in power or from outside parties looking to further stir the current power vacuum.

favorite food: whatever the triceraton equivalent of a warm bagel with cream cheese is least favorite food: pizza (sorry, mikey); anything fried, swimming in grease, or generally unhealthy cause of stress: her past, her future, her parents a quote i associate with them: "no one will know the violence it took to become this gentle"

---*---

Gwyneth five random facts

can mimic bilelon* bugles well enough that they'll sometimes call back to her.

on third-earth she leans into she/her pronouns for simplicity's sake but is genderqueer given liáfsini's approach of the subject, as well as the galaxy's lack of a binary.

is the 'younger twin' and, therefore, considered the parasitic spirit. she was consistently shunned by other liáfsians and forbidden to participate in ceremonies or druidic practices.

arguably a better climber than the boys due to a childhood spent in the woods and exploring old liáfsian ruins. could parkour the city in her sleep.

enjoys sketching and gardening but rarely gets to indulge in either due to consistently being on guard/on the run. her art-style is more realism leaning, and the lines weave into each other as though she never lifts the pencil from paper.

favorite food: liáfsian equivalent of barmbrack least favorite food: isn't picky; food is food as long as it won't kill her cause of stress: darach; a loss of her own identity due to survival; her unshaken determination to get ash back in a body a quote i associate with them: "the woods are lovely, dark and deep. but i have promises to keep, and miles to go before i sleep, and miles to go before i sleep."

---*---

Aislinn five random facts

will rarely reveal she's sentient before she or gwyn deem someone trustworthy; often plays 'inanimate' and is always listening and watching; it's made her a bit of a gossip.

loves watching soap operas with master splinter and discussing the episodes with him afterward.

is the 'older twin' and, therefore, considered the original spirit. despite still being viewed as an ill-omen, she was not shunned as severely as gwyn. though sometimes invited to ceremonies or allowed access to other community practices, ash refused to participate if gwyn couldn't.

on third-earth, she leans more into she/her pronouns for simplicity's sake along with gwyn but does also seem to prefer femme-leaning gender identities galaxy-wide; more of a demi-girl.

both ash and gwyn can perform a liáfsian take on kulning, which they used not only to call to the bilelon and sithóran**, but also to locate each other while exploring the woods as kids; ash's is much more in line with traditional kulning, which is to say it's higher in pitch and is more melodic. gwyn's is lower in pitch and a bit more melancholic/haunting. in the extremely rare situation gwyn and ash get separated in present time, ash will kuln as a way to signal to gwyn without fully giving away her sentience or presence in the weapon.

favorite food: liáfsian equivalent of barmbrack least favorite food: doesn't remember cause of stress: darach; being physically dead; consistently worried about gwyn's mental and physical well-being a quote i associate with them: "i was with you before we were even born."

---*---

*bilelon are a sacred fae-fauna in liáfsini; they vaguely resemble elk **sithóran are fauna in liáfsini; they vaguely resemble maned wolves

[valenshawke]

Weekly Writing Report - May 26, 2023

Okay, so I missed last week entirely. 

Work’s been… hectic and draining thanks to the quinquennial. Last week, I was just completely fried by Friday thanks to work thanks, again, to the quinquennial. So progress? What’s that?

But I’ve had two weeks to think about something I mentioned.

In between the Prozac and Venlafaxine, I started asking questions about things I did or happened in my life. And that, perhaps, things that happened when I was 16 were actually deeply fucked up and that I shouldn’t have ever been in that situation. But I wasn’t the adult in that situation so… 

But those are the types of introspective roads I’ve been going through the last almost two months. 

And one is, “What kind of story do I want to tell?”

The nice thing about fanfiction is it’s pretty easy to answer that question. I don’t really have to spend any time thinking about it. My fics tend to focus on grief and growth, and how to learn to live with it.

But nothing exists in a vacuum and, no doubt, if I spent enough time analyzing my own fics I could probably figure out what cultural templates I’m drawing from and being influenced by as I write. 

But I tend not to have an agenda other than Clare x Jean in my canon. 

With the Transhumanism story, because I try to put myself square into the field of science-fiction, I do have an agenda. It’s possible to write science-fiction without an agenda. I just don’t think I’m capable of that.

But then, what is my agenda? What is my point?

And I’m faced with the issue I have faced since grad school. If it isn’t clear by now, I tend to fall into the Marxist-Leninist ideology broadly. And where the theory of communism is great in diagnosing the problems of capitalism and the contradictions within the system, it completely fails in defining any sort of solution in any specific sense, nevermind that the process of capitalism society to social vanguard state to the state “withering away” and we achieve true communism is… uh… yeah. 

And this has always put me at odds with my friends who are within the same general umbrella, though one will specify he examines things through class analysis as opposed to calling himself a Marxist-Leninist and the other is a straight-up Stalinist tankie.

And my students would usually end up shocked that after we’d have a discussion on communism theory that I’d then go off 50 minutes (length of section) about every which way the “revolution” has failed and how the US won the Cold War by being aided by the fact China and the USSR were basically in their own little Cold War throughout much of the 1960s (this is how Nixon was able to go to China). 

We’d leave them a little hope, though. The instructor would usually screen the documentary, The Take, which is about the recovered-factories movement in Argentina. To this day, I’m still surprised the movement is still around. 

But is hope something I really want to portray?

And this leaves me wondering what kind of story I really want to tell. Now, the answer to that is your story does not have to be a true and accurate reflection of what you actually believe. That’s a bit harder in science fiction, I feel, because science fiction has generally been the domain of what we fear in society now. 

And while I can get to the end point, I think of the transhumanism pitch. How I end it… if I end it with the absolute end of humanity, that reflects my general belief that we’re too far gone in Western society to actually make any meaningful change that will lead to the survival of it and that any attempt otherwise will reproduce the same thing. If I end it with a technological reset and send society back into the stone age, I think development would follow much the same way and we’d be in the same exact position as we are now. 

I think I understand now why so many authors tend to have meso-level solutions to their stories, which used to annoy me. “We can’t save the world and we’re not trying to. We’re just trying to save ourselves. We did it and we’re outta here.” And while some authors can absolutely do that well, I don’t think I can nor do I want to. But then what is my grand solution? If I leave it on some hope that there even is some kind of grand solution.

And I’m certainly not saying there’s any kind of hope of a utopian future. That’s just a bullshit narrative. Every form of society will have issues, contradictions, and dysfunctions. You just got to figure out what ones you’re willing to live and deal with. 

“Oh, but you’re just a prophet of disaster who says this ship is lost…” 

Maybe, but even when my teaching mentor emails me and says, “You might have been more right than I ever really wanted to believe,” you know shit’s fucked.  

“Only you can tell your story,” as Seanan says.

But what kind of story do I want to tell? Perhaps, I should just focus on what story will actually fucking sell versus my belief that we’re doomed as a species. 

But here’s the thing: It’s easy to interpret this as life is meaningless. And I believe there is no inherent meaning to life and existence. But not in the edge-lord way of “life is meaningless.” Sure, life is meaningless. Create your own damn meaning. 

The Vampire Story is, very oddly, hopeful. I know the ending and I ended it on a hopeful note that we can evolve to something better. I’m not sure I really believe that anymore either. But I was 16 when I put the initial ideas down and I’ve changed so much of the story since then. 

I think this is why I liked Frank Herbert so much. He did give us a grand solution in the Dune Chronicles. Do I agree with all his philosophy? No. But I can appreciate that he had a point (several) and went with it. 

So, this rambling mess has been on my mind the last two weeks as I watch the world burn around me. 

I have a three-day weekend coming up so I’m hoping I can workup enough mental energy to actually write and continue on with these YouTube videos as I try to learn something new. 

So ends this week’s report.

[budgetfloors1]

Carpets Frankston: Enhance Your Space with Style and Comfort

When it comes to transforming the look and feel of your home or office, carpets play a key role. If you're looking for quality carpets in Frankston, you'll find a range of options that cater to various styles, needs, and budgets. Carpeting not only adds warmth and comfort to your space, but it also elevates the aesthetic appeal of any room.

Why Choose Carpets in Frankston?

Frankston, a bustling suburb on the Mornington Peninsula, has a diverse selection of carpet retailers that offer products to suit modern and traditional interiors. Whether you're renovating a bedroom, living room, or office, finding the perfect carpets Frankston is easy with so many designs, colors, and textures available.

Comfort and Warmth

One of the primary reasons homeowners choose carpets is for the comfort they provide. Carpets are soft underfoot, making them an excellent choice for bedrooms and living areas. In the colder months, they help retain heat, keeping your space cozy and warm. This is particularly valuable in Frankston, where the weather can be cool during winter.

Variety of Styles

From plush, luxurious carpets to durable, low-pile options, the carpets in Frankston cater to all design preferences. If you're looking for something more modern, you can opt for sleek, neutral tones that create a minimalist vibe. Alternatively, patterned carpets can add a bold, artistic touch to any room. No matter your style, there's a carpet that will match your interior vision.

Durability

Durability is an important factor when selecting carpets, especially in high-traffic areas such as hallways or living rooms. Fortunately, many carpets in Frankston are designed to withstand daily wear and tear. Modern materials like nylon and polyester offer stain resistance, making them ideal for homes with children or pets. Wool, a premium option, is naturally durable and provides excellent insulation.

Easy Maintenance

Maintaining carpets has never been easier, thanks to advancements in carpet technology. Stain-resistant carpets are now widely available, ensuring that spills and accidents can be cleaned up quickly without lasting damage. Regular vacuuming and occasional deep cleaning will keep your carpet looking fresh and vibrant for years to come.

Sound Insulation

If you're looking to reduce noise in your home or office, carpets are a great solution. They absorb sound, making them ideal for multi-story homes or apartments where noise control is a concern. This added layer of insulation can create a quieter, more peaceful environment.

Where to Find Quality Carpets in Frankston

Frankston is home to several carpet retailers offering a wide range of options. From specialized carpet stores to larger home improvement retailers, you'll have no trouble finding high-quality carpets in Frankston that meet your needs. Many stores offer expert advice, helping you select the best carpet for your specific space and lifestyle.

Conclusion

Choosing the right carpets in Frankston can make a significant difference in the comfort, style, and functionality of your home or office. With a variety of options in terms of materials, designs, and durability, you're sure to find the perfect carpet to suit your space. Whether you're aiming for cozy warmth or a modern aesthetic, carpets offer a versatile and timeless flooring solution for any room.

For More Info-

Contact: 03 9099 0599

Email: info@budgetfloors.com.au

Time: Mon-Fri(10AM-5PM)

Visit - https://budgetfloors.com.au/

[ricenoodlemachine]

NON-FRIED INSTANT NOODLE PRODUCTION LINE

Using vacuum mix technology, mixing in a vacuum negative pressure state, wheat flour protein fully absorbs water in the shortest time, and the water added amount to the dough reaches up to 35%. The laser rangefinder automatically detects the tension of the noodle belt between each set of rollers, and the PLC controls the running speed of each set of rollers to ensure that the noodle belt runs continuously and evenly. Patented noodle portioning device, continuous noodle belt cooking, Teflon steaming conveyor belt. Patented multi-layer multi-temperature zone pre-dryer unique multi-layer orifice air supply technology, uniform heat automatic control of temperature and humidity.

[sources-across]

Upgrade Your Home with the Latest Smart Devices

In the fast-paced world we live in, convenience is key. With technology evolving at lightning speed, it's time to upgrade your home with the latest smart devices that promise to simplify your life. From securing your home to cooking gourmet meals with ease, these gadgets have got you covered. Let's dive into the wonders of the Kwikset Smart Lock, PowerXL Air Fryer, Shark Robot Vacuum, and Ninja Coffee Maker.

First up, let's talk security. The Kwikset Smart Lock revolutionizes the way you secure your home. Say goodbye to fumbling with keys and worrying about lost or stolen copies. With its advanced technology, you can lock and unlock your door with just a tap on your smartphone. Forgot to lock the door on your way out? No problem, simply check the status on your phone and secure your home with ease. With its sleek design and state-of-the-art features, the Kwikset Smart Lock offers peace of mind and convenience like never before.

Now, let's move to the kitchen, where the PowerXL Air Fryer takes center stage. Tired of unhealthy fried foods that leave you feeling guilty? Say hello to guilt-free indulgence with the PowerXL Air Fryer. Using innovative rapid air technology, this kitchen marvel fries your favorite foods with little to no oil, resulting in crispy goodness without the added calories. Whether you're craving french fries, chicken wings, or even desserts, the PowerXL Air Fryer delivers delicious results every time. Plus, its spacious basket allows you to cook for the whole family without any hassle. Upgrade your cooking game and enjoy healthier meals with the PowerXL Air Fryer.

Now, let's turn our attention to household chores with the Shark Robot Vacuum. Gone are the days of lugging around a heavy vacuum cleaner and spending hours cleaning your floors. With the Shark Robot Vacuum, cleaning has never been easier. Simply press a button or schedule cleaning sessions from your smartphone, and let this intelligent vacuum do the work for you. Equipped with advanced sensors and navigation technology, it effortlessly navigates through your home, picking up dirt, dust, and pet hair along the way. With its powerful suction and long battery life, the Shark Robot Vacuum ensures that your floors are spotless, so you can spend more time doing what you love.

Last but not least, let's talk about everyone's favorite beverage with the Ninja Coffee Maker. Say goodbye to expensive coffee runs and hello to barista-quality coffee at home. Whether you prefer a classic brew, a rich espresso, or a creamy latte, the Ninja Coffee Maker has you covered. With its multiple brewing options and customizable settings, you can create your perfect cup of coffee with just the touch of a button. Plus, its built-in frother allows you to indulge in specialty drinks like never before. Wake up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and start your day on the right note with the Ninja Coffee Maker.

In conclusion, upgrading your home with smart devices like the Kwikset Smart Lock, PowerXL Air Fryer, Shark Robot Vacuum, and Ninja Coffee Maker is a game-changer. From enhancing security to simplifying household chores and elevating your culinary skills, these gadgets offer convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind. So why wait? Transform your home into a smart haven today and experience the future of living.

[thxnews]

Delving Deep into Wigan's Esteemed Chip Culture

In the heart of Greater Manchester lies Wigan, a town that's not just steeped in history but also in a rich, culinary tradition that has become a cornerstone of its identity: the venerable chip culture. As a 57-year-old British male with a penchant for exploring the nuances of our nation's gastronomic delights, I find Wigan's chip culture particularly fascinating, not just for its flavors but for what it represents in the broader tapestry of British culinary heritage.  

Mad Dogs Pub Fish 'n' Chips. Photo by H. Michael Karshis. Flickr.  

The Roots of Wigan's Chip Affection

A Historical Perspective The genesis of Wigan's love affair with chips is as hearty as the dish itself. Moreover, it dates back to the early 19th century, rooted in the town's coal mining legacy. The hardy coal miners of yore would carry these fried potato pieces as a vital source of sustenance into the mines. This practical meal has since evolved into a symbol of local pride and communal identity. It's a testament to how the simplest foods can often carry the weightiest significance in our social fabric.   A Unique Serving Tradition What sets Wigan apart isn't just its dedication to preserving this tradition but the distinctive way the chips are served - generously smothered in gravy or mushy peas. It's a ritual that transforms the humble potato into a dish that's both comforting and emblematic of the town's culinary ethos.  

Mr. Chips. Photo by Gerald England. Geograph.  

The Evolution of Chip Making

From Tradition to Innovation The art of chip making has its roots in ancient civilizations, with the Incas and Aztecs pioneering early versions of this snack. However, the modern chip as we know it today underwent a significant transformation in the United States before making its way back across the Atlantic. This journey underscores the global influences that have shaped our local food traditions.   Embracing New Techniques Today, chip making is an amalgamation of tradition and innovation. Health-conscious trends have ushered in methods like air frying and vacuum frying, allowing for chips that are not only tasty but also more nutritious. The incorporation of diverse ingredients such as quinoa and lentils speaks to a willingness to adapt and evolve while maintaining the essence of what makes chips so beloved.  

Field of Wigan potatoes that are ready to harvest. Photo by J Thomas. Wikimedia.  

Sustainability in Chip Production

In an era where environmental consciousness is paramount, the chip industry, including those in Wigan, is not immune to the call for more sustainable practices. This shift towards eco-friendly production methods is not just a nod to global trends but a necessary step in ensuring that this culinary tradition can continue for generations to come without compromising our planet.  

A Taste of Wigan: A Personal Anecdote

I recall a visit to Wigan some years ago, where I had the pleasure of sampling these famed chips, doused in a rich, savory gravy that was nothing short of divine. It was a reminder of the simple pleasures in life and how food, especially dishes as humble as chips, can evoke a sense of place and belonging. It was a dish that, in its simplicity, encapsulated the warmth and resilience of the town and its people.  

Traditional Fish and Chips in King Street West, Wigan. Photo by Gene Hunt. Flickr.  

Why Wigan's Chips Matter

Wigan's chips are more than just a local delicacy; they are a cultural artifact that embodies the town's history, its struggles, and its victories. They represent a culinary tradition that has withstood the test of time, adapting to changing tastes and technologies without losing its essence. Whether you're a devotee of the classic salt and vinegar or you're inclined towards the adventurous curry sauce, Wigan's chips offer a taste of tradition and innovation in every bite.  

A Call to Culinary Exploration

Wigan's journey from a mining town to a bastion of chip culture is a narrative that invites reflection on the broader themes of tradition, innovation, and sustainability in our culinary practices. Additionally, as we look to the future, let us not forget the lessons embedded in these simple, fried potatoes: that food is a reflection of our collective history, a source of communal pride, and a canvas for innovation. Furthermore, it prompts us to consider the interplay between cultural heritage and culinary evolution. So, I extend an invitation to you, dear reader, to explore the rich tapestry of British culinary traditions, starting with a visit to Wigan. There, amidst the clatter of chip shops, you'll find a dish that's as much a part of Britain's cultural heritage as it is a testament to the enduring spirit of its people.   Sources: THX News & Olive Magazine. Read the full article

[antonio-velardo]

Antonio Velardo shares: The Power Vacuum at the Top of the Crypto Industry by David Yaffe-Bellany

By David Yaffe-Bellany A year ago, Sam Bankman-Fried and Changpeng Zhao ran two of the largest crypto companies. As they grapple with legal woes, others are jockeying to lead the industry’s next chapter. Published: December 11, 2023 at 05:01AM from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/73pTZrG via IFTTT

[xtruss]

One Man’s Quest to Revive the Great American Vacuum Tube

The prized retro audio components are mostly manufactured in Russia and China. Now, a small Georgia company is rebooting US production.

— Wired | March 28th, 2023 | Roy Furchgott

Courtesy Of Western Electric

ROSSVILLE, GEORGIA, ON the border with Tennessee, doesn’t look like a tech town. It’s the kind of place where homey restaurants promising succulent fried chicken and sweet tea are tucked among shuttered businesses and prosperous liquor stores. The cost of living is moderate, crime is high, politics are red, and the population has withered to 3,980.

But in the view of entrepreneur Charles Whitener, Rossville is the perfect place to stage a revival in US technology and manufacturing—albeit with a device that was cutting edge when the Ford Model A ruled the roads.

Whitener owns Western Electric, the last US manufacturer of vacuum tubes, those glass and metal bulbs that controlled current in electric circuits before the advent of the transistor made them largely obsolete. Tubes are still prized for high-end hi-fi equipment and by music gear companies such as Fender for their distinctive sound. But most of the world’s supply comes from manufacturers in Russia and China, which after the transistor era began in earnest in the 1960s helped sunset the US vacuum tube industry by driving down prices.

Whitener, a 69-year-old self-described inventor, vintage hi-fi collector, and Led Zeppelin fanatic, bought and revived AT&T’s shuttered vacuum tube business in 1995. The business has ticked along in the era of cheap overseas tubes primarily by serving the small market for vacuum tubes in premium hi-fi equipment with a model called the 300B, originally designed in 1938 to enable transoceanic phone calls.

Inspecting newly sealed vacuum tubes. Courtesy Of Western Electric

But recently US trade restrictions on Russia and China, over the former’s renewed invasion of Ukraine and the latter’s ideological disputes with Washington, have sent vacuum tube prices soaring. At one point in 2022, tubes that typically retailed for $10 were offered at prices over $100, says Daniel Liston Keller, who does public relations for recording industry clients. Although shipments of Russian tubes have resumed, prices remain high and the quality of overseas tubes has always been unreliable. “You have to buy 100 tubes to get 30 you like,” says Justin Norvell, an executive vice president at Fender. An affordable tube for a guitar preamp is now roughly $30, meaning the company can spend about $90 to get one tube that meets its standards.

Whitener has seized on the current moment of high prices as a chance to reinvigorate his company, the US tube industry, and even the idea of what a vacuum tube can be. Western Electric is currently working on a modernized tube design, an iteration of the all-but-obsolete technology fit for the 21st century. It’s an improved version of a tube called the 12AX7, which is common in guitar preamps and other music gear—a market Whitener estimates is more than 10 times the size of the premium hi-fi business and is today served almost wholly by overseas suppliers. The recently high prices create economic cover, he calculates, to make a better version in Rossville that can be more reliable, durable, and economical than existing designs, turning the US into a powerhouse of vacuum tube technology again.

Assembling vacuum tubes by hand in Western Electric’s factory in Rossville, Georgia. Courtesy Of Western Electric

That makes Western Electric an oddball member of the swelling movement to bring technology manufacturing back to the US, assuring the supply of crucial products, such as computer chips and electric vehicle batteries, that are generally sourced overseas. The company is in the process of restructuring its factory floor with a combination of vintage and new machinery to turn out the modernized tubes, at the volumes Fender and other music companies need.

Whitener is a perfectionist. He aims to launch the 12AX7 this summer, but previous debuts have slipped. His factory is poised to make America the dominate source for audio vacuum tubes, improving the fortunes of Rossville, audiophiles, guitar heroes, domestic manufacturing, and Whitener himself—if he can just get the damn things out the door. “This landscape for the Russian tubes could change tomorrow,” he concedes. “It’s a Walmart world, and that’s a risk.”

How Hard Can It Be?

From the 1920s through the 1950s, the American vacuum tube industry thrived. RCA, General Electric, Raytheon, and other manufacturers competed to invent and manufacture more reliable tubes, which were needed to regulate current and boost the faint signals from analog microphones and instruments enough to drive speakers. But the arrival of transistors, then circuit boards, made tubes obsolete for most uses. American manufacturers couldn’t match prices from overseas. Factories closed. Engineers moved on.

Many musicians and audio obsessives stayed loyal to the tube but increasingly got them from outside the US. Russia and China became the leading suppliers, with companies such as Shuguang Electron Group cranking out tube designs established between the 1930s and 1950s, such as the 6L6 and EL34.

By the time Charles Whitener took a career break in 1990, the US did not make any consumer audio tubes. He thought about changing that after noticing a steady stream of ads in hi-fi magazines offering Western Electric 300Bs, a design from 1938 that was popular with audio enthusiasts. Whitener was looking for a new venture after using his experience in his father’s yarn factory to invent a quality control system for the fiber optics industry that he then sold. “I thought, how hard can it be to make these tubes?,” he says. “People are willing to pay $1200 to $1500 a pop for them.”

Predictably, it was harder than Whitener thought. It took him two years to persuade AT&T, which hadn’t made a tube since 1988 but still owned Western Electric, to license the brand and sell him its tube-manufacturing equipment. He set up shop in Western Electric’s former tube factory in Kansas City, Missouri, where the mothballed machines were stored.

After a fortuitous meeting with retired AT&T employees on a visit to Bell Labs, Whitener combed the northeast tracking down veterans of the storied facility, Sylvania, and RCA who knew the arcana of tube-making. When his factory started production of 300Bs in 1996, almost all of his 20 or so employees were tube-manufacturing veterans.

Western Electric was up and running again, but in 2003 AT&T sold the building. Whitener moved the company to Huntsville, Alabama, a NASA stronghold with skilled workers that was convenient for his tube contracts with the Department of Defense. In 2008, he moved the company to Rossville, Georgia. It was there that he began modernizing vacuum tube designs that are more than 70 years old.

Whitener’s team devised a way to apply an atom-thick layer of graphene to a vacuum tube’s anode to extend its lifespan by improving heat dissipation and reducing contaminating gases. Those enhanced tubes hit the market in 2020. Quality control—Whitener’s former field—became more automated, and he claims more than 90 percent of tubes now pass inspection off the line.

Western Electric sells pairs of 300Bs in a cherry wood presentation box with a certificate charting their performance characteristics and a generous five-year warranty—yours for $1,500. Copycat sets of 300Bs, offered at the same price, are sold with a 30-day warranty. Most tubes have a warranty of just 90 days.

Whitener has spent more than a decade preparing for Western Electric’s next act. In 2006, he won an auction for machinery and tooling needed to make 12AX7 tubes; the pieces had started life in Blackburn, England, but were then in Serbia. It took five years of legal battles with a competing bidder before the intervention of then-Tennessee senator Bob Corker and the US Embassy, Whitener says, gave him possession. (Corker, reached via a staffer, did not dispute Whitener’s characterization.)

Today that equipment is being installed on Whitener’s factory floor, along with additional machines shipped over from Slovakia in 2007. New machines that will automate processes like the hand-bending of wires needed to make 12AX7 tubes are being peppered in. All the while, Western Electric continues to produce 300Bs. Depending on the day of the week, the space may clickety-clack to the sound of a lathe winding molybdenum wire around side rods, or the ragged hiss of gas flames heating and sealing glass bulbs.

Very Pleasant Distortion

The promise of better sound is, like most things among high-fidelity fanatics, subject to vicious debate. Some hear vast differences between brands of tube, or even individual tubes of the same make and model. Others will tell you each tube is indistinguishable from the next. Most agree that tubes in general have a sound that transistors, circuit boards, and algorithms can only approximate, one often described as warm, rich, or even romantic.

“Tubes just distort things in a very pleasant way,” said Daniel Schlett, a sound engineer whose Brooklyn studio, Strange Weather, is known for the analog punch it gets from tube-powered mics, amps, consoles, and equalizers. Artists who have sought Schlett’s hallmark sound are as diverse as Ghostface Killah, Booker T. (of MGs fame), and The War on Drugs. “Tubes are part of the equation,” Schlett says. “It’s big and amplified, and it has the voodoo on it.”

A delicate 15-inch ribbon of nickel makes up the filament at the heart of Western Electric's current model, the 300B. Courtesy Of Western Electric

But voodoo is exactly the problem, say tube skeptics like Glenn Fricker, an engineer of 25 years who specializes in metal bands at Spectre Sound Studio in Ontario, Canada. He sometimes uses a 1966 amp with its original tubes, but he doubts expensive replacement tubes would improve the sound.

“As a kid we are led to believe there is some dark art in tubes which will inherently change the sound of your amp,” Fricker says. But when he devised an experiment using sound canceling to reveal the audible differences between tubes, all he uncovered was “a little clicking sound”—they were otherwise identical. He advises guitar slingers to skip the $1,300 vintage Telefunken “Diamond Bottom” 12AX7 online at Tube Depot for the $20 JJ brand from Slovakia. While Fricker is rooting for Western Electric, he says, “Are they going to sound any better than your dear, cheap JJs? No.”

Price spikes during the recent great tube panic suggest plenty of people still believe in the voodoo. That presents Whitener with an immense opportunity. He says he aims to launch Western Electric’s 12AX7, America’s first new tube in decades, this summer. After that he plans to add a string of additional models, versions of the 6L6, EL34, EL84 12 AT7, and 6V6 tubes—a lineup he calculates makes up almost 80 percent of the relevant music equipment, such as guitar and studio amps. If all goes to plan, the US could once again dominate vacuum tube manufacturing.

Whitener concedes that he’s taking a big risk. Russia looks determined to keep attacking Ukraine, keeping trade embargoes in place, and China-US relations remain tense. But the geopolitics of vacuum tubes could shift again. It’s unclear how loyal people might be to his US-made tubes.

Whitener hopes that even if international supply prices drop, customers will stick with Western Electric after having gotten a taste of the reliably durable tubes. “They are looking for a stable product they can count on,” he says. Schlett, the sound engineer, is hoping Whitener can deliver. “My advice is please, quality control, please, please, please,” he said. “I don’t want to throw out 70 percent of the $180 tubes I buy. That’s not OK.”

[insperonjournal]

New Food Technology Trends In 2022.

Undoubtedly, technology has made a huge impact in recent years. As a result, many industries have gone through tremendous growth. The food industry is one of the industries that has embraced the technological revolution. Moreover, the post-pandemic era resulted in innovative food tech trends.

If you want to know more about new technology in food production, Insperon Journal is the right place for you. We bring to you the latest tech news. One of our website sections are dedicated to food tech updates.

What are some popular food tech trends in 2022?

2022 has seen the continued transformation in the food tech industry that has only picked up since the pandemic hit. This includes things ranging from nutrition plans to the use of robotics in the food industry. Let’s know about some of the popular food tech trends in 2022.

Customized Nutrition Plans

Post-pandemic era has made people more aware of the importance of health and nutrition. As a result, people are more drawn toward healthcare plans. Subsequently, e-commerce food firms have recognized consumers' needs. This has led to more customized plans. people are more prone to search for a food tech app that assists them with customized nutrition plans.

Vacuum Frying

In addition to rising customized nutrition plans, the vacuum frying food production tech is rising. This is because this process doesn't involve unhealthy oil absorption. It offers a healthier option when compared to regular frying. The frying temperature is lower resulting in lesser absorption of oil. Moreover, vacuum-fried foods have lesser fat than regular fried foods. In addition to that, the process also helps in the retention of flavor and nutritional content of food.

Digitization Of Restaurants

It is no doubt that the pandemic has made huge shifts in the food industry. As a result, restaurants were inculcating digitization in keeping customer safety in mind. Moreover, this process continues on a larger scale because it comes with benefits. Digital menus, cashless payments, and self-service methods are some of the benefits that come with digitization. On the other hand, for food businesses, this works in favor in terms of efficiency and data-driven operations.

Robotics

Some restaurants around the world are incorporating robotics into their food chains. To clarify, they are deploying hospitality robots, robot chefs, and robot services. Moreover, this improves customer service and also safety. Additionally, they claim efficiency and better food quality control. Therefore, food robotics is something to look forward to in the years to come.

3-D Food Printing

3-D printed food is food prepared using an automated additive process. However, its applications, for now, are limited to the intricacies involved in food. For example, edible food designs. This is one of the solutions that decrease food production costs. Additionally, it also reduces food wastage. This is because they use food waste to print edible food.

In conclusion, food tech is blooming and will continue to do so in the future as well. The food processing industry will cross 535 billion USD by 2025 according to industry predictions. This progress has a lot to do with food tech bringing about tremendous changes. It can also be attributed to consumers choosing quality and healthier alternatives over unhealthier ones.  Most of the trends such as vacuum drying, 3-D printing, and personlized nutrition plans prove just that.

If you are a food start-up firm, the food tech update newsletter is a great way to catch up on the ins and outs of food tech. Want to get the latest tech updates? Insperon Journal is a one-stop website for all your tech update needs.

[fruittreat]

Your Favourite Fruits are Now Vacuum Fried Chips

We all love fruits. Jackfruits take over in summers. Chikoo fruits are loved for their sweetness and softness. You can find papayas in the kitchen throughout the year. But for a change, what if you were given a crispy snack made from these fruits? Yes.

The following blog speaks of vacuum fried fruit snacks that can change the way you look at your favourite fruit. Read on to find out about how Fruit Treat is taking Jackfruit, Banana, Chikoo, Papaya and other naturally available fruits and vegetables and making them into crunchy and differently delicious crisps.

The Idea of the Fruity and Natural Snack

We have had potato chips and other baked snacks made of corn, wheat flour, rice flour etc. in the past. Sure, most of these snacks available in the market are tasty while only few may meet the quality standards and even fewer are healthy. The idea to make snacks out of the already delicious fruits is not new. Such snacks have been prepared in villages of Western Ghats for a few decades. The snacks made an amazing combo with the hot and flavourful coffee during the cold evenings. While the jackfruits grew only during summers, the Jackfruit chips lasted throughout the rainy and winter seasons.

Fruit Treat, a product of Karanth’s Foods Pvt. Ltd. wanted to introduce India to these snacks. They wanted to make these natural snacks healthier. Thus the idea of selling vacuum fried fruit snacks online.

Fruit Treat Snacks – What You Can Expect?

Fruit Treat has chosen a few delightful fruits and vegetables out of which it makes crispy, flavourful and healthy snacks. If your love is for Jackfruit then you may choose Jackfruit Treat, where you taste slices of raw Jackfruit that are fried with added salt, pepper powder or chilly powder. No sugar and no other preservative is added to these snacks.

Similarly, there is Chikoo Treat, where you get Chikoo chips for people who love to have the sweet and delicious fruit and there are banana chips which are distinctive from the yellow Nendran banana chips.

You can also try the fried okra which is spicy, yummy and crispy or the Papaya Treat which is packed with nutrients. Each snack from Fruit Treat has its own nutritional benefits.

The Making and the Delivery of Natural Fruit Chips

Fruit Treat snacks are made of fruits and vegetables that are naturally grown around the small town of the Western Ghats, Sringeri. The place is a tropical rain forest has fertile lands and the fruits, therefore, are rich in nutrition. The chips are cooked in the vacuum frying machine. Here the fruit gets fried at lower temperature and under near-vacuum conditions. In such conditions, the fruit or the vegetable retains its flavours and the nutrients better and becomes crispier as compared to the conventional frying technique. Once the chips are ready they are packed in attractive packages where you can find the details of the ingredients and nutritional value of the snack.

The best part of Fruit Treat is that you can now sit back at home and order vacuum fried fruit chips online. The snacks are delivered to your doorstep. Fruit Treat can, therefore, become your favourite snack destination where you can now log in and buy healthy snacks in Bangalore.

[poetry-protest-pornography]

Dancing In The Dark

Some WinterIron fluff

***

I have a lot of feelings about Tony Stark and the dark, and this almost got long and angsty with throwbacks to Pepper and Rhodey memories, but I was able to avoid that to keep it fluffy! Enjoy!

On ao3 here

***

It's not that Tony is afraid of the dark, per se, it's just that ever since the cave in Afghanistan, and the endless vacuum of space, the dark is… more like a reminder of all the ways he's helpless. More like a suffocating weight pressing in from all sides. More like a voice whispering in his ear "You'll never be able to save them all".

Now, without the arc reactor and it's ever present glow to take the edge off of the worst of the darkness, Tony has surrounded himself with backup lights upon backup lights– all powered by arc reactors, all over the Tower. He can't be caught in the dark anywhere in his home.

Only right now, he's not at home. 

He's in a newly acquired safe house that he hasn't had a chance to fit with the same amenities, and the power has gone out. It's overcast and the moon is barely a crescent anyway, so there's no natural light leaking in – if it could even get through the heavily shrouded windows.

There's a low humming in his ears, and he can feel himself starting to panic, but then there's a warm hand curling around his elbow, and a warm familiar voice saying his name, calling him back from the edge. He tears his eyes away from the barely visible outlines of the room to where James stands in front of him, his shape just discernable but still grounding.

"Hey, since a movie date's not in the cards, you wanna go dancing instead," he asks easily, like they really were rescheduling a planned outing instead of waiting out the next stage of a mission in an unfamiliar safe house, in the middle of an unexpected blackout.

"Dancing?" Tony asks, his voice a little tighter than he'd like, but before he can argue about the lack of music, James is sliding his metal arm around his waist to settle at the small of his back and threading their fingers together with the other hand.

"Mhmm," James hums, starting a gentle sway that Tony falls into easily, dropping his head on James' shoulder and breathing out a sigh, feeling his whole body relax as he lets his eyes close and melts into the firm, gentle hold James has on him. "I know you don't mind my singing voice, and I sure would enjoy if you wanted to supply the music, but if you don't mind waitin' here a minute – and you promise not to make fun of me – I got one a' those mp3 things in my bag."

Tony jerks back, an incredulous look on his face, momentarily forgetting that they can't really see each other, but James knows him well enough to know it's there, because he chuckles before Tony even says "An mp3 player? Seriously? I give you the most advanced smartphone on the planet, and you still have an mp3 player? At least tell me it's Stark tech; where did you even find one?"

James is still laughing, still leading them in a not quite dance when he answers. "Of course it's yours, still working ain't it? And when you gave me that list of music I just had to know, Clint countered with his own list, then the Spider kid had opinions, and Friday and Rhodey all put up their own must know lists, an' I needed somewhere to put them all. And I wanted something that was just for all the music. So Fri helped me find one in a drawer in the lab, and put everyone's favorites, and some of mine on there, and I got in the habit of bringing it with me."

Tony is overcome with fondness, and takes his hand from where it rests on James' hip to cradle his face, his thumb tracing along his cheek, stubble scraping pleasingly against his thumb. "You're adorable," he says simply; stating a fact steeped heavily in affection.

James hums in acknowledgement, and tugs Tony close again. "So, what's the verdict, are we serenading each other, or do I get my adorably outdated technology so we have some tunes?" James mentally tacks on and some light, but doesn't want to voice it, since Tony is calm at the moment.

"You can get your mp3 player," Tony says, and James can hear his disbelieving expression clearly, "But in a minute," he adds before James can pull away, tucking himself against James' chest and nuzzling his nose against James' jaw lightly. "In just a minute."

James wraps his arms around Tony snugly, and presses a kiss against the top of his head. "Sure, sweetheart; in a minute," he repeats back, starting to hum a nameless tune, adjusting their still clasped hands closer to their bodies, and adding an easy shuffle-step to their dance. Tony snorts lightly against his shoulder, and easily picks up the new move.

They dance together, in the dark of their safe house, for a long while. 

[hankwritten]

Immaterial Witness

Demoman/Soldier, 5k

Request for r2mich2, Ghosthunting

Demo was less than thrilled about being selected for mandatory company ghost-busting work. His enthusiasm dropped even lower when he saw who’d be accompanying him.

“You!” he exclaimed.

“You!” Soldier replied. “Except with a different inflection! To indicate I am also not happy to see you!”

“Bloody hell,” Demo groaned as the looked at the man before him. “Jesus of all the BLU’s she could have picked for a ‘cross team eradication venture’, and she went with you.”

“I didn’t agree to this either, maggot,” Soldier assured him. “I am under orders not to strangle any REDs until this mission is complete, but my tractability will be put to the test if said RED is such a weakling and liar.”

“For the last time, I never called you a-”

“And what about all the things you did say, you son of a bitch?”

Demo scowled, not looking forward to going through the same recycled arguments over again. She had some nerve putting the two of them together after what she’d put them through; complete and total destruction of a friendship, and for what? Just to decide TF Industries was going to be managing both teams a few months later? It was a load of crap if Demo ever heard it.

“What are you even wearing?” he scoffed at Soldier’s new uniform.

“This is regulation specter pummeling gear, you sissified maggot scum!” Soldier puffed up proudly. Gone was the red jacket and fatigues, instead superseded by a singular beige jumpsuit.

“And what’s that?” Demo pointed to the canister vacuum strapped to his back. No bells, no whistles, just a regular old vacuum with a flexible nozzle.

“Ghost sucker,” Soldier said plainly.

“Right. Obviously.”

“Well what did you bring RED?” Soldier accused. “These ghosts are going lift you up by your frilly little underthings and fling you right out the door if you do not have anything to protect yourself from their disembodied maliciousness!”

“I,” Demo said, flexing his fist, “have this.”

Engineer had built it with such efficiency, Demo was sure he’d made the blueprints years ago and was just waiting for someone to ask for a ghost-capturing device. The device’s visual design was similar to that of the gunslinger, but instead of a limb replacement, it functioned more like power armor, cradling the outside of the wearer’s hand and increasing their grip tenfold.

“This ‘lil beauty has everything,” Demo continued haughtily. “EKG readings, built in spooktralizer, and-” He pulled back his fingers, activating the now-glowing disk in the center of his palm. “Anti-gravity net. No spirit’s going to escape this vortex, which is a good thing because you can’t suck up a ghost with a vacuum cleaner.”

“Shows how much you know, buster,” Soldier said. “All those doodads won’t do jack when you are staring into the blood-red eyes of a flesh-hungry phantom—these are creatures of the other side! Of the great beyond! They do not care about technology.”

“Oh aye?” Despite himself, Demo got right into Soldier’s face. “We’ll se about that when my power glove’s saving your sorry arse from having spectral boot shoved up it.”

“I will take that bet, princess,” Soldier spat back.

“Uuhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggg,” a new voice cut into the conversation. “If I have to sit through another one of your lover’s spats I’m going to kill myself. Again.”

Soldier’s eyes narrowed, fixating on something over Demo’s shoulder. “Oh great. The sword is here.”

“Yes! The sword is here!” the Eyelander chirped sarcastically. “And since I’m bloody gracing you with my company, you can do me a favor and get on with this thing. We’ve been standing out here for ten minutes.”

“It’s right,” Demo admitted as Soldier continued to stare daggers at the weapon strapped to his back. “Let’s head in.”

Demo didn’t wait to see if Soldier followed him as he took his first creaking step onto the house’s porch; by company orders, they were stuck together for now, no matter how much bad blood ran between them.

“So why are we clearing this place of ghosts anyway?” Eyelander asked as Demo pushed in the front door. The doubles groaned with an appropriate level of eeriness.

“The Voice’s orders,” he shrugged. “She wants this for a new battleground, but she wants it ghost free. Apparently there’ve been too many complaints about the past few Halloweens for her liking.”

“Really?” Eyelander said aghast. “Who doesn’t like Halloween?”

“Eh. Some of the mercs think it’s too random. Chaotic, hard to focus on what’s going on. They don’t like all the candy packs and the fact that idiot in a robe shows up and turns a ten minute match into a thirty minute nightmare.” At the last, he eyed Soldier over his shoulder.

“Do not look at me!” Soldier barked. “That isn’t my fault!”

“Yes it is! Last time he even said ‘SOLDIER THIS IS YOUR FAULT!’ as he was dropping bombs on our heads!”

“Well I am not the only causer-of-halloween-related-problems in this company,” Soldier said, jogging to get ahead of Demo to block his path. “The giant floating eyeball with red wig and child-sized overalls certainly wasn’t mine.”

Demo rubbed his face. “Jesus, just forget it. The only reason we have to tolerate each other is because there’s some soul with soon-to-be-finished business lurking around here, and we picked the short straw. So let’s find whatever apparition, spirit, or poltergeist is squatting in this dump and get out of each other’s hair.”

About to offer some stupid retort, Soldier was abruptly cut off as Eyelander yelped, “w-wait! Poltergeists?? You didn’t say anything about those arseholes!”

Demo and Soldier exchanged a look.

Soldier leveled a frown at the Eyelander. “You are a ghost, maggot. How on God’s green earth are you afraid of ghosts?”

“I’m afraid of poltergeists, eejit,” Eyelander snapped back. “You don’t bloody mess with a geist unless you want your immortal soul turned to shreds and left to wander the infinite abyss forever.”

“Whatever, this is getting us nowhere.” Demo pushed past Soldier. “C’mon. We’ve got a job to do.”

As he passed under the precarious looking chandelier overseeing the foyer, Soldier murmured, “tch. Only ever got the job. Typical.” Demo pretended he hadn’t heard.

What he did hear—over the sounds of the Eyelander whining about powerful forces they didn’t understand and eventually sinking into resigned grumble—was the sound of an organ playing in the deep bowels of the manor.

“Thirty bucks says there’s no one playing it when we get there,” Demo said.

“Deal,” Eyelander replied.

They readied their weapons. Well, not exactly weapons (and definitely not weapons in Soldier’s case, as he strangled his vacuum’s hose in a viselike grip), but tools that would get this bloody ghost out of here and let Demo go home for the day. His footsteps scraped decades old rugs as he padded carefully across the ground, power glove extended into the gloom before him. No readings yet, save for Eyelander’s steady thrum, but as soon as they crossed the barrier of the music room the EKG jumped like crazy.

“Called it,” Demo said as the organ continued to press down one ivory key after another, despite the only human beings in the room being the two mercs who had just entered. “Pay up, Eyelander.”

“Sure! Let me just grab my wallet.”

“Smart-arse.”

“It’s called a pommel.”

“If you two ladies are finished,” Soldier growled, drawing closer to the haunted piano, “let’s bag this ghost-maggot.”

Demo rolled his eye, sweeping to the other side of the organ that’s girth took up the entirety of the room, pipes clawing at the ceiling as wax burned down to nubs around it. “You ‘n your cleaning supplies just stand back.”

“And let you fumble our ticket out of here? I don’t think so.” Soldier flipped on his Hoover.

The glove began to gyrate in Demo’s palm. “You’re the one who’s messing this up! If you’d just believe me when I tell you something-”

“How can I believe you when your history of treachery continues?”

They were nearing the organ now, the disk glowing a menacing red and the vacuum jumping like it was trying to escape Soldier’s hands. The music doubled its tempo, growing more erratic with every step the pair took toward its console.

“There is no history,” Demo spat. “I didn’t do it in the first place!”

“But you still took the contract!”

“Because you did first!”

There wasn’t so much music now as random mashing of keys, a pained wailing accompanying the stressed notes in an unholy shriek. A bolt of electricity shot from the glove collided with something on the piano seat, revealing a ghastly form in the middle of the two men.

“Maybe I would have gone back on it!” Soldier roared as he struggled to maintain control of the hose, writhing in his hands like a viper. “If you’d talked to me I would have known it wasn’t-”

“THAT SHOULDN’T BE MY RESPONSIBILITY.”

“WELL IT HAS TO BE SOMEBODY’S.”

As Soldier screamed his final words, the ghost between them joined in the crescendo. The two forces on either of its sides pulled and pulled at its edges, wind howling and light flashing until-

Demo and Soldier were thrown into opposite walls with a resounding crack.

Grimacing, Demo pushed himself up, rubbing away the white spots in his vision that their techno-vortex had left him with. When things were mostly clear, he blinked at the organ seat, finding no trace of the specter the power glove had briefly outlined.

“Did we get it?” Soldier asked, likewise suppressing aches as he got to his feet.

“Dunno.” Demo tapped a few buttons on his glove. “Well there’s only one reading now. Maybe we fried it?”

“Bag isn’t full,” Soldier noted, poking the vacuum. “Must’ve.”

“Hm. I suppose that was climactic enough. I’m fine with leaving if you are.”

“There’s nothing I want more,” Soldier said, already halfway to the door.

“Feeling’s mutual,” Demo grumbled, following him out. “Went down pretty easy, all things considered. Barely a quarter of ‘ole Merasmus’s hit points. Can’t believe Eyelander was scared of that.”

The Eyelander said nothing.

Demo stopped walking. “You alright, mate?” he asked over his shoulder to where Eyelander was sheathed.

Still, it didn’t respond. He pulled it out, a soft sssth in the now quiet music room, and held it in front of him. He was about to ask it again, when Eyelander finally blurted, “oh uh! Right, me. I’m fine, just peachy, how are you?”

Soldier paused, and turned on his heel. “RED. Why doesn’t your sword have a stupid accent anymore?”

“Uh, crap uh,” the sword sputtered. “Blimey is what I meant to say governor! Pip pip bob’s your uncle and all that!”

“You!” Demo said, squeezing the imposter ghost for all it was worth, to which it gave a tiny eep! “What have you done with Eyelander?”

“Look, this doesn’t have to be a problem right?” the geist said. “I can still be a haunted sword! And do whatever it is the old ghost did, but please don’t make me get out. I’ve been trapped in that organ for fifty years! I want to go, see the world, oh please oh please take me with you?”

“Maybe we let it,” Soldier snorted. “Can’t be any more annoying than the old one.”

“That’s not funny,” Demo snapped, then turned his singular glare to the sword. “Listen here you useless lump of ectoplasm, you tell me what you did with my friend or I’m going to turn your soul into sizzling anti-matter.”

“No!”

And to Demo’s shock, the sword went flying from his hands, shooting up into the room’s ceiling.

“No, I won’t go back!” Encased in an orange glow, the sword maneuvered under its own power, spinning wildly until it had become an airborne lawnmower blade. “Screw you guys!”

“Shite!” Demo said as he charged out after it as it went shooting into the hall.

He followed it all the way to the foyer again, sprinting around each corner just to keep it in sight, but when he arrived out of breath at the grand staircases he had to admit there was no catching it.

“Shite,” he repeated.

“What in the goddamn hell was that about?” Soldier had, of course, followed him back to the entrance. “Now we’re stuck here until we find it again. Couldn’t have withheld your groveling freak out for one damn second.”

“I wasn’t just going to let it steal Eyelander’s sword!” Demo retaliated.

“You and the fucking Eyelander,” Solder swore, helmet wobbling as a snarl curled on his features. “Always with the Eyelander. You care more about that sword than you do anyone else, and you always fucking pick it in the end.”

They were in each other’s faces once more, nose to nose as the manor creaked around them. Demo glared, and softly replied, “well maybe the sword is better company.”

That might have been the end of it any other time, but they were too close now, too entwined, and Soldier grabbed the front of Demo’s shirt. “…God damn you,” he muttered. His face rippled with something unrecognizable. “That’s what I mean. Maybe that wasn’t you in the video, but when you took that contract you started saying crap like that.”

A hard knot found itself in Demo’s throat. He ignored the beeping coming from his glove. “After hearing ‘I never liked you’ enough times, it’s hard not to believe it.”

“…We ever going to stop lying to each other?”

Demo pulled the hand from the front of his shirt. The beeping was growing incessantly loud but he blocked it out, only focusing on stamping away from the Soldier-

And not noticing when the chandelier above him gave an ominous jolt.

His head whipped up too late when the chain broke, the glove practically screaming as he froze in panic for split second-

The cacophany when the chandelier came down was earsplitting, hundreds of glass teardrops shattering on the marble floor below, crashing into each other as their frame became nothing more than a bent pile of metal. Demo wheezed, having been thrown into a solid surface for the second time in less then ten minutes, and his brain caught up enough to realize he wasn’t dead.

The Soldier, having tackled Demo to bring him out of the worse of the poltergeist’s attack, had taken the brunt of it. He winced, rolling onto the hip that didn’t have any glass stuck in it.

“Christ,” Demo hissed, staring at the broken fixture. “It really is trying to kill us now, isn’t it?”

“You threatened to atomize its soul,” Soldier grunted. “Can’t blame it.”

Demo’s eye reaffixed to the bleeding BLU, tongue catching on the question. “You-” But what was he even supposed to say?

Soldier avoided his gaze. “Shut it, maggot. This was merely a rescue based on contempt and rivalry—no one’s allowed to kill you but me, yadda yadda, you get the picture.”

“Soldier…”

Years of bitter hatred choked down whatever else he would have said, but they couldn’t stop the swell of concern as he watched blood bloom on Soldier’s jumpsuit.

“Here,” he said, getting to his knees and picking his way through the broken glass. “Let’s get you up.”

Soldier glared in suspicion. Their argument still hung hot, bar of iron glowing yet unforged, not sure what shape it was suppose to take. But the blood was moving steadily down Soldier’s leg, and with distaste he resigned himself to being lifted under one arm.

“I can do it myself, maggot,” Soldier said once Demo had helped him to the stairs and tried to push up his pant leg.

Demo stared at him for a moment, hand holding the bandage he’d torn from the jumpsuit’s opposite leg, eye unargumentative as he gazed at the Soldier. A few more seconds of reproach ticked by, but then Soldier sighed in resignation, glancing away as Demo tied up his leg.

When it was over, he wasted no time getting to his feet, refusing Demo’s arm this time. “Definitely can’t let that thing run wild now,” he said. “Get your stupid glove to tell us where it is.”

There was an obvious limp to his walk, but Demo knew he had survived worse. That Demo had put him through worse.

The Demoman tapped his wrist a few times and said, “this way.”

The second floor was just rows and rows of suits of armor. All of them identical, all of them leaning down menacingly as the mercenaries passed beneath, listening to the spooktralizer’s pulse become a steady companion. There was constant draft, a thrumming chill up Demo’s spine, and he tried to remind himself that ghosts had the power to get inside your head and trigger your fear response. The fact that the haunt had turned murderous was nothing to be worried about—that he was, in all reality, afraid of no ghost.

The nearest suit of armor vibrated, and he jumped three feet in the air.

So did Soldier, bristling like a cat and demanding, “show yourself Casper! I am not afraid of your pathetic saber rattling!”

In response, every suit in the hall lifted it arms.

Soldier yelped, and he and Demo found themselves back to back, their respective ghost hunting equipment bared in front of them. But they were surrounded, the suits jerking to life and taking their first halting steps off their pedestals, clanking stiffly at the two mercenaries. They were forced backwards, one step, then two, until suddenly Demo found himself on the ground, the creeping terror that he’d been repressing now roaring overpoweringly. It was just a mind trick, just a manipulation, but knowing that and being able to act were vastly different things—and as the ancient warriors drew closer, he reached out and clung desperately to the closest thing he could find.

Clang went the greaves in front of him, coming to a stop as the full-body rattle started again. Shaking and shaking and Demo didn’t look, burying his face in Soldier’s shoulder-

“Ayyyiiieeeeeee,” a voice screamed as something small and spectral went spinning out of the armor.

After several seconds of silence from the suits around them, Demo finally lifted his head. All the armor had gone stiff and immobile, and the only clue to their previous animation was the ghostly impression of a sword floating a few feet off the ground.

“Eyelander?” he blinked.

“Uhhhg…my rain gaurd…” the Eyelander’s apparition groaned. “What…urhg…what happened? …….And why are you two cuddling?”

Demo looked down to find Soldier was clinging to him just as tightly as Demo was to he. Soldier realized it at the same time, and immediately pushed Demo off him, saying, “I did not give you permission to use me for comfort and safety, maggot!”

“Oi! You were the one who started it!” Demo turned his attention to the Eyelander. “What the bloody hell was that about? You trying to make us crap our pants?”

“Urhg, I don’t know!” Eyelander snapped. “If I’m not concentrating on anything in particular I just end up doing ghost type things. Like how you just start making horse noises when you think you’re home alone.”

Soldier snickered. Demo shot him a glare.

Ignoring him, Soldier got to his feet and dusted himself off. “That’s one thing to check off the list.” He paused, inspecting the form floating before him. “…Why are you a sword?”

“…I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Wait, no, Soldier’s right,” Demo said, getting up as well. “You’re not in the blade anymore, you can look like anything you want! You used to be a mortal, didn’t you?”

“I don’t remember okay?” it snapped. “That was centuries ago, I don’t know how to be anything but a ghost sword.”

“Aw, give it a shot mate,” Demo encouraged. “If we’re going to hunting around for the geist that stole your sword, you might as well try a new form.”

“…Alright, I guess I can give it a try.”

Slowly, the illusion in front of them melted, growing until it was humanoid, then rippling as details began to make its shape. The jaw strengthen, and a hole appeared in the right side its face, features sharpening until a near-copy of the Demoman stood next to the suit of armor. It was a hazy reflection, as though looking at himself in green glass, but a reflection just the same.

“Hey, don’t be me,” Demo said.

“Yeah, we already got enough of those,” Soldier added under his breath.

“Uhg,” it complained. “Sorry. You’re the most recent person I’ve been.” The uncanny valley was further emphasized that Eyelander forgot to move Demo’s mouth when it was speaking.

“Just be yourself,” Demo insisted, as much due to the ghost-him’s creepiness as the fact that he was a bit curious about who Eyelander used to be. “Go on, give it a shot.”

Grumbling without moving its mouth, the Eyelander began to change again, Demo’s features swept away as though lost on the wind. It grew inexorably, towering of the mortals below it like a warrior from myth; then it shrank, arms and ghostly blade disproportionately detailed like recalling a fighting feeling.

Both of these faded, other particulars bubbling up from the surface. A tartan hood crawled over the general shape of a head, plunging the face into inscrutability. From its shoulders sprung a cape, one that would have pooled across the ground if the mirage weren’t floating a half-foot off the stone. A thick tunic billowed, then fell down to the mirage’s knees, held in place by a sash across its chest.

The face beneath flickered. Morphing, becoming-

“Damn it,” Eyelander groaned as the features fell back into darkness, effort weakening its voice. “I really don’t remember.”

“Ach, it’s fine Eyelander,” he assured it, hearing the clear disappointment. “We’ll get your sword back in no time.”

“…Thanks mate.”

Suddenly, Soldier pushed past him, far roughing than necessary. “If the ghost is done having an identity crisis, lets get back to busting.”

Demo frowned after him, but according to the readings he was headed in the right direction, so he said nothing to it.

Eyelander was a different story. “OoooOOOoooo, jealous again are we?” Catching up to him was no problem when it could simply glide across the ground, cape fluttering behind it.

“Silence apparition!” Soldier stated. “You cannot get inside my head with your devil words, nor your OoooOOOoooo.”

Eyelander cackled, floating in front of him and forcing him to walk into it. He shivered as he passed through the ethereal dregs, breaking from his path and pivoting into the nearest set of doors. They found themselves in the grand library, tiers upon tiers of floor-to-ceiling books simply rotting in the dust. Cobwebs clung to everything, ancient lamps and moldering fainting couches, rendering the entire room silent.

“Touch a nerve?” Eyelander was enjoying its new ‘body’, swinging a spectral arm over Soldier’s shoulder that he was unable to shrug off. “Not still mad he likes me better than you?”

“Only goes to show how poor his taste is,” Soldier snapped.

Demo had to jog to catch up. The library’s various stone busts turned to watch him as he moved.

“Maybe, if he was hanging out with you to begin with,” Eyelander persisted. “Does that bother you, yankee doodle?”

“Eyelander, lay off him,” Demo said, surprising even himself when the words came out of his mouth. Soldier didn’t look, breathing heavily through his nose

“Why?” the ghost huffed. It was odd seeing the body language to accompany it for once, the entity folding its arms across its chest. “He’s the one who throws a fit whenever I’m around, and I’m bloody sick of it. Why should I have to put up with some moron you don’t want anything to do with?”

“Shut your nonexistent mouth!” Soldier was really heated now. “If you keep talking to me I will put my boot up so far up your ass you will feel it in the afterlife!”

“OoooOOOoooo,” Eyelander said, and it was a proper ghostly ooo that reverberated about the empty library. “I’m so scared. Should I start crying out in fear? That’s all a lout like you knows how to do, just yell until someone cries and then piss off entirely. Well guess what, eejit, he’s just fine without you.”

“I am warning you…” Soldier growled.

“Oh but that doesn’t stop you from getting all possessive does it?” Eyelander just goaded, heedless of anything else but its own petty revenge. “More possessive than me, and I’m the one possessing him! Is that the sort of bond you’re going for yank? Spending a lot of time in-”

With a furious scream, Soldier launched himself at the Eyelander. On instinct, it jerked to the side to try and avoid his murderous hands, but it didn’t matter either way as Soldier when flying through the ghost’s form and crashed into the bookcase behind it.

The bookcase swung like a revolving door, and Soldier disappeared from view.

Eyelander and Demo shared a glance. “Did that just…?” he asked.

“Hold on.” It glided forward, passing through the bookcase unimpeded. A moment later, it stuck its head back out through the wall and said, “aye! It’s a secret passage! Some stairs going down into a basement of some sort.”

“Stairs? Is Solder alright?” Demo worried as he came forward and tried to trigger whatever had moved the loose shelf.

The Eyelander stuck its head in, then back out again. “Eh, I’m sure he’s fine.”

Demo found him, if not exactly fine, then stabilized. His leg had started bleeding again, but the tumble down the basement stairs had shaken the fight out of him. He let Demo rebandage his injuries with barely a word.

“Good work finding the passage, lad,” Demo said, as though he didn’t feel a terrible heat of embarrassment on the back of his neck. “Based on the readings, that’s where the ghost is hiding.”

“Hm,” was all Soldier said. He wouldn’t look at either Demo or the levitating knight.

“…Eyelander, why don’t you float on ahead?” Demo said after a moment. “Scout things out a bit for us?”

“Yeah, sure. Not being bound to a mortal vessel anymore gives you a lot more free range of movement.”

Demo helped Soldier to his feet. Several long minutes were spent walking down a cold, damp tunnel, only illuminated by bulbs covered in metal grates that flickered in sync. When Eyelander had drifted far enough ahead in its impatience, Demo asked what had been on his mind since they’d come down here, spinning over as the guilt he’d been holding back for years weighed heavier on him than it ever had.

“…Jane?” he mumbled. The Soldier jumped at his real name. “What Eyelander said back there…have I really been…?”

“Don’t believe anything that comes out of that ghost’s pie hole! Its ghost pie hole! Where it puts its ghost pies!” Soldier barked hastily. “It is- I don’t-!”

Demo let Soldier sputter for a moment before frowning at the floor. “I’m sorry.”

Soldier choked mid denial and whipped his head so hard his eyes showed wild underneath the helmet. “You- What?”

“You were right,” Demo rubbed his face. “About always lying to each other. Saying we didn’t care, just to make it easier. And you’re right that I treat my friends like crap sometimes, picking the sword—the job—over anybody else. So I fucked up too, believing their lies just as much, listening to them because it was the easiest.” He lifted his head, making eye contact with the alarmed Soldier. “So maybe I do pick the sword sometimes. But I never should have taken a bribe over my best friend.”

They’d stopped walking, Soldier just staring at him, mouth slightly open.

Soldier breathed in deep. “…Your best friend?”

Cautiously, taking care not to startle Soldier or his own frayed nerves, Demo reached out and held Soldier’s hand. He could hear Soldier’s labored breaths, even as the BLU looked down so steeply at their linked hands that his helmet obscured is whole face.

“Aye.”

Soldier’s mouth writhed a second longer before saying, “I’m sorry. Too. For all the crap I said to you after. I didn’t mean any of it either, I always liked you. I always…”

Demo squeezed his hand. “We’ll talk after we get my sword back, aye?”

Soldier finally lifted his chin, a grin of joyous relief across it. “Affirmative! We will beat the crap out of that weapon-stealing cheat, and then boot it back to kingdom come.”

“Our powers combined, eh?” Demo wiggled the fingers on the power glove.

Soldier lifted his hose. “Lets get this spirit-maggot!”

“Are you two coming?” the Eyelander demanded, reappearing in the grimy tunnel before them. “There’s this big evil laboratory at the end of the hall and the bell-end body-snatcher is just waiting for someone to come and kick its pommel.”

Demo grinned at his once-again best mate. “Don’t worry Eyelander, that bastard’s got another thing coming.”

The rescue squad stormed into the evil lab, magic and science and supernatural forces in hand. The room was exactly what you’d think: test tubes full of pulsating green goo, an open slab with leather straps around it, giant Tesla coils pointing all which way as though the whole space was ready to zap you at a moment’s notice.

“You!” Eyelander demanding, pointing a menacing spectral finger at the sword floating in the center of the room.

“Aw crap,” it said as it turned and saw the trio of ghostbusters that had come for its soul.

Immediately, it tried to make a run for it, zipping off on a trail of orange magic. But Soldier was faster, flipping the Hoover to ‘suck’ and immediately summoning a typhoon from the nozzle’s end. The geist shrieked as it was pulled backwards, forward momentum fighting against the suction until was it pulled taught mid-air. Demo wasn’t going to inadvertently help it this time, though. Instead, he stood shoulder to shoulder with his best mate, and sent a pulse of magnetic energy to join the vacuum’s pull.

“NOOOOOooooo,” the geist screamed as it began to lose ground.

It still wasn’t enough. A humanoid shape was being drawn from the sword, but that only made it struggle harder, fighting tooth and nail as it screamed all the while.

The Eyelander’s spirit stormed forward. With both hands it gripped the sword, pulling away from its rival ghost with its impressive incorporeal biceps. The geist screamed harder, but in a three-on-one it was losing, even as it tried to wrench the hilt away. Eyelander grabbed above the crossguard, and a gush of ethereal blood splattered on the floor, but the extra leverage worked, and it ripped the blade free from enemy hands.

Eyelander reared back, and the ghost went falling into the vacuum with a scream.

The impact knocked Demo flat on his ass. It wasn’t as rough as the first explosion, but he still groaned as he sat up. “We get it this time?”

Soldier poked the bag, which moaned in protest. “Yup. We got it.”

“How about you Eyelander?” Demo got up and walked to where the sword had fallen. “Everything back in the bits?”

“Uhrg…my whole fuller hurts,” the blade on the floor said in what was definitely the Eyelander’s voice. “Put me back in my scabbard…I want a nap.”

Demo chuckled, and did as he was asked.

“Teamwork saves the day!” Soldier declared, walking up to the pair. “Goes to show what camaraderie and true American sprit can do.” He clapped Demo on the shoulder, and the two exchanged a smile.

“…Did I miss something?” Eyelander asked from its sling on Demo’s back.

“Nah,” Demo said. “Jane ‘n I just worked some things out. Don’t worry your pretty little locket about it.”

“We are best friends again!” Soldier was too excited to hold back. He grabbed Demo’s hand again and squeezed.

The two shared a look of shining eyes and full hearts.

“Yuck,” Eyelander noted. “Do I have to be here for this?”

“Ah, shut it,” Demo said. “We just saved your life.”

“I didn’t want to be brought along in the first place!”

“You hate being left alone at the base,” Demo pointed out.

“Yeah but that was before you brought ghosthunting into the picture. You should have known better! What if one of your stupid machines had malfunctioned and killed me instead?”

As they walked back up through the secret passage, Soldier leaned toward the scabbard and said, “looks like there’s trouble in paradise after all, huh.” Demo had never heard him be smugger.

“Keep grinning, eejit,” Eyelander grumbled. “Next time we get into battle I’m carving a new smile into your throat.”

Soldier snickered, and they left the manor victorious.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #347

“lay your head down, child  /  i won’t let the bogeyman come  /  count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums”

Have you ever watched a whole hour long infomercial? Ha, Girt and I have one day when he was hanging out. It was about a vacuum, to be precise. Do you tend to cave into peer pressure? No. Do you think it's attractive for a man to wear eyeliner? Yeah. Are you listening to music currently? Yeah, it's this version of Manson's "Lunchbox" that I hadn't heard before. Have you ever done something you once thought you'd be too chicken to do? Yeah, like going on this one ride at a fair. Y'know, the kind that slowly brings you way up and abruptly drops you. What's your relationship to the child you’re around most? They're my nieces and nephew. Have you ever had an illegal substance in your blood stream? No. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to your hair? More than once, back when I had long hair, it would get so knotted from neglect that I'd brush out just... giant clumps of hair. The joys of depression, right? It's honestly part of the reason I cut it all off, and it's something I seriously recommend for people who struggle with brushing their hair. What do you think about cats? I adore them. Who do you want with you when you're afraid? Absolutely my mom. Who might as well just be your sibling? Ha, Sara. We're just so remarkably similar, and even when we first met in person, we clicked like it was nothing. Would you ever consider working for the government? No; I'm not working with corrupt, lying motherfuckers. What is the weirdest thing you have ever witnessed a sibling doing? Well, your sister "sleepwalking" or whatever she was actually doing and grabbing a knife she'd hidden under her mattress to creep towards her then-boyfriend was beyond just "weird." Your first best friend's name? Brianna. How do you act when you're uncomfortable? "Anxious, impatient, and fidgety." <<<< Same. It's very obvious I want to get out of the situation. What bug would you like to be extinct? Do wasps do like... anything for the environment? I don't want to give a definite answer here that ends up being ignorant, because I appreciate bugs that are even just a regular food source for more vital creatures like spiders, but I don't know a damn thing wasps do that are beneficial. They just kill bees, from what I know. Do you know anyone other than a cop who has ever owned a cop car? No. Have you ever felt fire? I mean, I've never directly touched fire, no. What would you do if your first love asked you back out? I REALLY DON'T WANT TO PICTURE THIS. Do you know anyone that is a lesbian? Yeah. What are your thoughts on roleplaying games? I think they're fun. Do you want to have a bachelor/bachelorette party before you get married? So, true story, I don't even know what those entail exactly. But considering how few friends I have, I probably wouldn't. Ever been texted by mistake and played along & acted like you knew them? No. Would you ever get a name tattooed on you? Noooo sir. Do your parents dress like they’re years younger? Does it gross you out? They don't, but it wouldn't gross me out...? They can dress however they damn well please. Obsession from childhood? Dinosaurs and Spyro probably top the list. Favorite activity to do in warm weather? Just swim, really. I hate warm weather. Favorite activity to do in cold weather? If there's snow, take pictures. If it's just cold, then I like to just stay inside and bundle up in bed. Five songs to describe you? I don't know five, but I know a few I resonate with: "Get Up" by Mother Mother, "That's What You Get" by Paramore, uhhh then idk. Best way for someone to bond with you? Hm. Probably just like... talk about life, like our stories and things we've been through, both good and bad. Just being mutually vulnerable makes me feel connected to people. I like bonding via music, too, and I find it pretty exciting to share songs and, once again, go deeper and share what they mean to you, etc. etc. In summary, I just like getting to know a person at their core. What is the first meme you remember seeing? Hell if I know. Lemonade or tea? Lemonade, by a landslide. Sci-fi, fantasy, or superheroes? Fantasy. Favorite type of cheese? American. If you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? I relate very deeply to Henry Townshend from SH4 with saying "what the hell?" about literally everything. If you were an anime character, what genre of anime would it be? I'unno. Character you relate to? Since watching a playthrough of the game the first time, I've related to Max Caulfield from Life is Strange very deeply. An awkward photographer that cares a lot for people. Favorite website from your childhood? Webkinz. Least favorite flavor of food or drink? Grape, usually. Or orange. Favorite potato food? French fries. PC or console gaming? I prefer console games. Writing or drawing? Shit man, why you gotta make me choose? I feel much more satisfaction after drawing something I'm proud of, but I write way more. Who would you put before everyone else? My mom. How many phone numbers do you have memorized? Literally none. Do you get motion sickness? No. Have you ever been on a cruise? No. Have you ever bailed a friend out of jail? No. Have you ever won anything from a radio station? No. What do you do when you go to the beach? Swim for a while and then sit under the tent or whatever we brought and think about how ready I am to go home and get out of the heat. How many pillows are on your bed? Two. Do you like pickles? Yeah. Do you like camping? I've never been *legit* camping; Dad would just sometimes set up the tent in the yard and he and my sisters and I would sleep out there. I LOVED that as a kiddo. I think I'd enjoy like, one night of actual camping, so long as I have my camera and phone. My technology dependence would probably get me by Day #2, lol. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? No, and I don't plan to. Wrecking in one of those can fuck you the hell up. Even with a helmet, just honestly, it seems... pretty stupid to put yourself at THAT incredible a risk. Have you ever had plastic surgery? No. Were you ever sent to the principal’s office as a kid? I don't think so... but maybe once? I have this super faint memory of being in the office, but maybe I was bringing them something from my teacher? That sounds about right. Have you ever used a slingshot? No. Have you ever driven an electric car? No. Do you live in an area that is prone to tornadoes? They happen here, but I wouldn't say we're "prone" to them. We get tornado watches/warnings a lot when we have summer storms, but it's seldom they actually occur, and it's even rarer for them to be noteworthy at all. What breed was the last dog you saw? One of our neighbors has a German Shepherd she walks a lot. How long have your parents been together (or how long were they together, if they no longer are): I wanna say around or over 20 years? I don't know. What 5 words best describe your mother’s personality? Loving, welcoming, resilient, selfless, and strong. Do you know any transgender people? Yes. Have you ever had a parrot sit on your shoulder? No, but that'd be cool. In the morning, do you eat breakfast first or brush your teeth first? I eat first. What’s something you’ve been struggling with lately? A number of things, but my weight's the real problem right now. All the weight loss progress I once made has almost been entirely erased... and I'm extremely, extremely upset about it. I'd rather move onto the next question than elaborate on this bullshit. Do you carry condoms? No, I don't have a reason to. Would you date someone with braces? Yes. Do you think people look up to you? God no. How often do you have trouble sleeping at night? Pretty much every night. Any vacations planned? No. We've never been able to afford vacations. Who were you last in a car with? My mom. Did you ever watch Sailor Moon? Yeah. My older sister was ooooobsessed. She even had the little toy wand and would dance to the theme when it came on. What do you want for Christmas? Well, it's rather early to think of that, but if I had to pull out an answer right now, it'd probably be either Venus' new terrarium (if I don't already have it) or supplies for it. If by some miracle I've been able to get everything I wanted for it by then, I would seriously love a hognose snake. If you had to get glasses would you wear contacts? I've worn glasses for many years, and I can live with it. I'd prefer contacts so I can get an undereye dermal piercing, but they're just too tedious for me. Best party you’ve ever been to? Maybe a big party my friend Summer had for one of her birthdays many years ago. We played lots of games like darts and stuff while listening to good music and just hanging out. Have you ever been surfing? I have not. Are you thinking about asking anyone out? No. Pink lemonade or regular lemonade? Pink. Chocolate or strawberry milk? Chocolate, for sure. I hate strawberry milk. Are you subscribed to a lot of channels on YouTube? Oh yes. Do you wish you had a better phone? Yeah. I mean, my phone is fine, but I particularly dislike the poor camera quality. Do you find texting fun? I'm officially becoming an old woman in that I don't really like texting anymore, but only because I make way too many typos. I would much rather type via an actual keyboard. Do you have any friends who have had twins? No. Do you have any past mistakes you’ve made that haunt you every day? Yes. Seriously. Are you bothered by something someone said to you years ago? Things especially Bryar and Colleen have said to me are probably going to die with me.

[airfryerlove]

Gourmia Air Fryer Reviews

Introductions -

The Gourmia Easy-Bake Air Fryer is a great addition to your kitchen. This non invasive fryer is equally airtight and thoroughly grease-resistant, using a very low smoke point and also the choice to run on low heat. Reviewers on Amazon commented this atmosphere fryer can get cluttered, and a couple of notice it becomes so hot that you shouldn't leave it unattended. This non invasive fryer is equally airtight and thoroughly grease-resistant, using a very low smoke point and also the choice to run on low heat. The lid is magnetic and has a good lock. Additionally, it is simple to wash. Regrettably, our testers found this air fryer's cooking time to become inconsistent, with some testimonials claiming that there was too much petroleum at the centre while some reported that the reverse.

Gourmia Air Fryer Looks -

We love air fryers because of the best budget gourmia air fryer they deliver delicious fried food that tastes just like the real thing, and we’ve put a lot of thought into this list of best air fryers.

Simply put, if you want a fryer that is easy to use, takes up minimal space and cooks food quickly, you’ll love an air fryer.

If you’re looking for air fryer Click For More Info something a bit more sophisticated and could possibly eat something that’s been cooked in an air fryer, we’ve got the best air fryers in every category you could want.

We’ve also got a round up of the best vacuum sealers and vacuum sealers, because that’s another great way to use that air fryer.

If you want a microwave-safe container for your food, you’ll want to look for one that is full of air, which is an additional expense. However, most home chefs have high-quality most comfortable air fryer with a temperature probe included, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Gourmia Air Fryer Features -

Q. What are the heating elements, and what type of cooking does the air fryer use?

A. The heating elements are the combination of two coil technology plates with a small heating element for each. This helps to evenly cook your food throughout for a complete fry, or to finish your food at the required temperature. The heating element is made of pure copper and works at a rate of 2,400W of power.

Q. Are the Gourmia Air Fryer safe to use indoors and out?

A. All the best gourmia air fryer are safe for indoor use. However, to ensure that you're using an air fryer safely, you should read the instructions provided with your model.

Advantage -

✔️ Perfectly Dishwasher Safe.

✔️ Very Attractive Appliance.

✔️ Attractive LCD Display.

Disadvantage -

❌ Not Dishwasher Safe.

❌ Cylindrical Design.

Final Thought -

If you’re looking for best gourmia air fryer something its more could possibly eat something that’s been cooked in an air fryer, we’ve got the best air fryers in every category you could want.