text: "I'd rather be a first-rate version of myself than a second-rate version of somebody else." Okay, where to start? I'm twenty-five, from the UK. My genres are horror and thrillers, all though I'm open to experiment :-) I live in the suburbs in a red-bricked semi, of which I spend a great-deal-of-time-in, parked in my swivel chair writing. Writing is my passion, the one thing I've stuck at over the years which I can actually call a hobby. I haven't graduated in English Literature or Language, as so many aspiring authors have. Neither do I have a degree in teaching nor am I a regular at weekly book-worming sessions. I'm currently working on my first manuscript. The plan, to get it written and then edit it. As I've not graduated in Lit or Lang, nor have had any private tuition, the editing will be my biggest challenge. Therefore if you spot any fopars or grammatical slip-ups in any of my stories or branches, don't hesitate to pull me up on them! I can take-criticism-on-the-chin. I hope though you won't mark me down on the account of the odd typo. I try to keep them a minimum! The profile pic? My writing desk! I thought it as apt as any. You know I live in a red-brick semi in the suburbs, I have to leave something to the imagination ;) My biggest set back? Writer's-block! My definition of writer's-block: lack of motivation and bouts of depression. What do I think of Protagonize? Intriguing, encouraging, fulfilling, educational. Lots of pies to dip my fingers into! Hope you enjoy my branches, and should you want me just holler! It's always great to talk to other writers regardless of experience, progress and age. What's age anyway? It's just a tag - a group we were assigned to long ago! I look forward to reading through everyone's stories :)


text:
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16:52 21st June 2014
Palace claimed another point as they were held 1-1 by Stoke City, with James McArthur scoring his first goal for the club.
The game's key incidents came in a two minute window where Palace took the lead thanks to McArthur's header, but Stoke went straight up the other end and Peter Crouch found the net from close range.
Despite the early goals there were few chances for either side to grab a winner during the remainder of the game, although Neil Warnock's men enjoyed the better of the opportunities and may be disappointed with just a single point from a game that won't live long in the memory.
A very quiet opening 10 minutes suddenly burst into life when the Eagles pushed down the left with Yannick Bolasie who tormented Phil Bardsley and whipped a cross into the box, and McArthur managed to get his head onto the ball and looped it over Asmir Begovic and into the net to register his first Palace goal.
But the home fans' joy was short-lived when 90 seconds later the Potters grabbed an equaliser. This time it was Bojan who attacked down the flank and cut the ball back for Jonathan Walters, but after the Republic of Ireland international saw his shot blocked the ball spun into the path of Crouch who tucked home the loose ball.
Bolasie was enjoying himself against Bardsley and some more fine wing play allowed McArthur another sight of goal and he forced Begovic to push away his stinging drive from a tight angle, and after probing down that side Wilfried Zaha got into the box after a couple of step overs but Begovic managed to push his attempt away.
Despite a lack of chances for both sides, Palace looked the most threatening and enjoyed the majority of the possession and territory during the opening half, and they continued to pressure their opponents after the restart.
Begovic was forced to produce a brilliant save when McArthur attempted to bend the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, but despite being unsighted with a crowd of defenders in front of him the Bosnian stopper got down quickly to get a hand to the ball.
They suffered a blow with 15 minutes remaining when Marouane Chamkah limped off with what looked to be a hamstring injury, and Julian Speroni had to be alert late on to save a snap shot from Crouch after the ball was knocked down into his path by Mame Biram Diouf, however it was to be only save he made all afternoon as a damp squib of a game came to a close.
Palace: Speroni, Kelly, Hangeland, Dann, Ward, Jedinak, McArthur (Bannan 85), Ledley, Bolasie, Zaha (Puncheon 60), Chamakh (Gayle 77). Subs not used: Hennessey, Delaney, Thomas, Campbell.
Stoke: Begovic, Bardsley, Shawcross, Cameron, Pieters, N'Zonzi, Wilson, Diouf, Bojan (Arnautovic 54), Walters, Crouch. Subs not used: Butland, Huth, Whelan, Adam, Assaidi, Ireland.
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text:
Geography Data
2000 Race: California District 50
|In State
|Out of State
|No State
|Bob Filner (D)
|$212,423 (82%)
|$48,325 (19%)
|Robert B Divine (R)
|$0 (0%)
|$0 (0%)
|Leeann S Kendall (3)
|$0 (0%)
|$0 (0%)
|David A Willoughby (L)
|$0 (0%)
|$0 (0%)
HOW TO READ THIS TABLE: Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives typically get the majority of their campaign dollars from donors within their home state. Read more...
Senate candidates show a variety of patterns, depending on the size of the state and the wealth of its economic base. Candidates in states like New York, California and Texas may get most of their money from their constituents, while those in the most sparsely populated states may get nearly all their money from out of state.
As a general rule, incumbents get more out-of-state money than challengers, a reflection of their status as members of Congress and the wider circles in which they travel. Challengers and newcomers are rarely well known outside their state, so their ability to raise funds beyond their district is more limited.
"No State" means that there was no state listed on contribution report.
METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are calculated from contributions of more than $200 from individuals, as reported to the Federal Election Commission. PAC dollars are not included.
Bob Filner (D)
|Metro Area
|San Diego
|Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV
|Orange County
|Los Angeles-Long Beach
Robert B Divine (R)
No metro data found.
Leeann S Kendall (3)
No metro data found.
David A Willoughby (L)
No metro data found.
HOW TO READ THESE TABLES: The search for campaign cash makes "dialing for dollars" one of the most time-intensive parts of any political campaign. Where do all those well-heeled donors live? For most candidates, the richest source of large individual contributions will be the most populous metro areas within their state or district. Many incumbents also draw significant sums from the nation's capital. Senators and other high-profile incumbents may draw from the Big Three sources of campaign cash nationally: New York City, Washington, DC and Los Angeles.
METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are calculated from contributions of more than $200 from individuals, as reported to the Federal Election Commission. PAC dollars are not included.
Bob Filner (D)
|Zip Code
|92037 (La Jolla, CA)
|91910 (Chula Vista, CA)
|92101 (San Diego, CA)
|92103 (San Diego, CA)
|92067 (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)
|92064 (Poway, CA)
|91902 (Bonita, CA)
|91941 (La Mesa, CA)
|92104 (San Diego, CA)
|92106 (San Diego, CA)
Robert B Divine (R)
No zip code data found.
Leeann S Kendall (3)
No zip code data found.
David A Willoughby (L)
No zip code data found.
HOW TO READ THESE TABLES: Nearly every candidate running for Congress or other high political office has a "golden Rolodex" with the names of potential high-dollar donors. Those donors tend to live in high-income areas, or to work in downtown business centers. These charts show where each candidate's top donors came from. In most cases, candidates' richest zip codes will come from within their own states or congressional district. Some of the nation's most generous zip codes may also show up - these are chiefly in Washington, D.C. and New York.
One thing to keep in mind is that while most donors list their home address when making contributions, others list their business address - so the top zip codes will reflect both wealthy suburbs and central business districts.
METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are calculated from contributions of more than $200 from individuals, as reported to the Federal Election Commission. PAC dollars are not included.
NOTE: All the numbers on this page are for the 1999-2000 House election cycle and based on Federal Election Commission data available electronically on Friday, February 01, 2002.("Help! The numbers don't add up...")
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center.


text:
Early martinis generally included Old Tom Gin and sweet vermouth, and then a few dashes of bitters, a simple sugar syrup and usually a smidge of sweet liqueur such as curacao, maraschino or even absinthe.
For instance, in the 1882 classic "Harry Johnson's New and Improved Bartender's Manual," the Martini Cocktail recipe called for "a dash of curacao or absinthe, if required."
This is one variation that evolved using absinthe; it calls for Plymouth gin, which is more widely available than Old Tom. Some recipes call for a mix of sweet and dry vermouth, but Spirits columnist Jason Wilson suggests sticking with a basic sweet vermouth such as Martini & Rossi. He says Angostura bitters are acceptable, but Fee Brothers Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters work even better.
Servings: 1
- Ice
- 2 ounces Plymouth gin
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1/2 teaspoon absinthe
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- 1 twist of lemon peel, for garnish
Fill a mixing glass halfway full with ice. Add the gin, vermouth, absinthe and bitters. Stir vigorously for at least 30 seconds, then strain into a cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with the twist of lemon peel.
Recipe Source
Adapted from Albert Stevens Crockett's "Old Waldorf Bar Days" (Aventine, 1931).
Tested by Michael Taylor.
Email questions to the Food Section at email@example.com.


text:
Maire provided capital through his investment company, Tahia Investments.
"Fusion Electronics manufacturers the most innovative car and marine audio products on the market," Maire said in a statement. "In today's economic climate where retailers are not willing to invest in new 'me, too' products, Fusion has been able to make incredible inroads and garner premier showroom shelf space. Our channel partners see the incredible value Fusion products offer their customers."
"We are thrilled by Mr. Maire's increased commitment in Fusion," said Todd Crocker, head of region for Fusion Electronics U.S.A. "He brings a great breathe of experience in the electronics market to Fusion, and his leadership and ideas for the future direction of company will be invaluable."


text:
Popular Windows platform developer Liquid Daffodil is giving away a Microsoft Band 2 to lucky user of Bandsider. While you pretty much require a Microsoft Band to use Bandsider, the developer notes that this is the perfect time to share the wearable with someone you know who wants one.
Pre-order: Surface Laptop | NEW Surface Pro


text:
2016 Rain Day Results
Rain Day Window Decorating Contest Winners:
First Prize is $100.00 plus ownership for one year of the coveted Golden Watering Can. Second Prize is $50.00 and the 3rd prize is $25.00. Honorable mention receives a certificate and an official Rain Day Hat.
1st Place: Ruff Creek Crafts & Antiques
2nd Place: 5 Kidz Kandy
3rd Place:Artbeat
Honorable Mention: McMillen Photography
Jack McCracken Award:
Sister Audrey Quinn & Sister Sue Fazzini
Best Decorated Baby Rain Day Can
Winner receives A $25.00 CASH PRIZE
Aaron Renner
2016 Baby Rain Day Contestants Winners
Winners will receive a $100.00 CASH PRIZE, crown or tiara, title banner, and special gifts and the honor of representing Rain Day through out the coming year.
Prince: Cale John-Vester Hugo
Parents are Shayna Hugo and John Seamon of Waynesburg
Princess: Kaylee Rose Scott
Parents are Brittany & Zachary Scott of Graysville, PA
King: Aaron Renner
Parents are Meghan & Jason Renner of Crucible, PA
Queen: Bexley Humble
Parents are Jess & John Humble of Waynesburg
Rain Day Umbrella Contest Winners
Participants are asked to bring a decorated umbrella in a Rain Day theme at the event to be judged.
1st Place winner receives $100.00 prize, 2nd place prize is $50.00 & 3rd Place prize is $25.00.
1st Place: Johni Yeager


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When is the last time you looked in the mirror and felt your amazing beauty and sexuality? Here are three reasons why it may have been awhile. In the US, 80% of women do not have a positive body image, 97% of women do not like something about their bodies, and over 10 million women have eating disorders. At least 60% of women are sexually repressed. The fact that so many women are feeling disconnected to their inner beauty and sexuality has a big impact on our planet. Join Coach Betty and discover how to enjoy the courage, confidence and grace that comes from feeling good about yourself from the inside out. It will transform the choices you make about your relationships, lifestyle habits, and purchases
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Current Version: 1.13
Requires Android: 2.2 and up
Category: Personalization
v1.13 update:
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❤Limited time FREE themes available every week From $1.99 to $0 ! Only at Kitty Play❤
A magazine-like phone artwork recommendation app, to satisfy all your needs for the decoration of your android phones! Here, you may find best FREE themes, wallpapers, live wallpapers, beautiful calendars, icons, widgets, fonts, emoticons, ringtones, notifications, etc. Enjoy it!!
- FREE GO/ Nova/ APEX/ ADW/ Solo/ Google Now launcher themes, SMS themes, Lockscreen themes
- FREE HD homescreen wallpapers & cute live wallpapers
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Eddie Jordan today named the man who will partner Ralf Schumacher at Benson and Hedges Total Jordan Peugeot next season. Jordan has chosen the highly acclaimed Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella, signing the 23 year old on a two year contract to...
Eddie Jordan today named the man who will partner Ralf Schumacher at Benson and Hedges Total Jordan Peugeot next season. Jordan has chosen the highly acclaimed Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella, signing the 23 year old on a two year contract to the team.
"We were all extremely impressed with Giancarlo when he tested for us just before Christmas" said Eddie. "His technical feedback was very good, and he approached the work with professionalism and enthusiasm. Most importantly though he was quick. In very difficult Weather conditions, he proved beyond any doubt that he has the speed necessary for success in Formula One.
"I'm very pleased to welcome Fisichella to the team" Eddie continued, "and thankful to Giancarlo Minardi for his help in facilitating the move. "I believe that Giancarlo Fishichella and Ralf Schumacher will prove to be a formidable pairing. Jordan has traditionally had it best success with young drivers, and I believe these two men can continue that tradition. Winning is an attitude of mind and both Giancarlo and Ralf have already demonstrated that attitude",
Fisichella collected a host of karting titles as a junior before graduating to Formula 3 in 1992. He won a race in his very first season, and just two years later had taken the Italian F3 championship crown. En-route to that title he recorded 10 wins, including the prestigious Monaco F3 Grand Prix. Giancarlo was signed up straight-away by Minardi, making his F1 debut with the team at the 1996 Australian GP. Budgetary restrictions limited him to 8 Formula One outings with Minardi last year, but Giancarlo Minardi loaned his young charge to Alfa Romeo with whom he contested the ITC Championship.
"We are extremely satisfied to have secured a two year contract with Jordan for Fisichella" said Mr Minardi, "and pleased that our efforts to find a suitable team for him have finally been rewarded. It is a particular pleasure for me to have managed to get an Italian driver into such an up-and-coming team.. I am sure that Giancarlo will thrive in the Jordan atmosphere and the team's professionalism wilt enable him to grow and be very successful".
"I am thrilled to be given such a fantastic opportunity" said Fisichella, who has homes in Oxford and in Rome. "To suddenly get a chance in F1 with a competitive and high profile team like for Jordan, is a dream come true. I am very thankful to Giancarlo Minardi and to Flavio Briatore for their support over the past and I am determined to give 100% of my time and energy to do a good job for my new team. I hope this will be a successful year and I am sure that Jordan will not be disappointed in me".
-- Stephen M Baines
"[The Autosport sticker] started to peel off in the middle of Eau Rouge and it distracted me. In fact it was the first thing to hit the barrier" Tiff Needell - Jaguar XJR-15 Challenge - Interview with Autosport
F1/TouringCars http://www.pobox.com/~formula1


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|May 6, 2008
|Filing date
|Nov 17, 2006
|Priority date
|Dec 15, 2003
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Ziyad S. Hakura
|Original Assignee
|Nvidia Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (2), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (16), Classifications (4), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is divisional of application Ser. No. 10/736,953, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ACCELERATE RENDERING OF SHADOW EFFECTS FOR COMPUTER-GENERATED IMAGES," and filed on Dec. 15, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,248,261, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention generally relates to computer-generated imaging. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards accelerating the generation of shadowed objects in graphical images.
The Graphics Processing Unit ("GPU") was developed to offload three-dimensional ("3D") calculations that had traditionally been performed by the central processing unit ("CPU"). A GPU is generally a processor responsible for performing, at relatively high graphics processing speeds, many or all of the functions of generating graphics, such as defining, positioning, texturizing, shading, and rendering primitives (e.g., polygons, such as triangles). The GPU has allowed developers of digital content to increase the detail and complexity of graphical images ("graphics") to provide more realism in computer-generated images by, for example, performing real-time rendering of shadow effects using stencil shadow volumes.
A shadow volume typically is a volumetric region of space that represents the shadow generated by a particular occluder for a particular light source. Any object within that volumetric region is considered "shadowed." Any boundary of a shadow volume defines a point (or plane) in space where an object goes from being unshadowed to shadowed, or vice versa. A stenciled shadow volume is a shadow volume wherein a shadow test uses a stencil buffer to determine if a given point is either inside or outside the shadow volume.
But using stencil shadow volumes have limitations in generating shadow effects. Shadow volume techniques generally require many shadow primitives that collectively consume relatively large amounts of pixel fill rate as well as computational overhead when rendering dynamic scenes. As such, the rendering of shadow effects using shadow volumes consumes more GPU processing capacity, more transmission channel capacity, and more storage than otherwise is desired.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and/or apparatus to accelerate the rendering of shadows for computer-generated scenes. In particular, there is a need to render shadow effects using reduced data to represent stencil shadow volumes to ensure that the resources of a GPU, such as memory (e.g., cache memory), are used in an efficient manner.
The present invention provides for acceleration in generating graphical images that include shadow effects. In one exemplary embodiment, a method provides for compression of information used for rendering shadows. In an illustrative method of the present invention, the method includes determining that each sample of a subset is associated with an equivalent degree of shadowing, and also includes generating an indicator representing the degree of shadowing associated with the subset of samples. In some embodiments, the degree of shadowing corresponds to a number of stencil shadow volumes associated with the subset.
In another exemplary embodiment, a representative apparatus is configured to accelerate the rendering of shadows using stencil shadow volumes. The apparatus includes a memory to store a degree of shadowing for each sample. A co-processor, which is coupled to the memory, is configured to generate an indicator that represents a common degree of shadowing associated with the subset of samples. In some cases, the apparatus includes a graphics processing unit ("GPU") which is coupled to the co-processor, wherein the GPU is configured to render one or more shadows for a computer-generated image based on the indicator.
The invention is more fully appreciated in connection with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The present invention generally provides a method and an apparatus to determine a coarse representation to render shadow effects for a part of a scene, such as shadowed images generated by a GPU. As is typically the case when generating computer-generated images having shadows, a substantial amount of shadow effects remain unchanged over one or more frames. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, samples having similar shadowing characteristics can be identified and represented in a more general ("coarse") fashion rather than in a granular manner (e.g., a sample-by-sample basis). Once a determination is made that a number of samples for a part of the scene possess similar shadowing characteristics, then this number of samples can be identified and described as a group of samples. Therefore, data required to store and to transmit shadow-rendering information can be reduced. This reduction effectively is a form of data compression that reduces the amount of data transmitted and/or stored necessary to render graphics based on stencil shadow volumes. Accordingly, the present invention frees up pipeline fill, memory bandwidth (e.g., in memory, such as a cache memory), etc. such that the GPU and its related elements (e.g., other hardware resources, such as buses and memory) can realize increased processing capacity, which in turn, accelerates the rendering of shadowed, graphical images in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a number of samples for a computer-generated image is tested to determine whether one or more objects associated with each of the number of samples is either fully illuminated or is shadowed, from a specific viewpoint. As described herein, the term "sample" can refer generally to an amount of information describing either a pixel for display on a view plane, such as on a display device, or a subpixel, where a subpixel refers to a subsampled pixel that is used generally for purposes of performing anti-aliasing, for example. In some embodiments, each sample of the number of samples generally has a spatial relationship with each other, as rendered on a view plane. For example, the number of samples can be rendered contiguously as a "tile" or as a quadrant of such a tile ("quad"). In other embodiments, these samples need not be rendered contiguously. A sample of the object is fully illuminated (i.e., unshadowed) if there is no obstruction between the light source and the object. But the sample is considered shadowed if one or more occluders form one or more shadow volumes in which the sample is enveloped. If each of the number of samples is determined to possess a similar shadow-related characteristic, then a reduced set of data describing this fact then can be made available to the GPU.
Referring back to
At 108 of
An example of an exited flow at 112 is the case where "object B" 222 of
Returning to the discussion of flow 100 of
In some cases, the ray can be described as emanating from the point of the visible geometry to the view plane. The process of incrementing (e.g., adding one, or +1) and decrementing (e.g., subtracting one, or −1) can occur when a depth test passes (or in some cases, when the depth test fails). Generally, the results of the depth test depends on the magnitude of the depth of a visible geometry ("DVG") from a view plane in relation to the magnitude of the depth of a shadow volume boundary ("DSVB") from the same view plane. That is, if DVG is less than DSVB, then an increment (or decrement) occurs. But if DVG is more than DSVB, then a decrement (or increment) occurs. The specifics of depth testing by incrementing and decrementing need not be discussed in detail as its use is well known in rendering stencil shadow volumes. In other embodiments, "zpass," "zfail," and other like depth tests are suitable for determining the degree of shadowing in accordance with a least one embodiment of the present invention.
At 116 of
At 122, a decision is made as to whether one or more samples of the subset of samples are associated with a degree of shadowing equal to zero (i.e., where there is no shadowing for all of these samples). In some embodiments, such a determination is made for all samples of the subset. If this is the case, then an indication is generated to classify those samples as being illuminated (i.e., fully illuminated) at 126. But if the one or more samples of the subset of samples are a degree of shadowing other than zero, that at least another indication is generated to classify those samples as being shadowed (i.e., fully shadowed) at 124. In at least one embodiment, the degree of shadowing is also incorporated into the indication (e.g., whether the degree of shadowing is a result of being in two shadow volumes, such as R3). Although the value of "zero" in this example is used as a reference value to indicate that the associated samples have no shadowing (i.e., fully illumination), a person having ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that any reference value can be used to indicate no shadowing. For example, a value of "128" can represent illuminated samples, and values from 0 to 127 and values from 129 to 255 can represent shadowed samples if an 8-bit stencil is used. Other stencil values for representing illumination and shadow, as well as other stencil sizes (e.g., other than 8-bit), are within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
At 152, data representing the degree of shadowing for each of the one or more samples is stored in memory for subset "N." Here, a determination is made as to whether an entry exists for storing information that is associated with subset "N." If an entry exits, then the degree of shadowing for each of the one or more samples is stored in a memory at 160. In accordance with one embodiment, the memory is a cache memory and each of the samples is stored in a delta count buffer. Each delta count buffer is designed to store data representing an offset from a common value (i.e., a tile stencil value). As such, a delta count buffer can be smaller in size than is normally used to represent a degree of shadowing. Normally, larger sized buffers are used to store degrees of shadowing. Consequently, a smaller amount of total memory (over storage of all samples) can be implemented to accomplish what normally required more memory, according to the present invention. For example, a delta count buffer might have a size of 3 bits in contrast to a normal implementation of buffers having sizes of 8 bits or more.
But if there is no entry for the one or more samples at 152, then flow 150 continues to 154. At 154, a determination is made as to whether the memory has free space to allocate for storing the one or more samples. If there is free space, then memory is allocated at 156 and the one or more samples are stored in individual delta count buffers at 160. Allocation of memory can be in accordance with any well-known techniques for allocating cache memory, if the memory is a cache. But if there is no space available, then a current entry in memory is evicted at 158. Although an ordinarily skilled artisan will realize that there are various ways of selecting how to evict a current entry, the age of a non-updated current entry can be considered in making such a determination. After the current entry is evicted, data representing the degrees of shadowing of the one or more samples are then stored at 160. After 160, flow 150 continues to 164.
At 164, a determination is made as to whether each of the stored samples of subset "N" have an equivalent degree of shadowing. For example, if a value of 128 represents samples that are illuminated, this value can be considered a reference from which to describe degrees of shadowing for the samples. In accordance with one embodiment, a degree of shadowing for each of the one or more samples can be represented as an offset from the reference. And if each of the samples has the same degree of shadowing, then data representing each of those degrees can be "coalesced" into data representing a common value, which is a compressed representation of shadowing for each of the samples.
For example, consider that each of the samples is associated with a value of 129, as determined at 114, which is one degree offset from the reference value. The offset value, which is associated with a degree of shadowing, can be stored in each of the delta count buffers at 160 as "+1." This value is equal to the reference "128" subtracted from "129." Because the value of +1 is stored in each delta count buffer, then this value can be stored as a common value. Consequently, the value of +1 can be a common value with which to represent the degree of shadowing for the subset. As such, the cache entry is considered "coalesced" from the many same values for the samples into a single common value. Thereafter, the delta count buffers configured to store data for subset "N" can be deallocated at 168 to store other data, such as offset values for other subsets of samples. After a portion of the memory is deallocated at 168, then flow 150 moves to 180, which is also the point of continuation for flow 150 from 164, if not all samples have the same degree of shadowing. That is, the delta count buffers can include different offset values, such as −1, 0, +1, etc. As such, those delta count buffers with different offset values generally cannot be "coalesced" (at least at one point of time) into a common value.
At 180, a determination is made as whether any more primitives are associated with subset "N," such as the remainder of samples. If there are more primitives, then flow 150 continues to 182 to select a next primitive of the SVB that may or may not be used to evaluate the remaining samples of subset "N." After the next primitive is selected, flow 150 continues at 104 to perform similar processes described previously. The determination at 180 as to whether there is another "next" primitive can be repeated for all primitives for a particular SVB. But if there are no more primitives to be evaluated for subset "N" for the particular SVB, then flow 150 flow to detect another SVB at 170.
At 170, a determination is made as to whether additional SVBs are to be evaluated. If so, then flow 150 continues to 106 to detect a next SVB to evaluate other primitives against the samples of subset "N." But if there are no more SVBs, then a determination is made at 172 as to whether the stencil shadow volume (SSV) rendering pass is completed. If not, flow 150 continues to 184 to select another subset (e.g., another quad) to repeat the previously described subprocesses. Thereafter, the degrees of shadowing for samples in another subset "N+1" are evaluated similarly as was subset "N" Note that if the end of the SSV pass has been reached, then flow 150 continues to 174.
At 174, the entries of each of the subsets are examined to determine whether any of the non-coalesced samples for any of the subsets, as determined by prior steps of flow 150, still have varied values of offsets (e.g., such as samples associated with different offset values, of −1, 0, +1 and +2). Once so determined, the common values stored for these subsets are deemed invalid. As is described in connection with
In accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention, a view plane (not shown in its entirety) is composed of a number of subdivided groups of samples, such as tiles 352 and 353. In this example, tile one ("tile 1") 352 and tile two ("tile 2") 353 each includes four quadrants of samples. "Tile 1" 352 includes Quad One, or Q1, and "Tile 2" 353 includes Quad Two, or Q2. Q1 and Q2 are analogous with Q1 and Q2, respectively, of
Further to this example, primitive "P11" 402 is a polygon rendered as part of the front face of a first shadow volume plane, which is similar to SVB 250 of
In accordance with at least one specific embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary apparatus for performing all or some of the processes described in exemplary flow 100 of
Delta count buffers 602 are coupled via bus 601 to a controller (not shown) and to other subparts of the memory that include a valid identifier ("ID") buffer 606, a tile stencil buffer 608 and a tile location buffer 610. Valid ID buffer 606 is configured to store an indication as to whether the information stored in delta count buffers 602 can be relied upon by the controller to use tile stencil buffer 608 and delta count buffer 602. Tile stencil 608 is used to provide compressed information describing the quad to which delta count buffers 602 relate. That is, tile stencil 608 is configured to store a characteristic of a specific quad, as determined by the information contained in delta count buffers 602. Although in this example, tile stencil buffer 608 is an 8-bit, unsigned buffer and valid ID buffer is a 1-bit buffer, for example, these buffers can be of any size according to the present invention. In accordance with one embodiment, the sum of the delta count buffer and tile stencil buffer values represents a degree of shadowing. For example, if a delta count buffer contains "−1" (representing an exit from a shadow volume) and a tile stencil buffer contains ("+1"), then the sum will be "0," which represents zero degrees of shadowing (i.e., illuminated). Lastly, tile location buffer 610 is configured to store a location on a view plane, for example, on which the specific quad will be rendered. It should be noted that although tile stencil buffer 608 and tile location buffer 610 both include the term "tile," these subparts can be used in conjunction with "quads."
In operation, a controller can detect a shadow volume boundary, such as SVB 250, for a relevant sample, as similarly described in connection with the discussion of block 102 of
To detect a first shadow volume, the controller searches along lines parallel to the z-axis, the line originating from the view plane 210 of
Similar to
According to a specific embodiment, the controller then can periodically confirm, so long as the valid ID remains "1" (indicating that the value of the tile stencil buffer and tile delta counts are reliable), whether the value of the tile stencil has changed since last time was checked. If it has changed, then the controller can, for example, provide the updated value as compressed information (e.g., +2) to represent the degree of shadowing for an entire quad. Typically this is done after the shadow volumes for a light source have been rendered, as well as processed, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. For example, when detecting that tile stencil 658 changed from +1 to +2 (as shown in tile stencil 678), the controller can provide "+2," and optionally, tile location X1,Y1 to a GPU to generate the proper shadowing effects. In some embodiments, the tile stencil value and tile location is sufficient for a GPU to properly render shadow effects according to the present invention.
In this example, the controller determines that only one primitive partially covers Q2 (i.e., primitive 404) at a point in time before another primitive (i.e., primitive 406) is rendered. The controller at this time can determine that first part of Q2 450 (and the samples therein) are covered by primitive 404. As such, only those delta count buffers 702 that are associated with covered samples are incremented. Hence, only the first set of delta count buffers 704 is incremented.
But after another primitive is rendered and is determined to cover the remaining samples of Q2, as is the case with primitive 406 covering the samples associated with second part of Q2 452. The controller then can increment the second set of delta count buffers 706 as shown in
After last value 852 is determined for second set of delta count buffers 806, then the controller can determine whether each sample of Q3 is of the same degree of shadowing after detecting SVB 256. In this instance, each delta count buffer 842 of
The controller can operate to free up memory by releasing parts of memory, such as delta counter buffers 842, when the information therein is deemed unreliable.
According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, modified Northbridge circuitry 906 is configured to include a co-processor 910 circuit. Co-processor circuit 910 can includes a memory configured as one or more valid ID buffers 914 and further configured to provide coalescing cache 912, which includes a number of delta count buffers. Generally, co-processor circuit 910 is designed to perform and/or manage the processing of the exemplary methods described herein.
In some embodiments, co-processor 910 circuit performs the exemplary methods of the present invention during a "first pass" of a two-pass stenciled shadow volume algorithm for rendering shadow effects. During this first pass co-processor 910 circuit generates compressed information regarding each of the tiles (or quads) to be rendered by, for example, GPU 904 during a "second pass." The first pass includes a coarse rendering of shadow volumes for determining which samples can be described by compressed information, such as by a set valid bit and tile stencil buffer. Such information can be accompanied by a tag identifying a tile (or quad) location for rendering on a view plane, according to a specific embodiment. This compressed information frees up bandwidth, for example, on AGP or PCI Express 950, as well as in memory, as compared to conventional shadow volume rendering processes that prepare and utilize information on a sample-by-sample basis. During the second pass, the GPU processes samples that otherwise could not be processed in the first pass, such as in the instance of a silhouette edge, or such as was the case discussed in connection with
Apparatus 900 can be a graphics card including one or more of the elements shown in
In accordance with at least one specific embodiment of the present invention, apparatus 900 can be implemented as any computer-based system, in whole or in part, such as a workstation, a laptop or notebook, a mobile computing and/or communication device, such as a personal digital assistant ("PDA"), a game console, or any other computing platform.
It will be understood that some or all of the processes described herein can be implemented, in part or in whole, as one or more software modules. An embodiment of the present invention relates to a computer storage product with a computer-readable medium having computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. The media and computer code may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to: magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs and holographic devices; magneto-optical media such as optical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and execute program code, such as application-specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"), programmable logic devices ("PLDs") and ROM and RAM devices. Examples of computer code include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that are executed by a computer using an interpreter. For example, an embodiment of the invention may be implemented using Java, C++, or other object-oriented programming language and development tools. Another embodiment of the invention may be implemented in hardwired circuitry in place of, or in combination with, machine-executable software instructions.
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed; obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, they thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
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|Jan 18, 2000
|Microsoft Corporation
|Sprite compositor and method for performing lighting and shading operations using a compositor to combine factored image layers
|Dec 13, 2001
|Jun 19, 2003
|Marco Corbetta
|Method, computer program product and system for rendering soft shadows in a frame representing a 3D-scene
|Cass Everitt and Mark Kilgard, Practical and Robust Stenciled Shadow Volumes for Hardware-Accelerated Rendering, http://developer.nvidia.com/attach/5627, Mar. 12, 2002.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|May 1, 2007
|May 22, 2012
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Stencil operations
|May 1, 2007
|May 22, 2012
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Depth operations
|Feb 9, 2011
|Jun 19, 2012
|Intel Corporation
|System co-processor
|Feb 13, 2014
|Jan 6, 2015
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for encoders to support incoherent ray traversal
|Feb 13, 2014
|Feb 3, 2015
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for ray binning to support incoherent ray traversal
|Feb 13, 2014
|Feb 10, 2015
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for a grid traversal unit to support incoherent ray traversal
|Feb 13, 2014
|May 19, 2015
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for triangle binning to support incoherent ray traversal
|Jun 24, 2014
|Jun 16, 2015
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for a ray traversal unit to support incoherent ray traversal
|Feb 13, 2014
|Jul 21, 2015
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for packet binning to support incoherent ray traversal
|Mar 28, 2013
|Jan 31, 2017
|Thomson Licensing
|Method for estimating the opacity level in a scene and corresponding device
|Nov 25, 2014
|Apr 11, 2017
|Raycast Systems, Inc.
|Computer hardware architecture and data structures for encoders to support incoherent ray traversal
|May 1, 2007
|Nov 6, 2008
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Stencil operations
|May 1, 2007
|Nov 6, 2008
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Stencil compression operations
|May 1, 2007
|Nov 6, 2008
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
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|Feb 9, 2011
|Jun 2, 2011
|Katen Shah
|System Co-Processor
|Dec 11, 2009
|Jun 16, 2011
|William Allen Hux
|Image processing techniques
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Nov 17, 2006
Owner name: NVIDIA CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HAKURA, ZIYAD S.;REEL/FRAME:018534/0288
Effective date: 20031212
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|Oct 27, 2015
|Fee payment
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text: Divxturka.net is using Redbunker! Because Redbunker is better than Hotfile, Netload and Rapidshare ! Click here and buy REDBUNKER premium account! House At The End Of The Street (2012) UNRATED BRRip 1080p x264 AAC-YiFY | 1.31 GB Language: English 01:41:46 | 1920 x 800 | x264 - 1842 Kbps | AAC - 96.0 KHz Genre : Horror | Thriller IMDB Info Plot:-A mother and daughter move to a new town and find themselves living next door to a house where a young girl murdered her parents. When the daughter befriends the surviving son, she learns the story is far from over. (Get an Premium Account Redbunker.Net for Faster & Unlimited download, with NO waiting time !!) Download From Redbunker Code: http://www.redbunker.net/51sr8s3x6j5u/End_BRRip_1080p_LoriYagami.rar.html


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spending scandal
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Disgraced Maghnieh reinstated to some council committeesWard 10 Coun. Al Maghnieh, disgraced in a library spending scandal in 2012, is being allowed back in from the political cold city council voted Monday to reinstate him to ...
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Councillors demand answers to Holmes hiringCity councillors expressed amazement Monday at the most recent revelations of questionable spending by former Windsor Public Library CEO Barry Holmes, and they're demanding answers on his background.
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Maghnieh cries foul during audit debateEmbattled Ward 10 Coun. Al Maghnieh is crying foul over his perceived treatment at the hands of his colleagues around the council table.


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16 reviews | 4.7 out of 5
I was disappointed in Reservoir Dogs. The movie was nothing more than an adventure into sarcastic and masculine behavior which, for the most part, took place in one room. The dialogue between the characters was nonsensical and over the top noisome and foul. This film was abounding in poor dialogue, acting, directing, editing and lack of realism with respect to the blood scenes. Reservoir Dogs appeared inexpensive and inept. I disposed of my copy.
This is one of my all time favorite movies. Tartintino is a genius! (Don't go by that godawful new movie! It was terrible!) I'm also planning on buying Kill Bill 1&2. Two of the best flicks ever made! Do yourself a favor if you haven't seen this and like action movies, BUY IT!!! I can't believe I got it on bluray at such a bargain price! Oh happy day!
I paid $10 for this Blu-ray. You can't beat that. It's an older movie, made before hi-def so the quality isn't as good as the newer movies.....but it is definitely worth the price I paid.
Not for the squeamish,but if you have the stomach, it's a great flick to watch, especially with friends!
This is another great bargain Blu Ray release!
A Great Movie and looks good in HD! Great Directing by Tarantino. Your really feel like you know the characters.
This was included in the PS3 bundle I purchased. It's a great movie and Blu-Ray picture quality is spectacular!
By Quentin Tarantino, with los of violence & strong language! Even better on Blu- Ray format!
The real story is within the story of the different characters.
Had to have it and walmart was the only place that I could get it!!!
Great price and fast arrival from site to store.
awesome movie and picture


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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will award $2 million to test and evaluate highway technologies that are ready for implementation to improve work zone safety, reduce congestion due to road construction, and improve and accelerate construction.
For-profit, private companies, and industries, and nonprofit domestic and international organizations can apply. FHWA encourages partnership with state and local governments and academic institutions.
Existing innovations are not eligible. Application deadline is Sept. 23, 2009. For more information on the program and previous awards, visit http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/tech.cfm.


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Children's author donates 100% of book sales to support Sandy Hook Families
Children's book author of "The Jewel Collar" & "Hannah the Hummingbird" donates 100% of proceeds from the sale of both books on all Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Apple iBook purchases till 2/14/13, to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
Roberts explains, "I have been very fortunate over the years and am so saddened by the loss of the beautiful children in Newtown, Connecticut;
"The Jewel Collar" is the story of a Maltese dog, Aristotle, who moves from the family beach house to a new home shortly before Christmas so his Mommy, an attorney, can be closer to the Courthouse and train station. Ari is very sad, missing his garden friends. Ari decides to share the jewels on his Jewel Collar with new friends in the Floral Park garden. The lesson learned is you can make new friends in a new neighborhood without giving a gift and that sharing is the true spirit of friendship and Christmas. Ages 4-8.
"Hannah the Hummingbird"
Readers can help Christine Karol Roberts support the families of Sandy Hook by purchasing these books on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. The books are also available through the Apple ibooks app on devices such as the iPhone and the iPad.
About Author, Christine Karol Roberts:
Christine Karol Roberts is the sole proprietor of an Intellectual Property Law Boutique, Law Offices of Christine Karol Roberts, located in Orange County, California. Graduating from the University of Texas and The Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, she established her law firm in 1985. Her firm specializes in trademark and copyright litigation and prosecution, US and foreign, high profile litigation, sports law, licensing and technology transfers, right of publicity, complex litigation, Internet and domain name issues, and general corporate representation, both in California and in federal and state courts around the US. She has litigated many high profile cases including those involving the Major League Baseball Players Association, The NFL, The Cleveland Browns, The World Boxing Council, Upper Deck, Score, and Leaf. She recently settled a design patent infringement case against Deckers (UGG boots) in federal court in the Central District of California.
The Jewel Collar is her debut children's novel. Hannah the Hummingbird, the second in the Garden Friends Club Series, following The Jewel Collar, has also been published. She is currently working on a legal thriller, License to Die For, and several new children's picture books. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
For additional media information about Christine Karol Roberts and her book donations to Sandy Hook Families,
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Carry On Dont Lose Your Head (Special Edition)
Release Date: 17 February 2003 | Certificate: Parental Guidance
Featuring: Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Jim Dale
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As usual the Carry On Gang destroy everything sacred about the classic story of the Scarlet Pimpernel, which is set during the French Revolution.
Audio Commentary With Jim Dale, Photo Gallery With Captions, Theatrical Trailer, Film Trivia Notes
Release Date: 17 February 2003
Certificate: PG - Parental Guidance
Actors: Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Dany Robin
Directed by: Gerald Thomas
Region 2
Running Time: 89 minutes
Production Year: 1967
Main Language: English
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Customer Reviews
One of the genuinely funny colour Carry Ons
Fewer seaside postcard lines and more real wit make this more entertaining than some of the series.
Catalogue No: 3711503393


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- Floating Love Seat - Guests will enjoy weightlessness on an inflatable love seat, which is anchored to their bungalow or delivered to their villa for the day.
- Luxurious Bath Kit - A sensual bath for two can be fashioned with this basket of romantic additions, including bubble bath, monoi oil and flower petals and cocktails.
- Chocolate Fantasy - For the ultimate in romantic dessert experiences, guests dip house-made marshmallows, fruits and pastry into warm, melted chocolate.
- Floral Dream - Guests will enter their room to a spectacular offering of indigenous tropical flowers, scattered on their bed, bath and floor.
- Romance Paparazzo - A professional photographer or videographer will capture guests' memories made in paradise.
- Ultimate Romantic Dinner – A private beachfront table, enhanced by local flowers, candlelight, a dedicated server and the setting of the sun over the turquoise lagoon.
- Sushi & Champagne Sunset Cruise – Sushi and Champagne are served aboard a private yacht, providing the most romantic sunset on the lagoon.
- Love in the Air – Guests take in a helicopter tour of Bora Bora, marveling at the tropical island landscape, while enjoying a tropical cocktail and fresh fruit.
- Polynesian Romance Ceremony – Whether a wedding, vow renewal or simply a celebration of love, couples enjoy this most special experience, which includes officiant, decor, florals, singers and dancers, drinks, certificate, cake, Champagne and photography – all arranged by the Resort's romance planner.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering its reputation as the most romantic resort in the world, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora introduces the Romance Menu, offering guests additional opportunities to further enhance their romantic holiday. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130208/LA56649) The menu is designed to provide a playful selection of romantic amenities, some of which can be quickly and discreetly delivered to a guest's overwater bungalow or beachfront villa. Others are available on the island and around Bora Bora. The offerings include:


text:
We all know by now, though most of us seem to have forgotten, that flying off on holiday needs a heavy dose of justification. Planes are fuelled in tons, not gallons.
So I am keen on anything that can seduce us into staying at home for our holidays. I'm even beginning to think that staying in, or visiting, Bristol (my adopted home) will one day be a real alternative to going abroad.
British cities are beginning to stir. When, in 2012, I returned from a day in Stoke-on-Trent, I was on a high. I had met nothing but charisma, warmth and surprises – including a pottery tour and an unpretentious lunch with Stoke's finest. It had been a delightful travel experience.
It was Stoke's deliciously warm people that I was taken by. So what makes a city attractive to outsiders, travellers and tourists? It appears, from the evidence of Bristol, that green success for a city can make it a more appealing travel destination.
Bristol has won the European Green Capital Award, and the city has stepped up a gear. Our new mayor, George Ferguson, along with others, is bubbling with ideas and support. Money has been squeezed out of empty coffers; businesses have pitched in; renewable-energy schemes have mushroomed and the tourist office is firing on all cylinders.
We won the award because we have a pulsating community that makes it a great place to live, work and dream in. That's why the national cycling charity, Sustrans, is here. And its a great place to visit: there's the Festival of Nature, the Happiness Project, the Balloon festival and dozens of small-scale festivals.
Our street parties are terrific, we are an official Cycling City, new media businesses are bustling, as are hundreds of low-carbon companies. Thousands of devoted citizens pour their energies into community schemes.
Recently, the city has been awash with visitors, many here to spot Aardman Animations' colourful Gromits, scattered around the city as part of an outdoor exhibition.
Winning the award has reinvigorated the city, giving our mayor a welcome excuse to push harder on real sustainability too. If we get the green policies right, Bristol will be an even better place to live, and to visit: 20mph general limits, a lot of cycling and walking. These things matter.
The winds of change since the award brush the cheeks of us all. At the first of the mayor's new monthly street closures, Bristolians emerged from wet-weather gloom in thousands – singing, dancing, buying local food, enjoying each other and, yes, smiling. What is more seductive than other people having a good time?
The British travel in their thousands to Spain for its festivals, to soak in the astonishing surprises of Barcelona and Bilbao. We relish the loveliness of Florence and its culture, of Paris and its sheer elegance. But we can do better for ourselves at home, and Bristol is making a start. I believe that our green credentials, and energy, are part of the picture.
Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, Bristol – it's beginning to sound possible.
Alastair Sawday is founder of Sawday's, the guide to special places to stay in the UK and Europe. See sawdays.co.uk
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- Bristol (england)
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He is now intent in winning over a sceptical public, starting with the home game against Aston Villa.
After walking out on Leicester only six weeks into the role to join Bolton, he said: "This was purely and simply an opportunity that came up that I wanted to take. It was a chance to work in the Premier League, that's all."
He added: "Bolton is a top club with a terrific stadium, a great training ground and a very talented squad.
"Joining them is no reflection on Leicester or the supporters there. I wish them every success.
"But Bolton is where I want to work. It is a massive opportunity for me."
Megson took in Bolton's 1-1 draw against Braga in the UEFA Cup on Thursday at the Reebok Stadium, as did Villa boss Martin O'Neill.
Just under 11,000 fans attended and some of them voiced their disappointment at the appointment of the former West Brom boss.
Megson is now concerned a similar kind of atmosphere tomorrow could aid his managerial counterpart.
He said: "Martin was at the game and he would think we are not that confident and some supporters are a bit negative. If we can eliminate that scenario at a stroke we have a chance of progressing."
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The Giants should be all right. This year's 6-10 easily could be next year's 10-6.
But a lot of things must change around the Giants, beginning with Tom Coughlin.
He will understand the need to change if he's the slave to detail that everybody claims. Remember Mr. Details? The guy us media folks glowingly portrayed as touching untapped ground during training camp? How Coughlin practiced things ignored or unknown through the Jim Fassel Era?
Well, guess what? Coughlin could stand to borrow Fassel's charm relating to player interaction. Coughlin must take a hard look in the mirror. He can't ignore the details of his personality. He must look inside himself as closely as he looks inside his locker room.
We can agree on one thing. Coughlin had trouble getting along with players. No matter whom you consider at fault, believe this: The players' view of Coughlin ranges from grudging tolerance to disdain.
Management can spin coach-player relationships however it wants. Coughlin is about as popular in that locker room as a Cowboys bobblehead.
Management can talk all it wants about players not needing to like their coach. But they need to respect their coach. They need to believe that their coach will have their back. They need to believe that the coach will have them prepared to win every football game.
Coughlin's bosses are right about one thing. The Giants played hard for Coughlin down the stretch. The effort certainly seemed better than the second half last year when players appeared to show for games in body only. The 2003 Giants only came within 13 points of opponents once in their season-ending eight-game losing streak. This year's team had a big shot against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati after looking lost against Washington and Baltimore.
But some of the grit can be attributed to the personnel department signing better replacements for injured players. Teams always look to be playing harder when they are playing better. Remember, the crew that finished up last year included Jesse Palmer and a handful of guys working the night shift at Wawa.
Coughlin may be too arrogant or too set in his ways to change. Fine. Then he can expect continued player discontent, which means continued distractions. Then he can expect internal problems every time there's a three-game losing streak.
Don't misunderstand; players need to change as well. They need to meet Coughlin halfway. They need to look in the mirror as closely as Coughlin. They need to realize they are ultimately more responsible than anyone for 10 wins the past two seasons.
"I'm concerned, I'll tell you that,'' owner Wellington Mara said of the two-season slide. "What can we do, I don't know? Get better players, I guess.''
That's just part of it. The Giants need better players, but they also need to get more from the players they have. Let's hope the idea of using Jeremy Shockey as anything other than a token blocker has been put to bed. Shockey, meantime, can use the offseason to catch footballs. One after another after another after another until he corrects his problem dropping balls.
The Giants can't go another season with Luke Petitgout at left tackle. Securing a quality left tackle must be the team's top on-field priority in the offseason. Move Petitgout to the right side and move David Diehl back to guard. That would leave, at the other guard spot, a combination of Chris Snee, Jason Whittle and, if he can make it back from a gruesome leg injury, Rich Seubert. Guard/center Wayne Lucier will add depth.
The Giants should be OK on defense. We must remember that the Giants played their last eight games without Michael Strahan and Keith Washington at defensive end. We must remember that the Giants were without strong safety Gibril Wilson, who could be a special player in this league, for the last seven games.
Special teams were pretty good, a refreshing change from Fassel's bungling units. The Giants are close to being a playoff team, presuming Eli Manning continues to make strides.
But the single greatest change must come from Tom Coughlin. Soon we will find out if he really is a stickler for details.
Will free agents play for Coughlin? One of the great questions of the offseason is whether Coughlin's inflexibility will preclude the Giants from signing free agents. The common refrain is that players covet money more than anything else.
"George Young always used to say, 'It's always the money,' '' Mara said. "I think people go where they think they have the best chance at winning. I think that's a big factor, and the money helps.''
He better be right. But it's reasonable to wonder if the Giants will have to overpay for premier talent. Call it "The Coughlin Effect.'' Remember, players voted Coughlin the worst coach in the NFL according to a Sports Illustrated poll. What they really mean is that Coughlin's the worst coach to play for. How many players would choose the Giants over other teams with money being equal?
We will soon find out. "We have not had a lot of incidents where we have lost players that we had a shot at,'' general manager Ernie Accorsi said. "I don't think that will be the case now. I just don't.''
"You can never tell how guys are going to feel when it comes to things like that,'' linebacker Carlos Emmons said. "I think a free agent needs to concentrate on schemes a team runs; how they are going to interact with their coordinators and guys that are going to be around on a regular basis, and really not the head coach. You don't really interact with the head coach.''
Let's hope players focus on the coordinators instead of on the head coach. Coughlin's reputation seems more apt to chase players away than reel them in.
Coughlin's ability to change necessity for future
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|This is a discussion on is it possible to be a good poker player and have depression within the online poker forums, in the General Poker section; I want to be a good player maybe a pro someday but my depression and anxietys hold be back somewhat, cause when i tilt i
is it possible to be a good poker player and have depression
I want to be a good player maybe a pro someday but my depression and anxietys hold be back somewhat, cause when i tilt i tilt hard. I have low confidence and a concentration spam of about 5 seconds so i miss alot of tells.
Also i have really bad memory and for poker you need this so you can put people on a range to figure out if a flop helped someone.
I have a bad habit too think everyone is pulling a fast one and trying to bluff me out most pots, please can someone tell me how i eliminate this from my game im calling people down with TPTK alot and im losing money and chips in mtts because of it.
Good players are good players because they have been in a certain situation a thousand times before and they know how to react, i have my self but my minds a blank in these situation i don't remember being in the situations so in theory whenever i play im always behind even if i'm ahead because my opponent will have the beating of me if that makes sense.
Also i don't leave the house much i would describe myself as quite the little hermet, so when im on tilt or on a bad run so instead of the walk and head clearing im stuck in the house staring at my computer and convincing myself i will do just fine and try and play through the tilt.... Bad idea and 1.7k loss shows
I got couple suggestions for you. First one, being a hermit, hey me too I hardly go out, but you need to pick up a hobby besides poker you can do at home whatever it might be. Video games, readomg, tv, movies etc. 2nd. Calling all the way down with TPTK? That sounds like a very common novice mistake. I use to do it all the time. I would suggest maybe reading some poker strategies, take some notes down and try to implement it in your game. Yes, I know studying is boring. But it will honestly help. Even if you just take 1 day of all studying...i did almost 1 month of nothing but studying and note taking. I got some helpful websites/youtubers if you ever wanna check then out.
"Everything" that you mentioned that you suffer from IS NOT GOOD FOR PLAYING POKER, period.
So, you will need to work on (get help with) overcoming these issues or you will never be successful at poker and likely not many other things in life.
A big plus is that you apparently recognize and acknowledge this fact ... don't be depressed because this is a really good thing.
Good luck, Wally
some of the most talented people on this earth have mental health problems...i could rattle off about 20 people that are elite in their chosen fields...
ofcourse you can be succesfull at poker and anything else you put effort into, regardless of if you are a depressive or not...
take it from someone who knows what they are talking about
I dabbled in this topic for my opening post here at CC "The life of a Grinder" and gave a brief story about how events, results impact my thought process and attitude.
We cannot escape tilt, those who advise you to "stop tilting" are giving advise that they themselves are guaranteed to not follow. An important step in improving your poker game is accept the reality of the situation, accept that tilt is part of the overall game, and don't aspire to not tilt, instead work on tilting better.
I Don't know how many of you have read Tommy Angelo's "Elements of Poker" but I encourage everyone to pick up this book and I will try to summarize Tommy although his chapters on tilt are far too good to be summarized.
~~Everyone tilts, everyone has an A-game that they start out playing. When we tilt not all of us (in fact, very few but the elite) players have a B-game. Most of us start out with tilting taking us for an immediate dip to our E and F game. By recognizing a few factors which cause us to tilt, then recognizing in what form our tilt materializes we can begin the process of "trimming off" the tilt. ~~
Like anything else in life poker requires hard work and dedication, temporary success can come to those with an abundance of natural talent for the game, but it will not keep them healthy and does not guarantee longevity. Focus on where you need to tighten up, work on your mindset and approach to the game. Remember that to be successful in poker it is more important HOW you think, not WHAT you think about.
Curious about your depression. Is it some sort of chemical imbalance or is it from sitting in front of a computer screen all day with no human interactions and no interests other than poker to give your life meaning? Poker is a poor substitute for a real life.
re: Poker & is it possible to be a good poker player and have depression
I'mn going to give you the same advice my golf coach gave me when I was struggling: lay off two weeks, and then quit. Every personal trait you described is terrible for poker. Can't handle a bad beat. Don't know when to stop. Get too emotionally wrapped up in the outcome of your session. Have a bad memory. Can't read your opponents. Dude, quit before you do some serious harm to yourself emotionally and/or physically.
Yes any poker player can suffer from depression and i believe it will help you as time goes on to make better decisions poker wise if you care about making a living out of it.
Is it possible to quickly cure it ? Probably not,not many have managed to stay completely symptom free for more then weeks or months at a time.
It all comes down to really getting to know yourself and what causes your issues though. Medicine and pills are crap, suppresses all kinds of s***. But if you learn to understand the way you are reacting in certain situations and even how you think you can learn to avoid or manipulate your thought process.
I am by no means saying this is easy, It's really damn hard work that takes a lot of time, effort and discipline. It also takes a lot of will. Only then can you commit to it.
Just keep in mind that if you don't try to change, nothing ever will. Also remember that you are the boss over yourself, not your emotions. What you truly want to do, you can do.
i have only one solution for you .. go and work a full time Job ... once you are preoccupied yourself fulltime in a Job , you will have less time to think about tilting in your loss at poker.. now Play poker only in the Weekend for fun or sometimes for one big time like Play gd mtts .. dont think about earning from poker like pros..even remember the very best of poker pros also go broke at sometime and has been through the mental depressions.. poker is not an easy game , it is a mental game . so you Need to be 100% before playing poker.. so better go out of home and do Job . that is the best way to get guarented Money. Hope my 2 Cents advice does suit you
One of the things you mention is not a good memory, that is what player notes are for so that you don't have to try and keep everything in your head.
You feel everyone is trying to pull a fast one over you, don't worry about it because they may well could be but at the same time many of your players at the table think the same thing.
Depression is something that cannot be cured by a few words, seek out professional advice. Depression is a medical condition and just like many other medical problems there are ways to combat it.
With regard to your short term memory, find ways to train yourself to memorise poker hands even if it means going over the same thing hundreds of times eventually things will stick in your mind. It's just the same as a top athlete, lots and lots of repetetive training.
Lastly. as many others have said find something besides poker to occupy your mind and get away from the poker table for a while.
Hey Tyler welcome to 2+2 im glad your been inspired since seeing i win but heres the thing, your bad at maths bad at memory and would lie down and say you deserve to die just you always did when we were together. ending up deliberately losing. you playing poker will just result in you losing all your money and committing suicide.
why dont you go into sales you were always good at that and theres lots of money in sales.
ps were never getting back together.
OMG.... This made me lol so hard. Wth Luke?
My experience is that the journey of becoming a successful poker player over the course of several years built my confidence and self esteem via small daily victories that added up to major accomplishments. Everyone is different, but my poker career was very therapeutic for me.
If you have all of these problems that you have listed then sorry Poker is not for you..................work on your problems by seeking professional/medical help..............If you overcome these hindrances then you can try poker if not then poker is unhealthy for you..
re: Poker & is it possible to be a good poker player and have depression
It is still a good thing that you recognize these issues and are addressing them vice being in denial.
I'm prone to depression, I often feel lonely and isolated. For me poker gave me clarity it was something that would distract me from my own thoughts and problems, I became absorbed in it, granted I sucked for a long time and lost a lot of money but I was determined to get better and be the best player I could be and I ended up paying for my own holiday abroad which I thoroughly enjoyed and needed after the year i've had (stress from college/general stress) Absolutely every single one of us is capable of achieving great things, don't let anybody take that away from you! As for being a hermit i'm similar in a lot of ways I do enjoy hobbies that require me to be a little isolated (poker,video games) but I often find that seeing friends/family or going for a game of football at the park or anything to get you out of the house does you the world of good, it's hard to be depressed when your around people you can have fun with! Good luck with poker and I hope that your depression improves!
I suffered from some of your problems. Take time off and find another past time. Take time and recoup and regroup. Evaluate what responses you have had and relax. Take all the replies to heart and re-evaluate. Remember Patience is a virtue.
(although maybe wally was also kinda right in some things),
{together the posts make a good balance}.
Hi lowlimitfish. I am Bipolar myself and I get real depressed sometimes and those are the worst times for me to be playing poker. One question,do you take meds for your disorder??I do and have for many years,but it is still there at times. When I'm down I find other things to do for awhile and that helps me. Sitting in the house all the time is bad for you. Right now I have my laptop out on the porch doing my posts. Just try something different. It will help
Dear lowlimitfish, first of all, welcome to the Cardschat! I read your article very carefully and i have a couple of advices for you. I have a friend who was fighting with depression while he was playing online poker and i'm going to tell you right away that its not going to work for you and to help your well beign. Conditions were we generally play poker are pretty much antisocial and confronting to what you should do for example. As you already mentioned above, you should go walking and pick up some sunlights instead of sitting in front of computer and leting poker affects your life...Depression and gambling don't get along so i would strongly recommend to put poker a side for some time, until you get better and than you can reconsider your life as a poker player...It's summer so give your best to use it in right way!
My advice for you is try to treat your depression first then trying to be a poker pro. Be a poker pro may seems a way to cure your depression, but it's very difficult to achieve that, so, you need to have another option in your life. Find something else you like and go out to do that. In the rest of your time, play poker. If you are on tilt or bored with poker, you will have something else to distract you.
re: Poker & is it possible to be a good poker player and have depression
I can give some advice on this. I hope the translate help me and I can express myself properly.
Personally, almost two years ago that I'm depressed. Now I feel much better and I have expectations both in poker and in life. But a year ago I was back really bad poker and helped me overcome the time and it's a good way to entertain the mind without going outside. When one is depressed does not want to see anyone or go out and poker is a good excuse for being locked up for hours doing something. Obviously, the success did not arrive until you feel better.
Here my advice: take advantage of your situation to gain experience online, read books, articles, watch videos, share opinions on forums how are you doing here, etc.. Will serve you later ...
And very important! beam breaks in the greatest possible exercise, walk around your house, sit-ups, push-ups, etc..
Then when you are good and want to come back to face all this life experience you there will be served and you'll be able to certainly be a winning player!
So when you are doing well you will tend to become manic and when you are doing poorly you will tend to become depressed if you are an emotionally unstable person by default.
I wouldnt' recommend this game to someone with depression because bad beats will only push you further into depression (and bad beats are probably the only thing you are guaranteed in poker).
You need to get to a point where nothing bothers you; after all, the best poker players in the world will tell you they don't care about what happens in a particular tournament as much as they care about the results of many tournaments over the long run.
If you are already in a bad mood, a bad beat will make your mood even worse. I'd say come back and play poker when you have found your center!
Today has been a good example of playing while depressed. My grandson spent the night and when he does, he sleeps with granny,so that puts papa on the couch lol. Anyway, I woke up hurting from my arthritis so bad that it sent me into a bad depression and I tried playing some but I was playing a game of "I Really Dont Care" mood. It just don't work. I lose everytime. And I would quit and come back to it in an hour and lose a little more. Well if you all are like me, losing also depresses me too. To say the least this has not been a good day for poker
re: Poker & is it possible to be a good poker player and have depression
Memory issues mostly, but that short attention span is a big issue also.
So you need some poker exercises; do these using play money. You are sort of training your mind to do things a certain way.
1,,,get in a play money game and FOLD EVERY HAND! Every single hand, doesn't matter what you cards are, FOLD EVERY SINGLE HAND. While you are cursing the poker gods, watch what every other player at the table is doing. Take notes if you think you might ever see these folks again. ...DO THIS 20 TIMES IN A ROW!
2...Get in another play money game, and RAISE EVERY SINGLE HAND. Again, it doesn't matter what your cards are, you could cover your hands with a 3x5 card or something. do this maybe 10 games in a row.
3...Normal game...memory exercises...uses the 'Last Hand' function a lot. Start remembering what hand you just folded. Check it in the next hand with the Last Hand Function. Just get in the habit of doing this regularly,
4 ...Pick a range of opportunities. Opportunities in poker are more than just what cards you are dealt. Make sure you consider position, and stack sizes. Over the course of 20 games, play those ranges faithfully, no variations on the plan whatsoever!
The thing about the 20 games in a row is that there are studies showing the way to change habits is do do something 20 times IN A ROW in a way that does not follow the habit you want to change.
Do this all with play money.....For your own good, you need to work on the short comings you described, and at this point there is no reason to pay for those lessons. Set yourself a goal of building to 1 million play chips. There is almost no (valid) reason in the whole wide world that achieving that goal will not be beneficial to your long term poker health. Once you figure out how to get out of the lowest level play money games, and get into higher buy-in play money games, you can actually consider that a step forward. Once you get to the highest buy-in games, you will be playing approximately the same as $5-$20 MTTs. I could actually say that $20 buy-ins might actually be easier than the highest buy-in play money tourneys, and mean it, but then some snob would get in the discussion about not wasting you time with play money anything.
You have already wasted your time, and money, trying to overcome some self described short comings. At least stop wasting the money till you understand things better.
Play money poker is best for developing a respect for the game, and changing your greed (natural for poker players) to an ability to enjoy the game, regardless of the outcome. If you are not enjoying the experience, trust me, you are wasting your time trying to go pro.