Value stream

A value stream is the set of actions that take place to add value to a customer from the initial request through realization of value by the customer. The value stream begins with the initial concept, moves through various stages of development and on through delivery and support.
A value stream always begins and ends with a customer.
Value streams are artifacts within business architecture that allow a business to specify the value proposition derived by an external (e.g., customer) or internal stakeholder from an organization. A value stream depicts the stakeholders initiating and involved in the value stream, the stages that create specific value items, and the value proposition derived from the value stream.
The value stream is depicted as an end-to-end collection of value-adding activities that create an overall result for a customer, stakeholder, or end-user.
In modeling terms, those value-adding activities are represented by value stream stages, each of which creates and adds incremental stakeholder value items from one stage to the next.
While value streams are referenced in multiple methodologies, there is increasing agreement on the description and the purpose of value streams as a core domain of business architecture and Scaled Agile Framework, which has since been applied by multiple standards bodies.
Purpose of Value Streams.
Value streams are a component of the business ecosystem that describe how a stakeholder – often a customer – receives value from an organization. As opposed to many previous attempts at describing stakeholder value, value streams take the perspective of the initiating or triggering stakeholder rather than an internal value chain or process perspective. From this outside-in view, value streams can be cross-mapped to enabling business capabilities that describe what and how, respectively, an organization must do to deliver value to the stakeholder.
Components of a value stream.
Value streams represent end-to-end views on how value is achieved for a given external or internal stakeholder. Value streams are named with a definition of the value proposition provided to stakeholders. Stakeholders within a value stream can take two forms:
Additionally, value streams are composed of value stream stages, which represent iterative value items that are accrued to deliver value throughout the value stream, ultimately delivering a value proposition.
Commonly associated concepts.
Value streams are often seen in a form in which they are cross-mapped to stakeholders and capabilities. These cross-mappings allow practitioners to better identify the people and organizations to whom – or from which – value is provided.
For example, enabling capabilities, associated with each value stream stage, produce outcomes that collectively contribute to the creation of a value item within that stage. In other words, the capabilities do the work to achieve each value item at each stage.
In addition, many practitioners align value streams and value stream stages to business capabilities. This facilitates alignment of how an organization provides value to the internal view of what a company does.
Misconceptions.
There are multiple misconceptions around the concept of value streams. These are outlined at a high level below, with references to additional information on each. For clarification:
The Lean value stream is a diagrammatic representation of the sequence of activities required to design, produce, and deliver a good or service to a customer. Despite the similarity in name to the Business Architecture value stream, the Lean value stream’s primary purpose is to document, analyze, and improve the flow of information or materials required to produce a product or service for a customer. It is not designed (nor is it well suited) to broader architectural purposes – namely, decomposing down to the critical activities (or stages) that progressively combine to produce value for a stakeholder, or cross-mapping those value stream stages to the enabling business capabilities.
Alignment to Agile Methodologies.
The concept of a value stream is especially important to agile methodologies, which often seek to maximize a focus on customer or business value. Specific forms of agile methodologies, such as the Scaled Agile Framework, incorporate the value stream as a way to create a foundational view of the business from which agile work can be completed. This approach encourages a common level of understanding that allows multiple disciplines to interact, creating a more consistent, simplified view of the organization.


Jesper Myrfors

Jesper Myrfors (born in Sweden) is a founding member of Hidden City Games and Clout Fantasy.
Career.
He was the original art director for ', and several of that game's initial expansions. He also has several game designs to his credit, including the "Magic" expansion ' and "The Hills Rise Wild" (co-designed by John Scott Tynes). Myrfors graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in illustration and is a two time winner of the GAMA award for graphic design and art direction.
Myrfors lived in Snohomish, Washington, while working as chief creative officer for Hidden City Games, publisher of the game he created in 2005, "Clout Fantasy". He later moved to Mercer Island, Washington, where he works as chief creative officer for Aspect Arts Studio.


Loculus (satchel)

Loculus is a Latin word literally meaning "little place" and was used in a number of senses including to indicate a satchel. Satchels were carried by Roman soldiers as a part of their "sarcina" or luggage.
No "loculus" has survived in entirety although some small portions of leather found at Bar Hill (Strathclyde, Scotland) have tentatively been identified as parts of a "loculus". The object is primarily known from illustrations on Trajan's Column.
The "loculus" is thought to have measured about and was likely made from leather. It is the right size to be made in one piece from a single goat hide although calf leather is also possible. The bag is reinforced by diagonal straps. In the centre of the front of the bag these straps held a bronze ring with a mushroom-shaped stud that holds the triangular flap closed. At the top corners were two plain bronze rings used to suspend the bag while it is carried on a shoulder pole or "furca".
The "loculus" was probably used to store rations and a soldier's personal effects.
Reconstruction.
There have been many attempts to reconstruct the "loculus" for historical reenactment.


Ken Adam

Sir Kenneth Adam (born Klaus Hugo George Fritz Adam; 5 February 1921 – 10 March 2016) was a German-British movie production designer, best known for his set designs for the James Bond films of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for "Dr. Strangelove".
Adam won two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction. Born in Berlin, he relocated to England with his Jewish family at the age of 13 soon after the Nazis came to power. Together with his younger brother, Denis Adam, he was one of only three German-born pilots to serve in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
Early life.
Adam was born in 1921 in Berlin to an upper-middle-class secular Jewish family, the third child of Lilli () and Fritz Adam, a former Prussian cavalry officer who had served with the Zieten Hussars. Fritz had been awarded the Iron Cross Second Class and the Iron Cross First Class for his service in the First World War.
Fritz co-owned a well-known high-fashion clothing and sporting goods store called S. Adam (Berlin, Leipziger Straße/Friedrichstraße) together with his three brothers, George, Siegfried and Otto Adam.
The company had been established in 1863 by Saul Adam. Klaus (Ken) had two older siblings, Peter, Loni and a younger brother Dieter (1 February 1924 – 17 October 2018).
The family lived an almost idyllic, privileged existence until the Nazi Party came to power.
His older brother Peter was good friends with Gottfried Reinhardt the son of theatre and film director Max Reinhardt and they would often take the young Klaus out with them. As a result, he got to know Max Reinhardt and many other people in the German theatre. Gottfried Reinhardt later became a film director and producer.
England.
The combination of his brother Dieter at the age of nine having a fight with a playground bully wearing a Hitler Youth uniform and the increasing discrimination against Jews convinced their parents to send Klaus and Dieter to Craigend Park boarding school in Edinburgh. Upon arrival Klaus anglicised his name to Kenneth and eventually Ken while his brother Dieter changed his to Denis. Their oldest brother Peter was at the time studying law at the University of Clermont-Ferrand in France and decided to move to England and complete his studies there.
The rest of the Adam family stayed in Germany as Adam's father felt that the Nazis were only a temporary aberration and they would wait it out. Things however continued to deteriorate with Jewish stores being boycotted and targeted for attacks in April 1933.
During the summer of 1933, Max Reich, a senior employee of the family business and then Fritz Adam was arrested. Reich was the member of the SS and leader of the business's Nazi cell. Reich was eventually released and Fritz Adam was released and put under house arrest for three days. Inquiries determined that a former employee who had been dismissed for dishonesty had accused the two men of unfair dismissal and conspiring to maintain undeclared funds in Switzerland. It took two weeks to disprove both allegations and no charges were laid against either man.
Reluctantly coming to the conclusion that Jews had no future in Germany, Fritz, Lilli and Loni, as well as some of Ken's aunts and uncles, fled to England in the summer of 1934. The family eventually settled in the Hampstead area of London the following year.
The family were declared refugees on their arrival to England and identified as "friendly aliens" with the exception of Denis who was too young to be classified. The family arrived in England with nothing other than some gold coins Lilli had smuggled out. His mother who had never previously worked in her life used the little money they had to establish and run a boarding house. His father struggled with his change in status and starting over in a new country. His father started an import-export business selling gloves but his health deteriorated and he died in 1936 when he was 56 years old.
Adam left the boarding school in Edinburgh to rejoin his parents in London and continued his education at St. Paul's School in London. At his mother's boarding house Adam became increasingly interested in cinema after coming into contact with a number of artists among the Jewish refugees who were boarding there. He was introduced to Vincent Korda, a Hungarian art director when he was working on "Knight Without Armour" at Denham Film Studios. Korda not only nurtured Adam's passion for films, but encouraged him to train as an architect if he was interested in becoming a production designer. Leaving school he became an apprentice at the firm of CW Glover & Partners (which specialized in making bomb shelters) he signed up for evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London. Among his tutors was a part-time teacher who had been an assistant of famed German architect Erich Mendelsohn from whom Adam learned valuable architectural drawing techniques.
World War II.
When World War II began, Adam was working on designs for air-raid shelters and illustrated books on air-raid protection and gas masks. As German citizens, the Adam family could have been interned as enemy aliens, but in October 1940 Adam was able to join the Pioneer Corps, a support unit of the British Army open to citizens of Axis countries resident in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, provided they were not considered a risk to security. Adam was seconded to design bomb shelters.
After eight months service in the Pioneer Corps, Adam's application to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a pilot was accepted. After initial flight training on de Havilland Tiger Moth biplanes in Scotland, he was sent to Canada and the United States for additional training. Among his instructors was British actor Michael Rennie.
Flight Lieutenant Adam joined No. 609 Squadron at RAF Lympne on 1 October 1943. He was nicknamed "Heinie the tank-buster" by his comrades for his daring exploits. The squadron flew the Hawker Typhoon, initially in support of USAAF long-range bombing missions over Europe. Later they were employed in support of ground troops, including at the battle of the Falaise Gap, in Normandy after D-Day. In 1944, his brother Denis joined No. 183 Squadron, joining Adam in No. 123 Wing. There were four squadrons in the wing: 164, 183 198 and 609.
Together with his brother Denis, Adam was one of three German-born pilots to serve in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, the third being Peter Stevens. As such, if they had been captured by the Germans, they were liable to execution as a traitor rather than being treated as a prisoner of war.
Following the end of the war Adam was the Allied officer in charge of German labour rebuilding Wunstorf Air Base. Adam naturalised as a British subject on 27 December 1946 and left the RAF upon his demobilisation in 1947.
Film career.
Adam entered the film industry as a draughtsman on "This Was a Woman" (1948) at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. His first major screen credit was as production designer on the British thriller "Soho Incident" (1956). Working in 1952 for art director Paul Sheriff on the Burt Lancaster film "The Crimson Pirate", Adam designed an 18th-century hot-air balloon, a flame-throwing tank, and a rowing boat that transformed into a submarine.
In the mid-1950s, he worked (uncredited) on the epics "Around the World in 80 Days" (also 1956) and "Ben-Hur" (1959), directed by William Wyler.
In 1956 he assisted art director Edward Carrere with the sets for "Helen of Troy".
His first major credit was for the horror film, "Night of the Demon" (1957), directed by Jacques Tourneur, and he was also the production designer on several films directed by Robert Aldrich.
The first public knowledge of his expertise came when he won an award for the sets of "The Trials of Oscar Wilde" at the Moscow Film Festival in 1960.
He was hired for the first James Bond film, "Dr. No" (1962). Adam did not work in the second James Bond film, "From Russia with Love" (1963) because he was working on Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964). His work on this film was described by the British Film Institute (BFI) as "gleaming and sinister." Steven Spielberg even called it "the best set that's ever been designed." He turned down the opportunity to work on Kubrick's next project, "" (1968), after he found out that Kubrick had been working with NASA for a year on space exploration, and that would put him at a disadvantage in developing his art.
This enabled Adam to make his name with his innovative, semi-futuristic sets for further James Bond films, such as "Goldfinger" (1964), "Thunderball" (1965), "You Only Live Twice" (1967), and "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971). The supertanker set for "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) was constructed in the largest sound stage in the world, at the time. It was lit by Stanley Kubrick in secret. His last Bond film was "Moonraker" (1979). Writing for "The Guardian" in 2005, journalist Johnny Dee claimed: "His sets for the seven Bond films he worked on [...] are as iconic as the movies themselves and set the benchmark for every blockbuster".
Adam's other film credits include "The Trials of Oscar Wilde" (1960), the Michael Caine espionage thriller "The Ipcress File" (1965) and its sequel "Funeral in Berlin" (1966), the Peter O'Toole version of "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969), "Sleuth" (1972), "Salon Kitty" (1976), "Agnes of God" (1985), "Addams Family Values" (1993), and "The Madness of King George" (1994). He was also a visual consultant on the film version of "Pennies from Heaven" (1981), adapted from Dennis Potter's television serial.
Adam returned to work with Kubrick on "Barry Lyndon" (1975), for which he won his first Oscar. The BFI noted the film's "contrastingly mellow Technicolor beauties" in its depiction of the 18th century. He also designed the famous car for the film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968), which was produced by the same team as the James Bond film series. During the late 1970s, he worked on storyboards and concept art for "", then in pre-production. The film was eventually shelved by Paramount Pictures.
Adam was a jury member at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival and the 49th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1999, during the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition "Ken Adam – Designing the Cold War", Adam spoke on his role in the design of film sets associated with the 1960s through the 1980s.
Death.
Adam died on 10 March 2016 at his home in London, following a short illness. He was 95 years old.
Personal life.
He met his wife Maria-Letizia Moauro while filming "The Crimson Pirate" on location on the Italian island of Ischia and they married on 16 August 1952.
Legacy.
In September 2012, Adam handed over his entire body of work to the Deutsche Kinemathek. The Ken Adam collection comprises approximately 4,000 sketches for films from all periods, photo albums to individual films, storyboards of his employees, memorabilia, military medals, and identity documents, as well as all cinematic awards, including Adam's two Academy Awards.
Honours.
Adam was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year Honours for services to the film industry and Knight Bachelor in the 2003 Birthday Honours for services to film production design and to UK–German relations. Adam was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry in 2009.
Awards.
He was also BAFTA-nominated for "Goldfinger", "Thunderball", "You Only Live Twice", "Sleuth", "Barry Lyndon", "The Spy Who Loved Me", and "The Madness of King George".
He was also nominated for Academy Awards for his work on "Around the World in 80 Days", "The Spy Who Loved Me", and "Addams Family Values".
He received the Art Directors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.


Information Framework

Information FrameWork (IFW) is an enterprise architecture framework, populated with a comprehensive set of banking specific business models. It was developed as an alternative to the Zachman Framework by Roger Evernden.
The banking specific business models represent good practice in banking and is a natural extension to the Component Business Model.
Overview.
The IFW business models describe the business of the bank and are an efficient communication bridge between business and technology communities. They are designed to be readily accessible to business users and focus on industry issues in areas such as Customer Insight, Multi-Channel Transformation, Core Systems and Risk & Compliance.
The IFW comprises:
The IFW business models typically support over 80% of business requirements and can be easily customized and extended to cover the specific requirements of a bank. The IFW business models will assist a bank in implementing a flexible, reusable, extensible and easily customizable architecture, which in turn will enable the bank to:
In its conception, the IFW was an enterprise architecture framework created as an alternative to the Zachman Framework. In 1987 John Zachman proposed the Zachman Framework to describe Information Architecture with the six concepts: The "what" related to data, "how" related to process, "where" related to network and location, "who" related to actors and people, "when" related to time, and at last "why" related to motivation.
Industry Models.
This framework has become part of what is commonly known as the Industry Models. The IBM Industry Models are used primarily for the development of internal company standards, and provide an overall integration layer across an organization's existing and future IT investments. With their strong business and IT orientation, IBM Industry Models are designed to be customized to reflect the precise needs of every company using them. Hence, every company will have its own customized industry-specific version of IBM's data, process and service models, allowing them to represent areas that are unique to their business and constitute competitive advantage. In addition, the models can be easily augmented to embrace industry extensions, jurisdiction and company-specific extensions easily.
The Industry Models(IFW) has products for the following industries:
While in some markets IBM Industry Models have become de facto standards, their purpose is not to standardize at the level of an industry, but to provide the basis for defining corporate standards. IBM's approach is to facilitate or embody the most important industry standards, which are most often data models or messaging formats. Architectural elements in the IBM Industry Models are data models, process models and service models.
Banking and financial markets.
The Information Framework for banking and financial markets contains products containing data, process and services models primarily focused on data warehouse and service-oriented architecture domains.
IBM Banking and Financial Markets Data Warehouse (BFMDW).
The banking and financial markets industry is tackling three core challenges head on. The first is focused on its medium-to-longer term future and how the organization perceives the issues of revenue and risk. Central to the decision about what risks to accept is the need to accurately quantify those risks for trades, hedge funds, counterparties and pricing. The management of risk is strategic to an organization’s corporate intent and survival. The second area of focus is how to respond to the ever-growing demands of regulatory compliance including requirements such as Basel II/III, the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for International Accounting Standards (IAS), the Capital Adequacy Directive (CAD) and AntiMoney Laundering (AML) and others. The investments in meeting compliance requirements can be significant so the challenge is how to do this without impacting profitability. Organizations that can turn such investments into market advantage will reap the benefits. The third challenge is addressing the requirements of efficiency, growth and resiliency to provide more relevant, robust, timely, and cost effective information to business decision makers. Customer retention is important in a volatile market so attention must also be paid to enhancing the customer experience.
IBM Banking Data Warehouse (BDW).
The BDW is a derivative of the BFMDW and contains content only relevant to the banking industry.
IBM Financial Markets Data Warehouse (FMDW).
The FMDW is a derivative of the BFMDW and contains only content relevant to the financial markets industry.
IBM Banking Process and Service Models (BPS).
The pace of change in the financial services industry has accelerated markedly in recent years. Mergers and acquisitions, the introduction of channel architecture, the development of technologies such as internet banking and telephone banking, the introduction of product bundling and the shift in focus from transactional systems to customer-facing systems such as operational single view of customer have all brought about extensive changes in the way financial services organizations operate. By necessity, standalone solutions have been developed, supported by an array of individual processes and procedures that often mimic and duplicate each other, but are sufficiently disparate to cause cost and training issues for financial services organizations, impairing the synergies and savings available to a coherent, strategic organization. A structured approach to any business or IT initiative is imperative to the success of projects. Utilizing the BPS models can act as the formal blueprint for process and services design and be utilized as a tool to bring both business and IT together.
There are many benefits to be derived from using the BPS models, such as:
The BPS models have coverage in the following areas: Sales & Relationship Management; KYC/Account Opening; Lending; Card Products Administration; Commercial / Syndicated Lending; Mortgages; Trade Finance; Savings, Investments & Term Deposits; Transfer Services; Payments -Direct Debit / Credit Transfer / Deposit / Withdrawal; Cash Management; Wealth Management; Product & Marketing Management; Regulatory & Compliance; Best Execution/MiFID; Trade Processing; Corporate Actions; Asset & Liability Management; and Human Resource Administration.
Insurance.
Contains products containing data, process and services models primarily focused on Data Warehouse and Services Oriented Architecture domains.
IBM Insurance Application Architecture (IAA).
The Insurance Application Architecture (IAA) is a comprehensive set of insurance specific models that represents best practices in insurance and is a natural extension to the Component Business Model. The IAA models provide the insurance specific business content to accelerate the projects that result from moving to an On Demand Business and pick up the definition of the components that take you there.
IAA describes the business of the insurer and is an efficient communication bridge between business and technology communities. It is designed to be readily accessible to business users and by focusing on industry issues such as Sales and Customer Services, Marketing and Analytics, Customer Relationship Management, Policy Administration, Product Development, Insurance Claims and Risk and Compliance.
The IAA models have coverage in the following areas: LOB Customer Acquisition (Individual Insurance), LOB Underwriting (Individual Insurance), LOB Customer Acquisition (Group Insurance), LOB Policy Administration (Individual), LOB Claim Management (Individual), LOB Policy Administration / Claim (Group), Financial Transaction / Investment, Reinsurance Management, Intermediary Management, Provider Management, Human Resource Management, Customer Relationship Management, Marketing Management, Product Development, Risk Policy Management, Risk Mitigation and Assessment, and Risk Reporting and Review.


Central Academy of Drama

The Central Academy of Drama (), abbreviated Zhong Xi (), is a drama school in Beijing, China. It is a Chinese Ministry of Education Double First Class Discipline University, with Double First Class status in some disciplines. The school is the first theatre higher educational institution of the People's Republic of China. It is ranked as the best top-level drama, Film and Television arts institution in China and has been selected into the country's construction plan of world first-class disciplines. The Central Academy of Drama is a central subordinate university and is also an art college directly under the Ministry of Education. It is the highest institution of education in dramatic art among the world's leading art institutions in Chinese drama, visual arts teaching and research center. The Central Academy of Drama is also the headquarters of the World Theatre Education Alliance (WTEA), China Alliance of Theatre Higher Educational Institutes and Asia Theatre Education Centre (ATEC). The Central Academy of Drama has engaged in the practice of drama and the visual arts for more than 50 years and is a bastion of experimental theater drama in China. The school also holds the UNESCO Chair on Theatre Education.
Location.
The academy is located on 39 E Mianhua Hutong, Dongcheng Qu, Beijing Shi, 100009.
History.
The academy was established in April 1950, with Ouyang Yuqian as its first president. It was named by Mao Zedong. It inherited the drama department of Lu Xun Art Academy in Yan'an, art school of North China University, and National Drama College in Nanjing. Many famous Chinese actors, actresses, and directors graduated from the Academy, such as Zhang Ziyi, Jiang Wen, Gong Li, Li Landi. It is regarded as the most prestigious drama schools in China, ahead Beijing Film Academy and Shanghai Theater Academy.
Notable alumni.
Note that class year indicates the entrance year, not graduating year.
Directing Department: Bao Guo'an (Class of 1977), Li Baotian (Class of 1979), Zhang Yang (Class of 1988), Zhang Jingchu (Class of 1997), Lin Yongjian (Class of 1999), Tang Wei (Class of 2000), Papi Jiang (Class of 2005)
Department of Musical Theatre: Sun Honglei (Class of 1995), Jin Dong (Class of 1999), Zhang Xincheng (Class of 2014)
Department of Stage Design: Zhang Lei (Class of 1995)
Department of Dramatic Literature: Zhang Yibai (Class of 1986), Diao Yinan (Class of 1987), Cai Shangjun (Class of 1988), Yilin Zhong (Class of 1993)


Grigore Rosu

Grigore Roșu is a computer science professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a researcher in the
Information Trust Institute.
He is known for his contributions in runtime verification, K framework,
matching logic,
and automated coinduction.
Biography.
Rosu received a B.A. in Mathematics in 1995 and an M.S. in Fundamentals of Computing in 1996, both from the University of Bucharest, Romania, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2000 from the University of California at San Diego. Between 2000 and 2002 he was a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center. In 2002, he joined the department of computer science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an assistant professor. He became an associate professor in 2008 and a full professor in 2014.
Contributions.
Rosu coined the term "runtime verification" together with Havelund
as the name of a workshop
started in 2001, aiming at addressing problems at the boundary between formal verification and testing.
Rosu and his collaborators
introduced algorithms and techniques for
parametric property monitoring,
efficient monitor synthesis,
Runtime predictive analysis,
and monitoring-oriented programming.
Rosu has also founded Runtime Verification, Inc.,
a company aimed at commercializing runtime verification technology.
Rosu created and led the design and development of the K framework, which is an executable
semantic framework where programming languages,
type systems, and formal analysis tools are defined using configurations, computations, and rewrite rules.
Language tools such as interpreters,
virtual machines, compilers, symbolic execution and formal verification tools, are automatically or semi-automatically generated by the K framework.
Formal semantics of several known programming languages, such as C,
Java,
JavaScript,
Python,
and Ethereum Virtual Machine
are defined using the K framework.
Rosu introduced matching logic
as a foundation for the K framework and for programming languages,
specification, and verification. It is as expressive as first-order logic plus mathematical induction,
and uses a compact notation to capture, as syntactic sugar, several formal systems of critical importance, such as algebraic specification and initial algebra semantics, first-order logic with least fixed points,
typed or untyped lambda-calculi,
dependent type systems,
separation logic with recursive predicates, rewriting logic,
Hoare logic, temporal logics,
dynamic logic, and modal μ-calculus.
Rosu's Ph.D. thesis proposed circular coinduction
as an automation of coinduction in the context of hidden logic. This was further generalized into a principle that unifies and automates proofs by both induction and coinduction, and has been implemented
in Coq,
Isabelle/HOL,
Dafny,
and as part of the CIRC theorem prover.


Ellen McMahon

Ellen McMahon (born 1951) is a Professor in the School of Art and Associate Dean for Research in the Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona.
Biography.
McMahon attended Southern Oregon State College and in 1978 received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, she continued her education at the University of Arizona and earned her Master of Science degree in Scientific Illustration in 1983. McMahon continued her education at Vermont College and received a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art in 1996.
She uses a range of media to examine the relationship between visual art and how people might apply artistic practice to address environmental issues.
Work.
McMahon's early work, from the 1990s to 2005, looked at the intimacy of relationships between a mother and child. Since 2005 she has focused her educational approach on how creative practice might contribute to environmental awareness. She received a Fulbright Fellowship in 2007 to work at the Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans in Mexico (CEDO) and presented at the ICOGRADA World Design Congress in Cuba. She has developed projects that connect artists, students, scientists and community organizations in this effort. McMahon was the project director and co-editor of the publication "Ground|Water: The Art, Design and Science of a Dry River" in 2010. The book looks at how different factors such as environmental change and water policy have affected groundwater in the Southwest.
Her work has been featured in "Mother Reader: Essential Writings on Motherhood," AIGA Journal of Graphic Design, in an essay titled "Outside the Cookie Cutter: Approaches to Teaching Graphic Design", Representations: Journal of the Design Communication Association, in an essay titled "Exchanges: A collaborative Teaching Project", The Education of the Graphic Designer, edited by Steve Heller, in an essay titled "Have Sign Will Travel: Cultural Issues in Design Education", and in the Longwood Arts Journal, a publication of the Longwood Arts Project,in an essay titled "Maternity, Autonomy, Ambivalence and Loss".
Group exhibitions.
2002 –2004
“Rounce and Coffin Western Books Exhibition,” traveling to over thirty public and academic libraries over two years. Originating at Occidental College, Los Angeles
1997, 1999, 2001, 2003
“Arizona Biennial," Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona
1997, 1998, 2002
“Generations," A.I.R. Gallery, New York City
1998
“Cleavage: an exhibition on the breast,” Adams State College, Luther Bean Museum, Alamosa, Colorado (traveled to Jonson Gallery of the University of New Mexico Art Museum)
1998
“The Fragmented Body: Violence or Identity?” W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California
1998
“Low Land Horizon,” Cullity Gallery, Western Australia University School of Architecture and Fine Arts, Perth, Australia
1998
“Visual Arts Fellowship Recipients Exhibition,” Tucson/Pima Arts Council Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
1996
“Transforming the Mirror: Women in Photography,” Marshal/Reade Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts
1996
“International Photography and Digital Imaging Exhibition,” Wellington B. Gray Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
1996
“An Invitational Exhibition of U.S. Posters in Rzeszow," originating in Rzeszow Poland, venues to date: Rzeszow Art Gallery, Czestochowa Town Art Gallery, Krosno Art Gallery, Przemysl Center of Artbeen, and locations in Bydgoszcz and Zakopane, traveled to several locations in Hungry and Slovakia in 1998
1995
“Josten, McMahon, Penn,” three-person exhibition, funded by grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Tucson/Pima Arts Council, Dinnerware Artist’s Cooperative Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
1995
“Billboards for Democracy,” Hunter College, New York City
1995
“Deadly Responses: Murder and Suicide by Women,” Longwood Arts Project, a program of the Bronx Council on the Arts, Bronx, New York
1995
“Public as Private,” Boulder City Arts Commission Gallery, Boulder, Colorado
1994
“The University and College Designers Association Annual Exhibition,” Minneapolis, Minnesota
1993
“It’s All Relative,” Galleria Mesa, Mesa, Arizona, Juror’s Award
1993
“Beyond Words,” Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
Solo Exhibits.
2002
“Maternal Matter: Books, Cards and Drawings,” California State University, San Marcos, California
1997
“Redressing the Mother: Photographs, Text, and Objects,” A.I.R. Gallery II, New York City
1997
“Mama Do You Love Me,” an installation of objects, light, and sound, Icehouse Alternative Art Space, Phoenix, Arizona
1996
“Maternity, Autonomy, Ambivalence and Loss,” Wood Gallery, Vermont College of Norwich University, Montpelier, Vermont


Brotherhood of Ruralists

The Brotherhood of Ruralists is a British art group founded in 1975 in Wellow, Somerset, to paint nature. Their work is figurative with a strong adherence to 'traditional' skills. Painting in oil and watercolour predominate, with mixed media assemblage, printmaking, ink and pencil drawing also being common. It has been described as "a kind of late twentieth-century reinvention of William Morris's arcadian craft guilds."
Origins.
The group was founded when Peter Blake and his then wife Jann Haworth moved to Wellow, having obtained permission to convert the disused Wellow railway station into a house. Other founding members were David Inshaw and two other couples: Ann Arnold and Graham Arnold, and Annie Ovenden and Graham Ovenden. The name "Brotherhood of Ruralists" was suggested by author Laurie Lee, a supporter of the group. Some members were never happy with "brotherhood", since it implied an all-male membership.
According to Peter Blake, it was formed, The group define a "ruralist" as "someone who is from the city who moves to the country". The Brotherhood came to wide public attention following a BBC TV documentary, "Summer with the Brotherhood", which was broadcast in 1977.
Style.
Unlike the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the group did not promote (nor adhere to) a manifesto. Each artist's own techniques and work remains diverse with a common evocation of a mystical response to the observance of nature and rural life. Some of their output is intensely personal and sometimes surrealist in arrangement. Nevertheless, they expressed a common dissatisfaction with abstraction and radical avant-gardism in art. Ovenden expressed distaste for the abstract New York School, which he described as "at best decorative and at worst little different from ... neurotic daubings."
In turn, supporters of avant-garde art condemned their work as sentimental and nostalgic. Critic Tom Lubbock objected that "they didn't see that their imagination of mystical, deep, England had already been fully colonised by commercial imagery. Their pristine visions of an unfallen world came straight from a pretty advert for soap or air-freshener."
Later history.
The group's work was very widely disseminated when the Arden Shakespeare commissioned illustrations from its members depicting characters from Shakespeare, to be used on the cover of the Arden editions of each of Shakespeare's plays.
After six years the group lost some of its members. By 1984 David Inshaw, Jann Haworth and Peter Blake had left. The remaining four members continued the group, sometimes joined by Blake. They maintain an exhibitions programme both in the West country and London, and are members of the Arts Club. They were guest artists at the Stuckists "Real Turner Prize Show" 2000.
Recent exhibitions have included work by both present and past members.


Peshawari chappal

The Peshawari chappal (, Urdu: پیشاوری چپل) is a traditional type of footwear of Pashtuns, worn especially by Pashtuns in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The shoe takes its name from the city of Peshawar, where it originates. While "chappal" is the word for flip-flops or sandals in Urdu, locals in Peshawar call the Peshawari "Tasaply" (Pashto: څپلی ). The shoes are worn by men casually or formally, usually with the shalwar kameez. Because of their comfort, they are worn in place of sandals or slippers in Pakistan.
Description.
It is a semi-closed shoe which consists of two wide straps crossed and joined with the sole, plus a heel strap with a buckle to tie according to the foot size and level of comfort. It is traditionally made with pure leather with its sole often made from a truck tyre. It is available in many traditional designs and colours with various variations such as gold and silver embroidery, which give the shoe a more elegant look. Peshawari chappals have become increasingly popular in other parts of Pakistan; even wearing them with jeans has become a fashion trend, especially among urban youth. With increased availability through e-commerce websites, they are now appearing in new designs in many cities of Pakistan and Dubai.
Peshawari chappals are made from soft leather which is sewn onto the rubber tyre sole. The materials are cheap, easily available and very hard-wearing. Intricate designs are added to the leather upper before the shoe is put into a mould which stretches it to size.
History.
In March 2014, the Peshawari chappal became the centre of a global fashion debate when Sir Paul Smith made a similar shoe, which sold for £300. This prompted complaints on social media that the design appropriated the culture and craft of its original Pakistan makers. Over a thousand petitioners used Change.org to ask the designer and U.K. government for remedy. As a result, the shoe's description on the Paul Smith website was changed to read that it was "inspired by Peshawari Chappal".
A new version of the chappal known as 'Kaptaan Chappal' became very popular after it was gifted to Imran Khan in 2015. In 2019 the creator of the chappal had to pay a Rs. 50,000 fine for making snakeskin chappals.
Peshawari chappals for women.
Although traditionally worn by the men of the region, the shoe style has piqued the interest of Pakistani women. After Nooruddin Shinwari presented the pair to Imran Khan, Khan's then wife Reham Khan said she would like a pair for herself. Many fashion brands in Pakistan, such as Mochari and Chapter 13, have started making Peshawai chappals for women.


Mike Oberst

Mike Oberst is an American multinstrumentalist, musician, artist and songwriter based in Cincinnati, Ohio, who performs solo and as a member of the band, The Tillers, which he co-founded. As a solo artist he has released two albums ("Mike Oberst and His Five-String Banjo" and "Six Feet of Earth") and appeared as a guest on Jean Dowell's album, "A Place Way Back in Time", which he produced. Additionally, The Tillers have released five studio albums and one concert album. They have performed internationally, including shows with Pokey LaFarge, Justin Townes Earle, Jerry Douglas, Iris Dement, Rev. Horton Heat, Doc Watson, Taj Mahal, Guy Clark, The Hackensaw Boys, Country Joe Mcdonald, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, Dex Romweber, Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band, The Dirt Daubers and more. Band member Joe Macheret has described their style as a mix of various American Folk styles with pieces of Bluegrass and bits of Jazz and Blues.<ref name="Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror"></ref>
History.
Mike Oberst was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he started taking piano lessons at the age of four. At 13, he learned a few guitar chords from his father and within a year he began performing with friends with whom he later formed local punk rock bands Disarm and The Resurgence.
Oberst's musical interest shifted to folk music when he joined the Cincinnati Caledonian Bagpipe and Drum Corps from ages 17 to 22. At 23, he joined The Blue Rock Boys, an Irish Traditional Folk band, and began touring for the first time.
Oberst went solo in 2007, performing locally and abroad. He became fascinated with the banjo and American folk music, especially in the style of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger and other Depression-era artists. During this period, Oberst met guitarist Sean Geil, who shared his musical interests. Together, they recruited Jason Soudrette and formed The Tillers, with Soudrette playing upright bass. In 2008, the band released its debut album, "Ludlow Street Rag".
The Tillers quickly became popular on the local and regional folk music scene, and enjoyed a sudden boost in popularity in 2009 when they appeared in the documentary "American Character Along Highway 50" on the USA Network, with segments also airing on NBC's nightly newscasts. Hosted by NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw, the program explored the lives of people who live along U.S. Route 50, which stretches from Maryland to California. The Tillers appeared in the program because their song "There is a Road (Route 50)" was used in the soundtrack. Oberst's inspiration came from the iconic highway which passed through the neighborhood where he grew up in Cincinnati.
Over the next three years, The Tillers toured almost nonstop but also found time to record and release three albums: "By The Signs" (2010), "Wild Hog in the Woods" (2011) and "Farewell to the Historic Southgate House" (2012). Their critically acclaimed "Hand On The Plow" was released in 2013, followed by their eponymous album "The Tillers" in 2018.
While continuing to work with The Tillers, Oberst released his debut solo album "Mike Oberst and His Five-String Banjo" in 2011. Also, that year, he helped produce a benefit concert, "To Sing with You Once More," to raise money and awareness to fight multiple myeloma cancer in memory of his late mother, who had died from the disease. The concert was also a memorial to Mike Seeger, Pete Seeger’s younger brother and one of Oberst's musical heroes, who also died from the disease. The concert featured folk musicians from all over the United States, including John Cohen and Tracy Schwarz, members of Mike Seeger's former band, The New Lost City Ramblers.
Jason Soudrette left The Tillers in 2010 to further an already successful career in Sprint car racing. He was replaced by Aaron Geil, brother of the band's guitarist, Sean Geil. In 2013, Soudrette died from leukemia. In 2015, The Tillers added fiddler Joe Macheret.
In 2013, Oberst co-founded a music festival in his hometown called "Sayler Park Sustains" to promote environmental and agricultural sustainability, with local environmental organizer Megan Ayers. He also co-founded Paper Street Farm, a nonprofit organic community garden.
In 2016, Oberst produced and co-recorded "A Place Way Back in Time", the debut album of Jean Dowell. Although Dowell was known primarily for her role in the development of female college athletics in the 1960s and 1970s, she had been writing songs since her childhood in North Carolina. When Oberst met her, he was so impressed with her songs that he encouraged her to begin performing live and let him produce her first album.
In 2017, Oberst was cast in a supporting role in the independent film "The Mountain Minor", playing an old-time fiddler and member of a fictional band called The Willie Abner Band, which was portrayed by The Tillers. "The Mountain Minor" won awards in several film festivals and was released in 2019.
In 2019, Oberst released his second solo album, "Six Feet of Earth", which earned international praise. "Americana Highways" called the album "honest and simple" yet "vast in its complexities… Anarchistic folk, steeped in tradition, yet fueled with a punk attitude."


Healing Tide

Healing Tide is the debut studio album by American duo The War and Treaty, released on August 10, 2018 by Strong World Entertainment with marketing and distribution by Thirty Tigers. Produced and recorded by Buddy Miller, the album peaked at number 11 on the US "Billboard" Top Heatseekers Albums chart and at number twenty-six on the Independent Albums chart.
Background.
Before combining to form The War and Treaty, Michael Trotter Jr. sang in church before serving two tours of duty in Iraq. Recalling his time on duty, Trotter Jr. expressed “I didn’t think I would make it back home [...] I only knew music was what I love, it was soothing. A lot of times they said Trotter why don’t you sing?” Jewly Hight of National Public Radio writes he 'was dealt the singular sacred duty of paying tribute to fallen comrades in song'. Chris Estey of "Paste" explains further, 'a burden was placed in his heart to create music like this, confronting every evil and rhapsodizing about long-held-off freedoms in this world. His powerful voice got into the media through broadcast talent shows in service to the military; it almost redeemed the loneliness and suffering of being stationed away from all he loved.' Following his tour of duty, Hight writes that Trotter Jr. struck 'out as a smoothly seductive R&B singer-songwriter, citing influences like Gerald Levert and Tyrese'.
Tanya Blount Trotter first came to prominence in the 1993 film and soundtrack "", where her duet with Lauryn Hill on "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" was cited as a memorable moment by MadameNoire. The following year, her debut album "Natural Thing" was released, featuring the internationally charting single "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" and "Through the Rain" which peaked at number twenty-seven on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number ninety on the US "Billboard" Hot 100. In 1995, she featured on "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" the title song for the film "Panther", which peaked at number forty-five on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and reached the top twenty of the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The same year, Blount received a nomination for Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards.
Bruce Warren of WXPN explains, 'After he [Michael Trotter Jr.] left the service, he met Tanya at a music festival they were both playing. Tanya walked up to Michael after their shows, exchanged phone numbers, and their relationship blossomed in and out of the recording studio.' Tanya told "Billboard", "it's kind of like when we first started dating; I told him we have to jump off the building at the same time, holding hands. It's a question you have to ask before you make that decision -- ARE you ready to love me? Are you ready to go through all the things a relationship requires you to go through and still be there?" Michael expressed, "She did not know I was a wounded war veteran when we dated [...] I never talked about it. She was very confused -- Why is this guy running and ducking under the bed when he hears fireworks on the Fourth of July? Why do I find him hiding in a dark corner when the rest of the day he was so bubbly and happy? She was like, 'You've got to let me in Mike. You've got to tell me what's going on so I can make a decision if I want to roll with this.' And when she finally convinced me to let her into the dark side of me, I just gave her everything, told her everything I went through and, then, 'Are you ready to love me baby? Are we still good?'
In 2016, the duo released "Love Affair" as Trotter & Blount led by the single "Imagine". Jewly Hight of National Public Radio describes 'after teaming up in life and music, the pair dabbled in sleek soul updates under their combined surnames. But they also drew inspiration from voices embraced as touchstones across generations and genres — Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Nina Simone among them — and ultimately settled into a rootsy aesthetic animated by the range of their musical experiences.'
When asked if there was a connection with the song "Imagine" penned and recorded by John Lennon, Michael Trotter Jr. responded “The Beatles to me represented every human emotion you can feel. That band was so important. Their career speaks writing about love…like Ashford and Simpson. Most the 70s and 60s was trying to push our culture to togetherness.” "Imagine" was also released as “Imagine…Hillary Clinton” in support of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Speaking with "EUR/Electronic Urban Report" on the reasons for the political release, Trotter Jr. explained, “It’s very interesting. My dad called, he works for the train system in Baltimore on the tracks, and he told me that Hillary Clinton herself called a lot of them. She spoke to each one of them personally to hear their concerns. She said she called to see if she had any similar stories to what they were going through…She was Senator and the 1st Lady and she learned… ‘Imagine’ getting behind a candidate that spends time with you.”
The same year, they released the single "Hi Ho" as The War and Treaty, was described by "Paste" writer Chris Estey as 'the break out soul hit'. In 2017, they released the EP "Down to the River", heralded by Estey as 'a splendidly made immediate classic about conflict and redemption.' Expressing further that, 'both seem to have been holding back plenty of passion and pain in their lives previous to knowing each other, and it's this kind of expressive blues and soul and folk and gospel that truly connects to every listener who may desperately need it.'
Zoë Madonna of "Boston Globe" explains, 'ever since they were drafted to fill an ailing Buddy Miller's spot at the 2017 Americana Music Festival and Conference, the married duo from Albion, Mich., have been lighting up the folk scene'. In 2018, they toured nationally at 'prestigious festival stops and events such as Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Pickathon and AmericanaFest'. Bruce Warren of WXPN expressed 'After an exhilarating live performance at the Americana Music Association's music festival last September in Nashville at Cannery Ballroom, husband and wife musical duo The War and Treaty – Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter – became one of the most talked about sets at the festival by a whole lot of people. Had I not been there to experience it for myself, I would have doubted the hyperbole.'
Recording.
"Healing Tide" was recorded live and produced by Buddy Miller at his home studio in March over 5 days., whilst the album was solely penned by Michael Trotter Jr, who shares lead vocals with wife Tanya Blount Trotter throughout. Also featured alongside Miller on guitars and banjo are 'an impressive lineup of musicians including Brady Blade, Adam Chaffins, Jim Hoke, Russ Pahl and Sam Bush', whilst 'country music legend Emmylou Harris lends her distinctive voice to the track “Here Is Where the Loving Is At.”' Speaking with "Rolling Stone" on the title track's release Michael Trotter Jr. expressed “I hope people see our hearts on this record [...] I want people to feel like we care. When you think about artists you don’t think about that, but that’s the way I want the world to feel about The War and Treaty.”
Michael Trotter Jr. recalled to "Billboard", "I remember we the album so fast, like 14 songs in pretty much four days, and no third takes. We did two takes because we felt really guilty, and Buddy was like, 'This is not right. Something has to be wrong. We should do it again,' but a lot of times it was right the first time." Featured artist Emmylou Harris brought brownies from her mother's recipe to the recording session of "Here Is Where The Loving Is At".
In an interview with "Two Story Melody", Michael Trotter Jr. spoke on the recording process with Buddy Miller, expressing, "It went from working with this icon to someone who truly cares and wants to keep it authentic. He would tell us, “No, that’s too much,” or “Let’s clean up that growl some and really let the story come through,” or “Maybe that resonator makes it too country in a way y’all don’t want.” All of it was a partnership. Buddy has a unique way of reminding you of yourself. We had a blast working with him and watching him work. He's very shy, and most people don't see that shyness up close and personal! He's worked with everyone — Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Band of Joy, Patty Griffin — but he forgets all of that when it comes to you. He says, “Today, I’m producing The War and Treaty.” It's humbling and unique. He's taken the position of godfather in our lives, and we truly love him and his wife, Julie. She came down a few times during our sessions. Anyone who knows her knows that she's a riot. She could be a comedian in her own right; twenty seconds with Julie is enough to prove it! She sat in on our session one time, and she couldn't believe that that sound was coming from a studio in her home! The whole process was unique, from spending time with Julie and watching her interact with our son, Legend — she even brought him a stuffed animal — to eating homemade brownies made by Emmylou Harris herself."
Compostion.
Warren of WXPN describes the title track "Healing Tide" as 'a spiritual distant cousin to Delaney & Bonnie’s “Soul Shake,”' on which 'Michael and Tanya wrap their powerful voices around a driving beat that shimmies and shakes with relentless rock and roll powered soul music.'
Hight for National Public Radio writes, In "Are You Ready To Love Me," a strutting country-soul number laced with horns and pedal steel, she pleads for physical affection and promises eager attentiveness as a lover, building to her insistent delivery of the question posed in the title. He sings the first half of "If It's In Your Heart" as though he's summoning the courage to press his lover for honesty and find out whether or not the intensity of her devotion equals his own.'
Hight describes "Here Is Where the Loving Is At" as a 'loping string band number' on which Emmylou Harris and 'the Trotters paint a picture of lasting partnership as an earthy, effortful endeavor. "Just hold me to the words I say," Tanya implores, attacking the start of the next line with a teasingly determined growl. "And don't go looking somewhere else instead."' For the recording session at Buddy Miller's Nashville home, Emmylou Harris brought brownies.
Whilst on "Hearts," 'a gospelly piano ballad in 6/8 time, the couple swap grand declarations of the bleakness they'd face without each other's company. They turn fierce when they declare their shared conviction during the bridge: "We've got a reason to keep our love growing strong / Everything between us helps us move along." Then their belting softens into an intimate murmur of shared belief: "We'd find each other's hearts."'
"Jeep Cherokee Laredo" is described as 'sensual heat [...] with its sly, New Orleans-style syncopation and burbling organ. "You keep on peeking through the foggy windows / Please disregard all sly innuendo," they playfully scold a would-be busybody, flaunting the pleasure of the mischief shared between the two of them' Commenting on Michael Trotter Jr's songwriting, Hight expressed 'the lyrics, penned by Michael (the author of all their material, who often describes his writing's autobiographical inspiration) have a big-talking punch equally connected to hip-hop and the blues' whilst 'the ardor that the Trotters bring to the a capella number "Love Like There's No Tomorrow" is at once particular and sweeping.'
Zoë Madonna of "Boston Globe" writes 'only one song mentions religion outright, but many of the tracks rumble with the vigorous rhythms of the kind of black church music that was imprinted on so many of the first rock ’n’ roll musicians. Whilst 'The Trotters’ passion for each other is on full view on tracks such as “Hearts” and “All I Want to Do,” and “Jeep Cherokee Laredo” rocks on the coy, cute edge of raunchy. On the album opener “Love Like There’s No Tomorrow,” the two cry out that declaration over a slow, simmering beat, calling to everyone who can hear them to do the same.
Promotion.
On August 23, 2018, The War and Treaty announced the "Healing Tide Tour", commencing October 2, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA and ending in Indianapolis, IN on November 17, 2018.
Critical reception.
"Healing Tide" received an aggregate score of 79/100 on Metacritic which indicates 'generally favorable reviews'. The title track was WXPN’s 'Gotta Hear Song of the Week'. Stephen L. Betts of Rolling Stone described the "joyfully relentless title track" as "reminiscent of classic Ike and Tina Turner rock-infused soul".
Jewly Hight of National Public Radio writes 'there are a couple of hard-charging, rock and soul originals on the Trotter's upcoming album, "Healing Tide", that recall the dueling vigor of the music the Turners made together. But while Tina Turner's revelations have made us hear the volatility of her relationship with Ike in the musical heat they generated, the Trotters' songs "All I Wanna Do" and "Healing Tide" convey an ecstatic, empowering sense of partnership that serves as the duo's creative engine and core message.'
Zoë Madonna of "Boston Globe" writes 'in contrast to Tanya's earlier work, the War and Treaty's music is soul-shaking and raucous. Michael's lyrics draw on the duo's complex personal journeys toward love. Their sound has drawn comparisons to that of Ike and Tina Turner, but given the shadow cast by Ike's years of abuse, it feels almost wrong to compare the two couples.' Madonna also expressed 'the War and Treaty sings about is love, and theirs is not a cynic's album. And even without backstories, the songs speak for themselves. Michael plays keyboards and wields his clarion tenor like a flaming sword. Tanya's voice is sinuous and muscular, with a raw edge that was wrapped in layers of reverb on her earlier work but now packs an invigorating punch as she tears through high notes.'
Writing for "American Songwriter", Hal Horowitz expressed, 'affirming the essence of all things positive, healing and loving has seldom felt so good'. 'All married couple Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter need is their booming voices and a tambourine, as on the stripped-down opening “Love Like There’s No Tomorrow” to get the spiritual juices flowing'. Horowitz describes the songs as 'heartfelt and emotion packed' where 'Michael channels Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett as he reaches for the heavens on the searing ballad “If It’s In Your Heart” and Tanya does the same with nods to Aretha, Etta James and even Joplin on her scorching solo vocal in the churchy “Are You Ready To Love Me?”'. Horowitz noted 'the chemistry of both singers feeding off each other and Miller's backing musicians on the carnal “Jeep Cherokee Laredo,” propelled by Miller's banjo and guest Jim Hoke's organ and baritone sax, that kicks the duo into overdrive' whilst 'Emmylou Harris adds her distinctive pipes to the sweet, bluegrass-infused “Here Is Where The Loving Is At,”'. In closing Horowitz writes, 'when the tempos pump and chug, as on the thumping “All I Wanna Do,” the rugged, propulsive energy generated by The War and Treaty is nothing less than inspirational. With their beaming outpouring of positivity and joyous approach to life and love, this rousing music encourages togetherness in these troubled times.'


Udon Entertainment

UDON Entertainment Corporation is a Canadian studio (or "art collective") of Asian-influenced comic book creators that provides creative services to the entertainment industry. The company is a publisher of comic books, graphic novels and art books. Erik Ko is its Chief of Operations. UDON is named after a kind of Japanese noodle.
Overview.
It was affiliated with Studio XD; in March 2004, UDON announced a partnership to release comics under Devil's Due Publishing. UDON's first offering was the "Street Fighter" comic book series, launching in September 2003. They would add a "Darkstalkers" comic series to their line in November 2004. In October 2005, UDON reorganized its operations and became a full-fledged publisher. Erik Ko revealed that the lengthy break in the Summer of 2005 was to recover from a licensing deal with Capcom, which saw UDON doing artwork for "Capcom Fighting Evolution". Although UDON appreciated the opportunity to work on the game, and to strengthen their ties with the video game maker, it taxed their resources, and left them behind schedule on their comics. In October 2005, UDON released "Street Fighter II #0", the sequel to their "Street Fighter" comic; it was followed in early 2006 with the long-awaited launch of "Rival Schools". Erik Ko discusses this in an interview with Newsarama that can be read here.
In December 2007 at the New York Anime Festival, UDON announced that it would be publishing three new "Street Fighter" comic book series in 2008. These include "Street Fighter II Turbo" (12-issue series), "Street Fighter Legends: Chun-Li" (4-issue mini), and "Street Fighter III" (6-issue series).
In November 2008, UDON announced it would publish a 4-issue mini-series of the upcoming "Street Fighter IV" game. “With the most anticipated Street Fighter game in years arriving 2009, we will be launching the ‘‘Street Fighter IV‘‘ comic series as a big crossover event with the game. That would mean the originally planned "Street Fighter III" series will have to make way and be released after this ‘‘Street Fighter IV‘‘ story arc is done.” says UDON’s Chief of Ops Erik Ko. “We are working very closely with Capcom and the SFIV producer in Japan to make this comic series as exciting as possible. The stories from our comic are linked directly to the game, and it is a genuine extension that fans will definitely love. Also expect plenty of cross promotion and marketing between our comics and the game.”
In January 2009, UDON announced it had acquired the rights to produce "Final Fight" comic books. In November 2009, UDON announced it will continue the "Darkstalkers" comic series with a new 3-issue mini-series called "Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors". In December 2009, UDON announced it will make a "Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki" 4-issue mini-series.
From 2012 to 2014, UDON partnered with Bandai Namco to produce several webcomics and webseries based on their various video game IP as part of their ShiftyLook initiative.
Publishing.
Comic books.
Capcom Comic Book Universe.
The Capcom Comic Book Universe (CCBU) is a comic book franchise developed by Udon, which is based on various Capcom franchises set inside a shared universe.


Bruno Cesari

Bruno Cesari (24 October 1933 – 30 January 2004) was an Italian art director. He won an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film "The Last Emperor".
He received his second Oscar nomination at the 2000 Academy Awards for his work on the film "The Talented Mr. Ripley", which he shared with Roy Walker.


Vladimir Tadej

Vladimir Tadej (9 May 1925 – 1 March 2017) was a Croatian production designer, screenwriter and film director. He contributed to more than forty films from 1949 to 1998.


Patrice Vermette

Patrice Vermette (born 1970) is a Canadian production designer/art director who has won three awards for his work on "C.R.A.Z.Y.", the Genie Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design and a Jutra Award for Best Art Direction. His other work includes "1981", "La Cité", "Café de Flore" and "The Young Victoria". He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for his work in the film "The Young Victoria". He was nominated again in the category Best Production Design for his work in the film "Arrival" at the 89th Academy Awards.


Gereonsklub

The Gereonsklub was an avant-garde artists' association in Cologne in the years immediately prior to World War I.
Its founding members were the artists Olga Oppenheimer, Emmy Worringer, and Franz M. Jansen. Later members included Marta Worringer and August Macke. Named for the Gereonshaus building designed by the architect Carl Moritz, in which Oppenheimer had a studio, it opened in January 1911 and closed in 1913.
The Gereonsklub operated as a center for lectures and exhibitions and had a painting school run by Oppenheimer. Emmy Worringer and her brother Wilhelm, an art historian, booked the lectures and organized the exhibitions. In its short history, it exhibited such notable artists as Franz Marc (1911), Paul Klee (1912), Robert Delaunay (1913), and August Macke. In 1912, the Gereonsklub was the first stop for an early touring exhibition of the Blue Rider group.


Dave Allsop

Dave Allsop is a Scottish game designer and artist for role-playing games and video games.
Career.
Dave Allsop developed the role-playing game "SLA Industries" (1993); the Scottish company Nightfall Games was founded solely to publish the game. Wizards of the Coast later bought "SLA Industries", but then returned it to Nightfall, who licensed it to Hogshead Publishing; in 2002, Hogshead closed down and thus "SLA Industries" returned to Allsop. Allsop was by then the flatmate of Angus Abranson, and they decided to form a new role-playing company in 2003 called Cubicle 7 Entertainment. Allsop started work on a new release of "SLA Industries", but in the Fall of 2004 Allsop decided to pull out of Cubicle 7 to pursue other opportunities. In 2005, Allsop, with Adrian Bott, produced "The Book of Unremitting Horror", a book of monsters for the d20 System, published by Pelgrane Press. Allsop returned to Cubicle 7 in 2007 as the "SLA Industries" line editor, which started releasing new books again in 2011.
He is known for his work on the "" collectible card game. He has also contributed art to the digital collectible card game "Hearthstone".
His "Dungeons & Dragons" work includes interior art for "Eberron Campaign Setting" (2004), "Monster Manual III" (2004), "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft" (2006), "Cityscape" (2006), ' (2006), ' (2007), "Monster Manual V" (2007), "An Adventurer's Guide to Eberron" (2008), the fourth edition "Monster Manual" (2008), the fourth edition "Manual of the Planes" (2008), "Demon Queen's Enclave" (2008), "Draconomicon: Metallic Dragons" (2009), and "Martial Power II" (2010).
Allsop was the concept artist for One Thumb Mobile, for their game "Celtic Heroes", from 2012 to 2015. He returned to freelance work in February 2015.


Black (video game)

Black is a first-person shooter video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in February 2006, and was later ported to the Xbox 360 via backwards compatibility in 2008. The player assumes control of Jack Kellar, a black ops agent being interrogated about his previous missions involving a terrorist operation. Played from a first-person perspective, players confront enemies using firearms and grenades. The game is notable for its heavily stylized cinema-inspired action as well as its sound quality and focus on destructive effects during gameplay.
"Black" received generally positive reviews upon release. Critics praised the gameplay, sound design and presentation, but criticized the game's short length and a lack of multiplayer. Despite Criterion's desire to develop a sequel, intellectual property owner Electronic Arts had creative differences with them and no sequel was planned. A spiritual successor, "Bodycount", was created by the same developers at Codemasters and released in 2011.
Story.
"Black" takes place in Ingushetia and Chechnya, Russia. The protagonist is a black ops operative named Sergeant First Class Jack Kellar (portrayed by Marty Papazian). Kellar tells most of the story in first-person at an interrogation four days after the events in the story begin.
Kellar is an inadequately disciplined member of a CIA black ops unit and a veteran of several conflicts including Guatemala, Colombia, Iran and Croatia. The unknown interrogator (portrayed by Paul Pape) questions Kellar about an arms smuggling and terrorist operation called the "Seventh Wave" who have been responsible for a number of terrorist attacks. Kellar is told that, unless he co-operates, he and his actions will be declassified, meaning he will be convicted at court-martial, dishonorably discharged, and imprisoned for life. Though initially resistant, Kellar at last agrees to tell his story.
Four days earlier, Kellar and his military unit were attacking a Seventh Wave stronghold in the city of Veblensk. Kellar kills three high-ranking members of the cell but then disobeys orders by rushing inside a terrorist controlled building, where a terrorist ambushes him. However, the man did not kill Kellar, who learned that his captor is an American, William Lennox, a former CIA wetworks operative. After faking his own death in Cairo, Lennox has apparently become the leader of Seventh Wave.
Kellar's next mission is to cross the border into Treneska and traverse the Vlodnik Canal, destroy a base and weapons cache, then meet a female black ops soldier named MacCarver (voiced by Cree Summer), the commander of black ops Team Bravo, at a farmhouse. Things do not go as planned; however, Kellar defends and clears the farmhouse and later meets MacCarver.
Kellar and MacCarver begin a mission to destroy an arms factory in the city of Naszran. To safely complete the mission they must navigate an old graveyard and town, both heavily defended. After doing so, they assault the town's iron foundry, destroying its productive capacity. The two black operatives then meet a third member of the team, Solomon.
With the information regarding the position of Valencio, one of the four bosses of Seventh Wave, is hiding in Tivliz Asylum. The team decide to attack the asylum yard with Keller rushed into the asylum despite Solomon protested that their order was to hold. Keller found Valencio after blowing up a concrete machine gun nest and briefly interrogated Valencio for Lennox's location by electrocution and threatened to hurt his wife and children.
Based on information gathered from the mission, Team Bravo has proceeded to a well-defended dockyard, cleared the area and linked up with Alpha Team. Alpha Team, however, is destroyed in an ambush while Lennox escapes seconds beforehand. In light of the disastrous result, the operation is cancelled as well. Despite these events, Kellar leads a retaliatory assault against the Graznei Bridge before leaving his team at the gates of Lennox's compound to successfully penetrate the defenses both around and inside the Spetriniv Gulag. During the attack, Keller triggers an explosion resulting from the destruction of two concrete barricades, and subsequent explosions in the final room of the underground bunker, presumably killing Lennox.
The interrogator then reveals to Kellar that authorities had, in fact, always known of Lennox's involvement in Seventh Wave. Kellar had acted predictably, doing what his profile said he would, while his pursuit of Lennox was both expected and welcome, but Lennox is not yet dead. Kellar is told that a false "death" in a car accident has been arranged for him to provide cover so he could continue his pursuit. The game ends with Kellar being told to get ready for his next assignment.
Gameplay.
The gameplay is essentially a straightforward first person shooter. Players can only carry two weapons at a time; therefore, strategy is needed when choosing weaponry, with weapons differing in characteristics. The player can also carry grenades, which can be thrown without switching weapons. Land mines and grenades can be detonated prematurely by shooting them.
The game is mission-based, with each mission separated by a cut scene video. On harder difficulties, there are more objectives that must be completed before the player can progress. These extra objectives involved collecting various intelligence documents, blueprints, or destroying parts of the environment. These are all indicated by the HUD cross-hair changing color when the player points at the relevant object.
Successful completion of the objectives over all missions in all difficulties above 'Easy' results in the awarding of Silver Weapons (infinite bullets) and unlocking the M16-A2 (40mm underslung grenade launcher attachment) as the starting default weapon with infinite 40mm grenades. When unlocked, these features are permanent and cannot be removed without starting a fresh storyline.
Development.
Criterion intended to "do for shooting what "Burnout" did for racing - tear it apart", with dual emphasis on destructible environments and the handling and behavior of real-world firearms. Bullets that hit buildings, terrain and objects leave visible damage; moreover, the guns are rendered with great detail and accuracy, though some weapons' features are stylized or exaggerated. The emphasis on the appearance, function, and sounds of the weapons led the developer to label the game as "Gun-Porn." Another notable and original feature is the use of real-time blur while reloading, giving a depth of field and more perspective to the game. Similarly, when the player drops below two bars of health, the screen turns black and white, the sound of the character's heartbeat become the dominant noise and the game goes into slow motion, and the large and small motors in the control pads match the sound of systolic and diastolic part of the heartbeat.
The game was not developed with an overarching plot structure in mind and this was implemented as something of an afterthought towards the end of development. The initial idea for relating the plot in-game came from Black's director, Alex Ward, who wanted to have a radio-play-style voiceover spoken over a 'black' screen.
Sound.
Emphasizing the game's action film heritage, sound effects for the weapons in the game were based on various sounds from films. For example, Bruce Willis' Heckler & Koch MP5 in "Die Hard", Jack Bauer's pistol in "24", and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Uzi in "True Lies".
Realizing in the chaos of a heavy gun battle the heavy mix of sound and music would produce a cacophony of noise, the sound designers developed the "choir of guns" concept. Whereas, traditionally in a shooter game, each weapon model would be assigned a different sound, "Black" assigns each enemy their own "voice", similar to the way in which each member of a choir would have their own distinct voice. For example, there are three enemies firing, one would be assigned a low voice, another a medium voice, and the third a high voice. This allows all the weapons being fired in any particular scene to harmonize and deliver a distinct sound for the game. "Black"s sound was nominated for Best Audio at the 2006 BAFTA Video Games Awards, and won Best Art & Sound jointly with "Burnout Revenge" (another game by Criterion) at the 2006 Develop Industry Excellence Awards.
The music for "Black" was composed by Chris Tilton, using a theme co-authored with Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino. It was recorded at the Newman Scoring Stage.
Reception.
"Black"s PlayStation 2 version received a "Gold" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.
"Black" received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.
In Japan, "Famitsu" gave the PS2 version all four eights, for a total of 32 out of 40. "The Times" also gave the game four stars out of five and stated, "As the entire game is played at fever-pitch, you soon find yourself looking forward to the next mission briefing, if only for a chance to catch your breath. The only mystery to "Black" is why there is no multiplayer mode, since such intense battle settings would make for great competitive bouts." "The Sydney Morning Herald" similarly gave it four stars out of five, saying, "Little strategy is required for each stage, with abundant health packs and aggressive opponents of little intelligence. But there are many strategies and the use of cover is vital." "Detroit Free Press" gave the Xbox version three stars out of four and said, "The action is intense and the effects are splendid, though the un-reality applies also to the worlds in which you battle." However, "The A.V. Club" gave the game a C+, stating that it was worth playing for "Six hours. Pretty good hours, but still, "The A.V. Club" can't stress that number enough"; and added that "That was awesome for "Doom", a free download with 16 extra maps available after registration. But 40 bucks for "Black"s eight levels, with no multiplayer mode, and unlockable difficulty settings the only incentive to replay? The question is really whether renting this lovely oversized tech demo is worth a whole weekend."
In 2013, "IGN" listed the game at 99 in the list of "Top 100 Shooters".
Future.
In an interview, co-creator and designer Stuart Black revealed that plans for "Black 2" were underway, but are now scrapped due to differences with Electronic Arts. Stuart Black and many of the developers of "Black" worked on the now released "Bodycount"; a spiritual successor to the game which, developed by Codemasters, was released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 during Q3 2011.


Tony Reading

Tony Reading was a British art director. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film "Ragtime".


Jack Fisk

Jack Fisk (born December 19, 1946 in Canton, Illinois) is an American production designer and director.
As a production designer, he is known for his collaborations with Terrence Malick, designing all of his first eight films including "Badlands" (1973), "Days of Heaven" (1978), "The Thin Red Line" (1998), and "The Tree of Life" (2011). His other credits include "Phantom of the Paradise" (1974), "Carrie" (1976), "Eraserhead" (1977), "Heart Beat" (1980), "The Straight Story" (1999), "Mulholland Drive" (2001), "Water for Elephants" (2011), and "The Master" (2012). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Production Design for "There Will Be Blood" (2007) and "The Revenant" (2015).
Fisk made his directorial debut with "Raggedy Man" (1981) and went on to direct the films "Violets Are Blue" (1986), "" (1990), "Final Verdict" (1991), and two episodes of television series "On the Air" (1992).
Career.
Fisk was art director on Brian De Palma's "Carrie" (1976), in which his wife, Sissy Spacek, played the title role. He frequently collaborates with directors Terrence Malick and David Lynch (whom he has known since childhood). His production design and art director credits include all of Malick's first eight feature films and Lynch's "The Straight Story" (1999) and "Mulholland Drive" (2001). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction for Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood". He received his second Academy Award nomination for the film "The Revenant" at the 88th Academy Awards.
Fisk appeared in Lynch's "Eraserhead" (1977) as the Man in the Planet, and the film's credits give "special thanks" to him and to Sissy Spacek (who reputedly held the slates between takes).
Fisk directed Spacek in the films "Raggedy Man" and "Violets Are Blue" with Kevin Kline.
Personal life.
Fisk met his wife, Spacek, while working on Terrence Malick's 1973 film "Badlands, " in which she portrayed the aloof and distant version of Caril Ann Fugate. The couple married on April 12, 1974. They have two daughters, Schuyler Fisk (born 1982), also an actress, and Madison Fisk (born 1988), a painter.


Nefertiti piercing

A Nefertiti piercing is a female genital piercing that is a combination of a vertical clitoral hood piercing and a Christina piercing. Healing can be lengthy given the amount of tissue the jewelry must pass through. Flexible bars are recommended by professional piercers because of the pressure that can be put on the piercing from passing through so much flesh.


Salon des Tuileries

The Salon des Tuileries was an annual art exhibition for painting and sculpture, created June 14, 1923, co-founded by painters Albert Besnard and Bessie Davidson, sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, architect Auguste Perret, and others.
The first year's exhibition was conducted in former barracks at the Porte Maillot of the city gates of Paris, near the Bois de Boulogne in a "Palais du Bois" hastily constructed by the Perret brothers. Its location varied afterwards. The Salon, together with the 1884 Société des Artistes Indépendants, the 1903 Salon d'Automne and others, was organized in opposition to the Academy's official Salon system. Annual exhibitions continued at least into the 1950s.
Participating artists.
Participating artists included:


List of Project Runway contestants

"Project Runway" is an American reality television show in which contestants compete to be the best fashion designer, as determined by the show's judges. The series first broadcast in 2004, and seventeen regular seasons and seven all-stars seasons have aired as of June 2019. The first five seasons aired on Bravo, while the succeeding seasons aired on Lifetime. "Project Runway" contestants are chosen by the show's producers through an application process that includes a videotape submission and "virtual portfolio" of sketches and completed designs, semi-final interviews at select cities, and a final interview.
Two hundred contestants have competed, three of whom have competed twice—Daniel Franco competed in both Season 1 and Season 2 and Kate Pankoke in Season 11 and Season 12 in addition to Amanda Valentine in Season 11 and Season 13. Angela Keslar and Vincent Libretti were originally eliminated in Episodes 8 and 9, respectively, of Season 3, but were brought back due to that season's twist. Justin LeBlanc would have originally been eliminated in Episode 6 of Season 12, but was given a second chance due to the newly instituted "Tim Gunn Save". During Season 13, the "Tim Gunn Save" was used to retroactively bring Charketa Glover back into the competition for Episode 7 after she was eliminated in Episode 6. Seven contestants left "Project Runway" for reasons other than being eliminated by the show's judges. Keith Michael was disqualified in Season 3 for bringing design books to the contest, which is prohibited. On the other hand, Jack Mackenroth of Season 4, Maya Luz of Season 7, Cecilia Motwani of Season 9, Andrea Katz of Season 10, Kooan Kosuke of Season 10, and Sandro Masmanidi of Season 12 all withdrew from the show due to personal reasons.
The 12 winners of the regular series are Jay McCarroll, Chloe Dao, Jeffrey Sebelia, Christian Siriano, Leanne Marshall, Irina Shabayeva, Seth Aaron Henderson, Gretchen Jones, Anya Ayoung-Chee, Dmitry Sholokhov, Michelle Lesniak Franklin, Dom Streater and Sean Kelly. The 4 winners of the All-Star series are Mondo Guerra, Anthony Ryan Auld, Seth Aaron Henderson and Dmitry Sholokhov.
Regular Series Contestants.
 Contestant's age at the start of the season

 Angela Keslar and Vincent Lebretti were eliminated by judges during Episodes 8 and 9, respectively, of Season 3, but were brought back due to that season's twist.

 Chris March was eliminated by judges during Episode 4 of Season 4, but was brought back to the competition following the voluntary departure of Jack Mackenroth.

 Anthony Williams was eliminated by judges during Episode 10 of Season 7, but was brought back to the competition following the voluntary departure of Maya Luz.

 Joshua Christensen was eliminated by judges during Episode 2 of Season 9, but was brought back to the competition following the voluntary departure of Cecelia Motwani.

 Raul Orosio was eliminated by judges during Episode 3 of Season 10, but was brought back to the competition following the voluntary departures of Andrea Katz and Kooan Kosuke.

 Justin LeBlanc was eliminated by judges during Episode 6 of Season 12, but was given a second chance due to the newly instituted "Tim Gunn Save".

 Charketa "Char" Glover was eliminated by judges during Episode 6 of Season 13, but was given a second chance due to the newly instituted "Tim Gunn Save".

 Four designers have won the competition twice; Seth Aaron Henderson also won the third season of Project Runway: All Stars and Dmitry Sholokhov also won the fourth season of Project Runway: All Stars. Dom Streater also won the fifth season of Project Runway: All Stars and Michelle Lesniak also won the seventh season of Project Runway: All Stars.
Threads Contestants.
Designers and Assistants were identified by first name only

Each episode, one winner was determined amongst that episode’s three designers
Junior Contestants.
 Contestant's age at the start of the season

In 2014, Zachary won episode 3 of


John R. Sinnock

John Ray Sinnock (July 8, 1888 – May 14, 1947) was the eighth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1925 to 1947.
History.
Sinnock was the designer of the Roosevelt dime and Franklin half dollar, among other U.S. coins. His initials can be found at the base of the Roosevelt and Franklin busts. He also sculpted, although did not design, the Purple Heart medal, the Yangtze Service Medal, and various other medals and commemorative coins.
Sinnock was born July 8, 1888, in Raton, New Mexico, and was educated at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art. He won the A.W. Mifflin Award for study abroad. Sinnock was well-traveled. His longtime confidante was Margaret Campbell, who inherited much of his artwork as well as his personal collection of materials related to the development of the Roosevelt Dime.
For ten years, Sinnock was an art instructor at both his alma mater and at Western Reserve University. He was appointed Assistant Engraver and Medallist at the Philadelphia Mint in 1917 before becoming the Chief Engraver in 1925.
Controversies.
Upon the initial minting of the Roosevelt dime in 1946, a false narrative arose in the United States that the letters "JS" actually stood not for John Sinnock, but for Joseph Stalin. The urban folk story coincided with the Second Red Scare. The rumor surfaced again after the release of the Sinnock designed Franklin half dollar in 1948.
Another controversy that surrounded the Roosevelt dime following its public release was an allegation that Sinnock copied or borrowed the design of the President's profile from a bronze bas relief created by sculptor Selma H. Burke for the dime's obverse. Sinnock denied this claim and said that the obverse portrait of the President was a composite of two studies which he made from life in 1933 and 1934. Sinnock said that he also consulted photographs of FDR and had the advice and criticism of two prominent sculptors who specialize in work in relief, however it is now widely accepted that he was influenced heavily by Burke's bas relief.


The Sims Life Stories

The Sims Life Stories is a video game, the first game in "The Sims Stories" series. The game is a version of "The Sims 2" optimized for laptops (and lower-end desktop computers) and bears similarities to the console ports of "The Sims" games. In Story mode, it begins with the problems of Riley Harlow and Vincent Moore. Rewards are unlocked as set goals are achieved. In the open-ended Classic mode, the player creates Sims and then chooses how they will live their life. "The Sims Life Stories" was released on February 6, 2007. It is categorized as laptop-friendly since it lacks the need for an independent graphic card.
The game begins in Story Mode with Riley's life story as she moves from SimCity to Four Corners to start a new life with her Aunt Sharon. A second story follows the life of Vincent, a millionaire who is searching for true love. After both stories are completed the gameplay continues in the open-ended Classic mode, which is similar to "The Sims 2". The towns in which Riley and Vincent live are also available to play when their stories are finished.
On December 3, 2015, Aspyr released a port of "The Sims Life Stories" for OS X to the Mac App Store for OS X Mavericks or later. After the announcement of macOS Catalina dropping support for 32-bit apps, Aspyr removed the port from the Mac App Store on June 17, 2019, though it still remains available to play for users on older versions of macOS who previously purchased the game.
Gameplay.
"The Sims Life Stories" uses the same game engine and gameplay mechanics as "The Sims 2". In addition to the open-ended freestyle mode from "The Sims 2", "Life Stories" features two pre-defined scenarios. In each scenario the player takes control of one of two protagonists and is tasked with accomplishing various goals in that character's life. The game features significant use of scripted sequences to create pre-defined dramatic events and situations.
There are three neighborhoods to play - one for each of the two stories, as well as a freeplay neighborhood.
Critical reception.
On the review aggregator "GameRankings", the game received an average score of 70% based on 22 reviews. On "Metacritic", the game received an average score of 72 out of 100, based on 21 reviews — indicating "mixed or average reviews". "IGN", who gave the game 7.3, praised the low system requirements but criticized its inability of allowing players to make their own stories.