text:
Journal Leadership Are Narcissistic CEOs a Blessing or a Curse?
Practical Methods to Measure and Respond to Narcissism in Leaders
What do Tesla's Elon Musk, Oracle's Larry Ellison, Apple's Steve Jobs, and Lehman Brothers' Dick Fuld have in common? All are CEOs who have been associated with strong success, and some have been linked to catastrophic company failures or brushes with bankruptcy. What unites them all is that they have been referred to as narcissists.[1] [2] When do these narcissistic tendencies help to deliver strong success, and when do these characteristics endanger companies? This study explores this question and examines what companies can do to maximize the benefits and mitigate the risks associated with a narcissistic CEO.
Narcissism is a personality trait typically associated with an inflated sense of self and low levels of empathy for others, often characterized by behaviors that maintain grandiose self-views.[3] A recent hot topic in academic research explores the role that narcissism plays in leadership. This article summarizes recent findings on how narcissistic CEOs impact the business world, exploring the different creative ways in which academic researchers have measured and associated narcissistic leadership with real-world outcomes.
The study of narcissism in leadership presents a challenge for stakeholders in the business world. Past research has shown that the prevalence of narcissism in business majors and organizational leaders are higher than the average population.[4] [5] The fact is that narcissists are leading many corporations, and the fiduciary responsibility of corporate governance requires intentionality in hiring and oversight.
In the following sections of this article, we explore how recent findings in academic research translate to practice, focusing on how various stakeholders can identify and respond to the risks and opportunities associated with narcissistic leadership in organizations. We also propose research moving forward that would equip firms for the highest quality executive leadership.
Trends in Measuring and Identifying Narcissism
Academic researchers in the social and behavioral sciences view narcissism as a personality trait linked to either positive or negative behaviors, depending on the situation. While distinct, narcissism is part of the "dark triad" along with corporate psychopathy and Machiavellianism.[6]
The Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI)
Perhaps the most widely used survey to measure narcissism, the NPI is a 16 or 40 question survey asking responders to choose statements that best match their personality.[7] [8] The 40 question NPI assesses seven traits: authoritativeness, exhibitionism, vanity, exploitativeness, superiority, entitlement, and self-sufficiency.[9] A total score is then calculated based on these responses. Individuals may score higher in some dimensions, and lower in others. However, narcissism according to the NPI is assessed on a scale, so there is no clear line marking when someone is a narcissist. In practice, a trained professional should implement the NPI to prevent misuse, similar to trainings for other personality inventories such as the MBTI.
Figure 1: Narcissistic Traits
Peer Evaluations
Peer evaluations have been used to assess individuals' perceptions of others' narcissistic traits. Peers are those who have regularly interacted with the individual in some way, such as coworkers, friends, or family members.[10] However, the success of this method depends on the level of interaction with the person being evaluated. Interacting more often with a narcissistic leader increases the chance that the coworker will observe narcissistic traits (i.e. overly controlling and self-centered actions), leading to more useful assessments of narcissism.[11]
"Unobtrusive" Measures
Academic research also attempts to measure narcissism without surveys using public information, often referred to as "unobtrusive" measures.[12] For example, researchers have identified narcissistic CEOs by examining the size of CEO's photograph in public materials, use of "I" statements in interviews and speeches, relative compensation compared to the second highest-paid firm employee, and the size of the CEO's signature.[13] [14] These measures may be more practically useful for external stakeholders, such as investors and regulators, to identify narcissistic CEOs.
Limitations and Opportunities for Future Research
There are several limitations with existing measurements of narcissism. First, CEOs are reluctant to respond to surveys. This creates issues with research results, such that those who did not respond to the survey are different compared to those who did respond. CEOs may also intentionally choose the most socially-acceptable answers to the NPI to falsely skew the results.[15] Peer evaluations may also be problematic, with issues based on the level of interaction with the CEO and fear of retaliation. In addition, the "unobtrusive" measures of CEO narcissism are at risk of being off the mark and measuring something different, such as skill-level, decisions made by marketing departments, and ability to negotiate.[16] However, new innovative measures are continuing to emerge in this topic area, which is ripe for future research opportunities.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Narcissistic Leadership
Although opinions on the matter are certainly mixed, there appears to be both benefits and drawbacks to having a narcissistic CEO in practice. This section explores academic research findings that help us to identify when CEO narcissism may enhance shareholder value and when it is likely to destroy value.
Benefits of Narcissism: The Rise of the Celebrity CEO
Individuals with narcissistic traits are more likely to emerge as leaders due to their extroverted tendencies.[17] Some argue that managerial roles are well-suited for narcissistic traits, such as risk-taking, charisma, and confidence. Indeed, some boards of organizations appear to be attracted to leaders with narcissistic tendencies, leading in part to the rise of the celebrity CEO.[18] However, as seen with Nissan's troubled ex-CEO Carlos Ghosn, who fled Japan while facing a litany of charges involving alleged financial crimes, this increased spotlight does not always work to the benefit of the company, and can go terribly wrong when more unfavorable narcissistic traits emerge.[19]
In contrast, some suggest that an optimal level of narcissism is associated with leader effectiveness.[20] That is, that narcissism is neither strictly good nor bad, and that leader effectiveness is highest at some point along the NPI scale. Others suggest that it is more about fit, such that narcissistic CEOs are good for some situations and terrible for others. For example, narcissistic traits are particularly valuable to followers during times of uncertainty and dynamic market conditions. The confidence and assertiveness of a narcissistic CEO can facilitate a strong sense of vision and courage to lead organizations in new directions.[21] [22]
Narcissistic Leadership in a Crisis: It's all in the Timing
While some risk-taking is beneficial, other kinds of risk taking can be harmful, and narcissistic leaders may engage in self-interested behaviors that threaten organizational success. In crisis situations, combining extreme risk-taking with overconfidence can destroy a company. One famous example of this is CEO Dick Fuld and the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2007. High risk investment decisions made by Lehman Brothers leadership have been linked to this collapse. Some speculate that Fuld's hubris and overestimation of the value of the company created barriers to the potential sale of Lehman Brothers, and alienated those who could have helped rescue the company.[23] [24] The same risk-taking traits that were previously associated with strong growth became the downfall of the company during a recession period.
This trend has been observed in research. Several studies link CEO narcissism before and during a recession period with a slower recovery of ROA following the collapse of U.S. banks in 2008.[25] In contrast, some research indicates narcissistic CEOs can be excellent at creating and pursuing a bold recovery strategy in a post-recession period. Specifically, narcissistic CEOs tend to be motivated by achieving positive outcomes, and less motivated to avoid negative outcomes.[26] Therefore, the timing of the narcissistic CEO's term of employment is crucial, such that their behavior may create greater losses before and during a recession, but contribute to a strong vision of growth after.
Acquisitions: Mixed Results
Narcissistic CEOs involved in acquisitions initiate deals for takeovers, and negotiate faster, resulting in more costly acquisition prices.[27] However, if both CEOs score high on narcissism, there is a lower probability that they will complete the deal at all. Since target companies typically receive an acquisition premium on their stock, this suggests that narcissism on the part of the target CEO can be harmful to their shareholders. For acquirers, there is evidence of both harmful and beneficial acquisitions for shareholders.[28] Therefore, whether CEO narcissism will be a benefit or detriment in an acquisition scenario depends on the context.
Litigation Risk and Deception
In addition to overinvestment in M&A and R&D,[29] aggressiveness and high-risk taking behavior can increase the likelihood of litigation.[30] For example, narcissistic CEOs' overconfidence about their ability to win, and lack of sensitivity of the costs to their organizations, increases the likelihood and duration of lawsuits.[31]
Another notable potential negative impact of CEO narcissism is the increased likelihood of releasing misleading financial disclosures.[32] [33] A recent study published in the Journal of Business Ethics argues that narcissistic CEO engagement in earnings management is deliberate, noting that they are often acting out of self-interest when it comes to reporting financial results to the public.[34] For example, Elon Musk was recently fined by the SEC and removed as chairman of the board of Tesla for three years for issuing a misleading tweet that caused a large swing in the stock price. Musk later had to settle with the SEC for another misleading tweet.[35]
Infographic 1 below provides a summary of the issues explored in the sections above, noting the pros and cons of narcissism in an organization:
Infographic 1: Pros and Cons of Narcissistic Leaders
What Does This Mean for Investors and Owners? An Industry Analysis
While there are many potential problems associated with CEO narcissism, under certain circumstances, CEO narcissism may be beneficial to the firm's owners. In this section, we further analyze these findings and discuss specific implications for investors and owners in specific industries.
Industries Ill-Suited for Narcissistic CEOs
The lack of empathy, extreme sensitivity, and interpersonal problems associated with narcissism make certain industries unsuitable for affected CEOs. For example, some industries require the CEO to maintain good relationships with important stakeholders such as:
"Star" employees with difficult to replace skills or customer relationships (e.g. law firms, the entertainment industry, or finance)
Employee reps in highly-unionized industries (e.g. automotive manufacturing or the airline industry);
Important suppliers, regulators, or joint venture partners (e.g. power generation and telecommunications).
We also propose that industries with a greater need to protect trade secrets and reduce externally reported information may be more susceptible to exploitation by narcissistic CEOs. This issue may be particularly prevalent in industries with significant investments in intellectual property. The reduction in public accountability could lead to challenges, due to narcissistic CEOs' deceptive tendencies and poor ability to realistically judge their own performance.
Industries Better Suited to Narcissistic CEOs
Narcissistic traits may be less damaging in other industries where cooperative relationships are not necessary and deals are one-off transactions (e.g. real estate development). Furthermore, troubled firms may sometimes need to conduct layoffs and break long-standing relationships with suppliers or customers. In such cases, a lack of empathy may make such unpleasant actions more likely. Future research is needed to investigate this scenario.
In addition, for some industries, such as tech, investors may desire rapid growth through acquisitions, even if this involves paying high premiums for smaller rivals. Narcissistic CEOs would be useful in this context, as they are more likely to initiate and quickly complete takeovers. However, investors looking to sell their firm would do better to not have a narcissistic CEO, as this could reduce the probability of a sale to a rival narcissistic CEO.[36]
Organizational Strategies for Mitigating and Avoiding Negative Aspects of CEO Narcissism
There is hope that organizations can proactively address weaknesses associated with narcissism in their leaders. Several scholars propose actions that organizations can take to curtail negative outcomes. This section explores potential solutions to address the risks of narcissistic leadership.
Optimizing Organizational Identification
One factor that could curb narcissistic leaders from devolving into risky behaviors is when the CEO's identity is closely tied to their organization. This concept is referred to as "organizational identification," and is common among narcissistic CEOs.[37] Ideally, having a CEO working on behalf of the organization would be the ultimate goal. However, there is a risk that the CEO will believe that their self-serving behaviors are actually for the benefit of the organization, or that the organization exists to benefit the CEO.
There are several proposed recommendations for addressing the risks that accompany CEOs with high organizational identification. A well-designed compensation plan with publicly available performance measures can better align narcissistic CEOs' self-perceived interests with those of the shareholders. A strong, independent board of directors can closely monitor leaders for deceptive and self-interested behavior, and be given the power to quickly remove a troublesome CEO. Finally, top management teams within the company can collaborate closely with the CEO to regulate negative behaviors.[38]
Best Practices for Selecting Leaders
Another alternative is to expand the criteria for the selection and promotion of leaders, or limit the input of a narcissistic CEO in the hiring and promotions process. This could decrease the presence of narcissism among CEOs. Men and individuals from higher socioeconomic classes are more likely to be selected as leaders of businesses. However, past research finds that leaders from wealthier backgrounds self-report higher levels of narcissism, and men are 40 percent more likely to be narcissists.[39] Therefore, carefully considering the optimal level of CEO narcissism for a company, and evaluating the potential level of narcissism in individual applicants may decrease the emergence of narcissistic leaders.[40]
Increasing Awareness of Narcissistic Traits
Research also indicates narcissistic leaders may appear to be excellent from afar, but increased familiarity changes this perception.[41] These findings suggest that organizations can encourage leaders to engage with their followers more regularly prior to leading them. Getting to know one another without the power imbalance may enable employees to recognize narcissistic tendencies in their employees.[42] This awareness could signal narcissistic tendencies early on, and possibly lead to proposed interventions that could manage the negative aspects of narcissism, such as executive coaching and placement in non-relational roles.
Practical Tips and Concluding Comments
To summarize, we offer the following practical tips for internal and external stakeholders in Infographic 2 below:
Infographic 2: Practical Tips for Internal and External Stakeholders
According to the analysis above it is possible to not only identify characteristics linked to narcissism, but intentionally evaluate the risks and rewards. It is also possible to identify when this type of leadership would create desired organizational outcomes and provide effective oversight for narcissistic CEOs. As this area continues to evolve, additional research will equip corporate board members and executive teams with tools for ensuring the best possible corporate outcomes. Future research is suggested to explore how narcissism fits into the broader practical framework of CEO searches to develop a best practices guide that integrates several key aspects of research on CEO search and selection.
[1] Savchuk, K. (2019). Narcissistic CEOs Weaken Collaboration and Integrity. Stanford Graduate School of Business. Available at: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/narcissistic-ceos-weaken-collaboration-integrity
[2] Stein, M. (2013). When does narcissistic leadership become problematic? Dick Fuld at Lehman Brothers. Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(3), 282-293. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492613478664
[3] Braun, S. (2017). Leader narcissism and outcomes in organizations: a review at multiple levels of analysis and implications for future research. Frontiers in Psychology, 8 (773). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00773
[4] Westerman, J. W., Bergman, J. Z., Bergman, S. M., & Daly, J. P. (2012). Are universities creating millennial narcissistic employees? An empirical examination of narcissism in business students and its implications. Journal of Management Education, 36(1), 5-32. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562911408097
[5] Rosenthal, S. A., & Pittinsky, T. L. (2006). Narcissistic leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), 617-633. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984306001111
[6] O'Boyle Jr., E. H., Forsyth, D. R., Banks, G. C., & McDaniel, M. A. (2012). A meta-analysis of the Dark Triad and work behavior: a social exchange perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(3), 557-579. Available at: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-24470-001
[7] Raskin, R., & Terry, H. (1988). A principal-components analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and further evidence of its construct validity. Journal of personality and social psychology, 54(5), 890. Available at: http://www.columbia.edu/~da358/npi16/raskin.pdf
[8] Ames, D. R., Rose, P., & Anderson, C. P. (2006). The NPI-16 as a short measure of narcissism. Journal of research in personality, 40(4), 440-450. Available at: https://www0.gsb.columbia.edu/mygsb/faculty/research/pubfiles/1005/npi16_jrp.pdf
[9] Raskin & Terry, 1988.
[10] Hochwarter, W. A., & Thompson, K. W. (2012). Mirror, mirror on my boss's wall: Engaged enactment's moderating role on the relationship between perceived narcissistic supervision and work outcomes. Human Relations, 65(3), 335-366. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726711430003
[11] Nevicka, B., Van Vianen, A. E., De Hoogh, A. H., & Voorn, B. (2018). Narcissistic leaders: An asset or a liability? Leader visibility, follower responses, and group-level absenteeism. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(7), 703-723. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000298
[12] Van Scotter, J. R. (2019). Narcissism in CEO research: a review and replication of the archival approach. Management Review Quarterly, 1-46. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11301-019-00178-1
[13] Chatterjee, A., & Hambrick, D. C. (2007). It's all about me: Narcissistic chief executive officers and their effects on company strategy and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 52(3), 351-386. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2189/asqu.52.3.351
[14] Ham, C., Seybert, N., & Wang, S. (2018). Narcissism is a bad sign: CEO signature size, investment, and performance. Review of Accounting Studies, 23(1), 234-264. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11142-017-9427-x
[15] Brenner, P. S., & DeLamater, J. (2016). Lies, damned lies, and survey self-reports? Identity as a cause of measurement bias. Social psychology quarterly, 79(4), 333-354. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5639921/
[16] Van Scotter, 2019.
[17] Brunell, A. B., Gentry, W. A., Campbell, W. K., Hoffman, B. J., Kuhnert, K. W., & DeMarree, K. G. (2008). Leader emergence: The case of the narcissistic leader. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(12), 1663-1676. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167208324101
[18] Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2016). Why we keep hiring narcissistic CEOs. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-we-keep-hiring-narcissistic-ceos
[19] Bershidsky, L. (2018). Delusion of Celebrity Brings Down Another CEO. Bloomberg. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-11-21/carlos-ghosn-nissan-ceo-dicovers-the-pitfalls-of-celebrity
[20] Grijalva, E., Harms, P. D., Newman, D. A., Gaddis, B. H., & Fraley, R. C. (2015). Narcissism and leadership: A meta‐analytic review of linear and nonlinear relationships. Personnel Psychology, 68(1), 1-47. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12072
[21] Higgs, M. (2009). The good, the bad and the ugly: Leadership and narcissism. Journal of Change Management, 9(2), 165-178. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14697010902879111
[22] Patel, P. C., & Cooper, D. (2014). The harder they fall, the faster they rise: Approach and avoidance focus in narcissistic CEOs. Strategic Management Journal, 35(10), 1528-1540. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2162
[23] Stein, M. (2013). When does narcissistic leadership become problematic? Dick Fuld at Lehman Brothers. Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(3), 282-293. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492613478664
[24] Davenport, T. (2009). Why Jerks Are Bad Decision-Makers. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2009/08/why-jerks-are-bad-decisionmake
[25] Buyl, T., Boone, C., & Wade, J. B. (2019). CEO narcissism, risk-taking, and resilience: An empirical analysis in US commercial banks. Journal of Management, 45(4), 1372-1400. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206317699521
[26] Patel & Cooper, 2014.
[27] Aktas, N., De Bodt, E., Bollaert, H., & Roll, R. (2016). CEO narcissism and the takeover process: From private initiation to deal completion. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 51(1), 113-137. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022109016000065
[28] Lin, C., Officer, M., & Zou, H (2011). Directors' and officers' liability insurance and acquisition outcomes. Journal of Financial Economics, 102(3), 507-525. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2011.08.004
[30] O'Reilly III, C. A., Doerr, B., & Chatman, J. A. (2018). "See You in Court": How CEO narcissism increases firms' vulnerability to lawsuits. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(3), 365-378. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.08.001
[32] Buchholz, F., Jaeschke, R., Lopatta, K., & Maas, K. (2018). The use of optimistic tone by narcissistic CEOs. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(2), 531-562. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-11-2015-2292
[33] Capalbo, F., Frino, A., Lim, M. Y., Mollica, V., & Palumbo, R. (2018). The impact of CEO narcissism on earnings management. Abacus, 54(2), 210-226. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/abac.12116
[34] Buchholz, F., Lopatta, K., & Maas, K. (2019). The Deliberate Engagement of Narcissistic CEOs in Earnings Management. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-24. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-019-04176-x
[35] Frazee, G. (2019). Why Elon Musk's tweets matter to the SEC. PBS NewsHour. Available at: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/making-sense/why-elon-musks-tweets-matter-to-the-sec
[37] Fuller, P. J., Galvin, B. M., & Ashforth, B. E. (2018). Larger than life: Narcissistic organizational identification in leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 47(1), 8-16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.06.003
[38] Reina, C. S., Zhang, Z., & Peterson, S. J. (2014). CEO grandiose narcissism and firm performance: The role of organizational identification. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(5), 958-971. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.06.004
[40] Martin, S. R., Côté, S., & Woodruff, T. (2016). Echoes of our upbringing: How growing up wealthy or poor relates to narcissism, leader behavior, and leader effectiveness. Academy of Management Journal, 59(6), 2157-2177. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2015.0680
[41] Ong, C. W., Roberts, R., Arthur, C. A., Woodman, T., & Akehurst, S. (2016). The leader ship is sinking: A temporal investigation of narcissistic leadership. Journal of Personality, 84(2), 237-247. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12155
Authors of the article
Jillian Alderman, PhD
Jillian Alderman, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Her primary research interests involve the study of human behavior and decision-making, with a focus on topics such as investors' use of financial statements, auditor liability, and professional ethics. Since graduating with a PhD from the University of Central Florida in 2010, Jillian's award-winning research has been presented at over 20 conferences and workshops, and is published in top journals including Advances in Accounting, Journal of Information Systems, Accounting Auditing & Accountability Journal, International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Journal of Accountancy, and Current Issues in Auditing. Her published work on XBRL and investor decision-making was awarded a sizable research grant by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, with secondary funding from the Enhanced Business Reporting Consortium of the AICPA. Prior to her experience in academia, Jillian worked in practice as a CPA and Auditor at Deloitte in Florida.
Joetta Forsyth, PhD
Joetta Forsyth, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Graziadio School. Dr. Forsyth received her bachelor's and master's in economics at the University of Chicago; in 1995, she graduated from the Harvard Business School with a PhD in business economics and a concentration in finance and industrial organization. Prior to joining the Graziadio School, Dr. Forsyth taught finance at the University of Michigan's Business School and the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.
Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD
Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD, is professor of information systems at the Graziadio School of Business and Management. In 2004, Dr. Griffy-Brown received a research award from the International Association for the Management of Technology and was recognized as one of the most active and prolific researchers in the fields of technology management and innovation. A former researcher at the Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development in Tokyo, she has also served as an associate professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Dr. Griffy-Brown graduated from Harvard University, is a former Fulbright Scholar, and holds a PhD in technology management from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. She has worked for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center and has taught innovation/technology management courses in Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan. She has also served as a consultant for the United Nation's Global Environmental Facility and the European Commission.
Richard Walton, PhD
Richard Walton, is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. He earned a PhD in Finance from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, an MBA from London Business School and a BA in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from Oxford University. His research interests are primarily in the realm of empirical corporate finance with a focus on corporate governance, corporate takeovers and behavioral finance. Dr. Walton has over fifteen years of professional experience in Hong Kong, the UK and Germany covering a diverse range of finance functions including venture capital, investment banking, marketing finance and financial control.
Change Can Be Crazy
Readers are promised four proven techniques to create enduring value when implementing change. When applied, leaders can make a difference in more productive change efforts.
By Amy L. Johnson, Executive in Residence, Pepperdine University
Human Resources, Leadership, Management, Organizational Behavior, Strategy
This article summarizes how prescriptive analytics techniques are used in practice by retirees to maximize retirement portfolio longevity. The authors then contribute to this applied research by assessing how the SECURE Act affects the value of a retiree's bequest.
By James DiLellio, PhD, MBA and Michael D. Kinsman, PhD, CPA
Accounting / Finance / Investing, Decision Sciences, Economics, Human Resources, Strategy


text:
histarmar
Home » Business » Heartbreaking photos show how frontline nurses treating COVID-19 patients live in the divide between home and the nightmare of the pandemic at work
Heartbreaking photos show how frontline nurses treating COVID-19 patients live in the divide between home and the nightmare of the pandemic at work
Healthcare workers taking care of coronavirus patients are witnessing horrors in their hospitals and are also worried about how they could keep their own families safe.
The balance has caused some to experience emotional drainage and anxiety.
Here's what it looks like to be a coronavirus frontline health worker.
Healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic are under a lot of emotional and physical pressure while taking care of extremely ill patients, and are constantly concerned over the well-being of their own families as they work in highly contagious settings, the Associated Press reported.
Nurses in the coronavirus unit at St. Jude's Medical Center in Fullerton, California, treat patients through 12-hour shifts before going home and struggling to figure out how to not expose their families to the coronavirus.
Spencer Cushing rented his own apartment in April to protect his wife, 3-year-old James, and baby Walter from exposure to the virus.
His wife quit her part-time job also as a nurse to take care of their kids. His three-year-old son began sleepwalking.
After a few months, the family decided it was best for him to go home.
"You couldn't stay away for six months," Eleanor said to her husband. "We're going to be seeing these patients for a long time."
Health care workers don gloves, an N95 mask, a gown, a hairnet, and a face shield while caring for coronavirus patients to protect themselves from infection of the highly contagious virus.
Other healthcare workers working with coronavirus patients have also said they were extremely worried about passing the virus on to their loved ones.
Paige, a travel ER nurse, left her family in another state to work in a hospital in Southern California early in the pandemic. Her father is 86, but given her proximity to patients with COVID-19, she refused to see him, even without shelter in place orders.
"I can't be the reason my dad dies," she told Insider, explaining that she had a tough conversation with him so he knows how to protect himself.
Sarvnaz Michel took six weeks of unpaid maternity leave to spend time with her newborn in February as the pandemic was beginning to accelerate in the US.
"I cry almost every night," she told the AP. "If it was only about me, it would be a different story."
Michel's 2-year-old Leonidas knows not to hug her when she first gets home, and she's careful not to expose him to the reality of what she's experiencing.
Michel focuses on teaching her son to give her air hugs, and she hasn't kissed her newborn yet.
While Jackie Vargas, a nurse for 11 years, feels safe in the hospital, she gets anxious around her family.
Vargas' kids are being taken care of by her mother-in-law, and Vargas keeps her distance when she sees them. She also sees her own mother through a glass door.
While her mother wanted her to be a nurse, she's now begging Vargas to quit for her own safety.
Watching patients battle the coronavirus alone is emotionally challenging.
Vargas finds herself emotionally drained from seeing her patients battle the coronavirus alone, without any family by their side.
"Some of the stuff gets to me, the sad stories," she said. "It takes me time to let go, let go of what I've seen."
Other healthcare workers previously told Insider that they were overworked.
Dr. Sandra Till, a pulmonologist and critical care intensivist at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, told Business Insider that members of her team were exhausted sometimes working 80 to 90 hours a week taking care of patients.
"The doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists are getting tired," she said. "You know, we have been working overtime, we've been working harder, and now we're being asked to work even more."
On top of providing medical care, there's also the emotional burden of caring for critically ill patients.
"I mean, you spend this intense time at the bedside with patients who are coming in, in respiratory distress, not knowing when they'll be able to see their family again because they may or may not need to be intubated and put on a ventilator in the ICU," Dr. Bradley Dreifuss, director of rural and global emergency medicine programs at the University of Arizona College of Medicine at Tucson, previously told Business Insider.
"So you're there at the bedside, holding their hand, maybe being the last people they ever see if they're intubated and sedated and then die from COVID in the ICU," he continued. "And it's emotionally exhausting."
Michele Younkin had to watch her patient die after succumbing to the virus.
Younkin "shed tears that clung to her face shield" as she let a 65-year-old patient off of the machine that was supporting his breathing.
"Times like these, you will remember this," Younkin's grandmother, a nurse during the polio epidemic, later told her. "You don't forget them."
Younkin would comfort the man's wife as she saw him for the last time.
Younkin juggles the decisions she has to make as a mom with the pandemic, like whether its safe for her to breastfeed.
She told the AP that she obsesses over her actions.
"Did I put my gear on the right way, did I take it off the right way, did I touch something wrong accidentally?"
She's concerned that she could infect her family and urged her husband not to go to her funeral if she died.
"If I were to die, don't come," Younkin told her husband emphatically. "Don't risk yourselves."
Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email [email protected] and tell us your story.
Get the latest coronavirus business & economic impact analysis from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is affecting industries.
U.S. reports record 2,800 Covid deaths in a single day, hospitals pushed to the limits
5 reasons why economic recovery will be slow
This $250 Philips Sonicare toothbrush maps your mouth using an app that shows you how to brush better — here's what it's like to use
Stephen A. Smith on whether social issues will hurt NFL
Alaska Airlines jet hits brown bear while landing in southeast Alaska
CoronavirusFeatureshealthcar
Previous Post:Senator calls for AMP execs Pahari, Murray to resign
Next Post:Sarah Sanders claims Biden, Democrats' pro-abortion position 'disqualifies them' from high office
'Big Short' investor Michael Burry predicts Tesla stock will collapse like the housing bubble: 'Enjoy it while it lasts'
Health Alert Issued For Not-Ready-to-Eat Chicken Enchilada Products
Why the bid war for DHFL may well end up being a curse for the winner
More U.S. States Find Variant; Hebei Cases Jump: Virus Update
'Don't sell a share': Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya says Tesla's stock could triple from current levels, making Elon Musk the first trillionaire
South Africa Stocks at Fresh Record as Miners Ride Stimulus Bets
State pension claimants may be eligible for a council tax reduction – rules explained
Rentokil Initial Lifts FY20 Forecast For Adj. PBTA; Buys Environmental Pest Service

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Great document destruction services at your location on the date you choose.
It's not if you need document shredding services it's when. Every resident and business in Greenvale, Nassau County has documents that need to be securely destroyed at some point. When it's that time for you just give Time Shred a call and we will be happy to discuss our services with you, give you a very fair quote and also schedule your appointment for as soon as tomorrow. We are a mobile document destruction company so all of the services we provide are at our customers locations.
How about tomorrow! Yes we really mean it we offer our on-site shredding service to our residential and commercial customers Monday through Saturday and with our next day option it could be tomorrow. That's what makes us different our ability to give great service on the date that is best for each individual client.
We are the areas largest locally own document destruction company with a fleet of the most advanced and powerful paper shredding trucks. Our trucks are so powerful they can destroy 6,000 pounds of paper per hour. We will send on of our trucks to your location and all of your confidential records will be destroyed there. When our truck arrives our trained technician will place the documents you want destroyed into a security bin. The bin will be locked so it can move your papers to our truck securely. At the truck the computerized system will lift the bin into a tunnel in the truck and empty your files directly into the shredder. All of your records will be destroyed immediately.
One-time Shredding – You may not need to securely dispose of company files often but when you do you can use or flexible one-time service. This service allows you to make an appointment to shred documents anytime you want to. It could be just once or a few times a year for any reason. Our onetime document destruction service has no restrictions you just give us a call and we will be happy to come to your locations to shred your files and we hope that going forward any time you need shredding services in future you will call Time Shred.
Scheduled Shredding – If the operation of your business involves a lot of paper you are most definitely throwing away documents often if not every day. To protect the private information you have been entrusted with and be compliant with privacy laws you need to implement an ongoing shredding program. We can make that easy. We will supply your company with locked security containers that will be placed throughout your office for access by you entire staff. Then all they have to do is place documents in them instead of waste baskets. We will come to your office on a regular schedule to empty and destroy the contents of the security containers. You can have a weekly, bi-weekly, every four weeks or monthly schedule.
You have a lot of paper at home with all your personal files. When you don't need some of those files anymore they need to be shredded. Since most identity theft occurs from the stealing of information off of documents you can never just throw them away in the household trash. Our residential shredding service will come to your home any day you want Monday through Saturday and destroy all of the private records you have decided to get rid of. It is the most secure and convenient way for you to eliminate your personal documents.
Call Time Shred Today to Get a Quote and Make an Appointment!


CORE has assembled a library of various relevant items for members to check out. These include DVDs of films we have been showing at our Films & Forums events, books, magazines, posters, CDs, etc. We will continue to add to this library, and welcome your donations to it, as well.
To check out an item, simply e-mail our webmaster to make arrangements. We will also bring the library to CORE meetings and events.
Link to the list of our current library.
• "Local Food Makes $ense"


"The classic drip coffee maker is a tried and true method for brewing delicious coffee without too much fuss."
Use cold, filtered water to fill the reservoir to the appropriate level depending on the desired number of cups. For this guide, we are brewing on the Bonavita 1900TS coffee maker and filled the reservoir with water to the 4 cup mark to make 4 cups of coffee. To make more coffee, simply fill your coffee maker's reservoir to the water level noting how many cups you'd like to make.
Weigh or measure the amount of whole bean coffee for the desired number of cups. For this brew, we measured 7 Tablespoons or ~40 grams of light roasted, whole bean coffee (1 Tablespoon ≈ 6 grams). For making 6 cups, we recommend 10 Tablespoons or ~ 60 grams of coffee. For making 8 cups, we think 14 Tablespoons or ~80 grams of coffee is a good starting point. You may need to use more or less coffee, depending on your preferred coffee strength.
Grind the coffee to a medium-fine to medium consistency, depending on your batch size. Use a medium-fine grind for 4 - 6 cups and a medium grind for 8 or more cups. Brewing with a consistent and uniform grind size is crucial to make delicious coffee, which is why we recommend using a burr grinder.
Add the paper filter to the brew basket and rinse with hot or warm water from the sink or a kettle to remove paper taste and warm the brewer and carafe. Make sure to empty the carafe of rinse water before starting the brew cycle.
Pour the ground coffee into the filter and gently shake to settle the grounds into an even layer, then place the carafe under the spray head.
Press the ON button to initiate brewing.
Every coffee maker is different, so total brew times will vary. The brewing process should take 4 - 5 minutes for 4 Cups, 5 - 6 minutes for 6 Cups, and about 6 - 7 minutes for 8 Cups.
Remove carafe and discard the filter with wet grounds. Rinse brew basket and set aside.
Serve immediately or transfer brewed coffee to a carafe or thermos. This brewer has a stainless steel thermal carafe which will help keep the coffee hot for 1-2 hours.
Grab your favorite mug, serve, and enjoy!


text:
Q: restore project after git conflict Me and my friend were working on a branch. When my friend completed his work and push his work on the branch that we were working on.
Now I was about to pull the work done by him but instead of pulling from the branch that he was working on I mistakenly pulled from the master branch.
and there occurs a conflict. I know how to fix a conflict but I don't want to merge master into my working branch. therefore to rollback I used following commands
git reset .
git checkout -- .

this restored all the files back to the latest local commit. (I think so)
But when I do git status it show some untracked files and also displays a message that says "All conflicts fixed but you are still merging."
Now I don't know what should I do to make sure that the whole project directory is restored to its original state before pulling the master branch.

A: The right way would have been a git merge --abort; see this answer.
Since git says All conflicts fixed but you are still merging., i.e. the merge flag is still set, you can still use git merge --abort to reset to the state before the pull.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Haim Isaacs
voice, senza, shruti box
© Guillaume Blanchon
Born in New York 1957, Haim grew up in Jerusalem. After a classical music education he met and was deeply influenced by the Roy Hart Theater, a group of vocal explorers in the south of France : voice, movement, imagination and another vision of what life can be.
After living and working with the Roy Hart Theater for four years Haim moved to Paris where he composes, sings, writes and teaches voice.
He practices improvisation alongside various artists, including: Phillips bass bar, Stefano Genovese piano, Izidor Leitinger bugle, Michel Thouseau doublebass, Renaud Pion clarinet, Payâm Akhshik santour, Abbi Patrix storytelling, Sarath Amarasingam dance, Christophe Dellers bandoneon, Gyohei Zaitsu buto, Thanduxolo Bezana gumboots…
He has collaborated with the Philippe Genty Company, Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique (Paris), Comédie Poitou-Charentes, Galapiat Circus, Theatre Organic and the Lille Conservatory, amongst others.
He is currently directing NazzazzaN and other music / theater productions, as well as preparing a concert of Joni Mitchell songs.
Cyrille Froger
vibraphone, percussions, voice
© Didier Monge
First prize in classical percussion at the CRR of Boulogne-Billancourt, Cyrille Froger is also a pianist, singer, composer and clown (not to mention being a Feldenkrais practitioner).
Always in search of artistic crossovers, he co-founded Galetas in 2014 where musicians, actors and clowns mix their know-how. He is also co-director of the festival Les Arts Franchis in Montflanquin – Lot et Garonne where his orchestral composition was premiered in August 2016. He regularly plays with Lutherie Urbaine as well as with the 2e2m contemporary music ensembles and Itinéraire.
His latest musical collaborations are with Amnia (for young audiences) and Hen (Johanny Bert's Romette Theatre). He performs as a clown and musician in Kichott.
Gael Ascal
double bass, voice
Gaël Ascal is involved in numerous interdisciplinary collaborations, writing and performing music for theatre, cinema, dance and poetry, and regularly participates in performances and sound installations with visual artists.
Since 1995, he has participated in over a hundred creations, performing in France and abroad. Since 2005, he has also been a double bassist and bassist in many groups, mainly contemporary jazz, but whose aesthetic horizons have alternately visited world music or hard-rock, as well as French chanson, contemporary music and improvised music.
He has recorded over thirty CDs as an instrumentalist, composer or arranger.
Matthieu Beaudin
accordeon, voice
It was through the piano that he began the theatre, through the theatre that he began to dance, through movement that he discovered clowning, and through the clowning that he has now collaborating with musicians, singers, actors and dancers.
Matthieu Beaudin has played as a musician, actor and clown with Cie La Rumeur, Le Terrain Vague, Soleil Sous La Pluie, Les Fourmis Rousses, Corrosol, as well as with the groups Big Blunt Band, Pourquoi Pas and Zawalpé. In 2016, he joined the actors of the Organic Theatre for Sophie Gazel's latest creation – Le Langage des Cravates.


text:
#include <gmock/gmock.h>
#include <gtest/gtest.h>

#include <acsdk/AlexaLiveViewController/private/AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent.h>
#include <acsdk/AlexaLiveViewControllerInterfaces/LiveViewControllerInterface.h>
#include <acsdk/AlexaLiveViewControllerInterfaces/LiveViewControllerObserverInterface.h>
#include <RTCSCNativeInterface/RtcscAppClientInterface.h>

#include <AVSCommon/AVS/Attachment/MockAttachmentManager.h>
#include <AVSCommon/SDKInterfaces/Endpoints/EndpointIdentifier.h>
#include <AVSCommon/SDKInterfaces/MockAlexaInterfaceMessageSender.h>
#include <AVSCommon/SDKInterfaces/MockContextManager.h>
#include <AVSCommon/SDKInterfaces/MockDirectiveHandlerResult.h>
#include <AVSCommon/SDKInterfaces/MockExceptionEncounteredSender.h>
#include <AVSCommon/SDKInterfaces/MockMessageSender.h>
#include <AVSCommon/Utils/JSON/JSONUtils.h>
#include <AVSCommon/Utils/Memory/Memory.h>
#include <AVSCommon/Utils/WaitEvent.h>

namespace alexaClientSDK {
namespace alexaLiveViewController {
namespace test {

using namespace avsCommon::avs;
using namespace avsCommon::sdkInterfaces;
using namespace avsCommon::utils::memory;
using namespace ::testing;

using namespace alexaLiveViewController;
using namespace alexaLiveViewControllerInterfaces;

/// For readability.
using EndpointIdentifier = endpoints::EndpointIdentifier;

/// Timeout when waiting for futures to be set.
static std::chrono::milliseconds TIMEOUT(1000);

/// The namespace for capability agent.
static const std::string NAMESPACE{"Alexa.Camera.LiveViewController"};

/// The supported version
static const std::string INTERFACE_VERSION{"1.7"};

/// The name for StartLiveView directive
static const std::string NAME_STARTLIVEVIEW{"StartLiveView"};

/// The name for StopLiveView directive
static const std::string NAME_STOPLIVEVIEW{"StopLiveView"};

/// An unknown directive signature.
static const std::string UNKNOWN_DIRECTIVE{"Unknown"};

/// The LiveViewStarted event signature.
static const std::string LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_EVENT{"LiveViewStarted"};

/// The LiveViewStopped event signature.
static const std::string LIVE_VIEW_STOPPED_EVENT{"LiveViewStopped"};

/// The test EndpointId
static const EndpointIdentifier TEST_ENDPOINT_ID("testEndpointId");

/// MessageId key.
static const std::string MESSAGE_ID("messageId");

/// MessageId for testing.
static const std::string MESSAGE_ID_TEST("MessageId_Test");

/// Dialog request Id key.
static const std::string DIALOG_REQUEST_ID("dialogRequestId");

/// DialogRequestId for testing.
static const std::string DIALOG_REQUEST_ID_TEST("DialogRequestId_Test");

/// Correlation token key.
static const std::string CORRELATION_TOKEN("correlationToken");

/// Correlation token for testing.
static const std::string CORRELATION_TOKEN_TEST("CorrelationToken_Test");

/// Event correlation token key.
static const std::string EVENT_CORRELATION_TOKEN("eventCorrelationToken");

/// Event correlation for testing.
static const std::string EVENT_CORRELATION_TOKEN_TEST("EventCorrelationToken_Test");

/// JSON key for the event section of a message.
static const std::string MESSAGE_EVENT_KEY = "event";

/// JSON key for the header section of a message.
static const std::string MESSAGE_HEADER_KEY = "header";

/// JSON key for the payload section of an message.
static const std::string MESSAGE_PAYLOAD_KEY = "payload";

/// JSON key for the namespace field of a message header.
static const std::string MESSAGE_NAMESPACE_KEY = "namespace";

/// JSON key for the name field of a message header.
static const std::string MESSAGE_NAME_KEY = "name";

/// Sample StartLiveView payload
static const std::string START_LIVE_VIEW_PAYLOAD = R"(
{
    "sessionId" : "session_id",
    "target" : {
        "type" : "ALEXA_ENDPOINT",
        "endpointId" : "endpoint_id of the viewing device"
    },
    "role" : "VIEWER",
    "participants" : {
        "viewers" : [
            {
                "name" : "name of the viewing device",
                "hasCameraControl" : true,
                "state" : "CONNECTING"
            }
        ],
        "camera" : {
            "name" : "name of camera streaming the live feed",
            "make" : "camera make name",
            "model" : "camera model name"
        }
    },
    "viewerExperience" : {
        "suggestedDisplay" : {
            "displayMode" : "FULL_SCREEN",
            "overlayType" : "NONE"
        },
        "audioProperties" : {
            "talkMode" : "PRESS_AND_HOLD",
            "concurrentTwoWayTalk" : "ENABLED",
            "microphoneState" : "MUTED",
            "speakerState" : "UNMUTED"
        },
        "liveViewTrigger" : "USER_ACTION",
        "idleTimeoutInMilliseconds" : 15000
    }
})";

/// Sample StopLiveView payload
static const std::string STOP_LIVE_VIEW_PAYLOAD = R"(
{
    "sessionId" : "session_id",
    "target" : {
        "type" : "ALEXA_ENDPOINT",
        "endpointId" : "endpoint_id of the viewing device"
    }
})";

/// Expected LiveViewStarted payload for test purposes
static const std::string EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_PAYLOAD =
    R"({"sessionId":"session_id","target":{"endpointId":"endpoint_id of the viewing device","type":"ALEXA_ENDPOINT"}})";

/// Expected LiveViewStopped payload for test purposes
static const std::string EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STOPPED_PAYLOAD =
    R"({"sessionId":"session_id","target":{"endpointId":"endpoint_id of the viewing device","type":"ALEXA_ENDPOINT"}})";

class MockAlexaLiveViewControllerInterface : public LiveViewControllerInterface {
public:
    MOCK_METHOD1(startMock, Response(StartLiveViewRequest*));
    MOCK_METHOD0(stopMock, Response());
    MOCK_METHOD1(setCameraStateMock, Response(CameraState cameraState));
    MOCK_METHOD0(getConfigurationMock, Configuration());
    MOCK_METHOD1(addObserver, bool(std::weak_ptr<LiveViewControllerObserverInterface> observer));
    MOCK_METHOD1(removeObserver, void(std::weak_ptr<LiveViewControllerObserverInterface> observer));

    Response start(std::unique_ptr<StartLiveViewRequest> request) {
        return startMock(request.get());
    }

    Response stop() {
        return stopMock();
    }

    Response setCameraState(CameraState cameraState) {
        return setCameraStateMock(cameraState);
    }

    Configuration getConfiguration() {
        return getConfigurationMock();
    }
};

class MockRtcscAppClient : public rtc::native::RtcscAppClientInterface {
public:
    MOCK_METHOD2(
        registerAppClientListener,
        rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(
            const rtc::native::AppInfo& appInfo,
            rtc::native::RtcscAppClientListenerInterface* appClientListener));
    MOCK_METHOD1(unregisterAppClientListener, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const rtc::native::AppInfo& appInfo));
    MOCK_METHOD2(
        registerMetricsPublisherListener,
        rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(
            const rtc::native::AppInfo& appInfo,
            rtc::native::RtcscMetricsPublisherListenerInterface* metricsPublisherListener));
    MOCK_METHOD1(unregisterMetricsPublisherListener, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const rtc::native::AppInfo& appInfo));
    MOCK_METHOD2(setLocalAudioState, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const std::string& sessionId, bool audioEnabled));
    MOCK_METHOD2(setLocalVideoState, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const std::string& sessionId, bool videoEnabled));
    MOCK_METHOD2(setRemoteAudioState, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const std::string& sessionId, bool audioEnabled));
    MOCK_METHOD1(acceptSession, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const std::string& sessionId));
    MOCK_METHOD2(
        disconnectSession,
        rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(
            const std::string& sessionId,
            rtc::native::RtcscAppDisconnectCode rtcscAppDisconnectCode));
    MOCK_METHOD2(
        switchCamera,
        rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const std::string& sessionId, const std::string& cameraName));
    MOCK_METHOD1(signalReadyForSession, rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(const std::string& sessionId));
    MOCK_METHOD3(
        setVideoEffect,
        rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode(
            const std::string& sessionId,
            const rtc::native::VideoEffect& videoEffect,
            int videoEffectDurationMs));
    MOCK_METHOD2(
        registerDataChannelListener,
        bool(const std::string& sessionId, rtc::native::RtcscDataChannelListenerInterface* dataChannelListener));
    MOCK_METHOD1(unregisterDataChannelListener, bool(const std::string& sessionId));
    MOCK_METHOD4(
        sendData,
        bool(const std::string& sessionId, const std::string& label, const std::string& data, bool binary));
    MOCK_METHOD3(
        registerSurfaceConsumer,
        void(
            const std::string& sessionId,
            std::shared_ptr<rtc::native::RtcscSurfaceConsumerInterface> surfaceConsumer,
            rtc::native::MediaSide side));
    MOCK_METHOD2(unregisterSurfaceConsumer, void(const std::string& sessionId, rtc::native::MediaSide side));
};

class AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest : public ::testing::Test {
public:
    /// SetUp before each test case.
    void SetUp() override;

    /// Clean up the test harness after running a test.
    void TearDown() override;

    /// Constructor.
    AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest() {
    }

protected:
    /// A mock @c LiveViewControllerInterface object.
    std::shared_ptr<StrictMock<MockAlexaLiveViewControllerInterface>> m_mockLiveViewController;

    /// A context manager
    std::shared_ptr<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockContextManager>> m_mockContextManager;

    /// The mock message sender.
    std::shared_ptr<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockMessageSender>> m_mockMessageSender;

    /// The mock response sender.
    std::shared_ptr<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockAlexaInterfaceMessageSender>> m_mockResponseSender;

    /// A strict mock that allows the test to strictly monitor the exceptions being sent.
    std::shared_ptr<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockExceptionEncounteredSender>> m_mockExceptionSender;

    /// A strict mock that allows the test to strictly monitor the handling of directives.
    std::unique_ptr<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockDirectiveHandlerResult>>
        m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult;

    /// The mock @c RtcscAppClientInterface.
    std::shared_ptr<StrictMock<MockRtcscAppClient>> m_mockRtcscAppClient;

    /// A pointer to an instance of the LiveViewController that will be instantiated per test.
    std::shared_ptr<AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent> m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent;
};

void AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest::SetUp() {
    m_mockExceptionSender =
        std::make_shared<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockExceptionEncounteredSender>>();
    m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult =
        make_unique<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockDirectiveHandlerResult>>();
    m_mockLiveViewController = std::make_shared<StrictMock<MockAlexaLiveViewControllerInterface>>();
    m_mockMessageSender = std::make_shared<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockMessageSender>>();
    m_mockContextManager = std::make_shared<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockContextManager>>();
    m_mockResponseSender =
        std::make_shared<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockAlexaInterfaceMessageSender>>();

    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent = AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent::create(
        TEST_ENDPOINT_ID,
        m_mockLiveViewController,
        m_mockMessageSender,
        m_mockContextManager,
        m_mockResponseSender,
        m_mockExceptionSender);

    m_mockRtcscAppClient = std::make_shared<StrictMock<MockRtcscAppClient>>();
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->setRtcscAppClient(m_mockRtcscAppClient);
}

void AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest::TearDown() {
}

/**
 * Verify the request sent to AVS is as expected.
 *
 * @param request Request for the event that is being sent to the cloud.
 * @param expectedEventName Name of the event being sent.
 * @param expectedPayload Payload of the event being sent.
 * @param expectedNameSpace Namespace of the event being sent.
 */
static void verifySendMessage(
    std::shared_ptr<avsCommon::avs::MessageRequest> request,
    const std::string expectedEventName,
    const std::string expectedPayload,
    const std::string expectedNameSpace) {
    rapidjson::Document document;
    document.Parse(request->getJsonContent());
    auto event = document.FindMember(MESSAGE_EVENT_KEY);
    EXPECT_NE(event, document.MemberEnd());

    auto header = event->value.FindMember(MESSAGE_HEADER_KEY);
    EXPECT_NE(header, event->value.MemberEnd());
    auto payload = event->value.FindMember(MESSAGE_PAYLOAD_KEY);
    EXPECT_NE(payload, event->value.MemberEnd());
    EXPECT_EQ(header->value.FindMember(MESSAGE_NAMESPACE_KEY)->value.GetString(), expectedNameSpace);
    EXPECT_EQ(header->value.FindMember(MESSAGE_NAME_KEY)->value.GetString(), expectedEventName);
    EXPECT_NE(header->value.FindMember(MESSAGE_ID)->value.GetString(), "");

    std::string messagePayload;
    avsCommon::utils::json::jsonUtils::convertToValue(payload->value, &messagePayload);
    EXPECT_EQ(messagePayload, expectedPayload);
    EXPECT_EQ(request->attachmentReadersCount(), 0);
}

std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> buildAVSDirective(std::string directiveName) {
    // Create Directive.
    auto attachmentManager = std::make_shared<StrictMock<avsCommon::avs::attachment::test::MockAttachmentManager>>();
    auto avsMessageHeader = std::make_shared<AVSMessageHeader>(
        NAMESPACE, directiveName, MESSAGE_ID_TEST, DIALOG_REQUEST_ID_TEST, CORRELATION_TOKEN_TEST, INTERFACE_VERSION);
    auto avsMessageEndpoint = AVSMessageEndpoint(TEST_ENDPOINT_ID);

    if (directiveName == NAME_STARTLIVEVIEW) {
        return AVSDirective::create(
            "", avsMessageHeader, START_LIVE_VIEW_PAYLOAD, attachmentManager, "", avsMessageEndpoint);
    } else if (directiveName == NAME_STOPLIVEVIEW) {
        return AVSDirective::create(
            "", avsMessageHeader, STOP_LIVE_VIEW_PAYLOAD, attachmentManager, "", avsMessageEndpoint);
    } else {
        return AVSDirective::create("", avsMessageHeader, "", attachmentManager, "", avsMessageEndpoint);
    }
}

/// Test that create() returns a nullptr if called with invalid arguments.
TEST_F(AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest, test_givenInvalidParameters_create_shouldFail) {
    ASSERT_THAT(
        AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent::create(
            "",
            m_mockLiveViewController,
            m_mockMessageSender,
            m_mockContextManager,
            m_mockResponseSender,
            m_mockExceptionSender),
        IsNull());
    ASSERT_THAT(
        AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent::create(
            TEST_ENDPOINT_ID,
            nullptr,
            m_mockMessageSender,
            m_mockContextManager,
            m_mockResponseSender,
            m_mockExceptionSender),
        IsNull());
    ASSERT_THAT(
        AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent::create(
            TEST_ENDPOINT_ID,
            m_mockLiveViewController,
            m_mockMessageSender,
            nullptr,
            m_mockResponseSender,
            m_mockExceptionSender),
        IsNull());
    ASSERT_THAT(
        AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent::create(
            TEST_ENDPOINT_ID,
            m_mockLiveViewController,
            m_mockMessageSender,
            m_mockContextManager,
            nullptr,
            m_mockExceptionSender),
        IsNull());
    ASSERT_THAT(
        AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgent::create(
            TEST_ENDPOINT_ID,
            m_mockLiveViewController,
            m_mockMessageSender,
            m_mockContextManager,
            m_mockResponseSender,
            nullptr),
        IsNull());
}

/**
 * Test successful handling of StartLiveView and StopLiveView directives.
 */
TEST_F(AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest, test_liveViewDirectives_successCase) {
    avsCommon::utils::WaitEvent waitEvent, waitEvent2;
    ON_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, registerAppClientListener(_, _))
        .WillByDefault(Return(rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode::SUCCESS));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult, setCompleted()).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, registerAppClientListener(_, _)).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, setCameraStateMock(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response();
    }));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, startMock(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response();
    }));
    auto liveViewStartedVerifyEvent = [&waitEvent](std::shared_ptr<avsCommon::avs::MessageRequest> request) {
        verifySendMessage(request, LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_EVENT, EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_PAYLOAD, NAMESPACE);
        waitEvent.wakeUp();
    };
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockMessageSender, sendMessage(_)).WillOnce(Invoke(liveViewStartedVerifyEvent));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockResponseSender, sendResponseEvent(_, _, _, _)).Times(Exactly(1));

    ASSERT_THAT(m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent, NotNull());

    // Simulate StartLiveView directive
    std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> startLiveViewdirective = buildAVSDirective(NAME_STARTLIVEVIEW);
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::preHandleDirective(
        startLiveViewdirective, std::move(m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::handleDirective(MESSAGE_ID_TEST);

    EXPECT_TRUE(waitEvent.wait(TIMEOUT));

    // Re-initializing the unique pointer after the move above.
    m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult =
        make_unique<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockDirectiveHandlerResult>>();
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult, setCompleted()).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, disconnectSession(_, _)).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, stopMock()).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response();
    }));
    auto liveViewStoppedVerifyEvent = [&waitEvent2](std::shared_ptr<avsCommon::avs::MessageRequest> request) {
        verifySendMessage(request, LIVE_VIEW_STOPPED_EVENT, EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STOPPED_PAYLOAD, NAMESPACE);
        waitEvent2.wakeUp();
    };
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockMessageSender, sendMessage(_)).WillOnce(Invoke(liveViewStoppedVerifyEvent));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockResponseSender, sendResponseEvent(_, _, _, _)).Times(Exactly(1));

    // Simulate StopLiveView directive
    std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> stopLiveViewdirective = buildAVSDirective(NAME_STOPLIVEVIEW);
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::preHandleDirective(
        stopLiveViewdirective, std::move(m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::handleDirective(MESSAGE_ID_TEST);

    EXPECT_TRUE(waitEvent2.wait(TIMEOUT));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->shutdown();
}

/**
 * Test error path of StartLiveView directive.
 */
TEST_F(AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest, test_startLiveViewDirective_errorCase) {
    avsCommon::utils::WaitEvent waitEvent;
    ON_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, registerAppClientListener(_, _))
        .WillByDefault(Return(rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode::SUCCESS));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult, setCompleted()).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, registerAppClientListener(_, _)).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, setCameraStateMock(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response(
            LiveViewControllerInterface::Response::Type::FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR, "InternalError");
    }));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, startMock(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response(
            LiveViewControllerInterface::Response::Type::FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR, "InternalError");
    }));
    auto verifyEvent = [&waitEvent](std::shared_ptr<avsCommon::avs::MessageRequest> request) {
        verifySendMessage(request, LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_EVENT, EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_PAYLOAD, NAMESPACE);
        waitEvent.wakeUp();
    };
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockMessageSender, sendMessage(_)).Times(Exactly(1)).WillOnce(Invoke(verifyEvent));
    EXPECT_CALL(
        *m_mockResponseSender,
        sendErrorResponseEvent(_, _, _, AlexaInterfaceMessageSenderInterface::ErrorResponseType::INTERNAL_ERROR, _))
        .Times(Exactly(1));

    ASSERT_THAT(m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent, NotNull());

    // Simulate directive
    std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> directive = buildAVSDirective(NAME_STARTLIVEVIEW);
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::preHandleDirective(
        directive, std::move(m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::handleDirective(MESSAGE_ID_TEST);

    EXPECT_TRUE(waitEvent.wait(TIMEOUT));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->shutdown();
}

/**
 * Test error path of StopLiveView directive.
 */
TEST_F(AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest, test_stopLiveViewDirective_errorCase) {
    avsCommon::utils::WaitEvent waitEvent, waitEvent2;
    ON_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, registerAppClientListener(_, _))
        .WillByDefault(Return(rtc::native::RtcscErrorCode::SUCCESS));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult, setCompleted()).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, registerAppClientListener(_, _)).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, setCameraStateMock(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response();
    }));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, startMock(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response();
    }));
    auto liveViewStartedVerifyEvent = [&waitEvent](std::shared_ptr<avsCommon::avs::MessageRequest> request) {
        verifySendMessage(request, LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_EVENT, EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STARTED_PAYLOAD, NAMESPACE);
        waitEvent.wakeUp();
    };
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockMessageSender, sendMessage(_)).WillOnce(Invoke(liveViewStartedVerifyEvent));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockResponseSender, sendResponseEvent(_, _, _, _)).Times(Exactly(1));

    ASSERT_THAT(m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent, NotNull());

    // Simulate StartLiveView directive
    std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> startLiveViewdirective = buildAVSDirective(NAME_STARTLIVEVIEW);
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::preHandleDirective(
        startLiveViewdirective, std::move(m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::handleDirective(MESSAGE_ID_TEST);

    EXPECT_TRUE(waitEvent.wait(TIMEOUT));

    // Re-initializing the unique pointer after the move above.
    m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult =
        make_unique<StrictMock<avsCommon::sdkInterfaces::test::MockDirectiveHandlerResult>>();
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult, setCompleted()).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockRtcscAppClient, disconnectSession(_, _)).Times(Exactly(1));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockLiveViewController, stopMock()).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([] {
        return LiveViewControllerInterface::Response(
            LiveViewControllerInterface::Response::Type::FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR, "InternalError");
    }));

    auto liveViewStoppedVerifyEvent = [&waitEvent2](std::shared_ptr<avsCommon::avs::MessageRequest> request) {
        verifySendMessage(request, LIVE_VIEW_STOPPED_EVENT, EXPECTED_LIVE_VIEW_STOPPED_PAYLOAD, NAMESPACE);
        waitEvent2.wakeUp();
    };
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockMessageSender, sendMessage(_)).WillOnce(Invoke(liveViewStoppedVerifyEvent));
    EXPECT_CALL(
        *m_mockResponseSender,
        sendErrorResponseEvent(_, _, _, AlexaInterfaceMessageSenderInterface::ErrorResponseType::INTERNAL_ERROR, _))
        .Times(Exactly(1));

    // Simulate StopLiveView directive
    std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> stopLiveViewdirective = buildAVSDirective(NAME_STOPLIVEVIEW);
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::preHandleDirective(
        stopLiveViewdirective, std::move(m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::handleDirective(MESSAGE_ID_TEST);

    EXPECT_TRUE(waitEvent2.wait(TIMEOUT));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->shutdown();
}

/**
 * Tests unknown Directive.
 * Expect that the sendExceptionEncountered and setFailed will be called.
 */
TEST_F(AlexaLiveViewControllerCapabilityAgentTest, test_unknownDirective) {
    avsCommon::utils::WaitEvent waitEvent;

    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockExceptionSender, sendExceptionEncountered(_, _, _));
    EXPECT_CALL(*m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult, setFailed(_)).WillOnce(InvokeWithoutArgs([&waitEvent]() {
        waitEvent.wakeUp();
    }));

    ASSERT_THAT(m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent, NotNull());

    std::shared_ptr<AVSDirective> directive = buildAVSDirective(UNKNOWN_DIRECTIVE);
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::preHandleDirective(
        directive, std::move(m_mockDirectiveHandlerResult));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->CapabilityAgent::handleDirective(MESSAGE_ID_TEST);

    EXPECT_TRUE(waitEvent.wait(TIMEOUT));
    m_liveViewControllerCapabilityAgent->shutdown();
}

}  // namespace test
}  // namespace alexaLiveViewController
}  // namespace alexaClientSDK

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


High demand relative to supply of feed grain in northern NSW, has again lead to wheat and barley basis levels at Port Kembla (PKE) being $30 – $40/tonne above that at Melbourne/Geelong Ports. For canola, the basis premium at Port Kembla is $20-$25/tonne above that at Melbourne/Geelong Ports.
Therefore growers who are delivering grain into the central receival system, should consider delivery into depots in the Port Kembla zone, rather than into those in Melbourne and Geelong Port zones. The extra freight cost into a depot located in the PKE zone, especially for grower owned trucks (variable costs only), is likely to be much lower than the grain price differential.
Given the high local demand for feed grains, the opportunity should arise this harvest to market grain direct to end-users, thus bypassing the supply chain costs in the central receival system. This in theory should result in a win-win situation for both growers and end-users, with the supply chain cost savings being shared by both parties. Some clients have been more successful than others in negotiating these deals, while at the same time managing their counterparty risk satisfactorily.
Large, efficient loading and unloading on-farm storage systems, centrally located, can assist with both harvest logistics and obtaining a better price for grain stored by selling direct to an end-user.
A number of clients have used RAA Farm Innovation Fund loans, to finance new grain storage, machinery and shearing sheds over 20 years at an interest rate of 2.5% pa. This has been a great opportunity to erect new or replace existing infrastructure, which may occur only once every generation on the farm.
The building of on-farm fodder storage assets such as silos and hay sheds to store animal fodder, is now even more attractive, as the cost can immediately be deducted against taxable income, rather than being depreciated over three years. However as RSM Australia points out, the devil is in the detail, with this concession being available only to primary producers who have their own livestock.
Clients with bank borrowings should investigate the relative interest rates of alternative payment frequencies for their market linked facilities. It has been observed that the nominal interest rate charged for quarterly or semi-annual interest payments, can be up to 0.25% pa or 25 basis points less than for monthly interest payments. The difference between the effective interest rate paid is obviously greater than the difference between the nominal rate charged, especially where interest paid is being debited to an overdraft account, where the interest rate is greater than that applicable to a market rate facility.


Exercise is a very essential component of a healthy life. Working out can make a person lose weight, and is great for the bones and muscles in the body. Getting the blood pumping through the body can make a person happier, increase energy levels, make the skin look more radiant, and reduces the risk of many diseases.
While exercise is a great thing, too much exercise can become a huge danger that many are not aware of. In this article, we will discuss why too much exercise can make you ill, as well as ways that you can tell if you are working out too much.
A short fuse could be a sign that you are working out too much. If you are typically pretty laid back, but find yourself losing your cool over the smallest things, you may need to take another look at your exercising habits. Take a look at how long you are at your fitness club each time you are there, as well as how many times per week you are going to the gym. Then look at your other activities. If you find that you are exercising a substantial portion of your free time, it may be time to cut back.
To go along with a short fuse, you may find yourself more anxious, or see depression setting in. If either of these is not normal for you, it could be due to the stress that working out is putting on your body.
Many of us exercise to have stronger bones and muscles. However, hitting the fitness club too many times could actually cause the opposite to happen. Cortisol can enter the bloodstream when too much is in the body, which in turn breaks down bone tissue. This can make the bones weaker, which could potentially mean more breaks or fractures.
If you have noticed that you really have to push yourself harder than you used to when working out, it may be because you are working out too much. Perhaps you have trouble completing that spinning class or get out of breath on your last tenth of a mile. If your performance is slipping, it may be time to re-evaluate your exercising plan.
Exercise is supposed to give a person energy. But when too much exercising takes place, fatigue can set in. This includes both mental and physical fatigue. The natural reaction is to hit your fitness club up to get in another workout with the expectations that energy will be produced. While this could be true for a few workouts, eventually the body or mind will become overtired, allowing the fatigue to set in.
If you are fatigued but are having trouble sleeping, you may be working out too much. Tossing and turning night after night is often a side effect of individuals that are exercising too much.
If your body has an increase in accumulating body fat, but you are still losing weight, it could be a sign of too much exercise. Your body will be much less efficient at fat burning due to an increase in the storage of adipose tissue. There will also be a decrease in steroid-like hormones that help the body increase muscle mass.
In conclusion, if you are exercising too much, it can become dangerous to you by making you ill. If you are uncertain about how much you should be exercising, consider talking to Fitness 360. They will be able to help you set up an exercising plan to fit your lifestyle and your goals, helping you turn your life around!


text:
HITD 039
< Back to releases
▲ SAÅAD – Présence Absente
01. Libations (08:24)
02. 22:22 (esveil) (09:08)
03. Ire (an Euphonic Discord) (08:46)
04. Offline Migrations (07:29)
05. Temps Étranger (03:40)
Cat #: HITD 039
LP – 300 copies
All tracks composed, performed & recorded by Romain Barbot & Gregory Buffier
Mixing by Aurélien Prévost
Mastering by James Plotkin
Mastercut by Mike Grinser @ Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin
Collages by Morgan Cuinet
Layout & graphic design by Romain Barbot
Présence Absente is Saåad's third release with Hands in the Dark, after Orbs & Channels back in 2013 and Deep/Float the following year.
Based on the French duo's 2017 live setup and improvised sets, this new album is the quintessence of their music: raw, deep, murky, fascinating. The band's sound and experimental songwriting have matured over the course of their albums, and with this new offering we feel that they have truly blossomed both in form and in content.
Their brand of experimental drone takes on a new, distinct shape and, in the space of 38 musical minutes, sends out a message in a bottle to our western world, a foreboding message of the communication breakdown and the effacement of our personal identities that we find ourselves living through as a generation.
But it is also an ode to nature with tones of hope, a desire to share and to return to basics, before it's too late. It all makes for an arresting listening experience.
Présence Absente is a delicate, personal album which marks a major turning point in the pair's substantial discography.
BRECHT AMEEL
INSIGHT creative studio
© Hands in the dark


Belgian Beer Specialist » Breweries » Archive by category "Brussels and Wallonia"
By Chuck Cook on April 24, 2019. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on April 10, 2019. Posted in Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on February 5, 2019. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on October 25, 2018. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on June 15, 2018. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on May 28, 2018. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on April 24, 2018. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on January 24, 2018. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia.
By Chuck Cook on July 21, 2015. Posted in Breweries, Brussels and Wallonia, Flanders.


The great thing about games is that they're almost always better with more people. In fact, many popular card and board games require three or more players. That is why we set aside Thursdays as Game Night. Come on in and sit around a table with family and friends playing games you love. Want to play that board game that everyone's raving about, or that beloved game that's been collecting dust on a shelf, then Excelsior Games and Comics is the place to do it. Board games, card games, dice games, or anything else you love to play, there will be someone here to join you for a great time!
Check out the Facebook page to see what games are going on.


Should the U.K. pay reperations to the Irish?
How could you not celebrate Christmas?
So am I the only dork that put up a personal picture in his profile?
how would you defend against this type of attack?
Finally, a good paintball game.
Dragonball live action movie! Explosive dierreah galore!


text:
Wingsch Real Estate Investments
Your real estate and investment partner for sustainable concepts, developments and buildings since 1991 – commercial and residential
The Artania
1 January 2020 | Author/Destination: Yachting and Spa | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month
in Bremerhaven © Tvabutzku1234
🔊 Listen to this Post
MV Artania (previously Royal Princess and Artemis) is a cruise ship chartered since 2011 by Phoenix Reisen, a German-based travel agency and cruise ship operator. She was built for Princess Cruises by Wärtsilä at the Helsinki Shipyard, Finland, and was launched on 18 February 1984. At a ceremony in Southampton, England, on 15 November 1984, the ship was named Royal Princess by Diana, Princess of Wales. After entering service on 19 November 1984, she cruised as Royal Princess until April 2005, when she was transferred to the control of P&O Cruises, and was renamed Artemis. In 2011, she moved to Phoenix Reisen's fleet and was renamed Artania. read more…
Tags: Artania, Artemis, Bahamas, Bonn, cruise ship, Deutschland, Finland, Finnland, Germany, Helsinki, Kreuzfahrtschiff, Monaco, MS Artania, Nassau, Phoenix Reisen, Princess Cruises, Royal Princess, V.Ships Leisure, Wärtsilä
The Seabourn Quest
1 December 2019 | Author/Destination: Yachting and Spa | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month
© José Valenzuela Arce/cc-by-sa-4.0
MV Seabourn Quest is a luxury cruise ship in Seabourn Cruise Line. It was constructed by Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti. The vessel entered service in June 2011. read more…
Tags: Bahamas, cruise ship, Genoa, Genua, Italien, Italy, Kreuzfahrtschiff, Nassau, Odyssey-class, Odyssey-Klasse, Seabourn Cruise Line, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Sojourn, T. Mariotti
Paradise Island in the Bahamas
29 November 2019 | Author/Destination: Caribbean / Karibik | Rubric: General, Hotels
© flickr.com – Derek Key/cc-by-2.0
Paradise Island is an island in the Bahamas formerly known as Hog Island. The island is located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, which is itself located on the northern edge of the island of New Providence. It is best known for the sprawling resort Atlantis with its extensive water park rides, pools, beach, restaurants, walk-in aquarium and casinos. Paradise Island is connected to the island of New Providence by two bridges that cross Nassau Harbour. The first was built in 1966 by Resorts International, and the second in the late 1990s. read more…
Tags: Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas, Caribbean Sea, Hog Island, Karibik, Nassau, New Providence, Paradise Island, West Indies, Westindische Inseln
Bimini in the Bahamas
16 August 2019 | Author/Destination: Caribbean / Karibik | Rubric: General
Alice Town – Bimini Craft Centre © flickr.com – Pietro/cc-by-sa-4.0
Bimini is the westernmost district of the Bahamas and comprises a chain of islands located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) due east of Miami. Bimini is the closest point in the Bahamas to the mainland United States and approximately 210 km (130 mi) west-northwest of Nassau. The population is 1,988 as of the 2010 census. read more…
Tags: Alice Town, Bahamas, Bimini, Caribbean Sea, Cay Sal Bank, Florida-Straße, Karibik, Nord Bimini, North Bimini, South Bimini, Straits of Florida, Süd Bimini, West Indies, Westindische Inseln
The Liberty of the Seas
1 May 2019 | Author/Destination: Yachting and Spa | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month
© flickr.com – Andreas Hobi/cc-by-sa-2.0
Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International Freedom-class cruise ship which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later changed. The 15-deck ship accommodates 3,634 passengers served by 1,360 crew. read more…
Tags: Aker Yards Turku, Bahamas, cruise ship, Kreuzfahrtschiff, Liberty of the Seas, Nassau, Royal Caribbean International
The Seabourn Odyssey
in Split © Ivan T./cc-by-sa-3.0
The Seabourn Odyssey is a cruise ship for Seabourn Cruise Line. The ship's keel was laid in early July 2007, and when it was commissioned in 2009, it was the first new ship for Seabourn in over a decade. The ship includes 11 decks with two swimming pools, six outdoor whirlpools, water sports from the marina and a private diamond showroom. About 90% of the ship's suites have private verandas. read more…
Tags: Bahamas, Cimolai-Werft, Nassau, San Giorgio di Nogaro, Seabourn Cruise Line, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Sojourn
The Marco Polo
1 October 2018 | Author/Destination: Yachting and Spa | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month
Sailing yacht and Marco Polo in Tallinn Bay © Pjotr Mahhonin/cc-by-sa-4.0
MS Marco Polo is a cruise ship owned by the Global Maritime Group under charter to UK-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages, having been previously operated by Transocean Tours. She was built as an ocean liner in 1965 by Mathias-Thesen Werft as Aleksandr Pushkin for the Soviet Union's Baltic Shipping Company. After major alterations and additions, the ship sailed as Marco Polo for Orient Lines from 1993 to 2008. read more…
Tags: Aleksandr Pushkin, Bahamas, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, cruise ship, East Germany, Global Cruise Lines, Ivan-Franko-Klasse, Kreuzfahrtschiff, Marco Polo, Mathias-Thesen-Werft, Nassau, Ostdeutschland, Transocean Tours, Wismar
San Salvador Island in the Bahamas
9 March 2018 | Author/Destination: Caribbean / Karibik | Rubric: General
© bahamas.com
San Salvador Island (namend after John Watling as Watlings Island from the 1680s until 1925) is an island and district of the Bahamas. It is widely believed that during Christopher Columbus' first expedition to the New World, San Salvador Island was the first land he sighted and visited on 12 October 1492; he named it San Salvador after Christ the Saviour. Columbus' records indicate that the native Lucayan inhabitants of the territory, who called their island Guanahani, were "sweet and gentle". read more…
Tags: Bahamas, Caribbean, Cockburn Town, Cockburn Town Fossil Reef, Cockburn Town Korallenriff, Karibik, San Salvador, San Salvador International Airport, San Salvador Island, West Indies, Westindische Inseln
The Norwegian Sky
1 September 2017 | Author/Destination: Yachting and Spa | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month
Norwegian Sky in Freeport, Bahamas © Blackfist/cc-by-sa-4.0
Norwegian Sky is a Sun-class cruise ship owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She was originally ordered by Costa Cruises as Costa Olympia from the Bremer Vulkan shipyard in Germany, but she was completed in 1999 by the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany for the Norwegian Cruise Line under the name Norwegian Sky. Between 2004 and 2008 she sailed as Pride of Aloha for NCL America. The ship that eventually became known as Norwegian Sky was originally ordered in December 1993 by Costa Cruises from the Bremer Vulkan shipyard in Bremen, Germany as the second in a pair of sister ships. The first sister, Costa Victoria, was delivered on July 10, 1996. Construction of the second sister, Costa Olympia, had started several months before, but by July 1996 Bremer Vulkan was experiencing severe financial difficulties, and work on Costa Olympia was suspended when only 35% of the ship was completed. On October 6, 1996, the incomplete hull was launched, floated out of drydock and subsequently laid up. Costa Cruises decided not to purchase the unfinished ship, and Costa Olympia remained laid up at Bremer Vulkan until December 1997, when Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) purchased her. Costa Olympia was redesigned as Norwegian Sky by Tillberg Design (who had also been responsible for her original planned design as Costa Olympia). On March 8, 1998, the ship was towed to Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany where her construction was completed. In 1998 NCL ordered two additional ships of Norwegian Sky design. The first of these was delivered in 2001 as Norwegian Sun while the order for the second one was cancelled. Norwegian Sky was launched in early June 1999, underwent her sea trials on June 17, 1999, and was delivered to NCL on June 28, 1999. read more…
Tags: Bahamas, Bremer Vulkan, cruise ship, Kreuzfahrtschiff, Lloyd Werft, Nassau, NCL, Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Sky, Pride of Aloha
Specialize in: Hotel, Leisure, Mixed Use, Office, Residential and Retail
Wingsch Real Estate Investments Uhlandstraße 33
Phone: +49-531-70 21 03 85
Email: info@wingsch.net
Subscribe to our free newsletter and you will receive the monthly summary of the highlights of the previous month (Data Protection Regulation).
Theme Week Philippines – Davao City
Portrait: Friedrich Nietzsche, a philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, philologist, and Latin and Greek scholar
Theme Week Philippines – Puerto Princesa
Theme Week Philippines
Upper New York Bay
Goa in India
Hotel President Wilson in Geneva
Beisheim Center at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin
Bridge of Sighs in Venice
InterContinental The Barcley New York
© Onyo at wts wikivoyage/cc-by-sa-4.0
Around the World / Rund um die Welt
Asia / Asien
Australia / Australien
Caribbean / Karibik
Editorial / Redaktion
European Union / Europäische Union
Gulf States / Golfstaaten
Levant / Levante
North Africa / Nordafrika
North America / Nordamerika
Russia / Russland
South America / Südamerika
Yacht of the Month
The Artania in Bremerhaven
© Tvabutzku1234
Design & Products
European Capital of Culture
Living, Working, Building
Miami / South Florida
Museums, Exhibitions
Opera Houses, Theaters, Libraries
Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks
Union for the Mediterranean
Universities, Colleges, Academies
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
European Free Trade Association: Bon appétit!
European Free Trade Association: Bon voyage!
European Union: Bon appétit!
European Union: Bon voyage!
EU blog post series
Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting
Gulf States: Bon appétit!
Gulf States: Bon voyage!
Union for the Mediterranean: Bon appétit!
Union for the Mediterranean: Bon voyage!
Arab–Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflict
American Chamber of Commerce Directory
German American Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Canada: Bon appétit!
Canada: Bon voyage!
United States: Bon appétit!
United States: Bon voyage!
© Wingsch Real Estate Investments | powered by WordPress


We appreciated having Ciara Myton join our team for five Tuesdays as a volunteer. Ciara has finished her second year of a publishing degree at Oxford Brookes University, and leant her friendliness and skills to our office.
Her work towards updating prices and 'See Inside' book excerpts on our website was a helpful contribution. She also helped start the mountainous task of cataloguing foreign-language editions of Windhorse Pubs titles. Finally, she researched target audiences for our upcoming new book I'll Meet You There. We appreciated her hard work.
"I completed a work experience placement at Windhorse Publications in Cambridge from 15th May to 5th June, and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a volunteer within a publishing house. I learned a lot of new skills and also a greater understanding about the number of different tasks that go into the publication of books.
The skills I have gained from these tasks are that I have, in my opinion, greatly improved my abilities with Microsoft Excel, which is an essential aspect of working in publishing. I also learned an entirely new skill, working with WordPress (website). I learned how to edit and update the content on these pages and also the different functions it has for the publishing house. This knowledge and skill will come in very handy when applying for publishing jobs in the future.
Thank you, Ciara, and we wish you well!


Update 5 September 2018 – sorry, virtually everything has been sold.
Due to business growth our client is now seeking to dispose of a quantity of pharmaceutical tablet handling, packaging, labelling & support equipment.
Our client is a leading pharmaceutical vitamin supplement producer, who manufacture, bottle/cap, label & distribute their own products to an international customer base.
The vitamin tablets they produce continue to provide them business growth. As such they have now decided to seek a sale of a number of pharmaceutical related assets and support equipment that were intended for use, but have not been put to work as they have improved the output of their current equipment and their business model/needs have changed since their purchase.
Our client is therefore seeking best bids for all the surplus assets, or may even be interested in receiving a job lot offer to clear the area the assets currently occupy.
The equipment is being sold by online timed auction. The auction closes on 23 August. Viewing day 22 August – the items are located in Walsall.
To go straight to the auction, Click Here.
Please note that the individual machines that make up this line are also being offered separately.
DPN 760, complete with Laetus TLU LED MS-110.
Breitner VS 511 Capping Machine. YOM – 1992.
Several other items of equipment for use in a pharmaceutical environment including in the handling and filtration of air, the movement and weighing of product and printing on bottles.


Prilla, the newest fairy to arrive in Never Land, is so odd that Never Land itself isn't certain whether to let her into Fairy Haven. Prilla shakes hands when she meets other fairies, and says "Pleased to meet you," instead of "Fly with you." What's more, she calls Tinker Bell Miss Tinker Bell. Altogether, she acts more like a Clumsy than a self-respecting Never fairy should. To make matters worse, Prilla doesn't know what her talent is—or if she has a talent at all. Mother Dove, the wisest creature in Never Land, thinks Prilla has a talent, but even she isn't certain.
A diabolical hurricane, a selfish fairy, Captain Hook, snobby mermaids, a fierce golden hawk, and the evil dragon Kyto combine in a tantalizing elixir that tests Mother Dove's wisdom, Tink's courage, and Prilla's mettle. Even Clumsy children on the mainland—even readers, wherever they may be—play a crucial role in deciding Never Land's fate.
Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg is written by Newbery Honor-winning author Gail Carson Levine, master of the modern fairy tale. It is illustrated in stunning detail by David Christiana.


Total returns from Growthpoint Properties Australian investment, Growthpoint Properties Australia (GOZ), have significantly outpaced the major Australian REIT and share market indexes.
Recent total return data to 30 June 2018 published by UBS shows that GOZ's total return to its investors has significantly outstripped major performance benchmarks over six months as well as over one, three and five years.
Over six months, GOZ achieved a total return of 9.2%, more than double the achievement of the S&P/ASX A-REIT 300 Index at 3.0% and the S&P/ASX 300 at 4.3%.
For total return over one year, GOZ delivered 22.3% in contrast to the A-REIT 300 and the ASX 300, which both showed total return of 13.2%.
When it comes to performance over three years, GOZ notched up a total return of 11.8% per annum compared to the A-REIT 300 at 10.0% per annum and the ASX 300 at 9.1% per annum.
And for five-year performance, GOZ's total return achieved a leading 16.2% per annum against the A-REIT 300 at 12.2% per annum and the ASX 300 at 10.0% per annum.
Part of GOZ's positive performance is driven by the Australian domestic economy, which remains favourable for commercial property. Unemployment is low and expected to decrease further, while population growth has been strong, particularly along the Eastern Seaboard of the country where GOZ's portfolio is concentrated.
GOZ's outperformance, however, comes down to its management and strategy. The A-REIT continues its accretive recycling of capital. A number of opportunities remain for GOZ to continue to grow earnings and distributions to its securityholders, including direct property transactions, internal development projects and expansion opportunities. The listed sector also continues to present merger and acquisition opportunities for GOZ to grow. GOZ holds an 18.2% stake in the ASX-listed Industria REIT, acquired for AUD68.0 million in July 2017.
With its gearing now below 36%, GOZ is also well positioned with good balance sheet flexibility to take advantage of future opportunities that present themselves.
Growthpoint led the SA REIT sector's internationalisation by investing in GOZ in 2009 and currently hold 65.5%. At 31 December 2017, Growthpoint owned 57 properties in Australia valued at R31.2bn through its investment in GOZ.
Growthpoint provides space to thrive with innovative and sustainable property solutions. It is an international property company with assets on three continents and the largest South African primary REIT listed on the JSE. It owns and manages a diversified portfolio of 559 property assets, locally and internationally, with a value of R128 billion at 31 December 2017. Growthpoint is a Top 10 constituent of the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Emerging Index, a constituent of the FTSE/JSE Top 40 Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. It has been included in the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index for eight years running.