Roscoe Holcomb

Roscoe Holcomb, (born Roscoe Halcomb September 5, 1912 – died February 1, 1981) was an American singer, banjo player, and guitarist from Daisy, Kentucky. A prominent figure in Appalachian folk music, Holcomb was the inspiration for the term "high, lonesome sound," coined by folklorist and friend John Cohen. The "high lonesome sound" term is now used to describe bluegrass singing, although Holcomb was not, strictly speaking, a bluegrass performer.
Performance style.
Holcomb's repertoire included old-time music, hymns, traditional music and blues ballads. In addition to playing the banjo and guitar, he was a competent harmonica and fiddle player, and sang many of his most memorable songs a cappella. Holcomb stated "Up till then the blues were only inside me; Blind Lemon was the first to 'let out' the blues."
Holcomb sang in a nasal style informed by the Old Regular Baptist vocal tradition. Bob Dylan, a fan of Holcomb, described his singing as possessing "an untamed sense of control." He was also admired by the Stanley Brothers and Eric Clapton, who cited Holcomb as his favorite country musician.
Life and career.
A coal miner, construction laborer and farmer for much of his life, Holcomb was not recorded until 1958, after which his career as a professional musician was bolstered by the folk revival in the 1960s. Holcomb gave his last live performance in 1978. Due to what he described as injuries he sustained during his long career as a laborer, Holcomb was eventually unable to work for more than short periods, and his later income came primarily from his music. Suffering from asthma and emphysema as a result of working in coal mines, he died in a nursing home in 1981, at the age of 68.
Holcomb is buried at the Arch Halcomb Cemetery in Leatherwood, Kentucky. His tombstone bears his given name of Halcomb rather than Holcomb.
Discography.
Holcomb's discography includes the following albums released on LP during his lifetime:
The following single-artist compilations have been released since his death:
Holcomb's work appears on many multiple-artist compilations, including the following released during his lifetime:


Crossout

Crossout is a free-to-play vehicular combat video game developed by Targem Games and is published by Gaijin Entertainment for Android, Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As of today, PlayPark, a part of AsiaSoft acquired the game's server of Asian territories.
Gameplay.
The gameplay is announced to be focused around the creation and subsequent upgrade of the player's vehicle through combat and trade as well as the crafting of new items. Described as a crafting and combat MMO, the game allows players to construct their own vehicles to be used in PvP engagements with real players and PvE missions involving AI participants.
Background.
The game depicts a post-apocalyptic setting after a nuclear war and "human genetic testing gone awry", showing some resemblance to the "Mad Max" universe. Events of "Crossout" take place in the same universe as "Ex Machina’"s (aka "Hard Truck: Apocalypse" in the North American market), which is also a Targem-created game published by Buka in 2005. "Crossout" aims to depict life on Earth 20 years after the 2027 global disaster, and 200 years before "Ex Machina".
Vehicle customization.
The game focuses around vehicle combat. Players gain reputation with different factions, gaining access to new blueprints, parts and vehicles. Players gather parts and materials via battle rewards, completing missions, breaking down unneeded equipment, or by purchasing items from other players via an in-game market. Each player's combat vehicle is only limited by the player's imagination and two mandatory parts that need to be integrated into each player's design: cabin and undercarriage (frame). Parts such as armor, weaponry, generators, and auxiliary devices are not required. Different combinations of these items let players custom tune vehicles to their own liking and playstyle. As there are no fixed traditional vehicle "classes" or vehicle roles, players are free to edit and modify their vehicle as they feel, allowing players to customize both the look and the technical aspects of their vehicle, honing their machine’s performance and looks to their liking.
Along with vehicle crafting and customization, "Crossout" implements a physics model. Players must take into consideration the center of gravity, mass, location and placement of parts. A vehicle too top-heavy may roll over if turned too quickly or during movement on uneven terrain. Heavy machinery has more difficulty navigating. Equipment (such as a rotating radar dish) placed too close to the ground may be hit during its movement causing loss of control or degraded movement ability. Large caliber cannons present recoil on both ends of the weapon, being able to flip over a lighter vehicle that fired the projectile, and potentially flipping the player who is hit. This mechanic not only gives players more in-depth customization, but also acts as a self-balancing aspect. Players who just load down a vehicle with heavy armor and large caliber weapons would not be able to function in combat.
Battles.
These battles are real-time and involve two teams of players and AI-participants. To win, a team must eliminate the enemy team, capture base or perform other tasks depending on the game mode.
Damage model.
Any vehicle is “active” until the cabin is destroyed, before that it may lose other parts including armor, wheels and armament, effectively crippling or neutralizing it. Because of that, it is important to protect vital components on the battle wagon. Some parts, such as generators or fuel barrels, will explode upon destruction dealing damage to the components/vehicles around it.
Vehicle tiers.
Matchmaking is currently limited only by the parts used to create the players' vehicles. Armor costs very few points, while guns and cannons cost much more, meaning that players will be matched with relatively equal-tiered vehicles. Because of this, a vehicle's points come mostly from the weapons it uses.
Development.
On May 20, 2015, both Gaijin Entertainment and Targem Games announced the development of a new free-to-play mmo set in a post-apocalyptic future. The first alpha tests of the game, called 'Battle Test', were launched in summer 2015. and in the same year, the game made its debut on the E3 2015. Later in the same year, the game was playable in a closed area at Gaijin Entertainment's booth at gamescom 2015, where players got a promo code to participate in further testing. On April 5, 2016, "Crossout" went into closed beta and was launched into open beta on May 30, 2017, on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Reception.
MMORPG.com called "Crossout" “The most innovative game at E3 2015”.


Hodaka Yoshida

 was a Japanese modernist artist who worked first in oils, and then from 1950 in the woodblock print medium. From the beginning of his career, he broadened the range of styles and techniques used by Yoshida family artists.
Family.
His father and mother, Hiroshi Yoshida and Fujio Yoshida, were both leading Western-style artists in Tokyo in oils, watercolors, and from 1925 in "shin-hanga" woodblock prints. Hodaka's older brother, Tōshi Yoshida, became the heir to the Yoshida Studio and worked in both oils and woodblock prints. Hodaka was supposed to become a scientist, but as the Second World War ended, he defied his father's plans and became, not only an artist, but one who focused on abstraction, a style his father disdained. (Skibbe, 11-12) Unlike others in the family, Hodaka's art is quite complex, with an "edgy" feel to it. (Robertson, 114)
Analysis of his work.
Instead of having a straight line development, his work moved forward in a series of abrupt stages. For example, his 1955 encounter in Mexico with primitive Pre-Columbian artifacts and architecture radically reoriented his art. A survey of the total range of his work - about 600 prints over 45 years - reveals distinct periods, each having major changes in subject matter, vocabulary, style, and color palette. His styles, while always his own, drew from Expressionism, Pop, Photorealism, and Color Field abstraction. (Allen, et al., 114-119) Broadly speaking most of his prints would be categorized as "sōsaku-hanga".
Main periods:
1950-53 Early Prints - simple modern observations of nature and human nature
1953-54 Buddhist Prints - modern reformulations of traditional Japanese material culture
1955-63 Primitive Prints - abstractions of the primitive in Pre-Columbian forms
1963-66 Folk Prints (Transition A) - witty perspectives on indigenous South American culture
1966-74 Mythology and Landscape Prints - Pop art exposé of modern culture in decline
1974-79 House and Nude Prints (Transition B) - the tension aroused by premodern/modern
1979-84 FMC House Prints - the basic human element in houses from various cultures
1984-91 Recollection Prints (Transition C) - noting old and distressed objects
1991-95 Wall Prints - the human story on the surfaces of old walls
The print technology Hodaka used was not limited to woodblock, but included monoprinting, wood engraving, copper etching, silkscreen, lithograph, and often employed photo-transfer techniques. In this regard he was a pioneer in Japan in the 1960s and 70's. (Allen, et al., 114-117) His subject matter was drawn from objects in cultures all around the world. In spite of these various dynamics, each of Hodaka's periods is an exploration in the same basic direction, into what might be called modernist expressions of primitive human vitality. (Robertson, 114; Skibbe, 47-49) Individual prints show great artistry in composition and color.
Modernist.
In Chapter One of his book, "A Fine Disregard: What Makes Modern Art Modern", 1990, Kirk Varnedoe says that modern art has four basic characteristics: (1) the flattened image instead of the illusion of space, (2) fragmentation and repetition in the composition, rather than the complete object, (3) primitivism, in the sense of an artifact revealing something latent deep within ourselves, and (4) the flight of the mind, the freedom to assume any point of departure, or to conceptualize as one wishes. Hodaka’s art exemplifies all four characteristics, and he did this without suppressing his Japanese aesthetic sensibility. Hodaka clearly was a modern Japanese internationalist, and as such he broadened the artistic heritage of the Yoshida family. (www.hodakayoshidaprints.com)
He exhibited mainly in major international art biennials. Hodaka received many awards and prizes, including the Purple Ribbon Decoration bestowed by the Emperor in 1990, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Fourth class, awarded by the Emperor posthumously in 1995. (Skibbe, 20)
Hodaka's wife, Chizuko Yoshida, née Inoue, (1924-) and their daughter Ayomi Yoshida (1958-) are both artists, and their son Takasuke (1959-) is an art jewelry maker. (Allen, 10)


Akira Tago

Akira Tago (, February 25, 1926 – March 6, 2016) was a Japanese psychologist. He was an honorary emeritus of Tokyo Future University and a professor emeritus of Chiba University. He was also the chief of Akira Tago Laboratory.
He compiled a best-selling quiz book series "Atama no Taisō" (頭の体操, literally "Head Gymnastics"), from 1966 to his death. There are 23 sequel parts published. He was also known for designing the puzzles of video games, including the "Professor Layton" series, in which he is cited as a "Puzzle Master" in the credits. In the titular Professor Layton's office, the player can also find a book which the professor is reading written by a puzzle master from abroad--as the games take place in the UK, this is likely referring to Tago. He died at the age of 90 in March 2016.


Nina (musician)

Nina Boldt aka NINA (born 29 September 1983) is a German singer-songwriter based in London and Berlin. Her music is a fusion of Pop, New Wave, and Electronic music, often nostalgic in spirit. She released her debut album "Sleepwalking" in 2018 and her follow-up album "Synthian" in 2020. Her third major release "Control (feat. Laura Fares (also known as LAU))" was released as an EP via Lakeshore Records and features samples from Cliff Martinez' "Drive" film score.
Career.
In 2014, Nina released the single "My Mistake" which was included in a compilation by Hugo Boss. Following the release of the single "We Are the Wild Ones", Nina performed four shows in Florida supporting British synth pop duo Erasure on "The Violet Flame" tour. She also performed at Liverpool Sound City music festival. "We Are the Wild Ones" was used in Syfy's TV series "Being Human". The official music video for the song was premiered by "The Huffington Post." In 2015, "My Mistake" was used in a radio and TV commercial by Mercedes Benz; the song subsequently reached number 6 on Shazam's charts.
"Beyond Memory" was produced by Richard X and co-produced by Sunglasses Kid. The single was premiered by Idolator, who described it as "a slice of mid-tempo moodiness overflowing with Nina's longing, and Richard X's haunting synths". Idolator included "Beyond Memory" in the "Top 10 EPs & Mixtapes of 2016" list. "Beyond Memory" was played on BBC Introducing in July 2016. The EP features remixes by Ministry of Sound DJs Nilesh Parmar and Liam Keegan, as well as Swedish producer, Oscillian.
Nina released her fourth single "One of Us" in collaboration with Metropolis Studios and M:UK label. The single was co-written by Nina , Laura Fares and Oscillian and mixed by British audio engineer Liam Nolan. It was premiered by PopCrush who described it as similar to ""Like A Virgin"-era Madonna". That year, Nina performed at synth wave festivals around Europe such as "Outland" and "Retro Future Festival".
Nina's debut album "Sleepwalking" was released on Aztec Records on March 16, 2018. The Electricity Club described the album's title track as "a wonderfully moonlit pop number with a Eurocentric sensibility that will also act as perfect to soundtrack a West Coast night drive". In November 2018, Nina performed six shows in the U.S. alongside Canadian synth pop band Parallels. Nina released her new single "The Calm Before the Storm" as part of Adult Swim's "Fever Dreams" synth wave compilation.
In 2019 Nina Boldt appeared in the documentary film The Rise of the Synths, appearing alongside various other composers from the Synthwave scene, including filmmaker John Carpenter who also narrated the film which explored the origins and growth of the genre.


Sarah Micklem

Sarah Micklem is the author of the best-selling fantasy novel, "Firethorn". She began writing after many years as a graphic designer and spent fourteen years working for Time Warner, designing for a children's magazine in New York City. She wrote "Firethorn" while working as the art director for the magazine. The second part of the trilogy is titled "Wildfire". She is the second daughter of three children, of a schoolteacher father and an activist mother. She received her high school G.E.D and graduated from Princeton University. She lives with her husband, poet and playwright Cornelius Eady, in New York City and Indiana, where she teaches fiction at the University of Notre Dame.


Payless (footwear retailer)

Payless (formerly known as Payless ShoeSource Inc.) is an international discount footwear chain. Established in 1956 by cousins Louis and Shaol Pozez, Payless was a privately held company owned by Blum Capital, and Golden Gate Capital. In 1961, it became a public company as the Volume Shoe Corporation which merged with The May Department Stores Company in 1979. In the 1980s, Payless was widely known in the U.S. for its Pro Wings line of discount sneakers, which often had Velcro straps instead of laces. In 1996, Payless became an independent publicly held company. In 2004, Payless announced it would exit the Parade chain and would close 100 Payless Shoe outlets. On August 17, 2007, the company acquired the Stride Rite Corporation and changed its name to Collective Brands, Inc. The company had a total revenue for 2011 of US$ 3.4 billion. The company also has a stunt premium banner, Palessi Shoes. Payless is currently owned by a group of investors led by Alden Global Capital and Axar Capital Management.
It was announced on May 1, 2012, that the company would be purchased by Wolverine World Wide, Blum Capital, and Golden Gate Capital for US$1.32 billion. On December 13, 2016 it was reported that all Payless shoe stores were to be closed in Australia with the loss of 730 jobs. On July 14, 2014, Authentic Brands Group acquired some assets from Payless's division Collective Licensing International, LLC, which included brands such as Airwalk, Hind sports clothing, Vision Street Wear, and Above The Rim.
In 2019 North American stores including their e-commerce platform filed for bankruptcy. The filing excluded stores outside of North America, which will continue to operate. Payless emerged from bankruptcy on January 16, 2020, and on August 18, 2020, Payless officially dropped 'ShoeSource' from its name, and launched its ecommerce website.
History.
Acquisitions.
Circa 1962–63, Volume Shoe company purchased the original Hill Brothers Shoe Company based in Kansas City, Missouri and converted all 25 of their stores to the "Payless" name. In 1971, Volume Shoe obtained the second Hill Brothers Shoe Store chain that was started in St. Louis, Mo in 1956 by Al Melnick and Sol Nathanson with the assistance and aid of the original Hill Brothers in Kansas City. The St. Louis version of "'Hill Brothers Self Service Shoe Store'" went from 3 to 103 stores in the Midwest and South between 1956 and 1971. Volume Shoe originally operated the 103 stores under the "Hill Brothers Self Service" name.
Starting in 1972, Volume Shoe began to consolidate stores in proximity and convert others to the "Payless" brand. The St. Louis operation of "'Hill Brothers Self Service'" stores were known for their bare bones minimalism and the slogan "two for five – man alive!", that is, women and children's shoes were two pair for five dollars.
Payless bought Picway Shoes from the Kobacker department store chain in 1994.
Expansion.
On June 27, 2006, Payless announced that it was launching a new logo created to represent a more stylish, upscale and contemporary company. This is the first rollout of stores in 2012 and beyond.
Collective Licensing International, LLC.
Payless, operating as Collective Brands, Inc. formed a division called Collective Licensing International, LLC (CLI) in January 2004, which was based in Englewood, Colorado. CLI held and owned various clothing and sport brands, particularly "youth lifestyle brands" and board-sport brands such as Airwalk, Vision Street Wear, Sims, Lamar and LTD, World Snowboarding Championships, Sugarboards, Carve, genetic, Dukes, Rage, Ultra-Wheels, Hind, Spot Bilt and Skate Attack. The primary purpose of the division was to develop brands and provide them with marketing and branding guidance in various markets.
In 2010, CLI acquired Above The Rim from Reebok International for an undisclosed amount.
On July 14, 2014, Authentic Brands Group acquired some assets from Payless's division Collective Licensing International, LLC.
2017 bankruptcy.
In April 2017, the company, struggling with the migration of retail shopping to e-commerce, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It planned to immediately liquidate nearly 400 stores in the United States and Canada. Prior to the bankruptcy, heavily loaded with debt due to a private equity buy out, the company's credit rating was downgraded by Moody's. It has $100 million in loans that will come due in the next five years. The company's bankruptcy announcement was part of a trend of retail closures in 2016–2017 known as the retail apocalypse.
Payless emerged from bankruptcy court protection in August 2017. The company was the first among a group of retailers going through bankruptcy since 2016 to successfully complete the process of restructuring.
2019 bankruptcy and revival in 2020.
On February 14, 2019, Payless filed for bankruptcy again for a second time and this time they closed all 2,100 stores in the United States by May 2019. On February 19, 2019, it announced would also close 248 stores in Canada. The 790 stores across Latin America and the other stores internationally would not be affected. Payless emerged from bankruptcy on January 16, 2020, with plans to re-launch a U.S. e-commerce site. On August 18, 2020, Payless, officially dropping 'Shoesource' from its name, did relaunch its ecommerce website. It also announced plans to open between 300 and 500 free-standing stores in North America over the next five years.


Sidney Stripling

Sidney Stripling was an African American old-time and blues musician from Kathleen, Georgia. He is believed to have been born in the 19th Century, and died some time between 1941 and 1945.
At the request of Alan Lomax, in charge of the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress, John Wesley Work III of Fisk University recorded ten of Stripling's songs at the Fort Valley State College Folk Festival in Fort Valley, Georgia in March 1941. These are the only known recordings of the artist, and include ballads, spirituals, blues, dance tunes and children's songs. Stripling sings and plays what may be a four-string banjo in a style typical of the period around 1900.
Available recordings.
The recordings of Stripling found in The Archive of Folk Culture are:
AFS 5149
AFS 5154
AFS 5155
AFS 5161
The following songs have been published on the CD "Deep River of Song: Georgia" (Rounder Records 2001), a selection of songs from the Allan Lomax Collection:
The song "Breakaway" is featured on the soundtrack of the Martin Scorsese movie Gangs of New York (2002).


Alan Flusser

Alan J. Flusser (born 16 May 1945) is an American author and designer of men's clothing. He owns and operates Alan Flusser Custom in New York City.
Early life and education.
Flusser was born in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1979 he founded Alan Flusser Designs. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
Career.
In 1985 he launched Alan Flusser Custom which focuses on custom and made-to-measure suits.
Flusser designed the wardrobe for Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas) in "Wall Street" and designed clothing for the films "Barbarians at the Gate", "Scent of a Woman", and "American Psycho (film)" starring Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman.
Influence.
Flusser had huge influence on popular culture through movies that today have cult following, most notably Wall Street and American Psycho. He played a major role in promotion of style inspired by 1930s, which is today accepted as a golden age of men’s fashion. In his own words:
Flusser book "Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion," is one of most influential sartorial books.
Awards and honors.
Flusser won the 1983 Coty Award as Top Menswear Designer, and received the Cutty Sark Award in 1987.


Howard Garns

Howard Garns (March 2, 1905 – October 6, 1989) was an American architect who gained fame only after his death as the creator of Number Place, the number puzzle that became a worldwide phenomenon under the name Sudoku.
Invention of Number Place.
Garns's colleagues at the Daggett architecture firm in Indianapolis recall the designer working on the game on one of the company's drawing boards. George Wiley, a draftsman for the firm between 1957 and 1967, told "Indianapolis Monthly": "We had two extra drawing boards and one day Howard was sitting over there. I walked over and asked what he was working on and he said, 'Oh, a game'. It looked like a crossword puzzle but it had numbers. It had little squares. I walked around on his side and he covered it up. It was a secret."
Robert Hindman, another draftsman at the firm, corroborated the story. "I saw sketches and I thought it was a crossword puzzle, but I wasn't really interested in it," he said. "But it was his thing. He just loved doing it."
"Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games", which first published Number Place in May 1979, did not publish Garns's byline on the puzzle. However, Will Shortz, a crossword compiler for "The New York Times", discovered that Garns's name appeared in the list of contributors at the front of the magazine whenever Number Place appeared, and was absent from all other editions.
Garns was alive when Number Place, renamed Su Doku, became popular in Japan in the mid-1980s, but died before it became an international phenomenon in November 2004, when it was printed by "The Times" of London.
Personal life.
Garns was born in Connersville, Indiana, and by his teens had moved to Indianapolis with his father, W. H. Garns, an architect. He attended Indianapolis Technical High School and graduated in 1922. He entered the University of Illinois, and received a Bachelor of Science in architectural engineering in 1926. He worked for his father's firm until the Second World War, when he became a captain in the US Army Corps of Engineers. He joined the Daggett architecture firm after the war.
According to friends, he always looked sharp in bespoke suits and sported a thin moustache.
He died of cancer on October 6, 1989, and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis.


Jon MacLellan

Jon MacLellan is an English computer game level designer. He is best known for his time while working in England for Epic Games' sales, webmaster and technical support office where he was an active part of the game communities surrounding the game studio's games Jazz Jackrabbit 2, and Unreal. He is also credited as a level designer for the titles Jazz Jackrabbit 2, , and .
Even after his time at Epic Games, Jon continued to be a part of the Jazz Jackrabbit 2 online community, releasing several unofficial custom-made levels to the community. He was also a founder of the level design group concept within the Jazz 2 community, forming the level design group Mystic Legends; a Jazz 2 community level design group where all members would release their levels under this group-name.
When Epic Games decided to shift its focus away from the shareware model and concentrate solely on game design, Jon moved to the United States and for a time worked with MPath Interactive's Xtreme Network and GameSpy Industries on some of their high-profile gaming news websites.
Jon currently resides with his family in Sacramento, CA.


Vittore Grubicy de Dragon

Vittore Grubicy de Dragon (15 October 1851 – 4 August 1920) was an Italian painter, art critic and art gallery owner who was largely responsible for introducing into Italian painting the optical theories of Divisionism. His writings and paintings influenced a generation of late 19th-century Italian painters. In addition, the Grubicy Gallery became one of the first art enterprises to be run on the concept of exhibiting living artists that were represented as clients of the gallery.
Biography.
Grubicy grew up in a well-to-do family in Milan. Both of his parents were great art lovers, and from an early age he was introduced to the art circles in Milan and other European cities.
After his father died in 1870, Grubicy became involved with a bohemian group of Milanese artists, poets and writers known as the Scapigliatura, who sought to blur the differences between art and life. He was so taken with this new lifestyle that he convinced his brother Alberto to join him in buying an art gallery, which came to be known as the Galleria Fratelli Grubicy. His brother ran the financial aspects of the gallery while Vittore traveled throughout Europe looking for the newest art trends. Their gallery initially specialized in Scapigliatura artists such as Tranquillo Cremona and Daniele Ranzoni, but within a few years it began to feature newer Italian artists that included Giovanni Segantini, Emilio Longoni and Angelo Morbelli.
Between 1882 and 1885 Grubicy spent most of his time in the Netherlands, where he became friends with artists of the Hague School, especially Anton Mauve. Mauve strongly influenced Grubicy as an artist and in his critical approach to art. When he returned to Italy Grubicy encouraged the artists he represented to emulate the styles of Mauve and Mauve's cousin-in-law, Vincent van Gogh. Painter Emilio Longoni wrote, "Vittore Grubicy has brought Divisionism from abroad. He's having Segantini, Morbelli and me do it ourselves." Grubicy's passion for Divisionism was so strong that he convinced Segantini to rework an already finished painting, "Ave Maria by the Lake", in a Divisionist technique.
In 1886 Grubicy became the art critic for the newspaper "La Riforma", where for the next four years he used his position to further promote his artistic opinions. In that publication and in "Cronaca d'Arte", the most Italian important art review of the time, Grubicy wrote extensively about "the perception of light as the tool best able to translate onto canvas subjective emotions…"
In 1889 Vittore left the gallery business over conflicts with his brother, and he began to devote most of his time to his own painting and to writing about other artists. He continued to act as an independent talent scout, and in 1891 he helped organize the first large exhibition of Italian Divisionist painting at Milan's Brera Tiennale. Conservative art critics wrote scathing reviews of many of the works, but Grubicy wrote very positive reviews in several newspapers. One of the most important paintings shown at that exhibition was Gaetano Previati's "Maternity". In writing about this work Grubicy introduced the concept of Symbolism in Italian painting when he hailed the piece as embodying a new aesthetic which he called "mystico-ideist."
Grubicy also influenced his fellow artists through his compositions of multiple paintings arranged as triptychs and polyptychs. In the early 1890s he began planning a polyptych of sixteen panels under the title of "Winter in Miazzina". The work took shape as an interchangeable sequence of paintings that reflected his emotional experiences over the long winters at Miazzina on the shore of Lake Maggiore. Each canvas was subjected to continued revisions by Grubicy over many years, depending upon his mood and his interests. Finally, in 1911, the polyptych assumed its final form in an arrangement of only eight paintings that he called "Winter in the Mountains". In spite of all his work to create it, he did not exhibit it during his lifetime. It was first shown together at the Rome Biennale in 1921, the year after his death. After that the assemblage did not remain as a polyptych, and the individual paintings were sold to different collectors and museums. Grubicy took a photograph of the polyptych as he intended it to be seen, and based upon that image the work has been reassembled for several exhibitions since his death, most recently at the Kunsthaus Zürich in 2009.
His health deteriorated after 1910, and during the last decade of his life he had to give up painting altogether. He remained an active promoter of new artists during this period, especially Carlo Carrà, Pietro Angelini and Arturo Tosi.
Grubicy died at his home in Milan in 1920.


Alfred Sole

Alfred Sole (born July 2, 1943) is an American production designer, film director, producer and writer best known for directing such films as "Alice, Sweet Alice" (1976) and "Pandemonium" (1982). Prior to beginning his career in film, Sole worked as an architect. Since the 1990s, he has worked as a production designer on various television films and series, including "Veronica Mars" (2004–2007) and "Castle" (2009–2016).
Biography.
Sole was born July 2, 1943 in Paterson, New Jersey, where he was raised. He graduated from the University of Florence in Italy with a degree in architecture and spent his young adulthood working as an architect.
In 1972 Sole made his directorial debut on his erotic film "Deep Sleep". Even though the film made a budget of $25,000, the movie was pulled from theaters on charges that it was obscene, and all the prints were confiscated.
Sole's second feature, "Alice, Sweet Alice" fared better. The film was the feature debut of Brooke Shields, who appeared in a supporting part. The film initially did poorly in theaters due to spotty distribution. It was later rereleased in 1981 as "Holy Terror", marketing upon the popularity of Brooke Shields. "Alice, Sweet Alice" eventually proved to have an enduring popularity : in 2017, it was ranked the fourth-best slasher film of all time by "Complex" magazine.
Sole's next feature "Tanya's Island", starring Vanity, also did poorly in theaters. In 1982 his slasher film "Pandemonium" premiered. It was the last feature film Sole directed in his career. Since then, Sole has worked as a production designer for multiple TV movies and shows. He co-wrote two episodes of "Hotel" with Paul Monette. From 2009 to 2016, Sole served as the production designer for the network series "Castle".


Jack Emmert

Jack Emmert is an American game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games and computer games.
Career.
Jack Emmert had been playing "Champions" since it came out in 1981. Emmert spent his teenage years reading comic books and playing "AD&D". During his student years, Emmert wrote several pen and paper RPG supplements to make ends meet. After a lengthy stint in academia, Emmert co-founded Cryptic Studios. He designed the MMORPGs "City of Heroes" and "City of Villains". Emmert was the chief creative officer and directed the design of all games from Cryptic Studios, and was involved in the development of "Marvel Universe Online". Emmert and the rest of Cryptic later decided that "Champions" would be a great replacement for the Marvel Comics IP they had lost, thus Cryptic purchased the "Champions" game and the "Champions" universe from Hero Games in 2008. Emmert was the online producer for "Star Trek Online".
In March 2010, Bill Roper was promoted to chief creative officer, succeeding Emmert (who became the chief operations officer). In March 2011, Emmert was promoted to chief executive officer when John Needham left to pursue other opportunities in the gaming industry.
On June 8, 2016, Jack Emmert was made CEO of Daybreak Game Company Austin's Texas-based studio, as the head of the Daybreak Games studio responsible for the Action Combat MMORPG DC Universe Online (DCUO), Emmert will oversee all development in Austin and will report into Daybreak headquarters in San Diego.


Flag of Queensland

The state flag of Queensland is a British Blue Ensign with the state badge on a white disc added in the fly. The badge is a light blue Maltese Cross with an imperial crown in the centre of the cross. The flag dates from 1876, with minor variations, and the badge was designed by William Hemmant, the Colonial Secretary and Treasurer of Queensland in 1876.
Separation flag, 1859.
On 10 December 1859, "a light blue flag with a red St George's Cross and union in the corner" (now known as the Queensland Separation Flag) was flown in Brisbane at eight o'clock in the morning, to mark Queensland's separation from New South Wales.
1870 flag.
The State Flag was first created in 1870 with the Union Jack upon the royal blue background; however, the badge was not the current one. In its place was a profile of Queen Victoria on a blue disc surrounded by a white annulus on which the word "Queensland" was inscribed in gold.
1876 flag.
The next alteration occurred in 1876 as there were many complaints that the reproduction of Victoria's head was too difficult and a replacement was called for. Many complaints by State Officials were made, including the example below found in the Queensland State Archives.
The Treasury, Queensland
Brisbane, 15 March 1876,
Referring to the Circular Despatch of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated 23 August last, upon the subject of distinctive badges proposed for the Flags of several
Colonies, I have the honour to advise Your Excellency that the difficulty of producing upon
bunting a fair representation of the head or bust of Her Majesty has proved so great, and the
effect, when produced, so unsatisfactory, as to render it necessary to abandon the idea of using
that device for the Queensland Ensign, and I beg therefore to recommend that the
accompanying design, within a wreath of laurel, be adopted for the Flags of the Colony in lieu
of that formerly advised.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
(signed) N Hemmant
His Excellency
WW Cairns, Esq, CMG
Brisbane
The Maltese Cross impaled with the Crown was chosen out of four proposed designs to replace Victoria's head.
1901–1952 flag.
The final official alteration occurred in 1901 with the death of Queen Victoria. The change was in relation to the crown impaled upon the Maltese Cross; as Victoria and Edward VII had chosen different coronation crowns, the crowns upon the Badge also had to change. However over the years the monarchs of Australia have chosen differing coronation crowns and therefore, the crowns have unofficially kept up with each change.


Koakuma Ageha

Koakuma Ageha (, lit. "Little-devil Swallowtail ") is a gyaru fashion and lifestyle magazine published monthly in Japan. Targeted at females in their late teens and 20s, "Koakuma Ageha" caters to the styles of "Agejo" (a combination of ageha and ojousama, which means "young miss") and "hime-gyaru" (lit. "princess-gyaru"). It also incorporates different styles into the agejo style
"Koakuma Ageha" is noted for its significantly large circulation and its unique trait of relating to the hostess club (Japanese-style cabaret) culture, as it mainly targets women who work at hostess clubs as hostesses, and most of its models are hostesses who actually work at hostess clubs.
Sociologist Shinji Miyadai has described this magazine as a "textbook for hostesses". Some describe this magazine as the "bible for hostesses".
"Koakuma Ageha" ceased publication in April 2014 following the bankruptcy of its parent company, Inforest Publishing. It restarted in April 2015, on another publishing company Neko Publishing.
History.
"Koakuma Ageha" was first published under the name "Koakuma & Nuts" in October 2005 with a 27-year-old woman, Hisako Nakajo, who had been familiar with the gyaru scene, as its chief editor. "Koakuma & Nuts" was only a special edition of the dark-skin oriented "Happie Nuts" gyaru fashion magazine, but after publication of the second issue, it changed its name to "Koakuma Ageha" and became monthly in October 2006. Circulation was then around 220,000 but climbed to 350,000 by the end of 2008. Hisako Nakajo left "Koakuma Ageha", and its parent company Inforest Publishing, in November 2011.
Model and style.
"Koakuma Ageha"s exclusive models are called "Age-mo(s)", and its irregularly appearing models are called "Age-jo(s)". Most of them are active hostesses from various cities "of the night" all over the islands of Japan. Unlike the ones in "Happie Nuts", "Ageha" models are not required to be dark-skinned. Their unique styles of fashion is called "Ageha-kei" (lit. "Ageha-style"), which has become quite popular among women in their teens and 20s. Some explain the typical "Ageha-kei" style as an "evolved form of the gyaru style, grown in the cradle of the hostess club scene, with an essence of yanki". The Ageha style, as a lifestyle, is noted for its tendency to be "local-oriented", in contrast to most other fashion-based lifestyles which tend to be Tokyo-centric.
"Koakuma Ageha"'s uniqueness is also attributed to its tone; it features hostesses' lifestyles without romanticization, not just recounting the glamorous aspects, and although its main focus is, of course, fashion, it sometimes features the serious themes of "yami (simultaneously meaning "darkness " and "sickness ") in the human heart". Models talk actively about their "darksides" in their own way, and often reveal some "negative secrets" about their lives and pasts, such as the ones about delinquency, running away, hikikomori, bullying, betrayal, heartbreak, mental illness, trauma, suicide, self-image issue, sexuality, loneliness, abused childhood, domestic violence, and alcoholism. This is considered quite unique for a Japanese fashion magazine, as Japanese fashion magazines are in general relentlessly light-hearted from beginning to end.
Ageha models often garner an almost cult-like popularity and attract large amounts of media attention. Eri Momoka, known as "Momoeri", is an early example, and just like Momoka, who has her own brand "Moery", some Ageha models individually launch their own fashion brands. Sumire (1987–2009) launched her own fashion brand "Divas" and often introduced herself as the "Divas designer" during the last days of her life. Shizuka Mutoh, an irregularly appearing Ageha model, launched her own fashion brand "Rady" in 2008 and its monthly net earnings reached $1 million in April 2011.
Sister magazines.
"Ane Ageha".
"Ane Ageha" (, meaning "Older-sister Swallowtail") was first published in November 2010 under the name "Oneh-san Ageha" () as a special edition of "Koakuma Ageha", and it became independent in March 2011. "Ane Ageha" is a bi-monthly fashion and cosmetic magazine, and its target audience is females in their late twenties and older.
"Kimono Ageha".
"Kimono Ageha" () was first published in December 2010 as a special edition of "Koakuma Ageha". It is an irregularly published magazine specialized in kimono, and is modeled by "Koakuma Ageha" models.
"I Love Mama".
"I Love Mama" «stylized as "I LOVE mama"» was first published in September 2008 under the name "Mama Nuts × Ageha" as a special co-edition of "Koakuma Ageha" with "Happie Nuts". "Mama Nuts × Ageha" changed its name to "I Love Mama" and became monthly in March 2009. "I Love Mama" is a magazine especially for gyaru women who have gotten pregnant and become mothers (called "gyaru mama") — the first-ever magazine dedicated to gyaru-mamas.


Moore machine

In the theory of computation, a Moore machine is a finite-state machine whose output values are determined only by its current state. This is in contrast to a Mealy machine, whose (Mealy) output values are determined both by its current state and by the values of its inputs. The Moore machine is named after Edward F. Moore, who presented the concept in a 1956 paper, “Gedanken-experiments on Sequential Machines.”
Formal definition.
A Moore machine can be defined as a 6-tuple formula_1 consisting of the following:
A Moore machine can be regarded as a restricted type of finite-state transducer.
Visual representation.
Table.
State transition table is a table showing relation between an input and a state.
Diagram.
The state diagram for a Moore machine or Moore diagram is a diagram that associates an output value with each state.
Moore machine is an output producer.
Relationship with Mealy machines.
As Moore and Mealy machines are both types of finite-state machines, they are equally expressive: either type can be used to parse a regular language.
The difference between Moore machines and Mealy machines is that in the latter, the output of a transition is determined by the combination of current state and current input (formula_9 as the input to formula_10), as opposed to just the current state (formula_11 as the input to formula_10). When represented as a state diagram,
Every Moore machine formula_13 is equivalent to the Mealy machine with the same states and transitions and the output function formula_14, which takes each state-input pair formula_15 and yields formula_16, where formula_17 is formula_13's output function and formula_19 is formula_13's transition function.
However, not every Mealy machine can be converted to an equivalent Moore machine. Some can be converted only to an "almost" equivalent Moore machine, with outputs shifted in time. This is due to the way that state labels are paired with transition labels to form the input/output pairs. Consider a transition formula_21 from state formula_22 to state formula_23. The input causing the transition formula_21 labels the edge formula_25. The output corresponding to that input, is the label of state formula_22. Notice that this is the source state of the transition. So for each input, the output is already fixed before the input is received, and depends solely on the present state. This is the original definition by E. Moore. It is a common mistake to use the label of state formula_23 as output for the transition formula_21.
Examples.
Types according to number of inputs/outputs.
Simple.
Simple Moore machines have one input and one output:
Most digital electronic systems are designed as clocked sequential systems. Clocked sequential systems are a restricted form of Moore machine where the state changes only when the global clock signal changes. Typically the current state is stored in flip-flops, and a global clock signal is connected to the "clock" input of the flip-flops. Clocked sequential systems are one way to solve metastability problems. A typical electronic Moore machine includes a combinational logic chain to decode the current state into the outputs (lambda). The instant the current state changes, those changes ripple through that chain, and almost instantaneously the output gets updated. There are design techniques to ensure that no glitches occur on the outputs during that brief period while those changes are rippling through the chain, but most systems are designed so that glitches during that brief transition time are ignored or are irrelevant. The outputs then stay the same indefinitely (LEDs stay bright, power stays connected to the motors, solenoids stay energized, etc.), until the Moore machine changes state again.
Worked Example.
A sequential network has one input and one output. The output becomes 1 and remains 1 thereafter when at least two 0's and two 1's have occurred as inputs.
A moore machine with nine states for the above description is shown on the right. The initial state is state A, and the final state is state I. The state table for this example is as follows:
Complex.
More complex Moore machines can have multiple inputs as well as multiple outputs.
Gedanken-experiments.
In Moore's paper "Gedanken-experiments on Sequential Machines", the formula_29 automata (or machines) formula_11 are defined as having formula_31 states, formula_32 input symbols and formula_33 output symbols. Nine theorems are proved about the structure of formula_11, and experiments with formula_11. Later, "formula_11 machines" became known as "Moore machines".
At the end of the paper, in Section "Further problems", the following task is stated:
Another directly following problem is the improvement of the bounds given at the theorems 8 and 9.
Moore's Theorem 8 is formulated as:
Given an arbitrary formula_29 machine formula_11, such that every two of its states are distinguishable from one another, then there exists an experiment of length formula_39 which determines the state of formula_11 at the end of the experiment.
In 1957, A. A. Karatsuba proved the following two theorems, which completely solved Moore's problem on the improvement of the bounds of the experiment length of his "Theorem 8".
Theorem A. If formula_11 is an formula_29 machine, such that every two of its states are distinguishable from one another, then there exists a branched experiment of length at most formula_43 through which one may determine the state of formula_11 at the end of the experiment.
Theorem B. There exists an formula_29 machine, every two states of which are distinguishable from one another, such that the length of the shortest experiments establishing the state of the machine at the end of the experiment is equal to formula_43.
Theorems A and B were used for the basis of the course work of a student of the fourth year, A. A. Karatsuba, "On a problem from the automata theory", which was distinguished by testimonial reference at the competition of student works of the faculty of mechanics and mathematics of Moscow Lomonosow State University in 1958. The paper by Karatsuba was given to the journal "Uspekhi Mat. Nauk" on 17 December 1958 and was published there in June 1960.
Until the present day (2011), Karatsuba's result on the length of experiments is the only exact nonlinear result, both in automata theory, and in similar problems of computational complexity theory.
Further reading.
Moore-and-Mealy-Machine


Robert Leighton (cartoonist)

Robert Leighton is an American cartoonist, writer, artist, puzzle writer, illustrator, and humorist. He lives and works in New York City. His cartoons have appeared regularly in "The New Yorker" and other periodicals. In 1996, with Mike Shenk and Amy Goldstein, Leighton co-founded Puzzability, a puzzle-writing company. As part of Puzzability, Leighton has coauthored many books of puzzles, as well as puzzle-oriented Op-Ed pieces for "The New York Times".
Asked why he creates cartoons and puzzles, two apparently different kinds of work, Leighton replied: "I think a puzzle is like a cartoon, like a joke, because the puzzle is the setup and the solution is the punch line. A good puzzle keeps you in suspense while you’re working on it, like a cartoon. And the ‘aha!’ is the equivalent of the laugh when a joke is resolved.”
Cartooning.
Since 2002, Leighton has been a regular contributor of single-panel cartoons to "The New Yorker". He has also created comic strips and humorous illustrated puzzles. In 2006, with his partners at Puzzability, Leighton wrote "The New Yorker Book of Cartoon Puzzles and Games" which used approximately 700 New Yorker cartoons and their captions as the basis for a variety of puzzle types.
Work that Leighton both wrote and drew has also appeared in the "Wall Street Journal", "Games", "Nickelodeon Magazine", "Slate", and "SpongeBob Comics".
While he was at Northwestern University, Leighton wrote and drew a comic strip called "Banderooge". He also cofounded and edited the college humor magazine "Rubber Teeth."
Puzzle writing.
After Leighton graduated from college, he was interested in the possibility of finding employment as both a humor writer and illustrator, and so he went to work as an editor for "Games" magazine, which hired him on the basis of his humor writing; at that time he had no experience writing puzzles. After leaving Games magazine, he and Mike Shenk and Amy Goldstein, who also had both worked at Games, went on to form a puzzle company called Puzzability. As one of the three principals of Puzzability, Leighton has co-authored a number of puzzle books ranging from crosswords to puzzles for children:
Puzzle-based Alternate Reality Game.
In May 2014, Puzzability was hired by Campbell Ewald advertising agency to create an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) for the U.S. Navy’s cryptology division. The resulting puzzle-based game, "Project Architeuthis", won 11 advertising awards and resulted in a sequel, "Operation Sleeper Shark". Both games played out in real time on Facebook.
Humor writing.
Leighton's first published work appeared in "Bananas" magazine. This was edited by R. L. Stine, who went on to create the "Goosebumps" series of children's books. While at Northwestern University, Leighton cofounded and edited the college humor magazine "Rubber Teeth."
Leighton was a contributor of cartoons, puzzles, and other humorous articles to Nickelodeon Magazine for its entire run (1993–2009) as well as a contributing writer and editor at "National Lampoon" magazine in the early 90s.
Comedy writing.
Leighton did some TV comedy writing, including a CBS sitcom which was cancelled before his episode aired. He also wrote individual episodes for live action and animated cable shows including "Bear in the Big Blue House", Cartoon Network's "Ed, Edd N Eddy" and Nickelodeon's "The Off-Beats" with creator Mo Willems.
Illustrating.
Leighton has illustrated a number of books, including "What's Going on Down There?”, a book about puberty, and "Poop Happened! A History of the World From the Bottom Up", a book about human sanitation throughout history.
Other.
In the 1970s, Leighton made an appearance on the television program "To Tell the Truth", as the central character (himself, the real "Robert Leighton"). He and the two impostors stumped the panel of judges and shared the $500 prize money.


Maud and Miska Petersham

Maud Fuller Petersham (August 5, 1890 – November 29, 1971) and Miska Petersham (September 20, 1888 – May 15, 1960) were American writers and illustrators who helped set the direction for illustrated children's books as known today. The Petershams worked closely with such pioneering children's book editors as Louise Seaman Bechtel and May Massee, and with such innovative printers as Charles Stringer and William Glaser. They worked as a seamless partnership for more than five decades. Both prolific and versatile, they produced illustrations for more than 120 trade and textbooks, anthologies, and picture books. Of the 50 books they both wrote and illustrated, many were recognized with important awards or critical acclaim. They are known for technical excellence, exuberant color, and the introduction of international folk and modernist themes.
Early life.
Maud Fuller was born August 5, 1890 in Kingston, New York to a family with deep Yankee roots. Her mother was from the Sisson family, generations of Rhode Island Quakers. Her father descended from the physician on the "Mayflower". He was a Baptist minister who moved his family several times. The third of four daughters, Maud was graduated from Vassar College in 1912, and later studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art. While working at the International Art Service (IAS), a graphic design firm in New York City, she met her future husband, Miska Petersham.
Miska was born Petrezselyem Mihaly in Torokszentmiklos, Hungary, on September 20, 1888, the son of a carpenter and blacksmith. Miska studied at the Royal National School for Applied Arts in Budapest. He completed his studies in 1911 and moved first to London and within six months, travelling steerage, came to New York through Ellis Island in 1912. He quickly found work at the International Art Service, a graphic arts studio with modernist European style founded by Arthur Wiener.
Early career.
Maud and Miska met across the drawing board of the IAS studios, and married three years later in 1917. They moved to Greenwich Village in New York City. They obtained their first children's book work through Miska's Hungarian friend Willy Pogany, an established illustrator, and in a few years they had steady illustration commissions and were championed and encouraged by May Massee at Doubleday.
By 1923, they were established and able to buy land and build a house in Woodstock, New York, on the edge of the thriving Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony. Among the books they illustrated during this period were "A Child's Own Book of Verse" (Books I and II), Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories", Margery Clark's "The Poppyseed Cakes" and Johanna Spyri's "Heidi". The first book they both wrote and illustrated was "Miki", about their son, published in 1929. Maud later was to say, "At first we illustrated books written by others, but often we found no place in the text that lent itself to illustration, so we decided to plan a book of our own with both pictures and text."
The Petershams' work was recognized by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). Four of their books were selected for inclusion in the highly competitive AIGA exhibitions in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The titles so honored were "Nursery Friends from France", "Children of the Mountain Eagle", "Tales Told in Holland" and "Get-A-Way and Háry János". After the American Library Association established the annual Caldecott Medal for children's picture books in 1937, the Petershams were one of the runners-up for "An American ABC" in 1942 and they won the 1946 Medal. Today they may be known best as creators of that winning work, "The Rooster Crows" (Macmillan, 1945), a collection of American songs, rhymes, and games.
The Petershams had two children, Miki, and Elizabeth Petersham.
2012 exhibition.
October 6 to December 31, 2012, "Inspired by the North Light: Maud and Miska Petersham", Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Woodstock, NY.


Frederic Friedel

Frederic Alois Friedel, born in 1945, studied Philosophy and Linguistics at the University of Hamburg and in Oxford, graduating with a thesis on speech act theory and moral language. He started a university career but switched to science journalism, producing documentaries for German TV. He also joined the American sceptical society CSICOP (now the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry) and investigated/debunked several paranormal claims.
In the early 1980s he did a feature on computer chess and artificial intelligence, making friends with many top chess players in the process. In 1985 he met Garry Kasparov and soon after that co-founded the chess database company ChessBase.
From 1983 to 2004 he edited the biggest computer chess magazine in the world, "Computer-schach & Spiele", which recently became an online publication. Friedel served as an advisor to Kasparov during his matches with Deep Blue in 1996 and 1997.
Frederic has been in close contact with many of the world's top chess players, including Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik, Carlsen, Leko, Topalov, Svidler, Short, the Polgar sisters and many others. Today he spends most of his time editing the chess news page ChessBase.com.


Luca Tranchino

Luca Tranchino is an Italian production designer and art director. He has designed sets for movies such as "The Legend of Hercules" (2014), "Unfinished Business" (2015), "The Ottoman Lieutenant" (2017). As art director, he has worked on films such as "Gangs of New York" (2002), "Cold Mountain" (2003), "The Aviator" (2004), "Casanova" (2005), "Hugo" (2011), "To Rome with Love" (2012), "Seventh Son" (2015). In 2011 he has won The ADG Excellence in Production Design Award for a Period Feature Film, for "Hugo". In 2016 he has designed sets for the television drama "Prison Break".


Rush Rush Rally Racing

Rush Rush Rally Racing, also known as R4, is an independently developed, commercially released video game developed by Dutch studio Senile Team and published by RedSpotGames. It is a top-down 2D racing game for the Sega Dreamcast and Wii similar to "Micro Machines", an easy to pick up and play and hard to master type of racer.
Gameplay.
"Rush Rush Rally Racing" has several game play modes. The goal of the single player grand prix mode is to qualify each race by finishing third, second, or in first place. If the player qualifies the race, he will proceed to the next level. If the player doesn't qualify, he can retry the level until his continues run out. The Grand Prix mode consists of 10 levels, after which the player is rewarded with an ending sequence. However, if the player finishes in first place in all levels, an 11th level is unlocked, and other ending sequences are shown, depending on whether the player finishes first in this level also.
In the versus mode 2, 3, or 4 player can race against each other in a split screen mode. Nine levels are initially available for all multiplayer modes, in addition to the Grand Prix levels which can also be played. The item mode is the same as the versus mode, with the addition of various items that are scattered around the levels, such as oil slicks, super speed, invisibility, turn 180 degrees, etc. In the Get Ahead two player mode, the objective is to get so far ahead of your opponent that they disappear from the screen. Each time a player succeeds in doing so, they earn one token. The first player to earn 5 tokens is the winner.
Development.
Senile Team started the project as an entry for a coding competition sponsored by Lik Sang in 2006. They chose to make a racing game because they believed it could be completed in a short time span, would stand out from the competition as majority of Dreamcast games released post discontinuation were Puzzle or Shooters. Retro over the head racers such as "Combat Cars", "Micro Machines", and "Thrash Rally" were cited as influences for the game. Lik-Sang was forced out of business on October 24, 2006 due to multiple lawsuits by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe prior to the coding competition and Senile Team had prepared for the contest entry a minimal feature set: one player, one type of car.
Senile Team were proud with the work done on the game, however, it was not fit for publishing so they expanded upon the original idea and continued working. It took Senile Team three years to finish it. At Gamescom 2010, Senile Team and RedSpotGames announced the game for WiiWare, with 2 new modes (challenge and time attack), the game was playable at RedSpotGames' booth along with their other past and upcoming games.
Reception.
"Rush Rush Rally Racing" didn't receive many reviews due to the title's release on the Sega Dreamcast, which at the time of the game's release had been out of production for eight years. BeefJack gave the game a score of 8.8 out of 10, citing the focus on difficult gameplay which required multiple playthroughs, and high level of presentation for not only an indie game but a Dreamcast game in general, as highlights: "a steep learning curve that works in favour of the title. As you master these levels and progress through the challenge is constantly with you, always keeping the gameplay fresh and intense...Because of this races always remain highly enjoyable as even after repeated plays things here never become stale. It’s certainly a system that requires you give a little to get the most out of it, but it’s ultimately very rewarding".
The British magazine "GamesTM" praised Rush Rush Rally Racing as "One of the best multiplayer Dreamcast games ever made". The Australian video game talk show "Good Game"'s two reviewers gave the game a 4/10 and 5/10. Retro Gamer magazine awarded the game an 84% score, stating that "it does suffer from a high difficulty curve and certain tracks can be a little confusing on first play, but this remains a superb little racer."


Arrow keys

Arrow keys or cursor movement keys are buttons on a computer keyboard that are either programmed or designated to move the cursor in a specified direction.
The term "cursor movement key" is distinct from "arrow key" in that the former term may refer to any of various keys on a computer keyboard designated for cursor movement, whereas "arrow keys" generally refers to one of four specific keys, typically marked with arrows.
Arrow keys are typically located at the bottom of the keyboard to the left side of the numeric keypad, usually arranged in an inverted-T layout but also found in diamond shapes and linear shapes. Arrow keys are commonly used for navigating around documents and for playing games.
The inverted-T layout was popularized by the Digital Equipment Corporation LK201 keyboard from 1982.
Historical development.
Before the computer mouse was widespread, arrow keys were the primary way of moving a cursor on screen. Mouse keys is a feature that allows controlling a mouse cursor with arrow keys instead. A feature echoed in the Amiga whereby holding the Amiga key would allow a person to move the pointer with the arrow keys in the Workbench (operating system), but most games require a mouse or joystick. The use of arrow keys in games has come back into fashion from the late 1980s and early 1990s when joysticks were a must, and were usually used in preference to arrow keys with some games not supporting any keys. It can be used instead of WASD keys, to play games using those keys.
The inverted-T layout was popularized by the Digital Equipment Corporation LK201 keyboard from 1982.
Some Commodore 8-bit computers used two keys instead of four, with directions selected using the shift key.
The original Apple Macintosh had no arrow keys at the insistence of Steve Jobs, who felt that people should use the mouse instead. They were deliberately excluded from the Macintosh launch design as a forcing device, acclimating users to the new mouse input device and inducing software developers to conform to mouse-driven design rather than easily porting previous terminal-based software to the new platform. Arrow keys were included in later Apple keyboards. Early models with arrow keys but no middle section (Home, End, etc.) placed them in one line below the right-hand Shift key in an HJKL-like fashion; later versions had a standard inverted-T layout, either in the middle block or as half-height keys at the bottom right of the main keyboard.
Common Usages.
The arrow keys are used in many applications to do different things such as:
Alternative keys.
Although the "arrow keys" provide one convention for cursor movement on computers, there are also other conventions for cursor movement that use entirely different keys.
5678 keys.
This layout dates back to Sinclair ZX80, ZX81, and Spectrum home computer designs. These machines had number keys on the top row and various secondary functions for each, with ROM routines requiring simultaneous use of a shift key ( in particular from Spectrum onwards) to activate them. Cursor keys were those from to , and keyboard labelling included left-, down-, up-, and right-arrow labels printed directly above in a colour matching wording on the relevant shift key.
In some software for these machines (eg. games) the vanilla 5/6/7/8 keys were directly associated with direction control when they had no other purpose, as this meant less complicated keypress detection routines could be used.
Although the QL-style keyboard on later Spectrum + and + 128K models introduced various dedicated keys including arrow keys either side the space bar (left/right in a pair to its immediate left, and up/down to the immediate right) and removed related labels, there was no difference which of the alternatives were used as far as software was concerned.
WASD keys.
WASD (,AOE on Dvorak keyboards; ZQSD on AZERTY keyboards) is a set of four keys on a QWERTY or QWERTZ computer keyboards which mimics the inverted-T configuration of the arrow keys. These keys are most commonly used to control the player character's movement in computer games. / control forward and backward, while / control strafing left and right.
Primarily, WASD is used to account for the fact that the arrow keys are not ergonomic to use in conjunction with a right-handed mouse. During the early days of gaming, this was not a problem as the mouse was not utilised; the arrow keys controlled both movement as well as looking around , with strafing done through the use of modifier keys (usually + ). However, the introduction of mouselook, a system that allowed the ability to use the mouse to look around both vertically and horizontally, enabled the player to perform techniques such as smooth circle strafing, which, although possible with the keyboard, was difficult to perform and resulted in jagged movement. Since the mouse was now used for looking, the and keys for looking would be redundant and thus were altered to become strafe keys.
The style was popularized in competitive play in "Quake" and subsequently "QuakeWorld", notably by professional gamer Dennis Fong, where the advantages of WASD and mouselook were recognised over a purely keyboard-based control system. In the same year that "Castle Wolfenstein" was released, 1981, the game "Wizardry" used the AWD keys for movement in a 3D dungeon. Both the programmers of "Castle Wolfenstein" and "Wizardry" were users of the earlier PLATO system where the game "Moria" used the AWD keys.
Another advantage of WASD is that it allows the user to use the left hand thumb to press the bar (often the jump command) and the left hand little finger to press the or keys (often the crouch and/or sprint commands), as opposed to the arrow keys which lack other keys in proximity to press. and were chosen partly because they are larger keys and thus easier to hit, but primarily because in older systems the computer could only recognise a couple of alphanumeric key presses, a limitation circumvented by the use of modifier keys. In later games, the usage of the key to interact with items or open up the inventory was also popularized due to its location next to the WASD keys, allowing players to reach it quickly.
"Dark Castle" (1986) may be the first game to use WASD keys and mouse for control. "Half-Life" (1998) was one of the first games to use WASD by default. After being popularized by first-person shooters, WASD became more common in other computer game genres as well. Many of the games that have adopted this layout use a first-person or over-the-shoulder third-person perspective. Some games that use overhead camera views also use WASD to move the camera, such as some city-building games and economic simulation games.
ESDF keys.
The ESDF variation is an alternative to WASD and is sometimes preferred because it provides access to movement independent keys for the little finger (, , ) which generally allows for more advanced manual binding. Incidentally, it allows the left hand to remain in the home row with the advantage of the key home row marker (available on most standard keyboards) to easily return to position with the index finger.
Perhaps the earliest game to use ESDF was "Crossfire" (1981), which used the keys for firing in multiple directions. Dan "vise" Larsen from "Quake" Team Deathmatch clan "clan Kapitol" popularized ESDF versus "WASD", explaining that the player gains three additional keys to bind the "Quake" game's controls to. It is the default configuration for several games, such as "Tribes 2". The game "Blackthorne" used a combination of arrow keys for movement and ESDF for actions. Moreover, these keys are compatible with both "QWERTY" and "AZERTY" keyboard layouts, which is a major plus if the game is also released in France or Belgium.
Some players use RDFG or TFGH to give access to even more keys ( and for the little finger).
DCAS keys.
Another alternate to the WASD shooter movement style is DCAS (sometimes called ASDC). In this configuration, and control forward and backward motion, while and control side-stepping (strafing). Typically the key is utilized for crouching instead of the Ctrl key, as it is more easily reached when the hand is positioned for DCAS.
When Bungie's first-person shooter "Marathon" was released in 1994, it featured up/down look control and the option to fully control turning and aiming by mouse (a feature later popularized by id's "Quake" as mouselook/freelook). However, it did not include a set of default controls to handle this. With WASD not yet a well-known standard, some gamers devised their own control schemes to handle combined keyboard movement with mouse aiming; DCAS was one such control scheme.
Like WASD, DCAS allows the player to easily utilize the left modifier keys; this is advantageous because on most keyboards, the circuitry is better at tracking multiple key-presses simultaneously if some of them are modifier keys. But unlike WASD, the position of the left hand for DCAS gaming is very similar to the left hand's position on the home row keys. This is very comfortable for right-handed gamers and seen as the primary advantage over using WASD, but it is ill-suited for left-handed mousing.
IJKL keys.
Two early games that used IJKL were "Crossfire" (1981) and "Lode Runner" (1983).
IJKL is used by a growing number of browser games. These games cannot use the arrow keys because many browsers' windows will scroll if the arrow keys are used, thus hindering gameplay. This is a problem specific to DHTML/JavaScript games. IJKL, like WASD, are arranged in an ergonomic inverted T shape, and, since they are used by the right hand, adjustment is easy for people who commonly use the arrow keys.
Also, in many games that also use the WASD keys, the IJKL keys are sometimes used as a secondary player control for games that have multiplayer.
"Devil May Cry 4" by Capcom utilizes IJKL as the player's action keys (such as Melee Attack, Ranged Attack, Special Attack etc.) as an alternative to mouse-driven actions.
IJKM keys.
Some older computer games, especially those on 8-bit platforms, often had the combination IJKM used as the standard control key combination, which was more logically arranged, if far less ergonomic than an inverted-T. In addition, on the Apple II platform, special support existed in ROM for Escape mode. At the Applesoft BASIC prompt, using the right and left arrow keys to move the cursor would add/remove characters the cursor passed over to/from the input buffer. Pressing the Escape key entered a mode where pressing the , , or keys would move the cursor without altering the input buffer. After exiting this mode by pressing Escape again, normal behavior would resume. This made it easy to edit lines of BASIC code by listing them, then re-inputting them with edits interspersed.
AZ keys.
The Apple II and Apple II Plus originally had left and right arrow keys but no up and down arrow keys. Many programs written for these computers used and to substitute for the missing up and down keys. The IJKM combination was also popular on these computers. These keys fell somewhat out of favor after the release of the Apple IIe, which had a full set of arrow keys.
HJKL keys.
HJKL is a layout used in the Unix computer world, a practice spawned by its use in the vi text editor. The editor was written by Bill Joy for use on a Lear-Siegler ADM-3A terminal, which places arrow symbols on these letters since, it did not have dedicated arrow keys on the keyboard. These correspond to the functions of the corresponding control characters , , , and when sent to the terminal, moving the cursor left, down, up, and right, respectively. (The and functions were standard, but the interpretations of and were unique to the ADM-3A.) This key arrangement is often referred to as "vi keys". HJKL keys are still ubiquitous in newly developed Unix software even though today's keyboards have arrow keys. They have the advantage of letting touch-typists move the cursor without taking their fingers off of the home row. Examples of games that use HJKL are the text-based "graphic" adventures like "NetHack", the "Rogue" series, and "Linley's Dungeon Crawl". It is also used by some players of the "Dance Dance Revolution" clone StepMania, where HJKL corresponds directly to the order of the arrows. Gmail, Google labs' keyboard shortcuts and other websites use J and K for "next" and "previous".
SDF-SPACE and ASD-SPACE.
Another old-style variation that spawned from games like "Quake" was the SDF-SPACE layout. In this layout, = turn left, = forward, = turn right, space = backpedal, = strafe left and = strafe right. This layout allows the player to aim with the mouse while strafing (sidestepping), turning and running or backpedalling all at once creating slightly more complex movements. This variation is not favoured any longer for two main reasons. First, because many players deem the turn commands useless because the mouse can act as a turning device, and so they assign and to the sidestep commands and leave the turn commands unassigned. The second, and probably more prominent reason is, in assigning both the turn and strafe commands, performing movements and dodges can be much more confusing, so newcomers tend to not prefer this key setup. Though no longer widely used, many FPS veterans and tournament players still employ this key setup.
This variant adopted to newer games using mouse-look doesn't really need worry about the turn left and turn right keys. Instead = strafe left, = strafe right, = backpedal, and space or = forward. This is a more natural feel on the keyboard as your fingers rest on the home row. The comfort and usability points from ESDF apply here. Notice that jump is left out, that is because in games like Quake jump was usually MOUSE2. With more alternate fire and aim-down-sights oriented games today you may have to play with , SPACE, and MOUSE2 on what you want them to do.
A similar layout is ASD-SPACE. Commonly used in 2D-based fighting games, ASD-SPACE maps , , and to "left", "down", and "right" movement, while the spacebar is used for "up" (jumping). This allows an easier access to "360 degree" motions than a normal inverted-T layout, as well as being more ergonomic than simply placing all directions in a single row (ex. ASDF). There is even a "stickless" arcade controller based around the concept, called the Hitbox.
WQSE keys.
Another, close, variation is the WQSE combination, which follows the belief that the index and ring fingers' natural and more ergonomic positions when the middle finger is on are and rather than and , respectively. This can be attested to by the fact that the arrow keys were partly designed in the inverted-T shape in order to avoid having the side buttons possibly directly underneath other keys. It also has the advantage that there is less distance needed to travel to reach the number keys. For similar reasons, some gamers use the WQSD combination (which is WASD with the key moved up to , or WQSE with the moved down to ). For players who prefer to keep the keyboard centered on the body, this results in less wrist rotation, as it places the index finger naturally over the key when the left arm rests down to the left of the keyboard. Another variation is EWDF, which is the same shifted right one key, as in ESDF. SAZD is a slight variation on WQSE and WQSD, in that it is both ergonomic and rotated, but gives the fingers closer proximity to the and SPACE keys.
QAOP keys.
QAOP, sometimes also called OPQA, dates back to Sinclair Spectrum days. The O/P keys were used for left/right movement, and the Q/A keys were used for up/down or forward/backwards movement. With SPACE being a key in the bottom right of the original rubber keyed Spectrum the or sometimes key would be used for fire/action; on later models the SPACE bar would be used.
QAOP had its own variations, as ZXKM or WELP. Many BBC Micro games used the keys ZX*? respectively for left, right, up, and down (with "*" being the key above and right of "?", where "@" is on modern UK keyboards). In each case, one hand controls left/right, and the other hand controls up/down movement. A further variation is used when two players use the keyboard at the same time; for example, "Gauntlet" uses the combination 1QSD for Player 1, and 8IKL for Player 2.
ESDX keys.
The ESDX keys (known as the "cursor movement diamond") were used in the WordStar word processor and related applications, in combination with the Control key.
These keys were also used, and had arrows printed on them, on the TI-99/4(A) computer (1979-1984).
Numpad keys.
The numpad or number pad keys are used quite often, but is used mostly in driving simulator games. This is mainly because these games usually have quite a large number of keys needed to control the vehicle properly and the number pad will have plenty of keys for that particular use. Another reason this is commonly used is because left-handed players will find this a more comfortable position than the IJKL keys (see above), and the number pad has fewer keys around it, thus it is less likely the player will hit the wrong key by mistake.
WAXD (including QEZC).
Another variation is WAXD, using either 4 or 8 keys surrounding the "s" key. Eight directional arrows were printed on the keysets of PLATO terminals developed in the 1960s and 70s, and many games (including Empire, Dogfight, and more than a dozen dungeon games such as Avatar) utilize this layout. The TUTOR language display editor, character set (bitmap) editor, and line set editor also use these keys on that system and its successors. For ballistic targeting, key combinations (e.g. "we", "de", etc.) are used to get angles in multiples of 22.5 degrees. In many programs the "s" key is often used to either "select" or "shoot", depending upon the application.
This layout also appears on the numeric keypads of some keyboards, using 8462 (including 7913).
Less common variations.
Vaguely related is the ZXC layout, used in many freeware games, and a common setup for emulation and older 2D gaming using a keyboard.
A few games from the 1980s, such as the Phantasie series, used the "3WES" layout, which forms a diamond on QWERTY keyboards. In this layout, three of the four keys happen to correspond to the compass directions "West", "East" and "South". These games usually assigned both "N" and "3" to "North".
AZERTY users will use the "ZQSD" combination instead of "WASD", since those are the keys in place of WASD on a QWERTY keyboard. Depending on the configuration, "QAOP" may either still work or be vertically inverted. On the Dvorak keyboard layout, "WASD" is ",AOE".
Left-handed players may use the numeric keypad instead.
A somewhat uncommon variant is YGHJ which while requiring the keyboard to be turned slightly clockwise, can result in the thumb resting comfortably upon the right key and the little finger resting on . This can be useful in games that utilize both jump and sprint functions as it allows the fingers to rest on smaller keys than and Space. The YGHJ configuration also places the hand closer to the center of the QWERTY section of the keyboard, potentially opening up the entire board to custom keybindings.
The game QWOP uses the control scheme "QWOP" to control Qwop's arms and legs. the and keys control Qwop's thighs while the and keys control Qwop's calves making an intentionally difficult control system as a result.
Layouts such as Shift Z Ctrl X, where is up and is down, allow all direction keys to be used in any combination, without the delay of changing finger position. But the use of modifier keys can be problematic, as some games do not allow mapping of these keys.


Spring Integration

Spring Integration is an open source framework for enterprise application integration. It is a framework that builds upon the core Spring framework. It is designed to enable the development of integration solutions typical of event-driven architectures and .
Spring Integration is part of the Spring portfolio.


Ken Robinson (computer scientist)

Kenneth ("Ken") Arthur Robinson (30 July 1938 – 5 September 2020) was an Australian computer scientist. He has been called "The Father of Formal Methods in Australia".
Ken Robinson was born in 1938. He received his BE degree in Electrical Engineering in 1959 and a BSc degree in Physics & Mathematics in 1961, both from the University of Sydney.
Robinson worked at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) from 1965 to 2012, initially in the Department of Electronic Computation under Professor Murray Allen. During 1987–1989 he was Head of the Department of Computer Science and during 1996–2000 he was Head of the Department of Software Engineering. He held visiting positions in the United Kingdom at the University of Southampton (1978–79), the Programming Research Group at Oxford University as a Visiting Fellow at Wolfson College (1985–86), the Oxford University Computing Laboratory and B-Core (1999), and Royal Holloway College (University of London) and the University of Surrey (2003).
In 1971, Robinson's courses in computer science included ALGOL W (from Stanford University), WATFOR (a student version of FORTRAN from the University of Waterloo), Plago (PL/I for students, from Brooklyn), SNOBOL (from Bell Labs), and IBM System/360 assembly language. The latter used an assembler program written by Robinson since the IBM assembler was too slow for student use.
In 1974, the Department of Computer Science at UNSW had a PDP-11/40 minicomputer from Digital Equipment Corporation, used for teaching and administration. Ken Robinson wrote to Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs requesting a copy of the Unix operating system. This arrived in 1975, making UNSW the first university outside the United States to run Unix regularly.
Robinson's later research and teaching was especially centred around formal methods, particularly the B-Method, Event-B, and the Rodin tool.
Robinson designed the initial BE Software Engineering program at UNSW and with the program coordinator subsequently. He also initiated the BE Computer Engineering program. In 1990, he received the University of NSW Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence.
Ken Robinson died on 5 September 2020. He was married with a family.


Sally Carns

Sally Carns Gulde is a graphic designer.
A native of Oklahoma and a graduate of Wheaton College, Carns designs art and packaging for the Nashville music industry. In 1999, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presented Carns with a Grammy Award for her design of the album "Ride with Bob" by country swing band Asleep at the Wheel. Her work has been featured in numerous design magazines (PRINT, Communication Arts, HOW), won local, regional and national ADDY's, and nominated for a DOVE award.


List of video game designers

This is a list of notable video game designers, past and present, in alphabetical order. The people in this list already have Wikipedia entries, and as such did significant design for notable computer games, console games, or arcade games. It does not include people in managerial roles (which often includes titles like "Producer" or "Development Director") or people who developed a concept without doing actual design work on the game itself (sometimes applicable to "co-creator" or "creator" roles). Just because a game is listed next to a designer's name does not imply that person was the sole designer. As with films, the credits for video games can be complicated.


Bruno Rubeo

Bruno Rubeo (26 October 1946 – 3 November 2011) was a production designer, known for his multiple collaborations with film directors Oliver Stone and Taylor Hackford.
Biography.
He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film "Driving Miss Daisy".
Rubeo died of pneumonia on 3 November 2011 at the city hospital in Foligno, Italy. He is survived by his wife, a highly acclaimed costume designer, and a son, who is also an art director.


Status effect

In role-playing games, a status effect is a temporary modification to a game character’s original set of stats that usually comes into play when special powers and abilities (such as spells) are used, often during combat. It appears in numerous computer and video games of many genres, most commonly in role-playing video games. The term "status effect" can be applied both to changes that provide a character an advantage (increased attributes, defensive barriers, regeneration), and those that hinder the character (decreased attributes, incapacitation, degeneration).
Especially in MMORPGs, beneficial effects are referred to as buffs, and hindering effects are called debuffs.
Acquiring and removing status effects.
A status effect in the abstract is a persistent consequence of a certain in-game event or action, and as such innumerable variants exist across the gaming field. Status effects may result from one character performing a certain type of attack on another. Players may acquire status effects by consuming items, casting spells on themselves or each other, activating devices in the world, interacting with NPCs, or remaining in a particular location. Meeting certain criteria may result in the character acquiring a condition, which can have a status effect associated with it; for example: if their hunger level is high they may acquire a 'starving' condition, which produces a status effect that reduces their health regeneration. Some games offer permanent status effects which persist for an entire level and act as modifications to the game's native difficulty.
The process of removing a status effect varies as widely as the effects themselves. Some status effects expire after a certain amount of time has elapsed. Most games contain items capable of healing specific status effects, or rarer items which can heal all of them. Many games also include magic spells that can eliminate status effects. Status effects are often removed at the end of a battle or once the originating enemy is defeated, however some may persist until they are explicitly cured. Games which allow players to rest may remove some status effects when that action is taken. If a game has multiple classes, one will often be a class capable of healing, who will have a greater ability to remove negative status effects than other classes.
In addition, many games have weapons, armor, or other equipment that can mitigate status effects or prevent a character from getting one in the first place. Depending on the game, some increase the chance to escape suffering the effect each time the player may potentially receive it, while others grant complete immunity. However, sometimes the equipment that is resisting an effect, will in exchange, as a penalty, increase vulnerability against a different effect, offering the player the opportunity to make tactical choices.
Buffs and debuffs.
In many MMORPGs, the terms buff and debuff are commonly used to describe status effects. Some spells or powers may debuff an enemy while buffing an ally at the same time.
Buffs.
"Buff" is the term generically used to describe a positive status effect that affects mainly player or enemy statistics (usually cast as a spell). Examples of buffs include:
Debuffs.
"Debuffs" are effects that may negatively impact a player character or a non-player character in some way other than reducing their hit points. Some examples of debuffs are:
There are countless other debuffs, depending on the game played, though all share the same concept: to make a certain target less powerful in one or more aspects. Both buffs and debuffs are generally of a temporary nature, wearing off after a certain period of time.
Auras.
Many modern real-time strategy games have hero units, single units that are powerful, but limited in number (usually only one of a single type allowed). In addition to their normally very high stats, many heroes also have auras which confer beneficial status effects or attribute bonuses to any friendly units that enter within a certain radius of the hero. This makes the hero unit an important factor in an engagement as, in addition to their formidable combat skills and powerful abilities, they also make the units around them more effective.
Some heroes and spellcaster units can also confer or inflict buffs, debuffs, and other status effects to units as spells.


Claire Pratt

Mildred Claire Pratt (18 March 1921 – 5 April 1995) was a Canadian artist, poet and editor who published as Claire Pratt.
Biography.
Pratt was born in Toronto, Ontario on March 18, 1921, the only daughter of Viola Whitney, an editor of the magazine "World Friends", and poet E. J. Pratt.
Pratt contracted polio at the age of 4 and later developed osteomyelitis, an inflammatory disease of the bone. This affected her for most of her life.
She received degrees in English and Philosophy from Victoria College, University of Toronto, with a gold medal. She then studied international relations at Columbia University, and art at the Boston Museum of Fine Art among other schools. She went on to become an editor for Macmillan Canada, the University of Toronto Press, and Harvard University Press, and senior editor at McClelland & Stewart from 1956-1965. She retired due to her health issues in 1964, although continued to freelance for various publishing houses. She continued her art studies in Toronto and Massachusetts. She published "Silent Ancestors" in 1971. This genealogical essay is a tribute to the descendants of the Pratt family, originally from Yorkshire, who settled in Newfoundland.
Pratt's art consisted largely of woodcuts, and there were exhibitions of her graphic art across North America and in Europe. Her interest in Japanese graphics stimulated an interest in haiku. Her work in this style was widely published, often with her own illustrations. Her work was also inspired by her father's poetry, and she use excerpts from his poems in many of her Christmas cards. She also explored the themes and imagery of E. J. Pratt's work in various works.


UltraPin

UltraPin is a Multi-Game pinball arcade game that holds 12 digital recreations of Williams Electronics real pinball games in a single pinball cabinet. UltraPin is built in a traditional style pinball cabinet to look and feel like a real pinball machine. It has two LCD screens, a 19 inch LCD for the back glass and DMD, and a 32 inch LCD for the playfield, and it uses Windows XP Embedded for its operating system.
History.
David R. Foley had the original idea for UltraPin and began research on the idea in the beginning of 2000. In 2004 he discovered a motion controller chip that enabled the idea of a player being able to nudge and bump the ball in play which is unique to any digital pinball game before its time. In 2005 David began development on the UltraPin project with Aaron Hightower under David´s company UltraCade Technologies. The development team at UltraCade Technologies created a patch for the existing Visual Pinball engine to use a new custom Physics Engine created by Buen Diseno and some new rendering features, based on DirectX 7. UltraPin also used a customized version of Visual PinMAME to emulate the hardware of various pinball games.
In 2006 UltraCade Technologies was sold to Global VR and the UltraPin project continued development under Global VR. A new development team was assigned to the UltraPin project along with a new producer Brian Matthews. Brian used the original software from UltraCade Technologies and lead his team to fine tune the physics engine and game play to adhere to the strict game play standards set forth by Roger Sharpe of Williams Electronics pinball division. Williams Electronics had final approval of the UltraPin project and how each of the games played in UltraPin before the game could be sold. In 2007 UltraPin was approved by Williams Electronics to be sold to the public. HyperSpin later released an emulation frontend for the UltraPin named HyperPin.
In 2010, the source code of this updated Visual Pinball version (by then 9.0.7) was released under a license that allows free use for non-commercial purposes.
Costs.
On June 4, 2007 Global VR announced that they will offer UltraPin Video Pinball at a significantly lower price. Additionally, the base unit included twelve of the most highly recognizable pinball games, as opposed to six previously. This 12 game package included a flipper feedback board. This consisted of one printed circuitboard and wires to connect to the main flipper buttons. The flipper feedback kit used two solenoids on a new lockdown bar which strike the metal whenever the flipper buttons are pressed to give the impression that the flippers are real. The impact adds noise to the flipper presses, and the force causes a slight cabinet shake with each strike. Also the 12-game package revision included "Tournament Mode" for the frontend.
On February 1, 2008 Global VR announced a special pricing package for UltraPin, offering all 12 games and the machine for US$3500 + tax + $500 shipping for VPForums members.
On December 1, 2009 NanoTech Entertainment announced the Ultimate UltraPin Upgrade allowing owners to upgrade their machines to use both the original UltraPin software and adding to it additional support for other Pinball engines and games adding a new frontend package.
Features.
The game has a lock down bar and a pane of glass like a real game.
The tilt sensitivity can be set as well as how much the ball moves from nudging.
2 coin slots, coin door, and bay areas for 2 types of expansion dollar bill acceptors (was sold separately).


Boris Leven

Boris Leven (in early movies – "Boris Levin"; August 13, 1908 – October 11, 1986) was a Russian-born Academy Award-winning art director and production designer whose Hollywood career spanned fifty-three years.
Born in Moscow in the family of Israel Levin and Zinaida Narkirier, Leven emigrated to the United States in 1927 and became a naturalized citizen in 1938. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in architecture from the University of Southern California, he attended the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in New York City.
Leven began his film career as a sketch artist at Paramount Pictures in 1933 and joined 20th Century Fox three years later. His first screen credit was as the art director for "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1938), for which he received the first of nine Oscar nominations.
The designs Leven created over the years ranged from realistic to highly stylised. For "Giant" (1956), he constructed the Victorian home that sits isolated in a wide expanse of open field, which became an iconic image for the film. His work for "West Side Story" (1961), which won him the Academy Award for Best Color Art Direction, included actual New York City locations combined with a tenement rooftop and fire escape, inspired by the more abstract stage production, that were built on a soundstage. For "New York, New York" (1977), he created a fantasized version of Manhattan set in the 1940s.
As an art director, Leven contributed to "The Flying Deuces" (1939), "Hello Frisco, Hello" (1943), "Invaders from Mars" (1953), "The Silver Chalice" (1954), and "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (1973), among others. His credits as production designer include "Donovan's Brain" (1953), "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959), "Two for the Seesaw" (1962), "The Sand Pebbles" (1966), "The Sound of Music" (1965), "Star!" (1968), "The Andromeda Strain" (1971), "Mandingo" (1975), "The Last Waltz" (1978), "The King of Comedy" (1982), "Fletch" (1985) and "The Color of Money" (1986).
Leven married Vera Glooshkoff on February 8, 1946. He died in Los Angeles, California. Vera Leven died at the age of 101 in June 2011. Prior to her death, she had passed several of Boris Leven's paintings and film drawings to the University of Southern California and New York City's Museum of Modern Art.