We recently highlighted Sagmeister & Walsh, a design boutique in New York, in a gallery of crazy, beautiful ad agency staff photos.

Their image was arguably the most unforgettable of the set, because the entire staff — from the CEO down to the interns — posed naked.

Not just a little bit naked, either.

The full monty.

It turns out there's a reason the agency does this, and partner Jessica Walsh explained it in a video series called The Creative Influence.

Here's the two-decade history of S&W's staff photos, which — obviously — are graphic. They're not gratuitously sexual, but they're not safe for conservative workplaces either.

Nineteen years ago, founder Stefan Sagmeister decided to give up his job designing at big agencies like Leo Burnett and TBWA, and start his own firm, Sagmeister Inc.

To publicize his new shop, he sent out a picture of himself naked except for socks and a black redaction bar.

It must have worked, because today Sagmeister's clients have included Levi's, HBO and Standard Chartered.

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Wild scenery and lit-up nights pull me out of my home office.

As does people-watching, and the adrenaline boost of things that are hard for me — like getting lost — and making myself understood in another culture and language.

Movies set in foreign backdrops can trigger that “need more” feeling.

I asked Matadorians what movies make them think of spinning out of their everyday lives for a minute.

I’m only 12 for 23 but, thanks to my colleagues, the other 11 are now on my short list.

7 Years in Tibet

One of several books by Austrian Heinrich Harrer about mountain climbing in extreme conditions, this book-made-into-a-movie tells the story of his seven years in Tibet, during its takeover by China.

It has some knife-sharp images of snowed-over mountains against a blue sky, but it mostly made me want to travel because for me it speaks to challenge and solitude, two themes that motivate me to get out, turn everything off, and just be.

Amélie

Amélie is a film set in Paris featuring a 23-year-old waitress who tries to spread joy to the people who surround her.

In my travels, it’s always been important to me to interact with people, from taking the time to listen to someone who really needs to talk to taking a heavy load from another passenger on the bus who isn’t fortunate enough to get a seat.

Baraka

Baraka is a movie with no dialogue, of images shot around the world of animals and humans interacting with the natural environment and the surroundings we’ve created.

It makes me want to open my eyes wider and take in the similarities around me, from how people advertise their wares to how those in the highlands protect themselves from the sun and wind.

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Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is just about one week away.

At WWDC, Apple will reveal a new iteration of iOS, the software running iPhones and iPads. It's also expected to announce changes to OSX, which runs its laptops and desktops.

This will be the first time Apple has made a product announcement in 230 days. We're excited to see what Apple has up its sleeve.

In preparation for the event, we've put together a list of things we want to see from Apple.

A new look for iOS

iOS is still the best operating system in the world. But it is getting a little stale in the looks department. We look forward to a stylish redesign.

Jony Ive on stage

Ive is now The Man at Apple. In the past he's been hesitant to be a part of Apple's big events. We would love to see him step up to the stage and talk about how and why he's tweaked iOS.

Subway stops and directions in Maps

This should have been in Apple's Maps last year.

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Shelling out thousands of dollars a night for a hotel room may not be in the cards for most of us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a voyeuristic peek at the jaw-dropping suites that command these high price tags.

From high-roller villas in Las Vegas to the uber-decadent suite in Istanbul where Madonna shacked up with her beau, these suites are designed to make you drool — and sold at prices that will make you gag.

The Royal Suite at The New York Palace: $17,000/night

New York City

One of New York’s most visually stunning hotels, the New York Palace has a gilded, grandiose style, huge rooms, a luxe spa, and a fantastic gym.

Its Royal Suite is among the most opulent — and expensive — suites in the City, with lavish Louis XV and XVI decor. See more photos of the Royal Suite >

The Sultan Suite at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski: €30,000/night

Istanbul, Turkey

Formerly the palace of an Ottoman Sultan, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski is the grand dame of Istanbul. It wows guests at every turn, from the sprawling, manicured grounds, to the heated infinity pool right on the Bosphorus, to the refined suites.

The Sultan Suite, where Madonna shacked up with boyfriend Brahim Zaibat, is the hotel’s most exclusive option. See more photos of the Sultan Suite >

The Eiffel Suite Classic at Hotel Plaza Athenee: €10,000/night

Paris, France

The world-renowned luxury hotel Plaza Athenee — a part of the Dorchester Collection — is synonymous with Parisian elegance and good taste.

Iconic red awnings and chestnut trees welcome guests to the historic setting on the upscale Avenue Montaigne, which is lined with high-end shops such as Prada and Chanel.

The stunning Eiffel Suite Classic has gorgeous Parisian decor, stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, and a piano. See more photos of the Eiffel Suite Classic >

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One reason why JCPenney's revenues have taken such a hit over the last year is that former CEO Ron Johnson's plan to redesign the chain so it contains individual branded "shops" requires entire stores, or large sections of them, be shut down for weeks-long refurbishments.

Johnson resigned in April but the store redesign project is continuing without him.

We got a glimpse inside the process at the JCPenney in Jersey City, which is a huge anchor store inside the Newport mall there.

The disruption to the business can't be understated: hundreds of square feet of the store are closed down with giant white tarps as the Johnson vision is built.

The store is open for business, even though it doesn't look like it.

Huge sections of the store are screened off with gloomy, ghostly white tarps.

Some of the mannequins look like they got stranded in the middle of nowhere.

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A Torah scroll dating from as early as the 12th century was found tucked away in the University of Bologna's library after sitting mislabeled for over 120 years.

Discovered by Hebrew Professor Mauro Perani, two separate carbon-14 tests showed that the scroll dated from between 1155 and 1225, making it the oldest complete Torah scroll on record.

According to a press release, the manuscript was misidentified in 1889 when the head librarian dated it to the 17th century and described the Hebrew letters as "an Italian script, rather clumsy-looking."

In fact, the script was from the Bablyonian tradition, which would make it much older, according to Professor Perani. The professor also noticed that the 13th century rules for copying Torah scrolls — that are still followed today — were not used for this text.

It is still unknown how and when the scroll became a part of the University's collection, but an investigation is under way to find the source, according to the academic press release.

SEE ALSO: Why Major Art Museums Are Going Gaga For Islamic Art

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It's impossible to visit Cairo and not feel the presence of the pyramids outside the city in Giza.

They are synonymous with everything we learned in school about ancient Egypt. They dance into sight with a glimpse from the high floor of a building. Drive up a small hill anywhere in the city: There they are. They've defined the landscape, and what humanity is capable of, for thousands of years.

Seeing the pyramids in person is an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately it's an experience that fewer people are enjoying today as Egypt slips into lawlessness under the new regime.

Tourists are already avoiding the country and unless things take a turn for the better soon, it might be a long while until tourists can once again safely experience the necropolis at Giza without a proper guide.

If you're not put off by the current unrest in Egypt, you must make sure to find a trustworthy and reliable tour guide. Luckily for us, we found our guide, Walid Ibraheem, through the Cairo Downtown Hotel.

Walid followed us into places he didn't want to go, let us know what was safe, and made sure we never got ripped off. We trusted him with gear that is near priceless in Egypt as well as our safety, and he came through in both regards.

From nearly 20 miles away, this Cairo plateau is just one spot in the city to catch a glimpse of the 4,500-year-old Pyramids at Giza.

The Pyramids are this close.

The view may be one reason the Muslim Brotherhood built their Cairo headquarters here (red circle), and the police station guarding them (blue circle) has a direct view.

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Over Memorial Day weekend, I was lucky enough to secure an invite to spend a few days in the Hamptons.

I was even luckier to have a 2012 BMW M6 convertible to get me and three friends there.

This $127,000 BMW is packed with luxury and power. But it is not a simple or intuitive machine.

Opening the trunk is confusing. The navigation screen is dizzying. Putting it in park felt like I was solving a Rubik's Cub, not driving an automatic car.

After a few hours of trial and error (in the rain and the dark), I got it all figured out. Then the sun made an appearance, and everything clicked.

And I learned why this gorgeous convertible is the perfect ride for a summer getaway.

We picked up the M6 in Manhattan in the rain, so it didn't look nearly as good as this. The model we drove cost $127,095.

Just opening the trunk was a challenge. The lid is really heavy and difficult to lift, so I thought it was locked. At least it had enough room for all our bags.

Then we had to fit everyone in the car. It has four seats, but it's really made for two people. Here's where I like the front seat to be, which didn't work for the person behind me. So I drove for several hours in an awkward position.

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The world's least-visited countries are not necessarily the most difficult to get to.

I am using the following three criteria to determine which countries are the most inaccessible, as well as my own overall experience of getting to the countries. (I have been to all 198 countries.)

Click here to jump right to the hardest countries to visit >>

1) Visa availability

The most important criteria. If you cannot get a visa, you can not legally visit the country. If you try to do so illegally you may face prosecution or worse. So, if you are not required to obtain a visa in advance to visit a country, it will not be on this list.

15. Bhutan

Why so inaccessible?
First of all, you will need to pay for your trip in advance. I am not talking about the plane ticket. I am talking about the all-inclusive package inside Bhutan. It has to be paid to a Bhutanese travel agent via money transfer, which makes it more of a hassle than using your worn Am Ex card.

The all-inclusive trips have given rise to the rumour that Bhutan is a very expensive country to visit. The 200-300 USD per day (depending on the season and whether you travel alone or not) will however cover "everything." As in accommodation, transport within the country, guides, meals and the tourist tax.

You only need to worry about drinks and souvenirs. Just don't mix the first with the latter or you will end up with a lot of wooden souvenir penises. Penises in such a religious country? Well, even strictly religious people need penises to impregnate each other. Besides, the symbols of erect penises are intended to drive away "the evil eye and malicious gossip," and it isn't a Buddhist symbol, but one of Bön, an old and unorthodox religion.

Do note that you won't see any penises painted on buildings in Thimphu or major towns. You'll only see them in rural villages, so you can still travel to [certain parts of] the country together with your mother-in-law. Then again, who wants to travel with mother-in-laws anyway?

Why you should still bother to go
If huge erect penises aren't enough, throw in the fantastic mountains, the incredible Buddhist temples and Tiger's Nest, and you will be in awe. It doesn't hurt that people are very friendly too. Unless you start chatting up local girls. That may cause trouble and threats of brutal beating. Allegedly.

How I got in
I needed to produce a little patience and had to be willing to pay my trip in advance. I did, and I was picked up in the airport by my guides. Not difficult, just a little inconvenient.

Any loopholes? 

The guides will leave you to explore Thimphu on your own if you insist. If you do, find the karaoke bar in a cellar bar near the clock tower. It is the only place where I have seen karaoke with the option of having a live band play to your singing. Priceless!

14. Kiribati

Why so inaccessible?
Kiribati (pronounced "Kiribas" - there are no letter "s" in their alphabet, so "ti" is pronounced "s") is in the middle of the Pacific. Literally. I mean, most Pacific countries are often said to be, but Kiribati really is. It stretches 3,500 kilometers from east to west. Both the capital Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island) are served by international flights, but only twice a week.

The remoteness of the country isn't the only reason why it is the 4th-least visited country in the world. Entering it isn't all that easy either, unless you are from one of 60 countries. I am not from any of those and had to apply for a visa from Kiribati's sole consulate in Europe, conveniently located in Llanddewi Rhydderch in Wales. That was relatively straightforward, once I actually found the embassy.

The border police is more thorough than any other in the Pacific, with the possible exception of Australia, so do not attempt to go there without a visa. Then again, they probably won't even let you on the plane without one.

Why you should still bother to go
Did you ever see any cartoons about people on paradise islands? Kiribati is like that, just add facilities. Some facilities. There are in fact several good hotels in Tarawa alone. Diving is fantastic, and so is the available seafood. Some services do not see many competitors though. There is one coffee shop and one registered taxi driver in the country.

How I got in
I got my visa from the friendly consul in Wales. I flew in on Air Pacific (soon to be renamed Fiji Airways) from Nadi. Kiribati is also occasionally served by Our Airline from Nauru and Majuro, Marshall Islands.

Any loopholes?
Do not worry about getting a visa if you're from one of the 60 lucky countries. You will then get your essential visa stamp upon arrival.

13. Nauru

Why so inaccessible?
Only one airline, Our Airline, serves Nauru, and not every day. Do not expect to find it in your favourite flight ticket search engine either. A visa is needed to go there, and how many embassies or consulates of Nauru have you seen? To be fair, they are actually represented in four countries; Australia, Fiji, Taiwan and Thailand.

Why you should still bother to go
It is one of the few countries in the world where you can actually run around. Just remember that the country is virtually on the Equator, so don't attempt to do so at noon. It is also THE least visited country in the world. Certainly a country for your bucket list!

How I got in
I had been a little lazy, not bothering to get my visa in advance. Our Airline is however well connected in Nauru, and the staff at the airport in Brisbane managed to talk customs into issuing me a visa on arrival after 10 minutes on the phone. I was very lucky! The customs officer in charge in Nauru greeted me with few words: 

- Are you the tourist?

Everyone else on board were locals or in the country for business. Business in Nauru? In a country with less than 9,000 people? I was there at the time of an international fishing conference.

Any loopholes?
Having the Our Airline staff talk me into the country without a visa just before departure worked for me, but it is not a strategy I would recommend to others.

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June is the month with the longest daylight hours of the year, which for the deal-hunter means that you have even more time to shop!

But before you let the increasingly warm weather convince you to buy less-than-stellar deals, check out our latest buying guide.

We searched through our extensive archives of sales, promotions, coupons, and daily deals to sort the fact from fiction when it comes to getting the best deals in June.

Ladies love cool lingerie (deals): It's usually this month that Victoria's Secret unveils its famed Semi-Annual Sale, and last year we saw prices as low as $4 for panties and $15 for bras.

Moreover, we saw excellent lingerie deals in June from Frederick's of Hollywood, Maidenform, Freshpair, and Bare Necessities, the latter of which had its own Semi-Annual Sale. That said, while summer deals entailed steep discounts last year, they paled in comparison to the October to December time frame; many of these retailers pull out a greater number of Editors' Choice deals for the holiday stretch.

Beef prices are on the rise: Unfortunately for anyone getting ready for a season of grilling, beef prices have risen to historically high prices.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "Retail beef prices are widely expected to set new records in coming weeks after wholesale prices hit an all-time peak this past week." The increases are due to years of drought that have thinned cattle herds, a problem that can't be easily reversed. Maybe take this opportunity to throw leaner foods like chicken and (gasp!) veggie burgers on that gas or charcoal grill.

Grill deals will spark in July: Of course, we can't mention grilling without pointing out that deals on grills themselves will be less than thrilling in June.

You'll get a better discount if you wait for July 4th promotions. According to our deals from last year, you could save as much as $200 or more on a mid- to high-end grill if you wait until July.

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The Writers Guild of America (WGA) released a list of the 101 best written TV series.  

The list spans seven decades of television.  

Anything from comedies to dramas and variety talk shows along with children's programming were in the running.  

The ranking was decided by online voting from WGA members.

Each member was allowed to vote for up to 20 series titles. Each title counted as one vote.

What made the controversial list?  

"The Colbert Report" (50) is significantly higher than "The Golden Girls" (69). There are also a lot of ties.  

"Roseanne" sits with both "The SHIELD" and "24." Showtime series "Dexter" ties with the U.S. version of "The Office."  

HBO favorite "Game of Thrones" is way down the list at number 40. 

And sorry zombie fans, "The Walking Dead" is nowhere to be found on the list. However, two of AMC's other shows "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" do get shout outs. 

You can read the full list here.

10. "The West Wing" (1999-2006)

9. "The Wire" (2002-2008)

8. "Cheers" (1982-1993)

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Jason Kidd retired today, walking away from $6 million in guaranteed salary.

Why is he leaving money on the table?

He has made an eye-popping $187.6 million in salary in his 19-year career.

But there are a bunch of guys who were never as good as Kidd who made WAY more than you think.

Keep in mind: Michael Jordan only made $90 million in salary!

Jason Kidd: $184.6 million

Career length: 19 years

Teams: 4 (Mavericks, Suns, Nets, Knicks)

NBA titles: 1 (2011, Mavericks)

Source: Basketball Reference

Jermaine O'Neal: $165.4 million

Career length: 17 years

Teams: 5 (Blazers, Pacers, Heat, Celtics, Suns)

NBA titles: 0

Source: Basketball Reference

Juwan Howard: $151.5 million

Career length: 19 years

Teams: 9 (Bullets, Mavericks, Nuggets, Magic, Rockets, T'Wolves, Bobcats, Blazers, Heat)

NBA titles: 1 (2012, Heat)

Source: Basketball Reference

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As personal chef and confidante to late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, Kenji Fujimoto saw some pretty insane things.

Fujimoto (an alias) is the subject of a new profile in GQ by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson.

In it, he talks about the dictator's inner circle and crazy parties, his own arrest and interrogation by the Japanese government, and his family's imprisonment in one of the infamous North Korean "re-education camps."

The entire nine-page interview is riveting and worth a read (you can find it here). But if you want to skim some of the juicier parts, here are the eight craziest takeaways from the interview:

• Kim's palaces sounded like they were straight out of the '80s: They were "decorated with cold marble, silver-braided bedspreads, ice purple paintings of kimilsungia blossoms, and ceilings airbrushed with the cran-apple mist of sunset, as if Liberace's jet had crashed into Lenin's tomb."

• He had a sick swimming pool: "In Wonsan, Kim had an underground bombproof Olympic swimming pool constructed with his image emblazoned in gold tiles on the bottom. North Korean engineers had even built him a motorized boogie board."

• He was entertained by a creepy "Joy Division" brigade: "Teams of beautiful North Korean girls, most forcibly recruited under the age of 16, were maintained to provide entertainment, massages, and sexual gratification ... the Dear Leader might order them to sing sentimental songs, disco dance, strip naked, or hold spontaneous boxing matches."

• Kim had some expensive eating habits: "It was part of Fujimoto's job to fly North Korean jets around the world to procure dinner-party ingredients — to Iran for caviar, Tokyo for fish, or Denmark for beer. It was Fujimoto who flew to France to supply the Dear Leader's yearly $700,000 cognac habit. And when the Dear Leader craved McDonald's, it was Fujimoto who was dispatched to Beijing for an order of Big Macs to go."

• And the Dear Leader was a foodie: "Kim Jong-il was a fan of cooking shows. Iron Chef was his favorite. When Fujimoto's culinary travels took him to Japan, he stocked up on VHS tapes of the latest episodes so he and [Kim] could have long discussions about foie gras, truffles, and Kobe beef."

• He had a strange sense of humor: "As a wedding prank, Kim Jong-il had the unconscious Fujimoto's pubic hair shaved off."

• Fujimoto introduced Kim's son (and current dictator) Kim Jong-il to his basketball: "Fujimoto introduced [Kim's children] to video games, remote-control cars, and most important, basketball. Fujimoto's sister in Japan sent him VHS tapes of Bulls playoff games, so Kim Jong-un's first taste of Western hoops came from watching Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman — men who became his heroes."

• Years later, once he returned to Japan, Fujimoto was nearly murdered by one of Kim's henchmen. When Fujimoto asked Kim about it, he admitted he had sent an assassin to Okinawa: "He urged Fujimoto to forget about it. He was still alive, wasn't he? It was Kim's wife, Ko Young-hee, who'd reminded him of how funny and lovable his Japanese friend had been. Thus the killer was recalled."

Read more of Fujimoto's terrifying and unbelievable story at GQ.

DON'T MISS: AP Photographer's Instagram Pictures Show What Life Is Like In North Korea

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Funny man Steve Martin is selling his mansion in St. Barts for €8.75 million, or $11.4 million at today's conversion rates, according to celebrity real estate blog The Real Estalker.

The home — known as Villa Au Soleil — is situated on the hills of Lurin with a 180-degree panorama view of St. Jean Baie.

Two terraces look out over the water with a pool and hot tub, and the mansion is surrounded by tropical gardens and a built-in barbecue pit.

The four-bedroom home is currently listed through St. Barth Properties Sotheby's International Realty, and is also available to rent by the week, according to The Real Estalker, making it the perfect vacation home for millionaires.

Steve Martin's Villa Au Soleil home has a 180-degree view of the surrounding St. Jean Baie.

The mansion has glass walls that offer impeccable views of the lush scenery.

There are four bedrooms and four bathrooms throughout the home.

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May auto sales numbers were released today, and major manufacturers offered info on how many vehicles they sold last month.

And it was good news: total vehicle sales in May were 15.24 million at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, up from 14.88 million in April.  This was ahead of consensus estimates for 15.1 million.

Memorial Day sales and Nissan's price cuts helped buoy the numbers after a soft April.

#22: Jeep Grand Cherokee

May sales: 16,034

Change from a year ago: 21 percent

Sticker price: $27,695

Source: Jeep, press release

#21: GMC Sierra

May sales: 16,061

Change from a year ago: 21.7 percent

Sticker price: $23,590

Source: GMC, press release

#20: Jeep Wrangler

May sales: 16,272

Change from a year ago: 13 percent

Sticker price: $22,295

Source: Jeep, press release

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All eyes will be on LeBron James tonight as the Heat and Pacers play Game 7 in Miami as James will have to carry a heavy load if the Heat want to win.

LeBron has been huge in his three career Game 7's, but his record is only 1-2. History is heavily in Miami's favor, however; since 1984, when the NBA adopted its current playoff format, home teams are 16-2.

But if Miami is going to win, LeBron is going to need more help from the rest of the Big Three than he has recently received. If the Big Three continue to be the Big One, chances are high that LeBron could join this list no one wants to be on.

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 1990 Conference Finals

One year before making the leap and winning his first championship, Jordan went for 31 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 93-74 beatdown by the Detroit Pistons. Jordan brought his Batman cape, but Scottie Pippen was yet to don his Robin outfit—he scored two points on 1-10 shooting. 

Kevin Johnson, Phoenix Suns, 1995 Western Conference Semifinals

The current mayor of Sacramento and savior of the Kings played one of the finest games of his career in the 115-114 loss to the Houston Rockets. KJ dropped 46 points, including 21-22 shooting from the free throw line, and ten assists.

John Stockton and Karl Malone, Utah Jazz, 1988 Western Conference Semifinals

The dynamic duo did all they could. Stockton scored 29 points and dropped 20 assists while Malone went for 31 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers used a more well-balanced attack to prevail 109-98. 

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Fitbit's latest gadget is a wearable fitness tracker called the Flex. 

The Flex gives you a ton of information about your daily activities including, steps walked, distance, calories burned, and it can even track your sleep patterns.

One of its coolest features is a silent alarm that wakes you up from sleeping with gentle vibrations so you don't disturb your partner. 

You can read the full review of the Fitbit Flex right here and check out our gallery of hands-on photos below.

The Fitbit Flex is a wearable fitness tracker. It retails for $99.95.

The Flex comes wrapped in a pretty compact package, showcasing the sleek design of the band.

Once you've ripped away all the packaging you'll find this tiny card with instructions on how to set the device up.

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It's a big year for video game consoles. 

Sony's new PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's new Xbox One will launch at the end of the year. Meanwhile, Nintendo's Wii U won't even be a year old by the time its new competitors hit the market.

Here's a quick breakdown of what each console can do. (Besides play games, of course.)

The Xbox One can sync with your cable box and let you watch live TV.

The new Kinect sensor on the Xbox One lets you control the console with your voice. You can use it to change the channel, switch to a video game, or turn the Xbox on.

The Kinect has an HD camera that lets you make Skype video calls from your TV. It's also much better at detecting motion for controlling games.

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Apple products are flawlessly designed and impeccably engineered, and that includes the security tech built into them.

That's because Apple has some of the most highly regarded experts in the business. It's their job to make sure the company's reputation for secure products, free from viruses and such, remains unblemished. 

Apple iOS (the iPhone operating system) is extremely secure because there's a lot of complex tech built in. It's so secure that Apple has been rolling some of its features into OS X, the Mac operating system.

Apple actually sent some of its security experts to speak at last year's Black Hat security conference for the first time in company history. No word yet on whether they'll be making an encore this year. 

In the meantime, we found some of Apple's security experts that are doing important work behind the scenes to make sure malware doesn't become a problem on Macs, iPhones and iPads. 

Ivan Krstić, Core OS Security Architect

Year Joined: 2009

Twitter: @radian

Role At Apple: He's a systems security and architecture expert working on core security for Apple products.

This includes thinking like a hacker and imagine every possible angle they could use in an attack. "I enjoy breaking computers, but I really enjoy making computers hard to break," he explains on his personal blog. 

Background: He's the former director of security architecture for the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, where he developed the Bitfrost security platform. On his personal blog, he describes himself as a "Linux hipster" and a "big believer in open source." 

Shawn Geddis, Enterprise Security Consulting Engineer

Year Joined: 1998

Role At Apple: He helps Apple's enterprise salespeople and customers with product security issues. Also leads Apple's cooperative R&D agreement with the National Security Agency, which began in 2005, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Background: He joined Apple as a senior systems engineer working with federal government and intelligence agencies. He previously spent four years as a systems engineer at DARPA.

Window Snyder, Senior Security Product Manager

Year Joined: 2010

Twitter: @window

Role At Apple: She's leading Apple's efforts to work more closely with security researchers, something it has not done well in the past. She led the Apple security team that gave the company's first-ever talk at the Black Hat security conference last summer. 

Background: She spent three years at Microsoft as a senior security strategist, and two and a half years at Mozilla, where her title was "Chief Security Something-or-Other". She also founded her own company, @stake, and sold it to Symantec in 2004 for $49 million. 

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Even if your battles take place in Martin Place rather than Kings Landing, you may have encountered a Stannis Baratheon or Robb Stark in the workplace.

With the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones Season 3 airing, we asked psychologist Elizabeth Neal and executive coach Iain Crossing where the Westerosi power-grabbers are most likely to find a foothold in today’s organisations and what they should do to be more effective leaders.

Crossing, who consults with major ASX-listed companies, says the fictional monarchs demonstrate traits that all occur, to some extent, at various levels of the management chain.

Only one character has what it takes to be an effective corporate executive. Others may flourish with the right training.

Stannis Baratheon would be a junior manager respected by his subordinates.

Stannis is a blustering leader with powerful allies - the kind of person Crossing says may be found in junior management or senior operational roles in a family-run or semi-government business with no dedicated HR resources and weak governance.

Neal says Stannis is cold, lacks empathy, has a grandiose sense of self-importance and tends to overestimate his abilities. He is authoritarian and is unlikely to go back on decisions, which can lead to negative consequences.

'Stannis has a strong work ethic and is likely to be respected by his subordinates however his need and greed for power allows him to be influenced contrary to his principles,' she notes. 'There certainly are qualities that are promising but there would need to be professional development.'

The psychologists say Stannis would benefit from having a mentor, along with regular coaching to make him less reliant on his allies. He should work on grounding his goals on realistic expectations and timeframes, they say.

Joffrey Baratheon is most likely to get in trouble with HR.

Joffrey was born to power but has never demonstrated any effort or desire to lead, Neal says.

Emotionally unstable, antisocial, immature, unreliable, reckless and irresponsible, Joffrey ‘displays a pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others’, she says.

In a workplace, Joffrey is likely to be verbally abusive; his ‘casual bullying’ will likely drive subordinates to leave the organisation.

Narcissism can make executives more charismatic and isn’t always a bad thing, but the psychologists don’t think Joffrey is likely to respond to professional development programs because his narcissism indicates that he is too insecure to change.

When facing a Joffrey in the workplace, your best bet is to lodge ‘complaints with HR and try get him moved on’, Crossing says.

Robb Stark would be a star employee who rises through the ranks.

Robb was pushed into the job and while inexperienced, has so far been successful on the battlefield by being a collaborative leader.

He leads his northmen with a high degree of integrity, earning their respect and loyalty with higher ideas and moral values.

Of all the would-be monarchs we’ve seen in the HBO TV series so far, Crossing says Robb best fits the archetype of the ‘traditional Aussie battler’ – a manager who has risen through the ranks in a difficult situation.

Crossing says Robb’s hands-on, collaborative approach works well in the lower ranks of management, but he will need to take a wider view if he is to lead a larger organisation.

‘You can definitely be a collaborative leader but what tends to separate people as they move up the leadership ranks is an increasing level of self-belief backing the decisions they make,’ he says.

‘They need to define their vision and think about how to manage politics and culture.’

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