Rob O'Neill

"Is there not more to life than this?" Many of us, at some point in our existence, ask this question. Despite constant busyness, we feel some kind of lack or emptiness. In an attempt to answer this question and more, the author utilized a daily practice of walking a labyrinth and meditation. Via the lens of self-exploration, he questioned life, and life responded. Each chapter unfolds various life related themes and provides a series of suggested questions that we can use to initiate self-assessment for ourselves. In What Goes Around Comes Around, the author shares insights derived from his experience. From his forty-day practice, the author examines aspects of the what he came to know as the Sacred: -What is it? -Why should we care? -Sacred for the non-religious. -Expanding the definition of Sacred. -The Sacred and service. -Self-serving as a Sacred practice. -Self-love/Sacred versus Selfish. -My Sacred is okay-Your sacred is okay The author also shares with us the many pitfalls he came across, how to avoid them, and how to use them to our advantage in our search for a more fulfilling life.

Digital characters are a driving force in the entertainment industry today. Every animated film and video game production spends a large percentage of its resources and time on advancing the quality of the digital characters inhabiting the world being created. This book presents the theory and practice behind the creation of digital characters for film and games using software-agnostic descriptions that apply to any animation application. It provides insight from a real production environment and the requirements that such an environment imposes. Digital Character Development: Theory and Practice, Second Edition covers the following key topics that are valuable to professionals across a wide spectrum of disciplines: Evolution and history of digital characters, which is critical to understanding the theory and techniques behind how characters are developed Contemporary issues, such as the "Uncanny Valley" phenomenon, that affect character design decisions Process of building characters: anatomical considerations, character motion systems, deformation (muscle and skin) systems, facial setup, and rig synthesis and construction Animation technology: keyframe strategies, curve interpolation, motion capture, procedural animation, artificial intelligence, crowd simulations, and interactive characters Future of digital characters, including research questions that remain outstanding and the challenges for work beyond themThe second edition of this book has been significantly updated to reflect the latest trends and innovations in digital character development. It includes interviews with 15 leading character development professionals that provide unique insights into the challenges and ingredients for success in this field. With rich illustrations and visual code examples throughout, this book provides a comprehensive roadmap to character development for both professionals and students.

This book provides an introduction to index numbers for statisticians, economists and numerate members of the public. It covers the essential basics, mixing theoretical aspects with practical techniques to give a balanced and accessible introduction to the subject. The concepts are illustrated by exploring the construction and use of the Consumer Prices Index which is arguably the most important of all official statistics in the UK. The book also considers current issues and developments in the field including the use of large-scale price transaction data. A Practical Introduction to Index Numbers will be the ideal accompaniment for students taking the index number components of the Royal Statistical Society Ordinary and Higher Certificate exams; it provides suggested routes through the book for students, and sets of exercises with solutions.