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VICE vs Video games
I Want to Be a Dog in 'Fallout 4', and Other (Side) Stories
We don't need another hero – we need protagonists who can explore gaming's increasingly sophisticated worlds in more nuanced ways.
by Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
06 September 2015, 2:37pm
The dog of 'Fallout 4', playability possibilities, TBC
Yes, I'm serious, and no, it's not just that I'm rubbish at balancing a human hero. For the uninitiated, one of the first things you do in a Fallout game is assign points to various traits, like strength or intelligence, sowing the seeds of the wild-eyed Gibson-alike or dour Costner-ish post-apocalyptic legend you hope one day to become. I can never make my mind up about which development path I want my character to follow, and the franchise's taste for open-endedness doesn't exactly help. Take a wrong turn at the outset, and your budding petty thief might stumble into a shootout with foes she hasn't a gnat's chance in hell of ever hitting, let alone wounding.
But that's all surface stuff. The real reason I want to play a dog in Fallout 4 is that, well, people expect less of dogs, right? You don't have a moralising Liam Neeson (the third game's big celeb cameo) standing over you as you test your legs. You aren't called on to decide which of a given world's factions most deserve a rocket to the gonads, or sternly handed a bag of negative karma points when you saunter away from a person in need. Dogs have it made. They're creatures of abandon, cruising through life on a whim. And if the occasional urge to guzzle something's vomit is the price I have to pay for that pressure-free existence, well – Fallout is already a game in which you can drink from toilets. At least this way you can do that without compromising your dignity.
Geralt is rarely the core around which the world of 'The Witcher 3' turns
OK, so perhaps I'm not being completely serious. But lately I've really fallen out of love with playing the hero – by which I here mean a character who is the centre of a world's narrative, and the means of its destruction or salvation – in video games. That's thanks in part to Jake Muncy's excellent piece for VICE on The Witcher 3's leading man Geralt of Rivia, a reviled half-mutant who scrapes out a living on the fringes of society, rather than serving, like one of BioWare's protagonists, as its fulcrum.
As Muncy notes, the character's "odd mix of empowered and powerless" changes the tenor of what are functionally the same old role-playing fetch quests and monster-slaying missions. Villagers regard you with mistrust, even after you've taken care of the local Grave Hag problem. Kings and generals see you as naught but a handy instrument for work that's too sordid for a "proper" human being. Geralt's second-class citizenship ought, on paper, to be irksome and deflating, but in practice it's liberating. You aren't expected to save The Witcher's universe, even if that's what you end up doing, and the result is that you're more at leisure to attend to less momentous, more sympathetic things, people and events. A domestic squabble that spills out onto the street; a dwarf's attempts to rebuild following an arson attack; a bartender's gratitude when you talk your way through a confrontation with local toughs, rather than starting a brawl.
Article continues after the video below
For my money, developer CD Projekt RED could have gone further. Much as I enjoy whipping the head off a ghoul with a flick of my silver sword, I'd absolutely love to play the game as a simple travelling chronicler, paid to mosey through and soak up gossip without seeking to intervene. Or, if more focus is required, how about the role of a biographer? I completed The Vanishing of Ethan Carter recently, a game that sees you poking around a majestic yet eerie valley for clues about the title character's disappearance. Imagine if you had to do the same for old Geralt, with his taciturn manner, recurrent bouts of amnesia and professional interest in the haunts of trolls and werewolves.
'The Vanishing of Ethan Carter' has you investigate a drama after it's played out
In many ways, the industry's fixation with capital-H heroes is a mark of creative adolescence. There's nothing wrong with wanting to play as a potent, influential personality in a video game – certainly, The Witcher 3 is as close as I'll ever get to being Viggo Mortensen – but it's a little damning that so many games revolve around characters who only ever deal with the matters at hand in the broadest, most binary of ways.
Smaller roles may be no less gripping, and rather more enlightening. Look at Sunset from Tale of Tales, in which you play housekeeper to a man swept up in political revolution, or Warco, which casts you as a cameraman dogging the heels of troops on a contemporary battlefield. These are "niche", "arty" indie titles, of course; one mainstream parallel is the elderly Halo 3: ODST, which offers up its fair share of gunplay but also casts you as more of a witness than a protagonist. Where Halo's original poster boy Master Chief is your classic knight in shining armour, forever yanking our fat from the fire at the very last minute, ODST's Rookie always arrives after the last minute. He's there to reflect and take stock, rather than just to drive the plot forward. As in The Witcher 3, the game cultivates a sense of investment that's carefully tied to feelings of insignificance.
If nothing else, playing a bit part in a game is a ripe opportunity for comedy. Ever wondered how it feels to play the banter-dispensing ally in a shooter series like Uncharted or Gears of War? It'd be like walking a bellicose hamster through an obstacle course. You'd have to help the "hero" just enough in a firefight that they don't crumble for want of basic hand-eye coordination, while dishing out wisecracks and striving to draw your comrade's eye to story-relevant chunks of scenery. You'd also have to put up with a generous amount of friendly fire. On the flipside, you'd get to revenge yourself on the "protagonist" by standing in doorways, or innocently nicking off with loot and ammo. (This sounds like me thinking aloud – in fact, a few Dark Souls players have taken to modelling their antics in PvP on AI-controlled characters, purely for the lulz. This extends to wearing the same armour and mimicking gaps in computerised attack patterns.)
'Sunset' sees you playing the role of a housekeeper, as a war rages outside the window
Over on Motherboard: The New Deus Ex Game Nails Our Real-Life Cyborg Anxieties
There is a larger moral at stake here (sorry). The trappings of heroism aren't culturally neutral. It's common for those in positions of power to apply the "hero" label as a bulletproof shield, heading off critique of the people concerned and by extension, the political narratives they may represent. Call soldiers to account for their actions, or question the legitimacy of the conflict itself, and you're taking a pop at "our heroes" rather than merely objecting to unnecessary bloodshed. Moreover, the role of hero tends to denote a certain calibre of individual – white, male, heterosexual and hyper-aggressive. In refusing to invoke the term, developers might have an easier time pitching, or finding an audience for characters who don't conform to the Modern Warfare stereotype, with a view to collapsing the "hero" moniker's ideological baggage in the long run.
Or, you know, it could just be an excuse to play Fallout as a dog. There's a lively YouTube Let's Play tradition of assuming the role of a nobody – VICE contributor Andy Kelly is well-known for his Olaf series, for example, wherein he dons the sackcloth of a peasant eking out a pittance in the valleys of Skyrim. The popularity of such coverage suggests that video game narrative is to some degree playing catch-up to video game world design. What's the point of an environment of The Witcher 3's scale and splendour, after all, if all you're going to do is lord over it from on high? Perhaps sniffing at pools of sick isn't the most appealing angle, but I could certainly do with some time away from the spotlight.
@dirigiblebill
More from VICE Gaming:
On 'Tekken 2' at 20, and How It Illustrates Gaming's Timid Progression
Is There Anything More to 'Senran Kagura 2' Than Big, Bouncing Cartoon Breasts?'
The Terrific 'Super Mario Maker' Teased Me Into Making My Own Game, But It Went Terribly
vice gaming
Dogs in Video Games
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Being a dog in a video game
A dog that isn't Green Dog
You remember
the beached surfer dude?
Oh never mind


A novelty at Tucson 2011. Crystal with a very acute pyramidal polycrystalline termination. The crystal is transparent, bright and a deep sky blue color with slight violet shades. They are floaters with irregular surfaces, having had been formed in channels of dissolution in bigger crystals, now missing.


text:
Sustainable Building Consultants e. info@ecoselect.biz p. 03 5244 5649
Energy Ratings Home Audits Sustainable Solutions
From our clients:
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Fleur is a true professional and a committed advocate for sustainable building outcomes."
Tufan Chakir, Poligot design planning advocacy
Architect and Urban Planner
"We found Fleur to be a passionate and knowledgeable consultant who really listened to our needs and realities. What Fleur has is in-depth, up to date, big picture knowledge and practical experience. She helped us to understand the various aspects of building to achieve the best energy efficiency for our home while ensuring that we would create spaces that would be just right for us and our lifestyle.
We appreciated the way Fleur gave us lots of options to consider and explained them all, while leaving the decision of which way to go to us. Fleur's expert advice and guidance went way beyond having a star rating done for the house, although that was included as part of the consultation. Our plans were fairly advanced when we consulted Fleur but we would advise others to call on her early in the process so that the best energy efficiency options are built in right from the start."
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A W Armstrong's Carpentry Service Pty Ltd

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Image Title: Interesting Exterior Siding Options Types Of In Cheap Designs 18. Post Title: Cheap Siding Options. Filename: interesting-exterior-siding-options-types-of-in-cheap-designs-18.jpg. Image Dimension: 660 x 517 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: Diego Zulauf. Uploaded Date: Tuesday - January 29th. 2019 18:22:25 PM. Category: Architecture. Image Source: digsdigs.com. Cheap Siding Options Old Co Intended For Ideas 7. Cheap Siding Ideas Shed House Modern Throughout Options Remodel 10. Shed Exterior Siding Options Cheap House Best Nagradi Me For Prepare 2. Garage Siding Options Windows Installation Baseballcenter Info Inside Cheap Ideas 17. A Homeowners Guide To Exterior Siding Options MLive Com Within Cheap Remodel 5. Cheap Exterior Siding Options For Decorations 0. Garage Siding Options Cheap In Remodel 19. Cheap Siding Ideas Shed House Modern For Options Design 6. Alternative Siding Options DIY Throughout Cheap Plan 4. Cheap Siding Options Dianacooper Club Intended For Designs 12.


text:
Q: "Your or someone else's" or "Yours or someone else's"? Should I say

Your or someone else's

Or

Yours or someone else's

When I am referring to an item that may either belong to the person I am addressing, or someone else?
Example context:

Check your/s or someone else's current balance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Аблу () је река у Француској. Дуга је 50 km. Улива се у Англен.

Види још
 Списак река у Француској

Спољашње везе

Реке Француске

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Housing sector holds archives from a variety of departments in a wide number of formats, some of a sensitive nature which require special handling.
We can be asked to scan, digitise and index anything from HR personnel files, tenancy and maintenance files to financial documents, often in large quantities. Once recorded, files may be returned via our secure fleet of vans, stored by us or securely destroyed.
Searchable PDF files are our recommended file format and offered at no extra cost, allowing you to instantly locate individual words or phrases within the document.
We have undertaken numerous scanning projects for various housing associations and construction companies across the UK.


text:
<?php

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use yii\web\Controller;
use yii\web\Response;
use yii\widgets\ActiveForm;

/**
 * Class DefaultController
 * Default app controller
 *
 * @package app\controllers
 */
class DefaultController extends Controller
{
    /**
     * @inheritdoc
     */
    public function behaviors()
    {
        return [
            'access' => [
                'class' => AccessControl::className(),
                'only' => ['logout'],
                'rules' => [
                    [
                        'actions' => ['logout'],
                        'allow' => true,
                        'roles' => ['@'],
                    ],
                ],
            ]
        ];
    }

    /**
     * @inheritdoc
     */
    public function actions()
    {
        return [
            'error' => [
                'class' => 'yii\web\ErrorAction',
            ],
        ];
    }

    /**
     * Login user
     *
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     */
    public function actionLogin()
    {
        if (!Yii::$app->user->isGuest) {
            return $this->goHome();
        }

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            Yii::$app->response->format = Response::FORMAT_JSON;
            return ActiveForm::validate($model);
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        if ($model->load(Yii::$app->request->post()) && $model->login()) {
            return $this->goBack();
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        Yii::$app->user->logout();
        return $this->goHome();
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Professional assistance should be provided by an arborist who specializes in the care of individual trees. Arborists are knowledgeable about the needs of trees and are trained and equipped to provide proper care.
Certified arborists are experienced professionals who have passed an extensive examination covering all aspects of tree care. Arborists are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and display an official logo as identification. At this time, the State of Georgia does not license or certify arborists.
To search our database of certified arborists, select the services and service area where the tree or community is located. You can also search by name for a particular arborist or tree care company.
If you are unsure if you need the services of a certified arborist, look through our tree care resources or Ask-the-Arborist or contact GFC's Sustainable Community Forestry Staff.
The following is for information only and not an endorsement by GFC.


text:
'use strict';

module.exports = function develop(grunt) {
    // Load task
    grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-develop');

    return {
        server: {
            file: 'server.js'
        }
    };

};


text:
Columbus Museum of Art receives major gift of fashion photography
Horst P. Horst, 'Mainbocher Corset—Variant (tight),' 1939 (printed 1985‒1995). Platinum-palladium print. Promised Gift of Sally Ross Soter Image courtesy of Holden Luntz Gallery.
A prominent collection of photography by some of the most acclaimed fashion photographers of the 20th and 21st centuries is being gifted to the Columbus Museum of Art. The 23 works represent a range of iconic fashion images by Diane Arbus, Louis Faurer, Horst P. Horst, Frank Horvat, George Hoyningen-Huene, George Hurrell, Cathleen Naundorf, Irving Penn, Mark Shaw, Maurice Tabard and Joyce Tenneson. The collection is being donated to CMA by philanthropist Sally Ross Soter of Palm Beach, Florida, who along with her parents, Richard and Elizabeth Ross, has provided transformative and visionary support of the museum's photography program for more than 50 years.
"Photography is the quintessential 20th-century medium, integrally linked to Modernism," Nannette Maciejunes, CMA executive director and CEO, said. "It is through the commitment of generations of the Ross family that the museum's acclaimed Modernist paintings and works on paper are now complemented by an exceptional photography program."
Columbus Museum of Art photography collection was established in 1965 with 17 works purchased with funds from the Ross family. Since that time, CMA's diverse photography holdings have grown significantly through ongoing gifts from the Ross and Soter families. Their contribution to the 2001 purchase of the Photo League Collection, a landmark acquisition of 170 vintage documentary photographs, simultaneously created the cornerstone of the CMA photography collection and established the largest collection of Photo League work in an American museum.
In 1994 the museum's photography study center was renamed the Richard M. Ross Study Center for Photography and was inaugurated as a public gallery space for ongoing exhibitions and educational programming. In 2009 Mrs. Soter established CMA's first endowed curatorship, the William and Sarah Ross Soter Curator of Photography, allowing the museum to expand its ambitions in the medium. Today, CMA's active and growing photography collection numbers more than 3,200 works.
"The museum and photography have always been important parts of my life," Mrs. Soter said. "I first volunteered at the Columbus Museum of Art at the age of 13. This gift holds deep family resonances, reminding me of both my father's photography and my mother's fashion sensibility. Falling in love with and purchasing Horst's 1936 photograph 'Alix Satin Dress' inspired me to build a fashion photography collection."
Among the celebrated and captivating photographs in the collection are Horst P. Horst's "Mainbocher Corset" (1939) and "Iman, Valentino" (1982); "Givenchy Hat" (circa 1958) by Frank Horvat; "Mae West In Her Bedroom, Santa Monica, CA" (1965) by Diane Arbus; and "Vionnet Dress with Fan" (1974) by Irving Penn.
In honor of Mrs. Soter's 80th birthday, her daughter, Sarah Kay, and her family are magnifying the impact of the gift by funding a multiyear celebration beginning in spring 2022 to showcase CMA's photography program. The series of exhibitions, public programs and initiatives will include an exhibition of Diane Arbus: A Box of Ten Photographs, the museum debut of the work of pioneering 1960s and 70s photographer Kali and the publication of a generously illustrated book of photography highlights from CMA's collection.
About Columbus Museum of Art
CMA is where creativity and the daily life of our community intersect and thrive, as we champion new and different ways of thinking and doing. We celebrate the creative process and provide opportunities for people to cultivate and discover the value of creativity in their own lives.
CMA's collection includes outstanding late 19th- and early 20th-century American and European modern works of art. We house the world's largest collections of works by beloved local artists Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson, Elijah Pierce and George Bellows; and acclaimed collections such as The Photo League and the Philip and Suzanne Schiller Collection of American Social Commentary Art. A commitment to contemporary art, folk art, glass and photography continues the Museum's dedication to showcasing art of our time.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau 'Return from the Harvest' at Cummer Museum


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Tag: Fantasy
Leadership Lessons from Game Of Thrones: Index
For your convenience, here's a handy index to the Leadership Lessons from Game of Thrones posts, in chronological order.
Charismatic leadership: Daenarys Targaryen
Transformational leadership: Jon Snow
Transactional leadership: Tyrion Lannister
Behavioural leadership theories: Robert Baratheon
Contingency-based leadership theories: the High Sparrow
Power-based leadership theories: Sansa Stark
Traditional pathways to promotion: Robb Stark and the Baratheon brothers
Alternative pathways to promotion: Ramsay Bolton
The Battle of Winterfell, or How Not To Lead
Toxic leadership: Joffrey Baratheon and Daenarys Targaryen (again)
Gender and ethnic diversity in leadership: the Greyjoy siblings
Posted on July 23, 2019 Categories Leadership in Game of ThronesTags Books, Daenarys Targaryen, Dragons, Fantasy, Game of Thrones, Joffrey Baratheon, Jon Snow, Margaery Tyrell, Ramsay Bolton, Robb Stark, Robert Baratheon, Sansa Stark, The High Sparrow, Theon Greyjoy, Tyrion Lannister, Yara GreyjoyLeave a comment on Leadership Lessons from Game Of Thrones: Index
Best Of British now available for pre-order
Just a quick note to say that Best Of British SF 2018 is now available to preorder on Kindle (ahead of the wider release next month)– buy it and enjoy my story "Doomed Youth", a tale of populist politicians and giant ants.
Posted on July 10, 2019 July 10, 2019 Categories Fiction, WritingTags Books, Fantasy, SFLeave a comment on Best Of British now available for pre-order
A Summary and Culmination of Leadership Lessons: Bran the Broken
Our tour of Westeros and leadership is, for the moment at least, coming to an end, so it's worth pausing to do some summarising, particularly in the context of how Game of Thrones itself ended.
<MORE SPOILERS THAN USUAL WARNING. THERE, THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY>
A common thread running through a lot of the posts has been the rigidity of the progression system in Westeros, and the problems this can cause. Evidently the people of Westeros have noticed this too, given that the finale first literally destroys the Iron Throne with fire, and then has the surviving leaders adopt a new promotion pathway system which goes some way towards fixing these problems. Interestingly, Bran the Broken has an amalgam of traits from the old pathway, being the eldest surviving male offspring of someone with a reasonable claim to the throne, and from a more inclusive (and thus flexible) paradigm, being disabled, infertile, and, technically, a religious leader.
He also seems to be, at the moment anyway, primarily a transactional leader. Which makes sense: charismatic leaders tend to flourish in crisis conditions. Quite possibly he'll also prove transformational, but in a slow, gradual way as the country rebuilds.
The new system still has some obvious problems. There still doesn't seem to be any way to remove a toxic leader short of killing them, for one thing. For another, leaders may be collectively chosen, but it's by the nobility, and that's an easily hackable system that a future Ramsay Bolton might turn to their advantage. It's still a system that's likely to favour non-disabled ethnic majority males regardless of their ability or lack of it, as any researcher who follows the power-based school of leadership theory might be quick to point out.
There are also a lot of untold leadership stories hanging around the fringes of the episode. For a start, while I'm very much in favour of Sansa Stark getting formally recognised as a queen, there's not much discussion of how the North will rebuild, what sort of succession system she's planning, or how relations with the rest of the country will proceed in a situation where its monarch isn't her blood relative. And speaking of leadership stories yet to be told, I would very much like to know what sort of a time Yara Greyjoy is having in terms of hanging on to leadership of the Iron Islands.
But still, as endings go, it's probably a better one than most of the leadership of Westeros deserve.
This ends the Leadership Lessons from Game of Thrones series, unless obviously something new comes up to merit a revival. I'll post a comprehensive index to posts later, and I'm planning another academic SF blog series soon, but for now, thanks for reading!
Posted on June 13, 2019 June 12, 2019 Categories Leadership in Game of ThronesTags Bran Stark, Fantasy, Game of Thrones, Leadership, Ramsay Bolton, Sansa Stark, Yara Greyjoy1 Comment on A Summary and Culmination of Leadership Lessons: Bran the Broken
Gender and leadership: the Greyjoy Siblings
We've already discussed gender and leadership in this series to some extent, but largely in the context of femaleness as a barrier to leadership (and fertile maleness as a prerequisite for it). However, in this case I'm going to frame it in terms of cultural variation.
My own particular academic interest in leadership is in the context of cross-cultural management. Specifically, the fact that what makes an acceptable leader varies from place to place, as we can see with the issue of gender in Westeros. While most places seem to follow the practice identified earlier– oldest male offspring inherits, followed by his sons and brothers, followed by daughters and sisters in cases where there are no male heirs, plus female regents if the male heir is underage or incapacitated– there are variations, for instance Dorne which practices primogeniture regardless of the gender of the child (a fact which was largely not discussed on the TV programme, but never mind)– and, of course, the Iron Islands, where women are not allowed to rule, full stop.
Which is also interesting because women are clearly allowed other forms of leadership role: nobody seems to have much of a problem with Yara commanding a pirate ship, for instance.
But the case of Yara also raises another issue with regard to gender and leadership. In some societies with strongly differentiated gender roles, the problem of what to do when you have too many children of one gender and not enough of the other, is solved by raising some of the children as "socially" of the other gender. Examples include traditional Inuit society, and the "sworn virgins" of Albania. Please note that this is not, as a practice, analogous to being transgender: the sworn virgins are not seen as being "male," but as women taking a male role.
Yara, in Game of Thrones, seems tacitly like the Westerosi equivalent. She's acknowledged to be female, but she dresses like a man; she commands a ship like a man; and she grew up in a situation where one of her brothers was dead and the other being raised by the Starks as a hostage. Needing, if not a male heir, at least someone who could take on the duties associated with one, it's no surprise that Balon Greyjoy turned to his daughter to fulfil this role.
Furthermore, the thing which bars her surviving brother, Theon, from challenging her bid for leadership is that he's a eunuch. Eunuchs on Westeros are in a similarly ambivalent gender position: socially male in many ways, they are also denied traditional male pathways to leadership, though they can wield a lot of of "soft power" in part because they are inherently infertile and thus do not have a stake in the inheritance system.
All of which is a lengthy and analogous way of saying that not only is gender and leadership viewed differently in different societies (again calling into question the idea that there are fixed sets of leadership traits which are always identifiable and always the best way of choosing or training a leader), but also that the gender binary which is taken for granted in a lot of the business literature (remember that management studies as a discipline first arose in the USA in the mid-twentieth century) is far from universal. Something worth remembering when choosing who will represent your business interests in other countries… or if you want to open a branch office in Westeros.
Next time: a farewell to Westeros, a consideration of what the series finale says about governance, and a little summary of all we have learned about leadership so far.
Posted on May 30, 2019 May 30, 2019 Categories Leadership in Game of ThronesTags Books, Fantasy, Game of Thrones, Leadership, Theon Greyjoy, Yara Greyjoy2 Comments on Gender and leadership: the Greyjoy Siblings
Toxic leadership: Joffrey Baratheon, and Daenarys Targaryen (again)
This is a rather appropriate time to get to toxic leadership, since today is the day people in the UK vote in the European elections, and also because of the controversy currently raging among Game of Thrones fans about Daenarys' story arc and how it ended.
The source text I'm relying on is Dennis Tourish's excellent b ook The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership. In it, Tourish argues that the traits which management studies types celebrate and valorize in leaders aren't actually positive in and of themselves; charismatic and visionary leaders can be massively narcissistic and selfish, transformational leaders can be emotionally manipulative; transactional leaders can refuse to admit they're wrong. Indeed, one of the real dangers of behavioural theories in particular is a reluctance to consider the negative aspects of the behaviours identified as "leadership qualities", and the valorization of leaders over all, in management studies, has, Tourish argued, led to such disasters as the 2008 global recession.
In Westeros, arguably even more leader-focused than management, the negative results are plain to see, playing out over eight seasons. However, a useful example is provided by Joffrey Baratheon, precisely because he's such an obvious hate figure. He's clearly selfish, nasty, power-obsessed, bullying, sadistic and casually homicidal. However, to take the point, none of that in and of itself actually detracts from his leadership ability. It makes decent political sense to have Ned Stark executed, and also to marry Stark's daughter off as fast as possible to Tyrion, cementing the Lannister claim to the North while leaving Joffrey himself free to make an even more politically useful marriage to Margaery Tyrell– showing he has more sense in that regard than Robb Stark. None of this is to say that Joffrey is at all someone you'd want in charge of anything, let alone the Seven Kingdoms; but it's to point out that the same skills and traits that can make a good leader, can also manifest in less positive ways.
To take a more recent example: Daenarys Targaryen firebombing Kings' Landing from dragonback surprised many viewers, but it's not at all out of keeping with what we discussed in the earlier entry on her leadership style. Indeed, it's positively logical that a charismatic leader would be more inclined to a display of power to intimidate the opposition, even if it also alienates potential allies, than in thinking about long-term relationships (which are rather more the province of the transformational leader). The traits which gave her the strength to claw her way up from a pawn in the marriage game to conquer a continent, left unchecked, are the same ones that lead to her murdering innocent civilians simply because they had the misfortune to be born under Lannister rule.
The lesson to take from all of this is not only to keep a sharp eye on the leadership, wherever you are. It's to ensure there are checks and balances in place. Both Joffrey and Daenarys' homicidal tendencies could have been held in check by a system holding the ruler to account, and might even have survived the series had there been some system for removing them that doesn't resort to out-and-out assassination.
Next week: gender and ethnic diversity with the Greyjoy siblings.
Posted on May 23, 2019 May 23, 2019 Categories Leadership in Game of ThronesTags Books, Daenarys Targaryen, Fantasy, Game of Thrones, Joffrey Baratheon, Margaery Tyrell, Robb Stark3 Comments on Toxic leadership: Joffrey Baratheon, and Daenarys Targaryen (again)
To recap from the discussion of Robb Stark, the Baratheon Brothers, and why male sexuality matters in Westeros two weeks ago: legitimate career progression is a pretty straightforward thing in Westeros, on the face of it. To become a leader, you have to be the eldest surviving legitimate son of the current/former leader.
However, as in any organisation, the official career path is not the only one. It's worth noting that at the outset of the final season, literally no leader in Westeros (or even Essos or Braavos), aside from Jon Snow, actually fits the official criteria for political leadership. Admittedly, there is a bloody civil war going on, but the means for alternative forms of progression usually has to be in place before a crisis of that magnitude hits.
The main alternative form of progression, as discussed before, is through murdering the incumbent. However, as we also discussed before, this is a problematic means of progression, for the obvious reason that a healthy society needs to discourage people from killing their leaders. Hence the reason why Jaime Lannister couldn't take the throne; why Robert Baratheon had to fit as many of the other criteria for leadership as possible (or seem to, at any rate); and why his leadership was problematic nonetheless.
Some Westerosi organisations do offer different pathways to promotion. The church, the Maesters, and the Night's Watch, of necessity, have leadership pathways that are more or less merit-based. However, they're also more rigid on the gender front than the nobility (women can rule, if problematically, under some circumstances; women can never be Maesters or join the Night's Watch, and septas clearly rank well below septons in the church), making these organisations at once more and less flexible in a crisis. Furthermore, in all cases they're barred from political leadership under all but the most extreme circumstances; the High Sparrow may have come rather close to establishing theocratic rule in Westeros, but that was more a sign of how badly the established order had broken down than anything normal and legitimate.
This brings us to the case of Ramsay Snow, later Bolton, and how his career demonstrates the existence of at least one alternative pathway to leadership beyond staging a coup. At the outset of his storyline, Ramsay Snow's status as an illegitimate son bars him from leadership; however, he makes himself useful enough to his ostensible father, Roose, that the latter has him officially declared legitimate (and Ramsay also makes certain that his father has no other surviving offspring which might supplant him).
Furthermore, both Boltons take advantage of the fact that the near-total extermination of the Starks (and the absence of the surviving family members) has left a power vacuum in the North. However, while arguably might would make right in those circumstances, clearly other factors are helpful; Theon Greyjoy's attempt to take over Winterfell by claiming to have murdered the two younger Starks only left him with a tenuous claim at best, while Ramsay's marriage to Sansa, given the rule about governance passing to female offspring in the absence of surviving fertile males, gave him more of a social claim to the North.
Of course, none of this is to mention that Ramsay is also a psychopath, who nobody sane would want in charge of a church raffle let alone one-seventh of a country. Given that not only did Roose Bolton break the rule against not killing the person you're taking over from (though admittedly Walder Frey took most of the blame for that) and both Boltons repeatedly break rules of hospitality and truce, and show what any management expert would describe as fairly awful personnel management skills, their governance of Winterfell was inevitably doomed to be short term.
But that takes us to next week's subject, toxic leadership, so we'll leave matters there.
Posted on May 16, 2019 May 23, 2019 Categories Leadership in Game of ThronesTags Fantasy, Game of Thrones, Jon Snow, Leadership, Ramsay Bolton, Sansa Stark3 Comments on Alternative pathways to promotion: Ramsay Bolton
One of the problems with teaching organisation studies, is that people assume that the principles apply only to modern organisations. Businesses, and maybe to a lesser extent other organisations like charities, NGOs, public sector institutions, and so forth. While it's true that organisation studies were developed with those in mind, that doesn't mean you can't see similar principles in action elsewhere.
Take the case of pathways to leadership. All organisations have them, whether they're a Fortune 500 company, a grassroots campaign to save a local monument… or a medieval-ish fantasy kingdom embroiled in intermittent bloody civil wars.
The conventional criteria for becoming a leader in Westeros are generally pretty simple. You have to be the oldest surviving legitimate (and able-bodied) male offspring of the current leader. There are variations: in Dorne, for instance, gender isn't a criterion for leadership (though legitimacy and survival certainly are), and the case of Jorah Mormont shows that you can be formally barred from leadership despite meeting all those criteria.
Hence our case study of Robb Stark, who, after the death of Ned, is, as his oldest son, unproblematically accepted as Warden of the North.
A less explicit criterion, though, is that the man in question also has to be fertile, and, ideally, has to demonstrate this with actual (or potential) offspring. While we'll be exploring the complicated issue of gender and leadership later, this is why eunuchs, while they can be socially "male" in other ways, are unequivocably barred from formal leadership pathways. More than that, though, the offspring also have to be, ideally, from the right woman. Namely, your wife. We'll call this the "sexuality rule".
The driving force behind the entire plot of Game of Thrones, however, is that this pathway is so rigid that exceptions to the rule, however minor or justified, are always problematic. There's a clear rule that, in the absence of legitimate male offspring, succession passes to female offspring, but the leadership of every single female leader has been problematic and challenged (it's worth noting that, in "The Last of the Starks", Bran is seriously suggested as a more legitimate ruler for Winterfell than Sansa, despite being disabled, not wanting the post, and having shown literally no leadership skills at all at any point in the series). More to the point, while everyone seems to accept that it was necessary to murder the Mad King and that Robert Baratheon was the most acceptable candidate to serve as a replacement, his leadership is, as discussed before, weak and problematic; the fact that, despite appearances, he has no legitimate offspring, is as much a metaphor for the problems with him as a monarch as it is a reason for the rest of the country to plunge into chaos on his death.
Which then brings us to Robert's siblings. Under circumstances in which Robert had come to the throne via the usual pathway, then his brothers would be logical candidates for succession in the absence of legitimate male offspring. The problem is, Robert didn't. So neither Stannis nor Renly have as much of a legitimate claim to the throne as they would under normal circumstances. Hence the fact that both brothers are contesting the throne, rather than it passing relatively unproblematically to the eldest.
Renly is further problematised under the unspoken sexuality rule. Which is half of the reason why his wife Margaery urges him to get her pregnant as soon as possible. Significantly for our topic here, the other reason is that one of the ways in which women can legitimately govern is as regents for under-age male offspring (hence Cersei's path to leadership), but again, we'll be discussing that later. For this post, it's worth noting that this is why I'm calling this a sexuality rule, rather than a fertility rule– Renly may well be fertile, but his homosexuality means he's reluctant to produce legitimate (or indeed any) offspring, in much the same way that the problem with his brother Robert's offspring isn't biological, but down to the animosity between him and his wife.
Furthermore, the fact that Robert's succeeding to the throne through murdering the incumbent was accepted as legitimate, throws open the door for conquest becoming another legitimate path to the throne. Hence the fact that Robb himself also contests the leadership of the Seven Kingdoms.
And the sexuality rule also, ultimately, calls into question Robb Stark's own seemingly unproblematic claim to leadership. Because although he does have legitimate offspring (or at least potential offspring), he's actually married the wrong woman.
The point of Robb's insistence on marrying for love, and consequently breaking his agreement with the Freys, is that, in one fatal way, he's unsuited for leadership. As his mother Catelyn– herself married off to cement a political alliance– knows, part of being a leader in Westeros means sublimating your personal relationships (and, as Renly also fails to observe, sexuality) to the system of marital alliances which dominates the country. So, as with the war of succession following Robert's demise, Robb's fate during the Red Wedding stems from his failure to follow the rules of the leadership pipeline as much as from Walder Frey's desire for revenge.
The lesson for Westeros watchers? There's been a lot written about Westeros being focused on the control of female sexuality, but it's worth noting that male sexuality, is also subject to strict, if tacit, controls.
The lesson for non-Westerosi organisations? Don't be too rigid when developing your leadership pathways, and ensure that at least some of the less traditional ones are recognised and accepted as legitimate.
Next episode: alternative pathways to leadership, with the Bastard of Bolton.
Posted on May 2, 2019 May 9, 2019 Categories Leadership in Game of ThronesTags Fantasy, Game of Thrones, Leadership, Robb Stark, Robert Baratheon6 Comments on Traditional pathways to promotion: Robb Stark and the Baratheon brothers


text:
Q: TestNG multithreaded test with Spring @Transactional I am using TestNG to test persistence Spring modules (JPA+Hibernate) using AbstractTransactionalTestNGSpringContextTests as a base class. All important parts @Autowired, @TransactionConfiguration, @Transactional work just fine.
The problem comes when I am trying to run test in parallel threads with threadPoolSize=x, invocationCount=y TestNG annotation.
WARNING: Caught exception while allowing TestExecutionListener [org.springframework.test.context.transaction.TransactionalTestExecutionListener@174202a]
to process 'before' execution of test method [testCreate()] for test instance [DaoTest] java.lang.IllegalStateException:
Cannot start new transaction without ending existing transaction: Invoke endTransaction() before startNewTransaction().
at org.springframework.test.context.transaction.TransactionalTestExecutionListener.beforeTestMethod(TransactionalTestExecutionListener.java:123)
at org.springframework.test.context.TestContextManager.beforeTestMethod(TestContextManager.java:374)
at org.springframework.test.context.testng.AbstractTestNGSpringContextTests.springTestContextBeforeTestMethod(AbstractTestNGSpringContextTests.java:146)

...
Has anybody faced this problem?
Here is the code:
@TransactionConfiguration(defaultRollback = false)
@ContextConfiguration(locations = { "/META-INF/app.xml" })
public class DaoTest extends AbstractTransactionalTestNGSpringContextTests {

@Autowired
private DaoMgr dm;

@Test(threadPoolSize=5, invocationCount=10)
public void testCreate() {
    ...
    dao.persist(o);
    ...
}
...

Update: It seems that AbstractTransactionalTestNGSpringContextTests maintains transaction only for main thread when all other test threads don't get their own transaction instance. The only way to solve that is to extend AbstractTestNGSpringContextTests and maintain transaction programmatically (instead of @Transactional annotation) per each method (i.e. with TransactionTemplate):
@Test(threadPoolSize=5, invocationCount=10)
public void testMethod() {
    new TransactionTemplate(txManager).execute(new TransactionCallbackWithoutResult() {
        @Override
        protected void doInTransactionWithoutResult(TransactionStatus status) {
            // transactional test logic goes here
        }
    }
}

A: The transaction needs to be started in the same thread, here are more details:
Spring3/Hibernate3/TestNG: some tests give LazyInitializationException, some don't

A: Don't you think this rather comes from org.springframework.test.context.TestContextManager not being thread safe (see https://jira.springsource.org/browse/SPR-5863)?
I faced the same issue when I wanted to launch my Transactional TestNG tests in parallel and you can see that Spring actually tries to bind the transaction to the right Thread.
However this fails randomly with this kind of errors. I extended AbstractTransactionalTestNGSpringContextTests with :
@Override
@BeforeMethod(alwaysRun = true)
protected synchronized void springTestContextBeforeTestMethod(
        Method testMethod) throws Exception {
    super.springTestContextBeforeTestMethod(testMethod);
}

@Override
@AfterMethod(alwaysRun = true)
protected synchronized void springTestContextAfterTestMethod(
        Method testMethod) throws Exception {
    super.springTestContextAfterTestMethod(testMethod);
}

(the key being the synchronized...)
and it is now working like a charm. I can't wait for Spring 3.2 though so that it can be completly parallized!


First I wanted to thank you very much for all of your hard work to help plan and schedule our recent trip to visit your incredible Country - visiting China was truly an amazing experience! All of us felt that our trip far exceeded every expectation that we had.
First I wanted to thank you very much for all of your hard work to help plan and schedule our recent trip to visit your incredible Country - visiting China was truly an amazing experience! All three of us, My wife Linda, my 15 year old Grandson Shamari, and I had a totally wonderful time. All of our arrangements were perfect, our connections with our guides and drivers worked like clock work, the hotels were very comfortable - we even got to appreciate the hard beds after a while, the food was some of the best we ever ate, and our guides were extremely knowledgeable, accomodating, and very open to sharing their own ideas and views on any issues that we raised with them.
All of us felt that our trip far exceeded every expectation that we had. We found China to be beyond anything we thought before we experienced it, the vast beauty of the geography, the incredible diversity of the people, and the vibrancy of the economy was awe inspiring - we can't wait to visit again!
Please feel free to use any of the above on your web site and with your supervisors, along with my name below. also let me say that our guides, espercially Sisi in Beijing, and Lilly in Shanghai were execptional, as was your expert assistance and personal attention!
1. Chinese children along the Bund.
I will send a second e-mail with additional pictures.


Speaker Urges Bold Proclamation of a "Lived Relationship with Jesus"
STEUBENVILLE, OH (July 23, 2014) -- "The fruit we are to bear is other disciples arising around us," Sherry Weddell told more than 300 directors of religious education, catechists, youth ministers, and other religious instructors, who came to Franciscan University of Steubenville July 14-17 for the St. John Bosco Conference.
The conference is "for those engaged in the work of making disciples--in parishes, schools, on the streets--to gather for renewal, prayer, fellowship, and formation," said Ron Bolster, the director of Catechetics at Franciscan University.
The speakers centered their talks around the themes of stirring up an active relationship with Jesus, of Pope Francis' encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, and of putting Jesus' sacrifice at the center of evangelization.
"We, as Catholics, can talk around Jesus. We use 'God,' 'the Lord.' I don't know why we're so uncomfortable with the name Jesus," said Bob Rice, Franciscan University professor of catechetics, in his talk, "Proclaiming Christ Crucified." "We should be going in with a victor's mentality, because Jesus Christ has won the battle, and we just get to proclaim that."
His words would be expanded upon by Weddell, whose topic proved quite popular with the participants. She called on them to temporarily set aside the facts and curriculums they were familiar with to ask an often-forgotten question--What is your lived relationship with Jesus?
"The Church distinguishes between the virtue of faith, the capacity given at baptism, and actual faith, the personal yes to a personal Lord. Our children and teens have received the first. How many have acted on or even know about the second?"
Weddell is co-founder of the Catherine of Siena Institute and the author of the book Forming Intentional Disciples (Our Sunday Visitor, 2012). She described her discovery that many Catholics--even those in positions of leadership in their parish--do not even consider the possibility of a personal relationship with God, and some parishes balk at talking about it, even considering it a Protestant notion.
"We're not jettisoning tradition," she said in an interview. "We're going back to the riches of the tradition that calls us to this. Catholics were the great evangelizers for the first 18 centuries of the Church's life. We have a rich evangelical heritage that we don't know about. In fact, Protestant evangelicals are studying our history for their work."
She said the positive response she received at the conference shows the change in the American Catholic Church's way of thinking about faith formation. "We're aware that something has to change at a fundamental level to respond to this very new cultural climate."
In her general session talk, "God Has No Grandchildren," Weddell said, "We have a shortage of discerners, not a shortage of vocations. If you evangelize, everything changes. And it has huge implications in stewardship, Mass attendance, creativity, vocations. It is that encounter that sets a fire and changes peoples' priorities and makes them hungry."
Her language of "thresholds," "bridges," "seekers," and "disciples" reappeared in the talks of other speakers, including André Regnier, co-founder of Catholic Christian Outreach. He spoke on Pope Francis' call to focus the Church on missionary discipleship in his talk "The Evangelii Gaudium Paradigm."
"Two years ago we could not imagine what we are witnessing today, a world that is captured by the vicar of Christ," he said. "We need to rejoice when those wanderers come back. Jesus referred to joy the most in the parables of the lost sheep, the coin, the Prodigal Son. If we want to be missionary disciples, we need to recognize when someone becomes a disciple and celebrate that, then help them grow and mature."
Regnier ended by inviting the participants to call upon the Holy Spirit to help them usher in the new evangelization. The prayer was led by Rice's band, which held Praise and Worship every night.
The example of Pope Francis was examined by returning Bosco Conference speaker Dr. Petroc Willey of the Centre for the New Evangelization at the School of the Annunciation in England. His workshop, "Introducing Evangelii Gaudium" showed how Pope Francis' work built from the Second Vatican Council and the work of prior popes, including St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
"Pope Francis has made an impact in unusual places and outside of the Church," Willey said. "Because of that there is a tendency to see him almost in isolation. One of the things we must do is place him in tradition. What is he saying that is reinforcing what has gone before, and what is he saying that is distinctive, his new contribution?"
Willey gave the final general session, "Families: Centers for the New Evangelization," where he explained why religious educators should place an emphasis on strengthening the family.
"Every single one of the definitions of the family--one man and one woman, for life, faithfully, open to procreation--is being challenged as never before," he said. The root of the word evangelization--good news--was used in the Greco-Roman world to refer to the birth of the next emperor or king, he explained.
"The good news here obviously is Jesus Christ, the Christ Child. But every child who is born, made in God's image, shares in the good news of that birth. When we speak of the good news, we can help families see the good news of every child born. What a message that is for our culture today! They are incarnating the good news with their very life."
"I agree that the challenge has been engaging with people who don't know our Lord," said conference attendee Sister Paschalina Marie, SMMC, of the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church, reflecting on her teaching experience at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Spokane, Washington, "but I see in that challenge a great opportunity for evangelization."
This was Sister Paschalina's first conference at Franciscan University. She was inspired to come take the DRE track after experiencing the annual Franciscan University youth conference held in Spokane.
"I've been gifted by God with spiritual children and seen them grow in his love. I love what I'm doing and I'm seeing the first shoots of life, particularly in our diocese."
Matt Sutton came for his third Bosco Conference from Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada, where he is a pastoral minister at St. John the Baptist Church. "Looking at the whole aspect of educating our young people and adults, this helps me deepen my faith to bring it back to the parish."
This was the seventh Bosco Conference for Robert Frank, who teaches seventh grade catechism at St. Paul Catholic Church in Salem, Ohio. He has already completed the catechist track and returned this year for the open track for participants who do not want to focus their workshops on one particular form of religious instruction. Frank said Franciscan University is like home to him, especially since one of his daughters and sons-in-law graduated from the University.
"I come here for the wonderful people and the knowledge. Coming back here always helps me more with my students. This is a refreshing place for me."
The St. John Bosco Conference is one of five adult conferences sponsored by Franciscan University of Steubenville. This year there were also 20 youth conferences held around the country and in Canada, as well as 2 new young adult conferences. Information on future adult and youth conferences, as well as talks from past events, can be found at www.steubenvilleconferences.com.


text:
Q: Custom Facades in laravel 5.2
Im a beginner in laravel 5.2 and i was trying to create a custom facades. For that, i have taken a references from the site which is given below

How to create custom facade in laravel 5.2
I have everything in that references but i got error while routing that class.
My route is:
   Route::get('/avatar', function(){
    $img='';
    echo $img;
});

But I got error
FatalErrorException in routes.php line 15:

Class 'GeneralClass' not found
I have no single idea. So please someone help in this problem. It may be simple for others but i am stuck in this problem.
This is my application structure

     Facades/GeneralClass.php

   <?php
    namespace App\Facades;
      use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Facade;

    class GeneralClass extends Facade{
    protected static function getFacadeAccessor() { return 'generalclass'; }
    }

      Helpers/GeneralClass.php
        <?php
        namespace App\Helpers;
      class GeneralClass {

        public function getGravatarURL($email, $s = 80, $d = 'mm', $r = 'g', $img = false, $atts = array())
     {
    $url = 'http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/';
    $url .= md5(strtolower(trim($email)));
    $url .= "?s=$s&d=$d&r=$r";
    if ($img)
    {
        $url = ' $val)
            $url .= ' ' . $key . '="' . $val . '"';
        $url .= ' />';
      }
     return $url;
     }
     }

    Providers/GeneralClassServiceProvider.php

      <?php

    namespace App\Providers;

     use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;

      class GeneralClassServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
    {
/**
 * Bootstrap the application services.
 *
 * @return void
 */
 public function boot()
 {
    //
  }

/**
 * Register the application services.
 *
 * @return void
 */
 public function register()
 {
  App::bind('generalclass',function(){
    return new \App\Helpers\GeneralClass;
   });
   }
 }


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SmartSpice provides many unique and powerful features to facilitate parametric analysis in general and cell characterization in particular. As discussed in , a typical use of these features is in the generation of lookup tables for timing tools, such as those provided by Synopsys. These tables relate propogation and delay times to variations in parameters such as input transition times and load capacitance values. The features of SmartSpice that are most applicable to this form of analysis are the .MODIF and .MEASURE statements.
Another form of characterization that is particularly important is the computation of setup and hold time for sequential circuits. These calculations are more difficult than standard parameter sweeps and require some additional features of the .MODIF statement and of the SmartSpice command processor, to maximize the efficiency of these simulations. This article will focus on the efficient use of the .MODIF statement when applied to the problem of cell characterization.
The .MODIF statement is the most flexible and powerful statement for parametric analysis and optimization in SmartSpice. In its most simple form it allows the user to simultaneously modify any number of parameters in the input file. Parameters that can be modified include device parameters, model parameters, parameter labels (.PARAM) and temperature. Parameter variations can be expressed as constant increments (+= and -=) or multipliers (*= and /=) of an initial value, lists of possible values or statistical distributions.
The .MODIF statement can have multiple sets of parameter variation, with each set being separated using the MODIF keyword. An example of a .MODIF statement with two sets is shown in Example 1.
Example 1: .MODIF statement with multiple simulation sets.
In this example 5 simulations will first be run with temperature and load capacitance held constant, and 'rise_time' swept from 0.5ns in increments of 0.1ns. Once the 5 simulations are completed the next set will be executed. Parameters will retain the final value from the previous set of simulations, unless the new set explicitly changes the value. For example, during the second set of simulations, the temperature will be 100oC and 'rise_time' will be 0.9ns. The value of the load capacitance will be swept using the supplied list of values. Hence, a total of 10 simulations will be executed.
In the previous example each MODIF set executes a fixed number of simulations, i.e. the stop criteria for the loop is specified using the LOOP keyword. For any MODIF set, it is possible to also specify a conditional stop criteria as a function of a particular measurement in the circuit. This is particularly useful if a circuit will succeed for some initial values of parameter, but eventually fail to behave correctly for a particular parameter value. Since the value at which this will occur is unknown to the user, use of a conditional stop can significantly reduce simulation time by stopping simulation after the first failure, and ignoring the remaining redundant simulations. An example of a .MODIF analysis with a conditional stop is given in Example 2.
Example 2: .MODIF statement with conditional stop.
In this example 'del_rise' is a measurement performed after a simulation. A maximum of twenty simulations (LOOP = 20) will be performed, with the load capacitance swept from 0.1pF in increments of 0.2pF. SmartSpice will interrupt this MODIF set once twenty simulations have been performed OR the value of the 'del_rise' measurement is less that or equal to 1.1ns. The conditional stop is set by the "STOP del_rise LE 1.1n" portion of the statement.
Once simulation of a particular MODIF set is interrupted, SmartSpice will move to the next set if it exists or move to the next stage of simulation. Each MODIF set can contain both absolute and conditional stop criteria. By combining conditional stops with multiple MODIF sets, it is possible to create a very efficient method of characterizing setup/hold time.
The setup time of a circuit is defined as the minimum time prior to some event, usually a clock edge, that an input to the circuit must remain stable to ensure reliable device operation. The hold time is defined as the time that the input must remain stable after the event.
The typical approach taken to characterize the setup time is shown is Figure 1. A clock edge is generated at the time Tck, and the input node changes value at the time Tin. Initially Tin is such that the output of the cell performs as expected. Then Tin is incremented by the required resolution of the eventual solution until a stop value is reached. The setup time is then taken as the Tck - Tin for the last valid simulation.
Figure 1. Typical approach taken to determine setup time.
In an input deck, this can be achieved in a number of different ways. Example 3(b) shows the use of a nested transient sweep and Example 3(c) shows the use of a .MODIF analysis. Example 3(a) shows the definition of the input and clock pulses, with the measurement of the maximum output voltage and the difference between the edge of both pulses.
Example 3: a) Portion of input netlist, b) Nested transient sweep, c) .MODIF implementation of nested transient sweep in b).
As can be seen in this example, 31 simulations will be required to compute the setup time to a resolution of 0.1ns. Depending upon the cell being characterized, this approach can result in many of the simulations failing. For example if the setup time is 1ns, then all simulations with 'tin' > 9ns will fail.
To increase the efficiency of the characterization, it is possible to use a conditional stop to prevent unnecessary simulations taking place. Typically the cell is taken to fail if the output voltage fails to pass a certain threshold value. If the maximum or minimum value of the output voltage is measured, this can be used in the stop condition, as shown in Example 4.
Example 4: Use of .MODIF to reduce number of simulations.
In this example, up to 31 simulation could be performed, however only one simulation that fails will be performed. Hence, if the setup time is 1ns, ~10 simulation can be skipped. This can result is significant time savings, especially if the AUTOSTOP option is being used to halt simulation once all measurements are complete. Simulations that fail will simulate up to the final time, i.e. 20ns, while simulations that succeed will typically only need to be simulated up to ~12n (depending on propogation delay and output rise time).
The problem of calculation of the setup/hold time of a circuit is similar to the problem of searching for an element in an already sorted set. A binary search is much faster and consequently more efficient than a standard linear search. This technique can also be applied to the search for a setup/hold time and can be accomplished through use of multiple MODIF sets and conditional stops. This technique is illustrated in Example 5.
Example 5: Binary search of setup time using .MODIF.
In this example, 'tin' is initially incremented in 1ns steps until the circuit fails. When this happens the second MODIF set will decrement 'tin' in 0.5ns intervals until the output voltage is again greater than 1.6V. At this stage the setup time has been calculated to a accuracy of 0.5ns. To get to the required resolution of 0.1ns, two more MODIF sets are used, with steps in 'tin' of 0.25ns and 0.1ns respectively.
This approach results in a calculation of the setup time to the required accuracy in a worst case of 8 simulations, as compared to the original 31 simulations. To increase the resolution by a factor of 2, only 1 more simulation is needed, whereas with the linear search, 31 more simulations are needed.
This article has discussed the use of the .MODIF statement in the characterization of cells. This statement can greatly increase the efficiency of characterization by reducing the number of simulations required and performing all characterization stages within one process. In a future article, some more advanced uses of the MODIF statement in combination with the SmartSpice command interpreter will be discussed.


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Please choose the agency or agencies you are having problems with.
I give TDMR permission to use the above information anonymously to compile data about areas of concern in Texas Medicaid. I understand the specifics will not be disclosed to others without my written permission.


text:
DEATHGRIP: First Glimpse Teaser - The New Film by Clay Porter and Brendan Fairclough
By Press Office, December 14, 2016
Today began more than ten years ago when BRENDAN FAIRCLOUGH – one of the sport's most influential riders and CLAY PORTER – one of mountain biking's most experienced image capturers, became friends. Now their vision for the future of the sport has emerged. The duo, born and raised worlds apart, have come together and this is their story...
For the last two years, Fairclough and Porter have traveled to every inhabited continent on the planet with a simple goal: to show the world a new vision of mountain biking. Joined on this quest by a collection of the most progressive and influential riders that this generation of mountain biking has to offer, Fairclough and Porter have embarked on an all-out assault on the bleeding edge of the sports limits. Today, Fairclough and Porter are releasing the first glimpse teaser to this tale and officially announcing their mountain bike film, DEATHGRIP - a relentless mission to challenge the limits of creativity, technology and the human potential.
Eric Palmer | Cape Town, South Africa.
DEATHGRIP is a creative oasis for Fairclough and Porter - a place where the raw expression of Fairclough's riding ability is captured with the most progressive filmmaking technology against the backdrop of the most visually engaging locations in the world. This first glimpse teaser offers a sneak peek behind the curtains, a first vision into what is destined to be the year's most exciting film release.
DEATHGRIP will debut its world premiere in Fairclough's home city of London, England in April 2017. The film will set sail on a global premier tour including a North American premiere at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, bringing DEATHGRIP to live audiences around the world. The film is set for a global digital release on April 25, 2017 - the day before track walk of the first World Cup round of 2017.
#DEATHGRIPMOVIE | DEATHGRIPMOVIE.TV
Photo: Boris Beyer | Madeira, Portugal.
DEATHGRIP is a Metis Creative film in association with GoPro.
Supported by SCOTT Sports, LifeProof and Monster Energy.
Further support provided by Yakima, DMR Bikes, Troy Lee Designs, Deity Components, Freeride Madeira and PinkBike Produced in partnership with Raised By Wolves.
Starring: Brendan FAIRCLOUGH and featuring: Brandon SEMENUK, Josh BRYCELAND, Sam HILL, Andreau LACONDEGUY, Sam REYNOLDS, Ryan HOWARD, Nico VINK, Andrew NEETHLING, Dan ATHERTON, Kyle JAMESON and Olly WILKINS
Photo: GoPro | Madeira, Portugal.
Photo: Boris Beyer | London, England.
Photo: Jacob Gibbins | Madeira, Portugal.
BRENDAN FAIRCLOUGH
CLAY PORTER
Eric Palmer
!!!!!!!!
Kalahari Vegmot
Schweeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!
Grease_Monkey
Awesome!!!!!
Helderberg Trails spotted in there as well.
I can't wait for this to come out.
Duane_Bosch
Ja. We were shuttling the day they were filming.


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Before meeting Wayne Hart, I thought he was going to be much older than he was – he sounded so confident. He is in fact just over 30, but looks younger. He comes across as a highly organised, focused ardent carver of stone. He is also a typographer and sculptor.
When he carves his first last is slate: carvers tend to like slate above all else. Hart says, "I like slate because it possible to achieve very fine detail such as hairlines and serifs."
Hart grew up in King's Lynn and spent lots of time with his grandmother who has always enjoyed art, including calligraphy and watercolour. He and his sister would always be drawing, painting and baking when visiting her. He had an early ability in art noted in school and is an example of what you can achieve if you have a long term goal and the will and determination to aim high.
Finding the exact right path
Not that Hart's path to carving has been linear. He originally trained as a graphic designer and completed the BTEC National Diploma in graphic design. It was after that he began to concentrate on lettering and going to Reading University to read typography.
Wayne Hart – letter aware from an early age.
He has worked with great dedication on carving of letters ever since, but his approach is diverse, he is always seeking ways to add to his skills and knowledge.
This summer he will attend a postgraduate course in Roman epigraphy at the British School of Rome, studying Italian inscriptions and the Roman letterform. He won a scholarship to do this from the Harriet Fraser Bursary.
He is a role model for anyone wishing to finance their way through college. He has raised over £30,000 (£24,000 was for his apprenticeship) to help finance him through training.
All about training and practise, practise, practise
With his degree from Reading he met various lettering artists and managed to land three weeks work experience with carver Richard Kindersley at his London studio.
He was an apprentice as a carver for three years in Cumbria, studying under Pip Hall. He learnt to draw and carve lettering and continued to practise calligraphy.
Carving in wood – another discipline.
This time one task meant his embarking on a 'letter carving in wood' course with Martin Wenham at the College of West Dean, Sussex. There he worked on signage, memorials, commemorative gifts and also participated in six public art projects. These included thirty carved benches commissioned by Sheffield City Council.
"The first year of my apprenticeship was funded by the Lettering & Commemorative Arts Trust. It is the only organisation in this country that champions excellence in the lettering arts. It brings together artists and the public together via training programmes, apprenticeships, events and original commissions," explains Hart with enthusiasm. He is a trustee of the Manchester Craft & Design Centre.
While he was an apprentice he forged links with various important institutions. In 2017 he was commissioned to carry out the lettering on C S Lewis's memorial, laid out on the floor, of Westminster Abbey.
He also undertook the carving of Dame Edith Cavell's memorial ledger and headstone, just outside Norwich Cathedral, where she is buried: "I carved the edelweiss on her headstone. It was based on the badge she helped to design that her nurses used to wear, "says Hart.
A dislike of the ubiquitous granite head stone
One carver commented that he did not enjoy carving Cumbrian Green slate, it was good but a bit 'glassy', but Hart enjoys it and he works with it a lot.
Hart likes to work with Kilkenny limestone. He abhors granite shipped from China, because he wants to keep his wrists 'working for a long time'. Granite is very hard to chisel. The monumental masons who sell quantities of granite head stones to the bereaved do so because it is cheap, using sandblasting for lettering mostly.
Hart points out that, "A carver is able to take a flexible approach to the stone, unlike monumental mason's granite machine-cutting which tends to be very square, and there is no variation or flexibility."
He says that mass produced head stones often have an unsuitable type face for example, Times New Roman (which was designed to be read in a small font for newspaper columns), and the letters are all the same size which is a great constraint.
Some examples for Hart's lettering and style – for all manner of letter work.
Hart likes to use local British stone where possible, and Italian marble and alternatives where necessary.
Creating a memorial for a loved one
Hiring Wayne Hart to carve a memorial would be a luxury for most people, but sometimes the extra can be worth it. He charges per letter, as with any bespoke carving. Bespoke carving for a grave stone is likely to cost in the region of £2,000 – £5,000 upwards.
There are a lot of decisions to be made by carver and client, to produce a pleasing finished product that both are happy with. There is the type of stone to consider -granite is value, sandstone is middling, and slate is the most expensive.
Grave yard regulations have to be observed, such as height restrictions to tomb stones, stone types and anything out of the ordinary will need to go to 'faculty', and can involve a series of ecclesiastical permissions.
Then there is the choosing the stone itself and the carving with a choice of many different letter forms. Carvers use letter forms, not typefaces, as all styles are drawn by hand straight from the mind, and even the same style can vary from work to work.
"I was greatly influenced by my apprenticeship mentor, Pip Hall. My fluid lettering definitely stems from her," comments Hart.
His style continues to evolve and he enjoys designing fresh lettering styles that fit each brief.
"Carving is slow and precise. Funnily enough, it isn't that likely an experienced carver would make a mistake while carving, like you would when writing a letter for example. If you know what you're doing you can get out of a mistake, see it coming as it were," he adds.
Hart on slate: it could be a memorial or for a grave.
Hart works hard at the business of being a professional carver, he is a natural net worker in a very 'word of mouth' profession. He is dedicated to his profession, working from his studio in Manchester. He loves what he does.
He says simply, "I want to be an artist". He must be doing something right as he says he's always got work and some of it high profile. Happy man, he is at the beginning of many years working away at perfection.
by hgomer on July 11, 2018 • Permalink
Posted by hgomer on July 11, 2018
https://nationalchurchestrust.wordpress.com/2018/07/11/wayne-hart-a-driven-young-carver-of-stone/
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Le sterling trap (en français, piège de la livre sterling) est une situation problématique dans laquelle la France s'est retrouvée vis-à-vis du Royaume-Uni dans les années 1920. Disposant de réserves de change considérables, principalement libellées en livre sterling, la France a été durement touchée par une dévaluation du sterling, causant la faillite de la Banque de France. Le sterling trap est par conséquent une situation où un pays dominant, accumulant des réserves de devises, se voit fragilisé par la perte de valeur de ladite devise.

Concept
Le piège de la livre sterling réside dans les années 1920 dans la détention importante, par la Banque de France, de devises britanniques. La France dégageait à cette époque des excédents commerciaux très importants à l'égard du Royaume-Uni. Dans une telle situation, la monnaie du pays excédentaire s'apprécie, car les entreprises étrangères, ayant besoin de la monnaie nationale pour payer leurs importations, exercent une pression à la hausse sur la demande de monnaie (maladie hollandaise). Afin d'éviter ce phénomène, qui aurait grignoté la compétitivité française en surévaluant le franc français, l'État français a accumulé des devises étrangères (principalement des livres sterling et des dollars), provoquant continuellement une pression à la baisse sur sa propre monnaie.

En 1928, la Banque de France détient environ la moitié des devises du monde et est le premier détenteur de sterling. Si cette situation témoigne de la puissance commerciale et économique française, elle met également le pays en danger : toute dévaluation de la livre sterling, en effet, causerait des pertes énormes au bilan de la Banque de France.

Les autorités ont conscience du problème, et le gouverneur de la Banque de France à la fin des années 1920, Émile Moreau, se trouve dans un dilemme. Afin de limiter la dépendance de la Banque de France au sterling, le pays doit soit réduire ses excédents, soit vendre des devises pour les faire sortir du bilan de la banque centrale. Toutefois, vendre du sterling équivaut à le dévaluer, et donc à appauvrir la Banque. Il s'agit donc d'une situation de conflicted virtue.

Conséquences
Dès 1928, la Banque de France décide de remplacer progressivement ses sterling par des dollars afin d'être moins dépendante des fluctuations de la valeur du sterling. Toutefois, la banque centrale vend trop rapidement ses sterling, provoquant sa dévaluation sur les marchés monétaires. Elle se ruine ainsi, car la chute de la valeur de la livre sterling réduit d'autant la valeur du bilan de la banque. La Banque de France est même obligée de soutenir la livre sterling sur les marchés afin de limiter sa perte de valeur. Prévoyant une chute potentielle du dollar, la banque les échange contre de l'or, ce qui entraîne une contagion déflationniste dans le sillage de la Grande Dépression.

La banque centrale atteint un niveau de quasi-faillite et doit subir une reprise en main du gouvernement, qui la renfloue. La dévaluation de la livre sterling profite aux Britanniques, qui voient leur balance des paiements s'assainir, et qui n'ont plus à craindre les manœuvres de la Banque de France.

Postérité
L'épisode du sterling trap est aujourd'hui peu connu. Il refait surface dans les années 2010 lorsque certains économistes, dont Olivier Accominotti (London School of Economics), tracent un parallèle entre cette situation et celle de la Chine vis-à-vis des États-Unis, dont elle dispose de milliards de dollars de bons du Trésor et de devises. Plusieurs experts chinois réutilisent l'exemple pour illustrer la dangerosité de la situation dans laquelle la Chine se trouve alors, celle d'un dollar trap.

Il fait l'objet d'un intérêt renouvelé par l'historiographie de la Grande Dépression. Douglas Irwin (université Cornell), dans un article intitulé , soutient que la France est responsable d'une majeure partie de la déflation occidentale généralisée après la Grande dépression. En effet, afin d'éviter de se retrouver dans une situation de dollar trap, la Banque de France a échangé ses dollars contre de l'or, aspirant une partie importante du stock d'or mondial ; elle détient 27 % du stock d'or mondial connu en 1932. Or, elle stérilise ses achats en ne les compensant pas par l'expansion de la masse monétaire. Retirer l'or en circulation amplifie donc les mouvements déflationnistes conjoncturels.

Notes et références

Histoire économique
Macroéconomie
1928 en France
Livre sterling


text:
Rosana steht für:

 Rosana, weiblicher Vorname, siehe Rosanna (Vorname)
 Rosana (São Paulo), Gemeinde im Bundesstaat São Paulo, Brasilien
 Rosana (Apfel), Apfelsorte
 Rosana (Lied), Lied des US-amerikanischen Rappers Wax (2012)
 Rosana (Sängerin) (Rosana Arbelo; * 1963), spanische Sängerin
 Rosana (Fußballspielerin) (Rosana dos Santos Augusta; * 1982), brasilianische Fußballspielerin

Siehe auch:
 Rosanna (Begriffsklärung)
 Roseanne


>> South Korea has cooked up a symbolic menu for this Friday's high stakes inter-Korea Summit. First up, Swiss rosti, a fried potato dish, which will be cooked with a Korean twist. That seems to be a nod to reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lived in Switzerland as a child.
Though that's never been confirmed by the North. Main course, baked John Dory fish, a common dish in South Korea and President Moon Jae-in's home town, the seaside port city of Busan. More carbs are on the menu in the form of Pyongyang style cold noodles, or naengmyeon, served in a chilled meat broth.
It's signature fare from North Korea, and it will be cooked fresh on the day by a top chef from Pyongyang's Akyugon restaurant. It's considered a top eatery in the North Korean capitol, and has several branches overseas helping the regime earn badly needed hard currency. But the show piece of the feast will be a mango moose dessert featuring a map of a unified Korea, and its sparking political friction with Japan.
Two blue specs on the map are islands Seoul disputes with Tokyo. Now Japan has demanded the Koreans pull the moose from its menu. But when US president Donald Trump visited last year, Seoul sent a similarly chilly message through a grilled prawn dish sourced from waters near the same disputed islands.


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After Rocky goes the distance with champ Apollo Creed, both try to put the fight behind them and move on. Rocky settles down with Adrian but can't put his life together outside the ring, while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. Soon enough, the "Master of Disaster" and the "Italian Stallion" are set on a collision course for a climactic battle that is brutal and unforgettable.
Genre: Drama, Sport
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Actors: Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Joe Spinell, Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Tony Burton
Taking over Leeds United, Brian Clough's abrasive approach and his clear dislike of the players' dirty style of play make it certain there is going to be friction. Glimpses of…
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
The Iron Giant
In the small town of Rockwell, Maine in October 1957, a giant metal machine befriends a nine-year-old boy and ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving people from their own…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Science Fiction
A group of young friends on a camping trip, deep in the South African countryside wake up to discover they have all swapped bodies.
Country: Luxembourg, South Africa
When Iraq invades Kuwait in August, 1990, a callous Indian businessman becomes the spokesperson for more than 170,000 stranded countrymen.
Danny's Game
Danny Bishop is a gambling prodigy. After exiling himself to prison, he returns to his brothers home only to find himself back in the game because of a large debt…
Meet Monica Velour
For Tobe, a nerdy, horny, frizzy-haired cineaste who doesn't quite fit in with the average contemporary teen, the pinnacle of womanhood is Monica Velour (Kim Cattrall), a soft-core actress who…
Traces the relationship between Tina, a young Mexican trans woman, and Eliana, her grandmother, as they navigate Tina's transition and struggle to build a life for themselves as undocumented immigrants…
Country: Brazil, USA
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Musical
CIA Analyst Jack Ryan is drawn into an illegal war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel.
Three sixty-something friends take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal.
Sex, politics and American culture are mixed into a combustible combination in Now & Later. Angela is an illegal Latina immigrant living in Los Angeles who stumbles across Bill, a…
Terry Noonan returns home to New York's Hells Kitchen after a ten year absence. He soon hooks up with childhood pal Jackie who is involved in the Irish mob run…
Trailer: Rocky II


text:
TSTA
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The code in this repo is a collection of different repos that I was using during a twitter text mining project for my masters degree at Oakland University.

Unfortunately this is pretty organized, there may be some diamonds in the rough buried in here somewhere :)


Here's the comparison between OnePlus 3T vs LG Signature Edition 2018. The Mobile Phone comparison is based on phone specs, features, complete technical specifications. Also see the price comparison of OnePlus 3T vs LG Signature Edition 2018. In case you are looking to buy OnePlus 3T vs LG Signature Edition 2018 click on links given below.
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LG Signature Edition 2018 has NFC. NFC (near-field communication) allows two devices closed to each other, for exchange data between them.
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LG Signature Edition 2018 has a Fingerprint Sensor. Fingerprint biometric sensor allows you to secure your phone, files and online transaction.
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Rząśnik (prononciation : ) est un village polonais de la gmina de Stary Lubotyń dans le powiat d'Ostrów Mazowiecka de la voïvodie de Mazovie dans le centre-est de la Pologne.

Le village compte approximativement une population de .

Histoire
Au cours de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, pendant l'été 1941, environ 2600 juifs des villages voisins y sont assassinés lors d'exécutions de masse perpétrées par un Einsatzgruppen.

De 1975 à 1998, le village appartenait administrativement à la voïvodie d'Ostrołęka.

Références

Village dans la voïvodie de Mazovie
Powiat d'Ostrów Mazowiecka
Massacre ou atrocité de la Seconde Guerre mondiale