text:
\section{\label{sec:Intro}Introduction}

The alkaline earth chromates, $A$CrO$_3$, where $A$ can be Ca, Sr, or Ba, are a relatively unexplored class of perovskite-structured transition metal (TM) oxides where the Cr cation is in a peculiar tetravalent oxidation state (\ce{Cr^{4+}}) with a nominal $d^2$ valence electron configuration.
While BaCrO$_3$, which has only been stabilized in epitaxial thin films~\cite{Zhu2013_BCO}, appears to be a Mott insulator~\cite{Giovannetti2014_BCO_JT}, the systems with $A$=Ca and Sr are categorized to be at the border between localized and itinerant electron behavior~\cite{Zhou2006_NM_insulator,Streltsov2008_band_localized_magnetism, Komarek2011_experimental_c_type,Long2011_itinerant_localized_crossover}.
Both materials are reported to be rare examples of antiferromagnetic metallic oxides, and, furthermore, SrCrO$_3$ has been suggested as possible realization of a \emph{Hund's metal}, where strong correlations and significant quasiparticle renormalization are caused by the Hund's coupling~\cite{deMedici2011_Janus, Georges2013_strong_corr_Hund}.

Even though the first successful synthesis of SrCrO$_3$\xspace has already been reported in 1967~\cite{Chamberland1967_first_experiment}, its basic properties are still not clearly established, with various apparently contradictory experimental observations.
This is partially due to the difficulty to stabilize the Cr$^{4+}$ charge state within an octahedral environment, which requires high pressure and high temperature during bulk synthesis~\cite{Chamberland1967_first_experiment,Zhou2006_NM_insulator,OrtegaSanMartin2007_partial_OO_experimental}.
Nevertheless, all experiments report a cubic perovskite structure and a paramagnetic susceptibility above $\sim$70-100\,K, whereby the paramagnetism cannot be well described by either an itinerant Pauli nor by a Curie-Weiss local moment picture.
However, while some works report metallic conductivity~\cite{Chamberland1967_first_experiment, Williams2006_metallic_AFM, Komarek2011_experimental_c_type}, others observe insulating/semiconducting behavior~\cite{Zhou2006_NM_insulator, Long2011_itinerant_localized_crossover, Cao2015_paramag_semicond}, albeit with a possible transition to metallicity under pressure~\cite{Zhou2006_NM_insulator, Long2011_itinerant_localized_crossover}.
Furthermore, a coexisting tetragonal antiferromagnetically (C-type) ordered phase has been reported at low temperatures~\cite{OrtegaSanMartin2007_partial_OO_experimental, Komarek2011_experimental_c_type}.
More recent studies on epitaxially grown thin films also find metallicity as well as indications for an antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state~\cite{Zhang2015_metallic_AFM}.
Very recently, a transition from metallic to insulating behavior has been reported in thin films under tensile epitaxial strain~\cite{Bertino2021_MIT_strain}.

A C-type AFM metallic ground state for SrCrO$_3$\xspace is also supported by first principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT)~\cite{Lee2009_DFTU_OO, Qian2011_weak_correlations, Zhang2015_metallic_AFM}.
As discussed by Qian \textit{et al.}~\cite{Qian2011_weak_correlations}, the C-type magnetic order, which corresponds to a wave-vector of $(\tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2}, 0)$ (in units of the reciprocal lattice vectors), breaks the cubic symmetry and leads to a tetragonal distortion of the unit cell with $c/a<1$. This also results in a splitting of the Cr-$t_{2g}$ orbitals and a preferential occupation of $d_{xy}$ compared to $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ orbitals, with the latter two remaining two-fold degenerate (see Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}).
Incorporating a Hubbard $+U$ correction in the calculation, to better account for the potentially strong Coulomb interaction within the rather localized $d$ orbitals, effectively enhances the orbital splitting, eventually resulting in an orbitally polarized $d_{xy}^1(d_{xz}d_{yz})^1$ configuration for sufficiently large $U$~\cite{Lee2009_DFTU_OO}. However, the system still remains metallic due to the degeneracy of the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$ orbitals.

We note that in earlier papers (e.g., ~\cite{OrtegaSanMartin2007_partial_OO_experimental}) the orbital order has been assumed to drive the structural distortion from cubic to tetragonal. However, the DFT results by Qian \textit{et al.}~\cite{Qian2011_weak_correlations} (and also our own results presented in the following), suggest that it might be more appropriate to consider the magnetic order as the main driving force, which then results in both the tetragonal distortion and the orbital polarization. Nevertheless, the coupling between orbital polarization and tetragonality could potentially also play a role in stabilizing the C-AFM state over other possible AFM wave-vectors.

It was also reported that an insulating state with ``reversed'' orbital occupations, according to $d_{xy}^0(d_{xz}d_{yz})^2$, can be stabilized in DFT+$U$ calculations for SrCrO$_3$\xspace, however, only for unrealistically large values of the Hubbard $U$ parameter~\cite{Qian2011_weak_correlations}.
A similar insulating state has also been found in DFT calculations for ultrathin films and superlattices, containing only 1-2 monolayers of SrCrO$_3$\xspace~\cite{Gupta2013_ferroelectric_film, Zhou2015_MIT_SCO_superlattices}.
Here, the energy of the $d_{xz}/d_{yz}$ states is lowered relative to the $d_{xy}$ orbital due to a missing apical oxygen at the film surface~\cite{Gupta2013_ferroelectric_film}, or due to a polar distortion in the superlattices~\cite{Zhou2015_MIT_SCO_superlattices}.

\begin{figure}
   \centering
   \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./en_diagram_full_degenerate.png}
   \caption{Effect of \textbf{(a)} epitaxial strain and \textbf{(b)} Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion on the relative energies of the $t_{2g}$ states and their occupation for a $d^2$ cation and C-type AFM order. There is a small splitting between $d_{xy}$ and $d_{xz}/d_{yz}$ states already in the unstrained metallic state, due to the C-type AFM order. \textbf{(a)} Applying tensile epitaxial strain in the $xy$ plane increases this splitting but conserves the degeneracy and partial filling of $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ levels. \textbf{(b)} In contrast, the JT distortion lifts this degeneracy, results in an alternating occupation of either $d_{xz}$ or $d_{yz}$, and the possible emergence of an insulating state.}
   \label{fig:levels}
\end{figure}

In a recent preprint~\cite{Bertino2021_MIT_strain}, Bertino~\textit{et al.} demonstrate that it is possible to tune the resistivity of SrCrO$_3$\xspace thin films by imposing tensile epitaxial strain on the material. SrCrO$_3$\xspace films epitaxially grown on substrates with a small lattice mismatch remain metallic, while highly strained films grown on substrates with a larger lattice constant clearly show insulating behavior~\cite{Bertino2021_MIT_strain}.
In order to explain their findings, Bertino~\textit{et al.} resort to the aforementioned $d_{xy}^0(d_{xz}d_{yz})^2$ electron configuration resulting from a potential reordering of the $t_{2g}$ levels.
However, we note that tensile strain is expected to promote exactly the opposite trend, i.e., an energy lowering of the $d_{xy}$ orbital relative to $d_{xz}/d_{yz}$ (see, e.g., \cite{Sclauzero2016_MIT_strain_perovskites} and Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}a). Furthermore, it is unlikely that the effects promoting the reversed splitting of the $t_{2g}$ levels in ultrathin films and superlattices~\cite{Gupta2013_ferroelectric_film, Zhou2015_MIT_SCO_superlattices} will survive in SrCrO$_3$\xspace films of several nm thickness.

Here, we therefore suggest a different scenario for a metal-insulator transition (MIT) in SrCrO$_3$\xspace under tensile epitaxial strain. We show that such strain can stabilize a Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion, very similar to that observed in the closely related series of rare earth vanadates~\cite{Miyasaka2003, Reehuis2006_neutron_vanadates_0, Sage2007_vanadates_experimental, Martinez-Lope2008_RVOs, Reehuis2011_neutron_vanadates_1, Varignon2015_main_vanadates}, where the V$^{3+}$ cation has the same $d^2$ electron configuration as the Cr$^{4+}$ cation in SrCrO$_3$\xspace. The JT distortion lifts the degeneracy of the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$ orbitals (see Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}b) and thus enables the opening of a band-gap. Our results, obtained from electronic structure calculations within DFT+$U$, show that the JT distortion can also be stabilized in the unstrained case for a sufficiently strong Coulomb repulsion between the $d$ electrons, parameterized by the Hubbard $U$. Applying  tensile epitaxial strain lowers the $U$ value required to stabilize a nonzero JT distortion, and therefore can drive a MIT in SrCrO$_3$\xspace.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. We first describe the JT modes that we investigate in our calculations (Sec.~\ref{sec:JT}), followed by a description of our computational method (Sec.~\ref{sec:Computational_details}). We then start by establishing the ground state properties of unstrained SrCrO$_3$\xspace as function of the Hubbard $U$ parameter (Sec.~\ref{sec:SCO}), before assessing the effect of tensile epitaxial strain on the stability of the JT distortion and the electronic structure of SrCrO$_3$\xspace (Sec.~\ref{sec:JT_SCO}). Finally, in Sec.~\ref{sec:summary}, we summarize our main conclusions.

\section{\label{sec:Methods} Method}

\subsection{\label{sec:JT} Jahn-Teller distorted structure}

As already described in the introduction, Sec.~\ref{sec:Intro}, an insulating state in SrCrO$_3$ can potentially be achieved by removing the degeneracy between the $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ orbital. This leads to half-filling of the corresponding orbital, which facilitates the opening of an energy gap either through magnetic ordering, leading to an additional local spin splitting, or via a Mott transition (or both).
This can be observed, e.g., in the closely related series of rare earth vanadates, $R$VO$_3$~\cite{Miyasaka2003, Reehuis2006_neutron_vanadates_0, Sage2007_vanadates_experimental, Martinez-Lope2008_RVOs, Reehuis2011_neutron_vanadates_1, Varignon2015_main_vanadates}, where the $V^{3+}$ cation exhibits the same $d^2$ electron configuration as the Cr$^{4+}$ cation in SrCrO$_3$\xspace.

\begin{figure}
   \centering
   \includegraphics[width=0.7\columnwidth]{./JT_modes.png}
   \caption{Orthographic projections of the in-phase $M_3^+$ (upper part) and anti-phase $R_3^-$ (lower part) JT modes considered in this work. Oxygen octahedra around the Cr atoms are marked by blue and red shading. Both modes exhibit a staggered arrangement with alternating long and short octahedral axes within the $x$-$y$ plane, but differ in the stacking along $z$.
   The Cr-O bond distances used to quantify the amplitude of both modes (Eq.~\eqref{eq:JT}) are depicted in the top right, and the $( \sqrt{2} \times \sqrt{2} \times 2)$ supercell is indicated by the black dotted line.}
   \label{fig:JT_modes}
\end{figure}

At room temperature, the rare-earth vanadates exhibit an orthorhombically distorted perosvkite structure with space group $Pbmn$~\cite{Martinez-Lope2008_RVOs}. At low temperatures, various structural transitions can be observed, which involve two different JT modes (see Fig. \ref{fig:JT_modes}): a JT ``in-phase'' mode (irrep: $M_3^+$), which conserves the  $Pbnm$ symmetry, and a corresponding ``anti-phase'' mode (irrep: $R_3^-$), which further lowers the symmetry to $P2_1/a$~\cite{Varignon2015_main_vanadates,Sage2007_vanadates_experimental}. Both modes exhibit the same staggered arrangement of JT-distorted oxygen octahedra within an individual $(001)$-type plane, with alternating long and short O-TM-O distances along the $x$ and $y$ directions. In the in-phase $M_3^+$ mode, identical planes are stacked on top of each other along the $z$ direction, whereas in the anti-phase $R_3^-$ mode these planes are stacked with alternating orientation of long and short axes (see Fig.~\ref{fig:JT_modes}).
Both structural distortions create a local imbalance in the occupation of the $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ orbitals on the TM sites, leading to orbital order (OO) with different ordering vector.
The OO is strongly coupled to a potentially coexisting AFM order in such a way that G-type AFM order, corresponding to wave vector $(\tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2})$, always appears in combination with C-type OO, i.e, with the in-phase JT mode corresponding to wave vector $(\tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2}, 0)$, while C-type AFM always appears in combination with G-type OO, i.e., with the anti-phase JT mode.

Due to the similarity between the Cr$^{4+}$ and the V$^{3+}$ cation, it appears natural to ask whether similar physics and the corresponding structural distortions can also occur in SrCrO$_3$\xspace, and whether this could explain the insulating behavior observed in the thin film experiments~\cite{Bertino2021_MIT_strain}. Since insulating behavior has only been observed on substrates with a large lattice mismatch, it also raises the question about the effect of epitaxial strain on such a potential MIT in SrCrO$_3$\xspace.

To explore these questions, we perform DFT+$U$ calculations for strained and unstrained SrCrO$_3$\xspace. Thereby, we mimic the elastic boundary condition imposed on epitaxially strained thin films using periodic bulk unit cells, where we fix the lattice parameters in the $x$ and $y$ directions to values slightly larger than the corresponding relaxed bulk lattice constant, while relaxing the lattice parameter along the out-of-plane $z$ direction. Furthermore, to test for the stability of a JT distorted structure, we initialize the atomic positions according to a certain amplitude of the JT distortion, either in-phase or anti-phase, and then let the atomic positions relax, allowing them to relax back to zero JT amplitude if the distortion is energetically unfavorable.

To analyze the corresponding trends, we vary both the value of the Hubbard $U$ and we change the in-plane lattice parameter. The epitaxial strain is quantified as \mbox{$\varepsilon_{xx}=\varepsilon_{yy}=(a_\text{strained}-a)/a$}, i.e., relative to the relaxed in-plane lattice parameter $a$ (always taken for the same magnetic order and $U$ value as in the corresponding strained calculations).
The amplitude of the JT modes is quantified  as:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:JT}
 Q_\text{JT} = \frac{d_\text{Cr-O}^\text{long}}{d_\text{Cr-O}^\text{short}} - 1
\end{equation}
where $d^\text{long}_\text{Cr-O}$ ($d^\text{short}_\text{Cr-O}$) represent the long (short) Cr-O bond-distances (see Fig.~\ref{fig:JT_modes}).

\subsection{\label{sec:Computational_details}Computational Details}

We perform all DFT+$U$ calculations using the Quantum Espresso package~\cite{Giannozzi2009_QE_general} (version 6.4.1.) in combination with ultrasoft pseudopotentials from the GBRV library~\cite{Garrity2014_GBRV_pseudos}. We treat the exchange and correlation energy within the generalized gradient approximation using the functional by Perdew, Burke, and Ernzerhof modified for solids (PBEsol)~\cite{Perdew2009_PBEsol}.
To better account for the strong electron-electron interaction within the localized $d$ orbitals on the Cr, we employ the ``$+U$'' correction as implemented in Quantum Espresso \cite{Anisimov1991_original_DFTU, Cococcioni2005_QE_DFTU}, considering only an effective interaction parameter, $U_\text{eff} = U - J$, which is equivalent to setting the Hund's coupling $J=0$.

All calculations are performed using a ($\sqrt{2} \times \sqrt{2} \times 2$) supercell relative to the primitive cell of the ideal cubic perovskite structure, which allows to accommodate both the in-phase and anti-phase JT modes as well as different AFM orders. Specifically, we consider C-type, G-type, and A-type AFM order, corresponding to wave-vectors $(\tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2}, 0)$, $(\tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2}, \tfrac{1}{2})$, and $(0, 0, \tfrac{1}{2})$, respectively (in units of the primitive reciprocal lattice vectors of the simple perovskite structure).
The plane wave kinetic energy cutoff is set to 56\,Ry for the wavefunctions and to 624\,Ry for the charge density. Brillouin zone integrations are performed using the Marzari-Vanderbilt ``cold-smearing'' scheme \cite{Marzari1999_smearing} and a ($10 \times 10 \times 7$) \textit{k}-point mesh .

\section{\label{sec:results}Results and Discussion}

\subsection{\label{sec:SCO} Bulk properties of SrCrO$_3$\xspace as function of Hubbard $U$}

We start by establishing the basic structural and magnetic properties of \emph{unstrained} SrCrO$_3$\xspace within DFT+$U$.
For this purpose we perform structural relaxations and total energy calculations for three different magnetic states, including A-type, C-type, and G-type AFM order (see Sec.~\ref{sec:Computational_details}).

\subsubsection{The case without JT distortion}

First, we discuss the case where we only allow for a tetragonal deformation of the unit cell but not for a JT distortion, i.e., we relax the volume and $c/a$ ratio of the unit cell for different $U$ values ranging from 0\,eV to 5\,eV, \emph{without} initializing a small initial JT distortion.
The corresponding results are shown as solid lines in Fig.~\ref{fig:en_diff_structures}, where we plot the obtained energy differences between the three different magnetic states (relative to C-type AFM) as well as the resulting lattice parameters as function of the Hubbard $U$.

\begin{figure}
   \centering
   \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./U-scan_all_JT.png}
   \caption{(a) Total energies (per Cr atom) for the different magnetic structures relative to the C-type AFM order as function of the Hubbard $U$ parameter. (b) Corresponding fully relaxed in-plane lattice constant $a$. (c) Corresponding fully relaxed $c/a$ ratio. Solid lines represent calculations where no JT distortion is allowed. Dashed lines represent calculations where the system is allowed to develop a JT distortion. The black dot-dashed lines in (b) and (c) indicate the experimental values ($a = 3.82$\,\AA{}, $c/a = 0.99$) from Ref.~\onlinecite{Komarek2011_experimental_c_type}.}
   \label{fig:en_diff_structures}
\end{figure}

It can be seen that, consistently with previous DFT calculations~\cite{Lee2009_DFTU_OO,Qian2011_weak_correlations}, the C-type AFM state has the lowest energy for $U<4$\,eV, while for higher $U$ values A-type AFM eventually becomes the ground state.
For $0 < U \lesssim 2$\,eV, the corresponding relaxed in-plane lattice constant $a$ is also in rather good agreement with the experimental value $a = 3.82$\,\AA{} from Ref.~\onlinecite{Komarek2011_experimental_c_type}. Generally, $a$ increases with increasing $U$.
Furthermore, while G-AFM order maintains the original cubic symmetry (space group $Pm\bar{3}m$), with $c/a=1$, both C- and A-type AFM reduce the symmetry to tetragonal (space group $P4/mmm$). In the case of C-AFM, this results in a contraction of the out-of-plane lattice parameter $c$, while A-AFM leads to an elongation with $c/a>1$. This supports the idea that the main driving force behind the tetragonal distortion of the material is the underlying magnetic order, as proposed by Qian \textit{et al.}~\cite{Qian2011_weak_correlations}.
The tetragonal distortion becomes more pronounced for higher $U$ values, and overall it appears that our calculations predict a somewhat larger compression of the $c$ axis, i.e., a smaller $c/a$ ratio, for the C-AFM case compared to the value reported experimentally ($c/a = 0.99$)~\cite{Komarek2011_experimental_c_type}.

Note that we have also done analogous calculations using the local spin density approximation (LSDA) as well as the original PBE functional~\cite{Perdew1996_PBE}.  The results are qualitatively similar, except that, as expected, LSDA (PBE) results in smaller (larger) lattice constant and a $c/a$ ratio that generally deviates slightly less (more) from 1 compared to the PBEsol results. Furthermore, the transition from C- to A-AFM occurs for a slightly larger (smaller) $U$ value. Overall, the PBEsol functional appears to give lattice parameters closest to the experimental values, and we therefore only present the corresponding results here.

\subsubsection{The effects of the Jahn-Teller mode}

Next, we allow the JT distortion to develop in the material, i.e., we break the symmetry by initializing the oxygen positions with a small JT amplitude and then let the system relax to its lowest energy state. We can see in Fig.~\ref{fig:en_diff_structures} that a JT distortion develops both in the C- and G-type AFM cases for $U\geq3$\,eV and $U\geq2$\,eV, respectively. In accordance with the vanadates, and consistent with the Kugel-Khomskii model of superexchange for coupled spin and orbital degrees of freedom~\cite{Kugel/Khomskii1982}, for C-AFM only the anti-phase $R_3^-$ mode is stabilized, while for G-AFM the in-phase $M_3^+$ mode develops. We have verified that initializing the anti-phase mode in combination with G-AFM or the in-phase mode with C-AFM always results in the system relaxing back to the corresponding undistorted structure. No JT distortion can be stabilized for A-AFM, consistent with the fact that in this case the magnetic order and the resulting elongation of the $c$ axis lowers the $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ levels relative to $d_{xy}$, which results in a non-JT-active configuration with two electrons in the lower-lying two-fold degenerate orbitals.

As already noted, a slightly lower $U$ value is necessary to stabilize the JT distortion for G-AFM compared to the C-AFM case. Furthermore, the JT-distorted G-AFM state becomes the ground state of the system for $U\geq4$\,eV.
The JT distortion lowers the symmetry in the G-AFM case from cubic to tetragonal (space group $P4/mbm$), which results in an elongation of the in-plane relative to the out-of-plane lattice parameter and thus $c/a<1$. For C-AFM, the JT distortion does not have a strong effect on the lattice parameters.

We note that previous calculations of screened interaction parameters for SrCrO$_3$\xspace using the constrained random phase approximation have obtained values of $U=2.9$\,eV and $J=0.85$\,eV~\cite{Vaugier2012_estimation_U}, resulting in an effective interaction parameter $U_\text{eff} \approx 2$\,eV.
Thus, we consider a $U$ of around 2\,eV as the most realistic regime for SrCrO$_3$\xspace. This, according to our calculations, results in an undistorted C-AFM ground state, which, however, is rather close to a JT instability.

\subsection{\label{sec:JT_SCO} SrCrO$_3$\xspace under tensile epitaxial strain}

As described in the introduction, Sec.~\ref{sec:Intro}, a transition to insulating behavior has recently been observed in thin films grown on substrates with a larger lattice constant than bulk SrCrO$_3$\xspace~\cite{Bertino2021_MIT_strain}. Therefore, we now investigate how tensile epitaxial strain affects the stability of the JT distortion, and also analyze the corresponding changes in the electronic structure of SrCrO$_3$\xspace. To this end, we perform calculations where we fix the in-plane lattice parameter $a$ but relax all atomic positions as well as the out-of-plane lattice parameter $c$, as described in Sec.~\ref{sec:JT}. All calculations presented in this section are performed for the C-type AFM order, which is the ground state of the system within the range of $U$ values that we are considering.

\subsubsection{Basic phase diagram under strain}

\begin{figure}
   \centering
   \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./contour_all.png}
   \caption{Evolution of \textbf{(a)} the Jahn-Teller (JT) amplitude and \textbf{(b)} the density of states at the Fermi level, DOS($E_\text{F}$), as a function of epitaxial strain and the Hubbard $U$ parameter. The white lines are a visual aid to distinguish distorted and undistorted regions in (a) and metallic, semimetallic, and insulating regions in (b). See the main text for more details. }
   \label{fig:phase_diagram}
\end{figure}

The relaxed amplitude of the JT distortion as function of the Hubbard $U$ and
in-plane strain (measured relative to the relaxed bulk lattice constant for each $U$) is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:phase_diagram}(a). Note that in order to identify clear trends, we consider strain values of up to 6\,\%, even though such high strains are unlikely to be achieved in realistic thin film samples.
For zero in-plane strain, the JT mode emerges for $U \geq 2.25$\,eV, consistent with the results presented in Fig.~\ref{fig:en_diff_structures}, and increases in amplitude for increasing $U$. For increasing strain, the minimal $U$ value required to obtain a nonzero JT distortion decreases more or less linearly. Thus, tensile strain appears to favor the JT distortion. On the other hand, one can also see that for a given $U$, once the JT distortion appears, the amplitude of the JT mode actually decreases with increasing strain. Thus, there seem to be two opposing tendencies, which we will discuss in more detail further below.

Fig.~\ref{fig:phase_diagram}(b) shows the value of the total density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level, $E_\text{F}$, as function of $U$ and in-plane strain. It can be seen that in the region where the JT distortion is zero, the system is clearly metallic, with a high density of states at $E_\text{F}$. For large $U$, the density of states at $E_\text{F}$ is zero, indicating the opening of an insulating gap. In between, there is an intermediate region where the system already exhibits a JT distortion, but is still metallic, albeit with a significantly reduced density of states at the Fermi level. This region is labeled as ``semimetal'' in Fig.~\ref{fig:phase_diagram}(b), for reasons explained in the following.

\begin{figure*}
\centering
	\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{./all_bands.png}
	\caption{Bandstructure of SrCrO$_3$\xspace obtained for $U=2.5$\,eV with [(c) and (d)] and without [(a) and (b)] JT distortion $Q_\text{JT}$, both for the  unstrained case [(a) and (c)] and under a tensile epitaxial strain of $\varepsilon_{xx}=6$\,\% [(b) and (d)]. The orbital character, projected on the $t_{2g}$ orbitals on one of the Cr atoms, is indicated by the colored markers, with the size of the marker representing the weight of the corresponding orbital in the Bloch function.
	The Fermi level is indicated by the horizontal black line, and $k$-point labels correspond to the primitive tetragonal Brillouin zone of the $\sqrt{2} \times \sqrt{2} \times 2$ cell.}
	\label{fig:bands}
\end{figure*}

\subsubsection{Analysis of band structure}

To understand the existence of the JT distortion in the ``semimetallic'' phase, and the apparently opposing tendencies under strain (emergence of JT distortion but then decreasing amplitude for increasing strain), we now compare the band structure in the energy region around the Fermi level for the cases with and without JT distortion, both for zero strain and for an in-plane strain of 6\,\%.
Fig.~\ref{fig:bands} shows the corresponding band-structures for $U=2.5$\,eV.
The orbital character of the individual bands is also indicated, by projecting the Bloch states on $t_{2g}$ orbitals centered on one of the Cr atoms.

We first discuss the unstrained case without JT distortion, shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:bands}(a). In this case, one recognizes a $d_{xy}$-dominated band located mostly around and below $E_\text{F}$ (note that due to the presence of several Cr atoms within our unit cell there is more than one ``$d_{xy}$-state'' per $k$-point), and a slighly higher-lying $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$-dominated band. This essentially corresponds to the schematic level diagram shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}(a).
However, due to the large bandwidth, the two sets of bands overlap, and the $d_{xy}$-band is not completely filled, but crosses the Fermi level, rendering the material metallic.

As can be seen in Fig.~\ref{fig:bands}(c), the JT distortion splits the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$-band at the Z-point and along \mbox{Z-R-A-Z}, thereby completely disconnecting the higher-lying band (with dominant $d_{yz}$ character on the selected Cr atom) from all lower-lying bands. Note that for the selected Cr atom, the short (long) Cr-O bond in the JT-distorted structure is oriented along $y$ ($x$), and thus the splitting of the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$ band is consistent with the splitting expected from Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}(b).
However, for the chosen value of $U=2.5$\,eV, the bottom of the higher-lying $d_{xz}$ band (along the line A-Z) still has an indirect overlap with the top of the $d_{xy}$ band (at M-point) and therefore both bands contribute to the small DOS at the Fermi level (see Fig.~\ref{fig:en_diff_structures}(b)). We thus refer to this regime as ``semimetallic''.
Furthermore, we note that, even though there is no global energy gap in the DOS, the splitting of the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$ band and the resulting ``disconnected'' bandstructure apparently leads to an energy gain that is sufficient to stabilize the JT distortion for $U=2.5$\,eV (see Fig.~\ref{fig:phase_diagram}).

From the comparison of Fig~.\ref{fig:bands}(a) and (c), one can see that tensile strain pushes the $d_{xy}$-band to lower energies relative to the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$-band, again consistent with the expected effect on the corresponding energy levels shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}(a). This brings the system closer to the nominal occupations with a fully occupied $d_{xy}$-band and one electron (per Cr) in the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$-band, and thus facilitates the stabilization of a JT distortion for a smaller $U$ value.

On the other hand, tensile strain also leads to a contraction of the lattice parameter along $z$ due to the Poisson effect, which in turn promotes electron hopping along this direction and thus increases the bandwidth of the $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$-band. This increase of the bandwidth with increasing tensile strain reduces the energy gain from the JT splitting and is therefore responsible for the reduction of the JT amplitude with strain (for fixed $U$ value). The smaller JT amplitude is also reflected by the smaller splitting  between the $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ bands along Z-R-A-Z in Fig.~\ref{fig:bands}(d) compared to that in Fig.~\ref{fig:bands}(c). Nevertheless, due to the smaller overlap with the $d_{xy}$ band in the strained case, a smaller $d_{xz}$/$d_{yz}$ splitting is sufficient to fully open a gap in the band-structure, and thus the JT-distorted system becomes insulating.

\subsubsection{\label{sec:H_eff} Evolution of the orbital polarization}

In order to further analyze the interplay between structural and electronic degrees of freedom, we perform calculations where we manually vary the amplitude of the JT distortion, $Q_{\text{JT}}$, for fixed strain, and then monitor the evolution of the local orbital polarization, $\Delta n$, defined as the absolute value of the occupation difference between the $d_{xz}$ and $d_{yz}$ orbitals on each Cr.
The results are shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:landau_all} for two different $U$ values.

\begin{figure}
   \centering
   \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./landau_OP_Amplitude_scan_all.png}
   \caption{Evolution of the local orbital polarization $\Delta n$ as function of the amplitude $Q_\text{JT}$ of the JT distortion at different strain levels, obtained for (a) $U=2.0$\,eV and (b) $U=2.5$\,eV. The values for $\Delta n$ and $Q_\text{JT}$ that correspond to relaxed atomic positions for each strain are marked by the green diamonds, and the green line is a linear fit to these data points.}
   \label{fig:landau_all}
\end{figure}

We first discuss the case with $U=2.5$\,eV, Fig.~\ref{fig:landau_all}(b), for which the JT mode is energetically preferred at all strain levels.
For small JT distortion ($Q_\text{JT} < 0.01$), one observes a linear regime, where $\Delta n$ is proportional to $Q_\text{JT}$, and the system exhibits a metallic density of states.
On increasing $Q_\text{JT}$, the response seems to abruptly jump to a larger value of the orbital polarization, which then increases only slightly on further increase of $Q_\text{JT}$. This behavior corresponds to the semimetallic/insulating regime.
The amount of orbital polarization that is achieved in this regime is decreasing with increasing strain, consistent with the smaller splitting and increased bandwidth of the $d_{xz}/d_{yz}$ band seen in Fig.~\ref{fig:bands}(d) compared to  Fig.~\ref{fig:bands}(c).
Similar behavior is also observed for $U=2.0$\,eV, except for the corresponding unstrained case, where the JT mode is not energetically stable. Here, the initial linear response is weaker and the transition to the ``saturation regime'' is much more gradual and smoothed out.

We note that in the transition region between the two regimes, the calculations are rather difficult to converge. This is likely due to the presence of both metallic and semimetallic/insulating solutions. Thus, we do not attempt to fully resolve this transition region.
We also note that the maximum orbital polarization of around $\Delta n = 0.4$ is smaller than the nominal value of 1 expected from the simple level diagram shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:levels}. This is due to hybridization between the Cr $d$ orbitals and the $p$ orbitals of the surrounding oxygen ligands.

Most importantly, one can see that the points corresponding to the equilibrium JT amplitude for each case, which are marked by green diamonds in Fig.~\ref{fig:landau_all}, can be nicely fitted by a straight line, which has the same slope for both $U=2.0$\,eV and $U=2.5$\,eV.
This is consistent with a simple model that only involves a linear coupling between the structural distortion and the corresponding electronic order parameter, in this case the orbital polarization~\cite{Peil2019_landau_theory_eff_model,Georgescu2021_MIT_E_landscape}:
\begin{equation}
E = E_{el}[\Delta n] -  g \frac{Q_{\text{JT}}\Delta n}{2} + K \frac{Q_{\text{JT}}^2}{2}.
    \label{eqn: total_energy}
\end{equation}
Here, the total energy $E$ is divided into three contributions: a purely electronic part $E_{el}$, which depends on the orbital polarization $\Delta n$, a linear coupling between $\Delta n$ and the associated structural distortion (in this case the JT mode amplitude $Q_{\text{JT}}$), and a term describing the stiffness of the structural distortion.
Minimizing the total energy with respect to $Q_\text{JT}$ and using the Hellman-Feynman theorem yields an equation of state for the equilibrium values of $Q_\text{JT}$ and $\Delta n$~\cite{Peil2019_landau_theory_eff_model, Georgescu2021_MIT_E_landscape}:
\begin{equation}
\frac{2K}{g} Q_{\text{JT}} = \Delta n (Q_{\text{JT}}) \quad .
    \label{eqn:saddle_point}
\end{equation}
Thus, the equilibrium values can be obtained from the crossing point of $\Delta n(Q_\text{JT})$ with the straight line \mbox{$2K/g \cdot Q_\text{JT}$}, where the slope is determined by the mode stiffness $K$ and the electron-lattice coupling constant $g$.

Even though we have not attempted to extract values for $K$ and $g$ from our DFT+$U$ calculations, it is apparent that the data shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:landau_all} is well described by this simple model, with a value for $K/g$ that is independent of $U$. Also the case without a stable JT distortion ($U=2.0$\,eV and $\varepsilon_{xx}=0$) is correctly described by this model, since the corresponding curve for $\Delta n(Q_\text{JT})$ does not intersect with the fitted line for $2K/g \cdot Q_\text{JT}$ for any value of $Q_\text{JT}>0$.

\section{Summary and Conclusions}
\label{sec:summary}

In summary, we have used DFT+$U$ calculation to investigate the ground state properties of SrCrO$_3$\xspace and the possible emergence of a JT distortion, which could lead to a metal-insulator transition under strain. Our calculations confirm a C-type AFM ground state (for $U<4$\,eV) and indicate that for a realistic value of $U \approx 2$\,eV, the system is very close to a JT instability.
Tensile strain reduces the $U$ value that is required to develop a JT distortion to below 2\,eV, and thus can trigger a transition to the JT distorted structure. The emergence of the JT distortion is accompanied by a significant reduction in the density of states at the Fermi level and ultimately by the opening of a band gap.
This provides a realistic scenario to explain the strong increase in resistivity that has been observed experimentally in SrCrO$_3$\xspace thin film grown on substrates with a larger lattice constant than SrCrO$_3$\xspace~\cite{Bertino2021_MIT_strain}.

Our calculations also show that, while strain plays an important role in triggering the onset of the JT mode, further straining actually decreases the corresponding mode amplitude. This can be understood from the two opposing tendencies resulting from the lowering of the $d_{xy}$ band relative to $d_{xz}/d_{yz}$, and from the increasing bandwidth of the latter.
Furthermore, the emergence of the JT distortion and the associated orbital polarization appears to be well described by a simple model that involves a linear coupling between electronic and structural order parameters.

Interestingly, the emergence of the JT distortion does not lead to an abrupt metal-insulator transition. Instead, this transition occurs via an intermediate semimetallic phase, and for a fixed $U=2$\,eV a large strain of nearly 6\,\% is required to cross this semimetallic region. We note, however, that the strong reduction of DOS($E_\text{F}$) can potentially result in large changes in resistivity similar to a metal-insulator transition. It is also conceivable that the unstrained system is in fact already in the semimetallic JT-distorted state, corresponding, e.g., to $U=2.5$\,eV, but that the small JT distortion has so far eluded experimental detection. In this case, a much smaller strain would be sufficient to bring the system in the fully insulating region.
It is also possible that the DFT+$U$ approach overestimates the extension of the semimetallic region or that the screening of the Hubbard interaction is changing under strain or as a result of the metal-insulator transition. If this would lead to an increase in the effective $U$ value, that would reinforce the transition to the insulating state.
Finally, other influences, not included in our calculations, such as, e.g., varying defect concentrations or inhomogeneities, could also affect the metal-insulator transition.

Further experimental characterization is required to resolve these remaining question, and we hope that our computational analysis will stimulate future experimental studies of SrCrO$_3$\xspace, both in bulk form and in thin films, or also as part of more complex heterostructures.
Our work highlights some of the physics that is likely to be relevant in SrCrO$_3$\xspace and possibly also other alkaline earth chromites, and shows that these materials are indeed at the border between different structural and electronic instabilities.

\begin{acknowledgments}
This research was supported by the NCCR MARVEL, a National Centre of Competence in Research, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number 182892), and by ETH Z\"urich.
Calculations were performed on the cluster \enquote{Euler} of ETH Z\"urich. We also thank Simon J\"ohr and Marta Gibert for insightful discussions and clarifying some of the experimental challenges.
\end{acknowledgments}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
Ironbridge cooling towers: Nothing to see here, not now
By Toby Neal | Ironbridge | Features | Published: Dec 7, 2019
No cheers, no tears.
The scene of destruction. Pic: Sam & Ed Bagnall
Even as a huge pinky-brown pall of dust hung in the air, some of the crowd was starting to stream away. Nothing to see here, not now.
But as a brisk wind gradually pulled the dust and smoke back like a curtain, and the buzzing drones began to land, a new vista was revealed. The nothing to see here was actually the thing to see – a view of the Ironbridge Gorge that nobody younger than their mid-50s had ever seen.
In the end it was all over very quickly. Old and tired, the cooling towers crumbled without a fight. Hundreds watched from the surrounding hills and other vantage points, some with dogs, some with buggies, and many, of course, with cameras.
Magnificent desolation: Drone captures scene of destruction after Ironbridge cooling towers are brought down
Ironbridge Power Station cooling towers demolished - with VIDEO and PICTURES
WATCH: Gone in seconds - Demolition of Ironbridge cooling towers from many angles
Riverside beauties: Farewell to the towers that are so much loved
Shropshire Star comment: Waiting for the dust to settle
Among the spectators was Jenny Heath, who had come along from Great Bolas with her boys Thomas, aged four – he missed it as he was looking the other way – 11-month-old Gregory, and other family members.
"We were surprised by how fast they came down. They were gone in 20 seconds," she said.
See a video here of the demolition and aftermath, supplied to Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service by Sam and Ed Bagnall:
With the imposition of a wide exclusion zone, I had thought it prudent to start looking early for a suitable place to watch and, turned away from the Buildwas road, headed for the hills, following a gaggle of people who seemed to know where they were going.
What a magnificent spot!
John Smith was already there, one of the first arrivals soon after 9am. He had come all the way from Pelsall.
"This is a first time experience for me. Billy is my neighbour and used to live over this way. He told me about the towers. I didn't know they were coming down.
"We were amazed that there was no one else here. We thought there would be crowds."
That neighbour Billy Desborough said: "I used to live in Pant. When the girls were young the power station had an open day and we had a walk around here. I thought it would be nice to see the towers come down."
Meanwhile putting their equipment through its paces in preparation for the big moment were photographer Dave Mullany of Dudley, of Motion Click, and Lauren Taylor, of Wheaton Aston, from Taylored Photography.
"It's a shame to see them coming down," said Lauren.
"Me and my dad run around here. He's John Taylor, and is quite well known among fell runners."
"We have all the toys so may as well use them – cameras, drones, everything," said Dave, as he tested his drones in the breeze.
Suddenly there's a hushed cry from someone. "Get down! There's an argument on top of the hill and lots of high-vis up there, although we're well outside the exclusion zone."
Soon the yellow vests arrive. "If you stay here it won't happen," says one. "Standing here, you are trespassing."
Well, I didn't know. We, including the man from the BBC (John Bray, formerly of this parish), are moved on to an approved viewing area.
Pippa Albutt of Horsehay is with her children Jasper, seven, and Isabella, aged five. "I didn't want to come. I'm scared of loud noises," said Isabella.
Luke Timmis and his partner Nicole Watson from Donnington have brought along their 18-month-old girl Ember.
"You're never going to see it again, are you?" said Luke.
"He dragged me along, but I didn't mind," said Nicole.
Having their picture taken before the about-to-disappear scene were a little group, comprising Jenny Wear of Albrighton, Liz Perry of Coalbrookdale, Jane Field of Coalbrookdale, and her daughter Harriet Field.
"It's very sad, an end of an era," says Jenny.
Jane, it turns out, has just moved to Coalbrookdale – about 200 yards or so away – from Wellington.
Why did she move to Coalbrookdale?
"For the towers!" she says, amid laughter.
Then when the deed was done, everybody streamed away on muddy paths.
And in Coalbrookdale, the church bells were ringing in joyous peals.
Features Ironbridge Telford Local Hubs News
By Toby Neal
A journalist in Shropshire for 40 years, mainly writes features and columns, especially about aspects of Shropshire history. Lives in Telford and is based at the Ketley headquarters.
A moving experience for schools in danger
Features | Sep 3, 2019
Why magic mushrooms might still be found growing in our fields and why you shouldn't pick them
Features | Jan 11, 2019
£4.5 million masterplan unveiled for Craven Arms
Craven Arms | Last updated: 7 hours ago
World News | Last updated: Less than an hour ago

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Criticisms about things no-one cares for.
I dig a hole, you build a wall
Bastion was the first game for this year's Summer of the Arcade on Xbox Live. I love Summer of the Arcade - previous years have brought us Limbo and Braid, as well as Shadow Complex and Castle Crashers. Like all those titles, Bastion has become one of my favorite games of the year.
I will now take a second to politely inform you that major spoilers for Bastion follow. It's a new game and the ending has become one of my favorite endings, so be warned that I am about to discuss the glorious ending in all its wonderful detail. If you haven't finished the game yet, I'd suggest not continuing much further!
One of the great things about Bastion is the structure. On its surface the plot is a traditional "find the four magic MacGuffins". If you played the game with the volume muted and subtitles turned off you could have a lot of fun, but it would be just another RPG. The combat is smooth thanks to a very agile roll that lets you dodge and pop up behind an enemy. The weapons are responsive and distinct with plenty of room to upgrade and customize them, and you have lots of control over difficulty beyond a simple Easy/Medium/Hard selection. The narration and music serves up so much, though, that it completely transforms the game.
You start off alone in a literally-broken world, with a disembodied voice narrating your actions. As you proceed, you find a trinket belonging to a lady-friend, implying she did not survive. Shortly after, you find the source of the voice. Another human! You are not alone after all! As you continue to travel, other people's survival is hinted at: as one level collapses, the Narrator implies another human must have grabbed the MacGuffin. This implication is untrue in this case, but shortly afterwards you discover Zulf in The Gardens, where you must slip through winding alleys full of corpses embalmed in stone. The Narrator reads off the names of each of the deceased and a short sentence about what kind of people they were. This is another humanizing touch. It constructs a world and places Rucks and The Kid in it in relation to other people. Even smashing each statue to bits gives The Narrator a chance explain The Kid's actions in relation to the world around him; in this case, anger and remorse that these people are gone and can never come back, even if their statues remained intact.
Finding Zia is even more heart-wrenching. The level's music is nothing more than a looped melody in a minor key with some daunting lyrics ("One day that wall is gonna fall"), yet also some resolute and hopeful lyrics ("build that city on a hill"). The lyrics match the game's motifs. The Shifting Walls are where The Kid starts the game, destroyed utterly by the Calamity, and The Bastion is being rebuilt by The Kid. As you return to the Bastion with Zia, the narrator even quotes the song back at her, "We'll be there before too long".
The Singer's Song
This is all the first half of the game, which establishes the previous world and The Kid's connections to it, giving the player plenty of opportunity to realize the human aspects of the story. Most games are content to just put a ruined building up and an audio clip or codex entry saying how sad it is, but Bastion gives a name and a face to almost every one of the dead you meet here. The few people you meet are never the ones you want to see (you can ask Zulf and Zia about the woman's hairclip you found - the answers are not optimistic), but they are so sparse and important that you're glad to see them anyway.
The second half of the game changes tone with the discovery of the Calamity's origin. The Narrator doesn't focus on human cost; he develops a steely edge as you leave the city and explore The Wilds. He draws comparisons between animals seeking MacGuffin #2 and the residents of Bastion about how both are just trying to survive, gathering around MacGuffins for comfort, and then says that the animals have to go if they stand between us and survival.
Or the penultimate act, where you track down the Ulra. Humans! Who exist! Remember how exciting that was in the first half of the game? Well, now you have to kill them. All of them. Rucks explicitly says it's time for you to finish "what the Calamity started", i.e. genocide. The game spends so much time building up the human aspect of this world, but Zulf's discovery of the Calamity's purpose looks at the inverted side of that equation. Humans are important and lovely and wonderful and we miss them when they're gone, but they're also scheming, paranoid, jealous, greedy warmongers. Now you are personally forced to put "vengeful" on that list too, otherwise you can't turn back time to prevent the Calamity. As the player, I actually felt heartbroken about each and every Ulra I had to put down even as I felt compelled to keep going.
In the final level, this conflict comes to a head when you can either forgive Zulf or abandon him. To forgive him means to stop perpetrating the cycle of violence. To abandon him means keeping yourself armed and well-protected against the people who attacked you. I haven't finished my second playthrough yet, but I chose to forgive. I picked up Zulf's body and dragged him back to Bastion.
As you do, the Ulra continue attacking you while this song plays – calling back to Zia's song, but altering it heavily to reflect the tension:
The End song. I don't know the title.
The game mechanics are slightly modified at this point. The health bar and health potion trackers are gone, although the screen still flashes and fades out when you take damage, and the "Press Y to heal!" tip comes up above The Kid's head. This makes you feel besieged, anxious and helpless as you can't retaliate when carrying Zulf, although why would you, now that you've chosen forgiveness? Yet the lack of explicit indicators implies the exact number of health potions you have is no longer important, encouraging you to use as many as you need in order to survive as long as possible. The payoff is when the Ulra finally understand what you're doing and stop attacking, silently watching as you prove the fighting is finally over. Now it's time to see if you will restart the cycle, or embrace this broken, but promising new world.
nb: I'd be out of my mind if I didn't give a shoutout to my blogger buddies who served as a sounding board for my opinions on this awesome game. So thanks Brendan and Kris who both came into my self-serving G+ thread to talk about their impressions of the game.
Labels: design, games, indie, xbox
Marijn Lems July 31, 2011 at 5:04 AM
Unfortunately, I didn't quite believe in that part of the ending. After you kill more than a hundred of their brothers and sisters, the Ulra stop attacking you and let you go because you're selflessly rescuing *one* of them, someone they consider a traitor no less?
Just a small blemish on an otherwise perfectly pitched experience, though.
Zach July 31, 2011 at 10:10 AM
yeah i can dig finding that out of place. although in the game's defense they don't stop attacking right away - they only stop after it's apparent you will no longer retaliate now that you have what you came for. their decision to stop attacking is as much about making a conscious decision to break the cycle of violence as your decision to save Zulf is.
Although this does remind me of another hole: Are the Gasbags sentient? They seem to be the only actors who you are cleared to slaughter without too much remorse. They even populate most of the training fields. Yet they hold positions such as "foreman", they have names, and they have clothes...
Brendan Keogh July 31, 2011 at 3:29 PM
Ah, getting goosebumps again just thinking of the ending.
I was so focused on not-dying (I was assuming I still had a limited number of potions as I was dragging Zulf away... that I still felt like I could die is brilliant design on the game's behalf) that I didn't pay attention to the fact that the Ura stopped attacking me. That gives it even more potency.
I think another thing Bastion did superbly was to give every party a justification for fighting and for doing what they did. I *hate* stories with Bad Guys who fight Because They Are Bad. No one is bad. Everyone is a good guy from their own perspective, and Bastion realised that. Of cause, Bastion was able to express this with some simple exposition over the gameplay thanks to the narration, but it worked splendidly.
What it meant was that it makes sense to me that the Ura would stop trying to kill me, and it made sense that they were trying to kill me in the first place. I, too, felt like I owed each murdered Ura an apology in a way I felt in few other games.
Zach July 31, 2011 at 9:34 PM
one more thing I noticed: The Ura are the only enemies that leave corpses behind when you kill them.
Hunter7892 August 3, 2011 at 2:26 AM
I also chose forgive. One thing I noticed was that after all the Ulra stop firing at you, one of them resumes fire only to be struck down soon after by a superior standing behind them. Perfect addition.
As for why the Ura stopped firing, I agree, they were amazed at the player's selflessness and courage (corny, but fine considering the moment), the fact that the player is carrying an enemy Ura through arrows and gunfire, even after betrayals and genocide.
Another little thing I liked was if you go to Zia with the harp she dropped earlier, Rucks asks Zia if she dropped it on purpose, to see if the Kid would go after her. I have to say, even though Zia never even utters a word until the very end, I had a bit of a crush on that girl from then on. Yes, yes, a videogame character no less. I know. Still, a good touch on their part I think.
Relating to gasfellas: it's hinted at in the game that all of the animals have some form of sentience; they collect cores, rally together and search for survivors, and ally with the player under certain circumstances. Birds have a superiority complex. Only the plants and turrets seem to have a lesser sentience. So yes, I think even the gasfellas have sentience is the game.
Loved the whole experience. Already almost done with my second playthrough. I would like to inquire the developers as to why they chose Gods as dealers of difficulty in the game. Are they all agnostic? :P I kid.
Zach August 3, 2011 at 8:56 AM
but squirts are used as target practice by the navy :| (which I guess is a weak justification of why Rucks never even mentions wholesale slaughter of gasfellas - Caeldonia views them as tools or pests, not as sentients.)
Nels over at Above49 suggests the gods are giving you Herculean tasks (http://www.above49.ca/2011/08/sometimes-you-build-bastion.html) which is a pretty useful way to think of it.
also since I'm linking: http://mwclarkson.blogspot.com/2011/08/scenario-and-story-in-bastion.html totally kicked my ass in looking at some of the undertones and themes of the game. He argues that Zia isn't as sympathetic as you and I experienced. I didn't have a "crush" on her but her backstory (and Zulf's, jesus) were both p compelling arguments for forgiveness and moving forward. Then again I am philosophically predisposed to those sorts of things.
Hunter7892 August 3, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Zulf's was my favorite by far, in a sad sort of way of course.
Definitely an interesting way of looking at those aspects.
As for the slaughter of Gasfellas and whatnot, you could say it's in self-defense. If you walk up to them, they will try to kill you. They're also looking for cores and shards, so it's a 'necessary evil' to kill them when in the end you have the option to bring them all back anyways, if you chose to undo the Calamity. Same would go for the creatures of the wild and the Ura.
Yes, yes, I know. A 'crush' on a fictional and digital character that doesn't even talk until the end is childish.
Zia shows acceptance at the whole debacle, as the people who created the Calamity are all dead anyways, including her father. It's the perfect way to undo: you still take your hits and learn from the mistake, but you can rebuild whatever and wherever you want. Zulf on the other hand, is still at the anger stage of depression. His wife-to-be exploded into ashes right before his eyes. Zia didn't have to see any of her loved ones die right in front of her.
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text:
See all Politics
Lib Dems
Tories admit 'raucous' second party at Conservative HQ as Covid rules row grows
Boris Johnson faces further questions after No 10 aides partied during coronvirus restrictions last December
By Telegraph Reporters 9 December 2021 • 1:10am
The Prime Minister has denied that he knew about the party at Downing Street Credit: AP
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..
Boris Johnson was facing further questions as it emerged Conservative aides threw a separate party during coronavirus restrictions last December, as the fallout over the alleged rule-breaking Christmas bash in Downing Street continued.
The Tories admitted an event organised by Shaun Bailey's mayoral campaign took place in the party's Westminster headquarters on December 14 while the capital was in Tier 2 restrictions.
According to The Times, the "raucous" party took place in the HQ's basement, was attended by No 10 aides and featured dancing and wine-drinking into the early hours despite indoor social mixing being banned at the time.
The further damaging details emerged as Labour urged police to open an investigation into allegations staff broke coronavirus rules at the event in No 10, saying it was "implausible" for Scotland Yard to suggest there is insufficient evidence to investigate.
Allegra Stratton stood down on Wednesday after video emerged of her and other advisers joking about Covid restrictions just days after the gathering in No 10 on December 18 last year.
But the Prime Minister's attempt to move on from the row by tasking Cabinet Secretary Simon Case with undertaking an investigation appeared to have failed as details emerged of the separate party.
A Tory spokesman said: "Senior CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of December 14.
"Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign."
The Metropolitan Police acknowledged it had received "a significant amount of correspondence" relating to the alleged breaches in No 10 in the run up to Christmas last year but said they do not "provide evidence of a breach" of Covid rules.
"Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time," it added.
But the force did leave open the possibility of further inquiries by saying it would consider "any evidence" that emerges in the Case inquiry.
The party was organised by Shaun Bailey's mayoral campaign Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the Met should be "knocking on doors, taking statements and investigating people in No 10 in the way they would my constituents or anyone else in the country".
"It seems implausible for the Metropolitan Police to argue there is no evidence that parties took place," he told reporters.
"They've got to pursue this investigation without fear or favour and treat the Prime Minister and his staff as they would treat anyone else. It can't be one rule for the Prime Minister and another for everyone else."
Meanwhile, Downing Street did not comment on a separate report in The Times that Dan Rosenfield, then Mr Johnson's incoming chief of staff, took part in the December 18 party while London was under Tier 3 restrictions.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly insisted the rules were followed that night but apologised over the impression made by leaked footage of No 10 staff joking about Covid restrictions.
Conservative Party,
Coronavirus tiers,
Downing Street,
Boris Johnson,
By Charles Hymas 18 Jan 2022, 8:21am
Extend face mask rules and you risk three-figure rebellion, Boris Johnson warned
By Lucy Fisher 17 Jan 2022, 9:30pm
Boris Johnson has to prove that there's still a point to the Tory party
Sherelle Jacobs 17 Jan 2022, 9:30pm
Don't dodge responsibility over No 10 parties, says minister in veiled swipe at Boris Johnson


text:
We are very proud of our farm, and our farming way of life which, at its heart, is the environment. We feel very keenly our responsibility not only to look after the farm now, but for future generations to come. We think that the best way to do this is to improve the farmland now, delicately managing the challenge of maximising output at the same time as protecting the natural farming environment.
What we do for nature
All of our farms are in agri-environment schemes, which provide funding to farmers provided that they deliver effective and appropriate environmental management of the countryside. Our own farm, and the majority of our clients' farms are in the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLS), or the subsequent Countryside Stewardship Scheme. These farms are committed over each 10 year programme to deliver a complex array of active and environmentally beneficial management practices, such as providing over wintering habitats for birds, or the provision of wild flowers for pollinators. The remainder of our farms participate in Entry Level Stewardship scheme (ELS), which is the scheme that underpins HLS, and aims to provide simple, yet effective, environmental management across the whole farmed area.
We fully support environmental stewardship of the countryside, and like to showcase our efforts to neighbouring farmers and other interested parties throughout the year.
Protect - related articles
Coppicing in the woods
Spring Drilling


The KAEF Advisory Committee and American Councils for International Education are deeply saddened by the death of David J. Gotaas on May 23, 2015. A tireless advocate on behalf of Kosovo and its people, David was instrumental in the creation and ongoing operation of the KAEF Scholarship fund. David's commitment to Kosovo, his personal interest in the lives and successes of KAEF fellows, and his ability to engage others in the cause of Kosovo's development with energy, intelligence, insight, and great personal drive made him an inspiration for many of his fellow KAEF-committee members and colleagues. He will be deeply missed and always remembered.
"David John Gotaas, 64, passed away May 23, 2015. Born in Chicago to Lois and David S. Gotaas on March 2, 1951, David was raised a missionary child in Venezuela until his family returned to the Chicago area where David attended New Trier High School (1968), Wheaton College (BA, Economics, 1972) and Northwestern University (MBA, 1974).
Although he began his career as a Certified Public Accountant, David was an entrepreneur at heart, and gladly traded corporate pursuits for self-made ventures in real estate, which he viewed as both business and ministry.
In 1978, David married the love of his life and best friend, Sally Slingerland, who attended Winnetka Bible Church where his father pastored. David and Sally settled in Northbrook where they raised four daughters. David's childhood on the mission field marked him with a passion to serve others around the world. An active member of the Winnetka Rotary Club, David helped initiate the first Rotary Club in the country of Kosovo in 2005. David's involvement in Kosovo also included service on the Advisory Board for the Kosovo American Education Fund and the Board of Trustees for the American Councils for International Education.
David's travels brought him not only to Kosovo, but to over 80 countries around the world. A member of the Circumnavigators Club of Chicago, David's favorite travel destinations were far from the typical tourist trail (including recent trips to Myanmar and Bangladesh), where he purposefully sought out the humblest accommodations to connect with locals and practice simplicity. Despite the breadth of his adventures, perhaps his favorite destination was Yosemite National Park, where he enjoyed bringing anyone willing to keep up with him.
Wherever he traveled, David was known to share his adventures via postcards to family, friends and acquaintances. David will be remembered for his passionate love for Jesus Christ, love for family, integrity, thoughtfulness and generosity.
He is survived by his wife, Sally, and his four daughters: Anne (Ryan) Cudney, Kathryn (Blake) Hanson, Mary (Justin) Nanfelt and Laura (David) Sneddon. In his final years, perhaps David's greatest joy was his grandchildren: Nathan, Nora, Kate, Silas and a fifth due in September.
A memorial service is planned for 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 30, at Winnetka Bible Church, 555 Birch St, Winnetka, IL. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests funding for David's most recent philanthropic project: the printing of 25,000 Bibles in the Hakha Chin dialect for the people of the Chin State of Myanmar. If interested, please send donations to the Christian Far East Ministry, P.O. Box 1411, Glendora, CA 91740 or visit the website http://cfeasia.webs.com/donate."
The Kosovo American Education Fund (KAEF) Graduate Fellowship Program offers graduate fellowships at American universities to talented Kosovars who demonstrate a strong commitment to the economic development of their country.
If you are interested in applying, please read more.


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Providing Tax Advice for an Electric Car Environment
The embryonic U.S. electric car vehicle (EV) market is supported by wide range of federal tax incentives. As with the beginning of all major technology changes there is wide range of predictions about the rate of market acceptance. Tax advisers who understand the relevance of creative cities and objectively analyze the step by step developments in this market can provide strategic tax advice.
Electric Car Tax Credits:
The Section 30D per vehicle tax credit for purchasing an electric car weighing less than 8,500 pounds is capped at $7,500. The credit is equal to the sum of $2,500 with an additional $417 for each kilowatt hour of battery capacity in excess of 4 kilowatt hours
The credits presented above phase out beginning in the second calendar quarter following the manufacturer's sale of its 200,000th plug in electric drive motor after 2009. Thereafter, there is a 50% credit reduction in the second and third quarters, a 75% credit reduction in the fourth and fifth quarters, and zero credit available for any additional quarters. It is important to note that the EV credit can be claimed against AMT, which is particularly important for the creative city target markets where there is a greater percentage of high income tax payers subject to AMT.
Marketing Strategies:
Due to the impact of these large per vehicle credits, EV manufacturer marketing departments are going to need to carefully time their advertising campaigns to correlate EV tax credit phase out. The advertising tax planning strategy should be to try to accurately predict the second calendar quarter commencing after the first quarter with model sales of 200,000 or more and correlate budgets and advertising release dates. The concept would be to optimize the selling volumes during the full credit availability and phase out period. The concern would be that, like the recent first time home buyer tax credit, sales will stall once tax credits end.
Electric Car Charging Station Tax Credit Extended:
The extension of the Bush era tax incentives included a provision extending the 30% tax credit for the purchase and installation costs of charging equipment up to $30,000 for businesses (Sec 30C) and $1,000 for individuals (for one year through December 31st, 2011). Although these are lower amounts than the pre-extension $50,000 credit limits for businesses and $2,000 for individuals, a business will also be eligible for 100% bonus depreciation in 2011. The $50,000 credit limits were effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2008 and before January 2011.
Understanding Creative City Relevance:
Richard Florida, the widely read college professor and book author , places a great emphasis on the importance of America's creative cities. Cities that are regularly identified as creative include Austin, Texas, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington and Washington D.C. It is no coincidence that the attributes that make these cities creative also make them the launch points for the major car brands electric car programs. Two of the creative cites are government capitals including Washington D.C. and Austin. It is expected that virtually all government state fleets will be converting to electric vehicles. In state capitals that also have major state universities such as Albany New York, Austin, Texas, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Boise Idaho, Columbus, Ohio and Madison Wisconsin this could result in a large concentration of electric vehicles in these cities.
* Note that many of these brands are launching EV marketing initiatives in various other cities
Consistent with the creative city framework, Hertz has announced that starting December 15, 2010, electric rental cars will be available in New York, Washington DC, and San Francisco.
On July16, 2010 Edison, a major parking garage operator in New York City, announced the installation of the first of 100 New York City charging stations pursuant to a federal program.
BYD is a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer that has agreed to locate its U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles and is being rewarded as the electric car supplier for Los Angeles municipal needs.
Charging Station Initiatives:
General Electric has embarked on a major marketing initiative to introduce its battery charging product directly to consumers. Consistent with this initiative GE has recently announced that it will be purchasing 25,000 electric cars for its corporate fleet by 2015
Recognizing the underlying need for battery charging system Nissan has endeavored to support its electric car initiative with infrastructure support including the concurrent sale of chargers with its electric cars. eTec/Ecotality in Michigan was granted $8 million to wire five regions in the country and to supply 12,500 charging stations to support 5,000 Nissan "Leaf" EV's.
Understanding Electric Car Charging Ranges:
Electric car battery mileage limits vary widely from 40/50 miles at the low end to Tesla car models that may achieve 200+ miles before requiring a recharge. It is important for commercial property owners and tax advisers to understand electric charging ranges from the creative cities to popular destinations. For example hotels, restaurants, entertainment sites, and shopping complexes that rely on the creative cities need to consider creating the infrastructure to support electric cars. Examples would be San Francisco to Napa Valley, Washington to Baltimore Inner Harbor, New York City to the Woodbury Commons Shopping Complex, and Austin to San Antonio. The roundtrip mileage to these popular destinations is illustrated below:
California as an Electric Car Center:
California is the national center of electric car developments. Virtually every major EV Company is targeting California for its initial marketing launches. The California energy commission has provided a $3.4 million dollar grant to California based Coulomb technologies to aid in wiring the state for EV's. California also has the "Cash for Clunkers" program, offering $5,000 cash for clunker vehicles. This means that a California resident with a "clunker" could earn $12,500 in combined cash equivalents ($5,000 cash grant plus $7,500 credit) when purchasing an electric car.
Electric Trucks:
Some experts believe that trucks particularly inner city delivery trucks could be an early adapter of electric vehicle technology. Inner city delivery trucks by definition travel within the battery charging ranges. Most importantly initial data indicates that the cost per mile from switching from gasoline to electric would be much lower for inner city delivery vehicles. Smith Electric Vehicles of Missouri a company that converts delivery trucks to electric power received two Department of Energy grants ($10 and $22 million) to support developments in this area. Navistar the large truck manufacturer was also awarded $39 million for its electric truck initiatives. If the post office and the major delivery companies such as Federal Express and UPS embrace this technology it could quickly become a leading electric vehicle sector.
Massive investments have been made by the U.S. government, state governments, the global automotive industry and other industrial companies to prepare for electric battery vehicles. The creative cities are the first beachhead's. Tax advisers with impacted clients located in or dependent upon the creative cities should monitor these developments and be ready to provide relevant tax advice.
Internal Revenue Bulletin 2009-26. "Qualified Plug-in Electric Vehicle Credit". IRS Notice 2009-54. June 29, 2009.
Florida, R., "The Rise of the Creative Class" Basic Books, First Edition, 2002
Goulding, Charles, Kumar, Raymond, & Goulding, Taylor. "The G-2/ U.S./ China Tax and Stimulus Focus on Solar and Electric Cars" Corporation Business Taxation Monthly
Raymond Kumar is a Senior Tax Analyst with Energy Tax Savers, Inc.
Taylor Goulding is a Tax Analyst with Energy Tax Savers, Inc.
Agricultural Chemical Industry Credit
IRS Releases Building Energy Efficiency Rules
Energy Tax Act of 2005
Washington, D.C. Energy Benchmarking Impacts Local Hotels
The Continued Success of Code Sec. 179D
The Energy Tax, Financing, and Utility Rebate Aspects of Fuel Cells
Major Hospital Network Tax Planning For Large Energy Cost Savings as of January 1, 2014
The Potential EPAct Designer Incentives for Industrial/Warehouse REITs as of January 1, 2014
Strategic Thinking: Seven Years of Code Sec. 179D EPAct
The Impact of EPAct Drives Green Product Sales


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Home / CCIB News & Views / Winds of change: three ways Asia's corporate treasurers are digitising
Winds of change: three ways Asia's corporate treasurers are digitising
Digitisation is driving improvements in treasurers' cash and liquidity management in Asia to safeguard against future disruption.
Regulators in Asia emerge as a driving force behind improving treasurers' cash and liquidity management to safeguard against future disruption
Through decades of explosive growth, corporate treasurers in Asia have faced twin challenges: having minimal time to adapt treasury functions to the needs of accelerating businesses and battling a corporate philosophy that often prioritises expansion over technology evolution.
The result is that in a region synonymous with technological advancement, most companies lack a digital strategy and risk being left behind. But this is changing. While previous attempts at digitisation have typically focused on increasing control and efficiency, companies in Asia are now seeing digitisation as their top priority to position their businesses for future resilience and growth 1.
At the regulatory level, governments in the region, already primed by previous shocks such as the SARS outbreak and global financial crisis, are adapting to the need for rapid digital transformation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There has been a major push by almost every regulator in Asia to upgrade their clearing infrastructure, make it real time and 24X7 and to launch a number of new cashless payment solutions," said Ankur Kanwar, Regional Head of Cash Management Products for Singapore and ASEAN at Standard Chartered. "In addition, there has been a massive push by consumers and businesses for the B2B space to replicate the innovation we've seen in the B2C world."
Three ways Asia's corporate treasurers are digitising
Here are the main ways in which companies in Asia are responding.
1. Going paperless
The paperless trend is accelerating even in markets such as the Philippines and Thailand, where Standard Chartered had observed that up to 85% of B2B transactions were formerly conducted by cheque.
One interesting example is Standard Chartered's partnership with Deutsche Post DHL Group to co-create an online collections solution on the DHL Express portal, which allows their customers across Asia to make online payments in local currencies for shipping charges, taxes and duties, using local payment methods. The solution is live across six countries and expanding.
"We support DHL with digitisation of their in-store collections and payments-on-delivery using QR codes and instant payments, powered by our proprietary app and integration with their delivery agents' handheld devices," said Judy Bei, Global Head of Payments and Receivables at Standard Chartered. "This provides DHL with a cost-effective solution, enabling elimination of cash, access to a variety of local payment methods across multiple geographies and automation of their reconciliation, all through a single integration and a single contract."
2. Adopting automation tools
Another concurrent trend is the accelerating shift towards treasury centralisation. Kanwar explains that as Asian companies become more multinational, Standard Chartered is seeing that treasurers are prioritising pooling cash for greater visibility and more effective deployment, rather than having it fragmented across multiple banks. Automated tools are now being deployed around the region to aggregate cash from different bank accounts using the local direct debit network, which cuts costs and gives treasurers greater control over capital.
Automation is also increasingly being deployed in foreign exchange management. A lot of business in Asia is conducted in hard currencies2, but suppliers and smaller companies that do not hold foreign-currency accounts are unable to hedge their exposure and end up paying bank conversion costs, which are passed on to customers. Automation tools can analyse currency exposure on a continuous basis. This minimises risks and, according to one survey3, can save companies up to 5 per cent on each invoice.
3. Using digital processes to counter operational lags
While the pace of transformation is speeding up, the region also faces its own set of challenges. Unlike the US or Eurozone, the payments infrastructure in Asia is quite fragmented. Clearing-house requirements, file formats and currencies are all localised, which slows payments and clogs up the machinery of liquidity management.
However, more and more companies and clearing houses in the region are taking an interest in adopting the ISO 20022 standards, which will provide consistency between countries and make life simpler for corporate treasuries across the region.
In Singapore, for example, the implementation of fast payment networks has cut the payment transfer process between banks from as much as three days to a few seconds. This has enormous implications for future cross-border treasury operations, in terms of payment speeds, security, real-time liquidity and the opportunities for data analysis.
Explore more digital transformation articles
For unicorns and start-ups that have sprouted into a digital landscape, digitisation is less of a problem, but for larger and more traditional Asian companies, transitioning away from legacy systems and processes is not an easy task.
Making that entire transition in one shot is unrealistic, particularly for companies that do business across such a diverse region, so there is a growing demand for digital advisory services that can help companies adapt smaller portions of a business first.
"There's a big shift towards digital advisory, which is what banks like Standard Chartered can offer," said Ankur Kanwar. "We understand the priorities and processes corporates have and aim to leverage new technology to enhance client processes and help their business priorities. It's not about just trying to use technology for the sake of it but trying to solve real pain points and help businesses grow".
Standard Chartered recently partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to support the development of a multi-country pay-as-you-go solution called IATA EasyPay in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Taiwan.
The system enables travel agents to load funds into their Standard Chartered accounts, which are used to pay for air tickets and settle proceeds, enabling agents to book tickets without needing a financial security or bank guarantee. For airlines, the system increases sales channels and enables them to receive settlements within 48-96 hours of tickets being issued, compared with up to four weeks previously.
As the demands on corporate treasurers to digitise continue to grow and evolve, banks should strive to provide innovative solutions to support their strategies and growth agenda.
"Banks like ours are taking the lead in Asia because we are investing in technologies and making sure we offer a standardised set of solutions no matter which countries treasurers are dealing with," Kanwar said. "We present a consistent experience across these markets, so they don't need to get bogged down in nuances."
To succeed in the face of disruption, corporate treasurers in Asia's dynamic markets need to accelerate their move towards digitisation. This becomes easier by working with FI (financial institution) partners like Standard Chartered that have a widespread regional network, local expertise and market ready technology solutions to provide the necessary support for both local and multinational organisations to operate effectively and efficiently now and in the years ahead.
Produced by Bloomberg Media Studios in partnership with Standard Chartered.
This article is part of our 'Digital Transformation' series, exploring digitalisation trends to build resilience, efficiency and achieve transformative growth.
1 https://news.microsoft.com/apac/2020/09/10/a-culture-of-innovation-fuels-business-resilience-and-economic-recovery
2, 3 https://cib.db.com/docs_new/Realtimetreasurywhitepaper.pdf
This series explores digitalisation trends accelerated by COVID-19 to build resilience, efficiency and achieve transformative growth.
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HomeArchive for "September-October 2015"
Browsing: September-October 2015
Robert Beachy's comprehensive history of gay Berlin from the 1870s to the 1930s shows that the emergence of gay and lesbian cultures in the modern West owed much to what Mirbeau identified as Berlin's pederasty and invention—its practice and theory—and Beachy makes a compelling case for the "German invention of homosexuality."
Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham by Emily Bingham Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 385 pages, $28. AN OLD TRUNK, a cache of letters, and revelations about…More
In It's Not Over, Signorile reports that transgender and gay youths have experienced an uptick in violence and bullying in many parts of the country, where homophobia has become more public and more violent in response to the increased visibility of gay and transgender people in the news and in everyday life.
"I wanna go places, I wanna do some things I wanna be a star, I wanna have a big name." — Ike and Tina Turner, "Make Me Over" …More
1 ANDY WARHOL SAID that when he was in high school he wanted a friend, but then he got a television and he didn't need a friend anymore. Pornography…More
WHEN PHILADELPHIA passed the twentieth anniversary of its release in December 2013, it was surprising to realize that the film is still Hollywood's most successful gay-themed movie to date…More
Minor White (1908-1976) was renowned as one of the masters of American photography, having worked with Bernice Abbott, Ansel Adams, Paul Strand, Alfred Stieglitz, and Edward Weston.
The Mad Boy is a thorough, if not exhaustive, look into a long lost world. Its glossy pages, each one of which is decorated with the image of a blue dove, contribute to its heft, and there is a generous supply of photographs.
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to imagine the early AIDS years without Larry Kramer, who became the de facto conscience of the plague in the 1980s. His 1978 novel Faggots almost seemed…More
What emerges from a reinterpretation of Forster is a rich body of work in which numerous gay characters and same-sex relationships are presented.


As Faith No More return to the stage this month we have already seen them return to the media spotlight with several interviews.
In an interview with Mike Patton and Bill Gould the band spoke about the possiblity of an album to follow 'Sol Invictus'.
Dishes Done, Mail Sorted: Time for Faith No More to Hit the Road Again.
Bill talks about the genesis of 'Sol Invictus' and how Faith No More's audience has matured with the music.
The Death and Resurrection of Faith No More.
A grande article which spans Faith No More's career, and interview with Patton, Bill and Roddy Bottum. A must read, but here are the best lines.
A great interview with in Bill in which he talks 'Sol Invictus' and all things bass guitar related.
Faith Restored: Faith No More and Billy Gould Return with 'Sol Invictus'.
What motivated you to get back together?
People still want to see us live, which always takes us by surprise, and we're constantly getting offers for shows. We're not really backwards-looking people, so we figured we might as well get back into our creative spark to put some new material out there for us to play.
Had you been writing throughout the hiatus?
I never stopped writing. Even during our hiatus, I just kept writing and writing to continue getting better at it. When we got together, I brought in a lot of ideas I had been writing over the years, but we wrote collaboratively in the studio a lot, too.
How would you describe your tone?
It sounds like the instrument is grunting. People do it with guitars, but you don't hear it with bass much. Bass manufacturers traditionally go for a pure, low-end to high-end balance, but to me, that's not really rock & roll. Even if I lose a little balance with it, that's fine as long as it has the bite. When my bass is growling and grunting, it feels like I am expressing myself through it.
What is your advice about recording bass?
Pay attention to your arrangement and how you write. Make sure your parts are solid, that they're in the right place, and that you're locked in with your drummer. No amount of recording or editing will fix something that isn't arranged right. Second, make sure that you're not out of phase, that you're getting the full signal, and you're maximizing every drop of your instrument. And third, do whatever you want as long as it feels good. Don't ever be afraid to experiment. When you step outside your comfort zone, a lot of exciting things can happen. That's how most of the best music is made.
Roddy talks about 'Sol Invictus' and Courtney Love.
Why did it take six years to record a new album?
At first, all of us being in the same room together playing old songs was a big deal. We did that tour, and more offers came in. Then we played Australia and New Zealand. Then another tour. South America. [We enjoyed] each other's company [and] playing the old songs. At some point, that became a little bit stale. We decided we were not going to do any more shows unless we had something new to offer. It was too easy to slog around the old songs. So we hunkered down and made a new album.
How has the creative relationship among you guys evolved?
It is a little more respectful these days. Back when we were making records, it was whoever screamed the loudest got his way. We are now at this mutual respect place with each other. We now sit back and let each other have a place. Everyone brings in ideas, and we collaborate on the ideas. We also are better at making decisions together: what we do, where we play, our stage show. The decisions are made together and pretty clear-cut.


Australian audio tech outfit Audinate has appointed Blackpeak Capital and Shaw and Partners to advise them as part of the decision to look at expansion options, which may include an IPO this year.
The firm, whose audio networking technology is used by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen and Foo Fighters, is looking at capital expansion options which could be a funding round or a public listing on the ASX in coming months.
"Over the last several years we've gone from 20 manufacturers using us back in 2010 to now 350 brands and manufacturers," Audinate CEO Lee Ellison told The Australian in an interview. "We're now in over 1000 products. In order to win this game it's really important to invest in this business and keep transforming it. Our current VC partners have invested three times each, and now we're starting to introduce new products that we'll be launching in he latter half of this calendar year.
Mr Williams said Audinate started life at Motorola's Australian research centre, before that closed and about 50 R&D staff were laid off.
After spinning off from NICTA, the Audinate team met the late Australian sound engineer called Bruce Jackson, who began his career mixing for Elvis Presley before touring for a decade with Bruce Springsteen and moving on to work with Barbra Streisand. Mr Jackson went on to be a major supporter of Audinate, and Dante and helped to facilitate their relationship with Dolby and also help them prove their chops with live concerts.
The company has raised about $16m, from Starfish Ventures and Innovation Capital. According to Mr Ellison, most VC firms invest in a promising start-up for five to seven years, and then sell their stake. Most go through a recurring life cycle pattern where they raise money for a fund, then manage it, then turn a profit and start again.
Instead of doing that with Audinate, Starfish Ventures and Innovation Capital realised the big-picture potential on offer and took a long-term bet that's continuing today, with both funds still major stakeholders in the company.
He said the two VC firms realised that it was going to take 10 years, not five, for Audinate to achieve its goals.
"In terms of the initial capital raising we talked to a lot of VC firms, and that is not the easiest process in terms of getting initial investment and getting people interested with audio tech. We've done a lot with the reasonably small amount of investment, and with a good team. And think we've had good investors in Starfish and Innovation Capital.
The pair said it was fulfilling to be achieving their global ambitions, given they've cemented deals with the world's biggest companies including Yamaha, Bose, Harman, Sennheiser, Shure, Crestron, Sony, Extron and Bosch.
"One important thing from day one was that we start this as an international company, with a desire to access global markets," Mr Ellison said.


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Apple Opposes Logo Trademarked by Norwegian Political Party
Tuesday March 5, 2019 1:47 PM PST by Juli Clover
Apple has objected to an apple logo trademark that Norway's Fremskrittspartiet or Progress Party filed for back in November, according to the Norwegian Patent Office.
The image in question features a red apple with a stem and a green leaf that also has a white "F" on the front, an icon used by the Fremskrittspartiet.
In an objection letter provided to Norway's Patent Office, Apple says that the trademark that the Fremskrittspartiet has registered "resembles" the "very well-known" trademarked Apple logo and is likely to be confused with Apple's prior trademarks.
The Fremskrittspartiet has applied to use the trademark for computer software, digital media, stationary and other paper products, household items, textiles like flags, clothing and headgear, buttons, and games and toys.
It's not yet clear how this will play out, but Apple plans to provide additional documentation to support its case in the future. Apple is asking the Norwegian Patent Office to repeal the Fremskrittspartiet's trademark registration.
(Thanks, Sander!)
Tag: Norway
first-to-tea
Next Apple will request markets remove apples from sale.
Jimmy Bubbles
It isn't anywhere near Apple's logo. If only they were as protective with other things...
thebeans
What a bunch of morons. Does not resemble Apple logo in the slightest. Arrogant bastards
555gallardo
Perfect time for Apple Records to sue Apple, Inc.
johnyslats
Hmm. About as "likely to be confused" as the MacRumors logo ;)
smirking
This reminds me of the time when Microsoft went after a young programmer named Mike Rowe who had the domain name mikerowesoft.com.
Microsoft ended up with plenty of egg on its face.


Core Courses - AMS 801, 802, 803, 804 (12 hours): The AMS graduate core is a three-semester sequence: first-year students should take 801 and 802 during the fall semester of their first year of graduate work, and 803 in the spring semester of their first year of graduate work. Students should take 804 in the fall semester of their second year of graduate work, and work on the master's thesis or a publishable article.
Elective Methods (3 hours): One course selected by the student and faculty advisor that provides methodological support for the student's research. The methods elective should be taken in the first year in order to enable research in the following summer.
Elective Topics (9 hours): Three courses constitute a coherent concentration, incuding historical depth in a defined area that prepares the student for either the master's thesis or publishable article. Courses should be selected in consultation with the faculty advisor, and must be numbered 500 or above. If a student intends to apply to continue for the Ph.D., courses numbered 700 or above are preferred.
Thesis Hours - AMS 899 (6 hours or to completion): After completing required courses, the student enrolls in AMS 899 and continues enrolling in thesis hours until their article or thesis is accepted by their committee. Advisors are free to set deadlines for progress on this work over and above those established by the Department and Graduate Studies. Students should discuss expectations and criteria for these grades with their advisors at the time of enrollment.
Research Project and Defense: Students complete a project of original research, resulting in a thesis or scholarly article. A committee of three faculty members evaluates the project, and the student provides an oral defense.
Please see the Graduate Student Handbook for additional information regarding the M.A. program's requirements.


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Watch. Listen. Adwoa Aboah Features in the Visuals For Sampha's '(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano.'
by superselected · Adwoa Aboah, Music, Sampha, Soul	· 01 Feb 2017
Model Adwoa Aboah stars in the Jamie-James Medina-directed visuals for Sampha's latest single "(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano." The track is a touching tribute to his late mother.
Sampha also released a second virtual reality version of the music video, which gives viewers a 360° view of the room and Adwoa from the artist's perspective.
Sampha's latest album Process, drops on February 3rd.
African American Women's Online Fashion Magazine
Black Style Magazine
Black Women Online Fashion Magazine
Sampha


Been asked to run an event? Panicking about it?!
But wait! What does a Marketing Consultant know about running events? Well in a previous life I was an exhibition manager in London and ran several events including what is now the world's largest travel exhibition – World Travel Market. In fact even when I ran it there were over 1,000 exhibitors.
Since the early 90's the marketing and image making power of events meant that they became an important element of the corporate marketing mix. And as companies have become increasingly aware of the role that events could play in raising their image and boosting their market share, they've also become more focused on the event outcomes and return on investment.
No 1 - what is the purpose of the event?
to raise your local profile?
to facilitate a brain storming exercise of your staff?
Training of staff or clients?
No 3 - Will the event justify the outlay and the time taken to put it on?
Because it is not just a question of cost. Depending on its size and complexity, running an event could be very time consuming in terms of distraction to your core business.
The 4th question is what will appeal to my likely attendees?
venue - how far will people travel, will it accommodate everything they may need - cafe? parking? toilets? Break out areas?
format - Exhibition? Confererence? Presentation? Networking? Lunch/Dinner? Awards? Sponsors? Gift bags? Paid? Free?
No 5 - How long a run up will I need?
Take contact details to the venue, speakers, volunteers, contractors and other key people including attendees who said they would come and pay on the day!
The day before, phone everyone to make sure they are coming.
Remember Murphy's Law – everything that can go wrong will go wrong and make contingency plans.