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rebelsofshield · 4 years

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Star Wars: The Clone Wars: “Old Friends Not Forgotten” -Review

The years awaited finale to Star Wars: The Clone Wars explodes onto screen in a fantastically cinematic episode that ranks as the best of the season and one of the strongest installments of the series.

(Review contains episode spoilers)

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The Clone Wars are raging. The Jedi and their loyal clones are sent out to the far reaches of the galaxy to fend off a wave of invasions by General Grievous. Midway through the defense of the planet Yerbana, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi receive word from Ahsoka Tano and her new Mandalorian allies that Maul might be finally vulnerable to capture. With a limited window of time, the plea is made for the Republic to assist in a siege of the Mandalorian capital of Sundari. However, when a surprise attack is made on the planet of Coruscant, Obi-Wan and Anakin must make a difficult decision about loyalty.

Wow. Any concerns about the potential aimlessness of this final season of The Clone Wars are more or less evaporated in this thrilling half hour of television. Never before has Star Wars animation seemed more cinematic and confident than in “Old Friends Not Forgotten.” From the first frame that opens up with the classic Lucasfilm logo to the sweeping musical score to the fantastically layered and complex action sequences, The Clone Wars finale feels like an experience meant to be on part with the most grand of the franchise’s big screen counterparts. There is quite simply nothing else like this and the idea that we are only one fourth into this final adventure is nothing less than thrilling.

There’s quite simply just so much to talk about in “Old Friends Not Forgotten.” It feels like an intense labor of love from all involved and not a moment is wasted in the episode’s extended runtime. Dave Filoni’s script is perfectly paced, tonally varied, and emotionally nuanced.

On its most basic level, it’s impressive how much the set up and execution of The Siege of Mandalore really does feel like the culmination of the series’ many different themes and plotlines. It’s an organic amalgamation of everything that has come before and feels surprisingly more inevitable than you would expect. It’s honestly an impressively large amount of storytelling ground to cover as The Siege of Mandalore not only has to offer closure to Ahsoka’s story arc, but also Maul’s, Mandalore’s, and Anakin and Obi-Wan’s, while also tying into arguably the darkest point in Star Wars history.

It’s ultimately Ahsoka that ends up being the star here and rightfully so. Filoni smartly positions her as fully jaded of the Jedi’s role in the war and galactic politics and her support for Bo-Katan and her people feels born out of a want to help the needy and to direct her talents and powers to those that actually need her assistance (even if her determination to assist Bo-Katan still feels a tad flimsy). It’s a smart evolution of her story arc and seeing her lead a crusade to help others independent of Anakin or the Republic feels like the right step for her character. It also creates an interesting hypocrisy in her. Anakin and Obi-Wan’s want for caution in assistance for Ahsoka’s mission to not only to protect existing treaties with Mandalore but to also make sure that they are available to help other planet’s in need like Coruscant, feels grounded in a certain logic that makes sense. Sure, Obi-Wan may be too cautious and may be slowly slipping away from the compassion that always defined his character, but their decision to play things careful feels logical. Ahsoka’s rejection may not be, but it’s fitting for her character. It makes sense that after her ordeals that she wouldn’t see the judgement of the Jedi Council to be worth a damn. There’s a recklessness to her resolve that feels classically in tune with her character even if she has evolved to a more capable role than ever. Considering what is about to happen, it could be argued that Ahsoka’s involvement could in fact have disastrous consequences for the people that she is trying to protect, but we will have to wait and see. Maybe, I’m reading too much into this. Who knows. Prove me right, Dave.

The entire sequence of Ahsoka’s reunion and bargaining with Anakin and Obi-Wan is some of the smartest writing and voice acting that this series has done. Obi-Wan’s pained defense of his feelings for Satine to Bo-Katan feels like the right culmination of his character here. He’s still a compassionate and human character, arguably more so than any of the other traditional Jedi, but at this point he’s as caught in the cogs of the Republic war machine as anyone. Anakin’s eager want for reconciliation carries an emotional heart to it that is hard not to fall for. This is a moment that he has been waiting for for some time and Matt Lanter sells Anakin’s bargaining for some kind of resolution between him and his former apprentice with intense sincerity. Considering the awful acts that are about to happen, there’s a heartbreaking tragedy hanging over it all. Perhaps most impressive is the nuanced emotional state given to Ahsoka. There’s definitely a want to reconnect with Anakin and his gestures of good will are accepted, but there is a hurt there that isn’t mended. Ashley Eckstein sells her dialogue here with a sense of reticence and conflict. She can recognize that there is a bond there between her and Anakin, but it’s not one that is going to heal anytime soon.

It also makes perfect sense that it would ultimately be Rex that Ahsoka feels the most comfortable with at this point. It’s easy to see Rex as playing as much as a conflicted role in the war as she is and his connection to the larger Republic institution or the Jedi Order is tertiary. There is a bond here that feels trusting and still strong and it’s sweet to see the affection between both characters.

The fact that director Saul Ruiz and Filoni allow so much time for this sort of character interaction is a testament to the stellar pacing in “Old Friends Not Forgotten.” It’s a smart sequence of scenes that offers much of the emotional closure and connective tissue that fans have been clamoring for for years.

If the first half of “Old Friends Not Forgotten” was heavy on character, Ruiz kicks into high gear with the second half. The raid on Mandalore contains some of the most spectacular and larger than life action that the show has ever realized. The airborn battle between Republic drop ships, Mandalorian starfighters, jet packed Bo-Katan loyalists versus Maul’s men, and Ahsoka hopping from ship to ship is complex and cluttered with moving parts. It could have easily been a chaotic mess, but the direction here is fluid and exciting. The scale and violence of the conflict is sold without sacrificing character and coherence and there is likely no moment more cheer worthy in this series than Ahsoka’s thrilling descent to the landing platforms of Sundari.

It’s also impressive just how much of the complex political situation on Mandalore is kept intact. I was almost worried that the delightfully slimy Prime Minister Almec or the loyally fluid Gar Saxon would sit this one out, but they get their time to shine just as much as our heroes. Given the context of past season’s stories on Mandalore and taking account the larger story of this planet in Rebels and The Mandalorian, it really feels like no balls were left in the air. This is a pivotal moment for many characters and factions in the history of the saga and it’s nice to see that none of this was brushed aside.

The only clunky area for “Old Friends Not Forgotten” is the handling of Maul’s larger scheme. While the idea that the Siege of Mandalore was developed as a last ditch effort to trap Obi-Wan to exact revenge is a smart twist in the overall narrative, it’s hard not to feel that there are some rough edges around the handling of Maul’s status at the start of this episode. There was really never going to be a way to explain away the events of the Son of Dathomir in the context of the series. Covering it in a traditional Clone Wars style recap would be clunky and unneeded and retconning it would do no good for anyone. For viewers of the show only, it basically reads that Palpatine arrived to stop Maul’s operation on this planet only for him to end up exactly where he started. It’s more than a little awkward and head scratching. Maybe we will get some descriptive dialogue somewhere down the line, but I can imagine some series only fans being more than a little put off by this development.

“Old Friends Not Forgotten” ends on one of the most thrilling cliffhangers in the history of the saga. There is quite simply so much at stake and given the absolutely stellar execution of this first chapter, it’s hard not to count the minutes until the next chapter drops. For all the awkward roads here and all of the tragedy that is about to follow, The Clone Wars looks to end on a high note. Thank goodness.

Score: A

#Star Wars #The Clone Wars #Clone Wars #Star Wars: The Clone Wars #review #reviews #Ahsoka Tano #The Siege of Mandalore

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theavengerfairy · 4 years

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One Step Closer - Chapter 4

Previously known as “Gravity”

Aaravos adored games, especially when those games involved real risks and consequences. Every sparkling fiber of his being would vibrate with excitement as he carefully ushered each pawn into place to create a grand masterpiece that he alone could see unfolding. At times, one of those pawns might start to shift out of alignment, operating of its own accord instead of by the will of its master, but it never took more than a few polished half-truths to lure the insurgent back into place. Patience was the key to success, and if being imprisoned for longer than he cared to calculate had taught him anything, it was patience.

Things may have seemed placid in Viren's cell, but as his grub-like vassal clung to the shell of the mage's ear, Aaravos sensed that the castle was still abuzz even at this late hour. He could feel the reverberations of marching feet through the stone floor and walls, and he could faintly hear the whispering of a gentle wind overtop of Viren's muffled snores. Most importantly, however, he could sense the baleful nip tainting the air as something wicked steadily closed in on the dungeon where it sensed its master's presence.

"It would seem that your phantoms have returned." he crooned smoothly, fully aware that Viren could not hear him from the realm of dreams. "Do not fret. I will take care of everything."

Peeling itself off of Viren's ear, the little caterpillar inched its way across the mage's cot and then up the cell wall until he reached the grate in the ceiling. After wiggling through with ease, it only had to wait a moment or so in the deserted courtyard above before being blanketed in shadow as four pairs of blank, glowing, purple-tinged eyes peered down at it from within towers of churning smoke that vaguely resembled the shape of elves. To anyone else, these creatures of shadow would've been terrifying, but the little caterpillar raised itself up and stared right back at them with an air of haughtiness.

"Your master is resting, but it is not yet time for you to do the same. You still have work to do." Aaravos crooned without a hint of hesitance even though the phantoms could easily trample the caterpillar beneath their heels if they wished too. Why? Even though they could, he knew that they wouldn't, for just like the mage who had summoned them, they were also drawn to the power emanating off of him.

"Your master's possessions have been scattered across the land in an attempt to control him, and one of these relics could be your and his undoing. Bring back the coin in which your leader is imprisoned, the leader who in his pride led you all to your deaths, and you will soon have your rest."

Though their faces showed no expression as the shadows continued to listlessly sway back and forth in the wind, Aaravos could sense their reluctance. It seemed even as phantoms, traces of past loyalties and autonomous thought still lived on inside them; this, however, was not a major problem for him.

"Why do you hesitate? Does it not anger you that the one responsible for your demise now has a chance to return home to the open arms of his family while yours grieve your loss? He made the call to move forward with your mission knowing full well that your chances of survival were slim, and now he simply gets to walk away from that while your blood, the blood of those who trusted him, stains the floors of this palace? Should he not suffer a fate worse than death?"

One by one, a change swept over each ghost, their eyes glowing brighter as their previous uncertainty was burned up by the flames of bitterness; it was a light and a heat that Aaravos never grew tired off as he drank it in again and again.

"Go. Find your leader's coin and its brothers. Justice will not be denied."

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"Can I skewer him?"

"No."

"What about mildly maim him?"

"No."

"...Can I at least give him a bad enough gash that he'll need stitches?"

"No! The last thing we need to do is draw attention to ourselves by being petty and starting a fight."

"He kidnapped Callum and Maddie!"

"And we are going to discreetly get them back. We fight only as a last resort."

"Ugh, fine!"

It wasn't that Anora couldn't understand Rayla's desire for payback, but retribution never just ended once the scores were even. Having to worry about a vengeful party pursuing them would only further complicate their already complex quest, so for now retaliation, though tempting, was not an option.

It hadn't exactly taken the two elves long to realize that something was wrong, but true to the stories Madeleine had told Anora about Midan, the blacksmith's son indeed proved to be a slippery serpent to catch. Despite managing to procure adequate disguises and sneak into town fairly quickly, Midan was already gone by the time they found the shop and discovered the note that Madeleine had managed to tuck amongst the tools in the back room without getting caught. The fact that they had to ask around about the location of the artisans' fair before finding someone that actually knew only added further to Midan's head start, and while Anora and Rayla probably could have caught up with him if they were on their own, Zym's restlessness meant making occasional stops during their journey, thus allowing the scoundrel to remain one step ahead of them.

By the time they arrived at the fairgrounds, the festivities were already in full swing with more humans crowding around exhibits and mingling between stalls than either elf had seen in her whole life. From this resulted their current situation of hiding in a dense thicket of shrubs not too far off from the line of tents, Rayla keeping watch while Anora attempted to coax Zym into a basket that the younger elf had "borrowed" from the back of an unwatched cart.

"It's only for a little bit, cutie, I promise. Come on! You want another treat?" Grabbing one of the fresh figs from the rations in her bag, Anora placed it inside the basket. "There, now you've got a fig, an apple, some berries, and some milkfruit, a feast fit for a prince. What do ya say, Zym?"

After a moment of thinking as critically as a baby dragon could, Zym tentatively sniffed the mouth of the basket before apparently being won over as he hoped inside with a happy trill. Once she had secured the lid of the basket in place and carefully shrugged the case onto her back, Anora fixed her hood and cloak and stuffed her hands into her gloves, Rayla following suit.

"I still don't see why we can't just split up and meet back here. We'll cover more ground that way." Rayla grumbled as she fiddled with the pink finger of her gloves that had been stuffed with leaves and a twig to mimic a fifth finger. A surprised sputter sprayed from her lips when Anora suddenly appeared in front of her and began smudging dirt over her markings to complete her disguise.

"Midan is smart. If he notices the same two hooded figures frequenting his booth, he might become suspicious, and the longer we're here, the higher our chances of getting caught become. We need to find them, come up with a plan, execute it, and then leave as quickly and quietly as possible." With her and Rayla's tattoos concealed beneath a layer of grime, Anora briskly exited the safety of the shrubs and beckoned Rayla to follow her with a small jerk of her head. "Come on!"

Zym thankfully stayed contently quiet in the basket as the girls crept past the outermost tents and into the fray, heads down and senses alert. After passing several stalls from all of which the heavenly smell of baked goods wafted, it dawned on them that the booths were probably arranged according to trade, meaning they would not have to scour the entire grounds so long as they found the designated area for the blacksmiths. The density of the crowds and the scarcity of maps or directional signs to promote more sales as s wandered aimlessly about ensured that their task remained somewhat difficult, but the smell of burning timber and the ringing of many mallets hammering away at different metals eventually drew them to the right place. As the fourth stall on their left came into view, Rayla was the first to catch a glimpse of those familiar green eyes beneath that mop of fluffy, brown hair, and it didn't take long for them to lock back onto her.

Callum pretended not to notice the two elves until they had crossed over to the stall, and he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smiling as he made his way over to the booth's counter as casually as he could. Casting an apprehensive glance back at Midan, who was busy chatting with two reasonably attractive dames at the other end of the stand, he made sure to grab a few odd bits and baubles as he went.

"Hi ladies! What can I help you with?!" he announced quite loudly, depositing the knickknacks onto the counter with a harsh clamor, and to his relief, Midan didn't even spare him a look of disdain. Picking up one of the miscellaneous trinkets scattered in front of him, he held it out as if showing it to the two elves, his voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned over the countertop. "I can't talk long without Midan becoming suspicious. Where's Zym?"

Rayla jerked her head toward the basket while Anora took the trinket from Callum and turned it over in her palm. "Are you alright? Where's Maddie?"

"She's in the back and we're both fine other than being a little tired. In fact, she's been tinkering with something since our arrival last night that she believes will distract Midan long enough for us to slip away."

Pride dressed Anora's lips with a lustrous shimmer like the most beautiful of rouges. "Why am I not surprised? Is there anything that we can do to help?"

"There's one more thing that we need but haven't been able to get since we're constantly being watched."

"What do you need?"

"Wildflowers. Lots of 'em."

Rayla's nose wrinkled at the absurd request. "Flowers? What are flowers going to do?"

"He's allergic." Anora muttered, nodding at Midan as theories about Maddie's plan began to take form in her mind. "He obviously can't see us giving them to you."

"Bring them to the back of the tent and toss a rock through the back entrance to let Maddie know that you've made the dropoff. She'll tell you the rest of the plan, and I'll do what I can to keep Midan busy in the meantime."

Rayla groaned under her breath. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Why do you always assume that I'm going to do something stupid?"

"Because you usually do something stupid!"

"You two are cute, but let's save the flirting for a less precarious time, yeah?" Out of the corner of her eye, Anora noticed the two maidens who had been preoccupying Midan's attention were departing, meaning that the louse would be on them in moments if she and Rayla stuck around for too much longer. Setting the trinket that she was still holding back down on the counter, she extended her hand to Callum, who shook it as soon as he realized what she was doing.

"Don't push yourself too hard. You'll need whatever energy you have left for hightailing out of here."

Callum's eyes remained locked with Rayla's until she and Anora were swallowed up by the throng of festival patrons. Gathering up the samples that he had brought out, he spun on his heels and beelined for the curtains separating the front of the tent from the workspace in back. However, just before he could cross the threshold and disappear, he was yanked to a stop by Midan's hand firmly clamping down on his shoulder.

"Don't tell me you spent all that time talking to those two clients and didn't sell anything?"

Callum swallowed thickly to push down the anxious butterflies fluttering in the back of his throat. "They...They said that they had some other errands to run first and would come back if they had the money."

"Let me handle the transaction when they return. I want to make sure that the payment is...authentic given their haggard appearance. Business is going to slow down as the crowds congregate at the indoor attractions to escape the heat of the day, so go wash off and polish those samples. I trust the cleanliness of those bums as much as their money."

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The sun hung just above the tops of the tents on the far west side of the festival grounds, painting everything with a golden glow.

"Blasted sun. No matter where I stand, it's shining in my eyes." Midan grumbled sourly, shielding his face with his hand as he stumbled about half-blind. "Clem!"

"Um, it's Callum."

"Whatever. Go scrounge around in the back and see if you can find anything to block out that darn sun!"

"Uh, you got it!"

As Callum slipped through the curtains in the back room, Madeleine raised her head from the two small metal tubes sitting in her lap and locked eyes with him. At his nod, she rose, handing him one of the cylinders and held the other to her chest as she left her comrade to gather both their things.

"Midan?" She winced as she poked her head through the doorway right into a particularly bright ray of sunlight.

"Why aren't you working?"

"I'm waiting for the last order to cool down enough so I can polish it." Raising one hand to shield her face while blinking rapidly to quell the tears that welled to defend her eyes from the bright assault, Maddie just barely made out the Midan's silhouette and strode over to him. "I just wanted to talk to you about an idea I had for a new product."

"You're being unusually considerate. You heatsick or something?"

"No. You and I may not like each other, but your dad is still my business partner. He's going to need all the extra cash that he can get for his medical expenses, right?"

"Touché. Tell me what you've got."

"I can do better than that. I built a prototype during my lunch break!" Tucking the braided cord attached to the bottom of the tube beneath her thumb to hide it from sight, Maddie held out the gadget for Midan to see. "I haven't decided on an official name yet, but for now I'm calling them celebration starters!"

Midan squinted at the cylinder. "...It's an embellished pipe."

"Wrong! It's much more than that!"

"Is that so? How does it work then, little genius?"

"Like this!"

Without missing a beat, Madeleine pulled the string attached to the celebration starter as far as it would go and then released it, aiming the barrel directly at Midan's face. Wildflowers of all colors shot into the air with a pop, and the noise was soon followed by three others just like it as more flowers filled the air. The festival-goers all gasped in delight as the fragrant petals rained down on them, but Midan's reddening eyes had bugged out in horror.

"You little-" His exclamation was cut off by a thunderous sneeze, Madeleine springing just beyond the reach of his fingers when he made a mad grab from her.

As much as she would've liked to stick around and relish over her fine work, Maddie speedily vaulted herself over the counter and sprinted into the crowd. Catching a flicker of Callum's scarlet scarf in the evening light somewhere off to her right, she veered off in that direction, focusing all of her strength into her legs until she had caught up with him, and together they ran towards the chosen meeting place: the eastern entrance of the grounds. Their feet had already begun to burn like they were running over a bed of hot coals by the time the pillars decorated with many colorful banners and other ornaments rose into few, and just as they flung themselves down at the base of the one columns in order to catch their breath, Anora and Rayla burst forth from the sea of people, panting heavily as they refused to slow even slightly.

"Get up! We gotta go!" the latter shouted, eyes wide and frantic.

Before Callum could ask what was wrong, the crowd parted for a portly man with a crimson face marred by an angry scowl as he charged after the two elves with his son and daughter flanking him.

"Thieves! Thieves!" he bellowed.

Anora grabbed Callum and Maddie by their arms and more or less dragged them to their feet while Rayla continued to run, her fist pressed against her chest as something glittered inside. The prince's mouth hung agape, his eyes darting from his friends to their pursuers.

"What did you guys do?!"

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Moments earlier...

It was a beautiful sight that Anora would've liked to enjoy, the flower petals dancing through the air like snow after being launched from Madeleine's invention, but she and Rayla dutifully slipped the now empty gadgets into their belts and ducked behind a wall of stalls. Keeping their heads down and bodies low to the ground, they zipped along their predetermined course completely unnoticed aside from catching the attention of the occasional small child who was quickly shushed by a preoccupied parent, and the steady sinking of the sun created many long shadows that stretched out to offer them additional cover. However, it soon became apparent that they had forgotten to consider one particular detail when it came to their seemingly seamless plan: Zym.

Having been startled out of a deep nap by the loud pops of the celebration starters, Zym clawed quite furiously at the lid of the basket, and with a few good swipes, he managed to tear a hole just large enough for him to wiggle out of. His little feet scarcely touched Anora's back before he unfurled his wings and sprang into the air, giving neither elf much time to react as he glided through the air and scampered through the back entryway of a large, deep indigo tent as soon as he touched the ground.

When their minds finally processed what had just happened, Rayla and Anora dug their heels into the dirt and swerved in the direction of the tent, halting just a few inches shy of the opening in the wall of cloth.

"Zym! Come back here! You can't be in there!" Rayla called as she peered into the darkness, searching for any sign of white down or icy blue scales that should've stuck out like a sore thumb against the shadows of the tent. All she was met with was a soft, anxious whine from the dragonling, the origin of which she couldn't quite pinpoint.

"I don't think he's coming out on his own," Anora muttered, sliding the basket off of her back. Taking the lavender scarf that hung around her waist and laying it out flat on the ground, she placed the busted lid on top of it and wrapped it in the soft but fairly sturdy material, tightly tying the ends to ensure that it didn't come loose. Tucking the lid under her arm, she handed the barrel of the basket to Rayla. "I'll try herding him back towards you, but you'll need to be completely silent if we don't want him to bolt. Think you can do that, Moondrop?"

"...You're kidding, right?"

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

Hearts hammering against their ribs, they slunk into the belly of the pavilion, their soft, careful footsteps sounding more like the stomping of elephants to their own ears. When their eyes adjusted to the dimness, they found that the inside was mostly filled with an array of colorful tapestries decorated with what had to be the most degrading depictions of different kinds of elves that either girl had ever seen. Towards the center of the room stood three ornately carved, wooden pedestals topped with soft pillows, and above each one hung a series of banners that could just barely be read from where they stood if they squinted.

"...Haunted Coins from Xadia?" Rayla scoffed with blatant disgust, "Are you serious?! We don't even have haunted coins! Who would actually believe this nonsense?!"

"You'd be surprised," Anora remarked absent-mindedly, having already dismissed the laughable exhibit and resumed her scouring for the baby dragon. As soon as she noticed a pale shape crouching behind the base of pillar closest to them, she pointed it out to Rayla followed by drawing two arcs in the air that eventually met at a point in front of her. Rayla immediately understood and began to close in on the pillar from the left while Anora took to the right.

"Zym," she called when she was close enough to see the tip of the dragonling's nose poking out from behind the pillar. "I know you're a bit spooked right now, but we have to go before we get caught. There will be no more loud, scary noises, I promise."

Zym's answer was a shrill, suspicious yip, nostrils flaring slightly when Anora entered his line of sight. Slowly dropping down into a crouch, the elf held her hand out to him as she inched closer, not daring to glance at Rayla to ensure she was ready and risk Zym realizing what they were up to. Fortunately, Zym's attention remained fixated on Anora as he shuffled his feet uncertainly while Rayla tiptoed up behind him, basket held out in front of her. They had him cornered, and when Anora lunged forward, Zym spun on his heels and fled straight towards the mouth of the basket. At the last moment, however, he spread his wings and splayed out his little limbs, his front claws grabbing onto the rim, and using the edge as a foothold, he propelled himself upward at a slight angle. Anora leaped into the air before he could get very high, wrapping her arms around the prince's middle and pulling him to her chest. Unfortunately, she hadn't paid much thought to her trajectory in her haste, and thus she came crashing down on top of the pedestal, which proved to be much flimsier than it looked as it crumbled beneath her weight.

"Yep, that's definitely going to leave a mark." she groaned, rolling onto her side and then up into a sitting position all while Zym flailed in her arms. Rayla was by her side in the blink of an eye where she held the basket steady so Anora could place Zym inside.

"He's a little fighter; I suppose that's a good thing though." the Oceancry elf remarked as she secured the lid once more and slipped her arm through one of the vessel's straps, hoisting it up onto her back again. Shifting onto her knees so she could stand back up, she jerked to a stop when something resting on the bed of splinters beneath her snagged her eye.

"Rayla...you said Xadia doesn't have any haunted coins, right? Then why does that one have a moving face on it?"

"You mean your reflection? Besides, that isn't even a Xadian coin..."

"Rayla?"

The color drained from Rayla's already pale face and her eyes widened to the size of two full moons as she stooped down, unable to believe what she saw. Staring back at her was a face she knew all too well despite being clouded with a fear that she had never seen adorning those features before, and as she gently scooped the coin into her trembling hand, she watched the terror melt away and sheer relief rise up in its place.

"Runaan..." she whimpered, hand clamped over her mouth as she fought back the urge to break into tears. Suddenly, it felt very hard to breathe, as if the weight of the entire world was pressing down on her lungs. "...how did you...what...who did this to you?"

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Anora's head snapped up to behold a middle-aged man and four children of varying maturities looming in the main entrance of the tent. The man, obviously the owner of the tent, glared at them with two small, beady eyes that peered out from behind bushy brown brows and bulging cheeks, grinding his feet into the dirt as he prepared to charge. Snatching up the pillow from the remains of the pedestal, she hurled it at the man, nailing him in the face.

"Rayla, run!"

With their father momentarily disoriented, the two eldest children, a boy and a girl, rushed at them. Glancing upwards, Anora noticed how the weight of the numerous tapestries was causing the roof of the tent to sag, so she grabbed the closest one and yanked it as hard as she could. This proved to be just enough strain as the center of the tent caved inward, cutting them off from their assailants. Brought back to her wits by Anora's shout, the commotion, or a combination of the two, Rayla closed her fist tightly around the coin and barreled back out into the open with Anora close behind her.

#tdp #THE DRAGON PRINCE #tdp oc #tdp fanfic #tdp fanfiction #tdp runaan #runaan #runaan x oc #tdp callum #tdp rayla #tdp zym #tdp aaravos #Runaan

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concretemoldsforproduction · 4 years

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We’ve worked with many robotic arm suppliers and chose to become an Authorized Systems Integrator for FANUC as they have the industry’s best and most robust line of palletizing robots. The Pal Vite 200 and the PR Compact are robotic palletizers that manage to be powerful, flexible and high-speed while requiring very little in the way of floor space try this link . RoboTier utilizes end of arm tooling that supports product from the bottom, allowing higher speed robot motion and advanced product handling security.

On its way, sortation shoes, pushers, or robotic arms might guide and orient the product. Layers are then formed much as described above – product is guided to an end stop in the proper configuration, and is then lifted to a pallet by a pedestal-style robot. Gantry-style palletizers use a sled that moves along tracks overhanging the work site. End effecters are raised and lowered to manipulate and move the product. Depending on the system, gantry robots can move product in 2-, 3-, or even 4-axes.

Bottom support offers a significant improvement over typical robot product handling methods such as vacuum top picking that is less flexible and secure, and clamping systems that necessitate looser loads. It’s important not just to be realistic about the available funds, but also about growth. As with most automation, robotic palletizers are modular – components of a system can be added to an operation piecemeal. As the organization benefits from the cost savings and increased efficiency of each piece, they can reinvest in their system. Adding layers to the operation allows the optimal level of automation to be reached while maintaining a reasonable ROI.

Our line of palletizer robots range from 50 kg to 800 kg payload with 4-6 axes of articulation. Our network of system integrators, Motoman Strategic Partners, offers application expertise to deliver turn-key robotic solutions for palletizing cartons, trays, bags and other product types.

Palletizing cells are sometimes configured with pallet dispensers, slipsheet insertion tools and shrink wrapping stations to completely automate the palletization process. Yaskawa Motoman offers manufacturers a wide range of robotic solutions for palletizing and depalletizing. When using flexible robotics with 2D and 3D vision systems, specialized software and tooling enable you to customize your shipping and receiving without sacrificing speed and accuracy. Robot Palletizer LLC is a manufacturer and technical integrator of several case and carton robotic palletizing systems. With capabilities to handle various size cases, cartons, and boxes, our robots help reduce overall labor costs and increase profitability to manufacturers.

Different palletizing solutions exist, traditional and robotic solutions. In the last several years, robotic systems have taken the lead over traditional systems. This in part due to higher maintenance costs, less flexibility with traditional solutions compared to robotic and purchasing cost more expensive than a robotic solution.

These systems can form multiple layers on a pallet and can handle one or more units at a time depending on the pallet configuration. Mini Cell-E Robotic Palletizer incorporates a FANUC robot with custom-designed ESS end-of-arm tooling to create a cost-effective, efficient, end-of-line solution for palletizing in a very small footprint. The standard Mini Cell-E integrates a FANUC M-710iC/50H 5-axis robot with ESS-designed EOAT, which offers a payload capacity of up to 50kg (110.2lbs.).

This article will explain the advantages of the robotic palletizing system. These system solutions offer more features and benefits than other palletizing equipment. Robotic palletizers are efficient and allow a flexible configuration that shortens start-up and installation times.

ESS integrates the Mini Cell-E with off-the-shelf serialization systems from OEMs to provide track and trace capability to the pallet cell. Designing a robotic palletizing cell has become more complicated as companies invest in environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging. While these changes are good for the planet, they also tend to result in weaker packages that create challenges for palletizing robots. Low-speed, simple case palletizing— The limited hardware requirements of these applications make them ideal for robotic palletizing. As long as processes permit manual intervention , all you may need to account for are infeed conveyor, robot and safety standards.

If your production uses any type of automation, standard sized pallets mean that everything moves seamlessly through the line without adjustments for different sized pallets. Whether you are depalletizing product at the front of your line or palletizing downstream, FANUC offers a complete line of robots designed and built to deliver high duty and the world’s fastest cycle times. FANUC robots have been tackling complex and standard operations for 30 years. Whether you are palletizing a full layer or individual boxes, bags, pails or drums our systems are fast, steady, and reliable.

Its acclaimed simplicity and user-friendliness hide the technological prowesses it incorporates. The FUJI-ACE palletizer can be configured for high-speed or heavy-weight applications. The America’s machinery sector’s output was a little less than half of that in EMEA in 2018. The large difference in size between the two regions have drastically shaped their attitudes towards handling palletizing robotically versus with a machine (e.g. conventional or gantry).

QComp will provide complete end-of-line automation including conveyors, AGV's and stretch wrapping. Brenton will showcase its end-of-line packaging and robotic integration in case packaging, palletizing, and material handling applications. Foremost also recognized that, with Blackhawk's partnership with ABB, its new robotic palletizing line would have local product and service support from an international robot manufacturer.

Robotic palletizing provides manufacturers, warehouses and producers with highly customized solutions by implementing cutting edge technology into the palletizing operations. Palletizing robots are capable of handling pallets, tier sheets, slip sheets and more to offer you a seamless end-of-line automatic pallet building and depalletizing integration. Taylor Products has gained a reputation for innovative weighing and packaging equipment and FANUC is the world's largest robotics producer who has built a reputation for cutting-edge technology. The result is a palletizing system that has been engineered for precision high-speed, high-payload operation, user-friendly setup and maximum reliability. Thanks to decades of research and development, the FUJI-ACE is one of the most technologically advanced, specialized robotic palletizers on the market today.

At PeakLogix, our mission is to understand your goals, needs, and aspirations, so that we can apply our more than 30 years of experience in the material handling industry to find the best solution to meet your needs. In any location and industry, high-quality, GMA-spec iGPS plastic pallets maximize the benefits of robotic palletizing and warehouse automation. To make the switch to a consistent, durable, and reusable plastic pallet, give our team a call at , email a specialist at , or visit our contact page. Consistency at the basic load unit level helps companies enjoy the full benefits of robotic palletizing and other forms of warehouse automation. Palletizing robots can be seen in many industries including food processing, manufacturing, and shipping.

Automated belt conveyors allow for bags to be placed in proper orientation while precise row placement reduces bag contact. Additional options such as automatic pallet destacker, scale weighing system, labels and marking systems can be incorporated into the cell.

Capabilities also extend tocase packing, order picking and warehouse distribution systems to meet your market demands. We offer reliable and efficient solutions that are customized to our customer's needs and product requirements. For example, standard pallet sizes allow all your material handling equipment to be optimized for the same wooden pallet. Warehouse storage and transportation utilization can be optimized to get the most pallets on a truck or in your storage space.

The compact pallet cell fits easily into existing packaging lines to replace manual palletizing processes. The EOAT may be ordered to pick one, two or more cases with each cycle. FANUC’s PalletTool Turbo software is pre-installed on the robot to simplify operation.

One major factor in determining the right style of palletizer is throughput – how many items per minute need to be processed. Conventional palletizers are often able to handle faster outputs, but robotic palletizers offer some unique benefits. A different system might use a series of conveyors to bring merchandise to a staging area.

The size and prevalence of machine builders in Europe has led to an attitude of ‘why use a robot for something that could be handled by a machine? This thinking is why conventional palletizers are much more prevalent in the European market than they are in the North American market. A key advantage to robotics is their adaptability, and it’s important that your ancillary equipment contributes the same benefits.

Pallet pattern flexibility, tooling flexibility, and cycle time are three major challenges of automated palletizing in today's industry. Kawasaki palletizing systems offer solutions to each of these palletizing challenges. In a robotic palletizing system, products often enter the palletizing station from an infeed conveyor. The robot is programmed to stack products onto the pallet in a defined pattern.

The safety features for robotic palletizing systems include wire mesh fence, polycarbonate enclosure, and safety rated light curtains for pallet discharge openings. The automate Gantry palletizer machine is extremely flexible and requires very little floor space. This robotic bag palletizer machine can stack a wide range of products including bags, boxes, trays and bundles and can also place products into pre-made display cartons or shipping boxes. These robotic palletizer machines can be configured to fit into compact installations or with full automation including automatic pallet dispensers, slip sheet placers and automated pallet accumulation conveyors. We can implement custom palletizer applications by adjusting our proven robot solutions to better fit your particular needs.

There is a large variety of robotic palletizers available with a large range of payload and reach. TheAR-200 Series Robotic Bag Palletizeris a flexible solution for customers with needs that can’t be met with our standard robotic palletizers. This system comes with basic and customizable features, giving our engineering team the flexibility to adapt the palletizer to your specific requirements. Components that can be adapted include the end-of-arm tooling, the pallet and slip sheet dispensers, the infeed conveyors and the pallet exit conveyor. Palletizing is a demanding application of stacking boxes, bags, cases, bottles, and cartons onto pallets as the last step in the assembly line before being loaded onto a shipping truck.

This means they can lift a product, move it in a straight line (for 2-axis robots) or possibly across two dimensions (for 3-axis robots) and, in 4-axis systems, re-orient the product. Pedestal-style robotic palletizers are arm-like machines mounted on a pedestal. They come painted in various colors such as yellow, white, beige, red, etc. – all based on which manufacturer produced them. As with any automation, realizing the ROI of an automated palletizer requires first the selection of the appropriate robotic solution, and then its proper implementation.

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sad-ch1ld · 5 years

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via RSI Comm-Link

Squadron 42 Monthly Report: February 2019

This is a cross-post of the report that was recently sent out via the monthly Squadron 42 newsletter. We’re publishing this a second time as a Comm-Link to make it easier for the community to reference back to, and plan on following this process for future Squadron 42 Monthly Reports.

Attention Recruits,

What you are about to read is the latest information on the continuing development of Squadron 42 (SCI des: SQ42).

Read on for classified details from every corner of the planet, collected over the course of the last month, concerning Squadron 42-related work. The information contained in this communication is extremely sensitive and it is of paramount importance that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Purge all records after reading.

UEE Naval High Command

AI (Ships)

February’s roundup starts with the AI Team, whom improved various aspects of dogfighting, which included the addition of evasive maneuvers to enemy ships. Now, when an AI pilot has an enemy on its tail, it will try to utilize ‘break-aways’ with increasingly-varied directions and angles, try to keep momentum, and chain attacks together. The team achieved this by adding new ‘SmoothTurning’ subsumption tasks to the behavior logic.

AI pilots will also attempt to create diversions using evasive maneuvers.

Automatic incoming/outgoing ship traffic over planetary landing areas was implemented this month, too. The team are currently generalizing ship behaviors to enable the designers to easily set up traffic on cities, capital ships, and other required areas.

AI (Character)

The AI Team also made improvements to the existing character collision avoidance system. The changes began with adjustments to the smooth locomotion path, with data coming from the collision avoidance calculation to make sure the character has enough free space to move.

Time was spent combining the different features required for dynamic cinematic scenes and dynamic patrolling, with focus on the transitions into and from trackview scenes and generalizing guard behaviors to correctly use ‘walk & talk’ functionality.

For social behaviors, the team refactored vendor behavior to be generic and reusable in multiple contexts, first implementing a way for supporting motion-capture animations to be used as transitions between usables (which they’re temporarily referring to as ‘schooching’). This allows the designers to set up additional animations for specific usables/characters so that an actor’s performance can be maintained alongside the regular systemic behavior. For example, several levels have vendors with animations driven by specific actor performances. These need to be played without creating unique behaviors, so the special transition positions are highlighted within the level to allow the designers to verify the setup of the environment matches the existing animations.

The options that vendors can use were also generalized so that the designers no longer have to write them into their behaviors. Instead, the correct options are automatically selected based on the environment and (eventually) from the shop services.

Art (Characters)

This month, Character Art revisited the hair development pipeline. With the help of the Graphics Team, they developed new tools and shader tech to improve realism while maintaining quality and performance. They’re currently modeling characters and new hairstyles to test their new pipeline with.

Progress also continues on the Vanduul character model. The head and body mesh are complete, with texturing currently underway.

Art (Environment)

The internal lighting for scripted events on the Javelin is now completed. Art are currently focusing their efforts on the ship’s exterior, as the player will see certain events play out from both inside and outside of the ship.

Two key campaign areas are now grey-box complete, soft gate reviews have been carried out, and the go-ahead has been given to start planning out the shaders and textures.

As mentioned last month, Archon Station’s exterior is ‘watertight’. And now, all surfaces are complete, with collision meshes added for good measure. The layout does a fantastic job of selling the station’s scale when both far away and up close. The main transit system is also integrated, with all stops and secondary systems being finished throughout March.

A focus-team has moved back onto the Krugeri to help refine several areas with key cinematics. Alongside this, new areas are being added throughout the ship, including medical bays and an armory.

Art (Ships)

The Retaliator is one of several ships currently receiving tweaks to suit SQ42’s needs. The ship plays an important role in certain missions, so requires some subtle amends to suit. The updated ship will eventually make its way to the Persistent Universe, too.

Audio

The Audio Code Team and sound designers finished their collaborative work on the new camera-shake and ship-vibration systems. Now, when an engine kicks in, the ship shakes and hums. This also extends to the player, with events like a ship powering up causing minor camera shake.

The sound designers added new sound samples to a range of ships as part of the rollout of the New Flight Model. By adding ‘one-shot’ samples to each of the various thrusters, they’ve brought out more complexity to the sounds heard during flight. Additionally, they created the sound profiles and samples for the Gemini S71 assault rifle and Kastak Arms CODA pistol, which will both appear in SQ42 and the Persistent Universe (PU).

Currently, everyone from Audio is working towards an updated tool that better allows the sound designers to implement new assets in-engine whilst simultaneously testing how they sound.

Cinematics

The Cinematics Team made substantial progress on major scenes encountered late-on in the campaign and prototyped an important [REDACTED] that will take place at [REDECATED]. This included recording a total of 56 motion capture (mocap) lines and a handful of new wildlines.

Another significant sequence that garnered attention involves the Bengal carrier. A scene in the pilot ready-room required the mocap cast to use a circular table of 1.5m diameter and four chairs that could swivel, had no wheels, but could be pushed around. Although seemingly trivial, specific information like this is carefully shared between all teams involved to ensure the prop dimensions fit into the intended location, animations have enough space to run unimpeded, and the distance between conversing characters is maintained. Compared to the size of SQ42’s ships and planets, relatively small things like table and chairs can be very important for cinematics!

Engineering

February saw the Engine Team optimize the instance system used in compute skinning. This was achieved through a refactor of it on the CPU and shader for better maintainability, created a budget-based output-buffer system for skinning results (so they only have to skin once per frame), made more tangent reconstruction optimizations, and worked on wrap-deformation using the color stream.

Basic HDR display support was also added to the editor, as was a new hue-preserving display mapping curve suitable for HDR display output. The team provided material layer support for planet tech v4 and continued to improve character hair, which included initial support for edge masking and pixel depth offset. Game physics is progressing with Projectile Manager improvements, as are optimizations to wrapped grids and state updates. Support was added for ocean Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) wave generation to physics buoyancy calculations, as well as exposed optimized terrain meshes. A major system initialization clean-up was completed as part of an initiative to share core engine functionality with PU services, the lockless job manager was worked on (a complete overhaul for faster response in high-load scenarios), and a new load time profiler was created.

The team are currently wrapping up the ‘ImGUI’ integration and are introducing a temporary allocator for more efficiency when containers are used on stack. They made the switch to the Clang 6 compiler to build Linux targets (including compilation cleanup of the entire code base) and plan to switch to the latest stable release (Clang 8.x) in the near future.

Finally, a ‘create compile time’ analysis tool (utilizing new Visual C++ front and backend profiler flags) was completed to gather, condense, and visualize reasons for slow compile and link times. As a result, various improvements have already been submitted and further action items defined.

Features (Vehicles)

Most of the vehicle work completing in February will eventually appear in both SQ42 and PU: Gimbal Assist and its related HUD improvements were finalized and polished to allow for better balancing of this new weapon control scheme. Turrets were also improved, with the team adding a HUD and keybinds for input sensitivity, implementing adjustable speeds for gimbal target-movement based on proximity to center aim, and fixing bugs the caused snapping and erratic movement.

A lot of time went towards scanning improvements, which included adjusting the area for navpoint scanning, adding the ability to utilize the navpoint hierarchy, and adding a Boolean to opt into the scanning data. This endeavor also covered adjustments to make scanning more involving by setting up AI turrets to generate signatures and be scannable and adding specific icons for scanned/unscanned targets. Ping and blob were implemented to display on the radar too, including focus angle and ping fire. They also continued to make item port tech optimizations, developed tech for utilizing geometry component tags in the paint system, and fixed a handful of crash bugs.

Exclusively for SQ42, the team continued to work with the designers to implement various Subsumption callbacks for mission-specific requirements.

Graphics

A large part of the Graphics Team’s time throughout February was spent closing down the final features for the volumetric rendering of gas clouds. This included unifying the lighting between volumetric effects and opaque objects, which required adding support for deep Fourier shade maps into the general lighting pipeline. Several other changes were made to allow gas clouds to be built from smaller modular pieces, which helps overcome the large storage requirements of volumetric data.

Another focus was adding multi-threaded rendering support to the editor, which will improve the performance for artists and designers working in complex scenes. In some cases, this can almost double the framerate and get much closer to the performance of the optimized ‘shipping’ build of the game. The editor code was written before the engine was multi-threaded and, as a result, there are many bugs that have to be painstakingly found and fixed. However, it is now nearing completion.

Level Design

Each of the four design teams progressed towards the goal of completing a handover flow for the first third of the game. This involved an in-depth dive into the details of planetary bodies in the Odin system, with the aim to get accurate Quantum Travel distances and create glorious backdrops for the various space battles.

Great progress was made on the social AI and usables technology that allows NPCs to systematically demonstrate different behaviors within the Idris corvette.

The Design Team integrated the Air Traffic Controller feature (which coordinates all take-offs and landings) into the game-flow to help promote the ‘busy’ feel you’d expect when visiting a huge military capital ship. Refinements of both FPS and ground combat in-line with the current roadmap continued, too.

Narrative

Both Dave and Will spent most of the month visiting the UK office. That time was spent not only reviewing the latest progress on several chapters, but on capturing a few additional pickup performances needed for the completion of the game. This included recording tests for the female player character to ensure the pipeline is working correctly before the team proceeds with recording all of her performances.

The wider Narrative Team made progress on generating the specific text needed for on-screen mission objectives. Previously, this had been placeholder text as designers worked on levels, but moving forward, the hope is to begin using the proper in-lore objectives.

Programming

Alongside making more improvements to Vault & Mantle’, work began on Player Jump v2. They’re currently re-evaluating how the animations are set up in the code to help simplify and reduce the number of assets.

The team revisited stealth takedown mechanics and re-evaluated the previous work done on knife takedowns. They continued work on the free-look view limits (where the player’s range of view is restricted depending on their helmet/armor) and separated out the range when weapon aiming from free-look.

SQ42 Features began improving the in-game workflow for iterating on cinematic scenes and evaluated potentially suitable existing tech for suitability. For example, being able to jump to a specific conversation, skip to the end of a scene, replay scenes, etc. They also added additional ways of triggering conversations based on the distance or the direction the player is approaching an NPC from.

While most AI testing took place in the Persistent Universe and Arena Commander (AC), the same systems will also appear in various aspects within SQ42. In most cases, testing in the PU and Arena Commander is sufficient, but QA now regularly undertakes flow testing for those features most relevant to the SQ42 campaign. Any issues encountered are cross-checked with the findings of other testers and JIRA tasks are created accordingly. Usually, the issues tend to be related to setup rather than code, as most code problems are discovered during preliminary testing in the PU/AC.

The testing of various cutscenes from the SQ42 campaign is on-going by a dedicated tester and will support the Cinematics Team with any issues that prevent them from creating Track View sequences.

System Design

The System Design Team predominantly focused on AI throughout February: For Ship AI, they made general improvements throughout, including the way AI ships attempt to avoid the player’s fire. For social AI, they’re working on Duncan Chakma, the Idris’ master at arms. This character has some of the more complex behaviors and solving him should speed up the development of all other characters that encompass complex player choices (such as movement from station to station, interacting with items, and giving/taking back weapons). On the FPS AI side, they focused on restructuring behaviors so that they become more modular, with the goal to make it easier to implement specific chunks of logic and influence the AI’s skillset.

The team also spent time on set filming new animation sets for NPCs that should create a lot more depth and bring them to life.

User Interface (UI)

During February, UI began working on the branding and theming for the Aciedo, Shubin, and OMC environmental UI displays, as well as the GRIN manufacturer.

VFX

The VFX Team updated the existing particle lighting system to a more modern iteration. The previous version was based on tessellation, which increased the rendering cost and had limitations on shadow resolution. The new system is a global change that will remove the need for tessellation and improve shadow receiving for a crisper, smoother appearance.

They’re also continuing work on the cinematics for SQ42. This includes a lot of soft/rigid body destruction simulations that will be required for scenes where objects are destroyed (peeling back metal panels, fracturing and breaking of glass, concrete, etc.).

The UK-based team put most of their focus on vehicle damage and destruction, which is always an enjoyable task for the artists. Specifically, they blocked out several destruction sequences after an extended R&D period with Art and Design to help determine exactly where and when certain story-driven destruction sequences should occur.

They also continued to iterate on the lightning effects after receiving several new features from the graphics and game code engineers. For example, a new seed option allows the artist to remove all behavioral randomization from the effect, which makes it much easier to fine tune. This is also beneficial for cinematic sequences to ensure lightning looks the same each time it strikes.

Weapons

The Weapon Art Team completed the Gemini S71, Kastak Arms Coda, Banu Singe tachyon cannons, Gallenson Tactical ballistic cannon reworks, and five variants of the Aegis Vanguard nose guns.

Covert Intel

Ride ‘em in, cut ‘em out

Conclusion

WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH…

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#RSI Comm-Link #star citizen #roberts space industries

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inexcon · 5 years

Text

RSI Comm-Link: Squadron 42 Monthly Report: February 2019

Squadron 42 Monthly Report: February 2019

Attention Recruits,

What you are about to read is the latest information on the continuing development of Squadron 42 (SCI des: SQ42).

UEE Naval High Command

AI (Ships)

AI pilots will also attempt to create diversions using evasive maneuvers.

AI (Character)

Art (Characters)

Progress also continues on the Vanduul character model. The head and body mesh are complete, with texturing currently underway.

Art (Environment)

Two key campaign areas are now grey-box complete, soft gate reviews have been carried out, and the go-ahead has been given to start planning out the shaders and textures.

A focus-team has moved back onto the Krugeri to help refine several areas with key cinematics. Alongside this, new areas are being added throughout the ship, including medical bays and an armory.

Art (Ships)

Audio

Currently, everyone from Audio is working towards an updated tool that better allows the sound designers to implement new assets in-engine whilst simultaneously testing how they sound.

Cinematics

Engineering

Features (Vehicles)

Exclusively for SQ42, the team continued to work with the designers to implement various Subsumption callbacks for mission-specific requirements.

Graphics

Level Design

Great progress was made on the social AI and usables technology that allows NPCs to systematically demonstrate different behaviors within the Idris corvette.

Narrative

Programming

The testing of various cutscenes from the SQ42 campaign is on-going by a dedicated tester and will support the Cinematics Team with any issues that prevent them from creating Track View sequences.

System Design

The team also spent time on set filming new animation sets for NPCs that should create a lot more depth and bring them to life.

User Interface (UI)

During February, UI began working on the branding and theming for the Aciedo, Shubin, and OMC environmental UI displays, as well as the GRIN manufacturer.

VFX

Weapons

The Weapon Art Team completed the Gemini S71, Kastak Arms Coda, Banu Singe tachyon cannons, Gallenson Tactical ballistic cannon reworks, and five variants of the Aegis Vanguard nose guns.

Covert Intel

Ride ‘em in, cut ‘em out

Conclusion

WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH…

$(function() { Page.init(); window.Page = new RSI.Game.About(); }); http://bit.ly/2HZSnrN

#RSI.CommLink.Repost

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thebrewstorian · 7 years

Text

Feminism and the Beer Industry Pt. 1: History and Representation

A month or two ago, Tiah and I sat down in the library cafe to discuss women in the brewing industry. Tiah was getting ready to do her presentation(s) at the Pop Culture convention on the topic, and it was good timing since I had already been trying to collect data on women brewers and brewery owners in Oregon. The mission was this: to read the current online literature on sexism, racism and feminism in the brewing industry and to clarify common themes within that lens. The need for feminism is so imminent now with all of the turmoil in American politics, and finding ways to make inclusive change in our communities and our economy are essential going forward. The craft brewing industry provides a unique opportunity to challenge discrimination because it’s still new and growing in many areas, allowing us to blur traditional social norms. However, reading the current literature has been a challenge because so many different writers often harken back to the same ideas, and it’s hard to find some original clarity in all the repetition. It can also be emotionally challenging to read because while progress is being made at an increasing rate, it can be disappointing to see that we haven’t come further. From continually sexist or misguided marketing in macro breweries to the small numbers of women head brewers and people of color in craft beer, it can be tough to find a good place to start. Still, it’s a fascinating story because the culture of beer reflects the historical context it was built in, and understanding that context can allow us to move forward.

One of the first things many historians, beer journalists and craft beer nerds will tell you is that beer is ancient, and so is the presence of women in beer. The oldest documented recipe for beer is from the Sumerian Hymn to Ninkasi, describing how the goddess of fermentation made her own brew about 4000-6000 years ago. This goddess is so prominent in brewing history that she’s even got a craft brewery named after her and she’s cited by numerous brewers in their knowledge or influences. The presence of women in brewing was reflected in the populations who worked in it, with women known as “alewives” dominating the craft. Fermentation was a primary method of food preservation at the time, and beer was commonly more safe to drink than water, so brewing easily fit into the cult of domesticity and everyone was drinking beer. Not only did women make beer in the home, they also sold it in their communities. Even into the 19th century, women were owning breweries (see Oregon BrewLab’s blog post), and it was a nun who discovered the value of hops in beer. It was only when brewing became a commercial industry did men take over brewing and shut women out until the mid-20th century. This takeover was maintained for so long that brewers even prohibited women from entering the brewery floor, saying they were bad luck.

These historical facts have been cited in droves by articles on sexism in the brewing industry, and the acknowledgement of male-domination in beer makes it more surprising that women were actually the founders of the craft. But as many writers note how men gained control when brewing became a commercial process, I’m left with a question: Why and how? Why is the link between sexism and capitalism so strong, and where did it come from? In feminist theory, plenty of research has been done on the clash between ecofeminism (a philosophy that combines environmentalist concerns with feminist ones) and capitalist systems, inspired by capitalist greed and the will to marginalize smaller portions of the economy. This ability to monopolize economic power has been constant through history, and brewing is no exception. The key has been to use current media to villainize any competition in the market, including the use of stereotypes about various identities. In medieval times, this was done to alewives through the use of churches as a space for economic propaganda (among other media like poems and mystery plays). One author from Women in Theology notes that men’s guilds were major players in the economic field, and they used this power to fund the construction and decoration of churches in their community with the intent of demonizing alewives. This tactic worked in that most people of the time were illiterate and gained information through visual art. Women were often resigned to domestic and supportive activities, and alewives violated this through being involved in the local economy. Alewives were also hypersexualized, considered bad because of their connections to taverns, which were considered taboo places (this is similar to how POC were marginalized from brewing prior to Prohibition), and rumors were spread that their ales were unsafe.

This image of alewives as bad brewers can be tied to the accessibility to ingredients that is still present now. Brewing is an expensive craft to get involved with, and in Medieval times, this was no different. The inclusion of hops into beer made it more challenging to brew because hops were also very expensive, and beers that went unhopped could spoil sooner. As a result, unhopped ales were considered bad for you, adding another layer to the dismissal of the alewives’ work. This connection between limited resource access and economic power dynamics is common, and is still seen in brewing today (it’s suggested as one reason behind the lack of people of color in brewing).

As mentioned above, the connection between economic power and moral symbolism runs deep and both sides worked together in bringing the decline of women brewers to the point where they only were involved as replacements for their deceased spouses. Among academics, the symbolism is rooted in how alewives juxtaposed the traditional role of women in medieval society. At that time (as well as in many other periods), women were supposed to play supportive roles to their husbands and male family, maintaining the home and providing sustenance. If women got jobs in the local economy, they were usually low paying and low status. The woman brewer or tapster contradicted this role because she held high status through providing sustenance to the community and making decent income independently. Interestingly, the art that villainizes these brewers was more common in urban settings than in rural ones. This says something about the level of professionalization of brewing in different economies, where women brewers were more accepted in rural or poor communities because everyone had to pitch in on communal tasks. In urban areas, though, jobs were more tied to social rank and professional guilds, which were male-dominated and set on removing female competition. Still, the overall point was that these women were breaking social norms, and were therefore bad. Some scholars are even researching the link between brewsters and an antithesis, the Virgin Mary. Mary provides wholesome sustenance and is completely desexualized as the ideal of motherhood, while brewsters were suspect of selling unsafe products and being sexually promiscuous. In summary, they’re seen as what can go wrong in a woman’s role as provider. As Roxane Gay notes in her Bad Feminist essays, society and literature also generally idealize women in a pure, one-dimensional way, while women with flaws or complexity like brewsters are seen as bad or unpopular. This idea of symbolism even connects to the women involved in temperance movements several centuries later, who were rejected by male temperance leaders but accepted by the public across genders for their non-aggressive approach to seeking change. It seems that the success of these women in gaining political solvency in a male-dominated field is based in how we perceive identity, and the manner in which we challenge stereotypes of gender and other identities.

So what does this history mean in terms of bringing women membership back into brewing? As Lee Hedgmon discusses in her oral history, seeing women in brewing roles and getting recognition for their work is key to inspiring others to join. In total, representation is key. Representation in our media and our communities helps us decide what is socially normal, and it shifts our attitudes towards different issues. If we see women in brewing working hard as professionals, artists and scientists like anyone else, then we begin to accept them as such. To quote iO Tillett Wright from his TEDx talk Fifty Shades of Gay, “Familiarity really is the gateway drug to empathy.” When we see women brewers for their work and their humanity, we can discard our ideas of brewing as a gendered trade and appreciate them for what craft beer is all about: the shared love of producing and exploring beers in all their complexity. But how do we increase visibility in a practical sense? Women beer and brewing organizations like the Pink Boots Society, Barley’s Angels and Girls Pint Out do a great job making spaces for women to enjoy beer and get professional help without being intimidated by their male counterparts. This work is important, and I commend them for all they’ve achieved. On a broader scale, though, what can we do to normalize seeing women in brewing so that the connection between beer and gender (and all its stereotypes) falls away? In the world of beer journalism, one thing that could be done (or continued) is showing women brewers or their breweries in articles about places to check out alongside their male counterparts. There are many articles about great women brewers breaking the glass ceiling of the industry, and while it does introduce us to them, it still treats women as tokens of the industry. Seeing women recognized for their good work among their male colleagues, without making a spectacle of them in such articles, does what Hedgmon suggested: it inspires us to see women as equals in brewing, and it inspires others to join the community, Sexism in brewing is about as old as the craft itself, so it will take time to rewrite the habits we have a society, but it is a good thing for all of us and for the diversity of beers we hope to keep seeing going forward.

Many questions remain, however. This topic of women, feminism and beer spans all of history, within cultural, moral, religious and economic lenses. It’s an extensive rabbit hole that I’m just starting to delve into more deeply (and I’ll admit that I’m not versed in the feminist theory that relates to these discussions). Here are some of my continuing questions and thoughts below. If you have any insight on them, or clarification on any of the points I’ve discussed above, please feel free to comment on them:

How were alewives treated among different countries in Europe during the Medieval period, and how did different religious contexts contribute to such treatment? Were some religions more lenient than others

Where did the idea of taverns as sketchy places arise? Did it relate to higher crime rates in urban areas, or was it more about symbolism of getting companionship and nourishment outside the family home?

Where does this opposition between capitalism and feminism stem from? How is it different from interactions between feminism and other economic systems?

How does social class fit into the dismissal of alewives? It’s mentioned that they were persecuted more in urban areas than in rural ones, which is tied to the localization of powerful guilds. How was brewing transformed into a high status profession, and what does high v. low status work mean?

Where did the negative rhetoric surrounding alewives start? In the home, in guilds, in the church or some combination of all three?

How did the negative treatment of alewives relate to the overall disdain against alcohol over time? (Judith Bennett notes that male brewers of the time were also criticized for their profession, if only gently)

Women in brewing during medieval times is seen as a way of economic defiance of patriarchy during the time, and women in temperance during the 19th and 20th centuries seem to have moral independence (producing and opposing alcohol both taken as forms of women’s rights)

During the rise of the temperance movement in the mid-19th century, many of the women involved in these groups were also suffragettes or women’s rights activists. Their ideas about temperance were accepted by both men and women because they used familiar language and were non-aggressive in their presentation. Given this, how does the way that feminism and female empowerment is presented impact the way it is received? How do we challenge oppressive systems in a way that is more easily accepted but isn’t complicit to the system itself?

~Gillian

For more information on the history of alewives, check out these sources:

Vaughan, Theresa A. "The Alewife: Changing images and bad brews." Medieval Science, Technology and Art Avista Forum Journal, vol. 21, no. 1-2, 2011, pp. 34--41. www.academia.edu/3428837/The_Alewife_Changing_Images_and_Bad_Brews.

Bennett, Judith M. "Misogyny, Popular Culture, and Women's Work." History Workshop Journal, vol. 31, 1991, pp. 166-183. www.24grammata.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/misogyny-Bennett-24grammata.pdf.

Garves, Dana. "OREGON’S FIRST WOMEN BREWERS [1879-1908]." Oregon BrewLab blog, 7 May 2015, www.oregonbrewlab.com/oregons-first-women-brewers-1879-1908/.

Mattingly, Carol. Well Tempered Women: Nineteenth-Century Temperance Rhetoric. Southern Illinois University Press, 1998.

#women in beer #ecofeminism #beer history #craftbeer #sexism #sexism in beer #feminism #poc in beer #brewer #ninkasi #medieval brewing #the temperance movement

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allamericanroofing1 · 4 years

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Best 3 Pool Cabana Design Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind

A backyard pool is a highly desired addition to any Australian home. Somewhere cool and private to go for a swim in the sweltering summer months is many Australian’s idea of heaven. The only thing better? A backyard pool with a cabana to relax and entertain in.

Pool cabanas are an amazing addition to your home. They provide a central entertaining area in your yard, shade during the hottest parts of the day, and somewhere to kick back and relax for when you’re not keen to get soaked.

Before we get to the actual designs, we wanted to talk about planning your pool cabana properly. Having a plan in mind for where it’ll go and the feel you want will help choose the exact style later.

Planning Your Poolside Cabana

It’s important to remember that in Australia, pool safety laws have come a long way since the boom in pool cabana popularity back in the 60s. Safety and fencing requirements basically mean your poolside cabana will no longer be literally next to the pool.

Instead, your cabana now has to be outside of the fenced area of the pool. This is important for knowing how much space you actually have to build the structure, as well as inform the type of design that will sit well on the property.

Ideally you don’t want the cabana to be butting up against the pool fence, so leave some space for a small deck, some chairs, and some walking space between the cabana and pool area.

A poolside cabana can be as simple or as complex as you want. Some things to consider when designing the cabana:

Do you just want a simple outdoor lounge area with shade and space to rest?

Would you prefer the cabana to act as an outdoor bar and servery for entertaining?

Do you want the space to double as storage for poolside toys and accessories?

Do you want to host larger gatherings — maybe consider a large screen TV or billiard table?

Depending on your choices, the three pool cabana designs below will suit your needs and add a wow factor to your yard you won’t want to miss.

Three-Walled Bali Hut-Style Cabana

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The classic poolside cabana, popularised across the country in the 60s, was a simple 3-walled structure designed to make a shady getaway right next to the pool.

While this design moves away from the 60s architecture, it maintains that basic design philosophy of a little slice of heaven in your back yard. The design is simple, unpretentious, and would feel at home in most back yards. We particularly love the curtains for extra shade — perfect for an outdoor afternoon nap on a hot summer day.

Opulent Stone Design

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Nothing quite says class and opulence like a fireplace in your backyard cabana.

Admittedly, we’re weary of recommending outdoor fireplaces in Australia — especially considering the catastrophic fire seasons gripping much of the country. But the overall design is nothing short of breathtaking, and you’d be struggling to keep friends and family away from visiting.

Our favourite, non-fire hazard aspect is the in-built barbecue and fridges, perfect for entertaining your guests. A smaller, less sprawling version of this cabana centred just around the food preparation and delivery aspect could easily fit at home in many backyards.

Pool Pavillion

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Perhaps a little more than a cabana, as it includes a guest house of sorts, but the look and feel of the overall structure could easily be condensed into just a 3-walled poolside cabana.

This design would fit so seamlessly with a Hamptons or Cape Cod style home, as the white wooden facade and asphalt shingle roof would perfectly match the design of the home itself.

If you have the space, including the guest house will add an extra layer of functionality. Entertain guests in the cabana and let them crash the night in the spare room, or use it as a pool house for shower and sauna.

Two-Walled Open Plan Design

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Combining the open feel of the Bali hut style with the aesthetics of the above pavilion, this simple two-walled design would fit effortlessly into most homes.

The neutral white and grey colours paired with matching outdoor furniture sets create an instant relaxed feel perfect for spending lazy summer afternoons poolside.

And like the pavilion above, this would be a perfect design to benefit from asphalt roof shingles. The salt and pepper colouring on top of the clean white lines of the structure would add a touch of style and class to your outdoors in a heartbeat.

Consider Asphalt Roof Shingles For All Your Roofing Needs

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Whether it’s your home or your poolside cabana, asphalt roof shingles are the ideal roofing material to bring your structures to life. They’re cost-effective, long-lasting, tough enough for Australia’s harshest climates, and create a timeless aesthetic that will help separate your home from the rest of the street.

We’re proud to stock GAF Asphalt Roof Shingles for Australian builders. GAF is the leading supplier of roof shingles in the US, and it’s our mission to bring that quality and craftsmanship to the Australian market.

For your next construction or renovation job, consider asphalt roof shingles as part of your plan.

The post Best 3 Pool Cabana Design Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind appeared first on Roof Shingles For Australian Homes.

from Roof Shingles For Australian Homes https://ift.tt/2YZXHRJ

#Roof Shingles For Australian Homes

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youinmyhoodnowson · 5 years

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Best Sewing Machine

If the machine makes it too heavy, you possibly can end up paying a lot of money. Different equipment are additionally offered, together with the buttonhole foot, monogramming foot, zipper foot, zigzag foot, blind stitch, button fitting foot, seam ripper and a lot more. A high quality heavy responsibility sewing machine needs to be able to provide a number of a whole lot of stitches per minute (SPM) and a heavy obligation sewing machine has more SPM than the common family sewing machine. This mannequin has an LCD display, so you possibly can easily monitor which program you might be presently utilizing while sewing. As a computerized sewing machine, it gives you customizable sewing pace with the maximum velocity of 850 stitches per minute, making it good for expert sewers who're pressed for time. There can also be a numbered diagram and best sewing machine reviews and comparisons adjustable sewing button which lets you smoothly thread and management velocity in keeping with your requirement. SINGER is among the oldest sewing machine maker having headquarter in La Vergne, Tennessee, United States.

Choosing an appropriate sewing machine for quilting will be difficult even if you’re more advanced however in here you can find essentially the most value-efficient merchandise. The Brother CS6000i looks like a great sewing machine. The Brother SE400 is designed for embroidery. The Brother SE400 Mixture Computerized Sewing and four x four Embroidery Machine With 67 Constructed-in Stitches, 70 Constructed-in Designs, 5 Lettering Fonts comes with a wealth of built-in embroidery designs, including five totally different lettering fonts. I do not make it a habit to sew multiple layers of heavy materials regularly, however when the occasion requires it, the Brother machine appears fairly capable of dealing with it. Today, the automated sewing machine has taken place of manual stitching system. A regular sewing gadget cannot handle heavy fabrics. At top of B measure and permit 28" inches for the handle in a loop. Continue to pin the strap in place. While you arrive again at the top of A, enable another 28" inches for the opposing handle. Another important characteristic that helps qualify these fashions as leather sewing machines is their capacity to handle thick materials.

Tooling means impressing a sample into the leather-based. Thus, the user solely has to decide on the required sample and the rest of the job is done by the machine itself. Lightweight and easy to make use of, that is the perfect machine for a newbie and the worth is excellent! Therefore, it turns into important that freshmen take proper care whereas buying for a sewing machine, and choose your suitable product on the idea of value and features. It is filled with 27 Stitches for varied kinds of sewing wants. As talked about earlier there are a number of retailers who sell software for stitching varied sorts of patterns. A majority of these industrial sewing machines are generally used for complex stitching and where access to the world is troublesome, similar to manufacture of boots, work gloves and the like as well as affixing emblems to clothes or different gadgets. I might wish to take you through a few of these sewing feet and what they can do.

Adding a bias binding or dealing with does take longer, however it would look so much better. If you may be carrying it whereas hiking, for instance, you may want backpack model straps, which may also impression the overall design you choose to your digicam bag. Country Brook Design | Polypropylene Webbing (1 Inch) (Black, 50 Yards)This is the exact polypropolene webbing I exploit to make the vests. Pfaff have a good system whereby you'll be able to select to simply buy one design or a whole guide. It's one of the vital convenient sewing machines to have. Analysis the Varieties of Machines - There are various kinds of sewing machines on the market at this time. The rationale of having reviews is that it helps you in sorting out features and specs of merchandise and their fashions. Please be happy to go to and join in. Hence my visit to your most wonderful site. It comes with an embroidery foot without spending a dime movement quilting and embroidery.

The Singer 9960 Sewing Machine also comes with thirteen step-1 buttonholes. There are various retailers on-line where you should purchase your sewing machine. With a worldwide popularity for excellence and chopping-edge technology, the corporate is based in Sweden, the place it has been provided sewing machines since 1872. Without any doubt, this firm is a leader in the sewing machine industry! This machine does have some limitations that may affect more superior sewers. Making a banner or flag can be a enjoyable mission for each adults and children. To make it work, you want to have the ability to stretch your banner background tight so that the floor becomes easier to paint. The Juki HZL-F600 has every little thing it's essential work on robust fabric. The antique treadle machines usually work nice but you want to concentrate on learning to sew, not on working the treadle. No questions but I wish to let you understand that I'd like to stitch up a quilt. Do You Need A Sewing Machine Repair Specialist? What You Can - And Can't - Fix Yourself Sewing is an excellent craft that lots of enjoy because it enables them to create a wide array of items using their own hands or if you use an easy machine. It's also the best way to save the different things like clothing and accessories while also allowing your creativity expand to make the things you really love. When you are still in the beginner's stage, you should pay attention to the speed, how affordable it really is, size and just how easy is to use the item you desire. For starters a mechanical sort of method is more recommended as it can be less costly featuring its $100 below budget range this means you will perform all of the basic stitching and repairs that you'd like to be effective on. Making it the very best which is ideal to students (for dormitories) and causal users effortlessly those experimentation moments. If you will be setting your machine in a multi-function area, you'll appreciate time frame size the Featherweight. This machine weights about 11 pounds, that makes it suitable for sewers and quilters who need a piece of equipment to take to classes or "on location." Its small size enhanced its versatility making it it very popular. This non-electric, treadle operated vintage new sewing machine is fantastic for beginners. It is easy to maintain and possesses sturdy metal construction. The machines sold in the United Kingdom featured some other design called the lotus design. The basic gold Singer trademark decals replaced this design between 1910 and 1920. Sewers refer to the initial decals distributed in the United States as "red eye" due to two red ovals, like eyes, around the arm. There are so many different things that one could easily make with your new sewing machine. If you need gifts for young children, you can create beautiful components of clothing, or even consider making clothes for their dolls. You definitely won't uses up options if you are using your new sewing machine that will help you make gifts for this Christmas season.

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the-fitsquad · 6 years

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Workstation Computer systems Vs Multimedia Computer systems

The Mobile Laptop Workstation

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I was teasing the concept of a utilized dual Xeon built off a utilized or refurb HP Z840 workstation. If it really is delivered although you are not property contact the courier and tell them you have a package you wanted to refuse and they’ll come back by your house to pick it up. Now if you happen to be possessing a issue with the shipper, you can constantly try contacting amazon ( I would honestly say call, never e mail due to the response, and the response time) and sometimes the customer service agents are capable to contact the shipper and get some results. But do you need a workstation with 32GB of RAM and 16 CPU cores capable of executing 32 threads simultaneously? Even though Autodesk is not going to quit you from running its apps with a Computer gaming graphics card, the company will tell you which cards are optimized for overall performance and built for reliability when it comes to supporting AutoCAD or Autodesk Inventor.

ClearCube® R3092D Blade PCs provide effective datacenter-to-desktop computing capabilities for the entire variety of customers in your organization. Accessible pre-installed on all new Z Series Workstations, customers can be able to access their workstations from any other branded notebook or Computer with a client RGS, and therefore function from wherever they are in the globe – making certain continual productivity with assured functionality. That quad-core processor featured in the system is an Intel Xeon E3-1245v2, which is significantly less than a year old. Refurbished Laptops and Refurbished Desktop computers supply the exact same higher performance, energy, reliability and security as new computers but without the hefty price tag tag. Natives Law Amendment Act: This Act contained the ‘church clause’ which the Minister of Native Affairs was empowered to direct that the attendance of Africans at any church service in a White area need to cease.

It supports a single CPU, providing your choice of Intel® Xeon E5-1600 v2 or E5-2600 v2 series processors, with base clock frequencies of up to 3.7GHz and the new Intel C602 chipset. There are 4 places that a pc user interfaces with the monitor, the keyboard and mouse, the chair, and the lighting of the environment. The updated Z840s incorporate seven PCIe slots (with two processors, so the load is never ever on one particular bank of slots for as well extended) and an astounding ten two.5″ storage drives—incredibly efficient for RAID server applications or massive information archiving. With a variety of efficiency, capabilities and cost points, there is a appropriate Quadro to go with the desktop workstation of your choice. Distinct varieties of desks are the centerpiece of your residence office, whether or not you operate from residence, have schoolwork, or hobbies that demand a desk.

Made for the most demanding workstation and server-class applications. VMware Workstation Pro supports DirectX ten and OpenGL 3.3, to deliver a fluid and responsive expertise when running 3D applications. The machine is far more of an experiment than an effort to adjust the way desktops and workstations are developed, Wuischpard stated. This is constantly a matter of some opinion, since the enormous variety of important parts that are available, from processors to GPUs to storage to RAM, permit an endless series of permutations and a business such as HP is free of charge to implement, and clearly capable of implementing, efficiently any of them based on what it thinks it can sell. Our test program came outfitted with two quad-core Intel Xeon L5520 processors (two.27GHz), 6GB ECC RAM, Nvidia Quadro FX 1800 graphics card, and Windows Vista 64-bit.

Well being & Security Compliance: Occupational overall health and security courses, office safety, fire safety, manual handling, Workstation Ergonomics (DSE) and managing well being and safety in schools. Techfruits is partnered with the world’s prime networking hardware and computer software firms, to ensure that we can supply ideal solutions for your entire organization. High-finish Intel based Workstations usually run off of Xeon processors and feature NVIDIA Quadro Video Cards to enhance the high quality of multimedia activities like video creation and 3D rendering. Dell Precision Xeon Dual Core Workstation. The new Dell Precision mobile workstations also provide the highest functionality with up to 16GB¹ of 1866MHz memory, fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processor alternatives up to Core i7 Intense Edition, and AMD FirePro and NVIDIA Quadro expert graphics, with up to 8GB graphics memory¹ on the M6800 configured with NVIDIA Quadro K5100M, for handling complicated 3D operate, like rendering and simulation.

If you require hundreds of PCs or more than 50 workstations per year, our Large Enterprise sales reps can be particularly helpful with IT managed deployments. EDIT: I posted much more detail under but I Must mention – each areas have reputable backup solutions and the major, larger firm has a committed server men and women can log in to as well, just in case the workstation hardware doesn’t reduce it. There is quite a demand for a lot of storage space so that’s why I lean a lot more towards receiving mechanical drives (1 TB at least) and RAID them. PCs, meanwhile, had quite limited capabilities, and have been not suitable for CAD use. There is no point “perfuming the pig”, or expending time and power on company processes that are poorly created.

Dual-socket tower Workstation best for powering by way of graphics or CPU intensive application workloads. The new workstations can be equipped with Thunderbolt 3 ports while dual 1GbE ports come common. The mobile workstations also are certified by independent software program vendors to run the most demanding specialist applications, helping guarantee reputable functionality for mobile energy customers. In tablet mode, it maintains complete graphics performance permitting customers to capture suggestions with strong NVIDIA 3D graphics. This implies that communication is restricted only to other workstations on the nearby network. The functionality of workplace furniture depends a fantastic deal on the sort of work becoming done in the office, the equipment utilised, storage needs, movement of folks and gear inside the workplace and a lot of other individuals therefore, the office layout is an aspect that needs careful believed and arranging.

Tough drive, RAM, graphics card, fan unit and power provide can be easily removed. The Boston Venom family offers a full variety of liquid-cooled, GPU-accelerated workstations made particularly to cater for the ever increasing demands inside the Media & Entertainment arena. Six new security-enabled international groups: Tier Replication Maintenance Tier 1 Server Maintenance Service Desk Operators Workstation Upkeep PAW Customers PAW Maintenance. Massive, devoted frame buffer and texture memory help lets you create in rich, photorealistic shading and hugely detailed textures – often in accurate colour, with maximum depth accuracy and with double buffering enabled. Position source documents straight in front of you, between the monitor and the keyboard, using an in-line copy stand.

The Software Licensing Service reported that the Token Shop attempted an invalid file operation. VMware Workstation was the 1st to support 3D graphics in virtualized environments. A detailed division audit (by shift or by cashier) may possibly be conducted and individual postings reviewed until the front workplace accounting error is corrected. PALO ALTO, Calif., June four, 2012 – HP these days announced the new HP Z220 Workstations and HP EliteBook Mobile Workstations, packed with reputable and expert-class functions. If you have ever visited an office supply store then you know that workplace furniture can be virtually prohibitively expensive, creating in inaccessible for some tiny business owners unless you want to get the least expensive of office furnishings.

The Directory Service cannot carry out the requested operation due to the fact a domain rename operation is in progress. Even though in a workstation connected to a network, you can freely share your files and databases to other Pc.A desktop or laptop personal computer that is used on its own with out requiring a connection to a nearby area network (LAN) or wide location network (WAN). In spite of being a single of the most exciting technologies to seem at HP’s workstation event, it was surprising that this new workstation virtualisation technologies was offered so little stage time. The activation server reported that it failed to insert item key binding. The A400-36 and A500-36 machines employed the PA-8500 processor operating at 360 MHz the A400-44 and A500-44 are clocked at 440 MHz.

Advanced Micro Devices continued its year of recovery on Thursday, unveiling a new line of microprocessor chips referred to as Ryzen Pro aimed at desktop workstations. One more alternative is NVIDIA’s mobile M620 Quadro GPU with 2GB of VRAM, also geared toward workstations and officially authorized for pro apps like Autocad and 3DS max. Mobile Powered Workstations help to speed the distribution process of the world’s largest humanitarian medical help business. As furniture creates a first impression on the folks who walk into an office, people do invest a lot in furniture designing and outlook. Desks for PCs also benefit from holes, slots, and open-back styles even though which cables for the computer systems and peripherals run. In addition, at that time, Macs have been linked with the various technologies utilised in the prepress and Windows Pc was just not a practical decision.

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