IMPORTANT — READ CAREFULLY: This End User License Agreement ("EULA") is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and ITW Alpine Inc. ("Alpine") for the proprietary software identified above, which includes computer software and may include associated media, printed materials, and online or electronic documentation (collectively, the "Product"). The Product also includes any updates and supplements to the original materials provided to you by Alpine. By installing, copying, downloading, accessing or otherwise using the Product, you agree to be bound by the terms of this EULA.
a. You may install, display, and use one copy of the Product on a single computer, workstation, terminal, or related computer device. For the purpose of this provision, "use" shall mean to interact with the Product in a manner consistent solely with the features and functions available in the unaltered version of the Product.
b. The primary user of the computer or device on which the Product is used may make a single copy of the Product, which copy shall be used exclusively for backup or archival purposes.
c. If you intend to install the Product on a network server, you may do so only after you have acquired a license for each separate computer or device on which the Product is accessed or used. This EULA does not permit you to share the Product or use the Product concurrently on different computers or devices.
c. Alter the source code of the Software, or perform any action to the source code that affects the display, functionality, or output of the Product.
3. Transfer. As the initial licensee of the Product, you may make a one-time permanent transfer of this EULA and the Product directly to another end user. Such a transfer must include the entire Product, including but not limited to all component parts, media, printed materials, and this EULA. Indirect transfers or transfers by consignment are not permitted. The transferee of such one-time transfer must agree to comply with the terms of this EULA, including the obligation not to further transfer this EULA and the Product.
4. Termination. You may terminate this EULA by (i) ceasing your use of the Product, (ii) completely uninstalling the Product, and (iii) destroying all copies of the Product in your possession. Alpine may terminate this EULA if you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of this EULA. Alpine may also terminate this EULA in the event that it is necessary to do so in order to protect the rights of Alpine or any third party. In the event of termination, you must completely uninstall the Product and destroy all physical copies of the Product in your possession immediately. Notwithstanding the termination of this EULA, all right title and interest to the Collected Information (as defined below) shall continue to be the sole property of Alpine.
5. Information Collection and Use. Use of the Product enables Alpine to collect certain information about you, including non-personal identifiable information for purposes of improving our Product and services, providing services to you, Product support, and facilitating the provision of software updates or dynamically served content. We may also collect technical and related information that identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address), operating system, software, and peripheral hardware, as well as information about your Product usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal). We may also gather broad demographic information for aggregate use.
The Collected Information may be gathered periodically for purposes of improving our Products and services, troubleshooting defects, and otherwise enhancing your user experience. We may use the Collected Information to analyze trends, monitor or improve the use and satisfaction of the Product, and to customize, upgrade, or configure the layout and content of the Product. Your use of the Product is an acceptance of the practices described in this EULA.
Alpine knows that you care how information is collected, used, and shared, and we appreciate your trust that we will do so carefully and sensibly. Information about your usage of the Product is an important part of our business, and Alpine would never sell your information to anyone, nor would Alpine ever use spyware or install spyware on your computer, workstation, terminal, or other computer device. Alpine and agents acting on our behalf do not share information that personally identifies you without your consent, except in rare instances where disclosure is required by law or to enforce Alpine's legal rights.
IF YOU DO NOT WANT ALPINE TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT, OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE PRODUCT.
6. Ownership. The Product is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. All rights in and to the Product including, but not limited to, all copyrights, trademarks, patent rights, and trade secrets, belong to Alpine or its licensors. You agree to take such further action, and to obtain or sign such further agreements or acknowledgements, as Alpine may reasonably request to give effect to this paragraph.
7. Limited Warranty. Alpine does not warrant that the Product will meet your requirements or that the operation of the Product will be uninterrupted or error-free. Alpine does warrant that the media on which the Product is furnished will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of delivery ("Warranty Period"). This Limited Warranty is void if failure of the media on which the Product is furnished has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication.
The exclusive remedy available under this Limited Warranty is the replacement of any defective physical media on which the Product is furnished. To receive a replacement for defective media under this Limited Warranty, return the defective media to Alpine during the Warranty Period, with proof of payment (if any) and an accompanying statement with your contact information.
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED ABOVE, THE PRODUCT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND LICENSEE ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY, PERFORMANCE AND OUTPUT OF THE PRODUCT.
8. Limitation of Liability. ALPINE'S SOLE OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY AND YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS EULA SHALL BE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE MEDIA ON WHICH THE PRODUCT IS FURNISHED ACCORDING TO THE LIMITED WARRANTY ABOVE.
to the maximum extent permitted by law, IN NO EVENT SHALL ALPINE BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY LOSS OF DATA OR INFORMATION, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THE PRODUCT EVEN IF ALPINE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER LIABILITY IS ASSERTED IN CONTRACT, TORT OR NEGLIGENCE. In any case, ALPINE's entire liability under any provision of this EULA shall be limited to the greater of the amount actually paid by you for the PRODUCT or U.S.D. $5.00.
9. Indemnification. You agree to hold Alpine harmless for, and to indemnify Alpine fully against, any and all claims, losses, costs or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by Alpine that arise from your use or misuse, whether authorized or unauthorized, of the Product.
10. License Fee and Taxes. Your use of the Product, and all licenses conveyed to you under this EULA, are contingent upon your payment of the appropriate licensing fee to Alpine. In the event that no licensing fee is required, your use of the Product, and all licenses conveyed to you under this EULA, are contingent upon your continued observance of, and compliance with, the terms and conditions of this EULA. In any event, you shall be responsible for the payment of all taxes in connection with this EULA, except for taxes based upon Alpine's net income.
11. U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. All Product(s) provided to the U.S. Government pursuant to solicitations issued on or after December 1, 1995 is/are provided with the commercial rights and restrictions described elsewhere herein. All Product(s) provided to the U.S. Government pursuant to solicitations issued prior to December 1, 1995 is/are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS as provided for in FAR, 48 CFR 52.227-14 (JUNE 1987) or FAR, 48 CFR 252.227-7013 (OCT 1988), as applicable.
a. Limitations on Export. You shall not export or re-export the Product in violation of any export provisions of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction. You specifically agree not to export or re-export the Product (i) to any country to which the United States has embargoed or restricted the export of goods or services, which currently include, but are not necessarily limited to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria, or to any national of any such country, wherever located, who intends to transmit or transport the Product back to such country; (ii) to any person or entity who you know or have reason to know will utilize the Product in the design, development or production of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons; or (iii) to any person or entity who has been prohibited from participating in U.S. export transactions by any federal agency of the United States government.
b. No Assignment. Any act or attempt by you to sublicense, assign or transfer any of the rights, duties or obligations hereunder is void unless expressly permitted by this EULA.
c. Governing Law; Venue. This EULA shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Illinois, United States of America, without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. Licensor and Licensee agree that the U.N. Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods shall not apply to this License Agreement. For all claims arising under this EULA, you irrevocably submit and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Illinois State Courts and the Federal Courts in and for the Northern District of Illinois. You waive all rights to trial by jury in any action or proceeding instituted in connection with this EULA.
d. Amendment. This EULA may only be modified or amended in writing by Alpine or its designated representative.
e. Survival. All provisions of this EULA relating to disclaimers of warranties, limitation of liability, remedies, damages, or Alpine's proprietary rights shall survive termination of this EULA.
f. Cooperation. You agree to take all such actions and execute all such documents that may be necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this EULA, whether or not specifically provided for in this EULA. You further agree to promptly install all updates, patches or similar remedial measures to the Product as may be requested by Alpine from time-to-time. Failure to do so shall be considered a material default by you, and shall entitle Alpine to immediately terminate this EULA.
g. Injunctive Relief. You acknowledge and agree that ALPINE would be irreparably damaged if any of the provisions of this EULA were not performed according to their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, you agree that ALPINE shall be entitled to an injunction to prevent actual or anticipated breaches of the provisions of this EULA, without the requirement of posting bond, and to specifically enforce this EULA and the terms and conditions of this EULA, in addition to all other remedies available at law and equity.
h. Remedies Cumulative. The remedies contained in this EULA are cumulative and do not preclude the existence of any other remedies whether specifically provided for in this EULA or which are provided for by law or equity in the event of a breach of this EULA.
i. Attorneys' Fees. In the event of litigation to enforce the provisions of this EULA, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable attorneys' fees and costs at trial and on appeal.
j. Limitations. No action, regardless of form, arising out of this EULA shall be brought by either party more than two (2) years after the cause of action has arisen.
l. Merger. This EULA constitutes the entire understanding between you and Alpine with respect to the Product. It completely supersedes any and all prior understandings or agreements related to your use of the Product.
Copyright © 2017 Alpine, an ITW Company - All Rights Reserved.


text:
GDC 2019 | Sampling Games
From indie titles to AAA and VR titles, this is a look at some of the games I got to sample at the Game Developers Conference 2019.
The Game Developers Conference 2019 was not just about understanding whats new and the current challenges in the industry but also a chance to play some upcoming titles. During the week, I got to try some amazing AAA and indie games that are out now or coming soon.
These are some of the games I got to check out during the Game Developers Conference :
Splitgate: Arena Warfare is a multiplayer shooter that combines fast paced action of Halo with the game mechanics of Portal. This arena shooter takes players back to the good ole days of multiplayer combat while also welcoming new gamers. Gamers could play with each other or with bots while adjusting the setting to their ideal setup. During my demo session, I got to play a round with bots while also getting a feel for the gameplay setup.
Set in alternative timeline in which Nikola Tesla has become an industrial leader, Close to the Sun is a horror survival experience that was heavily inspired by BioShock. Players take on the role of a journalist looking for her sister on the Helios, a super ship populated by the greatest scientists from around the world. In the demo, I got to experience the beginning which sets the foundation for the story and gave an intro into the gameplay mechanics.
Steel Circus is a hero sports arena game that could best be described as FIFA meets Overwatch. Set in a future, Steel Circus is the most popular game in the world and the reason the galaxy has been at peace for so long. During my demo session, six players participated in two matches. I did ok in the first match but was a top player in the second match.
Espire 1: The Operative could only be described as the closes thing to a VR adaptation of Metal Gear Solid. Players take control of an Espire Agent (a drone controlled by a spy) who is tasked with a series of missions. In the demo, I was tasked with escaping a facility while having the option of using a verity of tactics (stealth is optional). This is one VR game I would keep my eye on as it looks very promising.
CrossCodeis a retro inspired JRPG that follows in the foot steps of iconic titles like Chrono Trigger. Already a hit on the PC, the console version is now in the works and I got the chance to experience it. This was not a demo but instead the full game and I got to play it from the start. Overall, I had a good time playing it and now I have to get the PC version soon.
The InnerFriend is a surreal horror experience that has players explore the darkest moments of their childhood while trying to overcome their demons. The game is out now on PC and there are plans to bring it to the PS4 and Xbox One. I got the chance to demo the PC version by exploring a level that had me trying run away from a manifestation of a sinister moment.
The first thing that got me to notice VOID Bastard was how much it has been designed to look like a comic book. This roguelike survival shooter that draws inspiration from System Shock 2 while also having a sense of humor. Players take on the role of a prisoner who has been set free by the space prisons AI and is tasked with finding supplies on other ships that are encountered.
Broken Line is a squad-based WWII experience that features turn based combat and a rich story. Players command a squad of British commandos who are trapped deep in Nazi occupied Europe and must use their skills to cause havoc. This one of several titles that were available to demo at the Super! booth.
Even though it has been out for sometime, I just couldn't resist the urge to school a friend during a game of Jump Force. The full game was available to play at the Epic Games booth, so we just decided to settle a score of which character was a better fighter.
Devil's Hunt is action adventure that is based on the novel Equilibrium by Paweł Leśniak. Players take on the role of Desmond as he travels between hell and the human world. The demo presented had me battle demons at certain points while exploring the world. A game to look out for if you're a fan of Devil May Cry or Spawn.
Dead Static Drive is an open world title that could be only described as Grand Theft Auto meets the Cthulhu lore. Players must survive a community that is being invaded by all kinds of outer world monsters. In the demo presented; players must do a series of tasks while avoiding the monsters. Overall; it felt like I was once again playing Body Harvest for the Nintendo 64.
Days Gone was present at the PlayStation booth and I got the chance to play it. Even though it was just a demo, it was a solid opportunity to explore the world that has been created. I was also impressed with the fast paced combat along with the many ways one could survive this zombie outbreak.
Mercenaries 2 is a cyber-punk themed VR shooter that was on display at the HTC Vive booth. This shooter has players blast through waves of enemy forces while using the duck mechanics from titles like Time Crisis. In the demo, players had to escape their safe house while being purist by enemy bots.
Even though it has been out for sometime, one could not resist the chance to play Kingdom Hearts III. The full game was available for guests to play at the Epic Games booth. It was both a chance to play it again or to chat with other fans of the series on the expo floor. During my play session, I got to explore the Caribbean level from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Silver Chains is a first person horror survival that has players explore a haunted mansion while trying to uncover its secrets. In the demo presented, I had to find a way to escape the mansion but everything changes when I encounter a demon.
This special report is part of 8Bit/Digi's coverage of the Game Developers Conference 2019. If you attended the event, please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Disclaimer: GDC provided me with press credentials for the week.
If you like our work and want to support independent journalism then would you kindly support 8Bit/Digi by donating to our Ko-Fi Page.
Posted on March 26, 2019 0 By Stan Rezaee	Preview Posted in Preview, Special Event Tagged #Espire 1: VR Operative, GDC, Indie games, Kingdom Hearts, VR gaming
Next Post GDC 2019 | Pac-Man AR
Previous Post GDC 2019 | Demoing Espire 1: The Operative

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
SJ Family Settles With SF Zoo Over Tiger Attack
Published February 17, 2009 • Updated on February 17, 2009 at 11:15 am
The San Francisco Zoo has settled a lawsuit with the family of a 17-year-old San Jose boy fatally mauled by an escaped zoo tiger in 2007 for an undisclosed financial sum, the zoo and the family's attorney confirmed today.
The wrongful death suit, filed on behalf of Marilza and Carlos Sousa, parents of Carlos Sousa Jr., alleged the zoo and the city were liable for Sousa's killing by the 250-pound Siberian tiger, Tatiana, who leapt out of her enclosure on Dec. 25, 2007.
Tatiana killed Sousa and severely wounded two of his friends, brothers Amritpal Dhaliwal, then 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, then 23, also of San Jose, before being shot to death by police.
While the terms of the settlement were not released, Michael Cardoza, the attorney for the Sousa family, said today that part of the settlement included the zoo erecting a plaque on a bench at the zoo memorializing Sousa.
coronavirus 3 hours ago
COVID-19 Phone Bank: Health Experts Answer Questions, Provide Tips
"Which the zoo was very willing to do, and they were very generous about that," Cardoza said.
Cardoza said the financial settlement will be paid by the zoo's insurance company and not by the city.
A zoo spokeswoman today confirmed the memorial, but referred all other comment to the zoo's attorney.
The attorney also declined to be interviewed this morning.
Cardoza said the memorial was requested by Sousa's parents an will include a plaque and an etching of Sousa's face.
"And that certainly helped them, because ... there was some segment of the public that was awfully vicious in its comments toward the victim and his family," Cardoza said, adding that Sousa's parents had been "scarred for life" by the events.
"It helps them a lot to resolve the matter," he said.
Following the mauling, police conducted an inquiry into whether the tiger may have been taunted before escaping, and whether drugs or alcohol may have been involved in the incident, but ultimately suspended the investigation without filing any charges against the Dhaliwal brothers.
Attorneys for the Dhaliwal family have filed a separate lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco against the city, the Zoological Society, and a zoo spokesman. That suit claims negligence, civil rights violations and slander by the zoo spokesman.


text:
Стефан Недялков Терзиев е български учен и преподавател във Варненски свободен университет.

История
Роден е през 1946 г. в Горна Оряховица. Завършва средното си образование в Професионална гимназия по електротехника и електроника "Михайло Василиевич Ломоносов" със специалност "Електрически машини и апарати". Продължава образованието си във ВМЕИ, Варна (днес Технически университет). Специализира в Русия, Италия, Германия и други страни.

Професионална кариера
Стефан Терзиев започва кариерата си като асистент във ВМЕИ, Варна през 1970 година. През следващите години е старши асистент и главен асистент. Защитава дисертация на тема "Магнитно поле на постояннотокови машини" (1977) и получава научно-квалификационна степен "доктор". Става хоноруван преподавател през 1980 г. и получава научното звание "доцент".

През 2001 година продължава научната си кариера във Варненския свободен университет. От 2003 г. е хоноруван професор и декан на Архитектурния факултет.

Публикации
Автор е на над 20 публикации и доклади и в над 10 проекта
 "Електрически машини" I част – 2000 г.
 "Електрически машини" II част – 2001 г.
 "Приложна електротехника" (учебник, съавтор) – 2008 г.
 "Архитектурно осветление" (учебник, съавтор) – 2009 г.
 "4 години устойчива архитектура във Варна" (книга, съавтор) – 2011 г.
 "Проектиране на пожароизвестителни системи" (учебник, съавтор) – 2012 г.

Източници

Външни препратки
 Профил в страницата на Варненски Свободен Университет
 Интервю със Стефан Терзиев

Преподаватели във Варненски свободен университет
Преподаватели в Технически университет Варна
Родени в Горна Оряховица

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Buzz Aldrin & The Missing Moon Watch
Jewellery & Watches / 12 hours ago
One from the archives: we hear from the astronaut on his adventures in time-telling...
by Rebecca Cox
When it comes to owning a classic watch, they don't come more well-travelled than the OMEGA Speedmaster. Now celebrating more than 60 years as an iconic timepiece, the Speedmaster has been worn by astronauts, Air Force pilots, explorers, athletes and actors alike. In 1969, Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface as part of the Apollo 11 crew wearing his OMEGA wristwatch, making the Speedmaster the first watch to be worn on the moon. But what happened to it after he returned to earth? We met with Buzz as part of OMEGA's Speedmaster anniversary events, to hear about his adventures in space (and time-telling), and to find out what happened to that iconic space watch…
Buzz Aldrin and the OMEGA Speedmaster
In 1969, as part of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first and second men to walk on the surface of the moon. This iconic shot of Buzz, taken en route by Neil, shows the astronaut displaying his OMEGA Speedmaster, which was tested by former NASA engineer Jim Ragan before the mission.
Here, Buzz talks us through the mission, and the stories behind the most famous images of his trip.
'We're going to the moon, we haven't even got there yet. But I need to check and see what the condition of the lander is like because all three of us had been in Columbia. So, I crawl up through the tunnel and go down through the tunnel in Eagle, and then position myself and look around and check everything is in the right position. Neil stuck his head down with the camera upside down so he could take a picture of me right side up, and that's his triangular window behind me, and my window's on the other side so the instrument panel is here. And it just happened that I was displaying very prominently an Omega watch. This is not a spacesuit I had on. This is what the outfit was inside the spacecraft before putting on a pressure suit to go outside the spacecraft. And this garment was on display at the Smithsonian when we came back, and they recently sent it back to its rightful owner, and it fits fine!'
Once Buzz landed on the moon, he takes one of the most famous shots of all time.
'What was so remarkable getting on the surface was to look down and see how precisely the boot print kept to the surface, like talcum powder. It didn't smudge and vanish, it preserved itself, unlike sand. It was very distinct. So, I had to take a picture of it before and after. This is a very famous picture but it's very lonesome looking, so I had to put my foot down and move it slightly so you could see the boot and the print.'
Following this, Neil Armstrong took charge of the camera, and pointed it at Buzz, often mistaken for Neil in this, the most iconic of space photographs.
'You can see the black sky, the sunlit grey, almost 50 shades of grey. No life, no air, very desolate but magnificent desolation. This very spontaneous picture I was moving, we didn't pose this picture. Neil said "Stop!" and I looked at him and he took a picture, and I was still turning around. You can see my name on the plate here, and the gold visor of the helmet reflects the light that was coming toward him in the picture. And you can see the white suited Neil, the photographer, you can see my shadow, the spacecraft that we landed in (Eagle), the flag, and a few of the experiments. This image is so complete, and so iconic a picture. People ask me to tell them about it and I only have 3 words: "Location, location, location".'
The Lost Watch
So what happened to that iconic watch? As per the usual protocol, on his return to earth, Buzz sent his watch to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington to be displayed; but it got 'lost' on the way.
Buzz might have lost his moon Speedmaster, but here he shows off a newer model, worn with the two rings he wore on the moon.
And nobody is taking the blame for the loss of Buzz's moon watch. We spoke to former NASA engineer Jim Ragan, who was responsible for testing all the personal hardware for the space missions.
'I wasn't responsible for recovering those watches. The only thing I got back from that mission was the magazines of film and I had to send those to the Smithsonian as well. I didn't have anything to do with those watches.
'I made Buzz Aldrin sign a slip of paper to this effect saying that he had shipped it, and it wasn't there when it got to the Smithsonian.'
The astronaut says he occasionally gets calls from people claiming to have the elusive lost moon watch, but thus far these have all been hoaxes.
So, if you happen to have a vintage Speedmaster in your collection from circa 1969, just take a close look at the serial number. (And perhaps check for lunar dust…)
UPDATE: Article first published in 2017, republished now in case you missed it.
Vintage Appeal: Why vintage watches are worth the investment
Gorgeous Watches to Invest In Now
Best British Watch Brands For Your Wrist
Bridgerton Style Inspiration: Costume Jewellery


The shoe factory assembly line is a three-dimensional assembly line, please use the performance to prove your excellent!
Please use your performance to prove your excellence!
Where does your salary come from?
Why does the boss pay you?
Without the rapid development and high profits of enterprises, employees can not get a good salary. Only when the company makes money can employees get better returns. In a sense, making money for the company is about getting a raise.
Whatever you do, you have to prove that you are a valuable asset to the company and that you can help the company make money. Who makes more achievements for the company, whose salary is higher.
Bill Gates: "the people who make money for the company are the people who need it most."
2. No credit, toil is "white labor"
Companies want results, not processes.
In a business, employees no matter how hard they work, if they are inefficient and fail to make a performance, all the hard work is in vain and all the efforts are worthless.
It is our job to be productive and to pursue a good result in everything we do.
We are opposed to just saying no, and we are against doing it.
You can only get the ideal return if you work hard and diligently.
2. The degree of recognition of employees' value depends on the number of employees' achievements.
3. We insist on the acquisition and promotion of performance as the starting point of management, and take the performance level as the basis for the effectiveness of the assessment management.
4. The work value and market value determine the employee's allocation benchmark, and the performance level determines the actual acquisition of employees.
Three, white cat black cat, catch rat is good cat.
What are the standards of good employees? Results! This is the age of the hero of results, which is the test of all times as a result.
Four, no performance is to exploit the enterprise.
It is a waste of company resources to take the boss's salary without thinking about it. Employees cannot create value for the company, they are exploiting the enterprise.
Five, use first-class performance to hold the boss's heart.
Every boss will leave behind only those who have the best business skills for their own good. The pie doesn't fall from the sky, and the boss will only reuse you if you work hard and get some results.
As a business entity, the company must rely on profits to maintain its development, and to develop it requires every employee in the company to contribute their strength and talents. The company is a battlefield where employees try to prove their performance, and employees prove their only rule is performance.
Anytime, anywhere, if you don't make a performance, you're going to be a discarded chess piece.
Enterprises need is able to solve problems, hard-working staff, rather than those who once made a certain contribution, but now I can't keep up with the pace of enterprise development, self-righteous, do nothing.
No amount of hard work is useless without performance.
Guangzhou dapeng shoes machine co., LTD. The main products for shoe factory assembly line, the three-dimensional assembly line, heel nailing machine, setting machine, the heel of the shoe whole plant equipment, the former to help machine, after lasting machine, peeling machine, shoes machine, Italy, omar, shoes machine, Texaco long shoes machine. Order enquiry hotline: 13924236998" />.


Think you can't afford limousine service in Los Angeles? Well, think again. Choosing an L.A. limo service for your airport transportation over taxi cabs or shuttle buses is far more affordable than you might think.
Our services are competitively priced because we understand that both business and leisure travelers are price conscious, especially in these tough economic times. In addition, choosing a Los Angeles limo service is economic in ways other than just the direct cost to your wallet. For example, choosing limousine or town car service over a taxi can save you time, since our cars are comfortable enough to allow you to work on your trip into town. You can check email, return phone calls or complete other work as you're riding. These are things you can't accomplish while riding in a taxi or a bus, and certainly shouldn't while behind the wheel of a rental car! In addition, choosing a limo and town car service saves you time, because you can always count on us to be on time! No waiting in lines for taxi cabs or for shuttle buses that always run late.
Choosing an L.A. or Orange County limo and town car service is also economic because it's safer than a traditional taxi cab ride, and it's certainly safer than a newcomer trying to navigate LA's busy highways on his own. And, while safety is a critical personal issue, it's also an economic issue. Accidents cause loss of money and loss of work time, even when no injury is involved. Our cars are sturdy and well built and our drivers are well trained with impeccable driving records. Your safety is our most important concern when you travel with us.
Finally, choosing a limousine service for airport transportation is more economical because it allows you to share the ride, meaning lower costs to you and benefit to the environment. Our service can accommodate your entire party in one vehicle, regardless of size. Whether you need a town car to transport you and one colleague from the airport, a stretch limo to take a party of 15 out to dinner, or a shuttle bus to transport a large group of people, we can accommodate your needs without requiring that you use multiple vehicles for your party. This saves money and gas, which is good for everyone.
So, as you can see, choosing limousine service in Orange County and LA really is economical. With our great service, affordable rates and impeccable safety record, we're the simple choice for great transportation in the LA area.


text:
/*global Hammer*/
import Ember from 'ember';

const {
  inject,
  Mixin,
  on
  } = Ember;

export default Mixin.create({

  '-gestures': inject.service('-gestures'),

  recognizers: null,
  managerOptions: null,
  __instance: null,
  __manager() {

    let instance = this.get('__instance');
    if (instance) {
      return instance;
    }

    let opts = this.get('managerOptions') || { domEvents: true };
    opts.useCapture = this.get('-gestures.useCapture');
    instance = new Hammer.Manager(this.element, opts);
    this.set('__instance', instance);

    return instance;
  },

  __setupRecognizers: on('didInsertElement', function() {

    let promise = this.get('recognizers');
    if (promise) {
      let manager = this.__manager();
      promise.then((recognizers) => {
        recognizers.forEach((recognizer) => {
          manager.add(recognizer);
        });
      });
    }
  }),

  __teardownRecognizers: on('willDestroyElement', function() {
    let instance = this.get('__instance');
    if (instance) {
      //instance.off();
      instance.destroy();
      this.set('__instance', null);
    }
  }),

  init() {
    this._super();

    // setup recognizers
    let recognizers = this.get('recognizers');
    if (recognizers) {
      this.set('recognizers', this.get('-gestures').retrieve(recognizers.split(' ')));
    }
  }

});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The fabric is 85% cotton + 15% polyester fiber, comfortable and breathable, soft and skin-friendly.
The collar is not limited by age and face and is full of men's gentlemanliness.
Precise sewing thread, exquisite workmanship, no jumpers, reflecting its high quality.
Simple cuff design, fine sewing thread, natural and regular edges, exudes endless charm between gestures.
Sleek curved hem design, uniform, superb skills, enhance the body's self-cultivation effect, wear confidence.


Lazarus Straus, son of Isaac and Johanette Straus, was born in Otterberg Germany in 1809. He was the oldest of fourteen. The custom of marrying cousins was common at the time and, in 1838 he married a cousin, Davora (Fannie) Levi. The couple had one daughter, Karoline. Fanny died in 1843. Lazarus then married his first cousin Sara, daughter of his father's brother.
In 1852 Lazarus immigrated to the US. He sent for his family in 1854. By then Karoline was a teenager and had established a life for herself in Germany. She decided to remain there. An uncle, Abraham was granted custody.
Karoline married Moritz Weiss. Ferdinand Weiss was born in January 1862 in Mannheim. Ferdinand married Amalie Kunstler. They had three children; Frieda Luise, Friedrich Wilhelm Siegfried and Ernst.
Until recently we knew only that Lazarus remained in contact with his family in Germany. He left money to his grandson Ferdinand when he died in 1898. A newly discovered condolence note from Ferdinand, written in 1912 after the "Titanic" disaster led to renewed research and the discovery of his descendants. Frieda Luise, known as Luise, married Dr. Nathan Roos. They had daughter Ellen. The family lived in Pforzheim Germany. During a visit by Isidor and Ida, the Roos' were invited to send Luise back to the USA with the Strauses. It was a good thing Ellen was not permitted to go because she would have been on the "Titanic".
Dr. Nathan Roos was a prominent physician in Germany. Realizing the war was imminent, he sent Ellen to live with Luise's brother Ernst who immigrated to the US in 1927. Dr. Roos was sent to Dachau but was released after a few months. He and Luise emigrated in 1940 where they were reunited with their daughter Ellen. They settled in upper Manhattan were Dr. Roos reestablished his medical practice.
Ellen Roos married Fred Tager. They had three daughters, Jessie and twins Colette and Lorette.
Information about this part of the family has only just been uncovered. Much work needs to be done to learn who sponsored the family when they immigrated, how much contact there was with the Straus family when they were in Europe and why the contact was broken.


VMworld 2018 was hosted in Barcelona, and is returning there for 2019.
It feels odd to be writing about VMworld 2018, in the week of AWS Re:invent. However, work and family schedules have meant that I've been focus on other things since I returned. Including preparing to leave my current role, having accepted a new challenge in the new year. More on that next month.
This year marked my third VMworld over the last decade, I'd previously attended events in San Francisco and Cannes. Unlike those previous events I self funded this visit and moreover the wife joined me for a well deserved holiday. The self funded experience allowed me to feel no guilt whatsoever in focusing much of my time connecting with members of the community rather than sessions. I also made a decision that I was not going to bring my laptop. This was to avoid the temptation of logging into work and also to try and remove a screen between myself and the sessions and any conversations.
As discussed in an earlier post the first day I gave over to design studios, which meant my VMworld got off to an excellent start. The design studio sessions where some of the best of the week. They perhaps flew a little under the radar to most, which was a good thing for me as I got to spend sometime with UX and product managers focused on delivering the next wave of innovation.
Coming out of the keynotes, where announcements that reaffirm VMware's strong position in the market and how that has translated to make them the partner of choice for c-loud service providers.
The extending of the relationship with AWS, creates a formidable partnership. Further strengthened through the AWS Outpost announcement from re:invent. At VMworld we where perhaps given a glimpse toward this announcement, with the introduction of AWS relational databases running from the private cloud on top of a VMware estate.
The VMware on AWS model is also something that the organisations are looking to further exploit. IT infrastructure takes time and energy away from the IT organisation, and IT organisation that many businesses would prefer spent time tackling digital transformation of services. Project Dimension will extend VMware Cloud to deliver SDDC infrastructure and hardware as-a-service to on-premises locations. Because this is will be a service, it means that VMware can take care of managing the infrastructure, troubleshooting issues, and performing patching and maintenance.
A cloud push was in full swing, so it was easy to miss an announcement that even 5 years ago would have been big news. VMware announced that vROPs is gaining support for IBM Power. Anything that can help to simplify and provide a holistic view of the data centre will always get my vote.
Highlights from the sessions included insight into the top ten automation requests, fireside chats with the VMware CIO team (despite there being no fire these were good!) and a brand building session with Joe Baguley and Amanda Blevins.
Like a fool I booked a VCAP Deploy exam for the Thursday morning, after VMworld Fest…. So a mad dash out of the event center to a testing center was required as the deploy exams cannot be offered onsite. I did however find myself sat next to @Kev_johnson for the exam, so at least I had someone to compare post test notes with!


text:
package com.iaskwind.iawlibrary.base;

/**
 * Created by winston on 16/11/25.
 */
public class IAW_ResponseModel<T> {

    private boolean success; //请求是否成功标志
    private String accessToken;//返回的token
    private String msg;//请求返回的消息
    private boolean tokenInvalid;
    private int page;
    private T data;  //服务端如果用map record 而不是当前的实体类的话,key必须是data 否则移动不能转换成实体

    public boolean isTokenInvalid() {
        return tokenInvalid;
    }

    public void setTokenInvalid(boolean tokenInvalid) {
        this.tokenInvalid = tokenInvalid;
    }

    public boolean isSuccess() {
        return success;
    }

    public void setSuccess(boolean success) {
        this.success = success;
    }

    public String getAccessToken() {
        return accessToken;
    }

    public void setAccessToken(String accessToken) {
        this.accessToken = accessToken;
    }

    public String getMsg() {
        return msg;
    }

    public void setMsg(String msg) {
        this.msg = msg;
    }

    public int getPage() {
        return page;
    }

    public void setPage(int page) {
        this.page = page;
    }

    public T getData() {
        return data;
    }

    public void setData(T data) {
        this.data = data;
    }
}


text:
Guest Column | December 21, 2020
The Franchise Sales Rep – Where Did They Go?
By Jay Valentine, ContingencySales.com
The difference between a "franchise player" and anyone else is not two to one, it is not 50 to one, it is infinity." – CEO of High-Tech Company
We were talking about programmers and this CEO said he could hire the best talent, pay competitive salaries, and get terrific output from his team. Even the best hire stood in awe of the "franchise player," that one special individual who not only coded better than the rest but brought ideas that changed the problem set altogether.
Reed Hastings of Netflix fame recently revealed his view that the difference between a good and great programmer can be 10,000 to 1.
Sales too used to have franchise players and they made all the difference.
One company we recall was on its 5th round of VC funding, had never won a deal for more than $350,000 a year, never made a profit, the options appeared worthless. They hired 14 new sales reps - for the 3rd time.
At the half-year mark, only one of the sales reps had closed a deal in six figures. Only one. A bit later in the year, one of these reps, a sleeper it seemed, found a very different way to explain their technology using composite storyboards.
Storyboards simplified a terribly complex technology story so it could apply to a host of issues, not just the one most of the reps relentlessly chased.
That storyboard concept, fought fearsomely by the marketing department, was really simple. Thus, marketing hated it.
A few months later, that storyboard landed a deal for a $6 million license, $14 million in implementation fees.
The company thus received the equivalent of a dilution-free capital round. But it got much more. It now had a story.
They were able to tell a much bigger story enabling them to be acquired by a larger firm, at a price that landed the hapless CEO as an "entrepreneur in residence" at a Boston VC.
The days of the franchise sales rep are mostly over because conventional transaction-minded sales managers are terrified by them. New ideas conflict with account-based marketing. They cannot be measured by CRM systems. They are not predictable for quarterly revenue forecasts.
Too many company B2B firms have marketing departments inhabited by mindless drones who crank out useless sales materials, whitepapers nobody reads, marketing programs just like the other guy and have a resistance to anything creative.
Venture-backed SaaS B2B firms are in the business of allocating up to 100% of their invested funds to sales and marketing to drive revenue toward an acquisition. That is how VCs get their dough back.
VCs hire the transaction-minded sales VP who sits at a CRM screen all day looking at small deal transaction trajectory. There is no time, no room for imagination.
There is no room for the big play.
The result is the stagnation one sees from hundreds of VC-backed B2B tech firms who raise endless sums yet never break out.
The argument is not that a franchise player would solve all these problems. Maybe. The argument is more that the franchise player would certainly "find the future" with new ideas and new ways of positioning the product for a good number of them.
Alas, that is not to be. Imagination is in short supply in transaction-driven firms. They cannot afford either the disruption from a franchise player or the threat that he or she might just find that elusive magic stone that launches the company into category leadership.
The franchise sales rep is alive and well, however, at startup B2B firms not funded by VCs.
These companies are not hamstrung by a transaction mindset or a braindead marketing department. They understand a technology's future is often quite different from what its originators envisioned. They get it that the constant iteration between the prospect and sales rep may find that magic positioning.
Taking early VC money makes a company do stupid things fast. Finding the franchise rep, the person who finds the ideal product landing zone, one that nobody ever considered is a luxury only available today to startups who go it alone.
Jay Valentine is the CEO of ContingencySales.com, bringing disruptive tech products to market without venture capital and the VP of Sales for portfolio company Cloud-Sliver.


text:
FAQ for Tax-Prep Volunteers
How do I register for tax-prep volunteer training?
Follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/unitedwaytax
What is covered in the training?
Volunteers will receive cover reference material and learn to apply frequently used tax law, as well as learn to prepare returns using tax software. They will set up a password to training software that they can access after class for further practice if desired. In addition, they will have access to videos to watch for further review, and reference materials to keep and review.
Do I have to complete a certification to volunteer?
Volunteers need to complete an open-book IRS certification before volunteering. The training classes offered cover all material needed for the certification; at the end of class, volunteers will be ready to complete their tests. Additional one-on-one help is available for remaining questions about the certification process, if needed.
Where do I volunteer?
Although training is held at UAB and Samford, all tax-preparation appointments are held at United Way of Central Alabama.
Where is United Way of Central Alabama?
3600 8th Avenue South in the Avondale/Forest Park neighborhood. From St. Vincent's Hospital, follow University Boulevard east about eight blocks. The street name will change to Clairmont Avenue. Watch for the Piggly Wiggly on the left at 34th Street South. After the Piggly Wiggly, go one more block past Park 35 Apartments, and turn left at 36th Street South. UWCA is one block ahead at the top of the hill. Turn right and then turn left into the parking lot on the back side of building, past auditorium. Enter at the Community Services entrance and sign in to get your volunteer badge and name tag.
Park at UWCA, in the general area of the Community Services entrance. Please leave the spaces closest to the building for our clients, many of whom are elderly or have mobility issues. If the parking lot near the Community Services entrance is full, you can park near the Auditorium entrance or in front of the building at the main entrance, if necessary. It is also permissible to parallel park on the street.
What do I do as a volunteer?
Most appointments for clients allow them to complete a drop-off interview one week, then return the next week to sign and pick up the completed return. Volunteers can help with the drop-off and pick-up meetings.
Volunteers also have the option to prepare returns that have already been dropped off; many new volunteers like to do this as a way to get familiar with the process without worry that they are keeping a client waiting.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, appointments are reserved for clients who need to have their return prepared in one trip.
On Thursday evenings and Fridays, no appointments are scheduled. Volunteers prepare returns that were received earlier in the week. It is a great time to volunteer and get familiar with the process — with extra support available.
What if I have questions while volunteering?
United Way Site Coordinators are always on hand to respond to your questions. In addition, tabbed reference guides are available at each workstation to assist you with your questions.
What if I make a mistake?
In training, we teach that every return must go through a second check, called a Quality Review, before it is signed by the client. Ask questions as you have them, and if there are any issues that you think need close attention, attach a note to the return for the reviewer. This process allows an opportunity for mistakes to be identified and corrected prior to meeting with the client.
What's the schedule?
UWCA – 3600 8th Ave South, Community Services entrance Monday through Friday
Monday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Drop-off and pick-up appointments
Tuesday: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. — Drop-off and pick-up appointments
Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — One-trip appointments
Thursday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Drop-off and pick-up appointments
Thursday: 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. — Work on returns already received (extended hours on Thursdays begin 1/25)
Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m — Work on returns already received
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. — One-trip appointments
Saturday dates are 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/23 and 3/2 at UWCA –– use Auditorium entrance (under awning) on Saturday only
What's the dress code?
UWCA is business casual, meaning khakis or slacks with a collared shirt are always appropriate. No shorts, please. Although UWCA staff can wear jeans on Fridays only, volunteers may wear neat jeans during the week.
Is there a breakroom?
We have a breakroom with refrigerators and a microwave just outside the tax-prep area, if you would like to bring lunch or a snack. There is coffee, ice and a filtered water dispenser. To reduce the chance of spills at your work space, you may want to bring a mug or water bottle with a lid. There are no vending machines on this floor, so if you prefer soft drinks, bring them with you.
What about check-in?
There will usually be a receptionist at the Community Services entrance to greet you when you volunteer, except on Thursday after 5 p.m. At that time, please call Bobbie's cell phone at 205-529-0408, or her desk at 205-458-8976, and someone will come meet you at the entrance.


text:
Space Force leaders staying out of the political fray[
Gen. John Raymond, chief of the U.S. Space Force, said he has met with members of the Biden transition team but would not speculate on what might change under the new administration.
WASHINGTON — The head of the U.S. Space Force had "a very good conversation" with members of President-elect Joe Biden's transition team, Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond said Dec. 15.
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have so far said very little on their views on space policy or on the Space Force, stirring speculation that the space service might not get the same support from the incoming administration that it has gotten from President Donald Trump, who made the Space Force one of his signature initiatives.
During a call with reporters to discuss the first year of the Space Force, Raymond said he would not speculate on what might change or not change under the new administration. "I'm not in the politics business," he said.
The Space Force, established Dec. 20, 2019, is the nation's first new military branch since the Air Force was established in 1947.
Raymond said he spoke with members of the Biden transition team over the past week. "I was happy to chat with them," he said. "But I'm not going to speculate on what they may or may not do. But again, we had a really good conversation."
The Space Force is now determined to build on what it accomplished during its first year, Raymond said. The plan for 2021 is to continue on with the standup of the headquarters and field commands, grow the ranks by transferring in Air Force space personnel and bring in new recruits.
What is not going to change, said Raymond, is "the focus of our team, and that's on building a service that delivers national advantage."
Since the Space Force was established, Raymond and other leaders have sought to make the case that a military service entirely focused on space is good for national security.
"It has always been known that the U.S. is more secure when you have freedom of access, or access to space and freedom to maneuver in space," he said. "It provides so much for our economy, it provides so much for national security. And what we're going to do is keep focused on building that service, building the partnerships."
Developing future force
The Space Force — which is responsible for operating military satellites, tracking space traffic and protecting U.S. systems from potential threats — heavily depends on technology. Its key challenge in the coming years will be ensuring it has a technically skilled workforce, said Chief Master Sergeant Roger Towberman, the senior enlisted leader of the Space Force.
"Human capital, I believe, is one of the biggest, most critical things we're going to work on," said Towberman, who participated in the call with Raymond.
Raymond said the service is working on a "human capital strategy" that will recommend nontraditional approaches to recruiting military personnel and hiring civilians.
Because of the Space Force's small size — it's projected to have about 6,400 military members and 10,000 civilians — it has an opportunity to experiment with different ways of managing talent, said Towberman, "in a more personal and individualized way." By comparison, the Marine Corps has about 180,000 people.
Raymond said the Space Force also wants to make STEM education a trademark initiative. Just like the Marine Corps is known for its Toys for Tots program, the Space Force wants to give back by helping elementary schools teach kids math and science, he said.
The Space Force worked with retired teachers to develop educational videos to be used in classrooms. Space Force officials will be actually teaching elementary school classes about space.
"Just last night, I taught a third grade class in Hawaii. And tomorrow I'm teaching a class in Iowa," said Raymond. "Our goal is to be in 50 states talking about the importance of STEM education in lighting the passion of very young folks about the importance of space."
SpaceNews correspondent Debra Werner contributed to this story.
Previous Astra narrowly misses reaching orbit on second launch[
Next Chinese spacecraft heading back to Earth with lunar samples[


High-pressure cooling can also be used for more than just cooling. The system can minimise dust problems in the house as well as raise humidity levels. Between the individual batches, the cooling system can be used to soak the house, which makes it easier to wash it down.
Due to the nozzle heads, the cooling system can easily be adapted for all types of houses – also in connection with renovation work. The holes for the nozzles are made with special tools after final installation and can thus be placed optimally in relation to the air intake. All nozzles are supplied with antidrip valve, in order to avoid problems arising with the litter.
SKOV supplies a complete and flexible pad cooling system that can be used in tunnel systems.
Pad cooling cools the air when the fresh air is led through the cooling pads, which are kept moist by the constant sprinkling of water. The air is cooled when it absorbs water vapour from the cooling pads. SKOV's pad cooling system is an integrated solution whereby the water tank is placed in the bottom gutter of the system. The system is supplied with the best cooling pads on the market and supervising and maintaining of the system is easy.


Collecting navel lint is probably not the kind of hobby you want to bring up in a conversation, but that hasn't stopped a 45-year-old librarian from collecting his own belly button fluff, for the last 26 years.
Graham Barker, from Perth, Australia started his bizarre collection when he noticed his own navel lint, one night, and became curious about how much fluff a person produces. The only way to answer his own question was to monitor his own belly button, and collect the lint. Contrary to what most people believe when they hear about his weird habit, Graham isn't obsessed with lint, nor does he spend most of his time checking his navel. He is only driven by curiosity, and dedicates a mere ten seconds a day to collecting the fluff, right before stepping into the shower.
The amount of fluff he finds in his navel every night depends on the type of clothes he's been wearing that day, but he has noticed thermal underwear is the most productive. Each night, he takes whatever he can find in his belly button and stores it in a clay jar, bought specifically for collecting lint. At the end of each year, he ads the lint to his grand collection. In the 26 years that he has been collecting his own fluff, he managed to fill three glass jars, and he is already working on his fourth. Believe it or not, his extensive collection weighs just 22 grams.
Graham Barker admits that lint, as a raw material, is worthless, but as part of an impressive collection it gains both curiosity and financial value. After being acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest collection of navel lint, his three jars of fluff were acquired by a museum, for an undisclosed sum. When they see the belly button lint collection, most visitors have a positive reaction, but there are still those who find it disgusting or simply stupid.
Graham only plans to stop collecting navel lint when he is incapable of doing so anymore, but he reckons he'll fill up five more jars before then, thus making sure his record doesn't get beat any time soon.


Stalwarts on Boston's vibrant folk music/singer-songwriter scene, Ellis Paul and Vance Gilbert have crossed paths and played shows together for years, but this is their first album together. They have dug out some favorite folk songs alongside a few original compositions, and take turns steering the tracks in the right direction. The clear-voiced Ellis Paul sings lead on tracks like Neil Young's "Comes a Train" and Woody Guthrie's "The Morning I Am Born Again," while Vance Gilbert's soulful and smooth tones lend distinguished serenity to Dave Carter's "Gentle Arms of Eden" and Van Morrison's "Comfort You," among others. What really sets this pair apart is how sweet and naturally their vocals blend together on all tracks, creating a sense of closeness and comfort. The acoustic instrumentation is sparse but effective and eloquent, underlining the album's general feel of compassion and warmth. This is indeed a sweet and good-natured album of acoustic singer-songwriter folk.
Being a boy-girl pop duo definitely has its advantages! Ian Koss gets the details from Julian and Jan, the dynamic duo better known as Winterbrief.
Largo (First World Music). Review by Bettie Lou Vegas.


Suddenstrike Ltd is one of the leading providers of quality environmental services to local authorities and sheltered accommodation trusts in the Cheshire area.
We are a family owned and run business established in 1997, and are based in South Cheshire at Nantwich. This location means that we are based centrally in the country and are just 10 minutes away from the M6 motorway network, providing us with easy access to the whole of the country.


This lovely T-shirt is 100% cotton, except for heather colors, which contain polyester. It's a classic fit and pre-shrunk to make sure your size is maintained throughout several washes. The design features M37 on the front and a small OMPstore.com logo on the top back.


We make a plan for not doing it again.
SIN in Judaism is a slightly different concept than in Christianity. The Hebrew word chet (sounds like "hate" only with a spitty sound on the front) is an archery term. It means that I aimed at something and I missed. In Judaism, the focus is not on what a terrible person I am for doing something, the focus is to aim more carefully when I am next in that situation.
Very Important: The point of the teshuvah is not to beat ourselves up, it's to make ourselves better. Taking responsibility and expressing sorrow are important but the act of teshuvah [repentance] is not complete until I do better. According to Maimonides, until I am in that situation again and behave differently, I cannot be certain that my teshuvah is complete.
In Judaism, the focus is on doing, not so much on one's state of mind. It does not matter how lousy I feel about what I did, it matters that I address what I have done with the people I've hurt and do what I can to make sure there are no repeats.
Follow-through is important: it is not enough to be sorry for things I have done or failed to do. What is my plan for the future? How exactly am I going to do better in the coming year? Sometimes this means asking for help, calling a rabbi or a therapist to talk about strategies for change. Sometimes it means getting into treatment, or joining a 12 step group. A fresh pair of eyes and ears may see options that I don't.
As I said above, the point of all this is not to beat myself up, it's to make the world better by making my behavior better. Do not wallow in guilt, just note what needs to change and make a plan for change. When I feel embarrassed at what I have done, that's part of the process. Making teshuvah will help with the shame.
Each day of our lives is an opportunity to do better, to rise above the past. As Rabbi Tarfon used to say, "It is not incumbent upon you to finish the task. Yet you are not free to desist from it." No one does any of this perfectly. The point is to improve.
This one needs a "love" button! Thanks to you and the writings of other rabbis, this approach to life is the way I present our choices in my book due out this fall. I find it life affirming and healing rather than condemning and negatively focused on only self!
I am glad you find it helpful!
Previous Previous post: What is Cheshbon Hanefesh?
Next Next post: Watch Those Poppy Seed Bagels!


How to paint a piece of furniture from scratch is probably the question I get asked the most. In my painting career I have used many different brands of paint and now without exception the process I will describe here is what I do.
I use Grand Illusions Vintage Style Chalk Paint, it love the texture of it (its very like normal matt emulsion in the tin, not thick like other similar brands), its easy to apply. But the process I will describe here is the same for any water based paint.
The key to a successful, good looking, long lasting result, it to properly prepare the piece before you start. I cannot emphasise enough how important this is. Paint tins will tell you that you don't need to and theoretically with a chalk based paint this is indeed loosely true, as it has good adhesion properties. However, if you start with wood (polished or varnished) you will prevent colour bleeding and chipping further down the line by preparing the piece properly before you paint.
At the bottom of this text is a photo story of a piece I painted in 2017. I used two colours, Nordic Blue and Verdegris to produce a two colour effect. Please click on a thumnail to start then click through to see the finish piece emerge.
Take off knobs and handles (unless you want to paint them).
Roughly sand the piece all over to scratch up the surface. Used a grade 40 (course) to a grade 80 (medium course) sandpaper to do the job. The courseness will depend on the thickness of the surface polish or varnish, the paper will need to cut through it leaving lots of surface scratches. You can do this by hand or use a hand sander to speed up the job on flat surfaces. You are not taking off the surface here, you a providing a key for all future layers to adhere to. The amount of time spent doing this really depends on the size of the piece.
For a small side table 5-10 minutes for a dresser it could be up to an hour.
Prime the wooden scratched surface with a shellac based primer. Experience has shown me that almost any wood surface will colour bleed though the paint, for example, changing white paint to an off white/yellow. Pine is extremely guilty of this! Previous spills, wood knots and damages will also pull though. I use Shellac (we sell it in the shop and on the website), its a thin oil based product (need to clean the brush with meths), apply a couple of coats (let it dry inbetween). Another excellent product is Zinsser-Bin Shellac Based Primer. This is a white product that you paint on, you'll also need a couple of coats of this and is available at most homeware and DIY stores.
For a small table this is 10-20 minutes per coat, for a dresser it would be up to an hour or more depending on how quick you are.
Now, occassionally you will find that despite painting on two coats of shellac you will still see some colour bleed. If this occurs just apply another coat of shellac over the area that is problematic, you don't need to do the whole piece. You can then paint over the top again. You can repeat this process if necessary.
Start painting! Make sure you thoroughly stir the paint first, this is especially applicable with darker colours, not stirring enough can make the colour look streaky. Depending on the colour, you will need to apply 2 - 4 coats of paint. Lighter colours will need more coats to cover the wood colour, darker colours less.
I prefer painting in the direction of the wood grain, long smooth strokes, this means that you get a smoother more professional look at the end. Paint a surface from end to end, not first the left half and then the right half (you'll see the join!) Remember how you put the paint on will be visible as brush marks. If you want a more rustic country feel then random paint strokes could add to the affect. Make sure each coat is properly dry before painting on the next, and watch out for drips (try to catch them as they happen, sorting them out at the end is a pain).
Another tip is to be generous with the paint and don't pull it out to thinly. Don't have so much paint on the brush that is slops off or flicks everywhere, load the bristles up to about three quarters of the way up and wipe of one side on the side of the tin.
I can also recommend using a non loss brush - this means you won't be picking bristles out of your paint work every 5 minutes.
Another tip is... if you are painting drawers then mask off a neat line on the outside front edge of the drawer. Don't paint the whole of the side of the drawer unless there is plenty of space - otherwise the drawer will get stuck and you won't be able to get it back in!
For a small table this is 15-20 minutes per coat, for a dresser it would be over an hour per coat.
Sanding to smooth or age/distress. This stage is really why we use a chalk paint. The chalk is what allows us to sand the paint without it ripping off. We can create lovely aged looks or a soft smooth professional feel.
If your not a fan of brush strokes and want a smoother finish then this is your opportunity to do something. I tend to us a grade 80 sandpaper at this stage. Lightly sand in one direction, the same direction as you applied the paint, to smooth out the ridges from the brush marks. Be careful, its very easy to go through the paint to the wood, especially on the edges.
To age something you can sand off edges, corners, decoration, as much or as little as you like until your happy with the look.
This part is dusty, you'll need to take off the dust with a dust pan and brush or as one of my students told me, a hand held hoover, before you move on to the next step.
For a small table this stage takes about 15 minutes, for a dresser up to 45 minutes to an hour.
Finishing with wax or varnish. We are nearly there! This stage is about choices.
A varnish finish is more hardwearing, not impervious to liquid, but protective enough to give time to wipe up spills. You'll still need to used a coaster for cups and vases but it will prevent scratches and generally stand up to more wear and tear. The Grand Illusions Matt Varnish is simply the best product I've ever used. There's no yellowing of the paint colour, and just needs, on the whole, one coat applied with a brush. Work quickly, try to load the brush with the same amount of varnish each time, apply in one direction (the same as you used for the paint) and make sure you have covered the whole surface (no light and dark patches). It goes on milky and then dries clear.
Wax is definitely more beautiful and allows for more creativity. Its super easy to apply, but it will not prevent scratches and marks. When first applied it is quite resistant to water, you can put a drop of water onto the surface and it will sit as a droplet, giving time to wipe it off. The reason I love wax is that it accentuates and deepens colours (especially effective on darker colours), giving a rich more luxurious finish. You can also get many colours of waxes which can give you a more aged look if that is what you are going for.
Apply with a cloth (like an old tshirt or teatowel), be fairly generous, making sure that all the surface is covered and has an even colour. Leave to sink in for a minimum of half an hour and then come back and buff it. For buffing I prefer to use an old towel (don't use a duster, the fine filaments will come off onto your hard work). If when you rub the cloth over the surface it sticks then its not ready to buff. A polish all over will bring the piece up to soft sheen.
Wax can be reapplied in the life of a piece of furniture, in fact as it dries out over time, I would recommend it, to keep the piece in good condition.
For a small side table this stage will take 10-20 minutes and for a dresser it could be up to an hour.
Please click on a thumnail to start, then click through to see the finish piece emerge. This piece is painted in Nordic Blue and Verdegris and finished using the Matt Varnish.