I had an employee who refused to anything and was generally very lazy and entitled. I formed a team to work a high priority short turn around task and when I asked this employee to support they told me that it wasn't their job and filed a complaint with HR against me for trying to get them to help. HR told me that I can't make them do the work and when I explained, that I had just asked them to support they let it go. Fast forward a couple months, I had submitted the team for a special award and a small bonus. Well, wouldn't you know it, I was called back into HR and asked why a certain employee was not on the award and given a bonus. I explained to them that they refused to support it and that we had met with HR and I was told I cannot force them to support. The employee tried to argue that they were being treated unfairly, but I just pointed out to HR through their own documentation that the offer was extended to the employee and that they refused. Ultimately the employee left and constantly vented how they weren't given a bonus

Computers are an important part of business. They help make a business’s processes and tasks more efficient, as well as more accurate. When a corporate computer, such as a Dell laptop in Sri Lanka or Lenovo desktop in Sri Lanka, breaks down, the response typically depends on the organisation's IT policies and procedures.

Here is a general outline of what usually happens:
· Reporting the Issue: The user whose device has malfunctioned will usually report the problem to the IT helpdesk or support team. This could be done through a ticketing system, email, phone call, or an online portal depending on the organisation's protocols.
· Diagnosis: The IT team will then diagnose the issue to determine whether it is a hardware or software problem. They may ask the user some questions to understand what happened before the breakdown occurred.
· Remote Troubleshooting (if possible): If the issue seems to be software-related or if the IT team suspects it can be fixed remotely, they may attempt to troubleshoot the problem remotely. This could involve guiding the user through some troubleshooting steps or remotely accessing the device to fix the issue.
· In-Person Support (if necessary): If the problem can't be resolved remotely or if it is a hardware issue, the IT team may schedule an appointment for the user to bring the device to the IT department or arrange for an IT technician to visit the user's location.
· Repair or Replacement: Depending on the severity of the issue, the IT team will either repair the device or replace it with a new one. If the device is under warranty, repairs may be covered by the manufacturer. Otherwise, the organisation may have a service agreement with a third-party provider for repairs.
· Data Recovery (if applicable): If the device needs to be replaced, the IT team will usually attempt to recover any important data stored on the malfunctioning device. This could involve transferring files from the old device to the new one or restoring data from backups.
· User Support and Communication: Throughout the process, the IT team will keep the user informed about the status of their device and provide any necessary support or assistance. They may also provide temporary devices or alternative solutions to ensure the user can continue their work while their device is being repaired or replaced.
· Documentation and Follow-Up: After the issue has been resolved, the IT team will typically document the problem, the steps taken to resolve it, and any follow-up actions that may be necessary to prevent similar issues in the future.

The main goal is to minimise downtime for the user while ensuring that the corporate device is back up and running as quickly as possible.

When is it time to visit the repair shop with your corporate computer?
Visiting a repair shop with a corporate computer typically depends on the severity of the issue and the organisation's IT policies. Here are some situations where it might be necessary to take your corporate computer to a repair shop:
· Hardware Failure: If your computer is experiencing hardware issues such as a malfunctioning hard drive, faulty RAM, or a damaged screen, it may need professional repair. Hardware problems often require specialised tools and expertise to diagnose and fix.
· Physical Damage: If your computer has been physically damaged, such as being dropped or exposed to water, it is advisable to take it to a repair shop. Attempting to fix physical damage yourself could cause further harm to the device.
· Persistent Software Issues: If your computer is consistently experiencing software problems despite attempts to troubleshoot them, it may be time to seek professional help. This could include issues such as frequent crashes, software errors, or malware infections.
· Warranty Coverage: If your computer is still under warranty and the issue is covered, it is often best to take it to an authorised repair shop to avoid voiding the warranty. Authorised repair centres have the expertise to perform repairs while maintaining warranty coverage.
· Data Recovery: If your computer has experienced a catastrophic failure or data loss, a professional repair shop may be able to help with data recovery efforts. They may have specialised tools and techniques to recover lost or corrupted data from the hard drive.
· Expert Diagnosis: If you are unsure of the cause of the problem or if DIY troubleshooting hasn't been successful, taking your computer to a repair shop can provide expert diagnosis. A professional technician can accurately identify the underlying issue and recommend the appropriate course of action.
· Time Constraints: If the issue is urgent and needs to be resolved quickly to minimise downtime, a repair shop with expedited service options may be the best solution.

Before taking your corporate computer to a repair shop, it is important to check with your organisation's IT department or follow any internal protocols for handling computer repairs. They may have specific procedures or preferred repair vendors that you should follow to ensure compliance with company policies.

What are the challenges to claiming warranty on your corporate laptop or desktop?
Claiming warranty on a corporate laptop or desktop can sometimes come with challenges, though the extent of these challenges can vary depending on factors such as the manufacturer, warranty coverage, and the organisation's internal processes. Here are some common challenges:
· Verification of Warranty Coverage: Ensuring that the device is still under warranty and eligible for repair or replacement can be a challenge. It requires verifying the purchase date, checking the warranty terms and conditions, and confirming that the issue is covered by the warranty.
· Documenting Proof of Purchase: Most warranty claims require proof of purchase, such as an invoice or receipt. Ensuring that the necessary documentation is readily available and in good condition can be a challenge, especially if the device was purchased some time ago.
· Navigating Warranty Terms and Conditions: Warranty agreements often have specific terms and conditions that dictate what is covered and what is not. Understanding these terms and conditions and ensuring that the issue qualifies for warranty coverage can be challenging, especially for complex issues or ambiguous language in the warranty agreement.
· Dealing with Manufacturer Support: Contacting the manufacturer's support service and navigating their warranty claim process can be time-consuming and frustrating. Long wait times, language barriers, and unhelpful support agents can all contribute to the challenge of claiming warranty on a corporate laptop or desktop.
· Shipping and Handling Costs: Some warranty agreements require the device to be shipped to a repair centre for servicing, which can incur additional costs and logistical challenges. Ensuring that the device is properly packaged and shipped securely can be a concern, especially for organisations with multiple locations or remote employees.
· Downtime and Productivity Loss: Waiting for warranty repairs or replacements to be processed can result in downtime for the user and productivity loss for the organisation. Minimising downtime and ensuring that users have access to alternative devices or solutions while their device is being serviced can be a challenge.
· Quality of Repairs: Even if warranty repairs are covered, there is no guarantee that the quality of the repairs will meet expectations. Issues such as incomplete repairs, recurring problems, or damage caused during the repair process can be challenging to address and may require additional follow-up with the manufacturer or repair provider.

Addressing these challenges often requires proactive communication and collaboration between the user, the organisation's IT department, and the manufacturer's support team. Having clear processes and procedures in place for handling warranty claims can help streamline the process and minimise disruptions to productivity.

For businesses it is always best to purchase computers from reputed brands and vendors, such as HP, Dell or Lenovo laptops in Sri Lanka. In this modern age, when computers are a much needed and used accessory for any executive, branded computers come at a lower overall cost compared to unbranded ones, due to their durability, dependability etc. For example, when considering a computer for your business, rather than consider the high Dell desktop price in Sri Lanka, it would be better to consider the long term returns you will receive, when purchasing a high-quality product.

Has anyone experienced significant performance slowdowns on their M1Pro MBP? Specifically I see it on startup.
Is it possible with the newer OS for Apple to be hurting performance the way iOS did for iPhones?
My idea behind this would be how the M-series is so good that if you have M1Pro there really isn’t any rational reason to upgrade yet (as evidence by the terrible sales of M2 in comparison to M1). If you want people to upgrade make the performance worse.
Anyone can call this tin foil hat, but considering Apple did this in the past — and any large company tends to lean to more profit over best practices — I don’t think this is an absurd logic.
If I’m one of the few with this issue it’s me not them, for sure.

Hey y’all, sit with me through this:
Bought a house less than a year ago, advertised as having the metal roof completely redone/resealed two months before sale.
LOL. Liars.
I have, in the last 6 months, encountered no less than EIGHT (8) leaks, one bad enough it flooded my kitchen. I keep sealing them just to have more crop up.
Obviously I need to completely re-seal my roof because this is getting ridiculous.
However. I’m juuuust a tiny bit poor (female, low-level government employee, single income household). So my brother and my dad and I will be doing it ourselves. Don’t worry, they know how to use tools and stuff.
This is where the mad genius comes into play: roof sealant. Since I need to re-do my roof entirely, I’d like to change the color from red to green. I have a few ideas below and please tell me if they’ll work or if I’m a nut. I’ll list them in order of cheapest to most expensive options (aka the order I’d prefer to do them in).

1. Find a green roof paint and paint the metal roof everywhere except in a two-inch border around all screw holes/joints, then do a green silicone sealant (GACO) on those areas in thiiiick coats.
   
2. Do the whole roof in an ACRYLIC elastomeric in green.
   
3. Do the whole roof in an acrylic elastomeric in green and then go over seams and screw holes with silicone (GACO) in green.
   
4. Do the whole roof in GACO and cry into my ramen for the next year.
   
5. Marry a millionaire and forget I even lived in a fixer upper in a low income area (listen. It’s not my first choice, but it’s valid, right?)
   

So all you good ole blue collar boys, help a gal out? Please. I’m dying.
Sincerely, I’m wet and not in a good way.

I'm currently trading CFD's via a broker and have access to Indices, Forex, metals etc.. and trading via MT4.
If I'm not mistaken, anything traded via MT4 is going to have tick-based volume - would that be correct?
I'd like to perform some testing using markets which provide real volume to whichever terminal s/w I need to install, but I don't know how to this because I expect various providers create their own markets based on an underlying market, so they'd have non-real volume I guess.
I'm based in the UK.
Ideas welcome for how I find these markets.
Many thanks

In this situation, the roles have been reversed in an attempt to get the 33F to see the 36M point of view. This is the text that was sent to the 33F recounting the events from the 36M point of view but again with roles reversed.
I know it’s impossible to see things from a point of view different than you’re own but humor me a little here and let’s take a look at yesterdays events/situation and see how someone in my position may be upset about how the day/night unfolded.
You and I have dated for 3 years. We recently broke up around 3 months ago. You made some mistakes and realized those mistakes and have been trying your best every day since to show me that you can be a better person, that you’re sorry, that you love me, etc… Some days it works, other days it doesn’t. But you don’t give up despite the ups and downs, the challenges, the mixed signals. There’s been times you’ve wanted to give up but there’s just something in you and something you see in me that will not let you do that. So you continue to try and try, explaining every little thing, overexplaining, trying to change my mind of you. Because my mind is made up, I don’t believe anything you say, I don’t trust you, and I believe that your every action is of ill intent and only out to hurt me. Fast forward to yesterday. Things aren’t going great but things aren’t going as bad as they have in the past. We don’t talk much during work but you’ve still texted me multiple times throughout the day but I’ve not read them or responded in quite some time. You walk into my office and I’m looking at my phone and laughing. You immediately get upset because you feel as though I didn’t have enough time to read and respond to your text which would take all of 5 seconds of my time but yet here I am phone in hand, texting other people, and laughing. You call me out on it, I immediately get defensive and angry with you. We text and argue about the situation for the next little bit. You notice that my location has been turned off on Life360. I deny having turned it off and am not sure why that would happen. After work, you come to my house to get a package that has been delivered. My kid asks if you’d like to stay and play. You tell them to ask me and I agree that it’s okay. You play with my kid for a bit until you get tired. During this time, your mom is on one of her text rants and is blowing up your phone. While resting, you look at your phone to see what the fuss is about and to respond in hopes of ending the onslaught of messages. I’m in another part of the house and haven’t really talked to you since you’ve been inside. I walk in and see you on your phone in that one moment and make a snarky remark about how I’m not allowed to be on my phone but here you are at my house on your phone. You try to explain what’s going on, but I’m not hearing any of it. Feeling unwelcome and rather than continue an argument, you decide to leave. We continue to text and you’re trying your best to clear up the situation as usual, over explaining, trying to prove to me that although it does seem a certain way, it wasn’t you’re intentions. Get to a point where you text me a couple of long paragraphs. I read them but don’t respond. You have an awards banquet to go to for your kid. After the banquet you text me some sweet things about how all you know is that you love me, want to be with me, yadda, yadda… no response. You try to break the silence with a suggestion of giving me a massage. I act interested asking if you’re serious. You say yes but I don’t respond. You then ask if that’s a no. I then tell you no, that I have plans with “someone” to eat dinner and discuss a job I’ve been talking to this person about all week. I never mentioned it to you at all throughout the day and coincidentally this person wants to meet exactly at the time you asked me to hangout. Having flown from Washington all the way to shitty little Middlesboro at this exact moment to meet with me about this job. You respond and bite your tongue, wanting to just let it go, and wish me luck. But the coincidences of it all cause you to respond with a smart ass remark. You’ve been turned down so many times before you felt obligated to say something. But then you wish me well and let me know that you have I don’t get raped or murdered. Sort of a joke but also not because it is a possibility. I am meeting a stranger that I’ve only spoken to for 2-3 days that’s coming from another part of the country just to talk to me. But okay whatever. Then I go completely silent. Location is still turned off so you have no idea where I’m going, who I’m with, so your mind starts thinking do the worse things imaginable and doesn’t stop. Each thought getting worse and worse. You continue to text me and I ignore you completely, not even reading your messages. You try to call, but I don’t answer and send you to voicemail. You go home to try and brush it off and just stop worrying. That’s going pretty good. Then your friend Kacy asks what you’re up to and wants to know if you’d like to go have a few drinks. Sure, that sounds great. Will keep you distracted and give you something to do plus you enjoy hanging out with Kacy when you can. You guys meet at Ike’s. As soon as you walk in, you see me and one of the hottest girls on the planet sitting at the bar. Just the two of us having drinks, laughing, talking, etc… You’re stomach knots up and you honestly feel like pumping, walking over and saying something, or just walking away. I’ve continued to ignore you. I’m clearly having a great time with this person and to you and it looks more than just a professional type meeting. He’s in street clothes, you guys are drinking at a bar, there are no sort of documents, folders, etc… that would indicate any type of production or project pitch is taking place. We’re finished here. We get up and we walk right by you. I see you out of the corner of my eye, smirk, and walk on out. We then disappear out of sight briefly before reappearing at my car. You’re closely watching to see if we hug, kiss, shake hands, etc… before going our separate ways. But what’s this?? She gets in my car and we drive off. So you try to text and call me. Ignored. You sit there with Kacy, watching every car pass by wondering where we went, what we were doing, maybe I’m just dropping her off at her car. But I never come back by and you know in order for me to go home, I’d have to drive by. You finish the evening out with Kacy having a couple more drinks until the bar closes and you’re forced to leave. You drive by my house just to see if maybe I was at home and you were just freaking out over nothing. Nope, I’m not home. Again you’re texting me and I will not respond. You drive around for a bit to clear your head, try to pull yourself together, and because you don’t want to go back to your parents and just sit and worry. You continue to text but at this point the messages aren’t going through. You try to call and it goes straight to voicemail. So you’re thinking that I’ve either blocked you or you’re somewhere with no service. But where could that be? It’s after 10pm at this point. Everything is closed on a Tuesday. Especially anywhere that would be proper for a professional job meeting. So your mind goes into overdrive thinking of every scenario in which I’m fucking this girl, I’m being murdered, or drugged, or God knows what. You drive around hoping to see that I’m safe. Eventually you see my car parked at Walmart but we’re not in it. Maybe we’re in Walmart. You go in cause you have to pee anyway and do a lap or two. No sign of us. So now, it’s assumed that I’ve gotten into a car with this person and could be absolutely anywhere at this point. So the anxiety, fear, insecurity kicks it up to overdrive. You’re freaking out. You’re texting me trying to get some sort of reaction, calling on every outlet possible, but no response, no answer, straight to voicemail. You continue to drive around aimlessly just hoping to catch a glimpse of me somewhere so you’ll know I’m safe. You sit at Walmart close to my car to see if I ever come back. The minutes turn into hours and it’s now after midnight. Where could I be with this girl? Definitely a hotel room or parked up somewhere. Has to be. Every attempt at contacting me goes unanswered. Messages have gone through at times so you know I didn’t block you but I must not have good service. Which makes things worse. Have I been kidnapped? Have I been drugged? Have I been left out in the middle of nowhere left for dead? You don’t know so you drive around and drive around and return to my car multiple times. Still there. Still no response. You drive by my house multiple times. Maybe I’ve been dropped off? Nope, nothing. At this point you’re convinced I’m either dead somewhere or I’m 6” deep inside of this girl in her hotel room. You can’t take it anymore and decide to just go home and try to get some sleep hoping that at some point you’ll hear from me. During this ordeal, you come off as a crazy person because of the way you’re acting. You know that you’re ruining every opportunity you might’ve had of ever getting back with me, or forgiving you, or showing me that you can do better. But during that time, you don’t care because all you care about is finding out if most importantly I’m still alive, and secondly if you’ve been lied to, betrayed, and believing that I truly care nothing about you. Begging for some sort of sign, or a stake through the heart, just so you can take your loss, feel the pain, and somehow realize that no matter how bad you want this, no matter how much you love me, and want to be with me, and want to do better for me, that it will never happen and that I’ve officially moved on so now it’s time to lick your wounds and move on as well. But that never came. You’re left in a state of panic with a million different possibilities and unknowns running through your head a million miles an hour realizing that you’re greatest fears are coming forth and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it but continue to drive around, text, and call just hoping that I’ll have a little compassion for you’re wellbeing and give you something to just ease your worries so that maybe you can go home and get some rest.

In the dynamic world of business, adaptability is crucial. The concept of ATM Adaptation (At the Moment Adaptation) emphasizes the need for businesses to be agile and responsive to real-time changes and opportunities. Integrating ATM Adaptation into your Blue Ocean Marketing Strategy can help you stay ahead of the curve, continuously innovate, and maintain a competitive edge in an uncontested market space. Here's how to strategically plan and implement ATM Adaptation within your Blue Ocean Marketing Strategy.

Understanding ATM Adaptation

ATM Adaptation involves making real-time adjustments based on immediate feedback and market conditions. It is about being proactive and responsive, ensuring that your strategies remain relevant and effective in a rapidly changing environment.

Steps to Implement ATM Adaptation

1. Establish a Real-Time Feedback System

Customer Feedback Channels

• Utilize various channels such as social media, customer service interactions, and surveys to gather immediate feedback.
• Implement chatbots and live chat options on your website to capture customer inputs instantly.

Data Analytics Tools

• Employ advanced analytics tools to monitor market trends, customer behavior, and competitive actions in real-time.
• Use sentiment analysis tools to gauge customer emotions and opinions about your brand and offerings.

2. Create a Flexible Organizational Structure

Agile Teams

• Form cross-functional agile teams that can quickly respond to changes and implement new strategies.
• Encourage a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

Decentralized Decision-Making

• Empower employees at all levels to make decisions that align with the company's strategic goals.
• Implement a decentralized decision-making process to reduce bureaucracy and speed up response times.

3. Integrate Real-Time Data into Strategy Development

Dynamic SWOT Analysis

• Regularly update your SWOT analysis to reflect current market conditions and emerging opportunities or threats.
• Use real-time data to adjust your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats promptly.

Continuous Market Research

• Conduct ongoing market research to stay updated on industry trends and consumer preferences.
• Utilize real-time data to identify shifts in the market and adapt your strategy accordingly.

4. Develop Adaptive Marketing Tactics

Personalized Marketing Campaigns

• Use data-driven insights to create personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers.
• Leverage automation tools to tailor messages based on real-time customer interactions and behaviors.

Real-Time Content Marketing

• Create and distribute content that is relevant to current events and trending topics.
• Use social media and other digital platforms to engage with your audience in real-time.

5. Implement a Continuous Innovation Process

Innovation Sprints

• Conduct regular innovation sprints to brainstorm and develop new ideas quickly.
• Test new concepts and prototypes in real-time to gather immediate feedback and iterate.

Pilot Programs

• Launch pilot programs to test new strategies, products, or services in a controlled environment.
• Use the feedback from these pilots to refine and improve before a full-scale launch.

6. Monitor and Measure Performance

Real-Time KPIs

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be tracked in real-time.
• Use dashboards and reporting tools to monitor these KPIs continuously.

Adaptive Metrics

• Develop metrics that can adapt to changing market conditions and business priorities.
• Regularly review and adjust these metrics to ensure they remain aligned with your strategic goals.

Benefits of ATM Adaptation

Increased Agility

• By integrating ATM Adaptation, your business can quickly pivot and respond to new opportunities and challenges.

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

• Real-time feedback allows you to address customer needs and concerns promptly, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

Sustained Competitive Advantage

• Continuous innovation and adaptability help you stay ahead of competitors, even in a rapidly changing market.

Improved Efficiency

• Agile teams and decentralized decision-making processes enhance operational efficiency and reduce time-to-market for new initiatives.

Case Study: Netflix

Netflix exemplifies ATM Adaptation by continuously evolving its content and services based on real-time viewer data. By analyzing viewing habits and preferences, Netflix can recommend personalized content, develop new shows that cater to emerging trends, and adjust its offerings to maintain subscriber engagement. This adaptability has helped Netflix remain a leader in the streaming industry, consistently creating a blue ocean of uncontested market space.

Conclusion

ATM Adaptation is a vital component of a successful Blue Ocean Marketing Strategy. By establishing a real-time feedback system, creating a flexible organizational structure, integrating real-time data, developing adaptive marketing tactics, implementing a continuous innovation process, and monitoring performance, businesses can enhance their agility, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. Embrace ATM Adaptation to ensure your blue ocean strategy remains relevant and effective in a constantly evolving market landscape.

I’m a 44/m on the autism spectrum, in my youth I struggled alot to find a job where I felt I belonged and wasn’t just tolerated. Not to mention one that could flourish into a career.
After many years I finally ended up in a position where I had job duties that interested me and management that i felt appreciated what I did and saw me as an asset to the company. I loved this job so much I went out of my way to succeed at it, teaching myself new skills in web development and data analytics (C#, SQL, etc.). Not only did this allow me to move up in title and pay, but the department I worked for was shifted into a vital role within the company thanks to my abilities. I thought I had found somewhere I could belong for the rest of my life.
Unfortunately for me, my coworkers and superiors slowly started moving to other departments or companies in order to further progress their careers. I stayed here because I loved my job, was appreciated for doing it and was happy. Eventually we got to a point where I am literally the only one left of the original team and the management that has replaced the great, understanding bosses I had, is not as positive or understanding.
They’ve implemented rules and restrictions like limiting WFH and flexible hours that used to help me immensely when I needed to focus on my job or work around my life responsibilities. Overall it just feels like they think of is as fast food employees who are going to just slack off if we aren’t monitored all the time.
As you can expect, this has caused lots of turnover and the department is a shell of what it once was. And it’s become pretty clear to me that I need to move on too, but as someone who hasn’t interviewed for a new job in 16 years, the idea of trying to find somewhere I fit in and can be happy as much as I was here is daunting. I just don’t want to go back to being miserable in a job where my boss clearly hates me again.
So I am asking for advice on how to know as much as I can before hand how well I might fit into a company’s culture. What should I look for, what questions should I ask? Should I mention anything in the interview about how best I am able to focus or be productive? Any advice you have would be appreciated, let me know if there is anything else you want to know!

> 1. Is this a brand new build, or an upgrade to an existing build?
This will be a brand new build
> 2. Please list any existing parts or monitor(s) you have that you would like to re-use with this build. For upgrades, a PCPartPicker list of your full build is extremely helpful. Be as specific as you can be here, including links or exact model numbers of each component whenever possible.
No existing parts except for a mouse
> 3. What will this PC be used for? Examples include things like gaming, general/multimedia use, photo/video editing, coding, AI/ML, etc. Include specific games and applications you intend to run, and any particular performance goals you have, as each may have different specific hardware needs.
This pc will be used for competitive gaming like ranked Cod MP (not warzone) and sports games. Along with roblox
> 4. What country will you be purchasing in? If you are in the US, do you live near a Micro Center? For other countries, please check if your country is supported by PCPartPicker by using the country selector dropdown on the top right - if not, please provide some links to reliable local vendors you are comfortable ordering from.
I will be purchasing this in the US. No micrometer near
> 5. Do you need one or more monitors included in the budget? Please list how many and any size/resolution/refresh rate preferences if needed.
Just 1 monitor required. 27", 1440p and 200hz+ would be nice
> 6. What is your preferred and maximum budget range for this build, in local currency? Parts lists may sometimes have additional shipping costs. Please note whether prices in your country include sales tax or not, and adjust your budget accordingly. Typically VAT countries will have it included in the part list prices, whereas regular sales tax countries like the US and Canada will not.
Budget would be sitting around $1500. That's a flexible budget, not a hard one. If a build can do what is needed for less than perfect
> 7. Do you need WiFi, or do you have a wired ethernet connection available?
I have wired ethernet
> 8. Do you have any specific size or noise requirements for the build?
Quieter the better but I'm not picky
> 9. Do you have any aesthetic preferences for color or lighting? Describe what you're looking for, or feel free to provide some links to examples that may help. Some people prefer an inobtrusive stealth build, while others may prefer a case full of rainbow RGB.
No preferences at all
> 10. Any other specific requests or requirements? Examples might include a specific minimum amount of storage, or a particular CPU socket for a future upgrade path, etc.
Again, nothing I can think of

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My friend Yan is putting on a comedy show at Cloud & Spirits this Thursday. Tickets are limited; go check it out I promise you'll have fun.

THURSDAY - MAY 16

Tapered Expectations XXI: "Above the Clouds" - A Standup Comedy Event @ Cloud & Spirits @ 7PM Acquired Taste Comedy is back at Cloud & Spirits with another signature Standup Comedy Event. Catch a carefully curated selection of the area's funniest comics along with a special musical guest at a breathtaking cocktail bar in Central Square!
Red Sox vs Rays @ Fenway Park @ 7:10PM
Asi Wind’s Magic Show @ The Wilbur @ 7:30PM Being one of the most-watched magicians in the world, Asi Wind presents a new show where he pushes the limits of belief even further with unbelievable mind-reading and astonishing magic.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele in Concert @ Temple Ohabei Shalom @ 7PM / 9PM
Marc Martel & One Vision of Queen Concert @ Symphony Hall @ 7:30PM The Pops will rock you when Marc Martel brings the iconic anthems of Queen to Symphony Hall.
Diana Ross @ Wang Theatre @ 7:30PM See the iconic and legendary Diana Ross perform the hits that have defined her career.
Cooper Alan @ Paradise Rock Club @ 8PM With Thomas Mac
Lords of Acid @ Brighton Music Hall @ 6:30PM
Ben Beal @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

FRIDAY - MAY 17

Bruins vs Panthers @ TD Garden
Madeleine Peyroux @ The Wilbur @ 8PM
Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Xfinity Center @ 7:30PM
Wild Child @ Paradise Rock Club @ 8PM
Soen @ Brighton Music Hall @ 8PM
Tye Tribbett and Friends @ Orpheum Theatre @ 7:30PM
Galantis @ Big Night Live @ 9:30PM
Hermanos Gutiérrez @ Royale @ 6PM
Tinlicker @ Royale @ 10PM
Buck Meek of Big Thief @ Crystal Ballroom @ 8PM
Anders Osborne Trio @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

SATURDAY - MAY 18

Watertown Porchfest @ Watertown @ All day
Revolution vs Philadelphia Union @ Gillette Stadium @ 7:30PM
Dancing on the Charles @ Marsh Post #442 @ 3PM Montreal deep house DJ Fred Everything headlines this marathon outdoor dance party, running from late afternoon into the night.
Ales & Tales @ Stone Zoo @ 5:30PM Walk on the wild side while enjoying local craft beverages. This popular beer tasting event is a favorite among animal and beer lovers alike!
Kite & Bike Festival @ Franklin Park @ 12PM This Boston tradition brings families together to enjoy picnicking, kite flying, bicycles & music.
Ongoing - Artisan Market @ Rose Kennedy Greenway @ 11AM
Kevin James Comedy Show @ Chevalier Theatre @ 4:30PM / 7:30PM
Jimmy Failla Comedy Show @ Shubert Theatre @ 8PM
‘Encanto’ in Concert @ Symphony Hall @ 2PM Disney’s Academy Award-winning film comes to life in a concert event, featuring the entire feature-length film with a full orchestra performing the score.
The String Cheese Incident @ MGM Music Hall @ 7:15PM
Robyn Schall Stand Up @ The Wilbur @ 7PM
Sorry Papi @ House of Blues @ 9PM
James Arthur @ Roadrunner @ 8PM With Forest Blakk
The Music of Talking Heads & More for Kids @ Paradise Rock Club @ 11AM *Presented by The Rock and Roll Playhouse
Orgy + COLD @ Brighton Music Hall @ 8PM
Gimme Gimme Disco @ Big Night Live @ 5:30PM
Arty @ Big Night Live @ 10:30PM
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis @ Crystal Ballroom @ 8PM
Chris Smither + Peter Mulvey @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

SUNDAY - MAY 19

Celtics vs Cavaliers @ TD Garden
Kite Festival @ Revere Beach Kick off beach season with a fun day for the whole family complete with build-your-own kite stations, professional kite flyers, live music, and other activities!
Ongoing - Open Market @ SoWa @ 11AM One of the largest open-air farmer and artist markets returns this summer season!
‘Dropouts’ Podcast Live @ Paradise Rock Club @ 7PM Come see internet stars Zach Justice, Tara Yummy & Jared Bailey discuss latest hot topics, celebrity gossip, and personal dramas live!
Electric Callboy @ MGM Music Hall @ 7PM
Deko @ Brighton Music Hall @ 7PM With Yameii
Mk.gee @ The Sinclair @ 7:30PM
Guppy @ The Rockwell @ 7:30PM
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ The Wilbur @ 7PM
Compaq Big Band @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

ALL WEEKEND

FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Amanda Seales Stand Up @ Laugh Boston
FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Zach Brazao Stand Up @ Nick’s Comedy Stop @ 8PM
SATURDAY & SUNDAY - ‘Bluey’s Big Play’ Show @ Wang Theatre ‘Bluey’s Big Play’ is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy award-winning children’s television series featuring new music and new character adventures.
All weekend - Jukebox The Ghost @ The Sinclair @ 8PM
All weekend - Nantucket Wine & Food Festival Enjoy food and drinks tastings, seminars, brunches, and parties as the annual festival uncorks the island for the summer!
All weekend -’Hallyu Hits: Korean Films that Moved the World @ MFA See the best of Korean cinema including ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Parasites,’ and ‘Burning.’
All weekend - ‘Spring Experience’ Ballet @ Citizens Bank Opera House LAST CHANCE - Explore Boston Ballet’s dynamic and captivating Spring program composed of three masterful ballets featuring classical and modern dance elements.
All weekend - ‘BABYBABYBABY’ Dance Performance @ Calderwood Pavilion This contemporary dance production taps into the feeling of falling in love and reflects on the human impulse for connection and intimacy.
All weekend - ‘A Strange Loop’ Musical @ Wimberly Theatre Winner of Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, Michael R. Jackson’s blisteringly funny masterwork exposes the heart and soul of a young Black artist grappling with desires, identity, and instincts he both loves and loathes.
All weekend - ‘Jersey Boys’ Musical @ North Shore Music Theatre LAST CHANCE - Featuring legendary hits, this award-winning musical tells the behind-the-scenes drama of the international sensation boy band The Four Seasons.
All weekend - ‘Toni Stone’ Play @ The Huntington Theatre The Huntington’s season finale is a beautiful, rich portrait of a trailblazing woman. Follow the inspiring and life-affirming story of baseball legend Toni Stone.
All weekend - ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Play @ Calderwood Pavilion Brought to life by Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Shakespeare’s most famous duo return in a flurry of forbidden love, exhilarating fight scenes, and tragic fate.
All weekend - ‘Mermaid Hour’ Play @ Arrow Street Arts LAST CHANCE - Fast-paced, funny, and heartfelt, ‘Mermaid Hour’ follows two parents and their trans teen kid as they all seek to understand who they are and who they wish to be.

ONGOING

Ongoing - Immersive Disney Animation @ Boch Center Step into the art and legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios and celebrate the music, artistry and animation from the creators of Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Big Hero 6 and many more.
Ongoing - Musical Shows @ MoS Planetarium Museum of Science puts on special experiences adapting the music of Pink Floyd, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and The Divas to immersive visuals in the Charles Hayden Planetarium.
Ongoing - ‘Firelei Báez’ Exhibition @ ICA One of the most exciting painters of her generation, Báez explores the multilayered legacy of colonial histories and the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond.
Ongoing - ‘Wordplay’ Exhibition @ ICA Highlighting the rich interplay between imagery and text, the exhibition showcases how contemporary artists have played with words to animate and expand their art practices.
Ongoing - ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ Exhibition @ MFA Enjoy an immersive and multisensory journey through Korea’s fascinating history, and celebrate its contemporary vibrant creative force.
Ongoing - ‘Dress Up’ Exhibition @ MFA Through more than 100 works from the MFA’s collection including 20th- and 21st-century clothing, jewelry, accessories, illustrations, and photographs, this exhibition explores adornment and its role in the creation of a look.
Ongoing - ‘Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party’ Exhibition @ MFA This exhibition brings together 27 powerful photographs by Stephen Shames that feature the women of the Black Panther party and showcase their crucial work for the movement.
Ongoing - ‘Thinking Small: Dutch Art to Scale’ Exhibition @ MFA Featuring 15 intriguing objects from 17th-century Netherlands such as paintings, prints, silver medals, and books, this exhibition compels viewers to reconsider their relationship to the world around them.
Ongoing - ‘Raqib Shaw: Ballads of East and West’ Exhibition @ ISG Museum Shaw’s images of magic and mystery combine Western artistic tradition with ornamental elements derived from the Japanese, Persian, and Indian cultures that he vividly remembers from his youth.
Ongoing - ‘Picasso: War, Combat, and Revolution’ Exhibition @ Harvard Art Museums The exhibition explores the dictator Francisco Franco’s Spain, imagery of death, struggles of good and evil, political and artistic revolution, and issues of desire and capture.
Ongoing - ‘Our Time on Earth’ Exhibition @ Peabody Essex Museum This traveling exhibition from the Barbican Centre in London celebrates the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency.
Ongoing - ‘AI: Mind the Gap’ Exhibition @ MIT Museum MIT Museum presents its latest riveting, interactive exhibit exploring the tremendous promise, unforeseen impacts, and everyday misconceptions of AI.

Howdy folks!
I'm working on my Bachelor's thesis, where I am trying to recreate an experimental measurement in CFD. The experimental measurement was measuring the lift curve of the LS-0413 [GA(W)-1] airfoil with a chord of 0.5842m in the Langley low turbulence pressure tunnel at various Reynolds numbers. The measurement I'm attempting to recreate was specifically done at an airspeed of 0.15M, with a Re of 1.9e6.
Now, if you calculate the Re for an airfoil with a cord of 0.5842 at 0.15M, you'll find that it comes-up to an Re of 2e6. The wind tunnel is described as being able to change the stagnation pressure from 1 to 10 bar, so I suspect that's what they must've done to get the Re to a desirable value. My issue is, given that the airspeed is given in Mach (or speed of sound), and the speed of sound changes depending on atmospheric conditions (such as a change in pressure), I'm not actually sure what airspeed (in m/s) the test was performed at.
So I've been trying to calculate the air density and velocity to meet the criteria (and I'm confident it should be possible to do given the available info), but I'm getting kinda lost in the equations and have gotten a different result every time. At the same time, I'm wondering if I might be overthinking it, and the speed of sound is just assumed to be a constant at room conditions (so around 330-343m/s) and I should just do 343m/s * 0.15 to get the airspeed, instead?
I'm leaning towards the option that the airspeed changes with pressure, but I'm also running into the issue that I'm getting the Re of 2e6 at 1 bar, and Re will only increase with an increase in pressure, therefore I'd need the pressure in the tunnel to drop below atmospheric level, which is something it supposedly cannot do! In short, I am lost as to *how* they got the Re of 1.9e6, totally confused and totally don't know what it is I should do aboot it.
(Also if anyone has a suggestion as what sort of turbulence intensity to use, I'd be glad to hear it. I keep going back and forth between 0.5 and 1%.)
The experimental measurement in question can be found under the title "Low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of a 17-percent thick airfoil section designed for general aviation applications" by Robert McGhee, available here . The lift curve I'm trying to recreate is shown in figure 10.
Cheers!

Writing a post about what strongly seems like a scam ( I don’t want to say it’s a scam for legal reasons but…) I am seeing a lot of my CS peers fall for this on linkedIn and I wanted to warn others to be weary.
The company goes by the name of Radical AI and was ALLEGEDLY (more on this below) founded by
Joseph F. Krause, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephfkrause/
&&
Jorge Colindres, Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcolindres/
&&
Gerbrand Ceder:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerbrand-ceder-9b1b5721/
This the company website:
https://lab.radicalai.app/
company linked in page:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/radicalai-li/about/
Job postings on their website (all unpaid):
https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/ai-engineer
https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/software-engineer https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/ai-product-manager
https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/ai-product-designer
Here is a LinkedIn job posting for an intern position (unpaid of course):
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/ai-engineer-intern-at-radical-ai-3921496808/
Allegedly claim to be a part of radical ventures which are a legit business:
https://radical.vc/teams/
But not listed as part of Radical Venture's companies:
https://radical.getro.com/companies
One of the "cofounders" of RadicalAI (Joseph F. Krause) posted this:
link to post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7193987173241520129/
"
Big update: I have co-founded a new company with Jorge Colindres and Gerbrand Ceder that is changing the way materials are designed, developed, and discovered through the integration of artificial intelligence, engineering, materials science, and applied research. Jorge and I bring deep expertise in materials science, engineering, and building technical teams, and Gerd is world-renowned for his pioneering research in high-throughput computational materials design, and in the development of autonomous labs for materials discovery. Radical’s goal is to build self-driving labs: from AI-generated materials to autonomous, high-throughput experimentation.
We are thrilled to be supported by Kevin Ryan and the AlleyCorp team, who bring world-class experience in starting, building, and investing in startups. We incubated Radical AI at AlleyCorp, and are excited to remain in their portfolio.
We are hiring: if you work at the intersection of machine learning and materials science, please reach out.
“
Interesting 😒 that they created this company recently but so did another guy: Talha Sabri (more him below) several years prior.
It seems this company use to go by the name of RadicalX but they became known for their scam and had to rebrand with new faces as the CEO. Here are some posts on the original company:
Here’s a post talking about how they used to be Radical x: https://www.reddit.com/csMajors/comments/1cno28c/radical_ai/
Some past reddit posts discussing RadicalX:
https://www.reddit.com/nyu/comments/wuclrb/what_is_radicalx/
https://www.reddit.com/csMajors/comments/1856knw/radicalx/
https://www.reddit.com/webdev/comments/17akjvh/wtf_has_this_ever_happened_to_you/
The radicalX CEO: Talha Sabri (typing out names so that if someone googles any of them, they see this post and are aware)
Seems to work with:
Areeb Tariq
Ines Prates
Yunus Jamal
some info I found on Talha: https://theorg.com/org/radicalx/org-chart/talha-sabri
AND Here is his linked in with RadicalAI as his job Listing himself as chairman and CEO: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talhasabri/
Interesting that Joseph, Jorge, and Gerbrand claim they started the company yet Talha also started it 7 years ago…. and yes it is the same company Talhas page links to the same company page as Joseph and Jorge. They have the same logo and they use the same shitty AI art (you would think 7 years would give them more time to better their blender skills).
Note that Talha continues to say he works there, but he also now works at a new company RealityAI. I’m guessing now Talha felt the need to expand his scamming under the name RealityAI. I don’t know if we will be seeing unpaid job postings for reality or if it is the final product under a different name so that people who will use the service will not know its background.
Here is Reality AI’s website: https://www.realityai.tech/
(Notice the same art as RadicalAI)
Also I found this. But, I am nsure if it has anything to do with any of this: https://listingspy.net/token/0x8b762ca4746b342d131b64670a3a3a866326fb46/
In conclusion, this honestly all seems really scammy and predatory. A friend told me they are promising visa’s and college credit to foreign workers/ students, I don’t know if they are actually going through with it, but if they aren’t it is extremely messed up and all of these people should be black listed.
As an aside i found this comment in another post about radicalx and thought it was good advice to keep this in mind
Taken from a comment by u/beginning-comedian-2:
Red flags in job interviews (and sometimes dating):

• They ask you to send money.
• They won't talk on the phone.
• They are very interested but never want to meet you.
• They require a 2-day take-home assignment before they'll get on the phone.
• "We're a fast-paced shop." (meaning you'll be working all hours.)
• When you ask what they like about working there, they say "the insurance".
• They want to pay you all in stock.
• All the devs have been there less than a year.
• Beds in the office.
• When you talk to ex-employees and they start with "It might be different now, but when I was there..."
• They say, "We're like family" (meaning, we'll likely expect more from you than 9-5 work.)
• "We often buy dinner for everyone as a perk." = you'll be working late.

This is taken from and is copyright protected by globalsoup.net, a website that promotes flash Fiction with annual writing contests.
I am reprinting these Flash Fiction Prompts because they are outstanding ways to freewrite and offer plenty to work with for those who want to learn how to write Flash Fiction.
So check out these prompts and the article and work some of them into your journal! Post the best responses!
100 Awesome Flash Fiction Prompts - Plus Bonus Prompts!
We’ve put together 100 flash fiction prompts, each one designed for a very short story. These prompts will probably be best suited to a story of between 300-1,000 words. If you want to write a longer story using these prompts, you can easily expand these ideas to fit a story of any length.
What is flash fiction?
Flash Fiction is defined as a very short story that can be anywhere from just a couple of words to about a thousand in length. The beauty (and difficulty) of writing flash fiction lies in trying to tell a complete story in so few words. Great flash fiction is succinct, emotive, thought-provoking, and impactful.
What’s the difference between flash fiction and a short story?
The only difference between flash fiction and a typical short story is the word count. However, this scarcity of words means that writing flash fiction can feel like a completely new skill. Just like the short story is a different animal to the novel or novella; flash fiction is kind of unique.
When writing flash, you’ll need to use fewer characters, a simpler plot, and you’ll have to make each word count. This is why editing is so important. You have to be brutal. Cut out everything superfluous and really make sure each and every word is performing an important function in the story. If you’re interested in writing very short fiction, why not check out drabbles? Drabbles are stories of exactly 100 words in length, and they can be a great way to practice keeping your stories very, very short.
How to plot a flash fiction story
When you sit down to write flash fiction, you must begin by choosing an appropriate plot. You cannot simply use a short story plot and tell it using fewer words. A typical flash fiction plot is like looking at one part of a story under a microscope.
For example, let’s look at prompt #21 in our list of 100 Flash Fiction Prompts:

1. Two people on a sinking ship must decide who should take the last seat in the last lifeboat. If you were writing a novel about a sinking ship, you’d probably want the actual sinking to be the climax of the story. Of course, there are infinite ways to write a novel about a sinking ship, but this would structurally be the most obvious. You’d use the first part of the novel to introduce your characters and describe the voyage leading up to the sinking and the sinking of the ship would be the dramatic climax, leaving the last part of the book as the resolution.

The golden rule of writing short stories is to begin as close to end as you can. So, to turn the same story from novel to short story, you’d probably want to begin with the ship sinking. You haven’t got time to introduce the characters before the action begins, so you’d need to feed in exposition and backstory here and there during the events.
All stories need a good climax. So, you would find the most dramatic moment in the story and build up to it. Perhaps your climax would be the two main characters having to decide who will take the remaining seat on the last lifeboat.
Finally, you need a resolution. In a longer short story you do have time to bring in some kind of satisfying resolution at the end.
But, if you’re writing flash fiction and your story is only a few hundred words, you really need to zoom in on one tiny moment in that story.
You don’t have time to tell the entire story of a sinking ship, but you can turn one moment into a story.
We’ve chosen the lifeboat situation as the key moment in this hypothetical story. Two characters must decide which one of them will take the last seat on the last lifeboat. This is an appropriate plot for flash fiction because it’s simple, high-stakes, dramatic, and thought provoking.
Not all flash fiction will have a plot quite this dramatic, but all great flash fiction will have a plot that can be expressed in just one or two sentences.
If you have a plot in mind, but it seems more suitable for a longer story, you can sometimes find several flash fiction plots hidden within it. Just look for little stories within the story, like the lifeboat moment in our hypothetical tale of the sinking ship.
This brings us to our top tip for coming up with ideas for flash fiction stories:
if you’re ever stuck for ideas, you can find little stories within the story in books, movies, and TV shows. A full length feature film might have as many as 20 little incidents in it that could easily be flash fiction.
Don’t directly write a story based on the film, though. Just carefully pick out those little moments, write down what’s happening as a one or two sentence plot, and then use it to inspire your own, completely original flash fiction story.
One of our 100 Flash Fiction Prompts was actually taken from the movie Pulp Fiction!
How to write very short flash fiction
There are several reasons writers might start writing flash fiction. Of course, it could be that they just love and enjoy the form, but sometimes they’ll be a more strategic and practical reason at play.
Perhaps they want to practise the process of writing stories within the confines of a certain word limit. Maybe they are trying to develop a daily writing routine and they don’t have a lot of free time. It could be that they’re trying to break a habit of not finishing writing projects, or perhaps they are entering a flash fiction competition.
Whatever the reason, very often when we sit down to write flash, we must work under an imposed or self-imposed word restraint. We’ve set ourselves (or been set) the task of keeping the story under a particular number of words.
So, how do you plot a flash fiction story when you have to keep your story very, very short.
We’re not going to discuss stories of 100 words or fewer here. Technically, those stories are still flash, however, we prefer to categorise 100 word stories as drabbles and anything under 100 words as micro fiction.
But what if you have to keep your flash fiction story under, let’s say, 300 words? How do you write a flash fiction story that short?
The answer is: get your microscope out again. Remember earlier when we said writing flash fiction is like looking at part of a story under a microscope? If you have to write very short flash fiction, you’ll need to zoom in even further.
Let’s look at a couple of examples from our 100 Flash Fiction Prompts:

1. During a match, a young boxer must decide whether to throw the fight.

If you had 1,000 words to devote to the story, you could have time to tell the story of the entire fight. With only 300 words, it might be better to zoom in on the very moment when the boxer must choose whether or not to go down.
In a longer flash fiction story you might have time to go into detail about why he’s in this situation and why he’s so conflicted. In a 300 word story, you might only devote one or two sentences to his gambling debt and the large sum of money waiting for him if he goes down in the third round, as instructed.

1. A family must decide what to take and what to leave behind as a wildfire approaches their home.

If you had 1,000 words to devote to this story, you might be able to write about the whole process of choosing what to take and what to leave behind. You might be able to mention many different choices and have the whole family participate in the story. You’d be able to go into some details about certain choices and the stories behind individual objects or mementos, as well as the implications of choosing certain things over others.
With only 300 words, it would be advisable to zoom in on one member of the family and to focus on one profound and important choice.
How to write a flash fiction story
Now you have your mini plot, you still need to make sure your flash fiction feels like a complete story. It should still have a beginning, middle, and an end.
Just like a short story, you may need to bring in a little exposition here and there to give texture, context, backstory, and to bring some depth to the characters. But, unlike a short story, you won’t necessarily need to end with a full, detailed resolution. It’s quite common for a flash fiction story to end with a quick twist or plenty of ambiguity.
Flash Fiction is much more about eliciting emotions and provoking thought, than setting up and resolving a complex story.
100 Awesome Flash Fiction Prompts
A young ballet dancer chooses not to tell the other dancers in her troop about a loose paving stone outside their dance studio.
Two sisters realise they’ve both been on a perfect first date … with the same man.
On the car journey home, two parents realise they’ve left their child’s favourite teddy on a park bench several hours away.
A writer suffering from writers’ block looks for inspiration in a strange place.
Set 200 years in the future, a young man realises he’s too emotionally dependent on his robot assistant.
A young woman discovers she’s taken the wrong suitcase home from the airport. The contents of the case make her question her own life choices.
A murderer realises he has only 10 minutes to dispose of a body.
A child decides to walk home by themselves after their parent forgets to pick them up from school … again.
Your protagonist manages to talk the grim reaper out of collecting their soul.
Your protagonist suddenly realises they’ve been living in a simulation.
A young couple has chosen to spend the night in a haunted house to fix their marriage. Your story starts just as things get very weird.
Your protagonist finds a letter they wrote to themselves when they were a teenager.
Your protagonist must decide whether or not to drink from a fountain that erases all painful memories from the mind.
Your protagonist comes across a street called ‘Memory Lane’. They quickly realise the name is eerily apt.
A bride finds out something startling about her future husband an hour before the wedding.
Your protagonist finds an advertisement for a company that promises everlasting youth.
A youngest sibling shows up at a family reunion they weren’t actually invited to.
Your protagonist finds a piece of paper with a spell on it. If they say the words out loud they aren't sure if something terrible or wonderful will happen.
Your protagonist is watching a jazz band play when they realise they know the drummer from somewhere — but where? It takes a whole song for them to figure it out.
Your protagonist must meet their ex for lunch to tell them they’re now engaged. It’s been just a few weeks since they split up.
Two people on a sinking ship must decide who should take the last seat in the last lifeboat.
During a match, a young boxer must decide whether to throw the fight.
Your protagonist must pack their belongings before moving to a new colony on mars.
A pilot realises they have lost control of their aircraft.
Your protagonist doesn’t want to attend their 100th birthday party — and for good reason!
Your protagonist gets stuck in a lift with their ex … 5 minutes after breaking up with them.
A child says goodbye to the fairies in his garden before moving to a new home.
Your protagonist saves someone’s life … and then wishes they hadn’t.
Your protagonist arrives at a blind date. They’ve been set up with someone they actually know a little too well.
Set in a dystopian future in which public displays of affection are banned, your protagonist faces an agonising choice.
An agoraphobic must face their fear in order to save something important.
Your protagonist must make her partner fall out of love with them. Both their lives depend on it.
Your protagonist is hiking with her small children, they come face to face with a grizzly bear and her cubs.
Cinderella and Prince Charming realise they got married too quickly.
A message written in graffiti on a bathroom wall has serious implications for your protagonist.
Your protagonist finds a bag, looks inside, and realises the owner might just be their soulmate.
Your protagonist has been seeing the same stranger everywhere they go for months. They finally decide to confront them.
A couple realise their relationship is over during the trip of a lifetime. They’ve been saving up for the trip for years.
A public debate sees two previously married people letting their private grievances come into their arguments.
Your protagonist plans their escape from a retirement home.
A couple realise their fundamental beliefs are at odds with each other.
An artist develops an obsession with drawing a next-door neighbour.
Your protagonist finds themselves trapped in a cabin with a group of hikers during a heavy snowfall.
An ice skater must face going back on the ice after a dangerous fall.
A couple must decide their plan for New Year’ Eve. They both have secret reasons for their choice.
A family must decide what to take and what to leave behind as a wildfire approaches their home.
Your protagonist is waiting for someone important at the airport. They begin to think that person isn’t going to show up … and then they realise why.
Your protagonist must find their way through a maze. What they find in the middle of the maze is the last thing they were expecting.
An actor waiting in the wings has forgotten his first line.
Your protagonist is wrongly identified as a hero. Do they come clean?
Your protagonist realises their past is catching up with them.
Your protagonist overhears something that has serious implications for them while trying on clothes in a changing room.
Your protagonist is in a costume shop trying to decide what to dress up as for Halloween.
Your protagonist realises they’ve slipped into an alternate dimension.
A surgeon must make an impossible choice on the operating table.
A pregnant journalist interviews the mother of a missing child.
Your protagonist must ask his girlfriend’s father for his blessing, only to discover the father knows his deepest secret.
Your protagonist sees something on social media that will change their life forever.
Two work colleagues realise they’ve been dreaming the same dreams for weeks.
A reluctant daughter comes to terms with having to carry on the family business.
Your protagonist realises she must go on the run.
Two bank robbers disagree on their plan to rob a bank. This leads to a disastrous consequence.
A strange case of deja vous leaves your protagonist convinced of supernatural interference.
A sceptic begins to question their beliefs during a psychic reading.
Your protagonist uncovers a scandal at their workplace.
A hapless cook tries to recreate her late father’s favourite recipes in an effort to feel connected to him.
Your protagonist has a premonition that makes them certain they can’t visit their mother-in-law for Christmas. Now he must convince his husband.
A young backpacker discovers something unexpected in a cave.
An impulsive character and an indecisive character are brought together by chance. They must make an important choice.
Two characters cleaning up after a party discover an object that sheds light on something strange that happened earlier.
Two strangers are trapped together during a blackout.
Your protagonist must take a leap of faith in order to save something important to them.
Your protagonist discovers a huge part of their life has been a lie.
Your protagonist has set up an elaborate way to propose. Inexplicably, everything goes wrong.
Your protagonist must buy a dress for her mother’s funeral.
Your protagonist goes back to her favourite city in the world, only to find it has completely changed.
While stargazing, your protagonist realises the stars are forming secret messages in the sky.
Your protagonist hears a news story on the radio that will mean the world changes forever. However, she seems to be the only person who heard it.
Your protagonist is crossing a frozen lake. They see something under the ice that definitely shouldn’t be there.
A workaholic must come to terms with retirement.
An Olympic athlete must decide whether or not to report their teammate for doping.
A young mother feels isolated from her childless friends.
Your protagonist is about to realise their greatest ambition. Will it be everything they were hoping for?
Onboard a spaceship, a couple prepare to go into stasis for hundreds of years.
Your protagonist has an obsession with thinking about the past.
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, your protagonist meets an unlikely love interest.
Your protagonist visits a place from their childhood and realises their memories of that time might not be accurate at all.
A small child has decided to run away from home. Her parents watch on with amusement as she decides what to put in her backpack.
On a whim, a bus driver decides to radically change his route, much to the chagrin of his passengers.
Dystopian. A couple in love are only allowed to spend time with each other one day a year.
A shapeshifter begins to realise their powers are fading. They must decide what form will be the last one they take before they cannot change again.
The devil visits your protagonist with an offer on her soul.
Your protagonist suddenly has the ability to read minds. There’s only one place they want to go now!
Your very wealthy protagonist has designed a simple test to see who will inherit her estate.
An archaeologist discovers something that will change how we see the history of the world. It could be dangerous. Does he keep it to himself?
Your protagonist must clear out their late mother’s house. She discovers an incredible family secret.
Your protagonist is meeting his brother. They haven’t seen each other for 20 years.
Your protagonist develops the ability to see the world literally through someone else’s eyes.
Your protagonist starts to believe their partner might be a spy.
Your protagonist discovers a hidden camera in their living room.
Looking for a flash fiction competition? Check out our ‘Big List of International Writing Competitions!’ Looking for inspiration? Why not check out our list of the 20 Greatest Short Story Writers of All Time! Just received another short story rejection? Here’s our post about ‘How to Deal With Story Rejections’ Bonus Prompts! Two characters waiting by the side of the road realise they are both meeting the same person.
A woman loses her young niece in a busy shopping mall.
Three strangers must solve a riddle in order to gain entry to a secret club.
A poor woman must borrow ingredients from her neighbours to bake her husband a birthday cake.
A waiter finally finds out why an old man has been coming to the restaurant where he works every day at exactly the same time.
Two work colleagues must decide which of them is to take the blame for a terrible mistake at work.
Your disgruntled protagonist goes to confront the couple next door about the strange noises they’ve been hearing at night.
A family dinner party sees three characters make three very surprising announcements.
Two women argue over who should get to buy the last dress available in a store. How do they decide who should get it?
A young couple find out they knew (and disliked) each other vehemently as children.
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[HIRING] Customer Service Rep / Front Desk / Cashier & Range Marshalls - Coyote Valley Sporting Clays

Customer Service Rep / Front Desk / Cashier / Range Marshall - Coyote Valley Sporting Clays
Great pay, fun place to work.
Part Time - Please only apply if you can work both Saturday & Sunday Only!
Coyote Valley Sporting Clays is seeking an energetic candidate to provide customer service at our upscale shooting range and event facility in Morgan Hill. We are female and family friendly and welcome all applicants for this opportunity providing great service to the best customers in the world.
We welcome applications with no firearms experience. Prior work in retail, hospitality, sports or firearms is preferred. This position is ideal for a self motivated person who is detail oriented and enjoys fast pace and high workload. Friendly, personable and energetic qualities are highly desired. Presentable appearance and great personal skills are required. College students are welcome and we are able to work with your schedule. You must be able to lift and carry 25 lbs and have good basic math skills. You must be able to obtain an California COE (able to own a firearm) to be considered.
*Availability on Saturdays AND Sundays is required.
Job Duties Include:
Greeting and engaging customers in a pleasant and professional manner.
Answering questions about our facility, products, and services.
Cashiering on our POS system
Merchandise display, restocking, store upkeep and cleaning.
Instruct customers on proper and safe firearm handling.
Providing customer service, events, and reservations in the retail environment.
Compensation:
Pay $22-$32/hr depending on performance and experience. Benefits include paid vacation after one year, discounts on employee purchases and 401k. Come meet us and out team, we’re a “customer first” culture!!
The work hours for this position range from 7:30 am- 5 pm on Saturday & Sunday.
To Apply: www.cvsc.webcorp.com
Our Interview Process
-Telephone interview
-On site interview, approx 1 hr
-Operational work shadow, approx 4 hrs.
-Follow up interview
-Written Employment Offer
Any offer of employment may be conditioned on the results of a professional and personal reference checks, which we will not conduct without prior approval of the candidate. Candidates with a disability who may require special assistance in any phase of the application or assessment process should advise us upon submittal of an application. Documentation of the need for accommodation must accompany the request. Coyote Valley Sporting Clays is an equal opportunity employer.
Thank you for your application, We appreciate it!

Writing a post about what strongly seems like a scam ( I don’t want to say it’s a scam for legal reasons but…) I am seeing a lot of my CS peers fall for this on linkedIn and I wanted to warn others to be weary.
The company goes by the name of Radical AI and was ALLEGEDLY (more on this below) founded by
Joseph F. Krause, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephfkrause/
&&
Jorge Colindres, Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcolindres/
&&
Gerbrand Ceder:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerbrand-ceder-9b1b5721/
This the company website:
https://lab.radicalai.app/
company linked in page:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/radicalai-li/about/
Job postings on their website (all unpaid):
https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/ai-engineer
https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/software-engineer https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/ai-product-manager
https://lab.radicalai.app/careers/ai-product-designer
Here is a LinkedIn job posting for an intern position (unpaid of course):
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/ai-engineer-intern-at-radical-ai-3921496808/
Allegedly claim to be a part of radical ventures which are a legit business:
https://radical.vc/teams/
But not listed as part of Radical Venture's companies:
https://radical.getro.com/companies
One of the "cofounders" of RadicalAI (Joseph F. Krause) posted this:
link to post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7193987173241520129/
"
Big update: I have co-founded a new company with Jorge Colindres and Gerbrand Ceder that is changing the way materials are designed, developed, and discovered through the integration of artificial intelligence, engineering, materials science, and applied research. Jorge and I bring deep expertise in materials science, engineering, and building technical teams, and Gerd is world-renowned for his pioneering research in high-throughput computational materials design, and in the development of autonomous labs for materials discovery. Radical’s goal is to build self-driving labs: from AI-generated materials to autonomous, high-throughput experimentation.
We are thrilled to be supported by Kevin Ryan and the AlleyCorp team, who bring world-class experience in starting, building, and investing in startups. We incubated Radical AI at AlleyCorp, and are excited to remain in their portfolio.
We are hiring: if you work at the intersection of machine learning and materials science, please reach out.
“
Interesting 😒 that they created this company recently but so did another guy: Talha Sabri (more him below) several years prior.
It seems this company use to go by the name of RadicalX but they became known for their scam and had to rebrand with new faces as the CEO. Here are some posts on the original company:
Here’s a post talking about how they used to be Radical x: https://www.reddit.com/csMajors/comments/1cno28c/radical_ai/
Some past reddit posts discussing RadicalX:
https://www.reddit.com/nyu/comments/wuclrb/what_is_radicalx/
https://www.reddit.com/csMajors/comments/1856knw/radicalx/
https://www.reddit.com/webdev/comments/17akjvh/wtf_has_this_ever_happened_to_you/
The radicalX CEO: Talha Sabri (typing out names so that if someone googles any of them, they see this post and are aware)
Seems to work with:
Areeb Tariq
Ines Prates
Yunus Jamal
some info I found on Talha: https://theorg.com/org/radicalx/org-chart/talha-sabri
AND Here is his linked in with RadicalAI as his job Listing himself as chairman and CEO: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talhasabri/
Interesting that Joseph, Jorge, and Gerbrand claim they started the company yet Talha also started it 7 years ago…. and yes it is the same company Talhas page links to the same company page as Joseph and Jorge. They have the same logo and they use the same shitty AI art (you would think 7 years would give them more time to better their blender skills).
Note that Talha continues to say he works there, but he also now works at a new company RealityAI. I’m guessing now Talha felt the need to expand his scamming under the name RealityAI. I don’t know if we will be seeing unpaid job postings for reality or if it is the final product under a different name so that people who will use the service will not know its background.
Here is Reality AI’s website: https://www.realityai.tech/
(Notice the same art as RadicalAI)
Also I found this. But, I am nsure if it has anything to do with any of this: https://listingspy.net/token/0x8b762ca4746b342d131b64670a3a3a866326fb46/
In conclusion, this honestly all seems really scammy and predatory. A friend told me they are promising visa’s and college credit to foreign workers/ students, I don’t know if they are actually going through with it, but if they aren’t it is extremely messed up and all of these people should be black listed.
As an aside i found this comment in another post about radicalx and thought it was good advice to keep this in mind
Taken from a comment by u/beginning-comedian-2:
Red flags in job interviews (and sometimes dating):

• They ask you to send money.
• They won't talk on the phone.
• They are very interested but never want to meet you.
• They require a 2-day take-home assignment before they'll get on the phone.
• "We're a fast-paced shop." (meaning you'll be working all hours.)
• When you ask what they like about working there, they say "the insurance".
• They want to pay you all in stock.
• All the devs have been there less than a year.
• Beds in the office.
• When you talk to ex-employees and they start with "It might be different now, but when I was there..."
• They say, "We're like family" (meaning, we'll likely expect more from you than 9-5 work.)
• "We often buy dinner for everyone as a perk." = you'll be working late.

Putting together a parts list with my friend, he's considering moving on from mac gaming after 21 long years. Unfortunately, Singapore prices are ridiculous and I'm not experienced enough to put together something cost-efficient. I wanted to recommend my own first build which, before shipping, was roughly $1800, but it had three issues; 1. I was pretty inefficient with the costs, I didn't know about AMD's 3D cache until recently and went with an AIO out of fear for temps. 2. I got my CPU, GPU and RAM from hardwareswap, and my SSD came at the height of the price crash last year, so my friend wouldn't be able to match those. 3. Including shipping and taxes, the whole build still added up to in excess of $2100, which is well above my friend's limit.

What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.

1440p gaming and coding, for the most part. He's also doing Youtube as a hobby, so some video editing too, although he mostly just crops and posts his recordings.

What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?

US$2000/S$2700...after shipping and taxes. Sorry, the absolute total has to be within this amount, and I'm not sure how much those will add up to be, a 7900XT bought from US' Amazon added about S$200 to the actual price. You can use the postcode 238823 to calculate shipping, that's the Prime Minister's office.

When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.

Soon as possible, don't need to wait for RDNA4, the 50 series or whatnot.

What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc)

Just the tower, my old laptop came with a retail version of Windows so I'll pass that to him.

Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?

Singapore, and our version of pcpartpicker got shut down recently. Here's Dynacore's pricelist for reference, they're a local shop and are pretty much the lowest prices we can find locally.

If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.

Keyboard and mouse, monitor has a separate budget since it seems to be for family use.

Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?

Neither of us are tech savvy in this regard, so probably not for a while. Maybe the GPU in the future to squeeze out some extra performance.

Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)

At least 2TB of storage, since our video recordings seem to be rather massive.

Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?

Not particularly, whatever fits the budget.

Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?

No, I'll supply.

Extra info or particulars:

Here's my first build which I finished a few weeks ago for reference, I still haven't tallied up my own shipping costs since I paused after exceeding $300 ;-;. I really appreciate this sub, lurking here gave me a lot of tips for picking out my last parts!

Got offered 12k a year in RSU’s as part of an offer and don’t know how to feel about it.
The vesting schedule is 25% after year 1, then 1/36 of the remaining balance monthly for 3 more years up until full vest after year 4.
It was sold to me during the interview as means of motivation to every employee to push the company forward…ok, I can see that
However I can’t stop worrying that this is just a rug they can pull out from under you to save money and recollect part of their compensation. If a company is so conscious of their stock price, that suggests they might do anything to pump it up - like firing employees before they vest 10s of thousands of dollars in company stock.
I’m probably just being cynical, but I’m extremely worried about some director being like “Hell, our numbers are down and earnings are up soon - we need to recover some cash quickly or the stock will tank” and canning a bunch of employees before big benchmarks on their vesting period.
What is your experience with RSU’s and accepting them as part of your comp? Am I overthinking this? I’m worried they will pull the rug out from under me.
Edit: I’d like to add that this position is in the Biotech/Pharmaceutical firm. Not sure if that changes much but context always helps.

Just curious how many of you work in an org where you have direct lines of communication with the Product teams?
We have a weekly product team call we started in 2022 and all agreed these weekly meetings were mission critical for our role. We have a live chat where we post questions as they come along. All product leaders and many lead designers/developers plus all CSMs are included in the call and the chat. Additionally, we do have an ideation section for our customers to post their requests etc. But one of the best changes we’ve made is having this consistent meeting with direct lines of communication in a group setting (to see what else is asked by others and vote on these things).
I should note we are publicly traded with over 3K employees, 25 years old. But also, before we started these calls, we were individually pinging different members of the product team in individual chats and often pinging the wrong person because responsibilities change so often and aren’t communicated well. These group calls and chat have become game changing for us. Less fire drills, better retention stats, better engagement survey results (employee sat), less stress, etc.
I’m aware we all come from different walks of life, different levels of experience and different sized companies. I wanted to share what’s been working for us in case your org hasn’t implemented anything and you’re looking for ideas. Happy to share more if you want to talk through this.

Astrid makes one of my absolute favorite lilac perfumes, so I was extremely excited about this collection! Though my gut instinct was to blind bottle all 8 Studies, I played it cool & ordered 4 decants. I am definitely bottling at least 1 of these, but 2 others are full size contenders as well so this has been a very successful sampling experience.
Astrid is a brand that I really admire but don’t own much from. Often our aesthetics are a bit misaligned & it’s rare that I find a scent of theirs that feels like me. The scents often don’t have the best performance on my skin as well- I generally find them to be a bit too quiet & have a wear time of only 3 hours or so.
That said, Astrid is always worth sampling since they have a great talent for marrying approachability with peculiarity.
On to the reviews!
——
Lilac Study No. 2 “lilac, nag champa incense, spun sugar, and frankincense.”
Opens with the nag champa, the cotton candy swirling in, the lilac at first a silken accent. I get a citrusy frankincense next that makes me a little wary it’s going to stomp on the other notes. The lilac in this one is quite subtle to me- the incense cotton candy along with the bright frankincense are definitely the main players, with the lilac adding a grace & softness. I do wish the frankincense (or whatever else may be leading to the citronella-y note I get once in a while) was left out, but it’s not that distracting & may smooth out with age. Eventually this blends into a gauze of cotton candy tinged with incense & lilac essence, & remains that way throughout wear. If you like sugary incense scents, please check this one out- it does not disappoint. Average throw for an oil- I can smell it when I move around but not when still for the most part. Average to low longevity.
Lilac Study No. 3 “lilac, honey accord, black pepper, vanilla absolute, and bergamot”
Lots of honey & bergamot to start with a tinge of pepper. Cheerfully sweet, a little perfumey, the honey lighter-bodied but powerful. The lilac here complements the honey, infusing it with soft petals. The honey/bergamot combo makes me think of perfumieless realistic takes on green tea- Serpentina from Darling Clandestine comes to mind. Over time, the vanilla comes out a little more, working to tame the honey & smooth over & bring together the other notes. The lilac in this one still acts as an aspect of the honey, it’s subtle in this blend. I get a shake of pepper & could do with a heavier dose to help balance the honey out. I like this one too but it’s my least favorite so far. I’m not always into honey- if you are, this one is quite nice with that sunny bergamot. It’s stronger than the average Astrid blend as well in terms of both throw & longevity.
Lilac Study No. 7 “lilac, iron distilled patchouli, violet leaf absolute, vanilla absolute, rice flower, jasmine sambac, velvet musk, and benzoin”
A cleaner, sheerer lilac with a dab of patchouli & a bright grassy green. This one opens as a more vibrant Spring scene than the other studies, the lilac just part of the tableau at first. Slowly it fuzzes into a musk. The lilac, jasmine, & rice flower are a pale, clean feeling bouquet with the lilac serving as the dominant flavor. The violet leaf is dialed down by the musk, the patchouli even more so. As this dries I would say the rice flower is the most impactful note of the composition- the lilac, jasmine, violet leaf, musk, & patchouli are all in evidence but filtered through the sheer rice flower. I get more patchouli than lilac over time & I am very curious how this one would age- if that patchouli would come out even more & how it would play under the curtain of rice flower. Average throw, & I’d say average to low longevity for me at this time.
Lilac Study No. 8 “lilac, butter co2, vanilla, and cream”
This smells like cereal milk at first, creamy & milky fruity. As the lilac materializes, the fruitiness abates- I’m not sure what I was getting there. The lilac here is gorgeous, fusing with a sweet cream note that is neither too heavy nor sour in the slightest. This one is distinctly lilac petals to my nose. They are ultra satiny & mesh beautifully with the texture of the cream & butter. The lilac is dominant well into wear, though the cream, fortified with a little yellow butter & vanilla, does gradually get stronger- eventually it’s cream & lilac instead of creamy lilac, if that makes sense. Well into drydown the vanilla gets nice & marshmallowy, with cream luscious & smooth & a breath of lilac. This is a lovely flormand specimen & I’m really in love with it. It wears close but I wouldn’t call it overly quiet or faint, it’s just the type of scent that hugs to the skin. I think that lends itself to longevity as well as it was discernible & enjoyable for over 4 hours (I stopped being able track after that).
——
Bonus review of Astrid’s Barn Owl “soft old barn wood, cream, and lilac blossom.”
I immediately wanted to sample No. 8 since it shared notes with one of my favorite scents, Barn Owl, so I figured I’d do a short review for that one too.
Barn Owl’s lilac is ethereal, creamy, & has a touch of, I think, white musk to it. The creaminess is perfumey, never going gourmand. It is a silken ghost on silent wing, the barn wood far below. Barn Owl is undeniably a lilac scent, but it feels more like white blooms in the night than the palette of pale purples I’ve gotten from the Studies. During drydown, Barn Owl is lightly sweet, soft against the skin, the wood more present but never overtaking the cream or lilac or weighing down the ethereal quality of the scent. I love this one for its clean creaminess & whispery veil of lilac.
Bonus review of BPAL’s Pleasing Two Women “oakmoss-infused vanilla bourbon, smoked lilac petals, and orris butter.”
& since it’s the season, I’m sampling other new lilac scents as well. This one is from this year’s Shungas & I thought that a short review may help others make informed lilac decisions.
Pleasing Two Women is a more romanticized take on lilac, with additional smoothness, almost to the point of waxiness, from the orris butter. The lilac petals are higher pitched & slightly more funky than in the Astrid blends & I unfortunately don’t get any of the listed smoke from them. The oak moss is one drop of dark green swirled into lots of whites & purples & it provides an anchor for the lilac & orris. Later in wear the sheer vanilla is the star here, a little mossy, slightly waxy, with more orris than lilac discernible. It’s a highly glamorized take on Springtime- a perfumed impression of blossoms & greenery instead of actual scents captured. BPAL always has good longevity & throw for me & this one is no exception.
——
Thanks for reading if you’ve gotten this far! Astrid absolutely excels at creating gorgeous lilac scents & I highly recommend sampling some of the Studies if you love lilacs!

For further information on behalf of MAG Silver Corp. Contact Michael J. Curlook, Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications Phone: (604) 630-1399 Toll Free: (866) 630-1399 Email: info@magsilver.com 

It's your friendly neighborhood deal hunter back at it again with your weekly grocery deals.
Here's a sneak peek at some of this week's deals - Sales for May 16th to May 22nd, 2024.
This week's got some seriously good finds to keep your wallet happy and your fridge stocked. Here's what caught my eye:

Farm Boy

• Chicken breast (boneless skinless): $5.99 per lb - This is a standard price for boneless, skinless chicken breast.
• Wild-caught Argentinian shrimp (23-30ct): $7.99 340g/bag - This is a good price for decent-sized, wild-caught Argentinian shrimp.
• Mini cucumbers: $5.00 for 2/6-packs - Same great price on mini cucumbers as before!
• Canadian Fiddleheads (fresh daily): $5.99/lb - This is a cool find! Fiddleheads are a fun seasonal item, so why not try them out?
• Hothouse tomatoes: $1.49/lb - This is a good price for hothouse tomatoes!
• Eggplant: $1.49/lb - This is a fantastic price for eggplant! Usually, it's closer to $2 a pound or more.
• Zucchini: $1.49/lb - This is a good price for zucchini! You might find it cheaper, but it'll take some effort.
• Green onion: $0.77 per bunch - This is a great price for green onions! It's almost surprising to see them under a dollar.
• Blueberries: $2.99 full pint (473g) - This is a fantastic deal on blueberries! Definitely worth picking some up.

Food Basics

• Ground chicken (lean, Zabiha): $3.88 450g/pack - This is a great price for lean ground chicken!
• Fresh 100% Quarter Pound (¼ lb) Lean Ground Beef Burgers: $4.00/4-pack: These beef burger patties work out to $4 per pound, which is a good deal! Especially considering the buns are also on sale. This is basically $10 for 8 delicious homemade burgers!
• Asparagus: $1.98/lb - This is an excellent price on asparagus! Especially since it's priced by the pound, not by the smaller bunches.
• Sweet peppers: $2.98/4-pack - This is a nice price for sweet peppers!
• Sweet potato and sweet purple potato: $1.28/lb - This is a fair price for sweet potatoes. It's neat that the purple sweet potatoes are included in the same deal.
• Coleslaw kit (Green Giant): $5.00 for 2 340g kits - This is a great price for coleslaw salad kits!
• Mini potatoes: $2.98 5lb/bag - This is a good price for a 5lb bag of mini potatoes!
• Strawberries: $1.67 454g/shell - This is an amazing deal on strawberries! Here's hoping they taste great too!
• Cherries: $5.98/lb - This is a decent price for cherries. The commenter recommends making homemade yogurt popsicles with them, although they do admit it's a bit of work to pit them.
• Brick cheese (Selection): $4.44 400g/bar - This is a nice price on brick cheese! Under $5 for a whole bar!
• BBQ Sauce and Mustard (Selection): $1.00/each - This is a nice find! Especially if you're planning on making burgers this week, stocking up on condiments at this price is a good idea.

Freshco (price matcher)

• Frozen burgers (Compliments): $9.99 1.13kg box (8-pack) - While this comes out to about $3/lb for beef, it's important to remember these are frozen, processed burgers. They contain ingredients like bread crumbs and flour, and have a higher saturated fat content than fresh patties. Read the label and make an informed choice!
• Wild-caught Argentinian shrimp (23-30ct): $6.99 300g/bag - This is a good price for wild-caught Argentinian shrimp!
• Sweet peppers: $2.99/4-pack - Another great deal on sweet peppers!
• Mushrooms: $2.99 454g/shell - This is a fantastic price on mushrooms! Stock up while they're on sale.
• Green beans: $1.99/lb - Awesome price for green beans, just like last week!
• Royal Gala apples: $1.49/lb - This is a good price for Royal Gala apples, but you might be able to find them even cheaper if you wait for a sale.
• Blueberries: $2.49/full pint - Another fantastic sale on blueberries!

No Frills (price matcher)

• Beef burgers (No Name): $9.99 1.36kg/12-pack - These frozen burgers are similar to the Compliments brand we saw earlier, but they're smaller and have more sugar and weird ingredients like "onion extract" and "corn syrup solids" than the Compliments ones. They also don't mention the saturated fat content.
• Fresh Chicken Drumsticks: $1.87/lb - This is a fantastic price on fresh chicken drumsticks! At only $1.87 per pound, it's a great time to grab some for your favorite recipes.
• Ground chicken or turkey: $8.00 870g/pack - This is a decent price for ground chicken or turkey, at about $4.20 per pound.
• Ground beef (lean): $6.00 450g/tube - This isn't a great price for ground beef since it comes in a tube.
• Steelhead trout fillet: $9.99/lb - This is the standard price for steelhead trout.
• Asparagus: $2.99/lb - This is an okay price for asparagus, but No Frills sometimes has better deals.
• Green beans: $2.99/lb - Same with the green beans, No Frills has offered lower prices in the past.
• Cucumber: $0.99/each - This is a good price for cucumbers.
• Mini-cucumber: $3.99 11-pack - This is a fair price
• Watermelon (9lb average): $2.99/each - This is a good price for a watermelon.
• Ataulfo mangoes: $5.64 5lb/case - This is a good deal on Ataulfo mangoes, which should come out to about 8 mangoes.
• Pineapple: $2.99/each - This is a good price for a pineapple.
• Brick cheese (Armstrong): $5.49 400g/bar - The price of cheese seems to be going up a bit everywhere.
• Black Diamond Cheese Slices, 22 Slices, 410 g: $2.49 - Save 36% - $3.88 at Walmart.
• Dry pasta (Italpasta): $1.25 750g/packs - This is a good price for dry pasta. Stock up if you're planning on making a pasta salad.

Real Canadian Superstore (price matcher)

• Beef rib-steak (ungraded): $7.88/lb - Not the best deal. You're paying graded prices for ungraded meat.
• Golden Pompano (frozen): $2.88/lb - This seems to be a store-specific deal. Has anyone tried this fish before?
• Dressed Tilapia (frozen): $2.88/lb - This means the frozen tilapia comes with the tail and fins already removed.
• Potatoes: $5.50 10lb/bag - This is a great deal on a big bag of potatoes!
• Corn: $0.40/ear - This is an incredible price on corn! It might even be a loss-leader for the store, so stock up if you can.
• Watermelon (11lb average): $3.99/each - This is a good price for a large watermelon.
• Pineapple: $3.00/each - This is a good price for a pineapple.

Sobeys

• Chicken thighs (boneless skinless): $5.99/lb - This is an okay price for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but there might be better deals out there this week.
• Beef striploin steaks (AA): $8.77/lb - Scene Member Price - This price is only available to Scene members.
• Beef sirloin tip roast or marinating steaks (AAA): $8.99/lb - This is a tough call. Sirloin tip is leaner but might be less tender than the striploin. The higher AAA grade might make it more tender though. It depends what you're looking for.
• Lobster (live): $10.99/lb - Scene Member Price - This is a good price on live lobster, but only for Scene members.
• Asparagus: $2.44/lb - Good price! This is a good price on asparagus!
• Green beans: $2.67/lb - Good price! This is a good price on green beans!
• Bok choy: $0.99/lb - Amazing price. I don't get how other places charge $2/lb+ for choy, and then you have Sobeys of all stores swooping in to steal the show! This is an incredible price on bok choy! Sobey's is undercutting the competition with this amazing deal.
• Asian pears: $0.99/lb - Awesome price! This is a great price on Asian pears!
• Brick cheese (Cracker Barrel): $5.77 400g/bar - This Cracker Barrel brick cheese seems a bit pricey compared to other options.

Walmart

• Ground beef (lean): $3.97/lb - This is a fantastic price for lean ground beef! Time to fire up the grill and make some delicious burgers!
• Asparagus: $2.97/lb - This is a fair price for asparagus. It's not the biggest discount, but it's still a good option if you're looking for some.
• Corn: $0.32/ear - This is the best deal on corn this week! At only 32 cents an ear, you can't beat this price.
• Potatoes: $4.97 10 lb/bag - This is a good price for a big bag of potatoes. Stock up on your favorite starchy side dish!
• Coleslaw kit: $2.77 397g/kit - This is a good price for a decent-sized coleslaw kit. Perfect for a quick and easy side dish.
• Strawberries: $1.84 454g/shell - This is an amazing price on strawberries! Stock up while they're this cheap.
• Pineapple: $3.97/each - This isn't a bad price for pineapple. Remember, pineapples take a long time to grow, so appreciate the good deals when you see them!
• Brick cheese (Armstrong): $4.94 400g/bar - Another sale on Armstrong brick cheese for around $5!

Costco

• Gain Cold Water Liquid Laundry Detergent with Oxi: $17.49 - Save $3.80
  
• Finish Quantum Ultimate Plus Dishwasher Detergent Pack of 96 tablets: $17.99 - Save $6.00
  
• Ecos Earth Friendly Liquid Laundry 225 Washloads : 16.99 - Save $5
  
• Purex Cold Water Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent 250 wash loads : 17.49 - Save $4.50
  
• Cashmere Premium 2-ply Bathroom Tissue 40-pack: 19.99 - Save $5
  
• Cascade Power Clean Dishwasher Detergent 115 ActionPacs : 18.49 - Save $4.50
  
• Finish Quantum Jet-Dry Ultra Rinse Agent 315 washes : $9.99 - Save $4.50
  
• OxiClean Max Efficiency Stain Remover 275 loads : $16.99 - Save $5.50
  
• Dawn Ultra Platinum Advanced Power Dishwashing Liquid 2.66 L : $10.99 - Save $3.00
  

P.S. Let me know if you find any other amazing deals at Costco – always happy to share the savings!
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Reference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RJ5pfn7QZOA8YTP-TxjcjSwQI4Bd6OghyF9igf_1Xtw/edit?usp=sharing