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= Liturgical calendar ( Lutheran ) = The Lutheran liturgical calendar is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by various Lutheran churches . The calendars of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA ) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada ( ELCIC ) are from the 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship and the calendar of Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod ( LCMS ) and the Lutheran Church - Canada use the Lutheran Book of Worship and the 1982 Lutheran Worship . Elements unique to the ELCA have been updated from the Lutheran Book of Worship to reflect changes resulting from the publication of Evangelical Lutheran Worship in 2006 . The elements of the calendar unique to the LCMS have also been updated from Lutheran Worship and the Lutheran Book of Worship to reflect the 2006 publication of the Lutheran Service Book . The basic element to the calendar is Sunday , which is a festival of Jesus ’ resurrection . However , Christian Churches have historically observed other festivals which commemorate events in the life of Jesus or of significant individuals in the history of the Church . The purpose of the liturgical calendar is to guide commemorations as a part of the daily worship of the Lutheran Church . There is some variation associated with the observance of the calendar , as each Lutheran Church creates its own calendar and each congregation must choose independently how many individuals will be commemorated within a given year and how many festivals and lesser festivals they will publicly celebrate , especially if they do not coincide with a Sunday . = = Structure = = The Lutheran calendar operates on two different cycles : the Temporal Cycle and the Sanctoral Cycle . The Temporal Cycle pivots on the festivals of Christmas and Easter . All Sundays , Seasons , and Festivals are related to these festivals . Because Easter varies in date each year based on the vernal equinox and the phases of the moon , it is called a moveable feast ( see : Computus ) . Dates affected by placement of Easter include Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent , the start of Easter itself , Pentecost , and Holy Trinity . Advent , the other pivotal season on the calendar , comes exactly four Sundays before the start of Christmas ( if Christmas falls on a Sunday , that day does not count ) , or the Sunday closest to St. Andrew 's Day ( November 30 ) . Like the other Western Church calendars , the first Sunday of Advent is also the first day of the liturgical year . The Sanctoral Cycle is the fixed daily commemorations of individuals and events not related to the Temporal Cycle of Sundays , Festivals , and Seasons . It is the Sanctoral Cycle which is sometimes thought of as being the “ Calendar of Saints ” of a Church . Beyond their place in the Temporal or Sanctoral Cycles , the events commemorated on the Lutheran liturgical calendar fall into one of three different categories depending upon their liturgical priority : Festivals , Lesser Festivals , and Commemorations . = = = Festivals = = = The Festivals are Nativity , Epiphany , the Baptism of our Lord , the Transfiguration , the Annunciation , Palm Sunday , Easter , the Ascension , Pentecost , Holy Trinity , All Saints , and Christ the King . Most of these festivals are tied to the moveable feast of Easter . Festivals take precedence over all other days , including Sundays , have their own collects and Eucharistic proper prefaces . Of the festivals , Christmas is considered to be twelve days in length ( from December 25 until January 5 ) and Easter is fifty days in length ( from Easter Sunday up to and inclusive of Pentecost ) . For Easter , Sundays are considered to be another part of the festival . For the Ascension which , falling on fortieth day of Easter , will always be on a Thursday , the festival is sometimes transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter in addition to or in place of the normal part of the Easter festival for that day . There is another type of day which , while not a festival , is considered to be equal with a festival . These days , called Days of Special Devotion , are Ash Wednesday and all the days of Holy Week , especially Good Friday . These particular days , like other festivals , automatically take precedence over any event on the calendar and sometimes even over other festivals . A good example of this would be in 2005 when Good Friday and the Annunciation fell on the same day ( March 25 ) . The Annunciation was transferred to March 28 , or the second day of Easter , to make room for Good Friday . The principle of the Church of Sweden is that the Annunciation is celebrated on the Sunday between 21 – 27 March ; although , should Good Friday or any other day of Holy Week , or Easter Sunday or Monday respectively , fall on 25 March , Annunciation is moved to the Sunday before Palm Sunday . ( For instance , in 2003 Annunciation was celebrated on 13 March ; 2008 ( when Easter Sunday was 23 March ) it was celebrated on the 9th . ) One unique feature of the ELCA calendar is that it has given congregations the options of two dates for the Transfiguration . Following most other Western Churches , the ELCA moved the Transfiguration from its August 6 date to the Last Sunday after Epiphany ( the Sunday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday ) as an option to the traditional Last Sunday after Epiphany in an effort to encourage a wider observance of the Transfiguration within congregations . However , the traditional date of August 6 was left on the calendar . Congregations were given the option of observing Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany and August 6 , thus leaving open the possibility that the Transfiguration could be commemorated twice within a calendar year . In Sweden , Transfiguration Day is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday , which is the eighth Sunday after Pentecost . = = = Lesser Festivals = = = These are days which are associated with the life of Christ or the Apostles and deserve attention in their own right . Lesser Festivals do not have priority over festivals and technically do not have precedence over ordinary Sundays . However , the Lutheran Book of Worship does permit the celebration of a Lesser Festival on Sundays where the normal color of the day would be green ( that is , seasons after Epiphany or after Pentecost ) or on the Sundays in Christmas . This is abrogated for patronal festivals ( that is , the day commemorating the saint or event for which a congregation is named ) provided that they do not take place in Lent , Advent , or Easter , in which case they must also be transferred to the next convenient weekday . Most Lesser Festivals have their own collects and a few , such as All Saints , have their own proper . = = = Commemorations = = = Commemorations are for individuals or events which have been noteworthy in the life of the Church and in the history of Lutheranism in particular . These days do not take precedence over any other festival day , and if there is a conflict between a commemoration and a festival of any other rank , the commemoration is generally transferred to the next open weekday . If a commemoration falls on a Sunday where the color of the day is green , the collect for which that individual or event belong to could be said before the daily collect / prayer of the day or in place of it . For example , if September 13 fell on a Sunday and there was a desire to commemorate St. John Chrysostom , the pastor would recite the common of theologians and then the prayer of the day or the common of theologians on its own . The person may also be mentioned by name in the prayers of the faithful in addition to recitation of the applicable collect . Finally , their lives might be summarized or their teachings related to the day 's lessons in some way . In cases of conflict between commemorations ( for example , November 11 with St. Martin of Tours and Søren Kierkegaard ) , there is no order of precedence , and individual worship planners need to choose which commemoration , if any , to highlight . In some cases , several individuals are listed together ( June 14 with St. Basil the Great , St. Gregory the Theologian , and St. Gregory of Nyssa ) because of their close association with each other , and they are thus designed to be commemorated jointly , not as a choice between one or the other . The schedule of commemorations within the ELCA has been specifically designed so that there is at least one person on the calendar from each century so as to emphasize the continuity of Christian tradition . Clearly , some centuries have more commemorations than others , the largest number of persons commemorated being in the first four centuries of Christian history and immediately following the Reformation . This leaves the space from the 5th to the 15th centuries and the 16th to the 20th centuries rather sparse ; nevertheless , it is an improvement over some calendars wherein only a very few persons , all from the patristic or Reformation periods , were commemorated . ¢ † ‡ = = Liturgical colors = = The service books of Lutheran Churches designate specific colors for events which are listed on the liturgical calendars and the seasons which are a part of the Temporal Cycle . This color is sometimes known as “ the color of the day . ” The Lutheran Church generally follows the color scheme which is used by other churches in Western Christianity since Lutheranism has historically been linked with the Roman Catholic Church . The color of the day dictates the color of the vestments for all ministers and the color of paraments . White is the color designated for Festivals of Christ , with gold sometimes offered as an alternative for the first days of Easter . Festivals for which white is the color of the day include : Christmas ( all twelve days ) Epiphany The Baptism of our Lord ( First Sunday after Epiphany ) Transfiguration ( Last Sunday after Epiphany and / or August 6 ) Easter ( all days except Pentecost ) Holy Trinity Christ the King White is also used as the color for anyone commemorated on the calendar who was not martyred and is the color appointed for funerals regardless of whatever the color of the day might otherwise be . Purple is commonly used for the season of Lent . It is also optional for use during Advent , though blue is the preferred color for this season because of its hopeful connotations rather than the penitential character implied by purple and its association with Lent . Red is used for the commemorations of martyrs and is used on the Day of Pentecost . Scarlet is also used for Holy Week , though purple is also allowed . Black ( with purple as an alternative ) may be used on Ash Wednesday . The only day which does not have a color is Good Friday , when all the paraments are traditionally removed from the church . The color for Holy Saturday is white or gold since it is the day when the Great Vigil of Easter is celebrated , though until the vigil , the church would remain void of paraments . = = Historical development = = Liturgical calendars began to be developed in Christianity around the fourth century , with the church calendar as it is known today coming into full development in the period of the medieval sacramentaries . While Sunday had long been established in the weekly calendar , festivals such as Easter and Christmas were also a fixed part of the calendar by this time . The ninth century also saw the inclusion of numerous saints in the calendar ( a practice already begun by the second century ) , even to the point that normal Sunday propers were taking place over those normally appointed for Sunday . The Lutheran calendar owes much to the proliferation of commemorations of the medieval calendars of Western Christianity . = = = Reformation era = = = All of the Reformers attempted to reduce the number of individual commemorations and “ saint ’ s days ” , though this reduction was sometimes more drastic than others . In the case of the Lutheran churches , most of the saints ' days were removed ( with the exception of some New Testament personages ) , though the basic temporal cycle of the calendar remained more or less intact . In some instances , a celebration of the Reformation was added to October 31 , the first instance being the church order prepared by Johannes Bugenhagen , though other churches selected alternative dates , including June 25 , the anniversary of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession . The commemoration of the Reformation quickly died out before the Thirty Years War . = = = = In Germany = = = = The content of the liturgical calendar ( like the content of the liturgy itself ) was the responsibility of territory in which the church was found . Thus , there was a different order for Saxony , one for Prussia , one for Hesse , and one for Wittenberg , among others . Despite their differences , the calendars and liturgies maintained significant similarities between each other as well as the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church . The church year continued to begin with the First Sunday of Advent ( which was still fixed based on the traditional formula ) , and many of the festivals surrounding Christmas ( St. Stephen , St. John , the Holy Innocents ) remained in place , even if they were often ignored . Epiphany also continued to be celebrated as the visit of the Magi , though Martin Luther preferred to commemorate the baptism of Christ . Brandenburg and Calenburg and Göttingen retained Lent and the fasting days associated with the season . They also retained the violet or black vestments for the penitential season . However , popular devotions such as the blessing of palms or the imposition of ashes were suppressed in most church orders , despite the fact that a number of them had retained Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent . Good Friday , while kept with solemnity , was often a celebration of Holy Communion , thus less somber than the contemporary Roman Catholic Church . And while Easter had been a common day of communion in the church before the reformation , “ the reformers tried to prevent too many communions on this day , and instead urged the faithful to receive it on various Sundays throughout the year . ” The Reformation also saw the development of a new “ festival ” connected to Easter , where the second Sunday became popularly known as “ Good Shepherd Sunday ” based on the opening of the psalm appointed for the day , Misericordia domini or “ Goodness of the Lord ” . In addition , Corpus Christi was commonly retained until about 1600 , owing to its significant popularity in the Medieval period . While many saints were removed from liturgical calendars by the reformers , some were nevertheless retained . St. Ansgar was commemorated in Halberstadt and Nordligen with a special thanksgiving service on the Sunday after 3 February , no doubt because of the saint ’ s historic connection to the area . The same was true of Elizabeth of Thuringia in the Schweinfurth Order , and St. George was also commemorated in Nordlingen . Festivals of the apostles and evangelists were also found on Lutheran calendars of the era , but were not always observed if they fell on a day other than Sunday . Some of the Marian festivals , notably the Nativity of Mary ( September 8 ) and her Assumption ( August 15 ) were retained by Luther whereas the feasts of her conception and presentation in the Temple were suppressed “ because they were judged to have no scriptural or dogmatic interest . ” = = = = In Scandinavian countries = = = = When the Lutheran Reformation was brought to Sweden from Germany via Denmark after the election of Gustav Vasa in 1523 , the movement from the start had its own distinct characteristics . The development of Swedish liturgy was , in part , thanks to Olavus Petri , which is sometimes regarded as his most important work . His Swedish Mass , 1531 remained in use , with only slight modifications , until the twentieth century . The Swedish Mass draws from a number of different sources , though Luther ’ s Formulae Missae is apparent in regards to the Eucharistic structure This included revising the calendar along similar lines as those in Germany . Laurentius Petri further revised the Swedish Mass 1557 . In large part , the Swedish liturgy retained “ vestments , altars and frontals , gold and silver chalices and patens ” and many other “ popish ” customs . Following Laurentius ’ death in 1573 , King John III embarked on a separate , though similar , religious policy more conciliatory towards Catholicism . Much of his work was in the area of liturgy and his Nova Ordinantia reinstated much of the sanctoral cycle from the Old Swedish Mass , reviving the feasts of St. Mary Magdalene , St. Lawrence , Corpus Christi , and the Assumption and Nativity of the Virgin Mary . Many of John ’ s reforms were controversial . = = = Modern era = = = The majority of calendars between the start of the Reformation and the 20th century were quite minimal in their commemorations . Most included events such as the Annunciation or persons such as Saint Paul , these days often went unobserved despite scrupulous attention to the temporal cycle . Even further , the commemoration of some biblical persons of note ( including the Virgin Mary ) were often omitted entirely . During the 20th century , especially at the instigation of the liturgical movement , familiar saints began make a reemergence onto the calendar , along with newer names and events . = = = = The calendar in Europe = = = = Many of the changes to the calendar that had accompanied the Reformation remained in place during the subsequent centuries . In Saxony in the eighteenth century , in addition to chief festivals of Christmas , Easter , and Pentecost , a number of festivals were also celebrated with Vespers and Holy Communion , including Saint Stephen , Saint John , the Circumcision , Epiphany , Purification of Mary , the Annunciation , the Ascension , Holy Trinity , Nativity of Saint John the Baptist , the Visitation ( on July 2 ) , and Saint Michael ( on September 29 ) . When Holy Communion was celebrated , a chasuble was used in the color of the day , though especially at Lepzig , these colors were different from the ones normally used today . In the twentieth century , Lutherans in Europe came under the influence of the Liturgical Movement and many Lutheran churches adopted new calendars and rubrics similar to the Roman Calendar as revised by Vatican II . The Swedish Church also experienced a similar reform of its liturgy and calendar during this same period . = = = = The calendar in North America = = = = When Lutherans came to North America , they brought with them their disparate liturgical traditions . The Pennsylvania Ministerium composed the first liturgy for North America , including its calendar along somewhat minimal lines . However , since the last quarter of the nineteenth century , the calendar within North American Lutheran churches has been expanding . In 1868 , four chief festivals in the Church Book were Christmas , New Year ’ s Day , Epiphany , and Reformation Day , with Easter and Pentecost being considered a separate category because they invariably fell on Sunday . The Church Book also included several minor festivals , including festivals for all the Apostles , and the Annunciation . The Common Service Book ( 1918 ) also expanded the calendar to help congregations determine which days took priority over others in cases of coincidence . It added to the calendar the Sundays of Advent , Transfiguration ( last Sunday after Epiphany ) , Septuagesima , Sexagesima , Quinquagesima , Ash Wednesday , Sundays in Lent , all days in Holy Week , Ascension and the following Sunday , and Holy Trinity . It also included All Saints , and Saints Mark and Luke , both of which were omitted from the Church Book . The Service Book and Hymnal ( 1941 ) also moved the Transfiguration to August 6 and added Holy Innocents to the calendar . The previous North American calendar of the ELCA was different from its European counterparts in that it does not give equal weight ( and sometimes gives no mention ) to persons who may be commemorated in Scandinavian regions . One example would be the absence of St. Lucia on December 13 , although she enjoys particular popularity in Sweden . But Lutheran calendars also differ amongst one another in North America , with some individuals commemorated on multiple calendars but on different days ( e.g. , St. Bernard of Clairvaux on August 19 in the LCMS and August 20 in the ELCA ) or individuals commemorated on one calendar and not the other ( e.g. , Martin Luther King , Jr. on January 15 for the ELCA and C. F. W. Walther on May 7 for the LCMS ) ; with the 2006 publication of Evangelical Lutheran Worship ( ELW ) as a replacement to the Lutheran Book of Worship ( LBW ) , some of these deficiencies in the ELCA calendar have been corrected . Within the ELCA , This Far by Faith and Libro de Liturgia y Cantico both prescribe calendars with additional commemorations specific to the ethnic communities they were intended to be used in ( African Americans and Latinos respectively ) . The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has a different , somewhat minimized calendar when compared the LCMS and especially the ELCA . = = Differences from other calendars = = The Lutheran calendar is most similar to the calendar of The Episcopal Church and thus to the Anglican Calendar of Saints , though it also bears resemblance to the Roman Calendar of Saints because it commemorates many of the same individuals . However , the Lutheran calendar differs from both in two very significant ways , aside from its emphasis on commemorating persons important to the Lutheran tradition . First , the Lutheran calendar , while commemorating many of the same events or persons , often does so on different days from either calendar ( St. Cyprian of Carthage on September 16 for Lutherans , but September 13 in the Episcopal Church ) . In other cases ( such as St. Valentine on February 14 ) , individuals who have long standing within Western Christianity are not mentioned in the Lutheran calendar , or are only mentioned in the calendars of some Lutheran churches . Furthermore , some Lutheran calendars ( such as that of the LCMS ) still venerate individuals whose commemorations have been suppressed in other Western Churches . Finally , the Lutheran calendar commemorates persons or events ( such as the presentation of the Augsburg Confession on June 25 ) which are not commemorated in any other Christian calendar because of their specific importance to the Lutheran Church . In general , like the Anglican counterpart , the Lutheran calendar has taken on many of the precedents established by the post @-@ Vatican II reforms of the liturgy in the Roman Catholic Church . The other significant difference is that the Lutheran calendar commemorates a wider variety of individuals than does either of its counterparts . Included on the calendar are musicians and artists who are associated with the Church , but are not typically thought of as “ saints ” in the classical sense . The intent is to provide a wider venue for commemoration of outstanding individuals who have served the Church through their vocations rather than simply commemorating the outstanding among the religious . The calendar for the ELCA is similar to many other Western Calendars in that it does not commemorate any persons from the Old Testament . The calendars of the Orthodox Churches have Old Testament individuals , and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod has done the same . At one point there was a proposal to include a day on the Episcopal Church calendar ( which was taken into consideration by the Inter @-@ Lutheran Commission on Worship in developing the Lutheran Book of Worship ) for Old Testament saints following the octave of All Saints ( November 8 ) , but this idea was ultimately rejected as tokenism . = = " Saints " in the liturgical calendar = = There is also no use of the title " saint " for anyone other than biblical persons ( and even then the title is used with a certain degree of exclusivity ) . This is to prevent oddities of convention ( such as St. Nicolaus Copernicus ) as well as to underline the Lutheran emphasis on the priesthood of all believers . Nevertheless , individuals who typically have " saint " affixed to their given name are still referred to as such in common discourse ( so that Francis of Assisi would still be called " St. Francis " rather than just " Francis " ) . In the New Testament , all Christians are referred to as saints . However , the use of " saint " as a title for an individual who had led a good and exemplary life or who had been martyred began to develop in Christianity . By the time of the Reformation , the use of " saint " was almost exclusively the restrictive , titular sense . One of the effects of the Reformation was to eliminate the abuses of the cult of saints , and as a result , it is a common misconception that Lutherans do not have ( or rather , do not venerate ) saints . However , the confessional documents of the Lutheran Church , particularly the Augsburg Confession , accept both the general and particular use of the word saints . In regards to the titular sense , the Augsburg Confession commends that " it should be taught among us that saints should be kept in remembrance so that our faith may be strengthened when we see what grace they received and how they were sustained in faith . Moreover , their good works are to be an example for us , each of us in his own calling . " Article XXI of The Apology to the Augsburg Confession goes further to describe three types of honor which are due to the saints and acknowledgment that the saints pray for the Church . However , the Augsburg Confession opposes prayer to saints , stating , " Scripture does not teach calling on the saints or pleading for help from them . For it sets before us Christ alone as mediator , atoning sacrifice , high priest , and intercessor . "
= Death of Abdulredha Buhmaid = Abdulredha Mohamed Hasan Buhmaid ( or Buhamaid , Arabic : عبدالرضا محمد حسن بوحميد ) was a 28 @-@ year @-@ old Bahraini protester shot by a live bullet in the head on 18 February 2011 . He died in hospital three days later , the seventh death in the Bahraini uprising . Buhmaid was among a group of protesters who on 18 February marched toward the Pearl Roundabout following the funeral procession of protester Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima , who was killed four days earlier . When the protesters neared Pearl Roundabout , the army opened fire . Buhmaid collapsed to the ground , and blood poured from his head after it was hit by a bullet . The army opened fire twice more . Protesters regrouped after each round of shooting . Riot police finally intervened and dispersed protesters . Over one hundred protesters were injured , some seriously . Buhmaid was taken to Salmaniya hospital where attempts to revive him failed over the course of three days . He died on the afternoon of 21 February . Several witnesses including journalists and medics accused authorities of shooting directly at protesters , preventing some ambulances from reaching the site and firing at others . The government however , denied those statements . It stated that warning shots were fired in the air and accused protesters of faking injuries . An investigation by a government @-@ appointed commission of inquiry blamed the army for Buhmaid 's death . The incident marked the first time that the Royal Bahraini Army was used to confront civilians , and at the time was considered " the bloodiest " incident since protests erupted . Following the incident , the government offered dialogue which the opposition said they will only take part in after the withdrawal of the army . The general labor union called for a general strike . Internationally , the attack on protesters was condemned by Barack Obama and Human Rights Watch . High Representative of European Union expressed her deep concerns and called for restrain and immediate dialogue . Britain revoked over forty arms licenses to Bahrain after an earlier announcement that it would review them and German president canceled a planned visit to the country . Buhmaid is remembered by the opposition as a martyr , leader and symbol of peacefulness . = = Short biography = = Buhmaid ( or Buhamaid , 28 ) was married and had three children . He lived in Malkiya , south west of Manama . According to his wife , he had strong ties with his brothers . In an interview with the Bahraini newspaper Al Wasat , she said he used to take part in any political event in his area . " He was hoping to be Malkiya 's first martyr and so he became " , she added . = = Background = = Inspired by the successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia , protests erupted in Bahrain on 14 February . During the day named as the Day of Rage , over 6 @,@ 000 people participated in fifty @-@ five demonstrations and political rallies in twenty @-@ five different locations throughout Bahrain . Security forces responded to protests by firing tear gas , rubber bullets , sound bombs and birdshot . More than thirty protesters were injured and Ali Mushaima died as a result of birdshot injury in his back . The following day , during the deceased funeral , another protester was killed the same way . Angry protesters marched to and occupied Pearl Roundabout . By nightfall , their numbers had swelled to over 10 @,@ 000 . On 16 February , thousands of protesters continued to occupy Pearl Roundabout . On 17 February ( later referred to as the Bloody Thursday ) , police launched a pre @-@ dawn raid on sleeping protesters . Four protesters were killed and more than 300 were injured bringing the number of those killed in the events to six . Health workers and a journalist were allegedly attacked by security forces . The army was deployed following clearance of Pearl roundabout which then set up checkpoints and barriers . The Interior Ministry issued a warning to stay off the streets , and the army warned that it was ready to take " punitive measures " to restore order . Protesters resorted to Salmaniya Hospital 's car parks where thousands of them protested against the government . All 18 Members of Parliament from Al Wefaq , the only opposition political party represented in Parliament , submitted their resignations . = = Incident = = On 18 February , over 50 @,@ 000 participated in the funerals of crackdown victims . One was held in Al Daih , another in Karzakan . The largest however , was in Sitra . At about 4 : 46 in the afternoon , about a thousand protesters , most of them young men who participated in Al Daih funeral of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima marched toward Manama , defying the government ban on gatherings . By 5 : 18 they had reached a road junction ; to the right was Salmaniya hospital and to the left Pearl Roundabout . They turned left after a short pause . On their way , they clashed with riot police who withdrew from the site . Protesters continued their march removing barriers set by police a day ago . By 5 : 30 protesters were 80 to 200 meters away from army forces stationed in Pearl Roundabout which " were armed with M16 assault rifles , Dilmun rifles and Browning .50 calibre machine guns mounted on top of armoured vehicles " . The protest was peaceful and protesters were " holding their hands in the air and chanting ' peaceful , peaceful ' " . Some were holding flowers . As protesters continued marching , army troops opened fire . Abdulredha Buhmaid was among the protesters . He was shot by a bullet in the head , collapsed to the ground and in the words of a witness , " blood was rushing from his head " . Others sustained severe injuries inflicted by gunshots , two of whom also fell to the ground . Several eyewitnesses said army troops " gave no warning " , but one witness said he heard them issue a warning several minutes after the initial shooting . Another witness said they heard a " faint voice of someone over a loudspeaker in the distance but could not make out what the speaker was saying " . Most protesters ran after hearing gunshots and a helicopter chased them . After shooting stopped , protesters regrouped . One youth picked a rock and headed toward the army , only to be stopped by four other protesters . A witness interviewed by Physicians for Human Rights said that he and other protesters moved closer to army forces following the initial shooting . According to him he asked " Why do you shoot us ? We had our hands up . We are peaceful . What do you want from us ? " , one soldier replied " I want you to leave . If you do not turn back , I have orders to shoot " . Arriving ambulances started evacuating the injured when army opened fire again . When the shooting stopped , about fifty protesters started praying on the road , and few stood in front facing the army with their hands in the air . The army opened fire for a third time . The period of each shooting was short , because " people immediately started running away " , witnesses said . After that , riot police intervened , firing tear gas and birdshot to disperse protesters , inflicting more injuries among them . A cameraman working for the Associated Press said he saw " army units shooting anti @-@ aircraft weapons , fitted on top of armored personnel carriers , above the protesters in apparent warning shots and attempts to drive them back from security cordons " . Bahraini photojournalist Mazen Mahdi said that the army shot " live fire from machine guns " and that paramedics were blocked from helping the wounded . " The first was a warning shot in the air . But after that , they just opened fire at the people ... They shot at the ambulances when they came in " , he added . A senior emergencies researcher and medics interviewed by Human Rights Watch confirmed that some of the twelve ambulances sent were prevented by security forces from reaching the site . The Daily Telegraph said ambulances and paramedics " were shot at " and that " several were detained and at least one ambulance was impounded " . Michael Slackman of The New York Times reported that he and a colleague were " shot at from a helicopter " shortly after army opened fire on protesters . Associated Press witnesses , The Daily Telegraph , and The New York Times mentioned that army personnel positioned in high buildings and helicopters fired on protesters . Jalal Firooz , resigned MP of Al Wefaq , Bahrain 's main opposition party , said he saw soldiers fire on protesters . A report by three local rights groups mentioned that " photos of the injuries suggest that army aimed at the upper body area " . Riot police chased down protesters who fled to Salmaniya , Bahrain 's main hospital . Security forces backed off after initially advancing toward the hospital and firing tear gas into it . That night , over seven thousand protesters staged an anti @-@ government sit @-@ in in hospital parks , described by The Guardian as " the only place in Manama where they now feel safe to gather in numbers " . The incident marked the first time that the Royal Bahraini Army was used to confront civilians , and at the time was considered " the bloodiest " incident since protests erupted . = = = Casualties = = = At least 120 people were injured according to medical officials . Salmaniya hospital was " overwhelmed " with casualties , some of whom were taken to private hospitals . Doctors said that nine of the thirty @-@ two casualties who reached Salmaniya hospital were in critical condition . Some medics cried while treating the injured , some of whom had bullets still lodged into their bodies , X @-@ rays showed . A doctor interviewed by Al Jazeera English pleaded for help from " all countries in the world " . Describing the situation in hospital as a war , Dr. Ghassan said , " They are shooting at people 's heads . Not at the legs . People are having their brains blown out " . Two doctors said they treated patients who " seemed to be [ injured by ] live bullets rather than shotgun pellets , judging by the entry and exit holes " . Buhmaid was taken to Salmaniya hospital . Blood was still " pouring from his head and he was unconscious " . He was " clinging to life " in intensive care unit where doctors " struggled to stop his bleeding " . " This is a bullet , gunshot wound , direct to his head and he 's bleeding profusely from his nose , from his ear , his brain is shattered into pieces " , said a doctor . Buhmaid 's " brain was destroyed , but his body was still alive " . His clinical death prompted a nurse on 20 February to smash a glass @-@ framed image of the Prime Minister . Remaining in ICU for three days , Buhmaid was medically declared to be dead early in the afternoon of 21 February , becoming the seventh victim of the uprising . Listing him under " Deaths Attributed to Security Forces " , the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry appointed by King Hamad to investigate the events stated that Buhmaid 's death " may be attributed to the BDF [ army ] " while also referring to the contrary result of the military investigation . = = = Government account = = = On the night of 18 February , Fasial al @-@ Hamar , then the Minister of Health , issued a press release aired on the national TV which denied there had been any deaths . He said the situation at Salmaniya hospital was calm and that only seven people were being treated for minor injuries . He also warned against what he called " rumors " spread in some satellite channels and websites . Bahrain 's ambassador to the United States said that if army forces did fire live ammunition , " Probably they were warning shots only " . " The forces that were used were proportional according to the law , they were legal , they were necessary because they were stopping the shops . The economy was hurting , the national economy . We had to take action and action was taken by the law , " he added . However he admitted protesters did not use live rounds and promised that " Investigations will happen . And they will continue " . The army said that protesters defied its orders to evacuate the area . According to its statement , after at least fifteen minutes of repeating the same orders , soldiers fired warning shots to the air . It also alleged that protesters were accompanied by " a line of ambulances " out of which they took blood bags to " feign that they had been injured " . Military prosecutors carried out an investigation and concluded that the trajectory of the bullet that killed Buhmaid were inconsistent with the bullet having been shot by the BDF , on the basis of an ordnance expert 's report that concluded the shot was fired from a high elevation . = = Aftermath = = Following the incident , the government offered dialogue with opposition and ordered army to withdraw from Pearl Roundabout . On 19 February , army troops were replaced by riot police . Hundreds of protesters moved to the site from different locations . A standoff between protesters and riot police was created , until the latter suddenly moved away . Thousands of protesters re @-@ occupied the site following police withdrawal . = = = Funeral = = = Buhmaid 's funeral was held on 22 February in his village , Malkiya . Over 9 @,@ 000 participated in the funeral procession which started from roundabout 13 in Hamad Town and ended in Malkiya graveyard . At the same day during afternoon , over 100 @,@ 000 participated in a protest dubbed " March of loyalty to martyrs " in honor of the seven victims of the uprising . = = = Medics ' trial = = = In May 2011 , 47 doctors , nurses , and dentists were charged for their actions during the uprising . One of the charges was conducting unnecessary operations to Buhmaid , which led to his death . In a press conference , Minister of Justice said " Buhmaid was shot in the head and he underwent a surgery in the presence of the media . His head had been open in an exaggerated manner , which led to his death " . = = Reactions = = = = = Domestic = = = Buhmaid 's family said they were sad for his death , but their pride had overcome it . Appearing on the national TV , the crown prince authorized by his father , the king , offered unconditional dialogue with opposition . He offered " condolences to the people of Bahrain for the painful days they are living " and asked them to remain calm . Opposition activists demanded withdrawal of army and resignation of government for the dialogue to begin . " [ There is no ] serious will for dialogue because the military is in the streets " , said Matar Matar , resigned MP of Al Wefaq . The general labor union called for an indefinite general strike " unless the army is pulled out from the streets and peaceful demonstrations are permitted " . = = = International = = = Barack Obama criticized the government actions . In reference to government of Bahrain and Yemen , he said " The United States condemns the use of violence by governments against peaceful protesters in those countries and wherever else it may occur " . Catherine Ashton , the High Representative of European Union demanded " restraint " from all parties and said that report of violence " deeply concerned " her . She called for dialogue to begin " without delay " . The United Kingdom revoked forty four arm licenses to Bahrain , twenty of them open licenses . Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said " We are deeply concerned about the situation in Bahrain and the events which have led to the deaths of several protesters " . German president canceled a planned trip to the country . " Freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in Bahrain have to be fully guaranteed " , a spokesman quoted him saying . Lawrence Cannon , then Canada 's Foreign Minister called the Bahraini government to " exercise restraint " and lunch an investigation into protesters ' deaths . " Canada urges Bahrain to respect its citizens ' rights to freedom of expression and assembly , and to engage in peaceful dialogue with its people to address their concerns " , he added . Human Rights Watch condemned the attack . " The Bahraini army has done what the Egyptian army did not do and exactly what the United States and its other partners urged it not to do -- it has opened fire on its own people , " its Washington director said . Fareed Zakaria , CNN 's international affairs analyst , said that the crackdown on protesters was a " rash move that will enrage many of its people and cost the regime international prestige " . " This is a terrible mistake and they will pay a heavy price for it . The regime in Bahrain is doing something very rash and unwise ; it is trying to respond by using force and punitive measures . This is not going to work in the end " , he added . = = Legacy = = Buhmaid was the first person named a " field commander " by February 14 Youth Coalition , which also named their attempt to reoccupy Pearl Roundabout in the first anniversary of the uprising , " operation of the martyr leader Abdulredha Buhmaid " . His death was described by the online opposition newspaper , Bahrain Mirror , as a " legendary scene that will remain forever in the conscience of humanity " . A poster found in two articles of the aforementioned newspaper described Buhmaid as " the martyr who brought down an army with his peacefulness " . Speaking to participants of a sit @-@ in front of United Nations building in Manama on 22 February 2012 , Ahlam al @-@ Khuza 'e of Al Wefaq said that shooting scene of Buhmaid was " the top manifestation of peacefulness " . On 29 February , opposition parties organized a gathering in Malkiya to honor Buhmaid . Thousands participated in the gathering including Isa Qassim , Bahrain Shias ' top religious figure .
= South India = South India is the area encompassing the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of Andaman and Nicobar , Lakshadweep and Puducherry , occupying 19 @.@ 31 % of India 's area ( 635 @,@ 780 km2 or 245 @,@ 480 sq mi ) . Covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau , South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east , the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south . The geography of the region is diverse with two mountain ranges - the Western and Eastern Ghats , bordering the plateau heartland . Godavari , Krishna , Kaveri , Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non @-@ perennial sources of water . Bangalore , Chennai , Hyderabad , Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas . Majority of the people in South India speak one of the four major Dravidian languages : Telugu , Tamil , Kannada and Malayalam . During its history , a number of dynastic kingdoms ruled over parts of South India whose invasions across southern and southeastern Asia impacted the history and culture in those regions . Major dynasties that were established in South India include the Cheras , Cholas , Pandyas , Pallavas , Satavahanas , Chalukyas , Rashtrakutas and Vijayanagara . European countries entered India through Kerala and the region was colonised by Britain and other nations . After experiencing fluctuations in the decades immediately after Indian independence , the economies of South Indian states have registered higher than national average growth over the past three decades . While South Indian states have improved in some socio @-@ economic metrics , poverty continues to affect the region much like the rest of the country , although it has considerably decreased over the years . HDI in southern states is high and the economy has undergone growth at a faster rate than most northern states . Literacy rates in southern states is higher than the national average with approximately 80 % of the population capable of reading and writing . The fertility rate in South India is 1 @.@ 9 , the lowest of all regions in India . = = Etymology = = South India also known as Peninsular India has been known by several other names . The term " Deccan " referring to the area covered by the Deccan Plateau that covers most of peninsular India excluding the coastal areas is an anglicised form of the word Prakrit dakkhin derived from the Sanskrit word dakshina meaning south . Carnatic derived from " Karnād " or " Karunād " meaning high country has also been associated with South India . = = History = = = = = Ancient era = = = Carbon dating on ash mounds associated with Neolithic cultures in South India date back to 8000 BCE . Artefacts such as ground stone axes , and minor copper objects have been found in the region . Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE , iron technology spread through the region ; however , there does not appear to be a fully developed Bronze Age preceding the Iron Age in South India . The region was in the middle of a trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu linking the Mediterranean and East Asia . Trade with Phoenicians , Romans , Greeks , Arabs , Syrians , Jews and Chinese began from the Sangam period ( c . 3rd century BC to c . 4th century AD ) . The region was part of the ancient Silk Road connecting the Asian continent in the East and the West . Several dynasties such as the Cheras of Karuvur , the Pandyas of Madurai , the Cholas of Thanjavur , the Satavahanas of Amaravati , the Pallavas of Kanchi , the Kadambas of Banavasi , the Western Gangas of Kolar , the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta , the Chalukyas of Badami , the Hoysalas of Belur and the Kakatiyas of Orugallu ruled over the region from 6th century B.C. to 14th century A.D. The Vijayanagara Empire , founded in 14th century A.D. was the last Indian dynasty that ruled over the region . After repeated invasions from the Sultanate of Delhi and the fall of Vijayanagara empire in 1646 , the region was ruled by Deccan Sultanates , polygars and Nayak governors of Vijayanagara empire who declared independence . = = = Colonial era = = = The Europeans arrived in the 15th century and by the middle of the 18th century , the French and the British were involved in a protracted struggle for military control over South India . After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo @-@ Mysore War in 1799 and the end of the Vellore Mutiny in 1806 , the British consolidated their power over much of present @-@ day South India with the exception of French Pondichéry . The British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857 . During the British colonial rule , the region was divided into the Madras Presidency , Hyderabad state , Mysore , Travancore , Kochi , Vizianagaram and a number of other minor princely states . The region played a major role in the Indian independence movement ; of the 72 delegates who participated in the first session of the Indian National Congress at Bombay in December 1885 , 22 hailed from South India . = = = Post Independence = = = After the independence of India in 1947 , the region was organised into four states : Madras State , Mysore State , Hyderabad State and Travancore @-@ Cochin . The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 reorganised the states on linguistic lines resulting in the creation of the new states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu . As a result of this Act , Madras State retained its name and Kanyakumari district was added to it from the state of Travancore @-@ Cochin . The state was subsequently renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968 . Andhra Pradesh was created through the merger of Andhra State with the Telugu @-@ speaking districts of the Hyderabad State in 1956 . Kerala emerged from the merger of Malabar district and the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara districts of the Madras State with Travancore @-@ Cochin . Mysore State was re @-@ organised with the addition of districts of Bellary and South Canara ( excluding Kasaragod talukNote 1 ) and the Kollegal taluk of Coimbatore district from the Madras State , the districts of Belgaum , Bijapur , North Canara and Dharwad from the Bombay State , the Kannada @-@ majority districts of Bidar , Raichur and Gulbarga from the Hyderabad State and the province of Coorg . Mysore State was renamed as Karnataka in 1973 . The Union territory of Puducherry was created in 1954 comprising the previous French enclaves of Pondichérry , Karaikal , Yanam and Mahé . The Laccadive Islands , which were divided between South Canara and Malabar districts of Madras State , were united and organised into the union territory of Lakshadweep . Telangana was created on 2 June 2014 by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh and it comprises ten districts of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh . ^ Taluk is a smaller administrative division than a district = = Geography = = South India is a peninsula in the shape of an inverted triangle bound by the Arabian Sea on the west , by the Bay of Bengal on the east and Vindhya and Satpura ranges on the north . The Narmada river flows westwards in the depression between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges which define the northern spur of the Deccan plateau . The Western Ghats run parallel along the western coast and the narrow strip of land between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea forms the Konkan region . The Western Ghats continue south until Kanyakumari . The Eastern Ghats run parallel along the eastern coast and the strip of land between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal forms the Coromandel region . Both the ranges meet at the Nilgiri mountains . The Nilgiris run in a crescent approximately along the borders of Tamil Nadu with northern Kerala and Karnataka , encompassing the Palakkad and Wayanad hills and the Sathyamangalam ranges , extending on to the relatively low @-@ lying hills of the Eastern Ghats on the western portion of the Tamil Nadu – Andhra Pradesh border forming the Tirupati and Annamalai hills . The low lying coral islands of Lakshadweep are situated off the south @-@ western coast of India . The Andaman and Nicobar islands lie far off the eastern coast of India . The Palk Strait and the chain of low sandbars and islands known as Rama 's Bridge separate the region from Sri Lanka , which lies off the south @-@ eastern coast . The southernmost tip of mainland India is at Kanyakumari where the Indian Ocean meets the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea . The Deccan plateau is the elevated region bound by the mountain ranges . The plateau rises to 100 metres ( 330 ft ) in the north and to more than 1 kilometre ( 0 @.@ 62 mi ) in the south , forming a raised triangle within the downward @-@ pointing triangle of the Indian subcontinent 's coastline . It also slopes gently from West to East resulting in major rivers arising in the Western Ghats and flowing east into the Bay of Bengal . The volcanic basalt beds of the Deccan were laid down in the massive Deccan Traps eruption , which occurred towards the end of the Cretaceous period between 67 and 66 million years ago . Layer after layer was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted 30 @,@ 000 years and when the volcanoes became extinct , they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table . The plateau is watered by east flowing rivers Godavari , Krishna , Kaveri and Vaigai . The major tributaries include Pennar , Tungabhadra , Bhavani and Thamirabarani . = = Climate = = The region has a tropical climate and depends on monsoons for rainfall . According to the Köppen climate classification , it has a non @-@ arid climate with minimum mean temperatures of 18 ° C ( 64 ° F ) . The most humid is the tropical monsoon climate characterised by moderate to high year @-@ round temperatures and seasonal heavy rainfall above 2 @,@ 000 mm ( 79 in ) per year . The tropical climate is experienced in a strip of south @-@ western lowlands abutting the Malabar Coast , the Western Ghats and the islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar are also subject to this climate . The tropical wet and dry climate , drier than areas with a tropical monsoon climate prevails over most of inland peninsular region except for a semi arid rain shadow east of the Western Ghats . Winter and early summer are long and dry periods with temperatures averaging above 18 ° C ( 64 ° F ) , summer is exceedingly hot with temperatures in low @-@ lying areas exceeding 50 ° C ( 122 ° F ) and the rainy season lasts from June to September with annual rainfall averaging between 750 and 1 @,@ 500 mm ( 30 and 59 in ) across the region . Once the dry northeast monsoon begins in September , most precipitation in India falls in Tamil Nadu , leaving other states comparatively dry . The hot semi @-@ arid climate predominates the land east of the Western Ghats and the Cardamom Hills . The region , which includes Karnataka , inland Tamil Nadu and western Andhra Pradesh , gets between 400 and 750 millimetres ( 15 @.@ 7 and 29 @.@ 5 in ) of rainfall annually with hot summers and dry winters with temperatures around 20 – 24 ° C ( 68 – 75 ° F ) . The months between March and May are hot and dry with mean monthly temperatures hover around 32 ° C ( 90 ° F ) , with 320 millimetres ( 13 in ) precipitation and without artificial irrigation , this region is not suitable for agriculture . The south – west Monsoon from June to September accounts for most of the rainfall in the region . The Arabian Sea branch of the south @-@ west monsoon hits the Western Ghats along the coastal state of Kerala and moves northwards along the Konkan coast with precipitation on coastal areas , west of the Western Ghats . The lofty Western Ghats prevent the winds from reaching the Deccan Plateau - hence the leeward region ( the region that deprived of winds ) receives very little rainfall . The Bay of Bengal branch of south @-@ west monsoon heads toward north east India , picking up moisture from the Bay of Bengal . The Coramandel coast does not receive much rainfall from the south @-@ west monsoon due to the shape of the land . Tamil Nadu and southeast Andhra Pradesh receive rains from the north – east Monsoon . The north @-@ east monsoon take place from November to early March when the surface high @-@ pressure system is strongest . The North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones occur throughout the year in Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea bringing devastating winds and heavy rainfall . = = Flora and fauna = = There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in South India , resulting from its varied climates and geography . Deciduous forests are found along the Western Ghats while tropical dry forests and scrub lands are common in the interior Deccan plateau . The southern Western Ghats have rainforests located at high altitudes called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests and the Malabar Coast moist forests are found on the coastal plains . The Western Ghats is one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Important ecological regions of South India are the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve , located at the conjunction of the borders of Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the Nilgiri Hills and the Anamalai Hills in the Western Ghats . Bird sanctuaries including Vedanthangal , Ranganathittu , Kumarakom , Neelapattu and Pulicat are home to numerous migratory and local birds . Lakshadweep has been declared a bird sanctuary by the Wildlife Institute of India . Other protected ecological sites include the mangrove forests of Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu , the backwaters of Pulicat lake in Tamil Nadu and Vembanad , Ashtamudi , Paravur and Kayamkulam lakes in Kerala . The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 10 @,@ 500 km ² of ocean , islands and the adjoining coastline including coral reefs , salt marshes and mangroves . It is home to Endangered aquatic species including dolphins , dugongs , whales and sea cucumbers . The region is home to one of the largest populations of endangered Indian elephant and Bengal Tiger in India . Elephant populations are found in eight fragmented sites in South India ; in northern Karnataka , along the Western Ghats , in Bhadra – Malnad , in Brahmagiri – Nilgiris – Eastern Ghats , in Nilambur – Silent Valley – Coimbatore , in Anamalai – Parambikulam , in Periyar – Srivilliputhur and Agasthyamalai The region is home to one @-@ third of the tiger population and more than half of the elephant population of India . There are 14 Project Tiger reserves and 11 Project Elephant reserves in the region . Other threatened and endangered species found in the region include grizzled giant squirrel , grey slender loris , sloth bear , nilgiri tahr , nilgiri langur , lion @-@ tailed macaque , and Indian leopard . = = Demographics = = As per the 2011 census of India , the estimated population of South India is 252 million , around one fifth of the total population of India . The region 's total fertility rate ( TFR ) was less than the population replacement level of 2 @.@ 1 for all states with Kerala and Tamil Nadu having the lowest TFRs in India at 1 @.@ 7 . As a result , the proportion of the population of South India to India 's total population has declined from 1981 to 2011 . The population density of the region is approximately 463 . Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 18 % of the population of the region . Agriculture is the major employer in the region with 47 @.@ 5 % of the population is involved in agrarian activities . About 60 % of the population lives in permanent housing structures . 67 @.@ 8 % of South India has access to tap water with wells and springs forming other major sources of water supply . After experiencing fluctuations in the decades immediately after the independence of India , the economies of South Indian states have registered growth higher than the national average over the past three decades . While South Indian states have improved in some of the socio @-@ economic metrics , poverty continues to affect the region as it does the rest of the country , although it has considerably decreased over the years . Basis the 2011 census , HDI in the southern states is high and the economy has grown at a faster rate than most northern states . As per the 2011 census , the average literacy rate in South India is approximately 80 % , considerably higher than the Indian national average of 74 % with Kerala having the highest literacy rate of 93 @.@ 91 % . South India has the highest sex ratio with Kerala and Tamil Nadu being the top two states . The South Indian states rank amongst the top 10 in economic freedom , life expectancy , access to drinking water , house ownership and TV ownership . Poverty rate is at 19 % while that in the other Indian states is at 38 % . The per capita income is ₹ 19 @,@ 531 ( US $ 290 ) , which is more than double of the other Indian states ( ₹ 8 @,@ 951 ( US $ 130 ) ) . Of the three demographic related targets of the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations expected to be achieved by 2015 , Kerala and Tamil Nadu achieved the goals related to improvement of maternal health and of reducing infant mortality and child mortality by 2009 . = = = Languages = = = The largest linguistic group in South India is the Dravidian family of languages , a family of approximately 73 languages The major languages spoken include Tamil , Telugu , Kannada and Malayalam . Tulu is spoken by about 1 @.@ 5 million people in coastal Kerala and Karnataka and Konkani , an Indo @-@ Aryan language , is spoken by half a million people in the Konkan coast . English is also widely spoken in urban areas of South India . Urdu is spoken by around 12 million Muslims in southern India . Tamil , Telugu , Kannada , Malayalam and Konkani are listed amongst the 22 official languages of India as per the Official Languages Act ( 1963 ) . Tamil was the first language to be granted classical language status by the Government of India in 2004 . Other major languages declared classical were Kannada ( in 2008 ) , Telugu ( in 2008 ) and Malayalam ( in 2013 ) = = = Religion = = = Hinduism is the major religion with about 80 % of the population adhering to it . About 11 % of the population follow Islam and 8 % follow Christianity . Evidence of prehistoric religion in South India comes from scattered Mesolithic rock paintings depicting dances and rituals in Stone Age sites such as the Kupgal petroglyphs of eastern Karnataka . Hinduism , often regarded as the oldest religion in the world , traces its roots to prehistoric times in India . The main spiritual traditions of South India include both Shaivite and Vaishnavite branches of Hinduism , although Buddhist and Jain philosophies had been influential several centuries earlier . Ayyavazhi is spread significantly across the southern parts of South India . Islam was introduced to South India in the early 7th century by Arab traders in Malabar Coast of Kerala and spread during the rule of Deccan Sultanates from 17th to 18th century and the Muslims in Kerala of Arab descent are called Jonaka Mappila . Christianity was introduced to South India by Thomas the Apostle , who visited Muziris in Kerala in 52 CE and baptised Kerala 's Jewish settlements . Kerala is also home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world who are supposed to have arrived in the Malabar coast during the reign of King Solomon . = = Economy = = The economy of South India after the independence of the nation conformed to a socialist framework , with strict governmental control over private sector participation , foreign trade and foreign direct investment . Through 1960 to 1990 , the South Indian economies experienced mixed economic growth . In the 1960s , Kerala achieved above average economic growth while Andhra Pradesh 's economy declined during this period . Kerala experienced an economic decline in the 1970s while the economies of Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka consistently exceeded national average growth rates after 1970 due to reform @-@ oriented economic policies compared to other Indian states . As of 2013 – 14 , the total Gross domestic product of the region is ₹ 27 @.@ 1 trillion ( US $ 400 billion ) . Tamil Nadu has the second highest GDP and is the second most industrialised state in the country after Maharashtra . As of March 2015 , there are 109 operational Special Economic Zones in South India , which is about 60 % of the country 's total . Over 48 % of South India 's population is engaged in agriculture , which is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons . Some of the main crops cultivated in South India include paddy , sorghum , pearl millet , pulses , sugarcane , cotton , chilli and ragi . Areca , coffee , tea , rubber and spices are cultivated on the hilly regions . The staple food is rice ; the delta regions of Godavari , Krishna and Kaveri are amongst the top rice producing areas in the country . Frequent droughts have left farmers debt @-@ ridden , forcing them to sell their livestock and sometimes to commit suicide . The region accounts for 92 % of the total Coffee production in India . South India is also a major producer of cotton , tea , rubber , turmeric , mangoes and spices . Other major agriculture related produce include silk and poultry . The other major industry is textiles with the region being home to nearly 60 % of the fibre textile mills in India . Bangalore , Chennai , Hyderabad , Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram are amongst the major IT hubs of India and Bangalore is also known as the Silicon Valley of India . The growth of information technology ( IT ) hubs in the region have spurred economic growth and attracted foreign investments and job seekers from other parts of the country . Software exports from South India grossed over ₹ 640 billion ( US $ 9 @.@ 5 billion ) in fiscal 2005 – 06 . Chennai , known as the " Detroit of Asia " , accounts for about 35 % of India 's overall automotive components and automobile output . The region supplies two @-@ thirds of India 's requirements of motors and pumps and is one of the largest exporters of jewellery , wet grinders and auto components . Tourism contributes significantly to the GDP of the region with four states - Tamil Nadu , Karnataka , Andhra Pradesh and Telangana - among the top 10 states for tourist arrivals and accounting for more than 50 % of domestic tourist visits . = = Subdivisions = = South India consists of the five southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh , Telangana , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Puducherry , Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar . Puducherry and the five states have an elected state government each , while the Lakshadweep and Andaman islands are centrally administered by the President of India . Each sub @-@ region is further divided into districts . Each state is headed by a Governor , who is a direct appointee of the President of India , while the Chief Minister is the elected head of the state government and represents the state 's ruling party or coalition . = = = States = = = ^ Note 1 Andhra Pradesh was divided into two states , Telangana and a residual Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 . Hyderabad , located entirely within the borders of Telangana , is to serve as joint capital for both states for a period of time not exceeding ten years . = = = Union territories = = = = = Administration = = South India elects 132 members to the Lok Sabha accounting for roughly one @-@ fourth of the total strength . The region has an allocation of 58 seats in Rajya Sabha out of the total 245 . Each state is headed by a Governor , who is a direct appointee of the President of India ; the Chief Minister is the elected head of the state government and represents the ruling party or coalition . Tamil Nadu , Kerala and Puducherry follow unicameral legislature while Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Telangana follow bicameral legislature . State legislatures elect members for terms of five years . States with bicameral legislatures have an upper house ( Legislative Council ) with members not more than one @-@ third the size of the Assembly . Governors may suspend or dissolve assemblies and can administer when no party is able to form a government . Each state is organised into a number of districts , which are further subdivided into revenue divisions and taluks ( or tehsils ) for administration . Local bodies govern respective cities , towns and villages with each electing a mayor , municipal chairman and panchayat chairman respectively to head the same . = = Politics = = Politics in South India is characterised by a mix of regional and national political parties . Justice Party and Swaraj Party were the two major parties in the erstwhile Madras Presidency . The Justice Party eventually lost the 1937 elections to the Indian National Congress and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari became the Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency . During the 1920s and 1930s , the Self @-@ Respect Movement movement emerged in the Madras Presidency spearheaded by Theagaroya Chetty and E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker ( commonly known as Periyar ) . In 1944 Periyar , who had started the Self @-@ Respect Movement transformed the party into a social organisation , renaming the party Dravidar Kazhagam , and withdrew from electoral politics . The initial aim was the secession of Dravida Nadu from the rest of India on independence . After Independence , C. N. Annadurai , a follower of Periyar formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 1948 . The Anti @-@ Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu led to the rise of Dravidian parties which formed its first government in 1967 in Tamil Nadu . In 1972 , a split in the DMK resulted in the formation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by M. G. Ramachandran . Dravidian parties continue to dominate Tamil Nadu electoral politics ; the national parties usually aligned as junior partners to the major Dravidian parties , AIADMK and DMK . Indian National Congress dominated the political scene in Tamil Nadu in 1950s and 1960s under the leadership of K. Kamaraj , who led the party after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru and ensured the selection of Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi . Congress continues to be a major party in Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Kerala . The party ruled with minimal opposition for 30 years in Andhra Pradesh before the formation of Telugu Desam Party by Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao in 1982 . Two prominent party systems in Kerala are the United Democratic Front , led by the Indian National Congress and the Left Democratic Front , led by the Communist Party of India ( Marxist ) . For the past fifty years , these two coalitions have been alternately in power and E. M. S. Namboodiripad , the first elected chief minister of Kerala in 1957 is credited as the leader of the first democratically elected communist government in the world . Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal are significant parties in Karnataka . C. Rajagopalachari , the first Indian Governor General of India post independence , was from South India . The region has produced six Indian Presidents namely Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , V. V. Giri , Neelam Sanjiva Reddy , R. Venkataraman , K. R. Narayanan and APJ Abdul Kalam . Prime Ministers P. V. Narasimha Rao and H. D. Deve Gowda were from the region . = = Culture and heritage = = = = = Clothing = = = South Indian women traditionally wear a sari , a garment that consists of a drape varying from 5 yards ( 4 @.@ 6 m ) to 9 yards ( 8 @.@ 2 m ) in length and 2 feet ( 0 @.@ 61 m ) to 4 feet ( 1 @.@ 2 m ) in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist , with one end draped over the shoulder , baring the midriff . Ancient Tamil poetry such as the Silappadhikaram describes women in exquisite drapery or sari . The sari is to be wrapped around the waist , with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder , baring the midriff as according to Indian philosophy , the navel is considered as the source of life and creativity . Madisar is a typical style worn by Brahmin ladies from Tamil Nadu . Women wear colourful silk sarees on special occasions such as marriages . The men wear a dhoti , a 4 @.@ 5 metres ( 15 ft ) long , white rectangular piece of non @-@ stitched cloth often bordered in brightly coloured stripes . It is usually wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist . A colourful lungi with typical batik patterns is the most common form of male attire in the countryside . People in urban areas generally wear tailored clothing and western dress is popular in urban areas . Western @-@ style school uniforms are worn by both boys and girls in schools even in rural areas . = = = Cuisine = = = Rice is the staple diet , while fish is an integral component of coastal South Indian meals . Coconut and spices are used extensively in South Indian cuisine . The region has a rich cuisine involving both traditional non @-@ vegetarian and vegetarian dishes comprising rice , legumes and lentils . Its distinct aroma and flavour is achieved by the blending of flavourings and spices including curry leaves , mustard seeds , coriander , ginger , garlic , chili , pepper , cinnamon , cloves , green cardamom , cumin , nutmeg , coconut and rosewater . The traditional way of eating a meal involves being seated on the floor , having the food served on a banana leaf and using clean fingers of the right hand to take the food into the mouth . After the meal , the fingers are washed ; the easily degradable banana leaf is discarded or becomes fodder for cattle . Eating on banana leaves is a custom thousands of years old , imparts a unique flavor to the food and is considered healthy . Idli , dosa , uthappam , appam , pongal and paniyaram are popular dishes for breakfast . Rice is served with sambar , rasam and poriyal for lunch . Andhra cuisine is characterised by pickles and spicy curries . Chettinad cuisine is famous for non @-@ vegetarian items and Hyderabadi cuisine is popular for its biryani . = = = Arts = = = The traditional music of South India is known as Carnatic music , which includes rhythmic and structured music by composers like Purandara Dasa , Kanaka Dasa , Tyagayya , Annamacharya , Bhakta Ramadasu , Muthuswami Dikshitar , Shyama Shastri , Kshetrayya , Mysore Vasudevachar and Swathi Thirunal . The main instrument that is used in South Indian Hindu temples is the nadaswaram , a reed instrument played along with thavil , a type of drum instrument to create an ensemble . The motion picture industry has emerged as an important platform in South India over the years , portraying the cultural changes , trends , aspirations and developments experienced by its people . South India is home to several distinct dance forms such as Bharatanatyam , Kathakali , Kerala Natanam , Koodiyattam , Kuchipudi , Margamkali , Mohiniaattam , Oppana , Ottamthullal , Theyyam , Vilasini Natyam and Yakshagana . The dance , clothing and sculptures of South India exemplify the beauty of the body and motherhood . = = = Cinema = = = Films in regional languages are prevalent ; this includes Kannada cinema ( Karnataka ) , Malayalam cinema ( Kerala ) , Tamil cinema ( Tamil Nadu ) and Telugu cinema ( Andhra Pradesh ) . The first silent film in South India , Keechaka Vadham , was made by R. Nataraja Mudaliar in 1916 . In South India , the first Tamil talkie , Kalidas , was released on 31 October 1931 , barely seven months after India 's first talking picture Alam Ara Mudaliar also established South India 's first film studio in Madras . Swamikannu Vincent built the first cinema of South India in Coimbatore and introduced the concept of " tent cinema " , the first of whose kind was established in Madras and was known as " Edison 's Grand Cinemamegaphone " . Filmmakers K Balachandar , Balu Mahendra , Bharathiraaja and Mani Ratnam in Tamil cinema , Adoor Gopalakrishnan , Shaji N. Karun , John Abraham and G. Aravindan in Malayalam cinema , and K. N. T. Sastry and B. Narsing Rao in Telugu cinema produced realistic parallel cinema throughout the 1970s , Cinema has also exerted its influence on politics ; prominent film personalities like C N Annadurai , M G Ramachandran , M Karunanidhi , N. T. Rama Rao and Jayalalithaa have become Chief Ministers . As of 2014 , South Indian film industry contribute to 53 % of the total films produced in India . = = = Literature = = = South India has an independent literary tradition dating back over 2500 years ago . The first known literature of South India is the poetic Sangam literature , written in Tamil 2500 to 2100 years ago . The literature was composed in three successive poetic assemblies known as Tamil Sangams that were held in the ancient times on a now vanished continent far to the south of India . This literature includes the oldest grammar treatise Tholkappiyam and epics Silappatikaram and Manimekalai written in Tamil . References to Kannada literature appear from fourth century CE . Telugu literature adopted a form of Prakrit which in course of development became the immediate ancestor of Telugu . Distinct Malayalam literature came later in the 13th century . = = = Architecture = = = South India has two distinct styles of rock architecture , the Dravidian style of Tamil Nadu and the Vesara style of Karnataka . The temples considered of porches or mantapas preceding the door leading to the sanctum , gate @-@ pyramids or gopurams , which are the principal features in the quadrangular enclosures that surround the more notable temples and pillared halls used for many purposes and are the invariable accompaniments of these temples . Besides these , a South Indian temple typically has a tank called the Kalyani or Pushkarni . The gopuram is a monumental tower , usually ornate at the entrance of any temple in Southern India . This forms a prominent feature of koils , Hindu temples of the Dravidian style . They are topped by the kalasam , a spherical stone finial , and function as gateways through the walls that surround the temple complex . The origins of the gopuram can be traced back to early structures of the Pallavas and by the twelfth century , under the Pandya rulers , these gateways became a dominant feature of a temple 's outer appearance , eventually overshadowing the inner sanctuary which became obscured from view by the colossal size of the gopuram . = = Transport = = = = = Road = = = South India has an extensive road network with 20 @,@ 573 km ( 12 @,@ 783 mi ) of National Highways and 46 @,@ 813 km ( 29 @,@ 088 mi ) of State Highways . The Golden Quadrilateral connects Chennai in the region with Mumbai via Bangalore and Kolkata via Vishakapatnam . Bus services are provided by state run transport corporations namely Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation , Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation , Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation , Telangana State Road Transport Corporation , Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and Puducherry Road Transport Corporation . = = = Rail = = = The Great Southern India Railway Company was founded in England in 1853 and registered in 1859 . Construction of track in Madras Presidency began in 1859 and the 80 miles ( 130 km ) link from Trichinopoly to Negapatam was opened in 1861 . The Carnatic Railway Company was founded in 1864 and opened a Madras @-@ Arakkonam @-@ Conjeevaram line in 1865 . The Great Southern India Railway was subsequently merged with the Carnatic Railway in 1874 to form the South Indian Railway Company . In 1880 , the Great Indian Peninsula Railway established by the British , built a railway network radiating inward from Madras . In 1879 , the Madras Railway constructed a railway line from Royapuram to Bangalore and the Maharaja of Mysore established Mysore State Railway to carryout extension from Bangalore to Mysore . Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway was founded on 1 January 1908 by merging the Madras Railway and the Southern Mahratta Railway . On 14 April 1951 , the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway , the South Indian Railway and the Mysore State Railway were merged to form the Southern Railway , the first zone of Indian Railways . The South Central zone was created on 2 October 1966 as the ninth zone of Indian Railways and the South Western zone was created on 1 April 2003 . Most of the region is covered by the three zones with small portions of coasts covered by East Coast Railway and Konkan Railway . Metro rail is operated by Namma Metro in Bangalore , Chennai Metro in Chennai and Hyderabad Metro in Hyderabad . Chennai MRTS provides suburban rail services in Chennai and was the first elevated railway line in India . The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a UNESCO World Heritage site . = = = Air = = = In March 1930 , a discussion initiated by pilot G. Vlasto led to the founding of Madras Flying Club which became a pioneer in pilot training South India . On 15 October 1932 , Indian aviator J. R. D. Tata flew a Puss Moth aircraft carrying mail from Karachi to Bombay ( currently Mumbai ) and the aircraft continued to Madras ( currently Chennai ) piloted by Neville Vincent , a former Royal Air Force pilot and friend of Tata . There are 9 international airports , 2 customs airports , 15 domestic airports and 11 air bases in South India . Chennai airport serves as the regional headquarters of the Airports Authority of India for the southern region of India comprising the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Telangana and the union territories of Puducherry and Lakshadweep . Bangalore , Chennai , Hyderabad and Kochi are amongst the top 10 busiest airports in the country . The Southern Air Command of Indian Air Force is headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram and the Training Command is headquartered at Bangalore . The Indian Air Force operates eleven air bases in Southern India including two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . The Indian Navy operates airbases at Kochi , Arakkonam , Uchipuli , Vizag , Campbell Bay and Diglipur in the region . ^ Restricted international airport = = = Water = = = A total of 89 ports are situated along the coast : Tamil Nadu ( 15 ) , Karnataka ( 10 ) , Kerala ( 17 ) , Andhra Pradesh ( 12 ) , Lakshadweep ( 10 ) , Pondicherry ( 2 ) and Andaman & Nicobar ( 23 ) . Major ports include Chennai , Visakhapatnam , Mangalore , Tuticorin , Ennore and Kochi . The Kerala backwaters are a network of interconnected canals , rivers , lakes and inlets , a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km of waterways . In the midst of this landscape , there are a number of towns and cities , which serve as the starting and end points of transportation services and backwater cruises . The Eastern Naval Command and Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy are headquartered at Visakhapatnam and Kochi respectively . Indian Navy has its major operational bases in Visakhapatnam , Chennai , Kochi , Karwar and Kavaratti in the region .
= English language = English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and is now a global lingua franca . English is either the official language or an official language in almost 60 sovereign states . It is the most commonly spoken language in the United Kingdom , the United States , Canada , Australia , Ireland , and New Zealand , and is widely spoken in some areas of the Caribbean , Africa , and South Asia . It is the third most common native language in the world , after Mandarin and Spanish . It is the most widely learned second language and an official language of the United Nations , of the European Union , and of many other world and regional international organisations . English has developed over the course of more than 1 @,@ 400 years . The earliest forms of English , a set of Anglo @-@ Frisian dialects brought to Great Britain by Anglo @-@ Saxon settlers in the fifth century , are called Old English . Middle English began in the late 11th century with the Norman conquest of England . Early Modern English began in the late 15th century with the introduction of the printing press to London and the King James Bible , and the start of the Great Vowel Shift . Through the worldwide influence of the British Empire , modern English spread around the world from the 17th to mid @-@ 20th centuries . Through all types of printed and electronic media , as well as the emergence of the United States as a global superpower , English has become the leading language of international discourse and the lingua franca in many regions and in professional contexts such as science , navigation , and law . Modern English has little inflection compared with many other languages , and relies more on auxiliary verbs and word order for the expression of complex tenses , aspect and mood , as well as passive constructions , interrogatives and some negation . Despite noticeable variation among the accents and dialects of English used in different countries and regions – in terms of phonetics and phonology , and sometimes also vocabulary , grammar and spelling – English @-@ speakers from around the world are able to communicate with one another with surprising ease . = = Classification = = English is an Indo @-@ European language , and belongs to the West Germanic group of the Germanic languages . Most closely related to English are the Frisian languages , and English and Frisian form the Anglo @-@ Frisian subgroup within West Germanic . Old Saxon and its descendent Low German languages are also closely related , and sometimes Low German , English , and Frisian are grouped together as the Ingvaeonic or North Sea Germanic languages . Modern English descends from Middle English , which in turn descends from Old English . Particular dialects of Old and Middle English also developed into a number of other English ( Anglic ) languages , including Scots and the extinct Fingallian and Forth and Bargy ( Yola ) dialects of Ireland . English is classified as a Germanic language because it shares new language features ( different from other Indo @-@ European languages ) with other Germanic languages such as Dutch , German , and Swedish . These shared innovations show that the languages have descended from a single common ancestor , which linguists call Proto @-@ Germanic . Some shared features of Germanic languages are the use of modal verbs , the division of verbs into strong and weak classes , and the sound changes affecting Proto @-@ Indo @-@ European consonants , known as Grimm 's and Verner 's laws . Through Grimm 's law , the word for foot begins with / f / in Germanic languages , but its cognates in other Indo @-@ European languages begin with / p / . English is classified as an Anglo @-@ Frisian language because Frisian and English share other features , such as the palatalisation of consonants that were velar consonants in Proto @-@ Germanic ( see Phonological history of Old English § Palatalization ) . English sing , sang , sung ; Dutch zingen , zong , gezongen ; German singen , sang , gesungen ( strong verb ) English laugh , laughed ; Dutch and German lachen , lachte ( weak verb ) English foot , Dutch voet , German Fuß , Norwegian and Swedish fot ( initial / f / derived from Proto @-@ Indo @-@ European * p through Grimm 's law ) Latin pes , stem ped- ; Modern Greek πόδι pódi ; Russian под pod ; Sanskrit पद ् pád ( original Proto @-@ Indo @-@ European * p ) English cheese , Frisian tsiis ( ch and ts from palatalisation ) German Käse and Dutch kaas ( k without palatalisation ) English , like the other insular Germanic languages , Icelandic and Faroese , developed independently of the continental Germanic languages and their influences . English is thus not mutually intelligible with any continental Germanic language , differing in vocabulary , syntax , and phonology , although some , such as Dutch , do show strong affinities with English , especially with its earlier stages . Because English through its history has changed considerably in response to contact with other languages , particularly Old Norse and Norman French , some scholars have argued that English can be considered a mixed language or a creole – a theory called the Middle English creole hypothesis . Although the high degree of influence from these languages on the vocabulary and grammar of Modern English is widely acknowledged , most specialists in language contact do not consider English to be a true mixed language . = = History = = = = = Proto @-@ Germanic to Old English = = = The earliest form of English is called Old English or Anglo @-@ Saxon ( c . 550 – 1066 CE ) . Old English developed from a set of North Sea Germanic dialects originally spoken along the coasts of Frisia , Lower Saxony , Jutland , and Southern Sweden by Germanic tribes known as the Angles , Saxons , and Jutes . In the fifth century , the Anglo @-@ Saxons settled Britain and the Romans withdrew from Britain . By the seventh century , the Germanic language of the Anglo @-@ Saxons became dominant in Britain , replacing the languages of Roman Britain ( 43 – 409 CE ) : Common Brittonic , a Celtic language , and Latin , brought to Britain by the Roman occupation . England and English ( originally Englaland and Englisc ) are named after the Angles . Old English was divided into four dialects : the Anglian dialects , Mercian and Northumbrian , and the Saxon dialects , Kentish and West Saxon . Through the educational reforms of King Alfred in the ninth century and the influence of the kingdom of Wessex , the West Saxon dialect became the standard written variety . The epic poem Beowulf is written in West Saxon , and the earliest English poem , Cædmon 's Hymn , is written in Northumbrian . Modern English developed mainly from Mercian , but the Scots language developed from Northumbrian . A few short inscriptions from the early period of Old English were written using a runic script . By the sixth century , a Latin alphabet was adopted , written with half @-@ uncial letterforms . It included the runic letters wynn < ƿ > and thorn < þ > , and the modified Latin letters eth < ð > , and ash < æ > . Old English is very different from Modern English and difficult for 21st @-@ century English speakers to understand . Its grammar was similar to that of modern German , and its closest relative is Old Frisian . Nouns , adjectives , pronouns , and verbs had many more inflectional endings and forms , and word order was much freer than in Modern English . Modern English has case forms in pronouns ( he , him , his ) and a few verb endings ( I have , he has ) , but Old English had case endings in nouns as well , and verbs had more person and number endings . The translation of Matthew 8 : 20 from 1000 CE shows examples of case endings ( nominative plural , accusative plural , genitive singular ) and a verb ending ( present plural ) : Foxas habbað holu and heofonan fuglas nest Fox @-@ as habb @-@ að hol @-@ u and heofon @-@ an fugl @-@ as nest- ∅ fox @-@ NOM.PL have @-@ PRS.PL hole @-@ ACC.PL and heaven @-@ GEN.SG bird @-@ NOM.PL nest @-@ ACC.PL " Foxes have holes and the birds of heaven nests " = = = Middle English = = = In the period from the 8th to the 12th century , Old English gradually transformed through language contact into Middle English . Middle English is often arbitrarily defined as beginning with the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 , but it developed further in the period from 1200 – 1450 . First , the waves of Norse colonisation of northern parts of the British Isles in the 8th and 9th centuries put Old English into intense contact with Old Norse , a North Germanic language . Norse influence was strongest in the Northeastern varieties of Old English spoken in the Danelaw area around York , which was the centre of Norse colonisation ; today these features are still particularly present in Scots and Northern English . However the centre of norsified English seems to have been in the Midlands around Lindsey , and after 920 CE when Lindsey was reincorporated into the Anglo @-@ Saxon polity , Norse features spread from there into English varieties that had not been in intense contact with Norse speakers . Some elements of Norse influence that persist in all English varieties today are the pronouns beginning with th- ( they , them , their ) which replaced the Anglo @-@ Saxon pronouns with h- ( hie , him , hera ) . With the Norman conquest of England in 1066 , the now norsified Old English language was subject to contact with the Old Norman language , a Romance language closely related to Modern French . The Norman language in England eventually developed into Anglo @-@ Norman . Because Norman was spoken primarily by the elites and nobles , while the lower classes continued speaking Anglo @-@ Saxon , the influence of Norman consisted of introducing a wide range of loanwords related to politics , legislation and prestigious social domains . Middle English also greatly simplified the inflectional system , probably in order to reconcile Old Norse and Old English , which were inflectionally different but morphologically similar . The distinction between nominative and accusative case was lost except in personal pronouns , the instrumental case was dropped , and the use of the genitive case was limited to describing possession . The inflectional system regularised many irregular inflectional forms , and gradually simplified the system of agreement , making word order less flexible . By the Wycliffe Bible of the 1380s , the passage Matthew 8 : 20 was written Foxis han dennes , and briddis of heuene han nestis Here the plural suffix -n on the verb have is still retained , but none of the case endings on the nouns are present . By the 12th century Middle English was fully developed , integrating both Norse and Norman features ; it continued to be spoken until the transition to early Modern English around 1500 . Middle English literature includes Geoffrey Chaucer 's The Canterbury Tales , and Malory 's Le Morte d 'Arthur . In the Middle English period the use of regional dialects in writing proliferated , and dialect traits were even used for effect by authors such as Chaucer . = = = Early Modern English = = = The next period in the history of English was Early Modern English ( 1500 – 1700 ) . Early Modern English was characterised by the Great Vowel Shift ( 1350 – 1700 ) , inflectional simplification , and linguistic standardisation . The Great Vowel Shift affected the stressed long vowels of Middle English . It was a chain shift , meaning that each shift triggered a subsequent shift in the vowel system . Mid and open vowels were raised , and close vowels were broken into diphthongs . For example , the word bite was originally pronounced as the word beet is today , and the second vowel in the word about was pronounced as the word boot is today . The Great Vowel Shift explains many irregularities in spelling , since English retains many spellings from Middle English , and it also explains why English vowel letters have very different pronunciations from the same letters in other languages . English began to rise in prestige during the reign of Henry V. Around 1430 , the Court of Chancery in Westminster began using English in its official documents , and a new standard form of Middle English , known as Chancery Standard , developed from the dialects of London and the East Midlands . In 1476 , William Caxton introduced the printing press to England and began publishing the first printed books in London , expanding the influence of this form of English . Literature from the Early Modern period includes the works of William Shakespeare and the translation of the Bible commissioned by King James I. Even after the vowel shift the language still sounded different from Modern English : for example , the consonant clusters / kn gn sw / in knight , gnat , and sword were still pronounced . Many of the grammatical features that a modern reader of Shakespeare might find quaint or archaic represent the distinct characteristics of Early Modern English . In the 1611 King James Version of the Bible , written in Early Modern English , Matthew 8 : 20 says : The Foxes haue holes and the birds of the ayre haue nests This exemplifies the loss of case and its effects on sentence structure ( replacement with Subject @-@ Verb @-@ Object word order , and the use of of instead of the non @-@ possessive genitive ) , and the introduction of loanwords from French ( ayre ) and word replacements ( bird originally meaning " nestling " had replaced OE fugol ) . = = = Spread of Modern English = = = By the late 18th century , the British Empire had facilitated the spread of English through its colonies and geopolitical dominance . Commerce , science and technology , diplomacy , art , and formal education all contributed to English becoming the first truly global language . English also facilitated worldwide international communication . As England continued to form new colonies , these in turn became independent and developed their own norms for how to speak and write the language . English was adopted in North America , India , parts of Africa , Australasia , and many other regions . In the post @-@ colonial period , some of the newly created nations that had multiple indigenous languages opted to continue using English as the official language to avoid the political difficulties inherent in promoting any one indigenous language above the others . In the 20th century the growing economic and cultural influence of the United States and its status as a superpower following the Second World War has , along with worldwide broadcasting in English by the BBC and other broadcasters , significantly accelerated the spread of the language across the planet . By the 21st century , English was more widely spoken and written than any language has ever been . A major feature in the early development of Modern English was the codification of explicit norms for standard usage , and their dissemination through official media such as public education and state sponsored publications . In 1755 Samuel Johnson published his A Dictionary of the English Language which introduced a standard set of spelling conventions and usage norms . In 1828 , Noah Webster published the American Dictionary of the English language in an effort to establish a norm for speaking and writing American English that was independent from the British standard . Within Britain , non @-@ standard or lower class dialect features were increasingly stigmatised , leading to the quick spread of the prestige varieties among the middle classes . In terms of grammatical evolution , Modern English has now reached a stage where the loss of case is almost complete ( case is now only found in pronouns , such as he and him , she and her , who and whom ) , and where SVO word @-@ order is mostly fixed . Some changes , such as the use of do @-@ support have become universalised . ( Earlier English did not use the word " do " as a general auxiliary as Modern English does ; at first it was only used in question constructions where it was not obligatory . Now , do @-@ support with the verb have is becoming increasingly standardised . ) The use of progressive forms in -ing , appears to be spreading to new constructions , and forms such as had been being built are becoming more common . Regularisation of irregular forms also slowly continues ( e.g. dreamed instead of dreamt ) , and analytical alternatives to inflectional forms are becoming more common ( e.g. more polite instead of politer ) . British English is also undergoing change under the influence of American English , fuelled by the strong presence of American English in the media and the prestige associated with the US as a world power . = = Geographical distribution = = As of 2010 , 359 million people spoke English as their first language . English is probably the third largest language by number of native speakers , after Mandarin and Spanish . However , when combining native and non @-@ native speakers it is probably the most commonly spoken language in the world . English is spoken by communities on every continent and on oceanic islands in all the major oceans . The countries in which English is spoken can be grouped into different categories by how English is used in each country . The " inner circle " countries with many native speakers of English share an international standard of written English and jointly influence speech norms of English around the world . English does not belong to just one country , and it does not belong solely to descendants of English settlers . English is an official language of countries populated by few descendants of native speakers of English . It has also become by far the most important language of international communication when people who share no native language meet anywhere in the world . = = = Three circles of English @-@ speaking countries = = = Braj Kachru distinguishes countries where English is spoken with a three circles model . In his model , the " inner circle " countries are countries with large communities of native speakers of English , " outer circle " countries have small communities of native speakers of English but widespread use of English as a second language in education or broadcasting or for local official purposes , and " expanding circle " countries are countries where many learners learn English as a foreign language . Kachru bases his model on the history of how English spread in different countries , how users acquire English , and the range of uses English has in each country . The three circles change membership over time . Countries with large communities of native speakers of English ( the inner circle ) include Britain , the United States , Australia , Canada , Ireland , and New Zealand , where the majority speaks English , and South Africa , where a significant minority speaks English . The countries with the most native English speakers are , in descending order , the United States ( at least 231 million ) , the United Kingdom ( 60 million ) , Canada ( 19 million ) , Australia ( at least 17 million ) , South Africa ( 4 @.@ 8 million ) , Ireland ( 4 @.@ 2 million ) , and New Zealand ( 3 @.@ 7 million ) . In these countries , children of native speakers learn English from their parents , and local people who speak other languages or new immigrants learn English to communicate in their neighbourhoods and workplaces . The inner @-@ circle countries provide the base from which English spreads to other countries in the world . Estimates of the number of English speakers who are second language and foreign @-@ language speakers vary greatly from 470 million to more than 1 @,@ 000 million depending on how proficiency is defined . Linguist David Crystal estimates that non @-@ native speakers now outnumber native speakers by a ratio of 3 to 1 . In Kachru 's three @-@ circles model , the " outer circle " countries are countries such as the Philippines , Jamaica , India , Pakistan , Singapore , and Nigeria with a much smaller proportion of native speakers of English but much use of English as a second language for education , government , or domestic business , and where English is routinely used for school instruction and official interactions with the government . Those countries have millions of native speakers of dialect continua ranging from an English @-@ based creole to a more standard version of English . They have many more speakers of English who acquire English in the process of growing up through day by day use and listening to broadcasting , especially if they attend schools where English is the medium of instruction . Varieties of English learned by speakers who are not native speakers born to English @-@ speaking parents may be influenced , especially in their grammar , by the other languages spoken by those learners . Most of those varieties of English include words little used by native speakers of English in the inner @-@ circle countries , and they may have grammatical and phonological differences from inner @-@ circle varieties as well . The standard English of the inner @-@ circle countries is often taken as a norm for use of English in the outer @-@ circle countries . In the three @-@ circles model , countries such as Poland , China , Brazil , Germany , Japan , Indonesia , Egypt , and other countries where English is taught as a foreign language make up the " expanding circle " . The distinctions between English as a first language , as a second language , and as a foreign language are often debatable and may change in particular countries over time . For example , in the Netherlands and some other countries of Europe , knowledge of English as a second language is nearly universal , with over 80 percent of the population able to use it , and thus English is routinely used to communicate with foreigners and often in higher education . In these countries , although English is not used for government business , the widespread use of English in these countries puts them at the boundary between the " outer circle " and " expanding circle " . English is unusual among world languages in how many of its users are not native speakers but speakers of English as a second or foreign language . Many users of English in the expanding circle use it to communicate with other people from the expanding circle , so that interaction with native speakers of English plays no part in their decision to use English . Non @-@ native varieties of English are widely used for international communication , and speakers of one such variety often encounter features of other varieties . Very often today a conversation in English anywhere in the world may include no native speakers of English at all , even while including speakers from several different countries . = = = Pluricentric English = = = English is a pluricentric language , which means that no one national authority sets the standard for use of the language . But English is not a divided language , despite a long @-@ standing joke originally attributed to George Bernard Shaw that the United Kingdom and the United States are " two countries separated by a common language " . Spoken English , for example English used in broadcasting , generally follows national pronunciation standards that are also established by custom rather than by regulation . International broadcasters are usually identifiable as coming from one country rather than another through their accents , but newsreader scripts are also composed largely in international standard written English . The norms of standard written English are maintained purely by the consensus of educated English @-@ speakers around the world , without any oversight by any government or international organisation . American listeners generally readily understand most British broadcasting , and British listeners readily understand most American broadcasting . Most English speakers around the world can understand radio programmes , television programmes , and films from many parts of the English @-@ speaking world . Both standard and nonstandard varieties of English can include both formal or informal styles , distinguished by word choice and syntax and use both technical and non @-@ technical registers . The settlement history of the English @-@ speaking inner circle countries outside Britain helped level dialect distinctions and produce a koineised form of English in South Africa , Australia , and New Zealand . The majority of immigrants to the United States without British ancestry rapidly adopted English after arrival . Now the majority of the United States population are monolingual English speakers , although English has been given official status by only 30 of the 50 state governments of the US . = = = English as a global language = = = English has ceased to be an " English language " in the sense of belonging only to people who are ethnically English . Use of English is growing country @-@ by @-@ country internally and for international communication . Most people learn English for practical rather than ideological reasons . Many speakers of English in Africa have become part of an " Afro @-@ Saxon " language community that unites Africans from different countries . As decolonisation proceeded throughout the British Empire in the 1950s and 1960s , former colonies often did not reject English but rather continued to use it as independent countries setting their own language policies . For example , the view of the English language among many Indians has gone from associating it with colonialism to associating it with economic progress , and English continues to be an official language of India . English is also widely used in media and literature , and the number of English language books published annually in India is the third largest in the world after the US and UK . However English is rarely spoken as a first language , numbering only around a couple hundred @-@ thousand people , and less than 5 % of the population speak fluent English in India . David Crystal claimed in 2004 that , combining native and non @-@ native speakers , India now has more people who speak or understand English than any other country in the world , but the number of English speakers in India is very uncertain , with most scholars concluding that the United States still has more speakers of English than India . Modern English , sometimes described as the first global lingua franca , is also regarded as the first world language . English is the world 's most widely used language in newspaper publishing , book publishing , international telecommunications , scientific publishing , international trade , mass entertainment , and diplomacy . English is , by international treaty , the basis for the required controlled natural languages Seaspeak and Airspeak are used as international languages of seafaring and aviation . English has replaced German as the dominant language of scientific research . It achieved parity with French as a language of diplomacy at the Treaty of Versailles negotiations in 1919 . By the time of the foundation of the United Nations at the end of World War II , English had become pre @-@ eminent and is now the main worldwide language of diplomacy and international relations . It is one of six official languages of the United Nations . Many other worldwide international organisations , including the International Olympic Committee , specify English as a working language or official language of the organisation . Many regional international organisations such as the European Free Trade Association , Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) , and Asia @-@ Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) set English as their organisation 's sole working language even though most members are not countries with a majority of native English speakers . While the European Union ( EU ) allows member states to designate any of the national languages as an official language of the Union , in practice English is the main working language of EU organisations . Although in most countries English is not an official language , it is currently the language most often taught as a foreign language . In the countries of the EU , English is the most widely spoken foreign language in nineteen of the twenty @-@ five member states where it is not an official language ( that is , the countries other than the UK , Ireland and Malta ) . In a 2012 official Eurobarometer poll , 38 percent of the EU respondents outside the countries where English is an official language said they could speak English well enough to have a conversation in that language . The next most commonly mentioned foreign language , French ( which is the most widely known foreign language in the UK and Ireland ) , could be used in conversation by 12 percent of respondents . A working knowledge of English has become a requirement in a number of occupations and professions such as medicine and computing . English has become so important in scientific publishing that more than 80 percent of all scientific journal articles indexed by Chemical Abstracts in 1998 were written in English , as were 90 percent of all articles in natural science publications by 1996 and 82 percent of articles in humanities publications by 1995 . The increased use of the English language globally has had an effect on other languages , leading to some English words being assimilated into the vocabularies of other languages . This influence of English has led to concerns about language death , and to claims of linguistic imperialism , and has provoked resistance to the spread of English ; however the number of speakers continues to increase because many people around the world think that English provides them with opportunities for better employment and improved lives . Although some scholars mention a possibility of future divergence of English dialects into mutually unintelligible languages , most think a more likely outcome is that English will continue to function as a koineised language in which the standard form unifies speakers from around the world . English is used as the language for wider communication in countries around the world . Thus English has grown in worldwide use much more than any constructed language proposed as an international auxiliary language , including Esperanto . = = Phonology = = The phonetics and phonology of English differ between dialects , usually without interfering with mutual communication . Phonological variation affects the inventory of phonemes ( speech sounds that distinguish meaning ) , and phonetic variation is differences in pronunciation of the phonemes . This overview mainly describes the standard pronunciations of the United Kingdom and the United States : Received Pronunciation ( RP ) and General American ( GA ) ( See Section below on " Dialects , accents and varieties " ) . The phonetic symbols used below are from the International Phonetic Alphabet ( IPA ) . = = = Consonants = = = Most English dialects share the same 24 consonant phonemes . The consonant inventory shown below is valid for Californian American English , and for RP . * Conventionally transcribed / r / . In the table , when obstruents ( stops , affricates , and fricatives ) appear in pairs , such as / p b / , / tʃ dʒ / , and / s z / , the first is fortis ( strong ) and the second is lenis ( weak ) . Fortis obstruents , such as / p tʃ s / are pronounced with more muscular tension and breath force than lenis consonants , such as / b dʒ z / , and are always voiceless . Lenis consonants are partly voiced at the beginning and end of utterances , and fully voiced between vowels . Fortis stops such as / p / have additional articulatory or acoustic features in most dialects : they are aspirated [ pʰ ] when they occur alone at the beginning of a stressed syllable , often unaspirated in other cases , and often unreleased [ p ̚ ] or pre @-@ glottalised [ ˀp ] at the end of a syllable . In a single @-@ syllable word , a vowel before a fortis stop is shortened : thus nip has a noticeably shorter vowel ( phonetically , but not phonemically ) than nib [ nɪˑp ̬ ] ( see below ) . lenis stops : bin [ b ̥ ɪˑn ] , about [ əˈbaʊt ] , nib [ nɪˑb ̥ ] fortis stops : pin [ ˈpʰɪn ] , spin [ spɪn ] , happy [ ˈhæpi ] , nip [ ˈnip ̚ ] or [ ˈniˀp ] In RP , the lateral approximant / l / , has two main allophones ( pronunciation variants ) : the clear or plain [ l ] , as in light , and the dark or velarised [ ɫ ] , as in full . GA has dark l in most cases . clear l : RP light [ laɪt ] dark l : RP and GA full [ fʊɫ ] , GA light [ ɫaɪt ] All sonorants ( liquids / l , r / and nasals / m , n , ŋ / ) devoice when following a voiceless obstruent , and they are syllabic when following a consonant at the end of a word . voiceless sonorants : clay [ ˈkɬɛɪ ̯ ] and snow [ ˈsn ̥ oʊ ] syllabic sonorants : paddle [ pad.l ̩ ] , and button [ bʌt.n ̩ ] = = = Vowels = = = The pronunciation of vowels varies a great deal between dialects and is one of the most detectable aspects of a speaker 's accent . The table below lists the vowel phonemes in Received Pronunciation ( RP ) and General American ( GA ) , with examples of words in which they occur from lexical sets compiled by linguists . The vowels are represented with symbols from the International Phonetic Alphabet ; those given for RP are standard in British dictionaries and other publications . In RP , vowel length is phonemic ; long vowels are marked with a triangular colon 〈 ː 〉 in the table above , such as the vowel of need [ niːd ] as opposed to bid [ bɪd ] . GA does not have long vowels . In both RP and GA , vowels are phonetically shortened before fortis consonants in the same syllable , like / t tʃ f / , but not before lenis consonants like / d dʒ v / or in open syllables : thus , the vowels of rich [ rɪ ̆ tʃ ] , neat [ niˑt ] , and safe [ sĕɪ ̆ f ] are noticeably shorter than the vowels of ridge [ rɪdʒ ] , need [ niːd ] , and save [ seɪv ] , and the vowel of light [ lăɪ ̆ t ] is shorter than that of lie [ laɪ ] . Because lenis consonants are frequently voiceless at the end of a syllable , vowel length is an important cue as to whether the following consonant is lenis or fortis . The vowels / ɨ ə / only occur in unstressed syllables and are a result of vowel reduction . Some dialects do not distinguish them , so that roses and comma end in the same vowel , a dialect feature called weak vowel merger . GA has an unstressed r @-@ coloured schwa / ɚ / , as in butter [ ˈbʌtɚ ] , which in RP has the same vowel as the word @-@ final vowel in comma . = = = Phonotactics = = = An English syllable includes a syllable nucleus consisting of a vowel sound . Syllable onset and coda ( start and end ) are optional . A syllable can start with up to three consonant sounds , as in sprint / sprɪnt / , and end with up to four , as in texts / teksts / . This gives an English syllable the following structure , ( CCC ) V ( CCCC ) where C represents a consonant and V a vowel . The consonants that may appear together in onsets or codas are restricted , as is the order in which they may appear . Onsets can only have four types of consonant clusters : a stop and approximant , as in play ; a voiceless fricative and approximant , as in fly or sly ; s and a voiceless stop , as in stay ; and s , a voiceless stop , and an approximant , as in string . Clusters of nasal and stop are only allowed in codas . Clusters of obstruents always agree in voicing , and clusters of sibilants and of plosives with the same point of articulation are prohibited . Furthermore , several consonants have limited distributions : / h / can only occur in syllable initial position , and / ŋ / only in syllable final position . = = = Stress , rhythm and intonation = = = Stress plays an important role in English . Certain syllables are stressed , while others are unstressed . Stress is a combination of duration , intensity , vowel quality , and sometimes changes in pitch . Stressed syllables are pronounced longer and louder than unstressed syllables , and vowels in unstressed syllables are frequently reduced while vowels in stressed syllables are not . Some words , primarily short function words but also some modal verbs such as can , have weak and strong forms depending on whether they occur in stressed or non @-@ stressed position within a sentence . Stress in English is phonemic , and some pairs of words are distinguished by stress . For instance , the word contract is stressed on the first syllable ( / ˈkɒntrækt / KON @-@ trakt ) when used as a noun , but on the last syllable ( / kənˈtrækt / kən @-@ TRAKT ) for most meanings ( for example , " reduce in size " ) when used as a verb . Here stress is connected to vowel reduction : in the noun " contract " the first syllable is stressed and has the unreduced vowel / ɒ / , but in the verb " contract " the first syllable is unstressed and its vowel is reduced to / ə / . Stress is also used to distinguish between words and phrases , so that a compound word receives a single stress unit , but the corresponding phrase has two : e.g. to búrn óut versus a búrnout , and a hótdog versus a hót dóg . In terms of rhythm , English is generally described as a stress @-@ timed language , meaning that the amount of time between stressed syllables tends to be equal . Stressed syllables are pronounced longer , but unstressed syllables ( syllables between stresses ) are shortened . Vowels in unstressed syllables are shortened as well , and vowel shortening causes changes in vowel quality : vowel reduction . = = = Regional variation = = = Varieties of English vary the most in pronunciation of vowels , and are categorised generally into two groups : British ( BrE ) and American ( AmE ) . Because North America was settled in the late 17th century , American and Canadian English had time to diverge greatly from other varieties of English during centuries when transoceanic travel was slow . Australian , New Zealand , and South African English , on the other hand , were settled in the 19th century , shortly before ocean @-@ going steamships became commonplace , so they show close similarities to the English of South East England . The English spoken in Ireland and Scottish English fall between these two groups . Some differences between the various dialects are shown in the table " Varieties of Standard English and their features " . English has undergone many historical sound changes , some of them affecting all varieties , and others affecting only a few . Most standard varieties are affected by the Great Vowel Shift , which changed the pronunciation of long vowels , but a few dialects have slightly different results . In North America , a number of chain shifts such as the Northern Cities Vowel Shift and Canadian Shift have produced very different vowel landscapes in some regional accents . Some dialects have fewer or more consonant phonemes and phones than the standard varieties . Some conservative varieties like Scottish English have a voiceless [ ʍ ] sound in whine that contrasts with the voiced [ w ] in wine , but most other dialects pronounce both words with voiced [ w ] , a dialect feature called wine – whine merger . The unvoiced velar fricative sound / x / is found in Scottish English , which distinguishes loch / lɔx / from lock / lɔk / . Accents like Cockney with " h @-@ dropping " lack the glottal fricative / h / , and dialects with th @-@ stopping and th @-@ fronting like African American Vernacular and Estuary English do not have the dental fricatives / θ , ð / , but replace them with dental or alveolar stops / t , d / or labiodental fricatives / f , v / . Other changes affecting the phonology of local varieties are processes such as yod @-@ dropping , yod @-@ coalescence , and reduction of consonant clusters . General American and Received Pronunciation vary in their pronunciation of historical / r / after a vowel at the end of a syllable ( in the syllable coda ) . GA is a rhotic dialect , meaning that it pronounces / r / at the end of a syllable , but RP is non @-@ rhotic , meaning that it loses / r / in that position . English dialects are classified as rhotic or non @-@ rhotic depending on whether they elide / r / like RP or keep it like GA . There is complex dialectal variation in words with the open front and open back vowels / æ ɑː ɒ ɔː / . These four vowels are only distinguished in RP , Australia , New Zealand and South Africa . In GA , these vowels merge to three / æ ɑ ɔ / , and in Canadian English they merge to two / æ ɑ / . In addition , the words that have each vowel vary by dialect . The table " Dialects and open vowels " shows this variation with lexical sets in which these sounds occur . = = Grammar = = Modern English grammar is the result of a gradual change from a typical Indo @-@ European dependent marking pattern with a rich inflectional morphology and relatively free word order , to a mostly analytic pattern with little inflection , a fairly fixed SVO word order and a complex syntax . Some traits typical of Germanic languages persist in English , such as the distinction between irregularly inflected strong stems inflected through ablaut ( i.e. changing the vowel of the stem , as in the pairs speak / spoke and foot / feet ) and weak stems inflected through affixation ( such as love / loved , hand / hands ) . Vestiges of the case and gender system are found in the pronoun system ( he / him , who / whom ) and in the inflection of the copula verb to be . Typically for an Indo @-@ European language , English follows accusative morphosyntactic alignment . English distinguishes at least seven major word classes : verbs , nouns , adjectives , adverbs , determiners ( i.e. articles ) , prepositions , and conjunctions . Some analyses add pronouns as a class separate from nouns , and subdivide conjunctions into subordinators and coordinators , and add the class of interjections . English also has a rich set of auxiliary verbs , such as have and do , expressing the categories of mood and aspect . Questions are marked by do @-@ support , wh @-@ movement ( fronting of question words beginning with wh- ) and word order inversion with some verbs . The seven word classes are exemplified in this sample sentence : = = = Nouns and noun phrases = = = English nouns are only inflected for number and possession . New nouns can be formed through derivation or compounding . They are semantically divided into proper nouns ( names ) and common nouns . Common nouns are in turn divided into concrete and abstract nouns , and grammatically into count nouns and mass nouns . Most count nouns are inflected for plural number through the use of the plural suffix -s , but a few nouns have irregular plural forms . Mass nouns can only be pluralised through the use of a count noun classifier , e.g. one loaf of bread , two loaves of bread . Regular plural formation : Singular : cat , dog Plural : cats , dogs Irregular plural formation : Singular : man , woman , foot , fish , ox , knife , mouse Plural : men , women , feet , fish , oxen , knives , mice Possession can be expressed either by the possessive enclitic -s ( also traditionally called a genitive suffix ) , or by the preposition of . Historically the -s possessive has been used for animate nouns , whereas the of possessive has been reserved for inanimate nouns . Today this distinction is less clear , and many speakers use -s also with inanimates . Orthographically the possessive -s is separated from the noun root with an apostrophe . Possessive constructions : With -s : The woman 's husband 's child With of : The child of the husband of the woman Nouns can form noun phrases ( NPs ) where they are the syntactic head of the words that depend on them such as determiners , quantifiers , conjunctions or adjectives . Noun phrases can be short , such as the man , composed only of a determiner and a noun . They can also include modifiers such as adjectives ( e.g. red , tall , all ) and specifiers such as determiners ( e.g. the , that ) . But they can also tie together several nouns into a single long NP , using conjunctions such as and , or prepositions such as with , e.g. the tall man with the long red trousers and his skinny wife with the spectacles ( this NP uses conjunctions , prepositions , specifiers and modifiers ) . Regardless of length , an NP functions as a syntactic unit . For example , the possessive enclitic can , in cases which do not lead to ambiguity , follow the entire noun phrase , as in The President of India 's wife , where the enclitic follows India and not President . The class of determiners is used to specify the noun they precede in terms of definiteness , where the marks a definite noun and a or an an indefinite one . A definite noun is assumed by the speaker to be already known by the interlocutor , whereas an indefinite noun is not specified as being previously known . Quantifiers , which include one , many , some and all , are used to specify the noun in terms of quantity or number . The noun must agree with the number of the determiner , e.g. one man ( sg . ) but all men ( pl . ) . Determiners are the first constituents in a noun phrase . = = = = Adjectives = = = = Adjectives modify a noun by providing additional information about their referents . In English , adjectives come before the nouns they modify and after determiners . In Modern English , adjectives are not inflected , and they do not agree in form with the noun they modify , as adjectives in most other Indo @-@ European languages do . For example , in the phrases the slender boy , and many slender girls , the adjective slender does not change form to agree with either the number or gender of the noun . Some adjectives are inflected for degree of comparison , with the positive degree unmarked , the suffix -er marking the comparative , and -est marking the superlative : a small boy , the boy is smaller than the girl , that boy is the smallest . Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms , such as good , better , and best . Other adjectives have comparatives formed by periphrastic constructions , with the adverb more marking the comparative , and most marking the superlative : happier or more happy , the happiest or most happy . There is some variation among speakers regarding which adjectives use inflected or periphrastic comparison , and some studies have shown a tendency for the periphrastic forms to become more common at the expense of the inflected form . = = = = Pronouns , case and person = = = = English pronouns conserve many traits of case and gender inflection . The personal pronouns retain a difference between subjective and objective case in most persons ( I / me , he / him , she / her , we / us , they / them ) as well as a gender and animateness distinction in the third person singular ( distinguishing he / she / it ) . The subjective case corresponds to the Old English nominative case , and the objective case is used both in the sense of the previous accusative case ( in the role of patient , or direct object of a transitive verb ) , and in the sense of the Old English dative case ( in the role of a recipient or indirect object of a transitive verb ) . Subjective case is used when the pronoun is the subject of a finite clause , and otherwise the objective case is used . While already grammarians such as Henry Sweet and Otto Jespersen noted that the English cases did not correspond to the traditional Latin based system , some contemporary grammars , for example Huddleston & Pullum ( 2002 ) , retain traditional labels for the cases , calling them nominative and accusative cases respectively . Possessive pronouns exist in dependent and independent forms ; the dependent form functions as a determiner specifying a noun ( as in my chair ) , while the independent form can stand alone as if it were a noun ( e.g. the chair is mine ) . The English system of grammatical person no longer has a distinction between formal and informal pronouns of address , and the forms for 2nd person plural and singular are identical except in the reflexive form . Some dialects have introduced innovative 2nd person plural pronouns such as y 'all found in Southern American English and African American ( Vernacular ) English or youse and ye found in Irish English . Pronouns are used to refer to entities deictically or anaphorically . A deictic pronoun points to some person or object by identifying it relative to the speech situation — for example the pronoun I identifies the speaker , and the pronoun you , the addressee . Anaphorical pronouns such as that refer back to an entity already mentioned or assumed by the speaker to be known by the audience , for example in the sentence I already told you that . The reflexive pronouns are used when the oblique argument is identical to the subject of a phrase ( e.g. " he sent it to himself " or " she braced herself for impact " ) . = = = = Prepositions = = = = Prepositional phrases ( PP ) are phrases composed of a preposition and one or more nouns , e.g. with the dog , for my friend , to school , in England . Prepositions have a wide range of uses in English . They are used to describing movement , place , and other relations between different entities , but they also have many syntactic uses such as introducing complement clauses and oblique arguments of verbs . For example , in the phrase I gave it to him , the preposition to marks the recipient , or Indirect Object of the verb to give . Traditionally words were only considered prepositions if they governed the case of the noun they preceded , for example causing the pronouns to use the objective rather than subjective form , " with her " , " to me " , " for us " . But some contemporary grammars such as Huddleston & Pullum ( 2002 : 598 – 600 ) no longer consider government and case to be defining for the class of prepositions , rather defining prepositions as words that can function as the heads of prepositional phrases . = = = Verbs and verb phrases = = = English verbs are inflected for tense and aspect , and marked for agreement with third person singular subject . Only the copula verb to be is still inflected for agreement with the plural and first and second person subjects . Auxiliary verbs such as have and be are paired with verbs in the infinitive , past , or progressive forms . They form complex tenses , aspects , and moods . Auxiliary verbs differ from other verbs in that they can be followed by the negation , and in that they can occur as the first constituent in a question sentence . Most verbs have six inflectional forms . The primary forms are a plain present , a third person singular present , and a preterite ( past ) form . The secondary forms are a plain form used for the infinitive , a gerund – participle and a past participle . The copula verb to be is the only verb to retain some of its original conjugation , and takes different inflectional forms depending on the subject . The first person present tense form is am , the third person singular form is and the form are is used second person singular and all three plurals . The only verb past participle is been and its gerund @-@ participle is being . = = = = Tense , aspect and mood = = = = English has two primary tenses , past ( preterit ) and non @-@ past . The preterit is inflected by using the preterit form of the verb , which for the regular verbs includes the suffix -ed , and for the strong verbs either the suffix -t or a change in the stem vowel . The non @-@ past form is unmarked except in the third person singular , which takes the suffix -s . English does not have a morphologised future tense . Futurity of action is expressed periphrastically with one of the auxiliary verbs will or shall . Many varieties also use a near future constructed with the phrasal verb be going to . Further aspectual distinctions are encoded by the use of auxiliary verbs , primarily have and be , which encode the contrast between a perfect and non @-@ perfect past tense ( I have run vs. I was running ) , and compound tenses such as preterite perfect ( I had been running ) and present perfect ( I have been running ) . For the expression of mood , English uses a number of modal auxiliaries , such as can , may , will , shall and the past tense forms could , might , would , should . There is also a subjunctive and an imperative mood , both based on the plain form of the verb ( i.e. without the third person singular -s ) , and which is used in subordinate clauses ( e.g. subjunctive : It is important that he run every day ; imperative Run ! ) . An infinitive form , that uses the plain form of the verb and the preposition to , is used for verbal clauses that are syntactically subordinate to a finite verbal clause . Finite verbal clauses are those that are formed around a verb in the present or preterit form . In clauses with auxiliary verbs they are the finite verbs and the main verb is treated as a subordinate clause . For example , he has to go where only the auxiliary verb have is inflected for time and the main verb to go is in the infinitive , or in a complement clause such as I saw him leave , where the main verb is to see which is in a preterite form , and leave is in the infinitive . = = = = Phrasal verbs = = = = English also makes frequent use of constructions traditionally called phrasal verbs , verb phrases that are made up of a verb root and a preposition or particle which follows the verb . The phrase then functions as a single predicate . In terms of intonation the preposition is fused to the verb , but in writing it is written as a separate word . Examples of phrasal verbs are to get up , to ask out , to back up , to give up , to get together , to hang out , to put up with , etc . The phrasal verb frequently has a highly idiomatic meaning that is more specialised and restricted than what can be simply extrapolated from the combination of verb and preposition complement ( e.g. lay off meaning terminate someone 's employment ) . In spite of the idiomatic meaning , some grammarians , including Huddleston & Pullum ( 2002 ) : 274 , do not consider this type of construction to form a syntactic constituent and hence refrain from using the term " phrasal verb " . Instead they consider the construction simply to be a verb with a prepositional phrase as its syntactic complement , i.e. he woke up in the morning and he ran up in the mountains are syntactically equivalent . = = = = Adverbs = = = = The function of adverbs is to modify the action or event described by the verb by providing additional information about the manner in which it occurs . Many adverbs are derived from adjectives with the suffix -ly , but not all , and many speakers tend to omit the suffix in the most commonly used adverbs . For example , in the phrase the woman walked quickly the adverb quickly derived from the adjective quick describes the woman 's way of walking . Some commonly used adjectives have irregular adverbial forms , such as good which has the adverbial form well . = = = Syntax = = = Modern English syntax language is moderately analytic . It has developed features such as modal verbs and word order as resources for conveying meaning . Auxiliary verbs mark constructions such as questions , negative polarity , the passive voice and progressive aspect . = = = = Basic constituent order = = = = English word order has moved from the Germanic verb @-@ second ( V2 ) word order to being almost exclusively subject – verb – object ( SVO ) . The combination of SVO order and use of auxiliary verbs often creates clusters of two or more verbs at the centre of the sentence , such as he had hoped to try to open it . In most sentences English only marks grammatical relations through word order . The subject constituent precedes the verb and the object constituent follows it . The example below demonstrates how the grammatical roles of each constituent is marked only by the position relative to the verb : An exception is found in sentences where one of the constituents is a pronoun , in which case it is doubly marked , both by word order and by case inflection , where the subject pronoun precedes the verb and takes the subjective case form , and the object pronoun follows the verb and takes the objective case form . The example below demonstrates this double marking in a sentence where both object and subject is represented with a third person singular masculine pronoun : Indirect objects ( IO ) of ditransitive verbs can be placed either as the first object in a double object construction ( S V IO O ) , such as I gave Jane the book or in a prepositional phrase , such as I gave the book to Jane = = = = Clause syntax = = = = In English a sentence may be composed of one or more clauses , that may in turn be composed of one or more phrases ( e.g. Noun Phrases , Verb Phrases , and Prepositional Phrases ) . A clause is built around a verb , and includes its constituents , such as any NPs and PPs . Within a sentence one clause is always the main clause ( or matrix clause ) whereas other clauses are subordinate to it . Subordinate clauses may function as arguments of the verb in the main clause . For example , in the phrase I think ( that ) you are lying , the main clause is headed by the verb think , the subject is I , but the object of the phrase is the subordinate clause ( that ) you are lying . The subordinating conjunction that shows that the clause that follows is a subordinate clause , but it is often omitted . Relative clauses are clauses that function as a modifier or specifier to some constituent in the main clause : For example , in the sentence I saw the letter that you received today , the relative clause that you received today specifies the meaning of the word letter , the object of the main clause . Relative clauses can be introduced by the pronouns who , whose , whom and which as well as by that ( which can also be omitted . ) In contrast to many other Germanic languages there is no major differences between word order in main and subordinate clauses . = = = = Auxiliary verb constructions = = = = English syntax relies on auxiliary verbs for many functions including the expression of tense , aspect and mood . Auxiliary verbs form main clauses , and the main verbs function as heads of a subordinate clause of the auxiliary verb . For example , in the sentence the dog did not find its bone , the clause find its bone is the complement of the negated verb did not . Subject – auxiliary inversion is used in many constructions , including focus , negation , and interrogative constructions . The verb do can be used as an auxiliary even in simple declarative sentences , where it usually serves to add emphasis , as in " I did shut the fridge . " However , in the negated and inverted clauses referred to above , it is used because the rules of English syntax permit these constructions only when an auxiliary is present . Modern English does not allow the addition of the negating adverb not to an ordinary finite lexical verb , as in * I know not — it can only be added to an auxiliary ( or copular ) verb , hence if there is no other auxiliary present when negation is required , the auxiliary do is used , to produce a form like I do not ( don 't ) know . The same applies in clauses requiring inversion , including most questions — inversion must involve the subject and an auxiliary verb , so it is not possible to say * Know you him ? ; grammatical rules require Do you know him ? Negation is done with the adverb not , which precedes the main verb and follows an auxiliary verb . A contracted form of not -n 't can be used as an enclitic attaching to auxiliary verbs and to the copula verb to be . Just as with questions , many negative constructions require the negation to occur with do @-@ support , thus in Modern English I don 't know him is the correct answer to the question Do you know him ? , but not * I know him not , although this construction may be found in older English . Passive constructions also use auxiliary verbs . A passive construction rephrases an active construction in such a way that the object of the active phrase becomes the subject of the passive phrase , and the subject of the active phrase is either omitted or demoted to a role as an oblique argument introduced in a prepositional phrase . They are formed by using the past participle either with the auxiliary verb to be or to get , although not all varieties of English allow the use of passives with get . For example , putting the sentence she sees him into the passive becomes he is seen ( by her ) , or he gets seen ( by her ) . = = = = Questions = = = = Both yes – no questions and wh @-@ questions in English are mostly formed using subject – auxiliary inversion ( Am I going tomorrow ? , Where can we eat ? ) , which may require do @-@ support ( Do you like her ? , Where did he go ? ) . In most cases , interrogative words ( wh @-@ words ; e.g. what , who , where , when , why , how ) appear in a fronted position . For example , in the question What did you see ? , the word what appears as the first constituent despite being the grammatical object of the sentence . ( When the wh @-@ word is the subject or forms part of the subject , no inversion occurs : Who saw the cat ? . ) Prepositional phrases can also be fronted when they are the question 's theme , e.g. To whose house did you go last night ? . The personal interrogative pronoun who is the only interrogative pronoun to still show inflection for case , with the variant whom serving as the objective case form , although this form may be going out of use in many contexts . = = = = Discourse level syntax = = = = At the discourse level English tends to use a topic @-@ comment structure , where the known information ( topic ) precedes the new information ( comment ) . Because of the strict SVO syntax , the topic of a sentence generally has to be the grammatical subject of the sentence . In cases where the topic is not the grammatical subject of the sentence , frequently the topic is promoted to subject position through syntactic means . One way of doing this is through a passive construction , the girl was stung by the bee . Another way is through a cleft sentence where the main clause is demoted to be a complement clause of a copula sentence with a dummy subject such as it or there , e.g. it was the girl that the bee stung , there was a girl who was stung by a bee . Dummy subjects are also used in constructions where there is no grammatical subject such as with impersonal verbs ( e.g. , it is raining ) or in existential clauses ( there are many cars on the street ) . Through the use of these complex sentence constructions with informationally vacuous subjects , English is able to maintain both a topic comment sentence structure and a SVO syntax . Focus constructions emphasise a particular piece of new or salient information within a sentence , generally through allocating the main sentence level stress on the focal constituent . For example , the girl was stung by a bee ( emphasising it was a bee and not for example a wasp that stung her ) , or The girl was stung by a bee ( contrasting with another possibility , for example that it was the boy ) . Topic and focus can also be established through syntactic dislocation , either preposing or postposing the item to be focused on relative to the main clause . For example , That girl over there , she was stung by a bee , emphasises the girl by preposition , but a similar effect could be achieved by postposition , she was stung by a bee , that girl over there , where reference to the girl is established as an " afterthought " . Cohesion between sentences is achieved through the use of deictic pronouns as anaphora ( e.g. that is exactly what I mean where that refers to some fact known to both interlocutors , or then used to locate the time of a narrated event relative to the time of a previously narrated event ) . Discourse markers such as oh , so or well , also signal the progression of ideas between sentences and help to create cohesion . Discourse markers are often the first constituents in sentences . Discourse markers are also used for stance taking in which speakers position themselves in a specific attitude towards what is being said , for example , no way is that true ! ( the idiomatic marker no way ! expressing disbelief ) , or boy ! I 'm hungry ( the marker boy expressing emphasis ) . While discourse markers are particularly characteristic of informal and spoken registers of English , they are also used in written and formal registers . = = Vocabulary = = The vocabulary of English is vast , and counting exactly how many words English ( or any language ) has is impossible . The Oxford Dictionaries suggest that there are at least a quarter of a million distinct English words . Early studies of English vocabulary by lexicographers , the scholars who formally study vocabulary , compile dictionaries , or both , were impeded by a lack of comprehensive data on actual vocabulary in use from good @-@ quality linguistic corpora , collections of actual written texts and spoken passages . Many statements published before the end of the 20th century about the growth of English vocabulary over time , the dates of first use of various words in English , and the sources of English vocabulary will have to be corrected as new computerised analysis of linguistic corpus data becomes available . = = = Word formation processes = = = English forms new words from existing words or roots in its vocabulary through a variety of processes . One of the most productive processes in English is conversion , using a word with a different grammatical role , for example using a noun as a verb or a verb as a noun . Another productive word @-@ formation process is nominal compounding , producing compound words such as babysitter or ice cream or homesick . A process more common in Old English than in Modern English , but still productive in Modern English , is the use of derivational suffixes ( -hood , -ness , -ing , -ility ) to derive new words from existing words ( especially those of Germanic origin ) or stems ( especially for words of Latin or Greek origin ) . Formation of new words , called neologisms , based on Greek or Latin roots ( for example television or optometry ) is a highly productive process in English and in most modern European languages , so much so that it is often difficult to determine in which language a neologism originated . For this reason , lexicographer Philip Gove attributed many such words to the " international scientific vocabulary " ( ISV ) when compiling Webster 's Third New International Dictionary ( 1961 ) . Another active word @-@ formation process in English is acronyms , words formed by pronouncing as a single word abbreviations of longer phrases ( e.g. NATO , laser ) . = = = Word origins = = = English , besides forming new words from existing words and their roots , also borrows words from other languages . This process of adding words from other languages is commonplace in many world languages , but English is characterised as being especially open to borrowing of foreign words throughout the last 1 @,@ 000 years . The most commonly used words in English are West Germanic . The words in English learned first by children as they learn to speak , particularly the grammatical words that dominate the word count of both spoken and written texts , are the Germanic words inherited from the earliest periods of the development of Old English . But one of the consequences of long language contact between French and English in all stages of their development is that the vocabulary of English has a very high percentage of " Latinate " words ( derived from French , especially , and also from Latin or from other Romance languages ) . French words from various periods of the development of French now make up one @-@ third of the vocabulary of English . English has also borrowed many words directly from Latin , the ancestor of the Romance languages , during all stages of its development . Many of the words borrowed into English from Latin were earlier borrowed into Latin from Greek . Latin or Greek are still highly productive sources of stems used to form vocabulary of subjects learned in higher education such as the sciences , philosophy , and mathematics . English continues to gain new loanwords and calques ( " loan translations " ) from languages all over the world , and words from languages other than the ancestral Anglo @-@ Saxon language make up about 60 percent of the vocabulary of English . English has formal and informal speech registers , and informal registers , including child directed speech , tend to be made up predominantly of words of Anglo @-@ Saxon origin , while the percentage of vocabulary that is of Latinate origin is higher in legal , scientific , and academic texts . = = = English loanwords and calques in other languages = = = English has a strong influence on the vocabulary of other languages . The influence of English comes from such factors as opinion leaders in other countries knowing the English language , the role of English as a world lingua franca , and the large number of books and films that are translated from English into other languages . That pervasive use of English leads to a conclusion in many places that English is an especially suitable language for expressing new ideas or describing new technologies . Among varieties of English , it is especially American English that influences other languages . Some languages , such as Chinese , write words borrowed from English mostly as calques , while others , such as Japanese , readily take in English loanwords written in sound @-@ indicating script . Dubbed films and television programmes are an especially fruitful source of English influence on languages in Europe . = = Writing system = = Since the ninth century , English has been written in a Latin alphabet ( also called Roman alphabet ) . Earlier Old English texts in Anglo @-@ Saxon runes are only short inscriptions . The great majority of literary works in Old English that survive to today are written in the Roman alphabet . The modern English alphabet contains 26 letters of the Latin script : a , b , c , d , e , f , g , h , i , j , k , l , m , n , o , p , q , r , s , t , u , v , w , x , y , z ( which also have capital forms : A , B , C , D , E , F , G , H , I , J , K , L , M , N , O , P , Q , R , S , T , U , V , W , X , Y , Z ) . The spelling system , or orthography , of English is multi @-@ layered , with elements of French , Latin , and Greek spelling on top of the native Germanic system . Further complications have arisen through sound changes with which the orthography has not kept pace . Compared to European languages for which official organisations have promoted spelling reforms , English has spelling that is a less consistent indicator of pronunciation and standard spellings of words that are more difficult to guess from knowing how a word is pronounced . There are also systematic spelling differences between British and American English . These situations have prompted proposals for spelling reform in English . Although letters and speech sounds do not have a one @-@ to @-@ one correspondence in standard English spelling , spelling rules that take into account syllable structure , phonetic changes in derived words , and word accent are reliable for most English words . Moreover , standard English spelling shows etymological relationships between related words that would be obscured by a closer correspondence between pronunciation and spelling , for example the words photograph , photography , and photographic , or the words electricity and electrical . While few scholars agree with Chomsky and Halle ( 1968 ) that conventional English orthography is " near @-@ optimal " , there is a rationale for current English spelling patterns . The standard orthography of English is the most widely used writing system in the world . Standard English spelling is based on a graphomorphemic segmentation of words into written clues of what meaningful units make up each word . Readers of English can generally rely on the correspondence between spelling and pronunciation to be fairly regular for letters or digraphs used to spell consonant sounds . The letters b , d , f , h , j , k , l , m , n , p , r , s , t , v , w , y , z represent , respectively , the phonemes / b , d , f , h , dʒ , k , l , m , n , p , r , s , t , v , w , j , z / . The letters c and g normally represent / k / and / ɡ / , but there is also a soft c pronounced / s / , and a soft g pronounced / dʒ / . The differences in the pronunciations of the letters c and g are often signalled by the following letters in standard English spelling . Digraphs used to represent phonemes and phoneme sequences include ch for / tʃ / , sh for / ʃ / , th for / θ / or / ð / , ng for / ŋ / , qu for / kw / , and ph for / f / in Greek @-@ derived words . The single letter x is generally pronounced as / z / in word @-@ initial position and as / ks / otherwise . There are exceptions to these generalisations , often the result of loanwords being spelled according to the spelling patterns of their languages of origin or proposals by pedantic scholars in the early period of Modern English to mistakenly follow the spelling patterns of Latin for English words of Germanic origin . For the vowel sounds of the English language , however , correspondences between spelling and pronunciation are more irregular . There are many more vowel phonemes in English than there are vowel letters ( a , e , i , o , u , w , y ) . As a result of a smaller set of single letter symbols than the set of vowel phonemes , some " long vowels " are often indicated by combinations of letters ( like the oa in boat , the ow in how , and the ay in stay ) , or the historically based silent e ( as in note and cake ) . The consequence of this complex orthographic history is that learning to read can be challenging in English . It can take longer for school pupils to become independently fluent readers of English than of many other languages , including Italian , Spanish , or German . Nonetheless , there is an advantage for learners of English reading in learning the specific sound @-@ symbol regularities that occur in the standard English spellings of commonly used words . Such instruction greatly reduces the risk of children experiencing reading difficulties in English . Making primary school teachers more aware of the primacy of morpheme representation in English may help learners learn more efficiently to read and write English . English writing also includes a system of punctuation that is similar to the system of punctuation marks used in most alphabetic languages around the world . The purpose of punctuation is to mark meaningful grammatical relationships in sentences to aid readers in understanding a text and to indicate features important for reading a text aloud . = = Dialects , accents , and varieties = = Dialectologists distinguish between English dialects , regional varieties that differ from each other in terms of grammar and vocabulary , and regional accents , distinguished by different patterns of pronunciation . The major native dialects of English are often divided by linguists into the two general categories of the British dialects ( BrE ) and those of North America ( AmE ) . = = = UK and Ireland = = = As the place where English first evolved , the British Isles , and particularly England , are home to the most variegated pattern of dialects . Within the United Kingdom , the Received Pronunciation ( RP ) , an educated dialect of South East England , is traditionally used as the broadcast standard , and is considered the most prestigious of the British dialects . The spread of RP ( also known as BBC English ) through the media has caused many traditional dialects of rural England to recede , as youths adopt the traits of the prestige variety instead of traits from local dialects . At the time of the Survey of English Dialects , grammar and vocabulary differed across the country , but a process of lexical attrition has led most of this variation to disappear . Nonetheless this attrition has mostly affected dialectal variation in grammar and vocabulary , and in fact only 3 percent of the English population actually speak RP , the remainder speaking regional accents and dialects with varying degrees of RP influence . There is also variability within RP , particularly along class lines between Upper and Middle class RP speakers and between native RP speakers and speakers who adopt RP later in life . Within Britain there is also considerable variation along lines of social class , and some traits though exceedingly common are considered " non @-@ standard " and are associated with lower class speakers and identities . An example of this is H @-@ dropping , which was historically a feature of lower class London English , particularly Cockney , but which today is the standard in all major English cities — yet it remains largely absent in broadcasting and among the upper crust of British society . English in England can be divided into four major dialect regions , Southwest English , South East English , Midlands English , and Northern English . Within each of these regions several local subdialects exist : Within the Northern region , there is a division between the Yorkshire dialects , and the Geordie dialect spoken in Northumbria around Newcastle , and the Lancashire dialects with local urban dialects in Liverpool ( Scouse ) and Manchester ( Mancunian ) . Having been the centre of Danish occupation during the Viking Invasions , Northern English dialects , particularly the Yorkshire dialect , retain Norse features not found in other English varieties . Since the 15th century , Southeastern varieties centred around London , which has been the centre from which dialectal innovations have spread to other dialects . In London , the Cockney dialect was traditionally used by the lower classes , and it was long a socially stigmatised variety . Today a large area of Southeastern England has adopted traits from Cockney , resulting in the so @-@ called Estuary English which spread in areas south and East of London beginning in the 1980s . Estuary English is distinguished by traits such as the use of intrusive R ( drawing is pronounced drawring / ˈdrɔːrɪŋ / ) , t @-@ glottalisation ( Potter is pronounced with a glottal stop as Po 'er / poʔʌ / ) , and the pronunciation of th- as / f / ( thanks pronounced fanks ) or / v / ( bother pronounced bover ) . Scots is today considered a separate language from English , but it has its origins in early Northern Middle English and developed and changed during its history with influence from other sources , particularly Scots Gaelic and Old Norse . Scots itself has a number of regional dialects . And in addition to Scots , Scottish English are the varieties of Standard English spoken in Scotland , most varieties are Northern English accents , with some influence from Scots . In Ireland , various forms of English have been spoken since the Norman invasions of the 11th century . In County Wexford , in the area surrounding Dublin , two highly conservative dialects known as Forth and Bargy and Fingallian developed as offshoots from Early Middle English , and were spoken until the 19th century . Modern Hiberno @-@ English however has its roots in English colonisation in the 17th century . Today Irish English is divided into Ulster English , a dialect with strong influence from Scots , and southern Hiberno @-@ English . Like Scots and Northern English , the Irish accents preserve the rhoticity which has been lost in most dialects influenced by RP . = = = North America = = = American English is generally considered fairly homogeneous compared to the British varieties . Today , American accent variation is in fact increasing , though most Americans still speak within a phonological continuum of similar accents , known collectively as General American ( GA ) , with its differing accents hardly noticed even among Americans themselves ( such as Midland and Western American English ) . Separate from GA are American accents with clearly distinct sound systems ; this historically includes Southern American English , English of the coastal Northeast ( famously including Eastern New England English and New York City English ) , and African American Vernacular English . Canadian English , except for the Maritime provinces , may be classified under GA as well , but it often shows unique vowel raising , as well as distinct norms for written and pronunciation standards . In GA and Canadian English , rhoticity ( or r @-@ fulness ) is dominant , with non @-@ rhoticity ( r @-@ dropping ) becoming associated with lower prestige and social class especially after World War II ; this contrasts with the situation in England , where non @-@ rhoticity has become the standard . In Southern American English , the largest American " accent group " outside of GA , rhoticity now prevails , replacing the region 's historical non @-@ rhotic prestige , though social variation may still apply . Southern accents are often colloquially described as a " drawl " or " twang , " being recognised most readily by the Southern Vowel Shift that begins with glide @-@ deleting in the / aɪ / vowel ( e.g. pronouncing spy almost like spa ) , the " Southern breaking " of several front pure vowels into a gliding vowel or even two syllables ( e.g. pronouncing the word " press " almost like " pray @-@ us " ) , the pin – pen merger , and other distinctive features , many of which are actually recent developments of the 19th century or later . Today spoken primarily by working- and middle @-@ class African Americans , African American Vernacular English ( AAVE ) is also largely non @-@ rhotic and likely originated among enslaved Africans and African Americans influenced primarily by the non @-@ rhotic , non @-@ standard English spoken by whites in the Old South . A minority of linguists , contrarily , propose that AAVE mostly traces back to African languages spoken by the slaves who had to develop a pidgin or Creole English to communicate with slaves of other ethnic and linguistic origins . After abolition , most African Americans settled in the inner cities of the North and here AAVE developed to a highly coherent and homogeneous variety . AAVE has often been stigmatised as a form of " broken " or " uneducated " English , as modern Southern American English also often is , but linguists today recognise both as fully developed varieties of English with their own norms shared by a large speech community . = = = Australia and New Zealand = = = Since 1788 English has been spoken in Oceania , and the major native dialect of Australian English is spoken as a first language by the vast majority of the inhabitants of the Australian continent , with General Australian serving as the standard accent . The English of neighbouring New Zealand has to a lesser degree become an influential standard variety of the language . Australian and New Zealand English are most closely related to British English , and both have similarly non @-@ rhotic accents , aside from some accents in the South Island of New Zealand . They stand out , however , for their innovative vowels : many short vowels are fronted or raised , whereas many long vowels have diphthongised . Australian English also has a contrast between long and short vowels , not found in most other varieties . Australian English grammar differs from British English only in few instances , one difference is the lack of verbal concord with collective plural subjects . New Zealand English differs little from Australian English , but a few characteristics sets its accent apart , such as the use of [ ʍ ] for wh- and its front vowels being even closer than in Australian English . = = = Africa , the Caribbean , and South Asia = = = English is spoken widely in South Africa and is an official or co @-@ official language in several countries . In South Africa , English has been spoken since 1820 , co @-@ existing with Afrikaans and various African languages such as the Khoe and Bantu languages . Today about 9 percent of the South African population speak South African English ( SAE ) as a first language . SAE is a non @-@ rhotic variety , which tends to follow RP as a norm . It is alone among non @-@ rhotic varieties in lacking intrusive r . There are different L2 varieties that differ based on the native language of the speakers . Most phonological differences from RP are in the vowels . Consonant differences include the tendency to pronounce / p , t , t ͡ ʃ , k / without aspiration ( e.g. / pin / pronounced [ pɪn ] rather than as [ pʰɪn ] as in most other varieties ) , while r is often pronounced as a flap [ ɾ ] instead of as the more common fricative . Several varieties of English are also spoken in the Caribbean Islands that were colonial possessions of Britain , including Jamaica , and the Leeward and Windward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago , Barbados , the Cayman Islands , and Belize . Each of these areas are home both to a local variety of English and a local English based creole , combining English and African languages . The most prominent varieties are Jamaican English and Jamaican Creole . In Central America , English based creoles are spoken in on the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and Panama . Locals are often fluent both in the local English variety and the local creole languages and code @-@ switching between them is frequent , indeed another way to conceptualise the relationship between Creole and Standard varieties is to see a spectrum of social registers with the Creole forms serving as " basilect " and the more RP @-@ like forms serving as the " acrolect " , the most formal register . Most Caribbean varieties are based on British English and consequently most are non @-@ rhotic , except for formal styles of Jamaican English which are often rhotic . Jamaican English differs from RP in its vowel inventory , which has a distinction between long and short vowels rather than tense and lax vowels as in Standard English . The diphthongs / ei / and / ou / are monophthongs [ eː ] and [ oː ] or even the reverse diphthongs [ ie ] and [ uo ] ( e.g. bay and boat pronounced [ bʲeː ] and [ bʷoːt ] ) . Often word final consonant clusters are simplified so that " child " is pronounced [ t ͡ ʃail ] and " wind " [ win ] . As a historical legacy , Indian English tends to take RP as its ideal , and how well this ideal is realised in an individual 's speech reflects class distinctions among Indian English speakers . Indian English accents are marked by the pronunciation of phonemes such as / t / and / d / ( often pronounced with retroflex articulation as [ ʈ ] and [ ɖ ] ) and the replacement of / θ / and / ð / with dentals [ t ̪ ] and [ d ̪ ] . Sometimes Indian English speakers may also use spelling based pronunciations where the silent < h > found in words such as ghost is pronounced as an Indian voiced aspirated stop [ gʱ ] .
= Beautiful nuthatch = The beautiful nuthatch ( Sitta formosa , sometimes called Callisitta formosa ) is a bird species in the family Sittidae . It is a large nuthatch , measuring 16 @.@ 5 cm ( 6 @.@ 5 in ) in length , that is not sexually dimorphic . Its coloration and markings are dramatic , the upper parts being black and azure , streaked with white and pale blue on the head and lined with the same colors on the wing feathers . The underparts are orange , and the eyebrow and throat are ochre . An irregular , dark eyestripe highlights its eye . S. formosa 's ecology is not fully described , but it is known to feed on small insects and larvae found on the trunks and epiphyte @-@ covered branches of trees in its range . Reproduction takes place from April to May ; the nest is placed in the hole of an oak , rhododendron , or other large tree . The nest is made of plant material and fur in which the bird typically lays four to six eggs . Although the species is found in most of the countries making up the mainland of Southeast Asia , it appears to be rare throughout its range , its population being highly localized where it is found . The bird nests predominantly in mountain forests at an altitudinal range from 950 m ( 3 @,@ 120 ft ) up to nearly 2 @,@ 300 m ( 7 @,@ 500 ft ) , with some seasonal height adjustment , down to around 300 m ( 980 ft ) in winter . Its apparent localization within its range makes rigorous estimates of its population difficult , but its habitat is threatened by deforestation and the species appear to be in decline . It has been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature . = = Taxonomy = = The nuthatches constitute a genus – Sitta – of small passerine birds belonging to the family , Sittidae , typified by short , compressed wings and short , square 12 @-@ feathered tails , a compact body , longish pointed bills , strong toes with long claws , and behaviorally , by their unique head @-@ first manner of descending tree trunks . Most nuthatches have gray or bluish upperparts and a black eyestripe . Sitta is derived from the Ancient Greek name for nuthatches , σιττη , sittē . " Nuthatch " , first recorded in 1350 , is derived from " nut " and a word probably related to " hack " , since these birds hack at nuts they have wedged into crevices . The genus may be further divided into seven subgenera , of which the beautiful nuthatch is placed alone in Callisitta ( Bonaparte , 1850 ) , and the species is therefore sometimes called Callisitta Formosa . The beautiful nuthatch was first described in 1843 by British zoologist Edward Blyth , from a specimen he examined in Darjeeling . Its kinship with other members of the genus is unclear . The bright blue color of its plumage invites a comparison to the blue nuthatch ( S. azurea ) , or other blue @-@ tinted nuthatch species such as the velvet @-@ fronted nuthatch ( S. frontalis ) , yellow @-@ billed nuthatch ( S. solangiae ) and the sulphur @-@ billed nuthatch ( S. oenochlamys ) , but its distribution being focused in the eastern Himalayas , and the uniqueness of its plumage , argues against the assumption . According to the International Ornithological Congress and ornithologist Alan P. Peterson , no subspecies have been identified . In 2014 , Eric Pasquet , et al. published a phylogeny based on examination of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of 21 nuthatch species . The position of the beautiful nuthatch within the genus was not established with certainty , having a far lower statistical association than others in the model . Nevertheless , under the findings the species appears closest evolutionarily to three clades of nuthatches : two nuthatches that prefer rocky environments , the western rock nuthatch ( S. neumayer ) and the eastern rock nuthatch ( S. tephronota ) ; species in the " europaea " group , including the Eurasian nuthatch ( S. europaea ) , Siberian nuthatch ( S. arctica ) , chestnut @-@ vented nuthatch ( S. nagaensis ) , Kashmir nuthatch ( S. cashmirensis ) , Indian nuthatch ( S. castanea ) , chestnut @-@ bellied nuthatch ( S. cinnamoventris ) and the Burmese nuthatch ( S. neglecta ) ; as well as the white @-@ tailed nuthatch ( S. himalayensis ) , and therefore , the white @-@ browed nuthatch ( S. victoriae ) . These close relatives are generally all species that plaster the entrance to their nest with mud . = = Description = = Described by Erik Matthysen in his 1998 treatise The Nuthatches as a bird that " deserves its name " , the beautiful nuthatch has highly distinctive plumage . Its upperparts are black and azure , and it is orange on the underparts . The crown and upper mantle are black , streaked with pale blue and white . The scapulars , back and rump are an azure blue . The greater and medium coverts are black , finely edged with white , forming two narrow wing bars ; the flight feathers are black and more or less lined with pale blue . The eyebrow and throat are white and buff and the eye is highlighted by an irregular , dark eyestripe . Under the wing , the white base of the primary coverts contrasts sharply with gray undertail @-@ coverts , a distinguishing trait when viewing the bird in flight . The iris is reddish @-@ brown or dark brown and the bill is black but for a whitish tinge at the base of the lower mandible . The lower parts are generally orange @-@ cinnamon . The legs and feet are yellowish @-@ brown , olive @-@ brown or greenish @-@ brown . There is no sexual dimorphism . Juveniles are very similar to adults , but the streaks on the mantle are blue rather than white . The primary coverts of juveniles are also more closely lined with blue , and the underparts are paler overall , especially on the chest . Adults perform a complete moult after the breeding season , whereas juveniles only have a partial moult , in which they replace a variable number of rectrices . The bird is large as compared with other members of the Sitta genus , measuring 16 @.@ 5 cm ( 6 @.@ 5 in ) in length . The folded wing measure 98 – 109 mm ( 3 @.@ 9 – 4 @.@ 3 in ) in males and 97 – 100 mm ( 3 @.@ 8 – 3 @.@ 9 in ) in females . The tail is 48 – 60 mm ( 1 @.@ 9 – 2 @.@ 4 in ) in males and 52 – 56 mm ( 2 @.@ 0 – 2 @.@ 2 in ) in females . The beak measures between 20 mm ( 0 @.@ 79 in ) and 24 @.@ 9 mm ( 0 @.@ 98 in ) and the tarsus is 19 – 22 mm ( 0 @.@ 75 – 0 @.@ 87 in ) in length . The weight is not known . = = Ecology and behavior = = = = = Voice = = = S. formosa 's vocalizations are not well known , but its song is described as " low and sweet in tone " . Its call is typical of nuthatches , and similar to that of the Eurasian nuthatch ( Sitta europaea ) , but less strident . = = = Feeding = = = The beautiful nuthatch forages alone , in pairs or in small groups of four to five individuals , though an unusual gathering of 21 individuals was observed in one tree in Bhutan . It often takes part in mixed @-@ species foraging flocks , and has been notably observed feeding with the Himalayan cutia ( Cutia nipalensis ) and the velvet @-@ fronted nuthatch ( Sitta frontalis ) – two other species that prospect for food on tree trunks . Other foraging flock partners surveyed are the long @-@ tailed broadbill ( Psarisomus dalhousiae ) , the lesser racket @-@ tailed drongo ( Dicrurus remifer ) , the maroon oriole ( Oriolus traillii ) and the white @-@ browed scimitar babbler ( Pomatorhinus schisticeps ) . S. formosa forages from about the middle to the apex of tall trees , exploring the trunks and epiphyte @-@ covered branches ( lichens , mosses , orchids ) , for small insects , but also prospect on outermost branches . In Laos , individuals were observed feeding while perched on the larger branches of a Fokienia evergreen ( Fokienia hodginsii ) – a tree frequently enveloped in epiphytes . The bird has been described at times as the most timid of nuthatches . It prospects in a manner typical of many others in its genus , sometimes hanging upside down for an extended time surveying its surroundings . As compared with other nuthatch , the species has been described as working " unhurriedly " , as they peck at trunks , lichen and other epiphytes , searching for prey . Stomach contents of collected Chinese specimens consisted of beetles and insect larvae . = = = Breeding = = = Reproduction in the species has not been well studied . In the northeast of India , the breeding season is from April to May . The nest is placed off the ground , between two and eight meters high , and is often built in a hole of a ( living or dead ) oak or rhododendron tree , or sometimes in other large trees . Nests are constructed using leaves and bark , held together with hair , often that of bamboo rats . If the opening of the hole is too large , it is cemented with mud to reduce the entrance size . The bird usually lays four to six white eggs , speckled with red spots , that measure 20 @.@ 8 mm × 15 @.@ 3 mm ( 0 @.@ 82 in × 0 @.@ 60 in ) . Beautiful nuthatch sexes are reported to share equally in nest building and incubation duties . = = Distribution and habitat = = This species lives in the eastern Himalayas , and has been reported in several scattered sites across Southeast Asia , in the northwest of Vietnam and in central Laos . Its range stretches west into the northeast of India , where it was reported seen near Darjeeling in West Bengal , but not since 1933 . It is present in Bhutan , and in the Indian states of Sikkim ( in the town of Rangpo ) , in Meghalaya ( in the Khasi Hills ) , in Assam ( in the Dima Hasao district ) , in the south of Arunachal Pradesh , and in Manipur and Nagaland . Its presence in Bangladesh is uncertain but it is found further west in the north of Burma , in Chin State ( in the Chin Hills @-@ Arakan Yoma montane forests ) , the Sagaing Region , in Kachin State and in Shan State . Data on the bird from Laos is erratic , but there are reports of sightings north of Phou Kobo , and of large numbers of the species wintering in the center of the country in the pristine wilderness of Nakai – Nam Theun . There are also reports of sightings in the southeast of China ’ s Yunnan province , in northern Thailand and in northwestern Vietnam . Its residential and breeding range is estimated to cover 376 @,@ 000 km2 ( 145 @,@ 000 sq mi ) . Beautiful nuthatches typically inhabit both the interior and outskirts of evergreen or semi @-@ evergreen mountain forests , though in northern Burma they have been recorded nesting in trees scattered across open areas . In central Laos , the bird was found associated with the Fokienia evergreen . They usually live at altitudes of 950 m ( 3 @,@ 120 ft ) and up to nearly 2 @,@ 300 m ( 7 @,@ 500 ft ) during the warm seasons but may make seasonal vertical migration . In India , for example , the species spends the summer between 1 @,@ 500 m ( 4 @,@ 900 ft ) and 2 @,@ 100 m ( 6 @,@ 900 ft ) , but was observed during winter at just 335 m ( 1 @,@ 099 ft ) in Sikkim and in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh at 460 m ( 1 @,@ 510 ft ) and between 600 m ( 2 @,@ 000 ft ) and 800 m ( 2 @,@ 600 ft ) . In Burma , they were observed at between 975 m ( 3 @,@ 199 ft ) and 1 @,@ 830 m ( 6 @,@ 000 ft ) , in China between 350 m ( 1 @,@ 150 ft ) and 1 @,@ 975 m ( 6 @,@ 480 ft ) , in Laos between 1 @,@ 950 m ( 6 @,@ 400 ft ) and 2 @,@ 000 m ( 6 @,@ 600 ft ) and in Thailand , the only observation of the species was at a height of 2 @,@ 290 m ( 7 @,@ 510 ft ) . = = Threats and protection = = The beautiful nuthatch has always been rare and very localized throughout its distribution , perhaps due to very specific ecological requirements , though this has been questioned as not in keeping with the diversity of habitats in which S. Formosa has been observed . Although the species is less threatened at high elevations , its habitat has been reduced by deforestation , due to logging and forest clearance to make way for human habitation . In the center of Laos and northern Vietnam , Fokienia trees , which are a known beautiful nuthatch foraging source and nesting site , are harvested for their high commercial value . Research conducted in 2001 indicated a population comprising 2 @,@ 500 to 10 @,@ 000 adults , and between 3 @,@ 500 and 15 @,@ 000 total individuals ; these numbers are in decline . The species has been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) .
= St Mary 's Church , Astbury = St Mary 's Church is an Anglican parish church in the village of Newbold Astbury , Cheshire , England . It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building , and its architecture has been praised by a number of writers . It is possible that a church was present on the site in the Saxon era , although the earliest fabric in the church is Norman . The present ground plan was established in the 13th and 14th centuries , from which time the church 's external appearance dates , apart from a major rebuilding in the later part of the 15th century , when the range of high windows or clerestory was added . All styles of English Gothic architecture , are represented in the church : Early English , Decorated , and Perpendicular . During the civil war , a group of Roundheads stabled their horses in the church . In the 19th century the interior of the church was restored by George Gilbert Scott ; some wall paintings were revealed , and stained glass was added . The church has a number of special features . These include its exceptionally wide nave for a village church , and its trapezoidal shape . The tower is separate from the body of the church , joined to it by a passage with a porch . There are two other porches : the three @-@ storey west porch and the two @-@ storey south porch . Inside the church are medieval fittings and furniture and many memorials . The churchyard contains numerous gravestones from the 17th century and five listed structures , including a canopied tomb . St Mary 's continues to be an active church in the centre of its village . It provides the usual services of an Anglican church and runs a number of organisations catering for children and adults . = = History = = The origins of the church are unclear . The Domesday survey of 1086 records the presence of a priest at Astbury , but not a church . The discovery nearby of fragments of stone with apparent Saxon decoration , coffin lids , and the lower stages of a cross – all of which might date from before the Norman conquest – suggest that an earlier church may have been on the site . The earliest fabric in the present church is a round @-@ arched doorway . Architectural historian Andor Gomme dates this from about the middle of the 12th century and states that at that time the church would have been a simple rectangular building , and mainly timber @-@ framed . Gomme suggests further that in the middle of the 13th century the east end of the church would have been rebuilt in stone , with a chancel and sanctuary . Subsequently the rest of the body of the church was built , consisting of the nave and north and south aisles ; the work was completed in the 14th century . The tower was built towards the end of the 13th century , not in the usual position at the west end of the church but to the north of the west bay of the north aisle , separated from it by a distance of 6 feet ( 1 @.@ 8 m ) . During the 14th century the south porch , with its priest 's room or treasury in the top storey , was added . It is not known whether the tower 's spire was built in the 14th or the 15th century . Major rebuilding work took place in the later part of the 15th century . It is thought that it began with the south arcade , followed by the north arcade and the addition of a clerestory . The rebuilding was probably complete by about 1525 , although the north aisle may not have been completely re @-@ roofed until the early 17th century . The west porch was probably started in the 14th century , and the upper two storeys added in the following century . The nave roof was repaired in 1615 . During the civil war , while nearby Biddulph Hall was under siege , Sir William Brereton 's Roundheads stabled their horses in the church . They damaged the medieval glass windows and removed some of the church furniture , including the organ . There have been few significant changes since that time . The church was restored during the 19th century by Anthony Salvin , and later , in about 1857 , by George Gilbert Scott , who removed plaster from the walls and built a small gallery . During the Victorian era , the reredos and most of the stained glass were added . = = Architecture = = = = = Exterior = = = The body of the church is constructed in yellow sandstone ashlar , and the tower in millstone grit , an unusual material for churches in Cheshire . The architectural historian Alec Clifton @-@ Taylor draws attention to the crispness of the details of the stonework in the tower 500 years after it was carved , compared to the sandstone , which is prone to weathering . The roof is metal . The church incorporates elements of Norman , Early English , Decorated , and Perpendicular architecture . The overall plan is that of a trapezium ; the west end is 8 feet ( 2 @.@ 4 m ) wider than the east . The body of the church consists of a seven @-@ bay nave and chancel with no structural division , and north and south aisles . The aisles are rectangular , thus the narrowing takes place entirely within the nave and chancel . The west end of the nave , between the piers ( columns ) of the arcades , is 40 feet ( 12 @.@ 2 m ) wide . This is exceptionally wide for a parish church , and slightly wider than the nave of Chester Cathedral . The aisles extend along the sides of the chancel , forming north and south chapels . The tower stands to the north of the west bay of the body of the church , and is joined to it by a short passage with a porch on its east side . There are also porches on the west and south sides of the church . The tower is in three stages and is supported by buttresses . In the lowest stage , on the west side , is a doorway in Romanesque style , on the north side is an ogee @-@ headed lancet window . On the left of the east side is a Perpendicular @-@ style porch . The middle stage has a two @-@ light window on the west side , above which is a circular clock face , and on the north and east sides are lancet windows . The top stage contains a two @-@ light louvred bell opening on each side . The parapet is plain , and projecting from it on the west side is a gargoyle . The spire is octagonal , with two tiers of lucarnes ( dormer windows ) . The north side of the church is divided by buttresses into four bays . The second bay from the east contains a priest 's door , above which is a lancet window . To the right of the door is a small trefoil @-@ headed window . The other bays contain two @-@ light windows with Early English tracery . Battlemented parapets run around the walls of the aisle walls and the clerestory . The clerestory has seven bays on either side , each containing a four @-@ light Perpendicular window . At the east end are three windows . The central window , at the end of the chancel , is Perpendicular with seven lights . This is flanked by two aisle windows with plate tracery , the one to the right having four lights , and that to the left five lights . The southern side of the church has nine bays , again divided by buttresses . In the third bay from the west is a porch . The other bays each contain a two @-@ light window with trefoil heads . The porch is in two storeys , with angle buttresses and a battlemented parapet with gargoyles . The lower storey contains a doorway with a pointed arch , and the upper storey has a two @-@ light window . The doorway and window are set slightly to the west of the centre , as the east wall contains a stairway . Inside the porch are stone seats and the remains of two stoups ( holy water fonts ) . The staircase leading to the upper storey is composed of old gravestones . On the outer wall of the upper storey is a sundial . The west end of the church is in Perpendicular style , and has five bays . At its centre is another porch , this one with three storeys . At the west front are diagonal buttresses , and in the bottom storey is a double doorway , over which is a canopied niche containing the weathered image of a saint . In the middle storey is a three @-@ light window , in the top storey a two @-@ light window , and at the summit is a battlemented parapet . There are windows in the north and south faces of the top stage , and on the north side is an octagonal stair turret . Inside the porch are four corbels ( supporting brackets ) carved with musicians . On each side of the porch is a four @-@ light window . At the west end of the north aisle is a four @-@ light window , and a five @-@ light window is at the end of the south aisle . = = = Interior = = = The nave and chancel are divided from the aisles by seven @-@ bay arcades , the piers being without capitals . At the top of each pier , facing the nave , is a carved human face . The roofs are divided into panels and contain much carving , including bosses ( protrusions ) , shields , inscriptions and three pendants . The chapel at the west end of the south aisle is known as the Lady Chapel , and that on the north side is dedicated to Saint Mary . The church contains more medieval fittings and furniture than any other Cheshire church . Between the nave and the chancel is a screen , and there are parclose screens between the aisles and the chapels . The chancel screen , dated 1500 , is elaborately carved with representations of birds , roses , vines and foliage . It has ten bays with lierne vaulting . The chancel stalls and the carved wooden eagle lectern date from around the same period . The lectern is one of the oldest eagle lecterns in the United Kingdom . The stalls have hinged seats , and formerly had misericords ( shelves to support a standing person ) . Much of the furniture dates from the 17th century and is in Jacobean style . This includes the altar rails , the octagonal pulpit , the box pews , the reredos ( screen behind the altar ) in the Lady Chapel , and the font cover . The font itself is Perpendicular . The reredos in the chancel of 1866 was designed by the Manchester architect J. S. Crowther . The royal arms of Charles II are in the north aisle . During the 1852 restoration whitewash was removed from the walls , revealing the royal arms of Henry VII , and paintings which include one of The Blessed Virgin knighting St George . Stained glass in the west windows of both aisles dates from around 1500 . Other glass comes from the Victorian era . This includes the east window from about 1858 , and the window at the east end of the north aisle from about 1861 , both by William Warrington , and the east window in the south aisle from about 1872 by Ward and Hughes . The two westernmost windows in the south aisle are by O 'Connor and dated 1871 . There are later windows from 1920 in the south wall of the Lady Chapel . In the north aisle is a small part of an Anglo @-@ Saxon circular cross @-@ shaft carved with interlace decoration dating from the late 10th or the 11th century . There are 76 memorials in the church . These include the 14th @-@ century tomb of Ralph Davenport with the recumbent figure of a knight wearing plate armour with a gorget ( collar ) of mail ( armour consisting of linked metal rings ) and a conical helmet , a tomb chest of 1654 , and a recumbent effigy ( statue ) of Lady Egerton , who died in 1599 . The church also contains two sanctuary chairs and six old chests , one of which is iron @-@ bound and dates from the 13th century . There is a ring of eight bells , six of which were recast in 1925 by Taylor 's of Loughborough from the metal of the previous four 17th @-@ century bells . The other two bells were added in 1998 and were also supplied by Taylors . The organ was made by J. J. Binns for King 's Hall , Stoke @-@ on @-@ Trent in 1912 . It was presented to the church by Stoke City Council in 1962 and was rebuilt and installed by Reeves and Merner . The parish registers begin in 1572 and the churchwardens ' accounts in 1711 , but the latter are incomplete . = = External features = = The churchyard contains 51 gravestones dating from the 17th century . The most important monument is the canopied tomb of a member of the Venables family , which dates from the late 13th century ; crocketed pinnacles on the canopy date from the 17th century . Formerly inside the church , the tomb contains two figures , male and female , with their hands clasped in prayer . The only one of its kind in Cheshire , it is listed Grade II * , and is a scheduled monument . There are two further notable memorials in the churchyard , one to the north and the other to the south of the Venables tomb . Both are in yellow sandstone , date from the medieval period , and include weathered recumbent effigies . The one to the north possibly depicts a cleric with his hands in prayer , and the one to the south is a knight in armour with a missing leg . The churchyard also contains a sundial , consisting of two octagonal steps that were originally the base of a 16th @-@ century cross supporting an 18th @-@ century octagonal pillar . In addition to being listed , it is also a scheduled monument . The gateway to the churchyard dates from the 17th century , and consists of a yellow sandstone arch with crocketed pinnacles and a battlemented parapet . All of these structures are listed as Grade II . The churchyard contains the war graves of 16 British servicemen , 15 of World War I , and one of World War II . A yew tree in the churchyard is believed to be over 1 @,@ 000 years old . = = Assessment = = The church was designated on 14 February 1967 by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building . Grade I listing means that the building is acknowledged to be " of exceptional interest , sometimes considered to be internationally important " . The architectural historian Raymond Richards , writing in 1947 , considered it to be one of the most beautiful churches in the county . The authors of the Buildings of England series call it " one of the most exciting Cheshire churches " . Clifton @-@ Taylor includes it in his list of " outstanding " English parish churches . = = Present day = = St Mary 's Church stands in an elevated position overlooking the village green on the south side of the village . It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester , the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Congleton . The church holds traditional Anglican services and activities for younger people on Sundays . It runs a Prayer Group , a Toddler Group , and groups for other ages of children . The church publishes a monthly parish magazine .
= Laurence Harbor ( NJT station ) = Laurence Harbor was a proposed station that was to be located along New Jersey Transit 's North Jersey Coast Line between the South Amboy and Aberdeen @-@ Matawan stations . The station was to be in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge , New Jersey . The station was first proposed in the 1980s , although no progress was made until August 2001 , when the transportation officials said the official station could be constructed within several years . After several years of proposals , along with the passing of a high opposer in 2003 , the station came up once again in 2008 . That year , the proposed Metropark South was brought back to the Old Bridge council by developer Michael Alfieri . His proposal also brought up the plans for new residential homes , commercial businesses along with the new station . The proposal was conditionally accepted in November of that year . As of 2009 , there is no forward on the actual station being constructed . = = History = = = = = 1985 proposal and 2001 proposal = = = The idea for a station in Laurence Harbor was first proposed by developer in Michael Alfieri in 1985 . His original proposal in the community was to create and constructed a so @-@ called " Metropark South " , to consist of residential homes , commercial businesses , and a brand @-@ new train station . The proposal received approval , but only the residential portion of the proposal was ever built . This residential area , consisting of high @-@ class townhouses , is known as " Bridgepointe " . In August 2001 , several years after the partially constructed project was started , the staff at New Jersey Transit proposed the design and construction of a station at Laurence Harbor near Exit 120 on the Garden State Parkway , which would serve the North Jersey Coast Line . At that time , the tracks passed through Laurence Harbor between the South Amboy and Aberdeen @-@ Matawan stations . A spokesperson from New Jersey Transit reported that the state is working with Old Bridge Township ( where Laurence Harbor is a part ) to make preliminary designs . The costs for the designs began around $ 300 @,@ 000 ( 2001 USD ) for a two @-@ year study . The station was proposed to relieve major congestion on four of the major state highways in the community including Route 18 , Route 34 , Route 35 , and U.S. Route 9 . Old Bridge 's mayor , Barbara Cannon , gave full support for the new station , who previously passed a unanimous resolution for the proposal . The township also reported that this would help qualify Old Bridge as a city and receive more state funding . A week later , the figures for a brand @-@ new station at Laurence Harbor were released , saying the station would take five years to construct , with costs ranging from $ 25 million – $ 30 million ( 2001 USD ) of funding from the state of New Jersey and the federal government . The station would also relieve the busy Aberdeen @-@ Matawan station , which at the time hosted about 3 @,@ 500 commuters daily . Most of the city council and mayor supported the deal , except for councilman Joseph Hoff . Hoff believed the train station was a good idea , but there were a number of outstanding issues before plans for one could go forward . Hoff stated that the additional truck traffic and the safety of the pedestrians in the area were also a concern . These concerns would also get worse when the Atrium II office complex would be completed on the western side of Exit 120 . Another major issue was the traffic congestion at Exit 120 itself , which at rush hour was " atrocious " . By November 2002 , the station had not received any studies on the general location were not conducted by New Jersey Transit . Although the proposal still had support by the community , several citizens , including Joseph Hoff , were still questioning it . Hoff cited that New Jersey Transit has not put any interest forward and would just end up becoming another parking lot rather than a tax revenue . He reported however , that if residential homes and commercial businesses were constructed , it would be beneficial to Laurence Harbor . The other issue that Hoff maintained , was that it would risk the lives of children heading to and from Laurence Harbor Memorial School by affecting the traffic in the area . = = = 2008 proposal = = = After the 2002 report by Joseph Hoff , the township councilman in opposition to the Laurence Harbor train station , the 74 @-@ year @-@ old politician himself died on November 20 , 2003 . The proposal for the new train station began to wane for sometime , until 2005 , when Aliferi , the designer and constructor of " Bridgepointe " returned to the township board . This time Aliferi proposed the continuation of construction for the two decade @-@ old project , with several community groups either opposing the plan , or raising concerns . The proposal was to include a seven @-@ story hotel , 83 single @-@ family homes , two parking garages and 15 @,@ 000 square feet ( 1 @,@ 400 m2 ) of retail space . The local highway , Laurence Parkway , would also receive improvements to better handle the new development . Concerns were also raised by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority , the agency that governs the Garden State Parkway , about the effects on the off @-@ ramp for Exit 120 . On February 8 , 2006 , the Old Bridge Township Council turned over on a 7 @-@ 0 vote for the new development . Aliferi sued the township , taking the case to the New Jersey Superior Court . A judge sided with Aliferi , citing that the developer can bring the proposal back to the council . On February 21 , 2007 , the proposal was rejected again , partially citing that Aliferi has no interest in building the hotel or the offices . On November 17 , 2008 , Aliferi returned yet again to the Old Bridge Township Council . The council this time gave the go @-@ ahead for construction to begin with a condition . The council set that if Aliferi wants to construct it , he has to include commercial development before constructing residential homes to minimize community impact . Also before construction would begin , Aliferi would also have to return for a new General Development Permit ( GDP ) . The proposal for the hotel that Aliferi brought up , was held off due to the location , which was on depressed elevation . There was no official decision for a new train station , which was proposed several times during Aliferi 's plans .
= Final Fantasy Tactics = Final Fantasy Tactics ( ファイナルファンタジータクティクス , Fainaru Fantajī Takutikusu ) is a tactical role @-@ playing game developed and published by Square ( now Square Enix ) for the Sony PlayStation video game console . It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998 . The game combines thematic elements of the Final Fantasy video game series with a game engine and battle system unlike those previously seen in the franchise . In contrast to other 32 @-@ bit era Final Fantasy titles , Final Fantasy Tactics uses a 3D , isometric , rotatable playing field , with bitmap sprite characters . Final Fantasy Tactics is set in a fictional medieval @-@ inspired kingdom called Ivalice created by Yasumi Matsuno . The game 's story follows Ramza Beoulve , a highborn cadet who finds himself thrust into the middle of an intricate military conflict known as The Lion War , where two opposing noble factions are coveting the throne of the kingdom . As the story progresses , Ramza and his allies discover a sinister plot behind the war . A spinoff title , Final Fantasy Tactics Advance , was released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in 2003 and a sequel to that title , Final Fantasy Tactics A2 : Grimoire of the Rift , was released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS . Various other games have also utilized the Ivalice setting , including Vagrant Story for the PlayStation and Final Fantasy XII for the PlayStation 2 . An enhanced port of Final Fantasy Tactics , Final Fantasy Tactics : The War of the Lions , was released in 2007 as part of Square Enix 's Ivalice Alliance project . Overall , the game received positive reviews from gaming magazines and websites and has become a cult classic since its release . = = Gameplay = = The gameplay of Final Fantasy Tactics differs in several key areas from other titles in the Final Fantasy series . Instead of a generic battle screen , with the player 's characters on one side and the enemies on the other , encounters take place on three @-@ dimensional , isometric fields . Characters move on a battlefield composed of square tiles ; movement and action ranges are determined by the character 's statistics and job class . Battles are turn @-@ based ; a unit may act when its CT ( Charge Time ) reaches 100 . Charge time is increased once every CT unit ( a measure of time in battles ) by an amount equal to the unit 's speed statistic . When CT reaches 100 or greater , the unit may act . During battle , whenever a unit performs an action successfully , it gains Experience Points ( EXP ) and Job Points ( JP ) . Another difference is the manner in which random battles are encountered . Like other Final Fantasy games , random battles occur on the world map . However , in Final Fantasy Tactics , random battles only occur in pre @-@ set locations , marked in green on the world map . Passing over one of these spots may result in a random encounter . Another major aspect of battles is magical attacks . Certain magical attacks cause area of effect damage , and many of the more powerful magical attacks require several turns of charging . Hit Points of enemy units are also visible to the player ( except in the case of certain bosses ) , allowing the player to know exactly how much damage they still have to inflict on a particular unit . Movement on the world map is limited to predefined paths connecting the towns and battle points . When the character icon is over a town , a menu can be opened with several options : " Bar " for taking sidequest job offers , " Shop " for buying supplies and equipment , and " Soldier Office " for recruiting new characters . Later in the game , some towns contain " Fur Shops " for obtaining items by way of poaching monsters . Like several installments in the series , Final Fantasy Tactics features a character class system , which allows players to customize characters into various roles . The game makes extensive use of most of the original character classes seen in earlier Final Fantasy games , including Summoners , Wizards ( Black Mages ) , Priests ( White Mages ) , Monks , Lancers ( Dragoons ) , and Thieves . New recruits start out as either a Squire or a Chemist , the base classes for warrior and magician jobs , respectively . The game features twenty jobs accessible by normal characters . Throughout the game , unique characters also join the party . As well , some characters join as " guests " , which are computer controlled characters that fight on your side . Many of the unique characters have custom classes that replace the base squire class . It 's also possible to recruit monsters into the party . Monsters have unique abilities , but cannot change jobs . Monsters can be captured from battles or bred from existing monsters . In battle , JP are rewarded for every successful action . JP are used to learn new abilities within each job class . Accumulating enough JP results in a job level up ; new jobs are unlocked by attaining a certain level in the current job class ( for instance , to become a Priest or Wizard , the unit must first attain Job Level 2 as a Chemist ) , which also allows the character to gain more JP in that class in battles . Once all the abilities of a job class have been learned , the class is " Mastered " . A soldier in a specific Job always has its innate skill equipped ( Wizards always have " Black Magic , " Knights always have " Battle Skill " ) but a second job @-@ skill slot and several other ability slots ( Reaction , Support , and Movement ) can be filled with any skill the particular soldier has learned . = = Plot = = = = = Setting = = = The story takes place in the kingdom of Ivalice , located in a peninsula surrounded by sea on the north , west and south , with a headland south of the landmass . Its geography features ranging landscapes , from plains to mountains ranges to deserts and forests . It is heavily populated by human beings , although intelligent monsters can be found living in less populated areas . Magic is predominant in the land , although ruins and artifacts indicated that past populace had relied on machinery , such as airships and robots . Ivalice is a kingdom of seven territories ; Fovoham , Gallione , Limberry , Lionel , Zeltennia , the Holy Territory of Murond ( Mullonde in later versions ) , and the Royal Capital of Lesalie ( Lesalia in later versions ) , Ivalice 's neighbors are the kingdom of Ordalia in the east and Romanda , a military nation to the north , across the Rhana Strait . While the three nations share common royal bloodlines , major wars have taken place between them . An influential religious institution known as the Murond Glabados Church heads the dominant faith , centering around a religious figure known as Saint Ajora . The story takes place after Ivalice ended its war with the two nations in what is known as the Fifty Years War , and is facing economic problems and political strife . Adding to its problems is the recent death of the king , whose heir is only an infant . A regent is needed to rule in place of the prince , and the kingdom is split between Prince Goltana , represented by the Black Lion , and Prince Larg , symbolized by the White Lion . The conflict leads to what is known in the game as the Lion War . Behind this backdrop is a revelation by the game 's historian Alazlam J. Durai , who seeks to reveal the story of an unknown character whose role in the Lion War was major but was covered up by the kingdom 's church . The setting is based around this character , named by default as Ramza , and revolves around his early life and the future conflicts he faced while the events that changed the kingdom unfold . = = = Characters = = = Central to the plot of the game are two main characters , Ramza Beoulve and Delita Heiral . The two characters are childhood friends , and while both are born of differing social classes ; Ramza a noble and Delita a commoner , both disregarded this fact and grew up together believing in justice and honor , as taught by Ramza 's father Balbanes . However , as the story progresses , the two characters faced many conflicts that changed their viewpoint on life ; Delita seeks to manipulate the upper class to achieve his dreams , while Ramza believes in justice and honor regardless of name and class . The game 's plot is then portrayed through the eyes of Ramza Beoulve , who is the player character of the story . His exploits in the war introduced him to a number of characters ; each with their own roles and agenda concerning the war and the fictional world , Ivalice , that they inhabit . The most prominent factions at the beginning of the story are those of Prince Goltana and Prince Larg , both are nobles seeking to obtain control of the throne by being the guardian to the monarch 's young heir and were thus engaged in a war . The story progresses to include characters from the Murond Glabados Church , which have been controlling Ivalice silently and engineering the war in question . As the game progresses , players are able to recruit generic player characters and customize them using the Job system of the Final Fantasy series . Several battles also feature " Guest " characters that are controlled via the game 's A.I. , which may be recruited later in the game according to the story proper . Aside from original characters , the developers have also incorporated cameo roles from other Square games . The characters were designed by Akihiko Yoshida , who was also in charge of the illustration and character designs of games such as Tactics Ogre , Final Fantasy Tactics Advance , Final Fantasy XII , and Vagrant Story . = = = Story = = = Final Fantasy Tactics begins with Ivalice just recovering from the Fifty Year War against Ordalia . The power vacuum caused by the death of its ruler , King Omdoria , soon sparks another conflict . Princess Ovelia and the younger Prince Orinas are both candidates to the throne , with the former supported by Prince Goltana of the Black Lion , and the latter by Queen Ruvelia and her brother , Prince Larg of the White Lion . This erupts into a full @-@ scale war known as the " Lion War " , with either side using whatever means possible to secure their place in the throne . This includes bearing an illegitimate child , killing other possible heirs , betrayal , assassination and false identities . Throughout the game , nobles regard commoners and peasants as animals , and many commoners try to take revenge on the nobles , who abandoned them after the war . Most joined the so @-@ called Death Corps to fight against the nobles ' soldiers , and many die in vain . Ramza , part of the noble Beoulve family of knights , and Delita , his childhood friend who was an ordinary commoner , are witnesses to this phenomenon . Events such as meeting an arrogant noble named Algus , as well as the negligent killing of Delita 's sister Teta during an uprising , cause Delita and Ramza to abandon their ties to the nobility , both going separate ways . Ramza joins a mercenary group , led by Gafgarion , who protects Princess Ovelia from being hunted by both sides . Delita joins Prince Goltana 's forces to rise up through the ranks and gain control over his own destiny . Ramza and Delita are reunited when Gafgarion attempts to take Ovelia to Prince Larg , though this proves futile . Agrias suggests visiting Cardinal Draclau of the Glabados Church to protect Ovelia , while Delita continues to work in the shadows , working with multiple sides to realize his ambitions . Along the way to Lionel Castle , Ramza meets Mustadio , a machinist in possession of a holy relic called the Zodiac Stone . Hunted by a trading company for the power it contains , Mustadio also seeks Draclau 's intervention . However , soon after the encounter with Cardinal Draclau , Ramza discovers that an elaborate plot was set by the Murond Glabados Church . In their desire to control Ivalice , the Church , particularly the High Priest , Marge Funeral , uses the legend of the so @-@ called holy Zodiac Braves to gather the Zodiac Stones , and fuels the Lion War between Larg and Goltana . To stave off Ramza 's interference , Draclau uses the stone to transform into a legendary Lucavi demon , and Ramza has no choice but to slay him / it . As a result , Ramza is regarded a heretic of the Church , and he is approached by the Heretic Examiner Zalmo at Lesalia Imperial Capital . While noble in name , the Beoulve family is susceptible to corruption , due to ambition . Dycedarg , the eldest sibling , conspires with Larg and the Church to ensure that the Beoulve family remains in power . However , his younger brother Zalbag is unaware of his dealings . Alma , Ramza 's younger sister , remains in church , unaffected by the situation until Ramza is branded a heretic in front of her . Ramza seeks to rescue her after her capture while helping Ramza escape the Heresy Examiners . Only Ramza and Alma share their father 's sense of justice . Ramza is chased throughout the story by the Shrine Knights , the soldiers of the Church who are hunting the Zodiac Stones , although he gains allies , either by saving their lives , or by showing them the truth . Some individuals with knowledge of the Zodiac Stones attempt to conspire with the Shrine Knights for its power , though most fail . Ramza also acquires proof of the Church 's lies about Saint Ajora , a central figure in the religion , and attempts to use it along with the Zodiac Stone to reveal the organization 's plot . During the course of the story , the two sides face off in a major battle that sees the deaths of many soldiers , including their leaders Larg and Goltana . Ramza manages to stop the bloodshed from continuing and rescues the general Cidolfas Orlandu , though the Church succeeds in eliminating the two Lions to secure its power over Ivalice . Deeper into the story , Ramza discovers that the Shrine Knights are in reality Lucavi , and the real conspirators behind the Church 's plot . The Lucavi are seeking to resurrect their leader Altima , who in the past was Saint Ajora , and they need much bloodshed and a suitable body to complete the resurrection . Alma is to serve as the host for Altima 's incarnation . While racing off to find her , Ramza encounters Dycedarg - now a Lucavi demon - and witnesses Zalbag 's death . Zalbag is then risen and converted into an undead servant , and frequently begs for death during the encounter . At the end of the story , though Altima is resurrected , Ramza and his allies succeed in destroying her . Their final fates are unknown , although Olan does witness Ramza and Alma riding away from the kingdom on Chocobos at the end of the game . In the epilogue , Delita marries Ovelia and becomes the King of Ivalice . However , he fails to find true satisfaction as even Ovelia distrusts him , leading her to stab Delita . Ovelia in turn is stabbed by the agonizing Delita and dies . Delita then sorrowfully cries out to Ramza , asking if what they have done was worth what they received ( vilification for Ramza , and ostracization for Delita ) . Olan Durai , a witness who had many encounters with Ramza , attempts to reveal the Church 's evil plot with the " Durai Report . " However , his papers are confiscated and he is burned at the stake for heresy . The story ends many years later with the historian Alazlam J. Durai intent on revealing the truth of the Lion War and the Durai Report . = = Development = = Final Fantasy Tactics was produced mostly by the team that made Ogre Battle and Tactics Ogre , and was Yasumi Matsuno 's first project with Square following his departure from Quest in 1995 . In an interview with Akito Inoue , an assistant professor at the International University of Japan , Inoue mentions that Final Fantasy Tactics was made because of how casual gamers are usually put off by games with branching storylines found in other Matsuno 's titles such as Tactics Ogre . Several historical and mythological references were altered by translators : for instance , the Norse World Tree , Yggdrasil , makes an appearance as Yugodorasil ; the word " breath " is consistently rendered as " bracelet " in attack names ; and Wiegraf 's name is nearly homonymous with a character from Beowulf but rendered differently . The in @-@ game tutorial function also shows examples of Engrish - poorly translated English - including lines such as " This was the darkened Items won 't appear . " The game also includes references to several Final Fantasy specific characters , places , and situations from earlier games in the Final Fantasy series — Final Fantasy VII 's Cloud Strife is a playable character , and through the " Proposition " system in bars scattered around the world map , treasures and lost areas such as " Matoya Cave " ( a reference to the first Final Fantasy ) and various colors of materia can be found . To keep with tradition , Olan 's adoptive father , Cidolfas Orlandu , is nicknamed " T.G. Cid " , and chocobos are present in the game as well . Additionally , most of the monsters appear in one Final Fantasy game or another , although the Lucavi are entirely new monsters altogether . = = = Music = = = The original score for Final Fantasy Tactic was composed , arranged , and produced by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata . Matsuno approached his longtime friends Sakimoto and Iwata to compose the music soon after the initial release of Final Fantasy VII in January 1997 . Sakimoto composed 47 tracks for the game , and Iwata was left to compose the other 24 . The orchestral timbres of the game 's music were synthesized , with performance by Katsutoshi Kashiwabara and sound programming by Hidenori Suzuki . The album was first released on two Compact Discs by now @-@ defunct DigiCube on June 21 , 1997 , bearing the catalog number SSCX @-@ 10008 , and was re @-@ released by Square Enix on March 24 , 2006 , with the catalog number SQEX @-@ 10066 / 7 . It spans two discs and 71 tracks , covering a duration of 2 : 31 : 03 . Some reviewers made comparison with Nobuo Uematsu 's Final Fantasy compositions , though the soundtrack received positive reviews from critics . Chudah 's Corner summarized its review by stating that the soundtrack is an " astoundingly memorable classic of videogame music " . This is also supported by other professional reviews , such as by an RPGFan reviewer that " don 't believe that any other soundtrack known to man surpasses it " , and a VGM World review who quotes that " the orchestral music is beautiful nonetheless " . = = Reception = = Final Fantasy Tactics sold nearly 825 @,@ 000 copies in Japan in the first half of 1997 , and ended the year at almost 1 @.@ 24 million copies sold . Since then , the total number of copies sold in Japan has reached approximately 1 @.@ 35 million . In the United States it reached an estimated sale of 750 @,@ 000 units as of year 2004 . As of March 31 , 2003 , the game had shipped 2 @.@ 27 million copies worldwide , with 1 @.@ 36 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 910 @,@ 000 abroad . Since its release , rumors were circulated that the game was to be re @-@ released by Sony as a Greatest Hits title , the tentative date being around July 30 , 2001 . As of August , 2011 , the game had sold over 2 @.@ 4 million copies worldwide . Final Fantasy Tactics received universal acclaim upon its release , and critical opinion of the game has improved further over time . Magazines such as Electronic Gaming Monthly acknowledged it as " Square 's first attempt into the strategy RPG genre " ; though being " uneven " , it is worthy of being called " a classic " . Game Informer called it " the most impressive strategy RPG yet . " Gaming websites such as GameSpot lauded the game 's battle sequences as challenging , requiring more strategic planning than ordinary RPGs . IGN noted that the plot was the strength of the game , being in @-@ depth and with numerous plot twists . During battle sequences , the story unfolds to create a serious atmosphere of the plot , even with simple and " cute " character design . The spells and summoning visuals were compared with Final Fantasy VII ' s detailed graphics . Criticism is made on gameplay , plot and the localization effort . One of the reviews of RPGFan criticized the difficulty of the game as being inconsistent with each encounter against enemy units . The factors that influence the difficulty of the game include overpowered enemy units or party members , and time had to be taken to level up before any progress can be made . Though in @-@ depth , IGN also noted that the game 's plot was confusing at times , and that the item system was repetitive . The game 's localization effort was criticized by reviewers as poorly written , being rife with grammatical mistakes that almost stopped players from enjoying the storyline . General RPGFan review noted that the battlefield area was too small , hindering any possibilities for better strategy . The gameplay is summarized by one of the reviews as " strength vs. strength and proper spacing of troops when fighting magic users " . IGN awarded the game the Editor 's Choice Award on 1998 , praising the in @-@ game graphics as " amazing " and the battle environments with its extra details as being " extremely well designed " . GameSpot has named Final Fantasy Tactics as one of its Greatest Games of All Time — the first Final Fantasy game to receive such an honour . However , its legacy remains fairly obscure compared to Final Fantasy VII , also released for the PlayStation that year . The game still entered many " best games of all time " lists , receiving 84th place in the " Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time " poll by Japanese magazine Famitsu during March 2006 , 19th in a 2005 list by GameFAQs users , 45th in Game Informer 's list , 43rd in Electronic Gaming Monthly 's , and 38th in IGN 's . Since its release , Final Fantasy Tactics has attracted a cult following . Fan communities dedicated to modding and balancing the game have appeared on the internet . These communities experience member activity as of 2011 , fourteen years after Final Fantasy Tactics ' original release . Editorials from the gaming website RPGamer outlined several similarities between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Glabados portrayed in Final Fantasy Tactics . One editorial noted that it was a controversial move by the developers , as the church institution " in fact worships a demon , and is evil from its god on down " . However , another editorial mentions that such controversies failed to point out that any powerful organized religion in a psudeo @-@ medieval fictional setting , good or ill , is going to be compared with Catholicism due to its importance in European history . = = Versions and re @-@ releases = = Final Fantasy Tactics saw several re @-@ releases . Final Fantasy Tactics was re @-@ released as part of the Square 's Millennium Collection . This series of games was only released in Japan , and each title is bought with a set of related merchandise . Final Fantasy Tactics was sold on June 29 , 2000 along with titles such as Saga Frontier , Saga Frontier 2 , Brave Fencer Musashi , Front Mission 3 , Ehrgeiz and Legend of Mana . Four years after its release in 1997 , Final Fantasy Tactics was selected as part of the Sony Greatest Hits line of rereleases . Games released as Sony Greatest Hits were sold at a lower price . Final Fantasy Tactics also became part of Ultimate Hits , Square Enix 's main budget range available in Japan . A PlayStation Portable version of Final Fantasy Tactics , entitled Final Fantasy Tactics : The War of the Lions was released on May 10 , 2007 , in Japan ; and is now released across all regions . It is the second game announced as part of the Ivalice Alliance . The game features an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics , along with new features including in @-@ game cutscenes , new characters , and multiplayer capability . The updated mechanics contain a 16 : 9 widescreen support , new items , new jobs , and cel @-@ shaded full motion videos . The English version contains full voice acting during the cinematic cut scenes , whereas the Japanese version does not . = = Legacy = = The world of Final Fantasy Tactics has been featured in several other Square video games . After the game 's release , the development staff went on to develop Vagrant Story , which featured several subtle references to Final Fantasy Tactics . In an interview with the French video game magazine Joypad , Matsuno stated that both titles are set in the same fictional world of Ivalice . Square released Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in 2003 . The game setting and engine are similar to the ones of its predecessor , however the characters and plot are notably different ; the cast of characters is considerably smaller , and the plot is considerably simpler . Additionally , Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has a shorter main campaign , but more side missions and a secret campaign at the end of the game . In 2006 , Final Fantasy XII was released , also set in the world of Ivalice . Square Enix announced at the end of the same year the Ivalice Alliance , a new series of games set in the world of Ivalice , during a Tokyo press conference . The first title released was Final Fantasy XII : Revenant Wings . An indirect sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance , titled Final Fantasy Tactics A2 : Grimoire of the Rift , was released in Japan in 2007 and in the rest of the world in 2008 . It is also one of the titles released under the Ivalice Alliance game series , and takes place in the Ivalice universe .
= That Bass Tour = That Bass Tour was the first headlining concert tour by American singer and songwriter Meghan Trainor . It was launched in support of her debut studio album Title ( 2015 ) , and visited North America , Europe , Asia , and Oceania . The tour was initially announced in November 2014 with North American dates being released at the same time , with Oceanic , European and Asian dates announced afterwards . The show was produced by Live Nation Entertainment . The set list featured the majority of the songs from Title , along with a cover of Mark Ronson 's " Uptown Funk " . Reviews for the tour were generally positive , with critics praising Trainor 's live performing ability . = = Background and development = = On November 3 , 2014 , Trainor announced her debut concert tour , That Bass Tour , to support her fourth studio album and major label debut , Title ( 2015 ) . Tour dates were released on the same day for North America , and tickets were released on November 8 , 2014 . Dates were also revealed for the United Kingdom and Australia in January 2015 . Live Nation Entertainment were announced to be the tour 's producers , and HP as its sponsor . The set list included fourteen songs from Trainor 's album Title along with a dance section featuring Mark Ronson 's " Uptown Funk " . = = Synopsis = = The show starts with a screen of lights in the background while Trainor enters the stage , and she then opens with " Dear Future Husband " . After performing another three songs , Trainor starts singing " Title " with only a ukulele and her guitarist . " Bang Dem Sticks " is later performed along with a drum solo , which is followed by a special dance segment , as a tribute to Mark Ronson 's song " Uptown Funk " featuring Bruno Mars . As the first song of the encore , she sings " What If I " which was accompanied by a disco ball . The show closes with " All About That Bass " , which Bill Brotherton of the Boston Herald said had " a loud sing @-@ along and had moms , dads and preteens dancing feverishly " . The show ends with large balloons and confetti falling from the ceiling . = = Critical reception = = Carlee Wright of USA Today praised the show , saying that Trainor was energetic during the show , and that she interacted with the crowd often , both between and during songs . She also said that Trainor " brought her A @-@ game " for the show and that she recommends buying tickets for the show . Annabel Ross from The Sydney Morning Herald rated the song three out of five stars , and described Trainor as a " pop star for all the family " in the review . The Hollywood Reporter 's Ashley Lee said that the show did not disappoint the crowd , and also praised Trainor 's vocals and her showmanship . David Pollock of The Independent praised the show and opined that it is " positively rich in visual spectacle and a sense of authentically live performance " . International Business Times 's Alicia Adejobi criticized Trainor 's dance routines in the " Uptown Funk " segment , saying that she 's not the " best dancer " . Portland Tribune 's Nicole DeCosta said Trainor described Trainor as laid back and her dance moves as " G @-@ rated " , although Owen R. Smith from The Seattle Times said that the lyrical subjects of the songs on the show 's set list did not fit its young audience . Ashley Lee from The Hollywood Reporter said that the show 's venue was " intima [ te ] " , and that Trainor took advantage of this . John Aizlewood of the London Evening Standard wrote that Trainor had a " natural presence " in the show and that she " spread more than a little happiness " . = = Set list = = Set list for the March 13 , 2015 show . " Dear Future Husband " " Mr. Almost " " Credit " " No Good for You " " Title " " Walkashame " " Close Your Eyes " " 3am " " Like I 'm Gonna Lose You " " Bang Dem Sticks " " Uptown Funk " ( Dance ) ( Mark Ronson song ) " My Selfish Heart " " Lips Are Movin " Encore : " What If I " " All About That Bass " = = Shows = =
= Final Fantasy X / X @-@ 2 HD Remaster = Final Fantasy X / X @-@ 2 HD Remaster ( ファイナルファンタジーX / X @-@ 2 HD リマスター , Fainaru Fantajī Ten / Ten Tsū HD Rimasutā ) , also stylized as Final Fantasy X \| X @-@ 2 HD Remaster , is a high @-@ definition remaster of the role @-@ playing video games Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X @-@ 2 , originally developed and published by Square ( now Square Enix ) on the PlayStation 2 in 2001 and 2003 respectively . It also features story content previously only found in the International versions , and a new audio drama set a year after the events of X @-@ 2 . The Chinese studio Virtuos handled large parts of its development , while Square Enix assisted the process and published the collection . It was released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in Japan in December 2013 and in North America and Europe in March 2014 , and worldwide for PlayStation 4 in May 2015 , as well as for Windows PC in May 2016 . The collection saw graphical and musical revisions and is based on the international versions of both games , making certain special features missing in the original releases accessible to North American players for the first time . The collection sold favorably in Japan and the west , and has received positive reviews in western territories . Many praised the graphical upgrade and the chance to play through the games on the new platforms . The collection did receive criticism for a few minor upgrade faults and uneven quality between the two , while some of the collection 's added content drew mixed opinions . = = Content = = The HD remaster covers both Final Fantasy X and its sequel Final Fantasy X @-@ 2 . The first game follows the journey of the teenager Tidus who is transported to the world of Spira after an encounter with a creature known as Sin . He becomes one of the guardians of the summoner Yuna , protecting her on a pilgrimage to defeat Sin and finding out how the creature is linked to Tidus ' and Yuna 's late fathers . Gameplay relies on the Conditional Turn @-@ Based Battle system that allows for swapping party members in mid @-@ combat . Characters are leveled up by means of the Sphere Grid on which the player may choose a specific skill to learn or attribute to improve . The second game is set two years after the events of X and features Yuna as a treasure hunter in search of spheres leading her to Tidus . It reintroduces the series ' classic job system in the form of the Garment Grid : jobs can be acquired as dresspheres , costumes that give the player characters different abilities , throughout the game and may be changed in battle . X @-@ 2 includes multiple minigames such as Sphere Break and blitzball , the latter of which also featured prominently in X. While the majority of the gameplay for X and X @-@ 2 remains unchanged , the games have undergone an extensive graphical update and a large amount of the music for X has been rearranged . All regional releases contain content from the International versions : X has the expert Sphere Grid and several optional bosses , while X @-@ 2 comes with extra dresspheres and new minigames . The Creature Creator system was added , whereby players can capture enemy monsters and certain non @-@ player characters ( NPCs ) to train them and to have them fight alongside the party in battle , similar to the Pokémon series : these captured allies can also be fought and strengthened in a coliseum . Lastly , X @-@ 2 includes the " Last Mission " extra dungeon that plays in the style of a roguelike 3D game , having a grid @-@ based layout across which the characters move and take on enemies . Layouts are generated randomly and each opponent is allowed as many turns as the player has taken . As in the main game , the player characters can equip jobs in the form of dresspheres . Dialogue between the protagonists changes depending on which ending the player achieved in X @-@ 2 . The Eternal Calm movie that bridges the gap between X and X @-@ 2 is included in the collection as well . The collection allows for cross @-@ platform saving between the PlayStation 3 ( PS3 ) and PlayStation Vita versions and both games have full trophy support . Final Fantasy X : Will is an original audio drama included in the release , playing during the ending credits . It features multiple characters from the games , alongside two new characters : the narrator Chuami and her companion Kurgum . In the story , the two are sent to summon Yuna to investigate a mysterious phenomenon known as " Beckoning " , where the dead are being called back into existence . On their journey , they encounter a reborn Sin , who has apparently been beckoned . Over the course of the story , it is revealed that Tidus is suffering from some kind of weakness , and that Yuna and he appear to have broken up and Yuna is seeing someone else . The drama ends with Yuna preparing to face Sin again and Tidus , despite his weakness , deciding to follow her . = = Development = = The idea for a remaster originated from a reunion of the games ' original development team and voice cast during the making of Final Fantasy Type @-@ 0 . Character designer Tetsuya Nomura , associate producer Hideki Imaizumi and a voice actor thought that they should create something to celebrate the tenth anniversary of X. Producer Yoshinori Kitase 's personal motivation was to have people too young to have played the games experience them , as his son was only old enough to know the characters of Tidus and Yuna from Dissidia Final Fantasy and its prequel . Another reason was that many did not have an opportunity to play the games since they were not compatible with the majority of PlayStation 3 models and neither available on the PlayStation Network unlike games from the original PlayStation like Final Fantasy VII and IX . Nomura entered negotiations with other old members of staff and got a remaster of X and X @-@ 2 approved , but the actual development process was delayed because much of the team was still busy with the creation of Final Fantasy XIII . The remaster was first announced at Tokyo Game Show 2011 , where it was assumed that the game would release to commemorate X 's tenth anniversary . The bulk of the remastering work was outsourced to the Shanghai @-@ based studio Virtuos . Square Enix 's internal staff was responsible for reassembling the original assets , and helped with a part of redoing the high @-@ definition data . Among the returning original team members were Motomu Toriyama , Yusuke Naora , Toshitaka Matsuda and Masaki Kobayashi who supervised the production . X @-@ 2 art director Shintaro Takai remained in the same role for both remastered games . The Chinese side of development was headed by managing director Pan Feng . The team encountered problems in porting the games to PlayStation 3 and Vita as their graphics used many functionalities unique to the PlayStation 2 hardware . The loss and repair of some of the original assets posed another hurdle , with Kitase commenting that it might have been easier to recreate the data from the ground up . The PlayStation 3 version supports display resolutions of 720p and 1080p – the former with and the latter without anti @-@ aliasing – while the Vita version runs at 720x408 pixels . Graphical features such as the water effects and lighting were improved . Other changes include the addition of bloom , the move from circular to dynamic shadows and tweaks to environmental geometry and texturing . The developers revised the 3D models for both games : most models merely received new textures but those of the playable characters were rebuilt completely with noticeable changes to their faces . The cutscenes and prerendered environments needed to be adjusted from a 4 : 3 to a 16 : 9 screen ratio , the process of which required lots of art and programming readjustments . For example , the widescreen display led to character models being visible in a cutscene although they were to appear only in a later shot ; these instances had to be corrected . Both the prerendered background images and cutscenes were cropped at the top and bottom to fit the new screen ratio . However , they received a bump in resolution to appear much clearer than in the PlayStation 2 version . The gameplay also needed to be duplicated while bringing it up to the standard of a high definition game , which was harder than the team thought . Sixty tracks of the original Final Fantasy X soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu , Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano were rearranged . Hamauzu and Nakano took charge of most of the revised music , with Tsutomu Narita and Ryo Yamazaki also making select arrangements . The soundtrack for Final Fantasy X @-@ 2 by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi was carried over from the original PlayStation 2 version . For the credits of the HD remaster , scenario writer Kazushige Nojima wrote the audio drama Final Fantasy X : Will as an appendix taking place two years after X @-@ 2 . Nojima and Nomura felt that it was a good opportunity to expand upon the universe of X. They opted for the audio drama format as the team did not want to create a solid visual impression , instead intending to leave it up to interpretation . The team wanted the audio drama to be the " direct opposite " to the upbeat feel and happy ending of X @-@ 2 . This wish for a more melancholy atmosphere resulted in them bringing Sin , the main antagonistic force in X , back into the story , as the team wanted to keep it involved in a similar fashion to Sephiroth , the main antagonist of Final Fantasy VII and its companion media . The drama 's open ending was also intentional , as Kitase " wanted to leave something up to the player 's imagination . " = = Release = = Final Fantasy X / X @-@ 2 HD Remaster was released as a collection for the PlayStation 3 and as separate releases of each game for the PlayStation Vita . Alongside the standard PlayStation Vita releases in Japan , there was a Twin Pack that bundled both games and a Resolution Box collection which additionally contained the handheld console . A dual release was decided against for the Vita versions due to the limited storage capacity of the cartridges . Play Arts Kai figurines of Tidus and Yuna were produced and the original soundtracks were re @-@ released . Two new Ultimania guide books were published for each game . Nojima wrote the tie @-@ in novel Final Fantasy X @-@ 2 @.@ 5 : Eien no Daishō that bridges the gap between Last Mission and Final Fantasy X : Will . A Collector 's Edition of the PlayStation 3 version was exclusively released in North America via Square Enix 's online store . It contained both games , an artwork book , a Blu @-@ ray disc for the rearranged soundtrack and five artwork lithographs . A special launch event is being held at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra , California until March 27 , 2014 . It includes a signing event with Kitase and Naora , and an artwork auction with all profits going to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan . The PlayStation 4 port of the remaster , officially announced at a PlayStation conference in China on December 11 , 2014 , was originally leaked in Square Enix France 's online store earlier that same day . The PS4 release supports save transfers from the PS3 and Vita versions , remote play on the Vita , and switching between the original and remastered soundtracks . = = Reception = = The remaster has received favorable reviews . On Metacritic , the Vita version holds a score of 86 / 100 , the PS3 version an 85 / 100 , the PS4 version an 84 / 100 , and the PC version an 83 / 100 . Reaction to the quality of the remaster was mostly positive . IGN 's Meghan Sullivan said that despite the game showing its roots , it " looks and sounds dramatically better " , though critiqued some textures , off @-@ putting facial close @-@ ups and lip @-@ synching problems carried over from the original . Gamespot 's Josiah Renaudin was generally positive , calling the visual upgrades " compelling reasons to revisit one of the most poignant entries in the long @-@ running series . " , although he found the uneven graphical upgrade companions between player characters and NPCs jarring . Reviewing the PlayStation 3 version , Destructoid 's Dale North generally praised the upgrade , although stated that the fixed camera had not aged well and some of the smaller , more detailed aspects of environments and models had not received a thorough HD treatment . Game Informer 's Kimberley Wallace generally praised the upgrade , but noted that character movements betrayed the game 's age . GamesRadar 's Ashley Reed called the environments better @-@ looking , but found the characters " oddly doll @-@ like " and noted graphical limitations carried over from the original . She found less of these problems in X @-@ 2 . Digital Spy 's Mark Langshaw praised the upgrade , but noted framerate dips and " ropey " animations . He also noted that the character models in X @-@ 2 were updated better than those in X. Reviewing the PS3 version , VideoGamer.com 's Daniel Cairns was highly positive , despite noting some lingering awkward moments . In his review of the Vita version , Ryan King of NowGamer generally praised the updates and polishing the game received . While the Vita version was similarly praised by the majority of reviewers , though Renaudin and Wallace noted that some dated textures stood out more . The remastered soundtrack received mixed to positive reviews . North noted that the revamped music " might be less agreeable to fans of the original score . " , while praising the general improvement in the sound . Wallace found the soundtrack a mixed bag , with some tracks being improved by the remastering and others feeling uneven or losing their impact . Renaudin said that , while the soundtrack was crisper , fans of the original " might not immediately notice the acoustic alterations . " Eternal Calm , Last Mission and Will received mixed responses . Caires called Last Mission " a good little distraction " , but called Will " incomprehensible " . Sullivan didn 't enjoy Eternal Calm or Last Mission , while finding Will " incredibly weird and confusing . " , recommending players to stay clear of it . Wallace called Last Mission " a nice diversion , but not incredibly engaging . " , while North noted that it " may not have as much appeal to fans of your typical Final Fantasy game . " Opinions for the original gameplay and story remained generally unchanged from the original games : the stories for X and X @-@ 2 received positive and mixed to positive reviews respectively , while the gameplay was generally praised . The new gameplay features for X and X @-@ 2 received mixed to positive reviews . Sullivan called the extra content " [ her ] favorite thing about this remastered version " , while Langshaw called the extra features , including Last Mission , " welcome inclusions . " = = = Sales = = = During its first week on sale in Japan , the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions of the game sold 185 @,@ 918 and 149 @,@ 132 copies respectively . The total sales for all versions in its first week was over 339 @,@ 000 copies . The individual PlayStation Vita versions of X and X @-@ 2 sold 31 @,@ 775 and 16 @,@ 355 respectively during their first two weeks . The two versions of HD Remaster were also successful in North America , selling 206 @,@ 000 units within a month of its release . The game was the fifth best @-@ selling game for PS3 and the top @-@ selling title for Vita on the PlayStation Network . The title 's overall sales were cited by Square Enix as a reason for its improved financial situation at the end of the 2013 / 14 fiscal year . As of July 2016 , the PC version of the game has sold about 200 @,@ 000 copies on Steam . = = Legacy = = The audio drama sparked speculation of a second sequel to X. In a February 2014 interview , Shinji Hashimoto said that the audio drama was simply meant to expand on the universe and did not mean a sequel was in development . Prior to this , Nojima stated that if there was enough demand , there could be developments , and that he would like to write the story for a second sequel . Later , speaking with Famitsu in a feature concerning industry rumors , Kitase denied that a second sequel was in development , and that both Eien no Daishō and the audio drama were simply intended as standalone continuations of the games ' universe .
= 1981 Canada Cup = The 1981 Labatt Canada Cup was the second best @-@ on @-@ best ice hockey world championship and involved the world 's top six hockey nations . Tournament games were held in Edmonton , Winnipeg , Montreal and Ottawa . The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title , while Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretiak was named most valuable player . Canada 's Wayne Gretzky led the tournament in scoring with 12 points . This second edition of the Canada Cup was originally scheduled to be held in 1979 but was postponed due to disputes between the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and Hockey Canada . It was postponed a second time in 1980 following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and Canada 's boycott of sporting events with the Soviet Union as a result . When finally held in 1981 , tournament organizer Alan Eagleson speculated it could be the last such event due to rising costs and disappointing attendance . Eagleson generated additional controversy when he refused to allow the Soviets to take the Canada Cup trophy with them to the Soviet Union . = = Organization = = At its congress in the summer of 1978 , the International Ice Hockey Federation approved proposals to hold the second and third Canada Cup tournaments in 1979 and 1982 . However , tensions between Canada 's rival governing bodies , the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association ( CAHA ) and Hockey Canada , increased after the latter body accused the CAHA of reneging on promises it had made regarding Hockey Canada 's control of international events involving professional players . Hockey Canada 's chief negotiator for international events , Alan Eagleson , accused the CAHA of attempting to sabotage the Canada Cup and threatened to cancel the tournament if the CAHA refused to compromise with his body . The tournament was put in further jeopardy in January 1979 when General Motors withdrew as a major sponsor ; Eagleson argued GM withdrew as a result of the dispute with the CAHA . The disputes put the two bodies on the verge of severing all ties , a move that would have led to Hockey Canada refusing to release any professional or university player to any of Canada 's national teams . The tournament was ultimately postponed by a year until September 1980 . The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 and threatened boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow led organizers to consider again postponing the Canada Cup . While Eagleson initially favoured allowing the tournament to go ahead regardless of the political situation , he ultimately agreed that Hockey Canada should again postpone the Canada Cup after the Canadian Government joined the Olympic boycott . A brief effort to move the tournament to Sweden was quickly put down when Eagleson informed them that neither Hockey Canada nor the National Hockey League Players Association ( NHLPA ) would participate in such an event . Undaunted , Eagleson and IIHF president Günther Sabetzki announced that the tournament had again been rescheduled for September 1981 . This time , the tournament went ahead as scheduled . = = Teams = = The Soviet Union treated the 1976 Canada Cup with disdain , but entered this tournament intent on re @-@ asserting themselves following their upset loss to the United States at the 1980 Winter Olympics . They were led by the KLM line of Vladimir Krutov , Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov on offence , as well as the " Bobby Orr of the Soviet Union " , Vyacheslav Fetisov , and Alexei Kasatonov on defence , with the venerable Vladislav Tretiak in goal . With a strong mixture of veterans and young players , the Soviets entered the tournament as favourites . Canada brought a considerably younger team as compared to their 1976 entry . Three defencemen – Ray Bourque , Paul Reinhart and Craig Hartsburg were under the age of 22 , while 20 @-@ year @-@ old Wayne Gretzky was expected to be the offensive catalyst . Gretzky 's pairing with Guy Lafleur was highly anticipated ( and they would combine with each other on 22 % of Team Canada 's goals ) , while the New York Islanders quartet of Mike Bossy , Bryan Trottier , Butch Goring and Clark Gillies were also expected to be offensive leaders . With 17 National Hockey League ( NHL ) players on their roster , Sweden felt confident they could upset the Soviet Union and Canada by utilizing a system of strong team play . Kent Nilsson , coming off a 131 @-@ point season for the Calgary Flames , Thomas Steen , Ulf Nilsson and Börje Salming were expected to be the team 's leaders . With only five returning players from their appearance in the 1976 final and suffering from the defections of the Šťastný brothers – Peter , Marián and Anton – to Canada , the Czechoslovakian team entered the tournament in the midst of a rebuilding phase and were not considered contenders in 1981 . The Americans , riding high following their gold medal victory at the 1980 Olympics were considered to have the potential of upsetting the stronger teams in the tournament . Mark Howe , Rod Langway and seven players from the Olympic team were expected to lead the United States . Tony Esposito was the American goaltender for the tournament . Esposito represented Canada at the 1972 Summit Series , but gained his American citizenship in time to represent his new nation . As in 1976 , Finland was expected to finish last in the six @-@ team tournament despite the fact that the Finnish hockey association considered the team sent to Canada among the best their nation had assembled . = = Games = = = = = Round robin = = = The tournament opened on September 1 at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton as the Americans defeated a disorganized Swedish team , 3 – 1 . Swedish coach Anders Parmström , upset at how his team underestimated the Americans , sat several of his top players for extended periods of the third period . At the Winnipeg Arena , a young Czechoslovak team battled the Soviet Union to a 1 – 1 draw in a game marked by rough play . The Soviets were forced to rely on the stellar goaltending of Vladislav Tretiak to preserve the tie . In the third game of the opening day , Canada 's " dream line " of Gretzky , Lafleur and Gilbert Perreault combined for ten points as Canada easily defeated Finland 9 – 0 . The second line of Gillies , Trottier and Bossy also combined to score ten points in the game . Finland fared little better against Czechoslovakia two nights later , dropping a 7 – 1 result . Finnish goaltender Hannu Lassila was the star of the game , however , as he made several difficult saves to keep the Finns close through two periods . Despite outshooting Finland 26 – 9 , the Czechs managed only a 2 – 1 lead after 40 minutes before finally overcoming Lassila to score five goals in the third period . Sweden attempted to employ a physical style against the Soviet Union without success , as they surrendered five power play goals in a 6 – 3 loss . Canada then defeated the United States , 8 – 3 , in a game that was played much closer than the score indicated . The Americans appeared to be headed to a draw with Canada as the two teams were tied at three with nine minutes to play before a power play goal by Mike Bossy sparked a five @-@ goal outburst for the Canadians in the dying minutes of the game . The Soviets then avenged their 1980 Olympic defeat to the United States with a 4 – 1 win , while the Swedes defeated Finland 5 – 0 . Ending the third night of play , Czechoslovakia was able to overcome a late two @-@ minute , two @-@ man disadvantage to emerge with a 4 – 4 tie against Canada in a game that was described as the best of the tournament . Canada then defeated Sweden 4 – 3 , but not before losing Perrault to a broken ankle . Perrault was Canada 's leading scorer over the first four games and was considered a contender to be named most valuable player at the time of his injury . The United States then overcame an early two @-@ goal deficit against the Czechs to win 6 – 2 while the Soviets easily defeated Finland 6 – 1 The final night of round robin play opened with a meaningless game between the United States and Finland . The Americans had already advanced to the playoff round while Finland had been eliminated . The game ended in a 4 – 4 draw and was most notable for Montreal Forum staff accidentally playing the Italian national anthem instead of the Finnish anthem prior to the start of the game . The Czechs then easily defeated Sweden , 7 – 1 , to advance to the playoff round and eliminate the Swedes . Canada and the Soviet Union closed out the round robin with a battle for first place . A five @-@ goal outburst by Canada in the third period broke a 2 – 2 tie and sent Canada into the playoffs as the top ranked team . Their 7 – 3 win was the most lopsided victory Canada had recorded against the Soviets in 20 years . = = = Semi @-@ finals = = = As the top team in the playoff round , Canada faced the fourth place Americans in the first semi @-@ final . Talk entering the game revolved around the defensive style of the United States and whether they could overcome Canada 's offensive game and upset the favoured nation in a one @-@ game , winner @-@ take @-@ all scenario . Early play favoured Canada , as they opened the scoring 2 : 01 into the game on a goal by defenceman Brian Engblom , then extended their lead five minutes later when a long shot by Bossy eluded Esposito in the American goal . Another goal by Bossy saw Canada end the first period with a 3 – 0 lead . The remaining 40 minutes of the game lacked emotion , and the two teams traded goals for a 4 – 1 Canadian victory . The second place Soviet Union faced third ranked Czechoslovakia in the second semi @-@ final . Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov was agitated following his nation 's 7 – 3 defeat to Canada to end the round robin , while the Czechs had grown increasingly confident of their ability as the tournament progressed . It was the Soviets , however , who scored three first period goals to take an early 3 – 0 lead . The young Czechoslovakian team pressured their opponents for much of the final 40 minutes , outshooting the Soviets 23 – 11 in the second and third periods combined . Tretiak withstood the pressure in the Soviet goal , however , allowing only one goal as the Soviet Union emerged with a 4 – 1 victory . = = = Final = = = Canada entered the final facing pressure to defeat the Soviets . The Soviet national team 's easy victory over the National Hockey League 's all @-@ stars in the 1979 Challenge Cup left the Canadians searching to regain command of their rivalry with the Soviets . Coach Scotty Bowman called it a " must win game " for Canada : " We really are favorites in the final . Nobody in this country will tolerate a loss . " The players also spoke of their desire to show the Russians that they were the world 's top hockey nation . During their pre @-@ game preparations , Tikhonov called upon his team to play the finest games of their lives : " Today you got to play so well that the entire Canadian population will talk about you afterwards and remember you for a long time . Play so well that the Canadian fans when they will leave Forum will wait for you when you get on the bus after the game and admire you . " Canada held the early advantage of play , outshooting the Soviets 12 – 4 in the first period as their opponent was unable to generate offence . Despite their advantage , Canada was unable to put a puck past Tretiak , and the first period ended with no scoring . The Soviets counterattacked in the second period , opening the scoring five minutes in on a goal by Igor Larionov . Clark Gillies tied the game for Canada three minutes later , but Sergei Shepelev restored the Soviet lead three minutes after that . Shepelev added a powerplay goal late in the period to give the Soviets a 3 – 1 lead heading into the third period . The third period turned into a rout ; Shepelev completed a natural hat trick , and the Soviets scored three goals in the final four minutes to claim the championship by an 8 – 1 score . Canadian goaltender Mike Liut became the scapegoat for Canada 's embarrassing loss . The game was one of the worst of his career , but Canada managed only four shots in the third period and never threatened the Soviets even though they entered the final 20 minutes down by only two goals . Tretiak , meanwhile , was named the tournament most valuable player on the strength of his goaltending throughout the event . = = Legacy = = The fate of the championship trophy itself was the subject of controversy after Canadian hockey officials accompanied by Montreal Police prevented the Soviet team from taking the trophy back to the Soviet Union . As he took the Cup from the Soviets at the airport , Eagleson claimed that the trophy was intended to remain in Canada at all times . The decision upset the Soviets who claimed that Eagleson 's decision was made " in violation of the traditions existing at international competitions " . George Smith , a truck driver from Winnipeg , organized a fundraising campaign that raised enough money to create a replica trophy that was gifted to Soviet officials at their Canadian embassy . Soviet officials praised the sportsmanship of the Canadian people as they accepted the replica . Tournament organizer Allan Eagleson , lamenting the rapidly increasing costs of hosting such an event , speculated that the 1981 Canada Cup could be the last . Noting that some costs had increased up to 200 % over what was paid in 1976 , Eagleson speculated that a third Canada Cup might have to be held in a different format . Organizers were also disappointed in tournament attendance . The two games scheduled to be held in Quebec City were transferred to Ottawa after only 300 tickets were pre @-@ sold for the round robin game between Czechoslovakia and Sweden and 1 @,@ 000 for the semi @-@ final game . Low ticket sales also led to fears that the games scheduled for Winnipeg would also be moved , but the investments the television partners had made in rental equipment to broadcast the games from Winnipeg prevented a switch . Adding to Eagleson 's woes , Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard refused to allow any games to be held in Maple Leaf Gardens as a result of his hatred of the Soviet Union . Strong support in Montreal , and the response in Ottawa after the games were moved to the national capital left Eagleson increasingly confident in the tournament 's future . The 1981 Canada Cup turned a profit of about C $ 1 million to be split between Hockey Canada and the National Hockey League Players Association pension fund , one third that of the 1976 tournament . Shortly after the tournament ended , Eagleson confirmed he intended to hold a third Canada Cup . He noted that Canada 's loss in the final played a role in his decision : " As far as I am concerned personally , it 's probably preferable that we lost . I think if we had won , I 'd have said , ' To hell with it ' . " = = Round @-@ robin standings = = = = Game scores = = = = = Round @-@ robin = = = = = = Semi @-@ finals = = = = = = Final = = = = = Statistical leaders = = = = = Scoring = = = = = = Goaltending = = = Minimum 120 minutes played = = Awards = =
= Oslo Airport , Fornebu = Oslo Airport , Fornebu ( IATA : FBU , ICAO : ENFB ) ( Norwegian : Oslo lufthavn , Fornebu ) was the main airport serving Oslo and Eastern Norway from 1 June 1939 to 7 October 1998 . It was then replaced by Oslo Airport , Gardermoen and the area has since been redeveloped . The airport was located at Fornebu in Bærum , 8 kilometres ( 5 @.@ 0 mi ) from the city center . Fornebu had two runways , one 2 @,@ 370 @-@ metre ( 7 @,@ 780 ft ) 06 / 24 and one 1 @,@ 800 metres ( 5 @,@ 900 ft ) 01 / 19 , and a capacity of 20 aircraft . In 1996 , the airport had 170 @,@ 823 aircraft movements and 10 @,@ 072 @,@ 054 passengers . The airport served as a hub for Scandinavian Airlines System ( SAS ) , Braathens SAFE and Widerøe . In 1996 , they and 21 other airlines served 28 international destinations . Due to limited terminal and runway capacity , intercontinental and charter airlines used Gardermoen . The Royal Norwegian Air Force retained offices at Fornebu . The airport opened as a combined sea and land airport , serving both domestic and international destinations . It replaced the land airport at Kjeller and the sea airport at Gressholmen . In 1940 , it was taken over by the German Luftwaffe , but civilian air services began again in 1946 and it was then taken over by the Norwegian Civil Airport Administration . The airport at first had three runways , each at 800 metres ( 2 @,@ 600 ft ) , but these were gradually expanded , first the north – south runway and finally the east – west one to the current length in 1962 . The same year the terminal moved south to the final location . A large @-@ scale expansion to the terminal was made during the 1980s . = = Facilities = = At the time of closing , the airport consisted of a single terminal with three satellites : two domestic and one international . The service building had three stories , one for arrival , one for departure and one for administration . Airplane capacity at the airport was 20 craft ; five planes parked at the international terminal could be served with jetbridges , while passengers had to walk outdoors to get to domestic planes . The airport terminals were 36 @,@ 000 square metres ( 390 @,@ 000 sq ft ) , of which 16 @,@ 000 square metres ( 170 @,@ 000 sq ft ) were for the public . In the main hall of the terminal were two murals made by Kai Fjell , both which have been preserved . The largest was the 310 @-@ square @-@ metre ( 3 @,@ 300 sq ft ) Arrival and Departure which was completed in 1968 and covered three stories . At the north part of the airport , located where the former main terminal was until 1964 , were the offices of the Air Force and Fred . Olsen Airtransport , the main hangar for Braathens SAFE , as well as mechanical facilities for SAS and Fred . Olsen . The fire station and snowplowing facilities were also located there , along with the main radar center . All the terminal buildings built until the early 1960s were still intact until the closing of the airport . In 1989 , about 5 @,@ 500 people worked at Fornebu . Of these , 3 @,@ 600 worked for the airlines , including ground services . The airport administration had 350 employees , including administration , air control , fire fighters , meteorology and maintenance . The remaining 500 people worked for other public offices , including the police and customs , as well as service employees working for private companies involved with passenger services . Fornebu had two runways : a main 2 @,@ 200 metres ( 7 @,@ 200 ft ) east – west runway and a secondary 1 @,@ 800 metres ( 5 @,@ 900 ft ) north – south . Only the main runway was used under ordinary weather conditions , with the north – south runway only being used if there was strong winds from the north and for general aviation , helicopters and ambulance aircraft . The main runway was equipped with instrument landing system category 1 . Under ordinary weather conditions , flights to Fornebu were to , as soon as possible , divert southwards along the Oslo Fjord to avoid noise pollution to residential areas . However , when necessary , a direct approach could be made eastwards from Drammen or westwards from Grefsenåsen . Until 1996 , Oslo Air Traffic Control Center ( Oslo ATCC ) was located at Fornebu . It had the responsibility to oversee all air traffic in southeastern Norway , bordering to Dovre in the north , almost to Stavanger in the west , halfway to Stockholm to the east and almost to Denmark in the south . Since Fornebu is located on a peninsula , all transport to the airport needed to go via Lysaker . A branch from the motorway European Route E18 allowed access to the airport . Lysaker Station is on the Drammen Line , and was served by both local and regional trains , including services to Oslo Central Station . In addition , Stor @-@ Oslo Lokaltrafikk offered bus transport to the airport from Asker and Bærum , including Lysaker . A limited number of services were extended to Snarøya . An airport coach connected the airport to the city center . = = Airlines and destinations = = In 1996 , the airport had 170 @,@ 823 aircraft movement and 10 @,@ 072 @,@ 054 passengers , making it the busiest airport in the country . It served as the main hub for Braathens SAFE , one of three main hubs for SAS and as one of many for Widerøe . Prior to 1 April 1994 , all air transport in Norway was restricted to airlines that had received concession from the ministry . On the primary domestic routes , the traffic was split between SAS and Braathens SAFE , although both had services to Trondheim and Stavanger . SAS had a monopoly to Bergen and Northern Norway ( Alta , Bardufoss , Bodø , Harstad / Narvik , Kirkenes , Longyearbyen and Tromsø ) , while Braathens SAFE had a monopoly to the other primary airports in Southern Norway ( Haugesund , Kristiansand , Kristiansund , Molde , Røros and Ålesund ) . Widerøe had a monopoly on the regional state @-@ supported routes ( Brønnøysund , Florø , Førde , Sandane , Sogndal and Ørsta / Volda ) , and also served Stord and Sandefjord . Following Norway joining the European Economic Area ( EEA ) , the airline industry was deregulated , allowing any airline from any EEA member country to make domestic or international flights to Norway . However , by 1994 there was no available slots at Fornebu during the morning and evening rush hours , limiting the number of new routes that could be established . After the deregulation , Fornebu could not offer slots to new airlines , and SAS and Braathens could not establish as many competing routes as they wanted to . However , domestic services were provided by both SAS and Braathens SAFE to Stavanger , Bergen , Trondheim , Bodø , Harstad / Narvik , Tromsø and Longyearbyen . The remaining domestic airports were only served by the incumbent . In addition , Teddy Air offered services to Fagernes . International services were provided by 21 airlines to 28 destinations . SAS had international flights to Amsterdam , Brussels , Billund , Copenhagen , Düsseldorf , Frankfurt , Helsinki , London @-@ Heathrow , Manchester , Munich , New York , Nice , Paris , Stockholm and Zurich . Braathens SAFE offered international services to Alicante , Billund , London @-@ Gatwick , Málaga , Newcastle and Stockholm . Lufthansa offered flights to Düsseldorf , Frankfurt , Hamburg and Munich . Other European airlines that provided services to their main hubs included Aeroflot ( Moscow @-@ Sheremetyevo ) , Air France ( Paris @-@ Charles de Gaulle ) , Air Malta ( Valletta ) , TAP Air Portugal ( Lisbon ) , AirUK ( London @-@ Stansted ) , Alitalia ( Milan ) , British Airways ( London @-@ Heathrow ) , Dan @-@ Air ( London @-@ Gatwick ) , Delta Air Lines ( New York @-@ JFK ) , Iberia ( Madrid ) and ( Barcelona ) , Icelandair ( Reykjavík ) , KLM ( Amsterdam ) , LOT Polish Airlines ( Warsaw ) , Pan Am ( New York @-@ JFK ) and Sabena ( Brussels ) . = = History = = = = = Background = = = Aviation in Oslo started in 1909 , when Carl Cederström of Sweden made exhibition flights from fields at Etterstad . Following this , the Norwegian Army decided that it needed a military land airport , and established itself at Kjeller , outside Oslo , in 1912 . Kjeller Airport served as the main airport for Norway until the 1930s , being the main base of the newly established Norwegian Army Air Service and the first place to have air services . In 1918 , the first Norwegian airline , Det Norske Luftfartrederi , was established , and plans were made to start flying to Trondheim . The following year , civil aviation was discussed in the Norwegian Parliament for the first time . Norsk Luftfartsrederi wanted to start seaplane routes from Oslo , and applied to the state to be allowed to lease 2 hectares ( 4 @.@ 9 acres ) of the island Lindøya for 99 years . The Oslo Port Authority recommended that the application be denied , since it was already in negotiations with the state to purchase the island and seaplane services would interfere with ship traffic . The ministry recommended a ten @-@ year lease . Sam Eyde , who was a member of parliament , recommended that the state should be responsible for all airports , and suggested a state @-@ owned seaplane airport be built at Gressholmen . However no money was granted for construction of the airport until 1926 , when Gressholmen Airport opened . Gressholmen was served by Norsk Luftfartsrederi and Deutsche Luft Hansa . During the late 1920s and early 1930s , the politicians became less satisfied with the solution . Kjeller was considered too far away from the city center ( about 20 kilometres ( 12 mi ) , but along the mainline railway ) , while travel to Gressholmen needed to be made by ferry . The politicians also wanted to have a combined land- and seaplane airport , and it had become clear that serving Gressholmen was interfering with ship traffic . A committee was established to look into the matter . While considering many locations , it made detail surveys of only two places : Ekeberg , located southeast of the city center , and Fornebu , to the southwest . = = = Construction = = = At the time , Fornebu was a mostly unpopulated area . Until 1907 , a lumber mill was located at Snarøya on the southern tip . From 1921 , Snarøya had received a coach service , and had grown with many single dwellings . About 1 @.@ 5 kilometres ( 0 @.@ 93 mi ) northeast of Fornebu is the town of Lysaker , which had a railway station on the Drammen Line . The committee decided to purchase 90 hectares ( 220 acres ) on the northern part of the peninsula . The Fornebu solution would be more expensive , but would yield a larger airport and better landing conditions . The formal decision to build the airport was taken in 1934 . It was the Municipality of Oslo which built the airport , having bought the land from the Municipality of Bærum . Construction was to serve as work creation for the unemployed , and workers were selected based on how long they had been unemployed and the number of people in their family . Because the need for workplaces was greatest in the winter , most of the construction was done during the winters of 1935 , 1936 and 1937 . Not until 1937 was a normal 48 @-@ hour week throughout the year introduced . 1 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 cubic metres ( 35 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 cu ft ) of rock was blasted and , along with garbage from Oslo , used to fill in the swamps and depressions . Because of the delays , plans were changed and three runways were built , two 800 metres ( 2 @,@ 600 ft ) long and one 700 metres ( 2 @,@ 300 ft ) long . The airport was equipped with a control tower ; administration building ; a hangar with a workshop ; and a service building . Docks for seaplanes were constructed about 1 kilometre ( 0 @.@ 62 mi ) to the south , on the east shore of the peninsula . In 1934 , there were three domestic airlines in Norway : Det Norske Luftfartsselskap ( DNL ) , Norske Luftruter and Widerøe 's Flyveselskap . All three applied to the state for subsidies to operate routes . DNL applied for a ten @-@ year concession with a NOK 500 @,@ 000 annual subsidy to fly Oslo – Kristiansand – Amsterdam , continuing northwards to Ålesund . Widerøe applied for NOK 265 @,@ 000 per year for a three @-@ year concession for the seaplane routes Oslo – Bergen and Bergen – Trondheim . Norske Luftruter applied for NOK 250 @,@ 000 per year for a route from Bergen to Copenhagen via Kristiansand and Oslo . The following year , parliament passed a long @-@ term plan for construction of airports , which would be located in Oslo , Telemark , Kristiansand , Stavanger , Bergen , Ålesund and Trondheim . In each case , the municipalities would have to purchase land and build the airport , but the state would reimburse 50 % of the investments . Due to the high cost burden on the municipalities , only Stavanger Airport , Sola and Kristiansand Airport , Kjevik were operational by the time Fornebu opened . = = = Opening and war = = = The first aircraft at Fornebu was a Lufthansa Junkers Ju 52 in September 1938 . It had flown a scheduled route to Kjeller , and the captain had continued to Fornebu to try the new airport . On 16 April 1939 , the seaplane section came into regular use . The first seaplane was a Ju 52 operated by DNL to Copenhagen . The official opening was on 1 June 1939 . The first aircraft to land after the official opening was a Douglas DC @-@ 2 operated by KLM from Amsterdam . The first departure was on the Danish airline Det Danske Luftfartsselskab , when a Focke @-@ Wulf Fw 200 took off to Copenhagen . The captain made a mistake , and took off from the parking space instead of the runway . In addition to these two routes , Luft Hansa started flights to Germany and DNL flew to Amsterdam . During the fall , DNL also flew from Perth , Scotland , via Oslo to Stockholm , but this route was soon canceled . 1940 diagram As part of the invasion of Norway by Nazi Germany on 9 April 1940 , German Luftwaffe @-@ aircraft landed at Fornebu . There was no attempt by the civilian airport authorities to hinder this , such as driving cars onto the runway , although several German aircraft collided with each other during the landing . A KLM aircraft had a scheduled service that morning , and the captain was ordered to leave the passengers , take the crew and return to Oslo . On 12 April , the airport was bombed by the British Royal Air Force . On 14 April , the KLM captain was granted permission to fly back to Amsterdam with the crew , albeit without any passengers . The German military used Fornebu heavily during the war , but it was never of any strategic importance , since it was located far from any battle zones . During the war , the airport officially remained owned by the municipality . By orders of the German authorities , the main north – south runway was expanded to 1 @,@ 200 metres ( 3 @,@ 900 ft ) , and all facilities not yet built were completed . However , during the war all other runways than the main north – south were taken out of use . At the north end of the runway , the Luftwaffe built several hangars and a prison camp . Prisoners were used to keep the runways free of snow during winter , by marching along them and stomping the snow down . In May 1945 , as German forces were ousted from Norway , the airport was taken over by the Allies and the Royal Norwegian Air Force . None of the civilian airlines were in operation , and the Air Force started flying commercial flights . In addition to previous lines , a route was started to Northern Norway , although it had to be terminated for the winter . Due to the lack of qualified personnel , the international services had to be terminated as well . In early 1946 , management of the airport was transferred back to the municipality . Due to the technological development of aviation during the war , the runway needed to be expanded . The 1 @,@ 200 @-@ metre ( 3 @,@ 900 ft ) runway was sufficient for Douglas DC @-@ 3 aircraft , but insufficient for larger Douglas DC @-@ 4s . The latter were all used by American Overseas Airways , DNL on its North America routes and British European Airways on its route to London , which were all transferred to Oslo Airport , Gardermoen . = = = Expansion = = = On 1 November 1947 , Norsk Spisevognselskap established a restaurant at the airport . In 1946 , DNL launched plans to expand the north – south runway to 3 @,@ 000 metres ( 9 @,@ 800 ft ) by taking into use the whole peninsula . In addition , it wanted a second east – west runway to be built . The state took over ownership of the airport — without compensation — in 1946 , albeit with the clause that if the airport ever should close , the real estate should be returned to the municipality . Stavanger Airport had been a candidate for intercontinental travel , but a state committee in 1949 decided that instead this should be shared between Fornebu and Gardermoen . Another committee was established in 1948 , and in 1950 it recommended that all airport services in the Oslo region should be concentrated at Gardermoen , and that a new motorway be built to the airport . Among politicians and planners , there were two main ideologies : The first , which dominated in political circles , stated that Fornebu 's close proximity to the city center was a key to reaching a market in Oslo and for the growth of the airlines . The second emphasized that , in the long run , Fornebu could not fulfill the requirements of a central airport , and that a better location should be established . Following the political processes , the north – south runway was extended to 1 @,@ 600 metres ( 5 @,@ 200 ft ) . With the completion of this , intercontinental traffic was moved from Gardermoen to Fornebu . In 1946 , Overseas Scandinavian Airlines System had been established between DNL , DDL and the Swedish Aerotransport . The same year , shipowner Ludvig G. Braathen established Braathens South American and Far East ( Braathens SAFE ) , which started with charter flights using DC @-@ 4s . The first civilian route was operated by KLM , who started the route Oslo – Kristiansand – Amsterdam in March 1946 . From 1 April , DNL operated a route to Copenhagen , followed a week later with the route via Stavanger to London , using DC @-@ 3s . The third DNL route was to Stockholm using Ju 52s , and the fourth via Gothenburg and Copenhagen to Zurich and Marseilles . In May , DNL started routes to Trondheim and Tromsø , and later onwards to Kirkenes . It also started a direct service to Copenhagen . In October , routes were established via Kristiansand to Amsterdam , Brussels and Paris . Finally , a route was started via Copenhagen to Praha and to Stavanger . In 1946 , DNL had 47 @,@ 000 passengers ( although not all flew through Fornebu ) . The company operated six DC @-@ 3s and five Ju 52s . In 1947 , Icelandair started flights to Reykjavík and the same year British European Airways transferred its London route from Gardermoen to Fornebu . DNL bought three Short Sandringham flying boats which were put into service along the coast as the " Flying Coastal Express " . They remained in service from 1947 until May 1950 , but proved expensive in operation . In 1949 , Braathens SAFE introduced scheduled flights from Fornebu using DC @-@ 3s ; it had long @-@ haul flights to the Far East , with stops in Amsterdam , Geneva , Rome , Cairo , Basra , Karachi , Bombay , Calcutta and Bangkok before arriving in Hong Kong . Following the establishment of Scandinavian Airlines System ( SAS ) in 1949 , all international concessions were transferred to that company , and Braathens SAFE started domestic services , although it kept its existing concessions on international routes until 1954 . Braathens SAFE 's first domestic service was via Tønsberg Airport , Jarlsberg to Stavanger , and later a route to Trondheim . These were both operated with Heron aircraft . At first the Trondheim route was flown to Lade , but were quickly transferred to the current airport at Værnes . Loftleiðir started flights to Reykjavík in 1952 . In 1953 , work started with expanding the north – south runway to 1 @,@ 800 metres ( 5 @,@ 900 ft ) and building a new east – west runway which also was to become 1 @,@ 800 metres ( 5 @,@ 900 ft ) . The same year a new commission was established , which in 1957 recommended that the east – west runway be expanded to 3 @,@ 300 metres ( 10 @,@ 800 ft ) and the north – south runway to 2 @,@ 150 metres ( 7 @,@ 050 ft ) . Local residents and politicians were opposed to the expansion plans , and Akershus County Council voted against them . The ministry then chose to expand the east – west runway to only 2 @,@ 200 metres ( 7 @,@ 200 ft ) and leave the north – south runway untouched . The plans would allow the east – west runway to be expanded to 2 @,@ 800 metres ( 9 @,@ 200 ft ) in the future , if necessary . The north – south runway had difficult landing conditions , in part because of the residential areas north of the line . From 1959 , the ministry denied jet aircraft from using the then longer runway . In the 1950s , SAS started using Convair 440s , while Braathens SAFE took into use Fokker F @-@ 27s . Both companies later also took into use Douglas DC @-@ 6s . In 1952 , SAS started flights to Bodø Airport and in 1955 to Bergen Airport , Flesland . In 1955 , Braathens SAFE also started flights to Kristiansand and Farsund Airport , Lista , and the following year to Notodden Airport , Tuven . That year also saw some of its Trondheim flights land at Hamar Airport , and in 1957 at Røros Airport . In 1958 , Ålesund Airport , Vigra was opened and became served by Braathens SAFE . The Røros stops were terminated in 1958 , but reinstated in 1963 after the runway had been extended . The Hamar stops were permanently terminated in 1959 . In 1960 , Finnair started flying to Helsinki , although direct flights were not introduced until 1971 . After 1962 , the east – west runway became the main runway . Along with the runway expansion , a new service building , with a capacity for 2 million passengers , was opened in 1964 . It was located about half a kilometer ( quarter of a mile ) south of the former terminal . Designed by Odd Nansens Arkitektkontor , it had two stories , one for arrivals and one for departures , and two wings , one for domestic and one for international flights . It included a central hall that had a panorama view over the aircraft . The expanded facilities allowed SAS to take into use Sud Aviation Caravelle jets on the Copenhagen routes , although they were also occasionally used to Bodø . = = = Cramped quarters = = = Three airports were opened in Finnmark in 1963 , all served by SAS : Alta Airport , Kirkenes Airport , Høybuktmoen and Lakselv Airport , Banak . The following year , SAS also started flights to Tromsø Airport . In 1966 , Lufthansa started flights to Hamburg , and later also introduced services to Düsseldorf , Frankfurt and Munich . During the 1960s , SAS introduced Caravelles on most of the domestic routes . During the 1970s , Douglas DC @-@ 8s were also taken into use . Pan American World Airways had flights to New York City from 1967 to 1973 and from 1976 to 1978 . Braathens SAFE started taking delivery of Boeing 737 @-@ 200s and Fokker F @-@ 28s in 1969 , and these gradually took over most of the domestic routes . In 1970 , Air France and Swissair started flying to Fornebu from Paris and Zurich , respectively . They were supplemented by Aeroflot 's Moscow route in 1972 . In 1971 , a state committee recommended that Gardermoen be expanded to take a larger share of the traffic from Fornebu . At the same time , a new main airport was eventually to be built at Hobøl . From 1971 , charter flights were moved to Gardermoen , although SAS and Braathens SAFE were granted dispensation so they only needed to serve one Oslo airport . On 1 July 1971 , Widerøe also started serving domestic routes to Fornebu , with the opening of a regional airport in Sogn og Fjordane . These routes were served using de Havilland Canada Twin Otter and later de Havilland Canada Dash 7 aircraft , although regular services to all airports were not introduced until the late 1970s , with the introduction of the Dash 7 . The last four primary airports were opened during the 1970s . Braathens SAFE started flights to Kristiansund Airport , Kvernberget in 1972 , Molde Airport , Årø in 1972 and Harstad / Narvik Airport , Evenes in 1973 . In 1975 , SAS started flights to Haugesund Airport , Karmøy . During the 1980s , the airport was again deemed too small . In 1983 , all charter flights operated by SAS and Braathens were forced to move to Gardermoen . Additional foreign services were introduced , namely Sabena to Brussels in 1985 , Dan @-@ Air to London @-@ Gatwick and Newcastle in 1986 and Alitalia to Milan in 1988 . During a period of reconstruction at Gardermoen , Trans World Airlines also served Fornebu , and the same year Pan American reintroduced its route to New York . Air Europe also started to fly from London @-@ Gatwick to Fornebu . An additional storey was added to the service building , allowing office space to be moved there and free up space for check @-@ in and traveler service on the two main storeys . Two satellites were built for the domestic terminal , one each for Braathens SAFE and SAS , allowing increased waiting area for travelers . The international terminal was expanded with a five @-@ gate pier with jetbridges . A multi @-@ story parking house was also built . Norsk Air started serving Fornebu following the opening of Fagernes Airport , Leirin in 1987 . The route was closed within a year , but taken up again by Coast Air in 1990 . From 1996 , the route was taken over by Teddy Air . In 1989 , Braathens SAFE started its first international scheduled service since 1960 , from Fornebu to Billund in Denmark . Two years later , the company started flying to Newcastle , after Dan @-@ Air had withdrawn from the route , and to Malmö in Sweden . That year also saw the start of Norway Airlines , who started a base at Fornebu and offered flights to London @-@ Gatwick , as well as to Stockholm , in cooperation with Transwede , and to Copenhagen , in cooperation with Sterling Airlines . In 1992 , both Norway Airlines and Dan @-@ Air went bankrupt , and Braathens SAFE started flights to London @-@ Gatwick . It terminated the Malmö route in 1994 . After the deregulation , Braathens SAFE also introduced flights to Alicante , Málaga , Rome and Stockholm . Widerøe introduced international services to Gothenburg and Berlin . In 1994 , the domestic and international flights to the European Union were deregulated , and the number of international services increased and Fornebu received airlines such as Air Malta , Air Portugal , AirUK and LOT Polish Airlines . Other airlines to fly from Fornebu during the 1980s and 1990s includes Delta Air Lines , Northwest Orient and Tower Air . Domestically , Braathens SAFE introduced flights to Bergen , Bodø , Harstad / Narvik and Tromsø . = = = Closing = = = During the 1960s , a political debate started concerning whether or not a new main airport should be built for Oslo and Eastern Norway . A government report launched in 1970 , suggested surveys for five locations : Gardermoen , Hurum , Askim , Nesodden and Ås . Hobøl was preliminarily selected and areas reserved for a future airport . During the 1970s , the Labour Party became concerned that Hobøl was located too centrally in relation to the growth areas around Oslo , and instead wanted to use Gardermoen , in an attempt to force the population growth further north . Commercial interests and the airlines supported Hobøl . In 1983 , Parliament decided to abandon the plans for Hobøl and continue with a divided solution . Fornebu would be expanded , and all charter traffic be moved to Gardermoen . From 1988 , all international traffic would also be moved , making Fornebu a purely domestic airport . Increased traffic in the mid @-@ 1980s changed the politician 's interests , and in 1988 Parliament voted to build a new main airport at Hurum , located on the same side of Oslo as Fornebu , but further away . However , new weather data showed that Hurum was unsuitable , and the location was discarded . There were accusations that the data was fabricated to manipulate the political decision . In 1992 , parliament made a final vote that started construction of a new airport at Gardermoen and mandated the closure of Fornebu . Financing of the airport at Gardermoen would be done through a state loan issued to a limited company owned by the Civil Airport Administration . This company would build and operate Gardermoen , but from 1 January 1997 it also took over operation of Fornebu . After the last aircraft took off from Fornebu on 7 October 1998 , 300 people spent the night transporting 500 truckloads of equipment from Fornebu to Gardermoen . The new airport opened on the morning of 8 October 1998 . Some locals wanted to keep Fornebu as a regional airport for the Oslo and Bærum area . The proposal was to keep part of the runway and terminals and allow aircraft such as the Bombardier Dash 8 , Fokker 50 and British Aerospace 146 to use the airport . Proponents argued that a similar role was filled by Stockholm @-@ Bromma Airport and Chicago 's Midway Airport . The opening of Gardermoen had a strategic impact on aviation in Norway . Despite the deregulation of the market in 1994 , the lack of free slots at Fornebu made it impossible to have free competition , since no new airlines could establish themselves and no new international airlines could fly to Fornebu . Gardermoen allowed this to happen , and from 1 August 1998 , Color Air started with flights from Oslo , pressing down prices on domestic routes . Although the airline went bankrupt the following year , the losses for Braathens were so high that it was taken over by SAS . The gap was then filled by Norwegian Air Shuttle . = = Accidents and incidents = = On 26 May 1946 , a DNL Junkers Ju 52 en route to Stockholm crashed into the houses at Halden Terrasse after take @-@ off , due to a technical error on the aircraft . All people on board were killed , but no @-@ one on the ground . In 1949 , a Dutch DC @-@ 3 crashed in Hurum while approaching Fornebu . All but one of the passengers , plus all the crew , died . On 14 April 1963 , Vickers Viscount TF @-@ ISU Hrímfaxi of Icelandair Flugfélag Islands crashed at Nesøya on approach to Fornebu . All 12 people on board were killed . On 23 December 1972 , Braathens SAFE Flight 239 , with a Fokker F @-@ 28 from Ålesund to Oslo , crashed in Asker during approach to Fornebu . Forty people were killed , while five people survived . This was the first @-@ ever fatal accident with a F @-@ 28 , and until 1989 the deadliest air accident in Norway . Braathens SAFE Flight 139 occurred on 21 June 1985 , when a Boeing 737 @-@ 200 from Braathens SAFE en route from Trondheim Airport , Værnes to Fornebu was hijacked by a drunk student who demanded to talk to the prime minister and minister of justice . The plane landed at Fornebu , and the hijacker eventually surrendered his gun in exchange for more beer . No @-@ one was injured in the incident .
= 4 Vesta = Vesta , minor @-@ planet designation 4 Vesta , is one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt , with a mean diameter of 525 kilometres ( 326 mi ) . It was discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on 29 March 1807 and is named after Vesta , the virgin goddess of home and hearth from Roman mythology . Vesta is the second @-@ most @-@ massive and second @-@ largest body in the asteroid belt after the dwarf planet Ceres , and it contributes an estimated 9 % of the mass of the asteroid belt . It is slightly larger than Pallas , though significantly more massive . Vesta is the last remaining rocky protoplanet ( with a differentiated interior ) of the kind that formed the terrestrial planets . Numerous fragments of Vesta were ejected by collisions one and two billion years ago that left two enormous craters occupying much of Vesta 's southern hemisphere . Debris from these events has fallen to Earth as howardite – eucrite – diogenite ( HED ) meteorites , which have been a rich source of information about Vesta . Vesta is the brightest asteroid visible from Earth . Its maximum distance from the Sun is slightly greater than the minimum distance of Ceres from the Sun , though its orbit lies entirely within that of Ceres . NASA 's Dawn spacecraft entered orbit around Vesta on 16 July 2011 for a one @-@ year exploration and left orbit on 5 September 2012 en route to its final destination , Ceres . Researchers continue to examine data collected by Dawn for additional insights into the formation and history of Vesta . = = History = = = = = Discovery = = = Heinrich Olbers discovered Pallas in 1802 , the year after the discovery of Ceres . He proposed that the two objects were the remnants of a destroyed planet . He sent a letter with his proposal to the English astronomer William Herschel , suggesting that a search near the locations where the orbits of Ceres and Pallas intersected might reveal more fragments . These orbital intersections were located in the constellations of Cetus and Virgo . Olbers commenced his search in 1802 , and on 29 March 1807 he discovered Vesta in the constellation Virgo — a coincidence , because Ceres , Pallas , and Vesta are not fragments of a larger body . Because the asteroid Juno had been discovered in 1804 , this made Vesta the fourth object to be identified in the region that is now known as the asteroid belt . The discovery was announced in a letter addressed to German astronomer Johann H. Schröter dated 31 March . Because Olbers already had credit for discovering a planet ( Pallas ; at the time , the asteroids were considered to be planets ) , he gave the honor of naming his new discovery to German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss , whose orbital calculations had enabled astronomers to confirm the existence of Ceres , the first asteroid , and who had computed the orbit of the new planet in the remarkably short time of 10 hours . Gauss decided on the Roman virgin goddess of home and hearth , Vesta . = = = Name = = = Vesta was the fourth asteroid to be discovered , hence the number 4 in its formal designation . The name Vesta , or national variants thereof , is in international use with two exceptions : Greece and China . In Greek , the name adopted was the Hellenic equivalent of Vesta , Hestia ( 4 Εστία ) ; in English , that name is used for 46 Hestia ( Greeks use the name " Hestia " for both , with the minor @-@ planet numbers used for disambiguation ) . In Chinese , Vesta is called the ' hearth @-@ god ( dess ) star ' , 灶神星 zàoshénxīng , in contrast to the goddess Vesta , who goes by her Latin name . Upon its discovery , Vesta was , like Ceres , Pallas , and Juno before it , classified as a planet and given a planetary symbol . The symbol representing the altar of Vesta with its sacred fire and was designed by Gauss . In Gauss 's conception , this was drawn ; in its modern form , it is . After the discovery of Vesta , no further objects were discovered for 38 years , and the Solar System was thought to have eleven planets . However , in 1845 , new asteroids started being discovered at a rapid pace , and by 1851 there were fifteen , each with its own symbol , in addition to the eight major planets ( Neptune had been discovered in 1846 ) . It soon became clear that it would be impractical to continue inventing new planetary symbols indefinitely , and some of the existing ones proved difficult to draw quickly . That year , the problem was addressed by Benjamin Apthorp Gould , who suggested numbering asteroids in their order of discovery , and placing this number in a disk ( circle ) as the generic symbol of an asteroid . Thus , the fourth asteroid , Vesta , acquired the generic symbol ④ . This was soon coupled with the name into an official number – name designation , ④ Vesta , as the number of minor planets increased . By 1858 , the circle had been simplified to parentheses , ( 4 ) Vesta , which were easier to typeset . Other punctuation , such as 4 ) Vesta and 4 , Vesta , was also used , but had more or less completely died out by 1949 . Today , either Vesta , or , more commonly , 4 Vesta , is used . = = = Early measurements = = = Photometric observations of Vesta were made at the Harvard College Observatory in 1880 – 1882 and at the Observatoire de Toulouse in 1909 . These and other observations allowed the rotation rate of Vesta to be determined by the 1950s . However , the early estimates of the rotation rate came into question because the light curve included variations in both shape and albedo . Early estimates of the diameter of Vesta ranged from 383 ( in 1825 ) to 444 km . E.C. Pickering produced an estimated diameter of 513 ± 17 km in 1879 , which is close to the modern value for the mean diameter , but the subsequent estimates ranged from a low of 390 km up to a high of 602 km during the next century . The measured estimates were based on photometry . In 1989 , speckle interferometry was used to measure a dimension that varied between 498 and 548 km during the rotational period . In 1991 , an occultation of the star SAO 93228 by Vesta was observed from multiple locations in the eastern United States and Canada . Based on observations from 14 different sites , the best fit to the data was an elliptical profile with dimensions of about 550 km × 462 km . Dawn confirmed this measurement . Vesta became the first asteroid to have its mass determined . Every 18 years , the asteroid 197 Arete approaches within 0 @.@ 04 AU of Vesta . In 1966 , based upon observations of Vesta 's gravitational perturbations of Arete , Hans G. Hertz estimated the mass of Vesta as ( 1 @.@ 20 ± 0 @.@ 08 ) × 10 − 10 solar masses . More refined estimates followed , and in 2001 the perturbations of 17 Thetis were used to estimate the mass of Vesta as ( 1 @.@ 31 ± 0 @.@ 02 ) × 10 − 10 solar masses . = = Orbit = = Vesta orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter , within the asteroid belt , with a period of 3 @.@ 6 Earth years , specifically in the inner asteroid belt , interior to the Kirkwood gap at 2 @.@ 50 AU . Its orbit is moderately inclined ( i
= 7 @.@ 1 ° , compared to 7 ° for Mercury and 17 ° for Pluto ) and moderately eccentric ( e = 0 @.@ 09 , compared to 0 @.@ 09 for Mars ) . True orbital resonances between asteroids are considered unlikely ; due to their small masses relative to their large separations , such relationships should be very rare . Nevertheless , Vesta is able to capture other asteroids into temporary 1 : 1 resonant orbital relationships ( for periods up to 2 million years or more ) ; about forty objects have been identified . Decameter @-@ sized objects detected in the vicinity of Vesta by Dawn may be such quasi @-@ satellites rather than proper satellites . = = Rotation = = Its rotation is relatively fast for an asteroid ( 5 @.@ 342 h ) and prograde , with the north pole pointing in the direction of right ascension 20 h 32 min , declination + 48 ° ( in the constellation Cygnus ) with an uncertainty of about 10 ° . This gives an axial tilt of 29 ° . = = = Coordinate systems = = = There are two longitudinal coordinate systems in use for Vesta , with prime meridians separated by 150 ° . The IAU established a coordinate system in 1997 based on Hubble photos , with the prime meridian running through the center of Olbers Regio , a dark feature 200 km across . When Dawn arrived at Vesta , mission scientists found that the location of the pole assumed by the IAU was off by 10 ° , so that the IAU coordinate system drifted across the surface of Vesta at 0 @.@ 06 ° per year , and also that Olbers Regio was not discernible from up close , and so was not adequate to define the prime meridian with the precision they needed . They corrected the pole , but also established a new prime meridian 4 ° from the center of Claudia , a sharply defined crater 700 meters across , which they say results in a more logical set of mapping quadrangles . All NASA publications , including images and maps of Vesta , use the Claudian meridian , which is unacceptable to the IAU . The IAU Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements recommended a coordinate system , correcting the pole but rotating the Claudian longitude by 150 ° to coincide with Olbers Regio . It was accepted by the IAU , though it disrupts the maps prepared by the Dawn team , which had been positioned so they would not bisect any major surface features . = = Physical characteristics = = Vesta is the second @-@ most @-@ massive body in the asteroid belt , though only 28 % as massive as Ceres. its density is lower than that of the four terrestrial planets , but higher than that of most asteroids and all of the moons in the Solar System except Io . Vesta 's surface area is about the same as that of Pakistan ( about 800 @,@ 000 square kilometers ) . It has a differentiated interior . Vesta is only slightly larger ( 525 @.@ 4 ± 0 @.@ 2 km ) than 2 Pallas ( 512 ± 3 km ) in volume , but is about 25 % more massive . Vesta 's shape is close to a gravitationally relaxed oblate spheroid , but the large concavity and protrusion at the southern pole ( see ' Surface features ' below ) combined with a mass less than 5 × 1020 kg precluded Vesta from automatically being considered a dwarf planet under International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) Resolution XXVI 5 . A 2012 analysis of Vesta 's shape and gravity field using data gathered by the Dawn spacecraft has shown that Vesta is currently not in hydrostatic equilibrium . Temperatures on the surface have been estimated to lie between about − 20 ° C with the Sun overhead , dropping to about − 190 ° C at the winter pole . Typical daytime and nighttime temperatures are − 60 ° C and − 130 ° C respectively . This estimate is for 6 May 1996 , very close to perihelion , although details vary somewhat with the seasons . = = Surface features = = Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft , some Vestan surface features had already been resolved using the Hubble Space Telescope and ground @-@ based telescopes ( e.g. the Keck Observatory ) . The arrival of Dawn in July 2011 revealed the complex surface of Vesta in detail . = = = Rheasilvia and Veneneia craters = = = The most prominent of these surface features are two enormous craters , the 500 @-@ kilometre ( 310 mi ) -wide Rheasilvia crater , centered near the south pole , and the 400 kilometres ( 250 mi ) wide Veneneia crater . The Rheasilvia crater is younger and overlies the Veneneia crater . The Dawn science team named the younger , more prominent crater Rheasilvia , after the mother of Romulus and Remus and a mythical vestal virgin . Its width is 95 % of the mean diameter of Vesta . The crater is about 19 kilometres ( 12 mi ) deep . A central peak rises 23 km above the lowest measured part of the crater floor and the highest measured part of the crater rim is 31 km above the crater floor low point . It is estimated that the impact responsible excavated about 1 % of the volume of Vesta , and it is likely that the Vesta family and V @-@ type asteroids are the products of this collision . If this is the case , then the fact that 10 @-@ km fragments have survived bombardment until the present indicates that the crater is at most only about 1 billion years old . It would also be the site of origin of the HED meteorites . All the known V @-@ type asteroids taken together account for only about 6 % of the ejected volume , with the rest presumably either in small fragments , ejected by approaching the 3 : 1 Kirkwood gap , or perturbed away by the Yarkovsky effect or radiation pressure . Spectroscopic analyses of the Hubble images have shown that this crater has penetrated deep through several distinct layers of the crust , and possibly into the mantle , as indicated by spectral signatures of olivine . The large peak at the center of Rheasilvia is 20 to 25 kilometres ( 12 – 16 mi ) high and 180 kilometres ( 110 mi ) wide . = = = Other craters = = = Several old , degraded craters rival Rheasilvia and Veneneia in size , though none are quite so large . They include Feralia Planitia , shown at right , which is 270 km across . More @-@ recent , sharper craters range up to 158 kilometres ( 98 mi ) Varronilla and 196 kilometres ( 122 mi ) Postumia . = = = = " Snowman craters " = = = = The " snowman craters " is an informal name given to a group of three adjacent craters in Vesta 's northern hemisphere . Their official names from largest to smallest ( west to east ) are Marcia , Calpurnia , and Minucia . Marcia is the youngest and cross @-@ cuts Calpurnia . Minucia is the oldest . = = = Troughs = = = The majority of the equatorial region of Vesta is sculpted by a series of concentric troughs . The largest is named Divalia Fossa ( 10 – 20 km wide , 465 km long ) . Despite the fact that Vesta is a one @-@ seventh the size of the Moon , Divalia Fossa dwarfs the Grand Canyon . A second series , inclined to the equator , is found further north . The largest of the northern troughs is named Saturnalia Fossa ( ≈ 40 km wide , > 370 km long ) . These troughs are thought to be large @-@ scale graben resulting from the impacts that created Rheasilvia and Veneneia craters , respectively . They are some of the longest chasms in the Solar System , nearly as long as Ithaca Chasma on Tethys . The troughs may be graben that formed after another asteroid collided with Vesta , a process that can happen only in a body that , like Vesta , is differentiated . Vesta 's differentiation is one of the reasons why scientists consider it a protoplanet . = = = Surface composition = = = Compositional information from the visible and infrared spectrometer ( VIR ) , gamma @-@ ray and neutron detector ( GRaND ) , and framing camera ( FC ) , all indicate that the majority of the surface composition of Vesta is consistent with the composition of the howardite , eucrite , and diogenite meteorites . The Rheasilvia region is richest in diogenite , consistent with the Rheasilvia @-@ forming impact excavating material from deeper within Vesta . The presence of olivine within the Rheasilvia region would also be consistent with excavation of mantle material . However , olivine has only been detected in localized regions of the northern hemisphere , not within Rheasilvia . The origin of this olivine is currently uncertain . = = = Features associated with volatiles = = = Pitted terrain has been observed in four craters on Vesta : Marcia , Cornelia , Numisia and Licinia . The formation of the pitted terrain is proposed to be degassing of impact @-@ heated volatile @-@ bearing material . Along with the pitted terrain , curvilinear gullies are found in Marcia and Cornelia craters . The curvilinear gullies end in lobate deposits , which are sometimes covered by pitted terrain , and are proposed to form by the transient flow of liquid water after buried deposits of ice were melted by the heat of the impacts . Hydrated materials have also been detected , many of which are associated with areas of dark material . Consequently , dark material is thought to be largely composed of carbonaceous chondrite , which was deposited on the surface by impacts . Carbonaceous chondrites are comparatively rich in mineralogically bound OH . = = Geology = = There is a large collection of potential samples from Vesta accessible to scientists , in the form of over 1200 HED meteorites ( Vestan achondrites ) , giving insight into Vesta 's geologic history and structure . NASA Infrared Telescope Facility ( NASA IRTF ) studies of asteroid ( 237442 ) 1999 TA10 suggest that it originated from deeper within Vesta than the HED meteorites Vesta is thought to consist of a metallic iron – nickel core 214 – 226 km in diameter , an overlying rocky olivine mantle , with a surface crust . From the first appearance of calcium – aluminium @-@ rich inclusions ( the first solid matter in the Solar System , forming about 4 @.@ 567 billion years ago ) , a likely time line is as follows : Vesta is the only known intact asteroid that has been resurfaced in this manner . Because of this , some scientists refer to Vesta as a protoplanet . However , the presence of iron meteorites and achondritic meteorite classes without identified parent bodies indicates that there once were other differentiated planetesimals with igneous histories , which have since been shattered by impacts . On the basis of the sizes of V @-@ type asteroids ( thought to be pieces of Vesta 's crust ejected during large impacts ) , and the depth of Rheasilvia crater ( see below ) , the crust is thought to be roughly 10 kilometres ( 6 mi ) thick . Findings from the Dawn spacecraft have found evidence that the troughs that wrap around Vesta could be graben formed by impact @-@ induced faulting ( see Troughs section above ) , meaning that Vesta has more complex geology than other asteroids . Vesta could have been classified as a dwarf planet if it had retained a spherical shape , and it has other qualities that lead to the thought it could be a protoplanet . The only thing that knocked it out of the category of a dwarf planet was the formation of two large impact basins at its southern pole . At the time of these impacts Vesta was not warm and plastic enough to return to a shape in hydrostatic equilibrium . = = = Regolith = = = Vesta 's surface is covered by regolith distinct from that found on the Moon or asteroids such as Itokawa . This is because space weathering acts differently . Vesta 's surface shows no significant trace of nanophase iron because the impact speeds on Vesta are too low to make rock melting and vaporization an appreciable process . Instead , regolith evolution is dominated by brecciation and subsequent mixing of bright and dark components . The dark component is probably due to the infall of carbonaceous material , whereas the bright component is the original Vesta basaltic soil . = = Fragments = = Some small Solar System bodies are suspected to be fragments of Vesta caused by impacts . The Vestian asteroids and HED meteorites are examples . The V @-@ type asteroid 1929 Kollaa has been determined to have a composition akin to cumulate eucrite meteorites , indicating its origin deep within Vesta 's crust . Vesta is currently one of only six identified Solar System bodies of which we have physical samples , coming from a number of meteorites suspected to be Vestan fragments . It is estimated that 1 out of 16 meteorites originated from Vesta . The other identified Solar System samples are from Earth itself , meteorites from Mars , and samples returned from the Moon , the comet Wild 2 , and the asteroid 25143 Itokawa . = = Exploration = = In 1981 , a proposal for an asteroid mission was submitted to the European Space Agency ( ESA ) . Named the Asteroidal Gravity Optical and Radar Analysis ( AGORA ) , this spacecraft was to launch some time in 1990 – 1994 and perform two flybys of large asteroids . The preferred target for this mission was Vesta . AGORA would reach the asteroid belt either by a gravitational slingshot trajectory past Mars or by means of a small ion engine . However , the proposal was refused by the ESA . A joint NASA – ESA asteroid mission was then drawn up for a Multiple Asteroid Orbiter with Solar Electric Propulsion ( MAOSEP ) , with one of the mission profiles including an orbit of Vesta . NASA indicated they were not interested in an asteroid mission . Instead , the ESA set up a technological study of a spacecraft with an ion drive . Other missions to the asteroid belt were proposed in the 1980s by France , Germany , Italy and the United States , but none were approved . Exploration of Vesta by fly @-@ by and impacting penetrator was the second main target of the first plan of the multi @-@ aimed Soviet Vesta mission , developed in cooperation with European countries for realisation in 1991 – 1994 but canceled due to the Soviet Union disbanding . In the early 1990s , NASA initiated the Discovery Program , which was intended to be a series of low @-@ cost scientific missions . In 1996 , the program 's study team recommended a mission to explore the asteroid belt using a spacecraft with an ion engine as a high priority . Funding for this program remained problematic for several years , but by 2004 the Dawn vehicle had passed its critical design review and construction proceeded . It launched on 27 September 2007 as the first space mission to Vesta . On 3 May 2011 , Dawn acquired its first targeting image 1 @.@ 2 million kilometers from Vesta . On 16 July 2011 , NASA confirmed that it received telemetry from Dawn indicating that the spacecraft successfully entered Vesta 's orbit . It was scheduled to orbit Vesta for one year , until July 2012 . Dawn 's arrival coincided with late summer in the southern hemisphere of Vesta , with the large crater at Vesta 's south pole ( Rheasilvia ) in sunlight . Because a season on Vesta lasts eleven months , the northern hemisphere , including anticipated compression fractures opposite the crater , would become visible to Dawn 's cameras before it left orbit . Dawn left orbit around Vesta on 4 September 2012 11 : 26 p.m. PDT to travel to Ceres . NASA / DLR released imagery and summary information from a survey orbit , two high @-@ altitude orbits ( 60 – 70 m / pixel ) and a low @-@ altitude mapping orbit ( 20 m / pixel ) , including digital terrain models , videos and atlases . Scientists also used Dawn to calculate Vesta 's precise mass and gravity field . The subsequent determination of the J2 component yielded a core diameter estimate of about 220 km assuming a crustal density similar to that of the HED . Dawn data can be accessed by the public at the UCLA website . = = = Observations from Earth orbit = = = = = = Observations from Dawn = = = Vesta comes into view as the Dawn spacecraft approaches and enters orbit : = = = = True @-@ color images = = = = Detailed images retrieved during the high @-@ altitude ( 60 – 70 m / pixel ) and low @-@ altitude ( ~ 20 m / pixel ) mapping orbits are available on the Dawn Mission website of JPL / NASA . = = Visibility = = Its size and unusually bright surface make Vesta the brightest asteroid , and it is occasionally visible to the naked eye from dark skies ( without light pollution ) . In May and June 2007 , Vesta reached a peak magnitude of + 5 @.@ 4 , the brightest since 1989 . At that time , opposition and perihelion were only a few weeks apart . Less favorable oppositions during late autumn 2008 in the Northern Hemisphere still had Vesta at a magnitude of from + 6 @.@ 5 to + 7 @.@ 3 . Even when in conjunction with the Sun , Vesta will have a magnitude around + 8 @.@ 5 ; thus from a pollution @-@ free sky it can be observed with binoculars even at elongations much smaller than near opposition . = = = 2010 – 2011 = = = In 2010 , Vesta reached opposition in the constellation of Leo on the night of 17 – 18 February , at about magnitude 6 @.@ 1 , a brightness that makes it visible in binocular range but generally not for the naked eye . Under perfect dark sky conditions where all light pollution is absent it might be visible to an experienced observer without the use of a telescope or binoculars . Vesta came to opposition again on 5 August 2011 , in the constellation of Capricornus at about magnitude 5 @.@ 6 . = = = 2012 – 2013 = = = Vesta was at opposition again on 9 December 2012 . According to Sky and Telescope magazine , this year Vesta came within about 6 degrees of 1 Ceres during the winter of 2012 and spring 2013 . Vesta orbits the Sun in 3 @.@ 63 years and Ceres in 4 @.@ 6 years , so every 17 years Vesta overtakes Ceres ( the last overtaking was in 1996 ) . On December 1 , 2012 , Vesta had a magnitude of 6 @.@ 6 , but decreasing to 8 @.@ 4 by May 1 , 2013 . = = = 2014 = = = Ceres and Vesta came within one degree of each other in the night sky in July 2014 .
= Sergei Prokofiev = Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev ( / prəˈkɒfiɛf , proʊ- , -ˈkɔː- , -ˈkoʊ- , -jɛf , -jɛv , -iəf / ; Russian : Сергей Сергеевич Прокофьев , tr . Sergej Sergejevič Prokofjev ; 23 April 1891 – 5 March 1953 ) was a Russian and Soviet composer , pianist and conductor . As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous musical genres , he is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century . His works include such widely heard works as the March from The Love for Three Oranges , the suite Lieutenant Kijé , the ballet Romeo and Juliet – from which " Dance of the Knights " is taken – and Peter and the Wolf . Of the established forms and genres in which he worked , he created – excluding juvenilia – seven completed operas , seven symphonies , eight ballets , five piano concertos , two violin concertos , a cello concerto , a Symphony @-@ Concerto for cello and orchestra , and nine completed piano sonatas . A graduate of the St Petersburg Conservatory , Prokofiev initially made his name as an iconoclastic composer @-@ pianist , achieving notoriety with a series of ferociously dissonant and virtuosic works for his instrument , including his first two piano concertos . In 1915 Prokofiev made a decisive break from the standard composer @-@ pianist category with his orchestral Scythian Suite , compiled from music originally composed for a ballet commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev of the Ballets Russes . Diaghilev commissioned three further ballets from Prokofiev – Chout , Le pas d 'acier and The Prodigal Son – which at the time of their original production all caused a sensation among both critics and colleagues . Prokofiev 's greatest interest , however , was opera , and he composed several works in that genre , including The Gambler and The Fiery Angel . Prokofiev 's one operatic success during his lifetime was The Love for Three Oranges , composed for the Chicago Opera and subsequently performed over the following decade in Europe and Russia . After the Revolution , Prokofiev left Russia with the official blessing of the Soviet minister Anatoly Lunacharsky , and resided in the United States , then Germany , then Paris , making his living as a composer , pianist and conductor . During that time he married a Spanish singer , Carolina Codina , with whom he had two sons . In the early 1930s , the Great Depression diminished opportunities for Prokofiev 's ballets and operas to be staged in America and western Europe . Prokofiev , who regarded himself as composer foremost , resented the time taken by touring as a pianist , and increasingly turned to Soviet Russia for commissions of new music ; in 1936 he finally returned to his homeland with his family . He enjoyed some success there – notably with Lieutenant Kijé , Peter and the Wolf , Romeo and Juliet , and perhaps above all with Alexander Nevsky . The Nazi invasion of the USSR spurred him to compose his most ambitious work , an operatic version of Leo Tolstoy 's War and Peace . In 1948 Prokofiev was criticized for " anti @-@ democratic formalism " and , with his income severely curtailed , was forced to compose Stalinist works , such as On Guard for Peace . However , he also enjoyed personal and artistic support from a new generation of Russian performers , notably Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich : for the latter , he composed his Symphony @-@ Concerto , whilst for the former he composed his ninth piano sonata . = = Biography = = = = = Early childhood and first compositions = = = Prokofiev was born in 1891 in Sontsovka ( now Krasne , Krasnoarmiisk Raion , Donetsk Oblast , eastern Ukraine ) , a remote rural estate in the Yekaterinoslav Governorate of the Russian Empire . His father , Sergei Alexeyevich Prokofiev , was an agronomist . Prokofiev 's mother , Maria ( née Zhitkova ) , came from a family of former serfs who had been owned by the Sheremetev family , under whose patronage serf @-@ children were taught theatre and arts from an early age . She was described by Reinhold Glière ( Prokofiev 's first composition teacher ) as " a tall woman with beautiful , clever eyes ... who knew how to create an atmosphere of warmth and simplicity about her . " After their wedding in the summer of 1877 , the Prokofievs had moved to a small estate in the Smolensk governorate . Eventually Sergei Alexeyevich found employment as a soil engineer , employed by one of his former fellow @-@ students , Dmitri Sontsov , to whose estate in the Ukrainian steppes the Prokofievs moved . By the time of Prokofiev 's birth Maria , having previously lost two daughters , had devoted her life to music ; during her son 's early childhood she spent two months a year in Moscow or St Petersburg taking piano lessons . Sergei Prokofiev was inspired by hearing his mother practicing the piano in the evenings – mostly works by Chopin and Beethoven – and composed his first piano composition at the age of five , an ' Indian Gallop ' , which was written down by his mother : this was in the F Lydian mode ( a major scale with a raised 4th scale degree ) as the young Prokofiev felt ' reluctance to tackle the black notes ' . By seven , he had also learned to play chess . Much like music , chess would remain a passion , and he became acquainted with world chess champions José Raúl Capablanca , whom he beat in a simultaneous exhibition match in 1914 , and Mikhail Botvinnik , with whom he played several matches in the 1930s . At the age of nine he was composing his first opera , The Giant , as well as an overture and various other pieces . = = = Formal education and controversial early works = = = In 1902 , Prokofiev 's mother met Sergei Taneyev , director of the Moscow Conservatory , who initially suggested that Prokofiev should start lessons in piano and composition with Alexander Goldenweiser . When Taneyev was unable to arrange this , he instead organised that composer and pianist Reinhold Glière should spend the summer of 1902 in Sontsovka teaching Prokofiev . This first series of lessons culminated , at the 11 @-@ year @-@ old Prokofiev 's insistence , with the budding composer making his first attempt to write a symphony . The following summer Glière revisited Sontsovka to give further tuition . When decades later Prokofiev wrote about his lessons with Glière , he gave due credit to his teacher 's sympathetic method but complained that Glière had introduced him to " square " phrase structure and conventional modulations which he subsequently had to unlearn . Nonetheless , equipped with the necessary theoretical tools , Prokofiev started experimenting with dissonant harmonies and unusual time signatures in a series of short piano pieces which he called " ditties " ( after the so @-@ called " song form " – more accurately ternary form – they were based on ) , laying the basis for his own musical style . Despite his growing talent , Prokofiev 's parents hesitated over starting their son on a musical career at such an early age , and considered the possibility of his attending a quality high school in Moscow . By 1904 , his mother had decided instead on Saint Petersburg , and she and Prokofiev visited the ( then ) capital to explore the possibility of their moving there for his education . They were introduced to composer Alexander Glazunov , a professor at the Conservatory , who asked to see Prokofiev and his music ; Glazunov was so impressed that he urged Prokofiev 's mother that her son apply to the Saint Petersburg Conservatory . By this point , Prokofiev had composed two more operas , Desert Islands and The Feast during the Plague , and was working on his fourth , Undina . He passed the introductory tests and entered the Conservatory that same year . Several years younger than most of his class , he was viewed as eccentric and arrogant , and he annoyed a number of his classmates by keeping statistics on the errors made by fellow students . During this period , he studied under , among others , Alexander Winkler for piano , Anatoly Lyadov for harmony and counterpoint , Nikolai Tcherepnin for conducting , and Nikolai Rimsky @-@ Korsakov for orchestration ( though when Rimsky @-@ Korsakov died in 1908 , Prokofiev noted that he had only studied with him " after a fashion " – he was just one of many students in a heavily attended class — and regretted that he otherwise " never had the opportunity to study with him " ) . He also shared classes with the composers Boris Asafyev and Nikolai Myaskovsky , the latter becoming a relatively close and lifelong friend . As a member of the Saint Petersburg music scene , Prokofiev developed a reputation as a musical rebel , while getting praise for his original compositions , which he performed himself on the piano . In 1909 , he graduated from his class in composition with unimpressive marks . He continued at the Conservatory , studying piano under Anna Yesipova and continuing his conducting lessons under Tcherepnin . In 1910 , Prokofiev 's father died and Sergei 's financial support ceased . Fortunately he had started making a name for himself as a composer and pianist outside the Conservatory , making appearances at the St Petersburg Evenings of Contemporary Music . There he performed several of his more adventurous piano works , such as his highly chromatic and dissonant Etudes , Op. 2 ( 1909 ) . His performance of this impressed the organizers of Evenings sufficiently for them to invite Prokofiev to give the Russian premiere of Arnold Schoenberg 's Drei Klavierstücke , Op. 11 . Prokofiev 's harmonic experimentation continued with Sarcasms for piano , Op. 17 ( 1912 ) , which makes extensive use of polytonality . He composed his first two piano concertos around this time , the latter of which caused a scandal at its premiere ( 23 August 1913 , Pavlovsk ) . According to one account , the audience left the hall with exclamations of " ' To hell with this futuristic music ! The cats on the roof make better music ! ' " , but the modernists were in rapture . In 1911 , help arrived from renowned Russian musicologist and critic Alexander Ossovsky , who wrote a supportive letter to music publisher Boris P. Jurgenson ( son of publishing @-@ firm founder Peter Jurgenson [ 1836 – 1904 ] ) ; thus a contract was offered to the composer . Prokofiev made his first foreign trip in 1913 , travelling to Paris and London where he first encountered Sergei Diaghilev 's Ballets Russes . = = = The first ballets = = = In 1914 , Prokofiev finished his career at the Conservatory by entering the so @-@ called ' battle of the pianos ' , a competition open to the five best piano students for which the prize was a Schreder grand piano : Prokofiev won by performing his own Piano Concerto No. 1 . Soon afterwards , he journeyed to London where he made contact with the impresario Sergei Diaghilev . Diaghilev commissioned Prokofiev 's first ballet , Ala and Lolli ; but when Prokofiev brought the work in progress to him in Italy in 1915 he rejected it as " non @-@ Russian " . Urging Prokofiev to write " music that was national in character " , Diaghilev then commissioned the ballet Chout ( The Fool , the original Russian @-@ language full title was Сказка про шута , семерых шутов перешутившего ( Skazka pro shuta , semerykh shutov pereshutivshavo ) , meaning " The Tale of the Buffoon who Outwits Seven Other Buffoons " ) . Under Diaghilev 's guidance , Prokofiev chose his subject from a collection of folktales by the ethnographer Alexander Afanasyev ; the story , concerning a buffoon and a series of confidence tricks , had been previously suggested to Diaghilev by Igor Stravinsky as a possible subject for a ballet , and Diaghilev and his choreographer Léonide Massine helped Prokofiev to shape this into a ballet scenario . Prokofiev 's inexperience with ballet led him to revise the work extensively in the 1920s , following Diaghilev 's detailed critique , prior to its first production . The ballet 's premiere in Paris on 17 May 1921 was a huge success and was greeted with great admiration by an audience that included Jean Cocteau , Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel . Stravinsky called the ballet " the single piece of modern music he could listen to with pleasure , " while Ravel called it " a work of genius . " = = = First World War and Revolution = = = During World War I , Prokofiev returned to the Conservatory and studied organ in order to avoid conscription . He composed The Gambler based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky 's novel of the same name , but rehearsals were plagued by problems and the scheduled 1917 première had to be canceled because of the February Revolution . In the summer of that year , Prokofiev composed his first symphony , the Classical . This was his own name for the symphony , which was written in the style that , according to Prokofiev , Joseph Haydn would have used if he had been alive at the time . It is more or less Classical in style but incorporates more modern musical elements ( see Neoclassicism ) . This symphony was also an exact contemporary of Prokofiev 's Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major , Op. 19 , which was scheduled to premiere in November 1917 . The first performances of both works had to wait until 21 April 1918 and 18 October 1923 , respectively . He stayed briefly with his mother in Kislovodsk in the Caucasus . After completing the score of Seven , They Are Seven , a " Chaldean invocation " for chorus and orchestra , Prokofiev was " left with nothing to do and time hung heavily on my hands " . Believing that Russia " had no use for music at the moment " , Prokofiev decided to try his fortunes in America until the turmoil in his homeland had passed . He set out for Moscow and Petersburg in March 1918 to sort out financial matters and to arrange for his passport . In May he headed for the USA , having obtained official permission to do so from Anatoly Lunacharsky , the People 's Commissar for Education , who told him : " You are a revolutionary in music , we are revolutionaries in life . We ought to work together . But if you want to go to America I shall not stand in your way . " = = = Life abroad = = = Arriving in San Francisco after having been released from questioning by immigration officials on Angel Island on 11 August 1918 , Prokofiev was soon compared to other famous Russian exiles ( such as Sergei Rachmaninoff ) . His debut solo concert in New York led to several further engagements . He also received a contract from the music director of the Chicago Opera Association , Cleofonte Campanini , for the production of his new opera The Love for Three Oranges ; however , due to Campanini 's illness and death , the premiere was postponed . This delay was another example of Prokofiev 's bad luck in operatic matters . The failure also cost him his American solo career , since the opera took too much time and effort . He soon found himself in financial difficulties , and , in April 1920 , he left for Paris , not wanting to return to Russia as a failure . In Paris Prokofiev reaffirmed his contacts with Diaghilev 's Ballets Russes . He also completed some of his older , unfinished works , such as the Third Piano Concerto . The Love for Three Oranges finally premièred in Chicago , under the composer 's baton , on 30 December 1921 . Diaghilev became sufficiently interested in the opera to request Prokofiev play the vocal score to him in June 1922 , while they were both in Paris for a revival of Chout , so he could consider it for a possible production . Stravinsky , who was present at the audition , refused to listen to more than the first act . When he then accused Prokofiev of " wasting time composing operas " , Prokofiev retorted that Stravinsky " was in no position to lay down a general artistic direction , since he is himself not immune to error " . According to Prokofiev , Stravinsky " became incandescent with rage " and " we almost came to blows and were separated only with difficulty " . As a result , " our relations became strained and for several years Stravinsky 's attitude toward me was critical . " In March 1922 , Prokofiev moved with his mother to the town of Ettal in the Bavarian Alps , where for over a year he concentrated on an opera project , The Fiery Angel , based on the novel by Valery Bryusov . By this time his later music had acquired a following in Russia , and he received invitations to return there , but he decided to stay in Europe . In 1923 , Prokofiev married the Spanish singer Carolina Codina ( 1897 – 1989 , whose stage name was Lina Llubera ) before moving back to Paris . In Paris , several of his works ( for example the Second Symphony ) were performed , but the audiences ' reception was now lukewarm and Prokofiev sensed that he " was evidently no longer a sensation " . However the Symphony appeared to prompt Diaghilev to commission Le pas d 'acier ( The Steel Step ) , a ' modernist ' ballet score intended to portray the industrialisation of the Soviet Union . It was enthusiastically received by Parisian audiences and critics . In around 1924 , Prokofiev was introduced to Christian Science . He began to practice its teachings , which he believed to be beneficial to his health and to his fiery temperament , and to which , according to biographer Simon Morrison , he remained faithful for the rest of his life . Prokofiev and Stravinsky restored their friendship , though Prokofiev particularly disliked Stravinsky 's " stylization of Bach " in such recent works as the Octet and the Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments . However , Stravinsky himself described Prokofiev as the greatest Russian composer of his day , after himself . = = = First visits to the Soviet Union = = = In 1927 , Prokofiev made his first concert tour in the Soviet Union . Over the course of more than two months , he spent time in Moscow and Leningrad ( as Saint Petersburg had been renamed ) , where he enjoyed a very successful staging of The Love for Three Oranges in the Mariinsky Theatre . In 1928 , Prokofiev completed his Third Symphony , which was broadly based on his unperformed opera The Fiery Angel . The conductor Serge Koussevitzky characterized the Third as " the greatest symphony since Tchaikovsky 's Sixth . " In the meantime , however , Prokofiev , under the influence of the teachings of Christian Science , had turned against the expressionist style and the subject matter of The Fiery Angel . He now preferred what he called a " new simplicity " , which he believed more sincere than the " contrivances and complexities " of so much modern music of the 1920s . During 1928 – 29 , Prokofiev composed what was to be the last ballet for Diaghilev , The Prodigal Son . When first staged in Paris on 21 May 1929 , with Serge Lifar in the title role , both audience and critics were particularly struck by the final scene in which the prodigal son drags himself across the stage upon his knees to be welcomed by his father . Diaghilev had recognised that in the music to this scene , Prokofiev had " never been more clear , more simple , more melodious , and more tender . " Only months later , Diaghilev was dead . That summer , Prokofiev completed the Divertimento , Op. 43 ( which he had started in 1925 ) and revised his Sinfonietta , Op. 5 / 48 , a work started in his days at the Conservatory . In October that year , he had a car crash while driving his family back to Paris from their holiday : as the car turned over , Prokofiev pulled some muscles on his left hand . Prokofiev was therefore unable to perform in Moscow during his tour shortly after the accident , but he was able to enjoy watching performances of his music from the audience . Prokofiev also attended the Bolshoi Theatre 's " audition " of his ballet Le pas d 'acier , and was interrogated by members of the Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians ( RAPM ) about the work : he was asked whether the factory portrayed " a capitalist factory , where the worker is a slave , or a Soviet factory , where the worker is the master ? If it is a Soviet factory , when and where did Prokofiev examine it , since from 1918 to the present he has been living abroad and came here for the first time in 1927 for two weeks [ sic ] ? " Prokofiev replied , " That concerns politics , not music , and therefore I won 't answer . " The RAPM condemned the ballet as a " flat and vulgar anti @-@ Soviet anecdote , a counter @-@ revolutionary composition bordering on Fascism " . The Bolshoi had no option but to reject the ballet . With his left hand healed , Prokofiev toured the United States successfully at the start of 1930 , propped up by his recent European success . That year Prokofiev began his first non @-@ Diaghilev ballet On the Dnieper , Op. 51 , a work commissioned by Serge Lifar , who had been appointed maitre de ballet at the Paris Opéra . In 1931 and 1932 , he completed his fourth and fifth piano concertos . The following year saw the completion of the Symphonic Song , Op. 57 , which Prokofiev 's friend Myaskovsky – thinking of its potential audience in the Soviet Union – told him " isn 't quite for us ... it lacks that which we mean by monumentalism – a familiar simplicity and broad contours , of which you are extremely capable , but temporarily are carefully avoiding . " By the early 1930s , both Europe and America were suffering from the Great Depression , which inhibited both new opera and ballet productions , though audiences for Prokofiev 's appearances as a pianist were — in Europe at least — undiminished . However Prokofiev , who saw himself as a composer first and foremost , increasingly resented the amount of time that was lost to composition through his appearances as a pianist . Having been homesick for some time , Prokofiev began to build substantial bridges with the Soviet Union . Following the dissolution of the RAPM in 1932 , he acted increasingly as a musical ambassador between his homeland and western Europe , and his premieres and commissions were increasingly under the auspices of the Soviet Union . One such was Lieutenant Kijé , which was commissioned as the score to a Soviet film . Another commission , from the Kirov Theatre ( as the Mariinsky had now been renamed ) in Leningrad , was the ballet Romeo and Juliet , composed to a scenario created by Adrian Piotrovsky and Sergei Radlov following the precepts of " drambalet " ( dramatised ballet , officially promoted at the Kirov to replace works based primarily on choreographic display and innovation ) . Following Radlov 's acrimonious resignation from the Kirov in June 1934 , a new agreement was signed with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on the understanding that Piotrovsky would remain involved . However , the ballet 's original happy ending ( contrary to Shakespeare ) provoked controversy among Soviet cultural officials ; the ballet 's production was then postponed indefinitely when the staff of the Bolshoi was overhauled at the behest of the chairman of the Committee on Arts Affairs , Platon Kerzhentsev . Nikolai Myaskovsky , one of his closest friends , mentioned in a number of letters how he would like Prokofiev to stay in Russia . = = = Return to Russia = = = In 1936 , Prokofiev and his family settled permanently in Moscow . In that year he composed one of his most famous works , Peter and the Wolf , for Natalya Sats 's Central Children 's Theatre . Sats also persuaded Prokofiev to write two songs for children – " Sweet Song " , and " Chatterbox " ; these were eventually joined by " The Little Pigs " , published as Three Children 's Songs , Op. 68 . Prokofiev also composed the gigantic Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution , originally intended for performance during the anniversary year but effectively blocked by Kerzhentsev , who demanded at the work 's audition before the Committee on Arts Affairs , " Just what do you think you 're doing , Sergey Sergeyevich , taking texts that belong to the people and setting them to such incomprehensible music ? " The Cantata had to wait until 5 April 1966 for a partial premiere ( just over 13 years after the composer 's death ) . Forced to adapt to the new circumstances ( whatever misgivings he had about them in private ) , Prokofiev wrote a series of " mass songs " ( Opp . 66 , 79 , 89 ) , using the lyrics of officially approved Soviet poets . In 1938 , Prokofiev collaborated with Eisenstein on the historical epic Alexander Nevsky . For this he composed some of his most inventive and dramatic music . Although the film had a very poor sound recording , Prokofiev adapted much of his score into a large @-@ scale cantata for mezzo @-@ soprano , orchestra and chorus , which was extensively performed and recorded . In the wake of Alexander Nevsky 's success , Prokofiev composed his first Soviet opera Semyon Kotko , which was intended to be produced by the director Vsevolod Meyerhold . However the première of the opera was postponed because Meyerhold was arrested on 20 June 1939 by the NKVD ( Joseph Stalin 's Secret Police ) , and shot on 2 February 1940 . Only months after Meyerhold 's arrest , Prokofiev was ' invited ' to compose Zdravitsa ( literally translated ' Cheers ! ' , but more often given the English title Hail to Stalin ) ( Op. 85 ) to celebrate Joseph Stalin 's 60th birthday . Later in 1939 , Prokofiev composed his Piano Sonatas Nos. 6 , 7 , and 8 , Opp . 82 – 84 , widely known today as the " War Sonatas . " Premiered respectively by Prokofiev ( No. 6 : 8 April 1940 ) , Sviatoslav Richter ( No. 7 : Moscow , 18 January 1943 ) and Emil Gilels ( No. 8 : Moscow , 30 December 1944 ) , they were subsequently championed in particular by Richter . Biographer Daniel Jaffé argued that Prokofiev , " having forced himself to compose a cheerful evocation of the nirvana Stalin wanted everyone to believe he had created " ( i.e. in Zdravitsa ) then subsequently , in these three sonatas , " expressed his true feelings " . As evidence of this , Jaffé has pointed out that the central movement of Sonata No. 7 opens with a theme based on a Robert Schumann lied , ' Wehmut ' ( ' Sadness ' , which appears in Schumann 's Liederkreis , Op. 39 ) : the words to this translate " I can sometimes sing as if I were glad , yet secretly tears well and so free my heart . Nightingales ... sing their song of longing from their dungeon 's depth ... everyone delights , yet no one feels the pain , the deep sorrow in the song . " Ironically ( because , it appears , no one had noticed his allusion ) Sonata No. 7 received a Stalin Prize ( Second Class ) , and No. 8 a Stalin Prize First Class . In the meantime , Romeo and Juliet was finally staged by the Kirov ballet , choreographed by Leonid Lavrovsky , on 11 January 1940 . To the surprise of all its participants , the dancers having struggled to cope with the music 's syncopated rhythms and almost having boycotted the production , the ballet was an instant success , and became recognised as the crowning achievement of Soviet dramatic ballet . = = = War years = = = Prokofiev had been considering making an opera out of Leo Tolstoy 's epic novel War and Peace , when news of the German invasion of Russia on 22 June 1941 made the subject seem all the more timely . Prokofiev took two years to compose his original version of War and Peace . Because of the war he was evacuated together with a large number of other artists , initially to the Caucasus where he composed his Second String Quartet . By this time his relationship with the 25 @-@ year @-@ old writer and librettist Mira Mendelson ( 1915 – 1968 ) had finally led to his separation from his wife Lina , although they were never technically divorced : indeed Prokofiev had tried to persuade Lina and their sons to accompany him as evacuees out of Moscow , but Lina opted to stay . During the war years , restrictions on style and the demand that composers should write in a ' socialist realist ' style were slackened , and Prokofiev was generally able to compose in his own way . The Violin Sonata No. 1 , Op. 80 , The Year 1941 , Op. 90 , and the Ballade for the Boy Who Remained Unknown , Op. 93 all came from this period . In 1943 Prokofiev joined Eisenstein in Alma @-@ Ata , the largest city in Kazakhstan , to compose more film music ( Ivan the Terrible ) , and the ballet Cinderella ( Op. 87 ) , one of his most melodious and celebrated compositions . Early that year he also played excerpts from War and Peace to members of the Bolshoi Theatre collective . However , the Soviet government had opinions about the opera which resulted in many revisions . In 1944 , Prokofiev spent time at a composer 's colony outside Moscow in order to compose his Fifth Symphony ( Op. 100 ) . Prokofiev conducted its first performance on 13 January 1945 , just a fortnight after the triumphant premieres on 30 December 1944 of his Eighth Piano Sonata and , on the same day , the first part of Eisenstein 's Ivan the Terrible . With the premiere of his Fifth Symphony , which was programmed alongside Peter and the Wolf and the Classical Symphony ( these conducted by Nikolai Anosov ) , Prokofiev appeared to reach the peak of his celebrity as a leading composer of the Soviet Union . Shortly afterwards , he suffered a concussion after a fall due to chronic high blood pressure . He never fully recovered from this injury , and was forced on medical advice to restrict his composing activity . = = = Post @-@ war = = = Prokofiev had time to write his postwar Sixth Symphony and his Ninth Piano Sonata ( for Sviatoslav Richter ) before the so @-@ called " Zhdanov Decree " . In early 1948 , following a meeting of Soviet composers convened by Andrei Zhdanov , the Politburo issued a resolution denouncing Prokofiev , Dmitri Shostakovich , Myaskovsky , and Khachaturian of the crime of " formalism " , described as a " renunciation of the basic principles of classical music " in favour of " muddled , nerve @-@ racking " sounds that " turned music into cacophony " . Eight of Prokofiev 's works were banned from performance : The Year 1941 , Ode to the End of the War , Festive Poem , Cantata for the Thirtieth Anniversary of October , Ballad of an Unknown Boy , the 1934 piano cycle Thoughts , and Piano Sonatas Nos 6 and 8 . Such was the perceived threat behind the banning of these works that even works that had avoided censure were no longer programmed : by August 1948 , Prokofiev was in severe financial straits , his personal debt amounting to 180 @,@ 000 rubles . Meanwhile , on 20 February 1948 , Prokofiev 's wife Lina was arrested for ' espionage ' , as she had tried to send money to her mother in Spain . After nine months of interrogation , she was sentenced by a three @-@ member Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR to 20 years of hard labour . She was eventually released after Stalin 's death in 1953 and in 1974 left the Soviet Union . Prokofiev 's latest opera projects , among them his desperate attempt to appease the cultural authorities , The Story of a Real Man , were quickly cancelled by the Kirov Theatre . This snub , in combination with his declining health , caused Prokofiev progressively to withdraw from public life and from various activities , even his beloved chess , and increasingly he devoted himself exclusively to his own work . After a serious relapse in 1949 , his doctors ordered him to limit his activities , limiting him to composing for only an hour a day . In spring 1949 he wrote his Cello Sonata in C , Op. 119 , for the 22 @-@ year @-@ old Mstislav Rostropovich , who gave the first performance in 1950 , with Sviatoslav Richter . For Rostropovich , Prokofiev also extensively recomposed his Cello Concerto , transforming it into a Symphony @-@ Concerto , his last major masterpiece and a landmark in the cello and orchestra repertory today . The last public performance he attended was the première of the Seventh Symphony in 1952 . The music was written for the Children 's Radio Division . = = = Death = = = Prokofiev died at the age of 61 on 5 March 1953 , the same day as Joseph Stalin . He had lived near Red Square , and for three days the throngs gathered to mourn Stalin , making it impossible to carry Prokofiev 's body out for the funeral service at the headquarters of the Soviet Composers ' Union . He is buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow . He was an atheist . The leading Soviet musical periodical reported Prokofiev 's death as a brief item on page 116 . The first 115 pages were devoted to the death of Stalin . Usually Prokofiev 's death is attributed to cerebral hemorrhage . He had been chronically ill for the prior eight years ; the precise nature of Prokofiev 's terminal illness remains uncertain . Lina Prokofiev outlived her estranged husband by many years , dying in London in early 1989 . Royalties from her late husband 's music provided her with a modest income , and she acted as storyteller for a recording of her husband 's Peter and the Wolf ( currently released on CD by Chandos Records ) with Neeme Järvi conducting the Scottish National Orchestra . Their sons Sviatoslav ( 1924 – 2010 ) , an architect , and Oleg ( 1928 – 1998 ) , an artist , painter , sculptor and poet , dedicated a large part of their lives to the promotion of their father 's life and work . = = Posthumous reputation = = Arthur Honegger proclaimed that Prokofiev would " remain for us the greatest figure of contemporary music , " and the American scholar Richard Taruskin has recognised Prokofiev 's " gift , virtually unparalleled among 20th @-@ century composers , for writing distinctively original diatonic melodies . " Yet for some time Prokofiev 's reputation in the West suffered as a result of cold @-@ war antipathies , and his music has never won from Western academics and critics the kind of esteem currently enjoyed by Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg , composers purported to have a greater influence on a younger generation of musicians . Today Prokofiev may well be the most popular composer of 20th @-@ century music . His orchestral music alone is played more frequently in the United States than that of any other composer of the last hundred years , save Richard Strauss , while his operas , ballets , chamber works , and piano music appear regularly throughout the major concert halls world @-@ wide . The composer received honours in his native Donetsk Oblast , when the Donetsk International Airport was renamed to be " Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev International Airport , " and when the Donetsk Musical and Pedagogical Institute was renamed in 1988 to " S.S. Prokofiev State Music Academy of Donetsk . " = = Works = = = = Recordings = = Prokofiev was a soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra , conducted by Piero Coppola , in the first recording of his Piano Concerto No. 3 , recorded in London by His Master 's Voice in June 1932 . Prokofiev also recorded some of his solo piano music for HMV in Paris in February 1935 ; these recordings were issued on CD by Pearl and Naxos . In 1938 , he conducted the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in a recording of the second suite from his Romeo and Juliet ballet ; this performance was later released on LP and CD . Another reported recording with Prokofiev and the Moscow Philharmonic was of the First Violin Concerto with David Oistrakh as soloist ; Everest Records later released this recording on an LP . Despite the attribution , the conductor was Aleksandr Gauk . A short sound film of Prokofiev playing some of the music from his opera War and Peace and then explaining the music has been discovered . = = Honours and awards = = Six Stalin Prizes : ( 1943 ) , 2nd degree – for Piano Sonata No. 7 ( 1946 ) , 1st degree – for Symphony No. 5 and Piano Sonata No. 8 ( 1946 ) , 1st degree – for the music for the film " Ivan the Terrible " Part 1 ( 1944 ) ( 1946 ) , 1st degree – for the ballet " Cinderella " ( 1944 ) ( 1947 ) , 1st degree – for Violin Sonata No. 1 ( 1951 ) , 2nd degree – for vocal @-@ symphonic suite " Winter bonfire " and the oratorio " On Guard for Peace " on poems by S. Marshak Lenin Prize ( 1957 – posthumous ) – for Symphony No. 7 People 's Artist of RSFSR ( 1947 ) Order of the Red Banner of Labour = = = Autobiography and diaries = = = = = = Memoirs , essays , etc . = = = = = = Biographies = = = = = = Other monographs = = = = = = Dictionary articles = = =
= Calakmul = Calakmul ( / ˌkɑːlɑːkˈmuːl / ; also Kalakmul and other less frequent variants ) is a Maya archaeological site in the Mexican state of Campeche , deep in the jungles of the greater Petén Basin region . It is 35 kilometres ( 22 mi ) from the Guatemalan border . Calakmul was one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands . Calakmul was a major Maya power within the northern Petén Basin region of the Yucatán Peninsula of southern Mexico . Calakmul administered a large domain marked by the extensive distribution of their emblem glyph of the snake head sign , to be read " Kaan " . Calakmul was the seat of what has been dubbed the Kingdom of the Snake or Snake Kingdom . This Snake Kingdom reigned during most of the Classic period . Calakmul itself is estimated to have had a population of 50 @,@ 000 people and had governance , at times , over places as far away as 150 kilometers . There are 6 @,@ 750 ancient structures identified at Calakmul ; the largest of which is the great pyramid at the site . Structure 2 is over 45 metres ( 148 ft ) high , making it one of the tallest of the Maya pyramids . Four tombs have been located within the pyramid . Like many temples or pyramids within Mesoamerica the pyramid at Calakmul increased in size by building upon the existing temple to reach its current size . The size of the central monumental architecture is approximately 2 square kilometres ( 0 @.@ 77 sq mi ) and the whole of the site , mostly covered with dense residential structures , is about 20 square kilometres ( 7 @.@ 7 sq mi ) . Throughout the Classic Period , Calakmul maintained an intense rivalry with the major city of Tikal to the south , and the political manoeuvrings of these two cities have been likened to a struggle between two Maya superpowers . Rediscovered from the air by biologist Cyrus L. Lundell of the Mexican Exploitation Chicle Company on December 29 , 1931 , the find was reported to Sylvanus G. Morley of the Carnegie Institute at Chichen Itza in March 1932 . = = Etymology = = Calakmul is a modern name ; according to Cyrus L. Lundell , who named the site , In Maya , ca means " two " , lak means " adjacent " , and mul signifies any artificial mound or pyramid , so Calakmul is the " City of the Two Adjacent Pyramids " . In ancient times the city core was known as Ox Te ' Tuun , meaning " Three Stones " . Another name associated with the site , and perhaps a larger area around it , is Chiik Naab ' . The lords of Calakmul identified themselves as k 'uhul kaanal ajaw , Divine Lords of the Snake , but the connection of the title to the actual site is ambiguous . = = Location = = Calakmul is located in Campeche state in southeastern Mexico , about 35 kilometres ( 22 mi ) north of the border with Guatemala and 38 kilometres ( 24 mi ) north of the ruins of El Mirador . The ruins of El Tintal are 68 kilometres ( 42 mi ) to the southwest of Calakmul and were linked to both El Mirador and Calakmul itself by causeway . Calakmul was about 20 kilometres ( 12 mi ) south of the contemporary city of Oxpemul and approximately 25 kilometres ( 16 mi ) southwest of La Muñeca . The city is located on a rise about 35 metres ( 115 ft ) above a large seasonal swamp lying to the west , known as the El Laberinto bajo ( a Spanish word used in the region to denote a low @-@ lying area of seasonal marshland ) . This swamp measures approximately 34 by 8 kilometres ( 21 @.@ 1 by 5 @.@ 0 mi ) and was an important source of water during the rainy season . The bajo was linked to a sophisticated water @-@ control system including both natural and artificial features such as gullies and canals that encircled a 22 @-@ square @-@ kilometre ( 8 @.@ 5 sq mi ) area around the site core , an area considered as Inner Calakmul . The location of Calakmul at the edge of a bajo provided two additional advantages : the fertile soils along the edge of the swamp and access to abundant flint nodules . The city is situated on a promontory formed by a natural 35 @-@ metre ( 115 ft ) high limestone dome rising above the surrounding lowlands . This dome was artificially levelled by the Maya . During the Preclassic and Classic periods settlement was concentrated along the edge of the El Laberinto bajo , during the Classic period structures were also built on high ground and small islands in the swamp where flint was worked . At the beginning of the 21st century the area around Calakmul remained covered by dense forest . During the 1st millennium AD the area received moderate and regular rainfall , although there is less surface water available than further south in Guatemala . Calakumul is now located within the 1 @,@ 800 @,@ 000 @-@ acre ( 7 @,@ 300 km2 ) Calakmul Biosphere Reserve . = = Population and extent = = At its height in the Late Classic period the city is estimated to have had a population of 50 @,@ 000 inhabitants and to have covered an area of over 70 square kilometres ( 27 sq mi ) . The city was the capital of a large regional state with an area of about 13 @,@ 000 square kilometres ( 5 @,@ 000 sq mi ) . During the Terminal Classic the city 's population declined dramatically and the rural population plummeted to 10 % of its former level . The Late Classic population density of Calakmul has been calculated at 1000 / km ² ( 2564 per square mile ) in the site core and 420 / km ² ( 1076 per square mile ) in the periphery ( an area of 122 square kilometres ( 47 sq mi ) . Calakmul was a true urban city and not just an elite centre surrounded by commoner residences . The site core of Calakmul was known in ancient times as Ox Te ' Tuun ( " Three Stones " ) which may have been because of the triadic pyramid Structure 2 . The Calakmul kingdom included 20 secondary centres , among which were large cities such as La Muñeca , Naachtun , Sasilha , Oxpemul and Uxul . The total population of these secondary centres has been estimated at 200 @,@ 000 . The kingdom also included a large number of tertiary and quaternary sites , mostly fairly small and consisting of a number of groups arranged around courtyards , although there are also larger rural sites situated on ridges along the edges of the bajos that include temples , palaces and stelae . The total rural population of the kingdom is calculated at 1 @.@ 5 million people . The entire population of the Calakmul kingdom , including the city itself and the rural population in the 13 @,@ 000 square kilometres ( 5 @,@ 000 sq mi ) area of the regional state , is calculated at 1 @.@ 75 million people in the Late Classic period . The Emblem Glyph of Calakmul has a greater distribution than the Emblem Glyph of any other Maya city . The Glyph is also found in more hieroglyphic texts than any other Emblem Glyph , including that of Tikal . Calakmul administered a large domain marked by the extensive distribution of their emblem glyph of the snake head sign , to be read " Kaan " . Calakmul was the seat of what has been dubbed the Snake Kingdom . At times the city had governance over places as far away as 150 kilometers . = = Known rulers = = The kings of Calakmul were known as k 'uhul kan ajawob ( / k ’ uːˈχuːl kän äχäˈwoɓ / ) ( " Divine Lords of the Snake Kingdom " ) . This list is not continuous , as the archaeological record is incomplete . All dates AD . = = Emblem Glyph = = At Calakmul 's peak in the 7th century , the polity was known as Kan . Interesting to know is that the title Kan was used at another place before Calakmul became a regional powerhouse . The Preclassic political state in the Mirador Basin also used the title Kan . There is the idea that , after the collapse of the Mirador state , its refugees migrated north towards Calakmul , where they founded a new Kan polity . However , epigraphical studies of the monuments at Calakmul show that prior to the 7th century AD the emblem glyph of Calakmul had nothing to do with a snake , but with a bat . It seems that a different polity ruled there . The Kan emblem glyph , before being associated with Calakmul , is found ( once ) at Dzibanché , a site more towards the east . Perhaps during the late 6th / early 7th century , the polity at Dzibanché moved to Calakmul in order to establish a more strategically placed capital . After Calakmul 's power dwindled in the 8th century , after the rule of Yuknoom Took K 'awiil , it appears that the bat emblem glyph made its resurgence . Still , many uncertainties remain and new epigraphical studies have to be done to fill the gaps . = = History = = Calakmul has a long occupational history and excavations have revealed evidence from the Middle Preclassic right through to the Postclassic . The causeway network that linked Calakmul with the cities of El Mirador , Nakbe and El Tintal suggest strong political links between the four cities that may have begun in the Preclassic , when both Calakmul and El Mirador were important cities , and continued into the Classic period when Calakmul itself was the most powerful city in the region . Calakmul was one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities ever uncovered in the Maya lowlands . = = = Calakmul vs. Tikal = = = The history of the Maya Classic period is dominated by the rivalry between Tikal and Calakmul , likened to a struggle between two Maya " superpowers " . Earlier times tended to be dominated by a single larger city and by the Early Classic Tikal was moving into this position after the dominance of El Mirador in the Late Preclassic and Nakbe in the Middle Preclassic . However Calakmul was a rival city with equivalent resources that challenged the supremacy of Tikal and engaged in a strategy of surrounding it with its own network of allies . From the second half of the 6th century AD through to the late 7th century Calakmul gained the upper hand although it failed to extinguish Tikal 's power completely and Tikal was able to turn the tables on its great rival in a decisive battle that took place in AD 695 . Half a century later Tikal was able to gain major victories over Calakmul 's most important allies . Eventually both cities succumbed to the spreading Classic Maya collapse . The great rivalry between these two cities may have been based on more than competition for resources . Their dynastic histories reveal different origins and the intense competition between the two powers may have had an ideological grounding . Calakmul 's dynasty seems ultimately derived from the great Preclassic city of El Mirador while the dynasty of Tikal was profoundly affected by the intervention of the distant central Mexican metropolis of Teotihuacan . With few exceptions , Tikal 's monuments and those of its allies place great emphasis upon single male rulers while the monuments of Calakmul and its allies gave greater prominence to the female line and often the joint rule of king and queen . = = = Preclassic = = = Calakmul was already a large city in the Preclassic period . The early history of Calakmul is obscure , although a dynastic list has been pieced together that extends back into an ancestral past . This dynasty has been reconstructed in part from Late Classic ceramics from the region of great Preclassic cities of El Mirador and Nakbe . This may mean that Calakmul ultimately inherited its political authority from one of these cities , with its dynasty originating in the Late Preclassic in the Mirador Basin and relocating itself to Calakmul in the Classic period after the collapse of these cities . = = = Early Classic = = = Both Calakmul and Tikal were sizeable Preclassic cities that survived into the Classic Period . Early hieroglyphic texts from stelae found in Structure 2 record the probable enthronement of a king of Calakmul in AD 411 and also records a non @-@ royal site ruler in 514 . After this there is a gap in the hieroglyphic records that lasts over a century , although the Kaan dynasty experienced a major expansion of its power at this time . The lack of inscriptions recording the events of this period may be either due to the fact that the Kaan dynasty was located elsewhere during this time or perhaps that the monuments were later destroyed . The earliest legible texts referring to the kings of the Kaan dynasty come from excavations of the large city of Dzibanche in Quintana Roo , far north of Calakmul . A hieroglyphic stairway depicts bound captives , their names and the dates they were captured together with the name of king Yuknoom Che 'en I , although the exact context of the king 's name is unclear - the captives may have been his vassals captured by an enemy or they may have been rulers captured by the king of Calakmul . The dates are uncertain but two of them may fall within the 5th century AD . The nearby Quintana Roo site of El Resbalón has a jumbled hieroglyphic text , including a date in 529 , that indicates that the city was within the control of the Kaan dynasty . By the middle of the 6th century AD Calakmul was assembling a far @-@ reaching political alliance , activity that brought the city into conflict with the great city of Tikal . The influence of Calakmul extended deep into the Petén ; king Tuun K 'ab ' Hix of Calakmul oversaw the enthronement of Aj Wosal to the rulership of Naranjo in 546 . Another vassal of Tuun K 'ab ' Hix was taken captive by Yaxchilan on the banks of the Usumacinta River in 537 . In 561 , the king now known as Sky Witness installed a ruler at the site of Los Alacranes . Sky Witness played a major part in the political events of the Maya region . He became the overlord of the city of Caracol , to the south of Naranjo , which had previously been a vassal of Tikal . In 562 , according to a damaged text at Caracol , Sky Witness defeated Tikal itself and sacrificed its king Wak Chan K 'awiil , thus ending his branch of the royal dynasty at Tikal . This catastrophic defeat began a 130 @-@ year hiatus for Tikal , reflecting an extended period of dominance by Calakmul . This event is used as a marker to divide the Early Classic from the Late Classic . Sky Witness is also mentioned at Okop , a site much further north in Quintana Roo . The last reference to Sky Witness occurs at Caracol and is dated to AD 572 . The text is damaged but probably records the death of this powerful king . = = = Late Classic = = = = = = = War with Palenque = = = = Sky Witness was quickly succeeded by First Axewielder , who is mentioned in a text from Dzibanche celebrating the K 'atun @-@ ending of 573 . First Axewielder ruled for about six years . In 579 Uneh Chan became king of Calakmul . Uneh Chan engaged in an aggressive campaign in the western Maya region and attacked Palenque on 23 April 599 with his ally Lakam Chak , lord of the small city of Santa Elena 70 kilometres ( 43 mi ) east of Palenque , defeating Palenque 's queen Lady Yohl Ik 'nal and sacking the city . The defeat is recorded on a series of hieroglyphic steps at Palenque itself and the event initiated a long @-@ lasting grudge against Calakmul . Lady Yohl Ik 'nal survived the battle and ruled for several more years , although she perhaps paid tribute to Calakmul . Uneh Chan maintained his alliances with cities in the east and he is depicted on Caracol Stela 4 supervising an event involving king Yajaw Te ' K 'inich of that city that occurred before 583 . Calakmul again sacked Palenque on 7 April 611 under the personal direction of Uneh Chan . Palenque was now ruled by king Ajen Yohl Mat who had gained some sort of independence from Calakmul , provoking the new invasion . The immediate aftermath of this second victory over Palenque involved the deaths of the two most important nobles at the city , Ajen Yohl Mat himself and Janab Pakal , a high @-@ ranking member of the royal family and possibly co @-@ ruler . Janab Pakal died in March 612 and Ajen Yohl Mat a few months later . Their deaths so soon after the sacking of the city suggests that their demise was directly linked to Calakmul 's triumph . Palenque suffered a lengthy decline in its fortunes after this date before it was able to recover from its disastrous war with Calakmul . The wars against Palenque may have been undertaken by Uneh Chan in order to seize control of wealthy trade routes that passed through the western Maya region . = = = = Rebellion at Naranjo = = = = King Yuknoom Chan of Calakmul supervised an event at Caracol in 619 . Caracol Stela 22 records the accession of Tajoom Uk 'ab ' K 'ak ' to the Calakmul throne in 622 . Two stelae were erected at Calakmul in 623 but their texts are too badly damaged to reveal the names of the royal couple involved . Approximately at this time Naranjo , a vassal of Calakmul , broke away when its king Aj Wosal died relatively soon after the death of Uneh Chan of Calakmul . Naranjo was independent of Calakmul by at least AD 626 , when it was twice defeated by Caracol and Yuknoom Chan may have been attempting to bring Naranjo back under Calakmul control . His attempts were brought to an end by his death in 630 . In 631 Yuknoom Head , the new king of Calakmul , finally regained control of Naranjo . Texts relate that the king of Naranjo was already captive at Calakmul on the day that his city was overrun and his punishment on the very same day is described by the word k 'uxaj ( / k ’ uːˈʃäχ / ) meaning either " tortured " or " eaten " . Yuknoom Head conquered another city in March 636 , although the exact site is unknown . = = = = Apogee = = = = The Kaan dynasty was not originally established at Calakmul but rather re @-@ located there in the 7th Century from another city . Calakmul experienced its highest achievements during the reign of king Yuknoom Che 'en II , sometimes called Yuknoom the Great by scholars . Yuknoom Che 'en II was 36 years old when he came to the throne of Calakmul in AD 636 . A significant increase in the production of stelae at the city began with his reign and 18 stelae were commissioned by the king . Yuknoom Che 'en II was probably responsible for the construction of the palace complexes that form a major part of the site core . = = = = = Calakmul and Dos Pilas = = = = = In 629 Tikal had founded Dos Pilas in the Petexbatún region , some 110 kilometres ( 68 mi ) to its southwest , as a military outpost in order to control trade along the course of the Pasión River . B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil was installed on the throne of the new outpost at the age of four , in 635 , and for many years served as a loyal vassal fighting for his brother , the king of Tikal . In AD 648 Calakmul attacked Dos Pilas and gained an overwhelming victory that included the death of a Tikal lord . B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil was captured by Yuknoom Che 'en II but , instead of being sacrificed , he was re @-@ instated on his throne as a vassal of the Calakmul king , and went on to attack Tikal in 657 , forcing Nuun Ujol Chaak , the then king of Tikal , to temporarily abandon the city . The first two rulers of Dos Pilas continued to use the Mutal emblem glyph of Tikal , and they probably felt that they had a legitimate claim to the throne of Tikal itself . For some reason , B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil was not installed as the new ruler of Tikal ; instead he stayed at Dos Pilas . Tikal counterattacked against Dos Pilas in 672 , driving B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil into an exile that lasted five years . Calakmul tried to encircle Tikal within an area dominated by its allies , such as El Peru , Dos Pilas and Caracol . In 677 Calakmul counterattacked against Dos Pilas , driving Tikal out and reinstalled B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil on his throne . In 679 Dos Pilas , probably aided by Calakmul , gained an important victory over Tikal , with a hieroglyphic description of the battle describing pools of blood and piles of heads . Troubles continued in the east , with renewed conflict between Naranjo and Caracol . Naranjo completely defeated Caracol in 680 but Naranjo 's dynasty disappeared within two years and a daughter of B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil founded a new dynasty there in 682 , indicating that Calakmul had probably intervened decisively to place a loyal vassal on the throne . The patronage of Yuknoom Che 'en II as overlord is recorded at a range of important cities , including El Peru where he oversaw the installation of K 'inich B 'alam as king and strengthened the tie with the marriage of a Calakmul princess to that king . The power of Calakmul extended as far as the north shore of Lake Petén Itzá , where Motul de San José is recorded as its vassal in the 7th century , although it was traditionally aligned with Tikal . Yuknoom Che 'en II commanded the loyalty of three generations of kings at Cancuen , 245 kilometres ( 152 mi ) to the south , and supervised the enthronement of at least two of them , in 656 and 677 . King Yuknoom Che 'en II was involved , directly or indirectly , in the crowning of a king at Moral to the west in Tabasco and one of Yuknoom 's nobles supervised a ritual at Piedras Negras on the Guatemalan bank of the Usumacinta River . Yuknoom Che 'en II died in his eighties , probably at the beginning of 686 . When he died , Calakmul was the most powerful city in the central Maya lowlands . Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' succeeded Yuknoom Che 'en II , his crowning on 3 April 686 was recorded on monuments at Dos Pilas and El Peru . He was born in 649 and was likely to have been the son of his predecessor . He already held high office before he was named king and may have been responsible for the major successes of the latter part of Yuknoom Che 'en II 's reign . He retained the loyalty of K 'inich B 'alam of El Peru and B 'alaj Chan K 'awiil of Dos Pilas and gained that of K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Chaak in 693 , when he was installed on the throne of Naranjo at the age of five . However , the texts on sculpted monuments do not reveal the full complexity of diplomatic activity , as revealed by a painted ceramic vase from Tikal , which depicts an ambassador of Calakmul 's king kneeling before the enthroned king of Tikal and delivering tribute . Just four years later , in August 695 , the two states were once again at war . Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' led his warriors against Jasaw Chan K 'awiil I in a catastrophic battle that saw the defeat of Calakmul and the capture of the image of a Calakmul deity named Yajaw Maan . It is unknown what happened to Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' ; a stucco sculpture from Tikal shows a captive and the king is mentioned in the accompanying caption but it is not certain if the captive and the king are the same person . This event marked the end of Calakmul 's apogee , with diplomatic activity dropping away and fewer cities recognising Calakmul 's king as overlord . No stelae remain standing in the site core recording Yuknoom Yich 'aal K 'ak , although there are some in the Northeast Group and 2 broken stelae were buried in Structure 2 . = = = = Later kings = = = = The next ruler of Calakmul , Split Earth , is mentioned on a pair of carved bones in the tomb of Tikal king Jasaw Chan K 'awiil I. He was ruling by November 695 but it is not known if he was a legitimate member of the Calakmul dynasty or whether he was a pretender placed on the throne by Tikal . The next known king used a number of name variants , and is referred to by different name segments within and outside of Calakmul . A partial reading of his name is Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil . He erected seven stelae to celebrate a calendrical event in 702 and is named at Dos Pilas in that year , presumably demonstrating that Dos Pilas was still a vassal of Calakmul . El Peru also continued as a vassal and Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil installed a new king there at an unknown date . La Corona received a queen from Yuknoom Took ' . Naranjo also remained loyal . Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil commissioned seven more stelae to mark the k 'atun @-@ ending of 731 . A new defeat at the hands of Tikal is evidenced by a sculpted altar at that city , probably dating to sometime between 733 and 736 , depicting a bound lord from Calakmul and possibly names Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil . = = = = = Calakmul and Quiriguá = = = = = After this the historical record of Calakmul becomes very vague , due both to the poor state of the heavily eroded monuments at the city itself and also its reduced political presence on the wider Maya stage . Wamaw K 'awiil is named at Quiriguá on the southern periphery of Mesoamerica . Quiriguá traditionally had been a vassal of its southern neighbour Copán , and in 724 Uaxaclajuun Ub 'aah K 'awiil , king of Copán , installed K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat upon Quiriguá 's throne as his vassal . By 734 K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat had shown that he was no longer an obedient subordinate of Copán when he started to refer to himself as k 'ul ahaw , holy lord , instead of using the lesser term ahaw , subordinate lord ; at the same time he began to use his own Quiriguá emblem glyph . This local act of rebellion appears to have been part of the larger political struggle between Tikal and Calakmul . In 736 , only two years later , K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat received a visit from Wamaw K 'awiil of Calakmul , while Copán was one of Tikal 's oldest allies . The timing of this visit by the king of Calakmul is highly significant , falling between the accession of K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat to the throne of Quiriguá as a vassal of Copán and the outright rebellion that was to follow . This strongly suggests that Calakmul sponsored Quiriguá 's rebellion in order to weaken Tikal and to gain access to the rich trade route of the Motagua Valley . It is likely that contact with Calakmul had been initiated soon after K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat acceded to the throne . In 738 K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat captured the powerful but elderly king of Copán , Uaxaclajuun Ub 'aah K 'awiil . An inscription at Quiriguá , although difficult to interpret , suggests that the capture took place on 27 April 738 , when Quiriguá seized and burned the wooden images of Copán 's patron deities . The captured lord was taken back to Quiriguá and on 3 May 738 he was decapitated in a public ritual . In the Late Classic , alliance with Calakmul was frequently associated with the promise of military support . The fact that Copán , a much more powerful city than Quiriguá , failed to retaliate against its former vassal implies that it feared the military intervention of Calakmul . Calakmul itself was far enough away from Quiriguá that K 'ak ' Tiliw Chan Yopaat was not afraid of falling directly under its power as a full vassal state , even though it is likely that Calakmul sent warriors to help in the defeat of Copán . The alliance instead seems to have been one of mutual advantage : Calakmul managed to weaken a powerful ally of Tikal while Quiriguá gained its independence . = = = = Collapse = = = = Five large stelae were raised in 741 , although the name of the king responsible is illegible on all of them and he has been labelled as Ruler Y. Calakmul 's presence in the wider Maya area continued to wane , with two of the city 's major allies suffering defeats at the hands of Tikal . El Peru was defeated in 743 and Naranjo a year later and this resulted in the final collapse of Calakmul 's once powerful alliance network , while Tikal underwent a resurgence in its power . In 751 Ruler Z erected a stela that was never finished , paired with another with the portrait of a queen . A hieroglyphic stairway mentions someone called B 'olon K 'awiil at about the same time . B 'olon K 'awiil was king by 771 when he raised two stelae and he was mentioned at Toniná in 789 . Sites to the north of Calakmul showed a reduction in its influence at this time , with new architectural styles influenced by sites further north in the Yucatán Peninsula . A monument was raised in 790 although the name of the ruler responsible is not preserved . Two more were raised in 800 and three in 810 . No monument was erected to commemorate the important Bak 'tun @-@ ending of 830 and it is probable that political authority had alreadly collapsed at this time . Important cities such as Oxpemul , Nadzcaan and La Muñeca that were Calakmul 's vassals at one time now erected their own monuments , where before they had raised very few ; some continued producing new monuments until as late as 889 . This was a process that paralleled events at Tikal . However , there is strong evidence of an elite presence at the city continuing until AD 900 , possibly even later . In 849 , Calakmul was mentioned at Seibal where a ruler named as Chan Pet attended the K 'atun @-@ ending ceremony ; his name may also be recorded on a broken ceramic at Calakmul itself . However , it is unlikely that Calakmul still existed as a state in any meaningful way at this late date . A final flurry of activity took place at the end of the 9th century or the beginning of the 10th . A new stela was erected , although the date records only the day , not the full date . The recorded day may fall either in 899 or 909 with the latter date the most likely . A few monuments appear to be even later although their style is crude , representing the efforts of a remnant population to maintain the Classic Maya tradition . Even the inscriptions on these late monuments are meaningless imitations of writing . Ceramics dating to the Terminal Classic period are uncommon outside of the site core , suggesting that the population of the city was concentrated in the city centre in the final phase of Calakmul 's occupation . The majority of the surviving population probably consisted of commoners who had occupied the elite architecture of the site core but the continued erection of stelae into the early 10th century and the presence of high status imported goods such as metal , obsidian , jade and shell , indicate a continued occupation by royalty until the final abandonment of the city . The Yucatec @-@ speaking Kejache Maya who lived in the region at the time of Spanish contact in the early 16th century may have been the descendants of the inhabitants of Calakmul . = = = Modern history = = = Calakmul was first reported by Cyrus Lundell in 1931 . A year later he informed Sylvanus Morley of the site 's existence and the presence of more than 60 stelae . Morley visited the ruins himself on behalf of the Carnegie Institution of Washington in 1932 . In the 1930s surveys mapped the site core and recorded 103 stelae . Investigations stopped in 1938 and archaeologists did not return to the site until 1982 when William J. Folan directed a project on behalf of the Universidad Autónoma de Campeche , working at Calakmul until 1994 . Calakmul is now the subject of a large @-@ scale project of the National Institute of Anthropology and History ( INAH ) under the direction of Ramón Carrasco . = = Site description = = The site core of Calakmul covers an area of approximately 2 square kilometres ( 0 @.@ 77 sq mi ) , an area that contains the remains of roughly 1000 structures . The periphery occupied by smaller residential structures beyond the site core covers an area of more than 20 square kilometres ( 7 @.@ 7 sq mi ) within which archaeologists have mapped approximately 6250 structures . Calakmul matches the great city of Tikal in size and estimated population , although the density of the city appears to have been greater than that city . The stone used in construction at the site is a soft limestone . This has resulted in severe erosion of the site 's sculpture . The city of Calakmul was built in a strongly concentric fashion and can be divided into zones as one moves outwards from the centre of the site . The innermost zone covers an area of approximately 1 @.@ 75 square kilometres ( 0 @.@ 68 sq mi ) It contains most of the monumental architecture and has 975 mapped structures , about 300 of which are built from vaulted stone masonry . About 92 structures were built on large pyramids laid out around plazas and courtyards . The city 's core was bordered on the north side by a 6 @-@ metre ( 20 ft ) high wall that controlled access from the north and may also have had a defensive function . Many commoners residences were built along the edge of El Laberinto swamp to the west of the site core , although some high @-@ status residences and public buildings were interspersed among these . The area between the residences was used for horticulture . = = = Water control = = = The site is surrounded by an extensive network of canals and reservoirs . There are five major reservoirs , including the largest example in the Maya world , measuring 242 by 212 metres ( 794 by 696 ft ) . This reservoir is filled by a small seasonal river during the rainy season and continues to hold enough water for it to be used by archaeologists in modern times . Thirteen reservoirs have been identified at Calakmul . The combined capacity of all the reservoirs is estimated at over 200 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 litres ( 44 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 imp gal ) . This quantity of water could have supported 50 @,@ 000 to 100 @,@ 000 people ; there is no evidence that the reservoirs were used to irrigate crops . Aguada 1 is the largest of the reservoirs and has a surface area of 5 hectares ( 540 @,@ 000 sq ft ) . = = = Causeways = = = Eight sacbe ( causeways ) have been located around Calakmul . Two of these have been mapped , three have been identified visually on the ground and three more identified with remote sensing . They have been numbered as Sacbe 1 through to Sacbe 7 . The causeway network not only linked Calakmul with local satellite sites but also with more distant allies and rivals , such as the great cities of El Mirador , El Tintal and Nakbe . Those causeways that cross swampy land are elevated above the surrounding wetland and they now tend to support denser vegetation than the surrounding forest . Sacbe 1 is 450 metres ( 1 @,@ 480 ft ) long and is lined and filled with stone . It is located within the mapped urban area of the site core . Sacbe 1 was first mapped in the 1930s by the Carnegie Institution of Washington . Sacbe 2 is 70 metres ( 230 ft ) long . It has been mapped within the urban area of the site core . Sacbe 2 is built of packed earth and was discovered during the archaeological excavation of a nearby quarry . This causeway may have been built to transport stone from the quarry in order to build Structures 1 and 3 . Sacbe 3 extends 8 kilometres ( 5 @.@ 0 mi ) northeast from the site core and is visible from the summit of Structure 1 . It was first discovered in 1982 . Sacbe 4 runs 24 kilometres ( 15 mi ) southeast from the site core , it is also visible from the summit of Structure 1 and was discovered in 1982 . Sacbe 5 runs westwards from the main watering hole , across El Laberinto seasonal swamp and carries on for a total distance of 16 kilometres ( 9 @.@ 9 mi ) or more towards Sasilhá . Sacbe 6 runs southwest across El Laberinto bajo and links Calakmul with El Mirador ( 38 @.@ 25 kilometres ( 23 @.@ 77 mi ) to the southwest ) and , beyond it , El Tintal ( an additional 30 kilometres ( 19 mi ) . Sacbe 7 is located south of Sacbe 6 . It is at least 5 @.@ 1 kilometres ( 3 @.@ 2 mi ) long and runs across El Laberinto swamp . Sacbe 8 is on the west side of the swamp and does not appear to cross it to the site core . = = = Structures = = = Structure 1 ( or Structure I ) is a 50 @-@ metre @-@ high ( 160 ft ) pyramid to the east of the site core . A number of stelae were erected at its base by Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil in 731 . Because it was built on a low hill , Structure 1 appears to be higher than Structure 2 , although this is not the case . Structure 2 ( or Structure II ) is a massive north @-@ facing pyramid temple , one of the largest in the Maya world . Its base measures 120 metres ( 390 ft ) square and it stands over 45 metres ( 148 ft ) high . In common with many temple pyramids in the Mesoamerican cultural region , the pyramid at Calakmul increased in size by building upon the pre @-@ existing temple in order to increase its bulk . The core of the building ( Structure 2A ) is a triadic pyramid dating to the Late Preclassic period , with this ancient building still forming the highest point of the structure . In the Early Classic a massive extension was added to the front of the pyramid , covering an earlier stucco @-@ covered building on the north side . Three new shrines were built upon this extension ( Structures 2B , 2C and 2D ) , each of these shrines had its own access stairway . Structure 2B was the central shrine , 2C was to the east and 2D to the west . The facade possessed six large masks set between these stairways , three arranged vertically on each side of the central stairway . Structure 2 is similar in date , size and design to the El Tigre pyramid at El Mirador , and associated ceramics are also similar . At a later time buildings were erected along the base of the facade , each of these contained stelae . In the 8th century AD , Structure 2B was entombed under a large pyramid and a stepped facade covered the giant masks . Later another facade was built over this 8th century stepped frontage but it may never have been finished . In the Late Classic a nine @-@ room palace was built on top of the pyramid , supporting a roof comb that had painted stucco bas @-@ relief decoration . The rooms were arranged in three groups of three , each room positioned behind the next . The entire Late Classic palace measured 19 @.@ 4 by 12 metres ( 64 by 39 ft ) . The front two rows of rooms ( Rooms 1 through to 6 ) were used for food preparation , metates and hearths were found in each of them . Room 7 , the southwest room , was a sweatbath . Structure 3 ( or Structure III , also known as the Lundell Palace ) is southeast of Structure 4 , on the east side of the Central Plaza . It is a building with multiple rooms . Structure 4 ( or Structure IV ) is a group of three temples on the east side of the Central Plaza . It is divided into three sections , labelled Structures 4a , 4b and 4c . The central Structure 4b is built upon a substructure dating to the Preclassic period . Together with Structure 6 on the opposite side of the plaza , these buildings form an E @-@ Group that may have been used to determine the solstices and the equinoxes . Structure 5 ( or Structure V ) is a large building located on the plaza to the north of Structure 2 . It was surrounded by 10 stelae , many dated to the 7th century AD although the building itself was first erected in the Preclassic period . Structure 6 ( or Structure VI ) is on the west side of the Central Plaza and , together with Structures 4a , 4b and 4c , forms an E @-@ Group astronomical complex . In 1989 observations verified that on March 21 , the vernal equinox , the sun rose behind Structure 4b as seen from Structure 6 . Structure 7 ( or Structure VII ) is a temple pyramid on the north side of the Central Plaza . It faces south and stands 24 metres ( 79 ft ) high . Five plain stelae were erected on the south side of the pyramid . It underwent several construction phases from in the Late to Terminal Classic . The pyramid was topped by a three @-@ room temple that possessed a tall stucco @-@ covered roof comb . A patolli game board was carved into the floor of the outermost room of the temple . Structure 8 ( or Structure VIII ) is a small building located on the north side of the Central Plaza , to the east of Structure 7 . It is associated with Stela 1 and its altar . = = = Stelae , murals and ceramics = = = Calakmul is one of the most structure @-@ rich sites within the Maya region . The site contains 117 stelae , the largest total in the region . Most are in paired sets representing rulers and their wives . However , because these carved stelae were produced in soft limestone , most of these stelae have been eroded beyond interpretation . Also many elaborate murals were discovered at Calakmul . These murals do not represent activities of the elite class . Rather , they depict elaborate market scenes of people preparing or consuming products such as atole , tamales , or tobacco as an ointment . Also items being sold were textiles and needles . These murals also have glyphs within them describing the actions occurring . The most prominent figure in these murals is identified as Lady Nine Stone ; she appears in many scenes . This brings a world of the Maya marketplace to vibrant life for archaeologists . Another highly beneficial resource to Maya archaeological understanding at Calakmul is the ceramic remains . The composition of the ceramic materials identifies the region or more specifically the polity that produced them . Ceramics with the snake emblem glyph found at several sites also give more evidence to identify ties or control over that site by Calakmul . Stela 1 is associated with an altar and located by Structure 8 . Stela 8 records the celebration of an event in AD 593 by Uneh Chan and was erected after his death . Stela 9 is a thin slate monument dated to 662 . Its text describes the birth of king Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' and gives him his full royal title . Stela 28 and Stela 29 were erected in 623 and are the earliest monuments to survive from Late Classic Calakmul . They depict a royal couple but the texts are too poorly preserved to reveal their names . Stela 33 was erected by Yuknoom Che 'en II in 657 and records an event in the reign of Uneh Chan , who may have been his father . The event was celebrated in 593 . Stela 38 stands at the base of Structure 2 . Stela 42 is also located at the base of Structure 2 . Stela 43 dates to AD 514 . It was set in a vaulted chamber near the base of Structure 2 . The text is damaged but carries an early spelling of the k 'uhul chatan winik non @-@ royal noble title used in Calakmul and the Mirador Basin . Stela 50 is one of the last monuments erected during the final decline of the city . It bears a crude , clumsily executed portrait . Stela 51 is the best preserved monument at Calakmul . It depicts Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil and dates to AD 731 . Stela 54 dates to 731 and depicts a wife of Yuknoom Took ' K 'awiil . Stela 57 is a tall stela erected in 771 by B 'olon K 'awiil . It is paired with Stela 58 and stands to the east of Structure 13 . Stela 58 is the second of a pair erected by B 'olon K 'awiil in 771 , the other being Stela 57 . It was erected to the east of Structure 13 . Stela 61 is a late monument bearing the name Aj Took ' . It is a stunted stela with a badly eroded portrait and a shortened date form that is equivalent to a date either in 899 or 909 , probably the latter . Stela 62 was unfinished . It was carved to mark the K 'atun @-@ ending ceremony of 751 and bears the damaged name of Ruler Z. Stela 76 and Stela 78 are a pair of monuments dated to AD 633 . They are badly eroded but should date to the reign of king Yuknoom Head . Stela 84 is one of the last monuments erected at Calakmul and bears an inscription that is an illiterate imitation of writing . It probably dates to the early 10th century AD . Stela 88 may have been paired with Stela 62 . The monument has the image of a queen but her name is unknown . B 'olon K 'awiil also appears to be mentioned on the stela . It dates to around 751 and stands on the stairway of Structure 13 . Stela 91 is another very late monument probably dating to the early 10th century . Like Stela 84 , it bears an inscription that is a meaningless imitation of hieroglyphic writing . Stela 114 dates to AD 435 , in the Early Classic . It was moved in antiquity to be reset into the base of Structure 2 . The stela has a long hieroglyphic text that has resisted translation but probably commemorates a royal enthronement in 411 . Stela 115 and Stela 116 date to the reign of Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' . They were broken and buried in Structure 2 and may be associated with the royal burial in Tomb 4 . = = = Royal burial = = = Tomb 4 was set into the floor of Structure 2B in the 8th century AD and is the richest burial known from Calakmul . The tomb contained a male skeleton wrapped in textiles and jaguar pelts that were partially preserved with resin . The tomb contained rich offerings that included jade ear ornaments handed down from the Early Classic , a jade mosaic mask , shell and bone beads , spiny oyster shells , eccentric obsidian blades , fine ceramics and the remains of wooden objects . One of the ceramics was a plate with a hieroglyphic text that specifically named king Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' as its owner . The remains and the offering were placed in an arched wooden bier carved with elaborate decoration and hieroglyphs that was painted in a variety of colours . The bier has almost completely decayed but left an impression in the mud packed around it . Due to the plate and the possible association of Stelae 115 and 116 with the burial the tomb is believed to be that of the late 7th @-@ century king Yuknoom Yich 'aak K 'ak ' .
= Mateiu Caragiale = Mateiu Ion Caragiale ( Romanian : [ maˈtej iˈon karaˈd ͡ ʒjale ] ; also credited as Matei or Matheiu ; Mateiŭ is an antiquated version ; March 25 [ O.S. March 12 ] 1885 – January 17 , 1936 ) was a Romanian poet and prose writer , best known for his novel Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche , which portrays the milieu of boyar descendants before and after World War I. Caragiale 's style , associated with Symbolism , the Decadent movement of the fin de siècle , and early modernism , was an original element in the Romanian literature of the interwar period . In other late contributions , Caragiale pioneered detective fiction locally , but there is disagreement over whether his work in the field produced a complete narrative or just fragments . The scarcity of writings he left is contrasted by their critical acclaim and a large , mostly posthumous , following , commonly known as mateists . Also known as an amateur heraldist and graphic artist , the young Caragiale published his works sporadically , seeking instead to impose himself in politics and pursuing a career in the civil service . He was associated with the Conservative @-@ Democratic Party , and then the People 's League , and ultimately raised controversy by supporting the Central Powers during their occupation of Romania . He afterwards focused on literature , and , during the late 1920s and early 1930s , published most of his prose texts in the magazine Gândirea . The illegitimate and rebellious child of influential playwright Ion Luca Caragiale , he was the half @-@ brother of Luca Caragiale , an avant @-@ garde poet who died in 1921 , and the posthumous son @-@ in @-@ law of author Gheorghe Sion . Mateiu Caragiale was loosely affiliated with Romanian Symbolism , a figure noted for his dandyism , eccentricity and Bohemianism , and , for much of his life , a regular presence in the intellectual circle formed around Casa Capșa restaurant . His associates included the controversial political figure Alexandru Bogdan @-@ Pitești , cultural animator Mărgărita Miller Verghy , and poet Ion Barbu , who was also one of his most dedicated promoters . = = Biography = = = = = Early life = = = A native of Bucharest , he was born out of wedlock to Ion Luca Caragiale and Maria Constantinescu , an unmarried former Town Hall employee who was 21 at the time . Living his first years at his mother 's house on Frumoasă Street , near Calea Victoriei ( until the building was sold ) , Mateiu had a half @-@ sister , his mother 's daughter from another extra @-@ conjugal affair . In 1889 , almost a year after separating from his concubine , his father married Alexandrina Burelly , bringing Mateiu into his new family . In following years , he was progressively estranged from his father , and , according to Ecaterina , the youngest of Ion Luca Caragiale and Burelly 's children , " Mateiu alone confronted [ his father ] and contradicted him systematically . " The young Caragiale was sent to school at Anghel Demetriescu 's Sfântul Gheorghe College in Bucharest , where he discovered a passion for history and heraldry . At around that time , he was probably introduced to Demetriescu 's circle , which included the doctor Constantin Istrati , the writer Barbu Ștefănescu @-@ Delavrancea , the physicist Ștefan Hepites , the literary critic N. Petrașcu , and the architect Ion Mincu . During a 1901 summer trip to Sinaia , where he sojourned with the Bibescu family , Mateiu was acquainted with George Valentin and Alexandru Bibescu ( in a letter he wrote at the time , he described the latter as " only too crazy and a frantic maniac " ) . His favorite book at age 17 was L 'Arriviste , by the French novelist Félicien Champsaur , which , as he himself acknowledged , contributed to his vision of social climbing . In 1903 , with Ion Luca , Burelly and their children , he traveled through large portions of Western Europe , visiting Austria – Hungary , Switzerland , Italy and France ; during the trip , he recorded the impressions left on him by the various European art trends . In 1904 , his father moved to Berlin , bringing Mateiu with him — in hopes that he could be persuaded to study law at the Frederick William University — , but Mateiu spent his time reading and exploring the Imperial German capital . He would later refer to this period using a French term , l 'école buissonière ( " the vagrant school " ) , and stressed that " [ it ] was of great use to me " . Ecaterina Caragiale indicated that one of her brother 's favorite pastimes was " admiring the secular trees in the Tiergarten " , and he is also known to have spent entire days at the National Gallery , especially fond of paintings by Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruisdael . Dissatisfied with Mateiu 's attitude , Ion Luca sent him back to Romania in 1905 , where he enrolled at the University of Bucharest Law School , but quit one year later . For a short while , Caragiale @-@ father even entrusted Ștefănescu @-@ Delavrancea with supervizing his estranged son . = = = Father @-@ son conflict and literary debut = = = The conflict with his father was to prolong itself for as long as the latter was alive . Psychiatrist and essayist Ion Vianu , who explored the relationship with the tools of psychoanalysis , describes Mateiu 's sentiment toward Ion Luca as " antipathy , bordering on hatred " , and proposes that this reflected maternal influences from the brief period when Maria Constantinescu had been left a single parent . The situation most likely degenerated in 1904 , after the death of his aunt Lenci , when Ion Luca took over his son 's inheritance , and aggravated by his father 's decision to cease subsidizing him , which left the latter without a stable source of income . He was thus supposed to provide for his mother and sister , until Ion Luca transferred the inheritance resulting from the death of his other aunt Catinca Momuloaia , to his former lover . He also indicated that his father had made him attend the Frederick William University without advancing money for tuition . Some time after returning to Romania , he began attending the Symbolist literary circle formed around the poet and leftist political agitator Alexandru Bogdan @-@ Pitești , who provided the young Caragiale with money and often invited him to supper . In spring 1907 , despite the ongoing father @-@ son tensions , Mateiu , who was recovering from a severe form of measles , returned to Berlin , where Ion Luca 's family was still residing . He soon became the lover of a local woman , an affair which reportedly caused his father to declare himself scandalized . During the same year , Mateiu Caragiale was fascinated with rumors of the Romanian Peasants ' Revolt violence , recording various exaggerated news about its character and extent , and describing it as " a fine thing " . In 1909 , he was again enrolled at University , having decided to prepare for a graduation diploma , but again failed to complete his studies . Mateiu Caragiale had his first thoughts on Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche in 1910 . Two years later , during a trip to Iași , he published his first 13 poems in the literary magazine Viața Românească , winning the praise of poet Panait Cerna and the ridicule of writer Tudor Arghezi . Literary critic Șerban Cioculescu stressed that these had been printed following his father 's interventions with the magazine 's staff , and , according to the contemporary account of Luca 's brother @-@ in @-@ law , philosopher Ionel Gherea , Ion Luca admired his son 's contributions , his criticism being minimal , constructive , and welcomed by Mateiu . This led Gherea to conclude that , copying in real life a Symbolist cliché , Caragiale @-@ son fabricated an unfair image of his father . In later years , Mateiu continued to write poetry , published by literary promoter Constantin Banu in his magazine , Flacăra . His father died in June 1912 , which , according to Șerban Cioculescu ( who cited Mateiu 's correspondence ) , left him indifferent . By then , Caragiale @-@ son resented Ion Luca 's alleged exploitation of his popularity for material gains , and , later in the same year , commented that , " for a small fee " , Caragiale @-@ father could be persuaded to read his works at the fair in Obor . In a since @-@ lost piece of his diary that was commented upon by Cioculescu , he also claimed that binge drinking and tobacco abuse had made his father decay physically and mentally . Despite his love for Berlin , he was also dissatisfied with his father 's move to the city , and spread the rumor that , in the eyes of his family and friends , Ion Luca 's departure was interpreted as " insane " ( while alleging that Caragiale @-@ father was planning to author plays in German , with assistance from Mite Kremnitz , the one @-@ time lover of poet Mihai Eminescu ) . At the funeral ceremony , he reputedly shocked pianist Cella Delavrancea by coldly stating in French : Je suis venu voir feu mon père ( " I came to see my late father " ) . = = = Entry into the civil service = = = Caragiale returned to Bucharest : in summer 1912 , with help from journalist Rudolf Uhrinowsky , the young writer was employed by a French @-@ language gazette , L 'Indépendence Roumaine , informing his readers that he had also become the sole legitimate Caragiale family representative in Romania . In October , he became the chief of staff in the Ministry of Public Works in the second Titu Maiorescu executive , under Minister Alexandru Bădărău . He had manifested a relative interest in politics around 1908 , after his father rallied with Take Ionescu and his Conservative @-@ Democratic Party ; at the time , he criticized Ion Luca 's political choices , but nonetheless noted that it could serve as a means for his own advancement ( " From now on I 'll have political lode [ ... ] , something certain , if there ever was certainty on Earth . " ) Four years after this comment , soon after making his literary debut , he clashed with his father over having considered a cabinet appointment in Ionescu 's executive . As Caragiale senior died , Mateiu initially planned to join the mainstream Conservative Party and demand a post from Grigore Gheorghe Cantacuzino , the Mayor of Bucharest and a close associate of Bogdan @-@ Pitești . Nevertheless , he came to define this position as " a bad solution " , and , as Maiorescu and Ionescu formed an alliance , he successfully requested appointment from Bădărău , eventually obtaining it through the means of a decree signed by King Carol I. Caragiale later commented : " [ Bădărău ] entrusted me with this golden key , which I had wanted for so long , and which , for all of this , I had not been desperate to obtain . " This contradicted another one of his accounts , in which he confessed that , initially received with indifference by Bădărău , he had claimed that him joining the Conservative @-@ Democrats had been Ion Luca 's dying request . Șerban Cioculescu would comment : " There could not have been a more complete distortion of a parent 's last wish ! " He assumed office on November 7 , 1912 , but , as he later confessed , official records were modified to make it seem that he had been a civil servant since October 29 . His time in office is described by critic Barbu Cioculescu as a bland affair , Mateiu having " ehausted his [ political ] fantasy " with his efforts to charm Bădărău . As Caragiale later recounted , he led talks with a delegation from the Kingdom of Serbia involving the initiative to build a bridge over the Danube to link the two states . In 1913 , he became a Knight of the Romanian Order of the Crown ( Coroana României ) , received the Russian Empire 's Order of St. Anna 2nd Class . He was also awarded the Bene Merenti and Bărbăție și credință Romanian medals 1st Class . In 1913 , Caragiale wrote the story Remember , while continuing his contributions to Viața Românească . Although his office was owed to Conservative @-@ Democratic politics , Caragiale was still close to Bogdan @-@ Pitești , whose daily newspaper Seara repeatedly published articles claiming to expose Take Ionescu 's faction and often focused such attacks on Bădărău . His employment eventually ended on January 17 , 1914 , as the National Liberal cabinet of Ion I. C. Brătianu came to power . According to Ion Vianu , Caragiale was right in assuming that his marginal involvement in the political intrigues had made him a target for Bădărău 's adversity . = = = World War I = = = During the early stages of World War I , as Romania remained a neutral country , Caragiale 's notes record that his friend Bogdan @-@ Pitești was acting as a political agent of the Central Powers , and that money he made available had been provided by German propaganda funds . Nevertheless , the two figures were especially close to one another during and after 1915 , and , in 1916 , even visited Berlin together . At the time , Caragiale also visited the Germanophile literary circle set up by Mărgărita Miller Verghy , and borrowed a reported 10 @,@ 000 lei from Bogdan @-@ Pitești , which he never returned . Caragiale 's own Germanophile preferences and traditionalist conservatism had by then extinguished his cultural Francophilia , and rumors spread that he himself was a spy for the German Empire . A frequenter of the renowned restaurant Casa Capșa , Mateiu Caragiale was constantly surrounded by a tight group of party @-@ goers , which included Uhrinowsky and the aristocrat Gheorghe Jurgea @-@ Negrilești . They were later joined by the Russian admiral Vessiolkin , who was allegedly the illegitimate son of Emperor Alexander III . Thanks to Uhrinowsky 's intervention , Caragiale became a press correspondent for the Ottoman press agency Asmanli , a job which he held for eight months , until , as he later wrote , " the [ company 's ] ' sweet waters ' dried out " . In mid summer 1916 , Caragiale donated money to a fund whereby the Bellu Cemetery tomb of Ștefan Luchian , a recently deceased painter and protégé of Bogdan @-@ Pitești , was to be decorated with a bust by sculptor Dimitrie Paciurea ( the world conflict and later events prevented this from happening ) . As Romania joined the Allied Powers and the Romanian Campaign began , overlooked by conscription into the Romanian Army , Caragiale drafted the first of Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche 's three sections , titled " Întâmpinarea crailor " ( " Meeting the Rakes " ) . He would later reflect on the importance of 1916 , deeming it " end of the Ancien Régime " . He did not follow the authorities and Take Ionescu 's supporters as they redeployed in Moldavia when southern Romania fell to the Central Powers , and remained in Bucharest . He was still active within the Germanophile circles , including those who opted for collaborationism , and was held in high regard by the occupying forces : his brother Luca was employed by the new administrative apparatus , but Mateiu 's own promotion to the rank of prefect was vetoed by puppet minister Lupu Kostaki . After the government of Alexandru Marghiloman signed the May 1918 capitulation in front of the Central Powers , he made known his support for the more pro @-@ German Conservative Party : on June 29 , 1918 , he and Luca were among the signers of a letter addressed to the aging Petre P. Carp , the former Conservative leader , asking him to take over rule of the country . The political choice was highly controversial , and its exposure later contributed to the end of Caragiale 's political career . In a 1970 biographical essay critical of Mateiu Caragiale , Cioculescu attributed Mateiu authorship of the document , and claimed that Luca had agreed to join in only as a result of his brother 's pressures . In 1919 , as Ionescu gained political influence through his alliance with the People 's League , he became head of the press bureau of the Minister of Internal Affairs , serving until 1921 . Later writings of his show that he was deeply dissatisfied with the office , which he equated with " a demotion " , and that he resented Ionescu not having assigned the diplomatic office of consul . He thus resigned and left the Conservative @-@ Democrats , an action which he later defined as " a grave error " . Caragiale was reputedly living in penury , holding temporary residence in various cheap houses on the outskirts of Bucharest , and being thrown out from at least one such location after failing to pay his rent . Ion Vianu believes that his exclusive focus on writing Craii ... had a " therapeutic effect " , in that it helped the writer deal with the situation . Also in 1921 , a first draft of his Remember saw print in Viața Românească . The second part of Craii ... , " Cele trei hagialâcuri " ( " The Three Pilgrimages " ) , was sporadically written between 1918 and 1921 ( according to Caragiale himself : " it was written on restaurant tables , in the gambling den , in the meeting hall at the Justice of the Peace " ) . He married Marica Sion , the daughter of poet and nobleman Gheorghe Sion , in 1923 , thus becoming the owner of a plot of land named Sionu , in Fundulea ( although he resided in downtown Bucharest ) . His wife , whom he had most likely met before 1916 , while attending Miller Verghy 's soirées , was his senior by 25 years . Despite owning land in the country and living a comfortable life in the city , Caragiale confessed a nostalgia towards the houses he had been raised in , and especially for his mother 's Bucharest home . = = = Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche and Italian sojourn = = = Mateiu Caragiale published Remember as a volume the following year ; from 1922 , he began work on " Spovedanii " ( " Confessions " ) , the third and final section of Craii ... , which , as he recounted , coincided with " the most terrible crisis " of his life . Several of his poems were published in a 1925 collection edited by Perpessicius and Ion Pillat ( Antologia poeților de azi ) , and were accompanied by an ink portrait signed Marcel Janco ; at the time , Caragiale announced that he was going to publish a series of poems under the title Pajere ( it was to be printed only after his death ) . In the 1925 – 1933 period , Caragiale 's notes show that he was seeing his life as marked by existential cycles and crucial moments . In March 1926 @-@ October 1928 , Tudor Vianu 's Gândirea magazine published his novel Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche as a series . He completed the last additions to the text in November 1927 , as its first sections were already in print . As the last episode was featured by Gândirea , to widespread acclaim , he noted : " From the time when the first of its parts saw print , this work was received with unprecedented fervor in Romanian literature . For the work it required , as well as for the tiresome obsession to which it had me submitted I bear it no grudge : it is truly magnificent [ ... ] . " Literary historian Eugen Lovinescu , who criticized Gândirea ' s later moves towards traditionalism and a far right ideology ( a turn which coincided with Vianu 's departure ) , argued that Caragiale had been an important gain for the literary venue . In his belief , Caragiale and other " writers of talent " helped the magazine , which had no " critic of authority " at its helm . By 1926 , he rallied with the People 's League , and unsuccessfully asked Octavian Goga to assign him a candidature for a Parliamentary seat during the elections of that year . In January 1928 , he again became pursuing a career in the diplomatic service , and sought an appointment for himself at the Romanian Consulate in Helsinki , Finland ; he thus visited Foreign Minister Nicolae Titulescu in Italy , at Sanremo . His passage through Lombardy coincided with major floods , an event recorded with interest in his private notes . Titulescu received him at the Miramare Hotel , but talks between them were inconclusive . According to Perpessicius , the failure was generated by the adversity other politicians had towards Caragiale , while Ion Vianu argues that the ambition itself had constituted proof of " perfect utopianism " . The writer was nonetheless pleased with his visit , having been deeply impressed by the Italian landscape , and , as a result , attempted to create an atmosphere of , in his words , " profound Italian rustic quietude " on his property in Fundulea . His diary also perpetuated the rumor according to which Titulescu was a cocaine addict . His political projects were put on hold , and Caragiale instead concentrated his energy on obtaining the French Légion d 'honneur order , eventually becoming one of its Chevaliers in December 1929 . The Romanian author himself noted that this had been made possible by the intercession of François Lebrun , the Bucharest correspondent of Le Matin newspaper , whom he considered a personal friend . = = = Later years and death = = = Caragiale also began work on the fragmentary writing Soborul țațelor ( " The Council of Busibodies " , 1929 ) and the detective story Sub pecetea tainei ( " Under the Seal of Secrecy " , 1930 ) , but they would remain unfinished . In its first draft , Sub pecetea tainei was published by Gândirea in April 1930 @-@ April 1933 , while Soborul țațelor was kept in three different variants . In a 1985 essay later published as a preface for Sub pecetea tainei , literary critic Nicolae Manolescu proposed that , while the story was not given a finishing touch , its plot was meant to seem ambiguous , and thus had led other commentators to wrongly assume that the text ended abruptly . In 1931 , the writer was still hoping for a return to the political stage , this time with the Nationalist Democratic Party , which came to power under Nicolae Iorga . To this goal , he approached Internal Affairs Undersecretary Nicolae Ottescu , requesting appointment as prefect , but was refused . During the same period , Caragiale was occasionally involved in events affecting the cultural scene . In May 1930 , he was present at a banquet in honor of Italian author Filippo Tommaso Marinetti , the ideologue of Futurism . Organized by the Romanian Writers ' Society and the Italo @-@ Romanian Cultural Association , it was also attended by many other cultural figures , most of which , including artist Marcel Janco and the writers Ion Vinea , Jacques G. Costin , Ion Minulescu and Camil Petrescu , were associates of the magazine Contimporanul . In January 1934 , linguist and publisher Alexandru Rosetti signed a contract with Caragiale , through which the latter agreed to complete Sub pecetea tainei and have it published by Rosetti 's Editura Fundațiilor Regale . He ceased most literary activities later in the year , and confessed in his diary : " My spiritual state is probably the same as that of people who feel their final hour nearing and lose all hope " . The writer was probably planning to move out of the city and into Fundulea , breaking all connections with his peers . Despite this abrupt change , Caragiale had not entirely abandoned his writing career . In 1931 , the Oradea @-@ based cultural magazine Cele Trei Crișuri published his memoir , titled Vechi impresii de spectator ( " Old Impressions of a Spectator " ) . In it , Caragiale stated having reached " a serene maturity " , and indicated : " I now placidly begin the rhythm of a new life . " He was planning to write a biography of Albrecht Joseph Reichsgraf von Hoditz , an extravagant Silesian nobleman of the 18th century , who is briefly mentioned in " Cele trei hagialâcuri " , and was also interested in the works of two French classics , Antoine Furetière and Honoré de Balzac . He was preoccupied with death , which he feared greatly . In early 1935 , soon after reading Stefan Zweig 's texts on faith healing , he recorded the effect it had on his life as " the revelation of my intellectual superiority , my intuition and my power of reflection , as well as the latent forces that I feel at the foundation of my being . " He also made a point of renouncing his hectic lifestyle , giving up alcohol and coffee . Mateiu Caragiale died two years later in Bucharest , at the age 51 , after suffering a stroke . Despite his explicit wish and opposition from his widow , speeches were held at his funeral ceremony , including ones by Alexandru Rosetti and Adrian Maniu . Rosetti and Eugen Lovinescu later recounted an unusual incident sparked by the event : Iancu Vulturescu , a friend of Caragiale 's and frequenter of Casa Capșa , looked intensely upon the dead body as he was paying his respects ; later in the evening , he committed suicide in a hotel room . = = Outlook and personal life = = = = = Views and mannerisms = = = Mateiu Caragiale 's interest in heraldry and genealogy mirrored his tastes and outlook on the world , which have been described as " snobbery " , " aestheticism " , and " dandyism " , as well as the love of history he displayed throughout his career . It was sparked during his college years , when he would fill his notebooks with sketches of blazons , and as attested by various drawings he produced throughout his life . He also developed an enduring curiosity for astronomy , magic , as well as botany and agronomy , and kept detailed notes recording the deaths of all Romanian aristocrats who were his contemporaries . These skills , as well as his tastes and talents as a causeur , consolidated his reputation as an erudite in spite of his lack of formal studies . The cultivation of aesthetic goals had seemingly guided the writer throughout his life — the poet and mathematician Ion Barbu , who was one of Caragiale 's greatest admirers , recounted with amazement that the writer would periodically visit the Romanian Academy 's just to look over a certain page in a manual of arithmetics outlining the rule of three ( he reportedly said to Barbu : " Remembering its splendor provides me with a ceaseless drive to reread it " ) . At the same time , he was attracted by esotericism , alchemy and mystical subjects such as numerology , all of which form background elements in his prose . A characteristic of Mateiu Caragiale 's life was his search for noble origins , contrasting his illegitimate status . According to historian Lucian Nastasă , it clashed with his father 's discreetness in relation to his Greek ancestors — Ion Luca is known to have described his own origins as uncertain , even though these had been well recorded , and to have later commented that any noble lineage in Romania relied on spurious genealogies . Caragiale @-@ father is also thought to have discouraged his son 's claims , and to have mockingly noted that their own family 's origin could not have been aristocratic . Early in his youth , Mateiu jokingly referred to himself as " Prince Bassaraba @-@ Apaffy " , mixing the title used by the early Basarab Wallachian princes and the Apaffy family of Hungarian nobility . Letters he wrote while still a student show that he was envisaging a marriage of convenience as a means to increase his wealth and status . In his permanent search for nobility rights , occasionally ascribed to the inferiority complex of illegitimate children , he indicated that his mother 's origins were in Austria – Hungary : before his marriage to Marica Sion , he claimed that he had lost his birth certificate , and , upon completing a new one , that his mother resided in Vienna , and that he himself had been born in the Transylvanian town of Tușnad . In Tudor Vianu 's view , Caragiale 's quest for " an elective heredity " saw him joining a diverse group of writers with similar interests , among whom were Balzac , Arthur de Gobineau , and Stefan George . Commenting that " heredity has , after all , only the value of a psychological fact " , he stressed : " [ Caragiale ] thus had the right to seek his ancestry on the ascents of history and even to be ready to believe , from time to time , that he had found it . " Between 1907 and 1911 , Caragiale studied Romanian heraldry and , to this goal , read Octav @-@ George Lecca 's Familii boierești române ( " Romanian Boyar Families " ) . Many of the comments added by him to his copy of the book are polemic , sarcastic , or mysterious , while the sketches he made on the margin include portrayals of boyars being put to death in various ways , as well as caricatures ( such as a blazon displaying a donkey 's head , which he mockingly assigned to Octav @-@ George Lecca himself ) . Several of the heraldic objects he created were destined for his own use . In June 1928 , he raised a green over yellow ensign he created for the Caragiale family at his property in Fundulea . He also hoisted other symbols , including the flag of Hungary , which , he claimed , underlined his foreign origin . Other eccentricities Caragiale adopted included wearing a " princely gown " of his own design , developing unusual speech patterns , as well as a noted love for decorations — official honors which he tried to obtain for himself on several occasions , culminating in the Légion d 'honneur award . He took special pride in noting that , after 14 months of governmental service , he had received the Romanian Order of the Crown and the other medals . His major regret in this respect was not having received Finland 's Order of the White Rose , having earlier claimed that he had refused the Serbian Kingdom 's Order of St. Sava when it was offered to him with a rank lower than he had asked . Ion Vianu argues that , intimately aware of his genealogical claims being questionable , the writer sought to compensate by finding his way into meritocratic environments . = = = Alleged disorders and sexuality = = = Mateiu Caragiale 's personal life has for long attracted interest for the traces it left in his literary work . This is enhanced by his reputation for being a secretive man . In a late interview , Cella Delavrancea described him as " made up of [ ... ] small patches , so well sewn together that one never knew what he had said , what he had meant to say , what he is thinking . " While Ionel Gherea suspected that Caragiale was merely acting , Eugen Lovinescu , who described Caragiale 's personality as " bizarre " , also referred to him as " colorful and sterile . " Despite his hectic lifestyle , Caragiale feared poverty and lashed out at Bohemianism , stressing that " it kills , and many times not just figuratively " . In tandem , fragments of his writings and private records are thought by cultural historian Andrei Oișteanu to show intimate familiarity with substance abuse and the drug subculture of his age , in addition to his self admitted binge drinking . During his final years of life , he was harvesting an unspecified wild herb from the hills of Cotroceni neighborhood , and using it as a sedative . By then , essayist Ion Vartic notes , Caragiale 's obsession with death had developed into " neurosis " . Several contemporary accounts focus on Mateiu 's unusual preferences in clothing , pointing to a studied extravagance first adopted during his stay in Berlin , and in support of which he was reportedly spending more than he could afford . Literary historian George Călinescu recalled having seen a middle @-@ aged Caragiale taking walks through downtown Bucharest : amused by the writer 's everyday clothes , which he depicted as of an archaic fashion and slightly deteriorated , compared him to " a butler on Sunday leave " . Călinescu also told that , during winter , Caragiale would only touch metal with his hand while wearing suede gloves . Rosetti and poetess Ștefana Velisar both recorded being amused by aspects of Caragiale 's clothing , such as his oversized boots and his using scissors to cut out the worn out extremities of his trouser legs . In 1926 , the writer began wearing a ring bearing the seal of Mercury , which , Vartic supposes , evidenced his trust in the psychopomp god 's powers . Caragiale 's secrecy and eccentricity is credited with having marked his personal life and sexuality , often with dramatic consequences . In support of this , Ion Vianu cites the writer 's alleged disdain for his mother , referencing a claim made by the socialite Grigore " Grigri " Ghica . The latter , familiar with Miller Verghy and her circle , recounted that the poverty @-@ stricken but proud Caragiale had asked their common female friend to allow him use of a stable on her property , explaining that he was going to have furniture moved in . According to Ghica , the owners were shocked to discover that the stable had been used instead to accommodate Maria Constantinescu . Ion Vianu also notes that Caragiale " appears to have been in love for just one moment " , referring to his 1907 pursuit of an upper @-@ class French girl , Fernande de Bondy , who rejected his advances and complained to Caragiale @-@ father . For a while in 1908 , Caragiale had a brief affair with a reportedly unattractive Frenchwoman , Mariette Lamboley , who had been a Roman Catholic nun . In letters he sent to his close friend , Nicolae Boicescu , Caragiale bragged about his sexual exploits with Lamboley , and of having exposed her to " the most terrifying sadisms " ( which included allowing her to be raped by a stranger in the Cișmigiu Gardens ) . Notes in his diaries show that he discreetly resented Alexandru Bogdan @-@ Pitești , although , Ion Vianu stresses , such pronouncements appear to have become a staple of Caragiale 's private records only long after Bogdan @-@ Pitești had died . Aside from claiming to expose his patron 's alleged financing by the Central Powers before and during World War I , Caragiale discussed Bogdan @-@ Pitești 's homosexuality in disparaging terms ( calling him " a blusterer of the anti @-@ natural vice " ) , and even laying out a plan to rob his residence . The violent solution to poverty , Ion Vianu proposes , may have reflected his appreciation for Félicien Champsaur 's L 'Arriviste , in which the protagonist uses murder to affirm himself socially . Despite Caragiale 's relationships with women and his lapses into homophobia , Ion Vianu argues ( partly building on similar comments made by literary historian Matei Călinescu ) that the writer had a preference for homosociality or even homoeroticism , both in line with his narcissism . Caragiale 's diary also dealt with Bogdan @-@ Pitești 's wife , the socialite Domnica , depicting her as an immoral woman . A person known by the initials A.K. , who was probably the same as Domnica , is referred to in such notes as being in a ménage à trois situation with Bogdan @-@ Pitești and Caragiale . He confessed being thankful that the long record of sums he had borrowed from Bogdan @-@ Pitești beginning 1916 had been destroyed , probably by Domnica , at a time when his patron was on his deathbed . Mateiu Caragiale 's final erotic pursuit was the high society lady and amateur singer Eliza " Elise " Băicoianu . He courted her for a few months in 1932 , despite being married to Marica Sion . His private notes show that he struggled with the lust for Băicoianu , which he believed was impairing his judgment , and declared himself outraged that the object of his affection had a " scandalous liaison " with another man . He ultimately decided not to persevere , basing himself on the principle that " business is business . " In his final years , Caragiale was weighing in the probability of his still fathering a male son , and , although he concluded that it was not likely , laid out a " Family Law " for his potential descendants to abide by . = = Work = = = = = Literary style = = = Writing shortly after Caragiale died , Tudor Vianu defined him as " a figure , possibly a delayed one , from that aesthetic generation of around 1880 , who professed a concept of the supremacy of artistic values in life . " This allowed him to draw a parallel between Mateiu Caragiale and Alexandru Macedonski , the doyen of Romanian Symbolism , with the one essential difference provided by their level of involvement in cultural affairs . Unlike his half @-@ brother Luca , Caragiale tended to stay away from the literary movements of his age , and placed his cultural references in the relative past , being inspired by Romantic and Symbolist authors such as Edgar Allan Poe , Auguste Villiers de l 'Isle @-@ Adam , Jules Amédée Barbey d 'Aurevilly , Charles Baudelaire and José María de Heredia . Noting the manifest difference in style between the realist Ion Luca and his two sons , Vianu pointed out that the three shared , as characteristic traits , " The cultivation of fully @-@ developed forms , the view of art as a closed system resistant to the anarchic forces of reality " . According to Cioculescu , Mateiu 's work would be " minor , unless placed alongside that of Ion Luca Caragiale " . Elsewhere , Cioculescu indicated that a letter written by Mateiu Caragiale in his early youth , which featured his first pieces of social commentary , imitated his father 's calligraphy to the point where George Călinescu initially believed they were the work of Ion Luca . Literary critic Paul Cernat proposes that the clashes between father and son evidenced Mateiu 's " maternal attachment and a break with paternal authority " , and , in particular , his " Oedipus complex " , which he also sees manifested in the personality of modern Romanian writers such as the avant @-@ garde founding figure Urmuz and the co @-@ founder of Dadaism , Tristan Tzara . Discussing Mateiu Caragiale 's originality , Călinescu saw in him " a promoter ( maybe the first ) of literary Balkanism , that greasy mix of obscene phrases , lascivious impulses , awareness of an adventurous and fuzzy genealogy , everything purified and seen from above by a superior intelligence " . In relation to Romanian literature , he believed to have discovered a common trait of " Balkan " writers of mostly Wallachian origin , citing Mateiu Caragiale in a group that also included Caragiale @-@ father , the early 19th century aphorist and printer Anton Pann , the modern poets Tudor Arghezi , Ion Minulescu and Ion Barbu , and Urmuz . He went on to define this gathering as " the great grimacing sensitive ones , buffoons with just too much plastic intelligence . " In parallel , Lovinescu saw Caragiale as one in a group of modernist prose writers who sought to reshape the genre through the use of lyricism , and were thus paradoxically outdated by 20th century standards . The delayed character of Caragiale 's contribution was also mentioned by literary historian Ovid Crohmălniceanu , who identified its roots in Art Nouveau and , through it , the subjects of Byzantine art . Among other traits which set Caragiale apart from his fellow Romanian writers was his highly creative vocabulary , partly reliant on archaisms and words occurring rarely in the modern Romanian lexis ( including ones borrowed from Turkish and Greek , or even from Romani ) . In certain cases , he used an inventive spelling — for example , he consistently rendered the word for " charm " , farmec , as fermec . Tudor Vianu noted that this habit was similar to experiments presents in Ion Barbu 's cryptic poetry , ascribing both cases to " the intent of underlining the differentiation between the written and the spoken words " , while Ion Vianu defined Caragiale as " an accurate artisan of the language , an extraordinary connaisseur of the Romanian language , which , out of snobbery , he sets aside for the plebeian readers . " Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche introduces a large array of words present in early 20th century slang and Romanian profanity , as well as rendering the then @-@ common habit of borrowing whole sentences from French to express oneself ( a trait notably present in Mateiu Cargiale 's own day @-@ to @-@ day vocabulary ) . The novel 's tone , often irreverent , and the book 's foray into the mundane have been seem by some as tributary to the informal style cultivated by Bogdan @-@ Pitești . Most of Caragiale 's prose is interconnected through allusions to himself , and , occasionally , the narratives discreetly refer to one another . Although his texts are characterized by precision in defining the moment and location for the plot , the general lines of the narratives are often subject to a calculated fragmentation , an innovative technique which , Vartic writes , attests the author 's familiarity with Antoine Furetière 's vision . Vartic also indicates that Balzac 's La Comédie humaine , in particular its Thirteen cycle — which is known to have been one of the books Caragiale treasured most — , influenced the general structure of his stories . = = = Novel = = = A first @-@ person narrative , Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche traces and satirizes Romanian society in the early decades of the 20th century ( it probably depicts events from ca . 1910 ) . A core group of three persons , all withdrawn , Epicurean and decadent figures , allow the intrusion of Gore Pirgu , a low @-@ class and uncultured self @-@ seeker , whose character comes to embody the new political class of Greater Romania . Researcher Constantin Amăriuței proposed that there is an intrinsic connection between Pirgu and Mitică , a voluble clerk depicted in several sketch stories by Ion Luca Caragiale , and best remembered as a stereotype of Bucharesters ; according to Amăriuței , Pirgu is " the eternal and real Mitică of the Romanian world " . According to Matei Călinescu , the story is intertextually shaped by two of Ion Luca 's prose works : one of them , titled Inspecțiune ... ( " Inspection ... " ) , is part of the Mitică cycle , while the other , Grand Hotel " Victoria română " , is one of the earliest depictions of anxiety in the literature of Romania . For Matei Călinescu , Pirgu and the other protagonists stand as allegories for a set of essentially Romanian traits that , he argues , were still observable in the early 21st century . In direct reference to Craii ... , George Călinescu wrote : " Reality is transfigured , it becomes fantastical and a sort of Edgar Poe @-@ like unease agitates [ the main characters ] , these good @-@ for @-@ nothings of the old Romanian capital . " This , he argued , validated placing Caragiale 's novel among Surrealist writings , and alongside the works of eclectic authors such as Barbu and Ion Vinea . Literary historian Eugen Simion notes that Barbu believed himself thought Caragiale 's prose was equal in value to the poetry of Romania 's national poet Mihai Eminescu , and argues that this perspective was exaggerated . Writing in 2007 , Cernat also noted a similarity between Vinea 's 1930 collection of novellas , Paradisul suspinelor ( " The Paradise of Sighs " ) , and Caragiale 's Craii ... , defining the two books as " poetic , mannerist and fantastic " , and stressing that they both portray decadent characters . Building on the observations of his older colleague Simion Mioc , Cernat commented that Vinea , Mateiu Caragiale , N. Davidescu and Adrian Maniu , all members of the same " post @-@ Symbolist " generation , ultimately traced their inspiration to Alexandru Macedonski and his Symbolist work Thalassa , Le Calvaire de feu . He also proposed that , less directly , Macedonski 's themes and style also influenced similar prose works by Arghezi and Urmuz . Several critics and researchers have pointed out that , in Craii ... , Caragiale used characters and dialogues to illustrate his own worldview and historical points of reference . Among the rich cultural references present in the novel , Șerban Cioculescu identified various direct or hidden portrayals of Caragiale 's contemporaries , several of which point to his own family . Thus , Cioculescu argued , the character Zinca Mamonoaia is the writer 's step aunt Catinca Momuloaia , while an entire passage sheds a negative light on Ion Luca ( the unnamed " leading writer of the nation " who prostitutes his trade ) . Commenting on the brief mention of one of Pirgu 's associates , " the theosophist Papura Jilava " , the critic concluded that it most likely referred to novelist and traveler Bucura Dumbravă . Cioculescu identifies several other characters , including Pirgu and two secondary characters , the journalist Uhry and the homosexual diplomat Poponel , were Caragiale 's companions : the latter two were based , respectively , on Uhrinowsky and a member of " an old Oltenian family " . Ion Vianu , who believes the unnamed narrator is a projection of Caragiale 's ego , emphasizes connections between the various characters and other real @-@ life persons , including Ion Luca , Bogdan @-@ Pitești and Anghel Demetriescu . In addition , Barbu Cioculescu believed to have identified other traits shared by the narrator and author , as well as a covert reference to Marica Sion , while researcher Radu Cernătescu suggests further allusions to real @-@ life eccentric noblemen , from Pantazi Ghica to " Claymoor " Văcărescu . Perpessicus noted that , in one of his outbursts , the character Pașadia criticizes the Brâncovenesc style developed in 17th century Romanian art ( which he contrasts with " the tumultuous flowering of the baroque " ) , only to have the narrator speak out against him ; in the process , the reader is informed about Caragiale 's own tastes . = = = Other prose works = = = Remember is a fantasy novella set in Berlin , depicting dramatic events in the life of dandy Aubrey de Vere . Perpessicius argued that the main protagonist was " taken , apparently , from a short story by Oscar Wilde " , while others noted a direct reference to the 19th century writer Aubrey de Vere , an indirect one to Poe 's Lenore ( the lyric : " And , Guy de Vere , hast thou no tear ? - weep now or nevermore ! " ) , or a partial anagram of the name Barbey d 'Aurevilly . The mysterious events standing at the center of the writing have been interpreted by several critics as an allusion to de Vere 's homosexuality . Probably taking place in 1907 , it contrasts Caragiale 's other , more tenebrous , writings of its kind — one of its main traits is the writer 's nostalgia towards the German capital , which serves to give the story an atmospheric rather than narrative quality . Its depiction of hallucinatory visions probably owes inspiration to Gérard de Nerval , while , according to historian Sorin Antohi , the main character is reminiscent of Joris @-@ Karl Huysmans ' Des Esseintes ( see À rebours ) . Lovinescu praises the story for " the gravity of its tone , [ ... ] the cadence of its sumptuous , cultured and noble style . " George Călinescu , who referred to the narrative as " a pastiche " , and to Berlin as portrayed in Caragiale 's story as " a Berlin @-@ Sodom " , concluded that the text allowed readers to form " the direct sensation " of Bucharest as a " Balkan Sodom " to be discerned from the German landscape . Caragiale 's Sub pecetea tainei has been the subject of debates in the literary community . One disagreement refers to its nature : some see it as a standalone novella , while others , including Alexandru George , view it as an unfinished novel . In this context , a singular position was held by Ovid Crohmălniceanu , who believed that Caragiale was building up to a sequel of his Craii .... The other point of contention involves its artistic value . Ovidiu Cotruș saw the story as proof that Mateiu Caragiale was running out of " narrative resourcefulness " and creating " the [ writing ] most detached from his work 's obsessions " , while Șerban Cioculescu deplored Caragiale 's move to abandon work on Soborul țațelor ( which he considered a more promising venture ) in order to " implant a sort of Romanian detective novel " . Written as a frame story , Sub pecetea tainei comprises the recollections of Teodor " Rache " Ruse , a retired Police officer . Punctuated by willing omissions , for which rows of ellipses are employed , the text is structured into accounts of three unsolved cases : that of a missing person , the clerk Gogu Nicolau , who may or may not have been murdered by his wife ; that of an epileptic minister whom Ruse is supposed to guard and who , after going missing and returning , presents his resignation and dies , leaving the general public clueless as to his fate ; finally , that of a Viennese couple of con artists and presumed murderers ( one of whom may be a transvestite woman ) whose arrival in Bucharest poses a threat on the life of their female host , Lena Ceptureanu . Ruse 's accounts , which oblique references in the text seem to place in 1930 , form part of his conversations with the unnamed narrator , which are set in Caru cu bere restaurant and in the narrator 's Bucharest home ; this , Manolescu notes , echoes scenes in Craii .... A recurring element in the plot is the role played by secretive women , who may be directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of male characters . Commentators have since attempted to match several of the protagonists with real people in Caragiale 's life . Such theories identify Rache Ruse himself with Cantuniari , a policeman whom Caragiale had befriended , the minister with the leading Conservative Party member Alexandru Lahovary , and the female character Arethy with Miller Verghy . According to Manolescu , Mateiu Caragiale took direct inspiration from foreign works of detective fiction when outlining his story , but also mocked their conventions by having Ruse rely on literature and even cartomancy for his crime solving techniques . Vartic drew a parallel between Caragiale 's style and that of two 20th century foreign authors of crime fiction — Dashiell Hammett and Giorgio Bassani . The general intent , Manolescu notes , is not in realistically depicting police procedures , but in showing " the human mystery . " Thus , Ion Vartic argues , Gogu Nicolau may be Caragiale 's attempt to see himself from the outside , and his disappearance may be a clue that the writer was planning to sever links with the cultural milieu . The work 's title and its generic meaning are found in Ruse 's final statement : " There are such things meant to always remain — since forever — under the seal of secrecy . " = = = Poetry = = = Caragiale 's Symbolist poems , including a series of sonnets , also display his profound interest in history . Pajere , which reunited all of the poems Caragiale had published in Viața Românească and Flacăra , was defined by Lovinescu as a series of " archaically @-@ toned tableaux of our ancient existence " , and by Ion Vianu as " a picturesque history of Wallachia " , while George Călinescu remarks their " savant " character . The same critic also noted that Pajere , which drew inspiration from Byzantine settings , were more accomplished versions of a genre first cultivated by Dumitru Constantinescu @-@ Teleormăneanu . According to Perpessicius , Caragiale had " a certain outlook [ ... ] , according to which the past [ ... ] should not be sought in books , but in the surrounding landscape " . He illustrated this notion with a stanza from Caragiale 's Clio : Călinescu noted that , in several of his poems , Mateiu Caragiale had infused his search for aristocratic heredities . He saw this present in the poem Lauda cuceritorului ( " In Praise of the Conqueror " ) : In various pieces , the poetic language is characterized by pessimism , and , according to Barbu Cioculescu and Ion Vianu , was influenced by Romania 's national poet , Mihai Eminescu . One of them , Singurătatea ( " The Loneliness " ) , notably expresses , through the voice of its demonic protagonist , misanthropy and a vengeful attitude , believed by Vianu to stand as one of Caragiale 's most personal messages on one 's disappointment with the world : = = Legacy = = = = = Early decades = = = Caragiale continued to be hailed as a relevant writer during the ten years following his death , and his wors went through new critical editions . Pajere was published in spring 1936 , having been edited by Marica Caragiale @-@ Sion and Alexandru Rosetti . Later in the year , a volume of collected works , Opere , was published by Rosetti and featured prints made by Mateiu Caragiale at various moments during his lifetime . Large portions of the diaries kept by Mateiu Caragiale are lost . The transcript made by Perpessicius was criticized for having selectively discarded much content , while originals kept by Rosetti were mysteriously lost during the Legionnaires ' Rebellion of 1941 . Additional notes , which notably featured Caragiale 's criticism of his father , were preserved for a while by Șerban Cioculescu , before being borrowed to Ecaterina Logadi , Ion Luca 's daughter , and never recovered . A significant number of his drawings and paintings , which Vianu assumed had survived by 1936 , have also been misplaced . Caragiale 's work exercised some influence from early on . Ion Barbu coined the terms mateist and matein , referring , respectively , to supporters of and things connected to Caragiale 's literature . Barbu is also credited with having set up and presided the first mateist circle . In 1947 , Ion Barbu wrote the poem Protocol al unui Club ( " The Protocol of a Club " ) , intended as an homage to his friend 's memory . The traditionalist poet Sandu Tudor took up the genre of Byzantine portraits as cultivated by him and by Constantinescu @-@ Teleormăneanu , creating a piece titled Comornic ( roughly , " Cellar " or " Cellar @-@ Keeper " ) . Around the same period , the writer known as Sărmanul Klopștock took inspiration from the style of his novels . = = = Mateism under communism = = = Mateism , growing during the late stages of the interwar period , took the aspect of an underground cultural phenomenon during the communist regime . Tașcu Gheorghiu , a Surrealist author whose Bohemian lifestyle was itself described as a reflection of Craii ... , had memorized large sections of the novel and could recite them by heart . According to Eugen Simion , dramatist Aurel Baranga is reputed to have done the same . During communism , Gheorghiu published a translation from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa 's The Leopard , which literary critic Carmen Mușat believes was marked by the tone of mateism . Caragiale 's aesthetics contrasted with those of the 1950s Socialist Realist establishment . However , after the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin signaled a relative change in cultural tenets , Communist Party affiliate and writer Petru Dumitriu wrote in favor of recovering supposed " realistic sections " of works by both Mateiu Caragiale and Tudor Arghezi . Eugen Simion writes that , late in the same decade , students at the University of Bucharest were investing their time trying to determine the exact location of houses described in Craii .... Also according to Eugen Simion , an attempt by poet Anatol E. Baconsky to republish the volume was met with a stiff reaction from the censorship apparatus , and , as a consequence of this episode , the main Communist Party organ , Scînteia , renewed its campaign against Caragiale . Matei Călinescu recalled that , " during the dark 1950 – 60 decade " , he clandestinely read Craii ... and shared his thoughts on it with a group of friends , noting that this was part of a " secret life " which contrasted with the rigors one had to obey in public . With the relative liberalization during the 1960s , which followed the rise of Nicolae Ceaușescu as communist leader , Caragiale 's work enjoyed a more favorable reception . At that stage , nationalism and national communism became standards of official discourse , and intellectuals such as Edgar Papu were allowed to reinterpret Romanian culture on the basis of nationalist tenets : Papu 's controversial theory , known as " Protochronism " , claimed that Romanians as a group were at the source of any innovative movement in world culture . Papu thus believed that Caragiale , whom he described as superior to Flaubert , had foreshadowed Lampedusa 's writing techniques . Independent of this approach , Mateiu Caragiale was being rediscovered by new generations of writers . In 1966 , Viața Românească published Radu Albala 's În deal , pe Militari ( " On the Hill , in Militari " ) , which was a sequel and final chapter of Sub pecetea tainei . Albala was significantly influenced by Caragiale throughout his work , as was his contemporary Alexandru George in his series of fiction writings . Other such authors are Fănuș Neagu , who was inspired by Craii ... to write his 1976 book The Handsome Lunatics of the Big Cities , and Virgiliu Stoenescu , whose poetry , according to Barbu Cioculescu , was influenced by " the charm of word appositions " in Caragiale 's poems . Caragiale 's name was also cited by the writer Geo Bogza , who , in his youth , was a major figure of the Romanian avant @-@ garde movement . In one of his late prose pieces , titled Ogarii , " The Borzois " , Bogza , who praised the dog breed for its innate grace , wrote : " I do not know if Mateiu Caragiale , who thought himself so uncommon , ever owned borzois . But , if he did , I 'm sure he gazed on them with melancholy and with secret envy . " During the final stages of Ceaușescu 's rule , when liberalization was curbed , matein writings were rediscovered and reclaimed by the Optzeciști group of authors , themselves noted for attempting to evade cultural guidelines by adopting fantasy and avant @-@ garde literature . Mircea Cărtărescu , a leading exponent of the Optzeciști and an advocate of Postmodernism , referred to Caragiale as one of his interwar precursors , while Ștefan Agopian acknowledged he pursued Mateiu 's interests in his 1981 novel Tache de catifea ( " Tache de Velvet " ) . According to critic Dumitru Ungureanu , it was mainly through Radu Albala that the matein model seeped into the work of various Optzeciști — Cărtărescu , Horia Gârbea and Florin Șlapac among them . Another Postmodernist author , Fundulea native Mircea Nedelciu , paid tribute to matein prose by basing a character of his 1986 novel Tratament fabulatoriu ( " Confambulatory Treatment " ) on Caragiale , and again much later , by adopting the same practice in his final novel Zodia Scafandrului ( " Sign of the Deep @-@ sea Diver " ) . The isolated Postmodernist figure and former Communist Party ideologue Paul Georgescu is also believed to have used elements of Craii ... as inspiration for his novels of the 1980s . In parallel , as an echo of mateism , more critics grew interested in subjects relating to Caragiale 's work . Various comprehensive monographs were published after 1980 , including a volume edited by the Museum of Romanian Literature and two influential works written by , respectively , Alexandru George and philosopher Vasile Lovinescu . The latter , with its claim to uncover esoteric layers in Matein texts , remains controversial . = = = Post @-@ 1989 recovery and debates = = = Caragiale was completely recovered in mainstream cultural circles after the Romanian Revolution of 1989 . Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche was chosen " best Romanian novel of the twentieth century " in an early 2001 poll conducted among 102 Romanian literary critics by the literary magazine Observator Cultural , while its author endures as one of the most @-@ studied Romanian fiction writers . The writer , his prose works , and the manner in which the reader relates to them were the themes for a 2003 book by Matei Călinescu , titled Mateiu I. Caragiale : recitiri ( " Mateiu I. Caragiale : Re @-@ readings " ) . Several other new monographs were dedicated to Caragiale , including a favorable review of his work authored by literary researcher Ion Iovan in 2002 . Iovan is noted for defending Caragiale against the traditional topics of criticism . In contrast to his father Șerban , who was often a vocal critic of Mateiu Caragiale 's literature and lifestyle choices , Barbu Cioculescu is likewise one of the writer 's most noted promoters , and has occasionally been described as a mateist . Reflecting on Mateiu 's growing popularity , Matei Călinescu has argued that Craii ... is to Romanian literature what El Aleph is in the eponymous Jorge Luis Borges story : a place containing all other conceivable places . In his 2008 synthesis , Istoria critică a literaturii române ( " The Critical History of Romanian Literature " ) , Nicolae Manolescu revisits George Călinescu 's pronouncements on interwar literature . Manolescu places Mateiu Caragiale , Max Blecher , Anton Holban and Ion Pillat , all of whom do not take the forefront in Călinescu 's work , among their generation 's " canonical writers " . A diverging opinion was expressed by literary critic and Anglicist Mircea Mihăieș , who suggested that , despite the theoretical potential presented by Mateiu 's lifestyle and background , Craii ... is primarily a poorly written work , characterized by " a disconcerting naïvite " , " kitsch " aesthetics and " embarrassing affectations " . Mihăieș , who believes that Caragiale 's only valuable writings are Pajere and his private correspondence , further suggests that Caragiale 's various admirers , including exegetes such as Matei Călinescu , Vasile Lovinescu , Ovidiu Cotruș and Ion Negoițescu , are responsible for overvaluing their favorite author . In 2001 , Caragiale 's collected writings , edited by Barbu Cioculescu , were republished in a single edition , while his copy of Octav @-@ George Lecca 's Familii boierești române , featuring his many comments and sketches , was the basis for a 2002 reprint . In addition to the volumes of recollections by " Grigri " Ghica and Ionel Gherea , Mateiu Caragiale is mentioned in Gheorghe Jurgea @-@ Negrilești 's book of memoirs , Troica amintirilor . Sub patru regi ( " The Troika of Recollections . Under Four Kings " ) , published only after the Revolution . The work depicts notable episodes in his Bohemian life , including a scene where the overweight and inebriated Admiral Vessiolkin leaps over tables at Casa Capșa and recites English @-@ language quotes from William Shakespeare to an audience comprising Caragiale and various by @-@ standers . In 2007 , Remember was issued as an audiobook , read by actor Marcel Iureș . In the post @-@ Revolution era , authors continued to take direct inspiration from Caragiale . In 2008 , Ion Iovan published Ultimele însemnări ale lui Mateiu Caragiale ( " Mateiu Caragiale 's Final Records " ) , a mock @-@ diary and speculative fiction work covering the final events in Caragiale 's life . In addition to covering the elements of his biography , it invents a character by the name of Jean Mathieu , Caragiale 's secret son . Caragiale 's work was also treasured by Romanian @-@ language writers in newly independent Moldova , formerly part of the Soviet Union . One of them , Anatol Moraru , wrote Craii de modă nouă ( " A New Fashion of Rakes " ) , which is both a memoir and a tribute to Craii .... = = = Visual tributes , filmography and landmarks = = = Published within the 1925 anthology compiled by Perpessicius and Pillat , Marcel Janco 's modernist portraits of Caragiale and avant @-@ garde writer Stephan Roll , were described by a number critics as Expressionist in style , based on their " energetic and spontaneous superposition of lines . " One later reprint of Craii de Curtea @-@ Veche was notably illustrated with drawings by graphic artist George Tomaziu . An eponymous stage version of Craii ... , directed by Alexandru Repan was performed by the Nottara Theater company , with stage design by Sică Rudescu . Dramatist Radu Macrinici also adapted fragments from the novel , alongside texts by Ion Luca and Ion Luca 's uncle Iorgu Caragiale , into the play Un prieten de când lumea ? ( " A Friend as Old as Time ? " ) . In 2009 , actor @-@ choreographer Răzvan Mazilu adapted Remember into an eponymous musical theater and contemporary ballet piece , set to the music of Richard Wagner . The original cast included Mazilu as Aubrey de Vere and Ion Rizea as Mr. M. ( a character loosely based on Caragiale ) , with a set design and videos by Dionisis Christofilogiannis . In the early 1970s , Mateiu Caragiale 's life inspired a Romanian Television production produced and directed by Stere Gulea . In 1995 , Craii ... was turned into an eponymous cinema production , directed by Mircea Veroiu . It starred Mircea Albulescu , Marius Bodochi , and Gheorghe Dinică . The book and its author were also the subject of one episode in a documentary series produced by journalist and political scientist Stelian Tănase , dealing with the history of Bucharest ; titled București , strict secret ( " Bucharest , Top Secret " ) , it was aired by Realitatea TV in 2007 . Mateiu Caragiale 's name was assigned to a street in Bucharest ( and officially spelled Matei Caragiale in this context ) . Formerly known as Strada Constituției ( " Constitution Street " ) , it is located in a low @-@ income area on the outskirts of Drumul Taberei quarter .
= Novacane ( song ) = " Novacane " is the debut single by American recording artist Frank Ocean . It was released as the lead single from his mixtape Nostalgia , Ultra . The song was written by Ocean , Tricky Stewart and Victor Alexander , and produced by Stewart . Lyrically , the song narrates a tale of a young female dental student who makes a living doing porn and who recreationally uses local anesthetic drugs that she acquires from her place of study . The song explores themes of isolation , loneliness and a lack of feeling caused by numbness . The song received highly positive reviews from music critics and was listed as one of the best songs of the year by publications such as The New York Times , Spin , Ology , Zimbio and Pitchfork . Reviews praised the dark subject matter of the song , and praised Ocean 's ability to create narratives and the sonic atmosphere of the track . When Nostalgia , Ultra was expected to be released as an EP by Def Jam , " Novacane " was released as the first single , though the EP release was later cancelled . The song peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 and entered the top 10 on the Heatseekers Songs chart . The song received a music video directed by Australian director Nabil Elderkin released on June 16 . The highly stylized video shows a long take of Ocean sitting around in a darkly lit room . Ocean performed the song during a show in New York with alternative hip hop group OFWGKTA , and during his seven show tour through North America and Europe . It was also performed during his 14 show Channel Orange tour through North America . = = Background = = " Novacane " was written by Frank Ocean and Victor Alexander with co @-@ writing by Tricky Stewart who also produced the track . The song appears on his debut mixtape Nostalgia , Ultra which was released on February 18 , 2011 . When asked by The Quietus if the song drew from his personal experiences , Ocean commented that " I don 't do cocaine for breakfast ! " , a reference to the lyrics from the song . He continued , " My kitchen is usually pretty clean , you know . But you have fun with the imagery , and for me the whole concept that everything has to be … Like , nobody gets upset with a director when a director 's film isn 't about his life . People think that with a recording artist that shit has to be like a fucking play by play of their whole life , but it 's not . It 's imagery , and a little bit of satire . " When asked if the song was an R & B track , Ocean replied that he disliked how that in the United States , " if you 're a singer and you 're black , you 're an R & B artist . Period . " Ocean stated that the song does contain R & B influences , though he didn 't feel it wasn 't entirely one in nature . The track was released as a digital download on May 31 , 2011 by Def Jam Records . = = Composition = = " Novacane " expresses a story through its lyrics , and has been described as " nightmarish " in nature . It has been called a " love song of sorts " , with influence taken from alternative hip hop group The Pharcyde . Lyrically the track explores a narrative in which the singer meets a girl attempting to pay her way through dental school by working in porn , or at least that 's what she told him . Protagonist meets the girl at Coachella , a musical festival which takes place in Indio , California . Ocean serves as the protagonist in the song , in love with a girl " so gone on drugs that Ocean , wanting to be close to her , has no choice but to get gone on those same drugs " . The pair get high using dental local anesthetics . Though Ocean serves as an unreliable narrator , Pitchfork wrote that he was " probably still the most reliable character in the whole song . " The song contains reference to film director Stanley Kubrick and his 1999 drama Eyes Wide Shut . In addition , it also makes a comparison of the numbness that drugs produce with the use of auto @-@ tune in the music business . Summing up the song , Pitchfork also commented that " Novacane " " is a song about personal connection but also about all the stupid numb human shit that gets in the way of personal connection , which means it 's probably the most honest song about personal connection on the radio . " Rappers Joe Budden , Tyga and Prodigy have all released freestyles to " Novacane " . = = Reception = = " Novacane " received highly positive reviews from music critics , and has been described as the best song on Nostalgia , Ultra . Pitchfork editor Tom Breihman made the song " Best New Track " and commented that the song had a " stripped @-@ back melodic construction with Ocean crooning over a synthetic backing that practically fades into nonexistence " and that " it draws its power from tiny little details , like throwaway observations or catches in Ocean 's voice . Andrew Noz of NPR also praised the details in Ocean 's song writing , stating " in ' Novacane , ' Ocean sings about falling for a porn star who wants to be a dentist , it 's easy to believe that he 's more enticed by her dentistry aspirations than her day job . The New York Times critic Jon Caramanica described the song as a " story of meeting a cute girl at Coachella , tripping hard on intoxicants and getting quickly to love that he may or may not remember the next day " , and called the song " bliss . " Ology writer JT Langley noted that though the song was " massively depressing " and that " Frank makes a foul mouth sound sweeter than your usual R & B through his brand of crooning ... Tricky Stewart 's production adds yet another morose element to provide the more macabre side of the drugs @-@ for @-@ love @-@ lost genre . " The song was listed as one of the best songs of the year by several publications . The New York Times placed the song amongst the best tracks of 2011 . Ology 's JT Langley placed the song amongst the best of the year , writing " Frank makes a foul mouth sound sweeter than your usual R & B through his brand of crooning , and Tricky Stewart 's production adds yet another morose element to provide the more macabre side of the drugs @-@ for @-@ love @-@ lost genre . " Pitchfork named the song the 41st best song of the year , musing that " he might be fronting like the Drakes and post- " 808s " Kanyes of the world , but there 's too much self @-@ effacement happening for Ocean not to realize the inherent humor in his own drama . If Ocean really is on that visionary Kubrick shit like he claims , then " Novacane " could very well be his Dr. Strangelove . Zimbio placed the song at number 2 on their best hip @-@ hop songs of the year list , writing " while every track on his mixtape , nostalgia , Ultra , warrants a listen , it 's the radio @-@ friendly " Novacane " that stands out as his most mature and enjoyable song to date . " Spin named the song the fifth best of the year , describing the track as " a fully evolved Drake song , where you 're slyly immersed in youthful , aww @-@ shit decadence , while simultaneously watching your dreams of recreational stripper booty and complimentary cocaine breakfasts get methodically dismantled . " = = Promotion = = According to Ocean , the music video for " Novacane " was a simple process . Talking about the concept of the video , he stated " I was just trying to connect or articulate visually the feeling of being numb . The feeling of wanting to feel something you can 't feel . A lot of things can cause that numbing , but in the video it was some sort of topical aesthetic and a little bit of special effects . " The video doesn 't last the entirety of the song , which director Nabil Elderkin stated was for artistic reasons . In an interview with Pitchfork , he reasoned " to me , videos don 't always have to be the length of the song . I like the idea of people thinking , ' What was that ? ' " The video is shot as one long take , shot in a mostly dark room . Ocean sits in the room , smoking an unspecified drug . Eventually , he gets up and begins to smear an unknown substance onto his face . Random shots of pandas and rain forest imagery are also spliced into the video , and it ends with Ocean being slapped by the ghostly image of a woman . MTV further summarized the video ; " Ocean is surrounded by ghostly incarnations of beautiful women , tigers and pandas . At one point , Ocean smears what appears to be novocaine — or Procaine — on his solemn @-@ looking face . " Supposedly , it required several takes to achieve the correct angle for the slapping moment , and the spliced images were placed in the video because Ocean asked the director whether or not they " can we put some kind of Asian @-@ rain @-@ forest stuff in there ? " Billboard wrote that the video was " minimalist " and " eerie " . Pitchfork named the video amongst the best of the year . Ocean embarked on a solo tour through North America and Europe to promote both the mixtape and his other musical projects . The set lists to the various shows varied , though " Novacane " was performed at all shows . Ocean performed " Novacane " and " She " with Tyler , The Creator at an OFWGKTA performance in New York . The track was included during Ocean 's setlist at the April 2012 Coachella Musical Festival . Complex magazine stated that he " left his most popular and best for last , wrapping the evening with " Novacane , " which shouts out the festival itself . " Ocean performed the track during his 14 show Channel Orange tour through North America . = = Charts = = The song peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at position 82 . The song also charted at position 6 on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs chart and 17 on the Hot R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Songs chart . = = Certifications = =
= 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama ( 2nd Croatian ) = The 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama ( 2nd Croatian ) was a German mountain infantry division of the Waffen @-@ SS , the armed wing of the German Nazi Party that served alongside but was never formally part of the Wehrmacht during World War II . It was composed of German officers and Bosnian Muslim soldiers . Named Kama after a small dagger used by Balkan shepherds , it was one of the thirty @-@ eight divisions fielded by the Waffen @-@ SS during World War II . Formed on 19 June 1944 , it was built around a cadre from the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar ( 1st Croatian ) but did not reach its full strength and never saw action as a formation . Elements of the division fought briefly against Soviet forces in southern Hungary in early October 1944 alongside the 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division . They were soon disengaged from the front line in Hungary and had begun a move to the German puppet state , the Independent State of Croatia , to join the 13th SS Division when the Bosnian Muslim soldiers of the Kama division mutinied on 17 October 1944 . The cadre quickly regained control , but the mutiny resulted in the division being formally dissolved on 31 October 1944 . = = Background = = After the invasion of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers on 6 April 1941 , the extreme Croat nationalist and fascist Ante Pavelić , who had been in exile in Benito Mussolini 's Italy , was appointed Poglavnik ( leader ) of an Ustaše @-@ led Croatian state – the Independent State of Croatia ( often called the NDH , from the Croatian : Nezavisna Država Hrvatska ) . The NDH combined almost all of modern @-@ day Croatia , all of modern @-@ day Bosnia and Herzegovina and parts of modern @-@ day Serbia into an " Italian @-@ German quasi @-@ protectorate " . NDH authorities , led by the Ustaše Militia , immediately launched a campaign of mass killings , expulsions and forced religious conversions to Catholicism targeting the Serbian Orthodox population living within the borders of the new state . Despite Pavelić 's assurances of equality with the predominantly Catholic Croats , many Muslims quickly became dissatisfied with Ustaše rule . An Islamic leader reported that not one Muslim occupied an influential post in the administration . By early 1942 , fierce fighting had broken out between the Ustaše , Chetniks and Partisans in NDH territory . Some Ustaše militia units became convinced that the Muslims were communist sympathizers , and burned their villages and murdered many civilians . The Chetniks accused the Muslims of taking part in the Ustaše violence against Serbs and perpetrated similar atrocities against the Muslim population . The Muslims received little protection from the Croatian Home Guard , the regular army of the NDH , whom the Germans described as " of minimal combat value " . Local militias were raised , but these were also of limited value and only one , the Tuzla @-@ based Home Guard " Hadžiefendić Legion " led by Muhamed Hadžiefendić , was of any significance . The Bosnian Muslims sought protection and independence from the NDH , and saw German support as a means to achieve those aims . Prominent Bosnian Muslims were friendly towards Germany , and Bosnians were generally nostalgic over the former period of Habsburg ( Austro @-@ Hungarian ) rule . This push was strongly opposed by Pavelić as counter to the territorial integrity of the NDH . By November 1942 , these Muslim autonomists were desperate to protect their people and wrote to Adolf Hitler asking that he annex Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Reich . While this idea did not receive Hitler 's approval , possibly because he did not want to create problems for Pavelić , Reichsführer @-@ SS Heinrich Himmler saw this as an opportunity to create a Waffen @-@ SS recruiting zone in the NDH to attract Bosnian Muslims . In early 1943 , Hitler authorised the raising of the first SS division to be recruited from a non @-@ Germanic people , the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar ( 1st Croatian ) . The division was to be raised primarily from the Muslim population of the NDH . = = History = = The Germans wanted to recruit a second SS division from the Muslims of Bosnia , as part of Himmler 's goal to expand Waffen @-@ SS recruiting in the Balkans . His plan was to form two corps of two divisions , with one corps to operate in the Bosnian region of the Independent State of Croatia and the other in Albania . These corps would then be combined with the Volksdeutsche 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen and together would form a Balkan SS mountain army of five divisions . On 28 May 1944 , Hitler gave his formal approval for the creation of a 23rd SS Division , with its formation to begin on 10 June and training to be complete by the end of 1944 . Himmler followed the advice of the commander of the 13th SS Division Handschar , SS Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of Waffen @-@ SS ( Brigadier ) Karl @-@ Gustav Sauberzweig , and agreed to form the division in the neighbouring Bácska ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Bačka ) region annexed by Hungary instead of Bosnia . Sauberzweig believed that if the division was raised in the NDH , the Ustaše would undermine the morale of the recruits . The new division was named Kama after a small dagger used by Balkan shepherds . Orders were given to the 13th SS Division to provide a cadre for the new division , and SS Standartenführer ( Colonel ) Helmuth Raithel , a regimental commander from the 13th SS Division , was appointed as the new division 's commanding officer . The formation of the division was delayed by Operation Vollmond to which the 13th SS Division was heavily committed , so formation did not begin until 19 June . On 21 June , Himmler promoted Sauberzweig to SS Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant of Waffen @-@ SS ( major general ) and appointed him to command the Bosnian corps , which was given the title IX Waffen Mountain Corps of the SS ( Croatian ) . The corps was to form at Bácsalmás in southern Hungary , where the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel was deployed . Beginning on 23 June , 54 officers , 187 non @-@ commissioned officers ( NCOs ) and 1 @,@ 137 enlisted men of the 13th SS Division that had been selected for transfer to the 23rd SS Division Kama were assembled in Bošnjaci in Posavina County of the NDH , and they were moved into Bácska on 15 July . They included three NCOs from every company of the 13th SS Division , and one cavalry squadron , one battery from each of its artillery battalions , as well as specialist troops . German officers and NCOs were also provided by Waffen @-@ SS replacement units . The divisional area lay along the Franzen Canal , with garrisons in Szenttamás ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Srbobran ) and Kúla ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Kula ) and on either side of the line Zombor @-@ Verbász ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Sombor @-@ Vrbas ) . The 10 @,@ 000 men for a full @-@ strength division were to be obtained from volunteers , from Muslim conscripts born in 1926 and 1927 ( with some exceptions ) , and if necessary , from the various Muslim militias in the NDH . The conscripts were subjected to the draft by the NDH government then transferred to German command along with the others , who were then transported to Waffen @-@ SS recruiting depots at Zombor and Bošnjaci . These men were to report by 15 September 1944 , but in mid @-@ August , Waffen @-@ SS recruiting officer SS Obergruppenführer ( Lieutenant General ) Gottlob Berger reported to Himmler that there would be insufficient reliable Muslim men available , and Catholic Croats would also have to be accepted into the 23rd SS Division . During Pavelić 's visit to Hitler in September 1944 , General Đuro Grujić , chief of Pavelić 's Military Office , indicated to the Germans that it would be difficult to recruit another 5 @,@ 000 men to complete the division after 5 @,@ 000 had already been assigned . Many Volksdeutsche from the NDH and a few from Hungary were recruited into the division to act as interpreters between the Bosnian Muslims and the German cadre and to enhance unit cohesion . On 10 September the division reached a strength of 126 officers , 374 non @-@ commissioned officers and 3 @,@ 293 men , composed of German officers and Bosnian Muslim soldiers , a fraction of its prescribed strength of 19 @,@ 000 men . By this time , morale was waning within the new division just as it completed the final phase of its training in Hungary ; the war was not going well , and there were rumours that the Germans were going to abandon the Balkans and leave the Muslims to defend themselves . Faced with high rates of desertion from the 13th SS Division , Sauberzweig proposed a plan to disarm the Bosnians in both divisions , and on 18 September travelled to see Himmler . The Reichsführer @-@ SS instead opted for a plan to transport the 2 @,@ 000 Bosnians of the 23rd SS Division to the area of operations of the 13th SS Division in Bosnia and re @-@ organise both divisions there . Combat arms units from the 13th SS Division were to be brought under the direct control of IX Waffen Mountain Corps of the SS ( Croatian ) , which would also move to Bosnia . Issued on 24 September , the plan cancelled the formation of the 23rd SS Division , and directed SS Oberführer ( Senior Colonel ) Gustav Lombard to form and command a new SS infantry division using the German cadre and equipment of the 23rd SS Division , supplemented by ethnic Germans recruited from Hungary . The Bosnians of the 23rd SS Division were to be transported by rail back to the Gradište @-@ Županja @-@ Bošnjaci area for re @-@ organisation into a " new " Kama division . The staff of IX Waffen Mountain Corps of the SS ( Croatian ) headquarters left Hungary , and on 3 October 1944 they arrived in the village of Andrijaševci , near Vinkovci . The headquarters became partially operational on 7 October . The Bosnians did not leave Bácska immediately , and for a short period were garrisoned alongside Lombard 's new 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division . In the meantime , the Red Army continued to advance into Hungary , and on 9 October 1944 a telegram was sent by the commander of Waffen @-@ SS forces in Hungary to IX SS Mountain Corps in Bosnia announcing that " battle ready units from SS Oberführer Lombard 's division and Bosnians from the Division Kama had been thrown into the fighting in Bacska " . The Bosnian elements were deployed along the Tisza ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Tisa ) river for a week or so as part of Kampfgruppe Syr in an attempt to slow the Soviet advance . As a result , the return of the Bosnians to the NDH was delayed . The Bosnians were soon disengaged from the front line in Hungary and had begun the move to Bosnia to join the 13th SS Division when they mutinied on 17 October 1944 . Raithel quickly regained control , but the mutiny meant the re @-@ organisation of a " new " 23rd SS Division was abandoned . A small number of reliable Bosnians from the division were used as replacements in the 13th SS Division , and the 23rd SS Division was formally dissolved on 31 October 1944 . Despite its short existence , the 23rd SS is considered one of the thirty @-@ eight divisions fielded by the Waffen @-@ SS during World War II . After the division was disbanded , the numerical designator " 23rd " was given to the 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland , and Raithel went on to command the 11th SS @-@ Gebirgsjäger Regiment " Reinhard Heydrich " of the 6th SS Mountain Division Nord against the United States Army in southern Germany during the final months of World War II . = = Order of battle = = The division 's final order of battle consisted of : 55th Waffen Gebirgsjäger ( Mountain Infantry ) Regiment of the SS ( 3rd Croatian ) 56th Waffen Gebirgsjäger Regiment of the SS ( 4th Croatian ) 23rd SS Mountain Artillery Regiment ( of four battalions ) 23rd SS Reconnaissance Battalion 23rd SS Panzerjäger ( Anti @-@ tank ) Battalion 23rd SS Pioneer Battalion 23rd SS Mountain Signals Battalion 23rd SS Division Supply Battalion 23rd SS Medical Battalion 23rd SS Replacement Battalion The division also included a workshop company , veterinary company and administrative section . = = Uniform = = The divisional insignia was a sun with 16 rays , the ancient symbol of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great . A divisional collar patch bearing the insignia was intended , but it is unlikely it was ever issued . During their formation and training in the Bácska region during the summer of 1944 , the soldiers often dressed in khaki tropical uniforms with shorts . The official headgear of the division was the SS M43 fez : a field gray model to be worn with service uniform and a red model for dress uniform . Members of the division that had previously served in the 13th SS Division often continued to wear the divisional collar patch of that division , which showed an arm holding a scimitar over a swastika . These non @-@ standard uniform items continued to be worn by members of the division after they became part of the 31st SS Division in October 1944 . = = = Books = = = = = = Documents = = =
= Shadows Fall = Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield , Massachusetts , formed in 1995 . Although the band has experienced several line @-@ up changes , for most of its recording career , Shadows Fall has been composed of Brian Fair ( vocals ) , Jonathan Donais ( lead guitar ) , Matt Bachand ( rhythm guitar ) , Paul Romanko ( bass ) , and Jason Bittner ( drums ) . Shadows Fall have released seven studio albums , two compilation albums , and two DVDs . The band 's first album featured Philip Labonte ( of All That Remains ) on vocals , although he was soon replaced by Fair . Shadows Fall 's first two studio albums featured David Germain playing drums , but in 2002 , Bittner joined the band full @-@ time . In February 2008 , the band was a Grammy Award nominee in the category Best Metal Performance for the song " Redemption " off the album Threads of Life . In late 2011 , the band entered the studio to begin recording their latest studio album . The album , Fire From the Sky , was released on May 15 , 2012 , and is the first to be produced by Adam Dutkiewicz since the band 's first studio release . = = History = = = = = Formation and Somber Eyes to the Sky ( 1995 – 1997 ) = = = Shadows Fall was formed in 1995 by guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand , then good friends from the local music scene . Bachand had previously been a founding member of a death metal band and Donais a member of the metalcore band Aftershock . By 1996 the band had found a complete lineup with the addition of Damien McPherson ( vocals ) , Mark Laliberte ( bass ) , and David Germain ( drums ) . Also in 1996 , Adam Dutkiewicz performed live drums to fill in for Germain . By late 1996 , the band recorded and released a demo titled Mourning a Dead World , of which only about 200 copies were produced . It consisted of the songs Lifeless , Suffer the Season , Fleshold , Forever Lost , A Souls Salvation , and Deadworld . McPherson decided to leave the band , and was replaced by Philip Labonte in 1997 . Around the same time , bass guitarist Paul Romanko , formally of the hardcore band Pushbutton Warfare , was recruited as a permanent replacement for Laliberte , who had originally joined on a temporary basis . Now with a more solid lineup , the band released its first EP , To Ashes , with Dutkiewicz playing as a session drummer . The band 's name , according to Bachand , comes from the title of a comic book published in the early 1990s . Shadows Fall toured the New England area opening for artists such as Fear Factory and Cannibal Corpse . On November 30 , 1997 , the band released its first studio album Somber Eyes to the Sky , through Bachand 's recording label , Lifeless Records . = = = Of One Blood ( 1998 – 2000 ) = = = In 1998 , Labonte was asked to leave the band due to personal and artistic differences . He had ideas for a side project while a member of the band , and went on to form All That Remains . The band looked for a replacement vocalist and eventually recruited Milford , MA native Brian Fair of the pioneering metalcore band Overcast . The band had been friends with Fair for years . After a US Summer tour with Shai Hulud , Overcast disbanded and the band asked Fair if he would like to join Shadows Fall . While on tour Shadows Fall was signed to Century Media Records . The band recorded its second studio album Of One Blood with Fair on vocals in 2000 , and the release included re @-@ recorded songs from Somber Eyes to the Sky . In 2001 , David Germain decided to leave the band due to alcoholism , and was replaced by former Stigmata and Burning Human drummer Jason Bittner . = = = The Art of Balance ( 2001 – 2003 ) = = = Due to repeated comparisons with Gothenburg melodic death metal bands , Shadows Fall decided to change its style to find its own sound . Inspired by more thrash , hard rock and power ballad influences , the band recorded its third studio album , titled The Art of Balance . Released on September 17 , 2002 , the album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top Independent albums chart . Shadows Fall released three music videos to promote the album ; " Thoughts Without Words " , " Destroyer of Senses " , and " The Idiot Box " . The Art of Balance featured a cover of the Pink Floyd song " Welcome to the Machine . " Andy Hinds of Allmusic stated the album is " a modern heavy metal album that is both brutal and highly musical , traditional yet forward @-@ thinking " , but criticized the placement of " Welcome to the Machine " , stating the song " is stylishly well @-@ executed , but seems a tad out of place nonetheless . " Shadows Fall supported The Art of Balance by touring on Ozzfest in 2003 . = = = The War Within ( 2004 – 2006 ) = = = Shadows Fall released its fourth studio album The War Within on September 21 , 2004 . It was the first release to enter the Billboard 200 for the band at number 20 , and peaked at number one on the Top Independent albums chart . In promotion for the album , Shadows Fall released four music videos over the course of one year ; " The Power of I and I " , " What Drives the Weak " , " Inspiration on Demand " , and " Enlightened By the Cold " . The song " What Drives the Weak " received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance in 2006 , however the award went to Slipknot for the song " Before I Forget " . " The Light That Blinds " was featured in the video game Guitar Hero II . Wade Kergan of Allmusic praised the album stating the band has " grown beyond the confines of the metal @-@ loving hardcore crowd anyway , with more in common now with the classic thrash of Metallica than the metal @-@ tinged hardcore of Coalesce " . In support of the album the band once again performed on Ozzfest , but this time as a mainstage act . As of 2008 , the album has sold almost 400 @,@ 000 copies in the United States . Shadows Fall released its first DVD The Art of Touring in November 2005 . The DVD included a live concert , backstage footage , and six music videos . The band released its final CD on Century Media Records , titled Fallout from the War on June 13 , 2006 . Released as a compilation album , it debuted at number 83 on the Billboard 200 . Fallout from the War included tracks recorded for The War Within that did not make it on to the album , b @-@ sides , re @-@ recordings , and cover songs . David Jeffries of Allmusic claimed the album is " a great informal introduction to the ferocious and melodic witches ' brew Shadows Fall always seems to nail . " = = = Threads of Life ( 2007 – 2008 ) = = = Shadows Fall signed a deal with Atlantic Records to distribute the band 's albums in the United States , and a deal with Roadrunner Records for international distribution . The band released its fifth studio album Threads of Life on April 3 , 2007 . " Redemption " , the first single from the CD was released on February 20 , 2007 through iTunes with an accompanying music video . " Redemption " received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal performance ; the award ceremony as held on February 10 , 2008 . Slayer 's " Eyes of the Insane " won the award . Thom Jurek of Allmusic stated Shadows Fall has " lost none of the fire , attack or attitude " on Threads of Life . Jurek also said the album featured " killer guitar breaks , big fat chugging riffs , power @-@ slam skin work , cattle prod bass , and cool little hooks and melodic touches on top of those bludgeoning riffs make Threads of Life a major label debut of merit , and a metal record worthy of celebrating . " Keith Bergman of Blabbermouth.net stated " Threads of Life is slick as hell . " Shadows Fall toured in support of Threads of Life , including making appearances at the Jägermeister tour with Stone Sour and Lacuna Coil , the Operation Annihilation tour with Static @-@ X , 3 Inches of Blood , and Divine Heresy , and the Black Crusade tour with Trivium , Machine Head , Dragonforce , and Arch Enemy . The band was a part of the Soundwave tour in Australia and in Asia in February 2008 , along with Killswitch Engage , As I Lay Dying , and Bleeding Through . = = = Retribution ( 2009 – 2011 ) = = = Shadows Fall released their sixth album , Retribution , on September 15 , 2009 , through the band 's own label , Everblack Industries , which was created in conjunction with Warner Music Group 's ILG , Ferret Music and ChannelZERO Entertainment . It is being released in the UK via Spinefarm Records . The album was produced by Chris " Zeuss " Harris . Drummer Jason Bittner recently stated about the band 's new material , " The songs are a little more on the darker , angry side ... lots of heaviness , lots of crazy guitar , and LOTS of room for me to have some fun . There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the best performance of my career , so far , and I owe that to my guys for bringing me incredible riffs to write killer drum parts to . " As of the fall of 2009 the band was appearing on the ' Shock & Raw ' tour of North America with 2Cents , Otep & Five Finger Death Punch . After a South American tour , Shadows Fall will be playing on the Jägermeister Stage in the 2010 Rockstar Mayhem Festival in July and August 2010 . The band is also scheduled to support Lamb of God on their Australian tour in December 2009 Shadows Fall is pleased to announce their first and only New York City performance this year , taking place at Santos Party House on December 18 , 2010 with direct support from Thy will be done . Shadows Fall released a live CD / DVD , Madness in Manila : Shadows Fall Live in The Philippines 2009 , on October 26 . = = = Fire From the Sky and final tours ( 2012 – present ) = = = In late 2011 , Shadows Fall entered the studio to begin recording their seventh studio album . While in the studio , they held live video streams to discuss the progress of the album and answer questions from fans . This album is the first to be produced by Adam Dutkiewicz since the band 's original studio release , Somber Eyes to the Sky . Fire From the Sky was released on May 15 , 2012 through Razor & Tie . On January 11 , 2013 , it was announced that guitarist Jon Donais would be joining Anthrax on their upcoming Metal Alliance Tour and on August 13 , 2013 Donais was confirmed as a full Anthrax member . On June 28 , 2014 , Shadows Fall performed with the bands Black Fast , Dead by Wednesday , Hallow Point , and Gray 's Divide in St. Louis , Missouri . On August 25 , 2014 , the band announced several final tours to take place in Europe and North America so the band could take a hiatus from future extensive touring . In December 2014 , it was announced drummer Jason Bittner would join Arizona thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam , and guitarist Matt Bachand would join Act of Defiance , along with the former members of Megadeth . In August 2015 , the band will take part in a few reunion shows along the US East Coast , while all of its members are able to do so , before heading out with their respective other bands for late 2015 / 2016 touring . = = Band members = = = = = Timeline = = = = = Discography = = = = = Studio albums = = = = = = Compilation albums = = = = = = Video albums = = = = = = Singles = = = = = = Music videos = = = = = Awards and nominations = = = = = Nominations = = = Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – " What Drives the Weak " ( 2006 ) Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance – " Redemption " ( 2008 ) Boston Music Awards
= Emma Thompson = Emma Thompson ( born 15 April 1959 ) is a British actress , a comedian , and a writer . Thompson is known for her portrayals of reticent women and playing haughty or matronly characters with a sense of irony , often in period dramas and literary adaptations . She is considered one of Britain 's most accomplished actresses . Born in London to English actor , Eric Thompson , and Scottish actress , Phyllida Law , Thompson was educated at Newnham College , University of Cambridge , where she became a member of the Footlights troupe . After appearing in several comedy programmes , she first came to prominence in 1987 , in two BBC TV series , Tutti Frutti and Fortunes of War , winning the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her work in both series . Thompson 's first film role came in the 1989 romantic comedy , The Tall Guy , and in the early 1990s she frequently collaborated with her then husband , actor , and director , Kenneth Branagh . The pair became popular in the British media , and co @-@ starred in several films including : Dead Again ( 1991 ) and Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) . In 1992 , Thompson won multiple acting awards , including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress , for her work in the period drama , Howards End . In 1993 , she garnered dual Academy Award nominations for her roles in The Remains of the Day as a stately housekeeper , and In the Name of the Father as a lawyer . Thompson scripted and starred in Sense and Sensibility ( 1995 ) , which earned her ( among other awards ) an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay , and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress . Other notable film and television credits include : the Harry Potter film series , Wit ( 2001 ) , Love Actually ( 2003 ) , Angels in America ( 2003 ) , Nanny McPhee ( 2005 ) , Stranger than Fiction ( 2006 ) , Last Chance Harvey ( 2008 ) , Men in Black 3 ( 2012 ) , and Brave ( 2012 ) . In 2013 , she received acclaim and several award nominations for her portrayal of P. L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks . Thompson is married to actor Greg Wise , with whom she lives in London . They have one daughter and an adopted son . She is an activist in the areas of human rights and environmentalism , and has received criticism for her outspoken nature . She has authored two books adapted from The Tale of Peter Rabbit . = = Early life = = Thompson was born in Paddington , London , on 15 April 1959 . A member of a show business family , her mother is the Scottish actress Phyllida Law , while her English father , Eric Thompson , was involved in theatre and the writer – narrator of the popular children 's television series The Magic Roundabout . Her godfather was the director and writer Ronald Eyre . She has one sister , Sophie Thompson , who also works as an actress . The family lived in West Hampstead in north London , and Thompson was educated at Camden School for Girls . She spent much time in Scotland during her childhood , and often visited Ardentinny where her grandparents and uncle lived . In her youth , Thompson was intrigued by language and literature , a trait which she attributes to her father who shared her love of words . In 1977 , she began studying for an English degree at Newnham College , University of Cambridge . Thompson believes that it was inevitable that she would become an actress , commenting that she was " surrounded by creative people and I don ’ t think it would ever have gone any other way , really " . While there , she had a " seminal moment " that turned her to feminism and inspired her to take up performing . She explained in an interview in 2007 how she discovered the book The Madwoman in the Attic , " which is about Victorian female writers and the disguises they took on in order to express what they wanted to express . That completely changed my life . " She became a self @-@ professed " punk rocker " , with short red hair and a motorbike , and aspired to be a comedian like Lily Tomlin . At Cambridge , Thompson was invited into Footlights , the university 's prestigious sketch comedy troupe , by its president , Martin Bergman , becoming its first female member . Also in the troupe were fellow actors Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie , and she had a romantic relationship with the latter . Fry recalled that " there was no doubt that Emma was going the distance . Our nickname for her was Emma Talented . " In 1980 , Thompson served as the Vice President of Footlights , and co @-@ directed the troupe 's first all @-@ female revue , Women 's Hour . The following year , Thompson and her Footlights team won the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for their sketch show The Cellar Tapes . In 1982 , Thompson 's father died as a result of circulatory problems at the age of 52 . The actress has commented that this " tore [ the family ] to pieces " , and " I can 't begin to tell you how much I regret his not being around " . She added , " At the same time , it 's possible that were he still alive I might never have had the space or courage to do what I 've done ... I have a definite feeling of inheriting space . And power . " = = Acting career = = = = = 1980s : Breaking through = = = Thompson had her first professional role in 1982 , touring in a stage version of Not the Nine O 'Clock News . She then turned to television , where much of her early work came with her Footlights co @-@ stars Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry . The regional ITV comedy series There 's Nothing To Worry About ! ( 1982 ) was their first outing , followed by the one @-@ off BBC show The Crystal Cube ( 1983 ) . There 's Nothing to Worry About ! later returned as the networked sketch show Alfresco ( 1983 – 84 ) , which ran for two series with Thompson , Fry , Laurie , Ben Elton , and Robbie Coltrane . She later collaborated again with Fry and Laurie on the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series Saturday Night Fry ( 1988 ) . In 1985 , Thompson was cast in the West End revival of the musical Me and My Girl , co @-@ starring Robert Lindsay . It provided a breakthrough in her career , as the production earned rave reviews . She played the role of Sally Smith for 15 months , which exhausted the actress ; she later remarked " I thought if I did the fucking " Lambeth Walk " one more time I was going to fucking throw up . " At the end of 1985 , she wrote and starred in her own one @-@ off special for Channel 4 , Emma Thompson : Up for Grabs . Thompson achieved another breakthrough in 1987 , when she had leading roles in two television miniseries : Fortunes of War , a World War II drama co @-@ starring Kenneth Branagh , and Tutti Frutti , a dark @-@ comedy about a Scottish rock band with Robbie Coltrane . For these performances , Thompson won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress . The following year , she wrote and starred in her own sketch comedy series for BBC , Thompson , but this was poorly received . In 1989 , she and Branagh — who had formed a romantic relationship — starred in a stage revival of Look Back in Anger , directed by Judi Dench and produced by Branagh 's Renaissance Theatre Company . Later that year , the pair starred in a televised version of the play . Thompson 's first cinema appearance came in the romantic comedy The Tall Guy ( 1989 ) , the feature @-@ film debut from screenwriter Richard Curtis . It starred Jeff Goldblum as a West End actor , and Thompson played the nurse with whom he falls in love . The film was not widely seen , but Thompson 's performance was praised in The New York Times , where Caryn James called her " an exceptionally versatile comic actress " . She next turned to Shakespeare , appearing as Princess Katherine in Branagh 's screen adaptation of Henry V ( 1989 ) . The film was released to great critical acclaim . = = = 1990 – 93 : A leading British actress = = = Thompson and Branagh are considered by American writer and critic James Monaco to have led the " British cinematic onslaught " in the 1990s . She continued to experiment with Shakespeare in the new decade , appearing with Branagh in his stage productions of A Midsummer Night 's Dream and King Lear . Reviewing the latter , the Chicago Tribune praised her " extraordinary " performance of the " hobbling , stooped hunchback Fool " . Thompson returned to cinema in 1991 , playing a " frivolous aristocrat " in Impromptu , a period drama about the life of George Sand that starred Judy Davis and Hugh Grant . The film received positive reviews , and Thompson was nominated for Best Supporting Female at the Independent Spirit Awards . Her second release of 1991 was another pairing with Branagh , who also directed , in the Los Angeles @-@ based noir Dead Again . She played a woman who has forgotten her identity , and the thriller was number one at the US box office for two weeks . Early in 1992 , Thompson had a guest role in an episode of the American comedy series Cheers as Frasier Crane 's first wife . A turning point in Thompson 's career came when she was cast opposite Anthony Hopkins and Vanessa Redgrave in the Merchant Ivory period drama Howards End ( 1992 ) , based on the novel by E. M. Forster . The film explored the social class system in Edwardian England , with Thompson playing an idealistic , intellectual , forward @-@ looking woman who comes into association with a privileged and deeply conservative family . She actively pursued the role by writing to director James Ivory , who agreed to an audition and then gave her the part . According to the critic Vincent Canby , the film allowed Thompson to " [ come ] into her own " , away from Branagh . Upon release , Roger Ebert wrote that she was " superb in the central role : quiet , ironic , observant , with steel inside . " Howards End was widely praised , a " surprise hit " , and received nine Academy Award nominations . Among its three wins was the Best Actress trophy for Thompson , who was also awarded a Golden Globe and BAFTA for her performance . Reflecting on the role , The New York Times writes that the actress " found herself an international success almost overnight . " For her next two films , Thompson returned to working with Branagh . In Peter 's Friends ( 1992 ) , the pair starred with Stephen Fry , Hugh Laurie , Imelda Staunton , and Tony Slattery as a group of Cambridge alumni who are reunited ten years after graduating . The comedy was positively reviewed , and Desson Howe of The Washington Post wrote that Thompson was its highlight : " Even as a rather one @-@ dimensional character , she exudes grace and an adroit sense of comic tragedy . " She followed this with Branagh 's screen version of Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) . The couple starred as Beatrice and Benedick , alongside a cast that also included Denzel Washington , Keanu Reeves , and Michael Keaton . Thompson was widely praised for the on @-@ screen chemistry with Branagh and the natural ease with which she played the role marking another critical success for Thompson . Her performance earned a nomination for Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards . Thompson reunited with Merchant – Ivory and Anthony Hopkins to film The Remains of the Day ( 1993 ) , a film which has been described as a " classic " and the production team 's definitive film . Based on Kazuo Ishiguro 's novel about a housekeeper and butler in interwar Britain , the story is acclaimed for its study of loneliness and repression , though Thompson was particularly interested in looking at " the deformity that servitude inflicts upon people " , since her grandmother had worked as a servant and made many sacrifices . She has named the film as one of the greatest experiences of her career , considering it to be a " masterpiece of withheld emotion " . The Remains of the Day was a critical and commercial success , receiving eight Oscar nominations , including Best Picture and a second Best Actress nod for Thompson . Along with her Best Actress nomination at the 66th Academy Awards , Thompson was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category , making her the eighth performer in history to be nominated for two Oscars in the same year . It came for her role as the lawyer Gareth Peirce in In the Name of the Father ( 1993 ) , a drama about the Guildford Four starring Daniel Day @-@ Lewis . The film was her second hit of the year , earning $ 65 million and critical praise , and was nominated for Best Picture along with The Remains of the Day . = = = 1994 – 98 : Sense and Sensibility and Hollywood roles = = = In 1994 , Thompson made her Hollywood debut playing a goofy doctor alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in the blockbuster Junior . Although the male pregnancy storyline was poorly received by most critics , Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle praised the lead trio . She returned to independent cinema for a lead role in Carrington , which studied the platonic relationship between artist Dora Carrington and writer Lytton Strachey ( played by Jonathan Price ) . Roger Ebert remarked that Thompson had " developed a specialty in unrequited love " , and the TV Guide Film & Video Companion commented that her " neurasthenic mannerisms , which usually drive us batty , are appropriate here " . Thompson 's Academy success continued with Sense and Sensibility ( 1995 ) , generally considered to be the most popular and authentic of the numerous film adaptions of Jane Austen 's novels made in the 1990s . Thompson — a lifelong lover of Austen 's work — was hired to write the film based on the period sketches in her series Thompson . She spent five years developing the screenplay , and took the role of the spinster sister Elinor Dashwood despite , at 35 , being 16 years older than the literary character . Directed by Ang Lee and co @-@ starring Kate Winslet , Sense and Sensibility received widespread critical praise and is one of the highest @-@ grossing films of Thompson 's career . Shelly Frome remarked that she displayed a " great affinity for Jane Austen 's style and wit " , and Graham Fuller of Sight and Sound saw her as the film 's auteur . Thompson received a third nomination for Best Actress and won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay , making her the only person in history to win an Oscar for both acting and writing . She also earned a second BAFTA Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay . Thompson was absent from screens in 1996 , but returned the following year with Alan Rickman 's directorial debut , The Winter Guest . Set over one day in a Scottish seaside village , the drama allowed Thompson and her mother ( Phyllida Law ) to play mother and daughter on screen . She then returned to America to appear in an episode of Ellen , and her self @-@ parodying performance received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series . For her second Hollywood role , Thompson starred with John Travolta in Mike Nichols 's Primary Colors ( 1998 ) , playing a couple based on Bill and Hillary Clinton . Thompson 's character , Susan , is described as that of an " ambitious , long @-@ suffering wife " who has to deal with her husband 's infidelity . The film was critically well received but lost money at the box office . According to Kevin O 'Sullivan of the Daily Mirror , Americans were " blown away " by her performance and accent , and top Hollywood producers became increasingly interested in casting her . Thompson rejected many of the offers , expressing concerns about living in Los Angeles behind walls with bodyguards , and stated " LA is lovely as long as you know you can leave " . She also admitted to feeling tired and jaded with the industry at this point , which influenced her decision to leave film for a year . Thompson followed Primary Colors by playing an FBI agent opposite Rickman in the poorly received thriller Judas Kiss ( 1998 ) . = = = 2000s : Smaller roles = = = When she became a mother in 1999 , Thompson made a conscious decision to reduce her workload , and in the following years many of her appearances were supporting roles . She was not seen on screen again until 2000 , with only a small part in the British comedy Maybe Baby , which she appeared in as a favour to its director , her friend Ben Elton . For the HBO television film Wit ( 2001 ) , however , Thompson happily took the lead role in what she felt was " one of the best scripts to have come out of America " . Adapted from Margaret Edson 's Pulitzer Prize winning play , it focusses on a self @-@ sufficient Harvard University professor who finds her values challenged when she is diagnosed with ovarian cancer . Thompson was instrumental in bringing Mike Nichols to direct the project , and the pair spent months in rehearsal to get the complex character right . She was greatly drawn to the " daredevil " role , for which she had no qualms about shaving her head . Reviewing the performance , Roger Ebert was touched by " the way she struggles with every ounce of her humanity to keep her self @-@ respect " , and in 2008 he called it Thompson 's finest work . Caryn James of The New York Times also described it as " one of her most brilliant performances " , adding " we seem to be peering into a soul as embattled as its body . " The film earned Thompson nominations at the Golden Globes , Emmys and Screen Actors Guild Awards . Thompson 's only credit of 2002 was a vocal performance in Disney 's Treasure Planet , an adaptation of Treasure Island , where she voiced Captain Amelia . The animation earned far less than its large budget and was considered a " box office disaster " . This failure was countered the following year by one of Thompson 's biggest commercial successes , Richard Curtis 's romantic comedy Love Actually . As part of an ensemble cast that included Liam Neeson , Keira Knightley , and Colin Firth , she played a middle @-@ class wife who suspects her husband ( played by Alan Rickman ) of infidelity . The scene in which her stalwart character breaks down was described by one critic as " the best crying on screen ever " , and in 2013 , Thompson mentioned that she gets commended for this role more than any other . She explained , " I 've had so much bloody practice at crying in a bedroom then having to go out and be cheerful , gathering up the pieces of my heart and putting them in a drawer . " Her performance received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress . Thompson continued with supporting roles in the 2003 drama Imagining Argentina , where she played a dissident @-@ journalist abducted by the country 's 1970s dictatorial regime . Antonio Banderas played the husband who tries to find her , in a film that most critics disliked . The film was booed and jeered at when it was screened at the Venice Film Festival and received a scathing article in The Guardian . Thompson had greater success that year when she worked with HBO for a second time in the acclaimed miniseries Angels in America ( 2003 ) . The show , also featuring Al Pacino and Meryl Streep , dealt with the AIDS epidemic in Reagan @-@ era America . Thompson played three small roles – a nurse , a homeless woman , and an angel – and was again nominated for an Emmy Award . In 2004 , she played the eccentric Divination teacher Sybill Trelawney in the third Harry Potter film , the Prisoner of Azkaban , her character described as a " hippy chick professor who teaches fortune @-@ telling " . She later reprised her role in the Order of the Phoenix ( 2007 ) and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 ( 2011 ) , and has called her time on the popular franchise " great fun " . The year 2005 saw the release of a project Thompson had been working on for nine years . Loosely based on the Nurse Matilda stories that she read as a child , Thompson wrote the screenplay for the children 's film Nanny McPhee – which centres on a mysterious , unsightly nanny who must discipline a group of children . She also took the lead role , alongside Colin Firth and Angela Lansbury , in what was a highly personal project . The film was a success , taking number one at the UK box office and earning $ 122 million worldwide . Commenting on Thompson 's screenplay , film critic Claudia Puig wrote that its " well @-@ worn storybook features are woven effectively into an appealing tale of youthful empowerment " . The following year , Thompson appeared in the surreal American comedy – drama Stranger than Fiction , playing a novelist whose latest character ( played by Will Ferrell ) is a real person who hears her narration in his head . Reviews for the film were generally favourable . Following a brief , uncredited role in the post @-@ apocalyptic blockbuster I Am Legend ( 2007 ) , Thompson played the devoutly Catholic Lady Marchmain in a 2008 film adaptation of Brideshead Revisited . Critics were unenthusiastic about the film , but several picked Thompson out as its highlight . Mark Kermode said " Emma Thompson is to some extent becoming the new Judi Dench , as the person who kind of comes in for 15 minutes and is brilliant ... [ but then ] when she goes away , the rest of the movie has a real problem living up to the wattage of her presence " . Thompson was further acclaimed for her work in the London @-@ based romance Last Chance Harvey ( 2008 ) , where she and Dustin Hoffman played a lonely , middle @-@ aged pair who cautiously begin a relationship . Critics praised the chemistry between the two leads , and both received Golden Globe nominations for their performances . Thompson 's two 2009 films were both set in 1960s England , and in both she made cameo appearances : as a headmistress in the critically praised drama An Education and as a " tippling mother " in Richard Curtis 's The Boat that Rocked . = = = 2010s : Veteran performer = = = Five years after the original , Thompson returned to Nanny McPhee with 2010 's Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang . Her screenplay transported the story to Britain during the Second World War , and incorporated a new cast including Maggie Gyllenhaal . Building on the first film 's success , it was another UK box office number one and the sequel was widely seen as an improvement . The same year , Thompson reunited with Alan Rickman for the BBC television film The Song of Lunch , which focused on two unnamed characters meeting at a restaurant 15 years after ending their relationship . Thompson 's performance earned her a fourth Emmy Award nomination . In 2012 , Thompson made a rare appearance in a big @-@ budget Hollywood film when she played the head Agent in Men in Black 3 – a continuation of the popular sci @-@ fi comedy franchise starring Will Smith . With a worldwide gross of $ 624 million , MIB3 is Thompson 's biggest commercial hit outside of the Harry Potter films . This mainstream success continued with the Pixar film Brave , in which Thompson voiced Elinor – the Scottish queen despairing at her daughter 's defiance against tradition . It was her second consecutive blockbuster release , and critics were generally kind to the film . Also in 2012 , Thompson played Queen Elizabeth II in an episode of Playhouse Presents , which dramatised an incident in 1982 when an intruder broke into the Queen 's bedroom . Her first film of 2013 was the fantasy romance Beautiful Creatures , in which she played an evil mother . The film aimed to capitalise on the success of The Twilight Saga , but was poorly reviewed and a box office disappointment . Film critic Peter Travers was critical of Thompson 's performance and " outrageously awful Southern accent " , and feared " the damage this crock may do to [ her ] reputation " . Conversely , her next appearance was so successful that it led one journalist to write " Emma Thompson is back , firing on all cylinders . " Saving Mr. Banks depicted the making of Mary Poppins , and starred Thompson as P. L. Travers , curmudgeonly author of the source novel , and Tom Hanks as Walt Disney . The actress considered it the best screenplay she had read in years and was delighted to be offered the role . She considered it to be the most challenging of her career because she had " never really played anyone quite so contradictory or difficult before " , but found the inconsistent and complicated character " a blissful joy to embody " . The film was well @-@ received , grossed $ 112 million worldwide , and critics were unanimous in their praise for Thompson 's performance . The review in The Independent expressed thanks that her " playing of Travers is so deft that we instantly warm to her , and forgive her her snobbery " , while Total Film 's critic felt that Thompson brought depth to the " predictable " film with " her best performance in years " . Thompson was nominated for Best Actress at the BAFTAs , SAGs and Golden Globes , and received the Lead Actress trophy from the National Board of Review . Meryl Streep stated that she was " shocked " to see that Thompson did not receive an Academy Award nomination for the film . The romantic @-@ comedy The Love Punch ( 2013 ) gave Thompson her second consecutive leading role , where she and Pierce Brosnan played a divorced couple who reunite to steal his ex @-@ boss 's jewellery . In March 2014 , she made her first stage appearance in 24 years – and her New York debut – in a Lincoln Center production of Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . She appeared in the musical for five nights , and her " playful " performance of Mrs Lovett was highly praised ; the critic Kayla Epstein wrote that she " not only held her own against more experienced vocalists , but wound up running off with the show . " She received her sixth Emmy nomination for the televised version of the show . In 2014 , Thompson provided the narration for Jason Reitman 's film Men , Women & Children , before seeing the release of a project she had been working on for many years . The drama Effie Gray , based on the true @-@ life story of art critic John Ruskin 's marriage , was written by Thompson but was subject to a copyright case before being cleared for cinemas . The American playwright Gregory Murphy claimed Effie Gray infringed on his play and screenplay The Countess , which deals with the same story and which Murphy says he submitted to Thompson and her husband Greg Wise to play the roles they subsequently played in Thompson 's film . In March 2013 a judge , after allowing Thompson to submit a second revised screenplay into evidence , ruled that the works were " quite dissimilar in their two approaches to fictionalising the same historical events , " but noted twelve significant similarities between Murphy 's play and screenplay and Thompson 's screenplay that could not be accounted for even after taking into consideration their " shared historical backgrounds . " Effie Gray was finally released in October 2014 , to a modest reception . Thompson appeared in the film , alongside her husband Greg Wise and actress Dakota Fanning , but declined to promote it , as did Mr. Wise . Thompson 's first film of 2015 was A Walk in the Woods , a comedy adapted from the book by Bill Bryson , where she appeared opposite Robert Redford and Nick Nolte . She next starred with Robert Carlyle in his directoral debut The Legend of Barney Thomson . Her role was his 77 @-@ year @-@ old mother , a Glaswegian foul @-@ mouthed , chain @-@ smoking former prostitute . Neither film was a critical success , although the latter received some positive reviews and Empire magazine wrote that Thomson was " unforgettable " . Later that year , she had a supporting role in John Wells ' restaurant @-@ based film Burnt , alongside Bradley Cooper . In 2016 , she starred with Brendan Gleeson in the World War II @-@ drama Alone in Berlin , based on the story of Otto and Elise Hampel . As of April 2016 , Thompson has three upcoming roles . In Bridget Jones 's Baby , for which she also co @-@ wrote the screenplay , she will play a doctor . The film is released in September . She will also appear as Mrs Potts in Disney 's upcoming live action film Beauty and the Beast , and has a supporting role as a hippy in Noah Baumbach 's dramedy Yeh Din Ka Kissa , both scheduled for 2017 . = = Reception and acting style = = Thompson is widely considered to be one of the finest actresses of her generation and one of Britain 's best @-@ known actresses , accepted in Hollywood . Early in her career , when she was closely associated with her first husband Kenneth Branagh , she was somewhat unpopular and considered a " luvvy " . The public warmed to her after the separation , and she became one of the key actresses of the 1990s . Her status has continued to grow ; in 2008 , journalist Sarah Sands stated that Thompson has improved with age and experience , and Mark Kermode and said of her performances , " There is something about her which is - you just trust her . You just think ' I 'm in proper hands here . ' ... She 's up there with the great , I mean really great , British female performers " . Thompson is particularly known for playing reticent women , and Sands describes her as " the best actress of our times on suffering borne with poignant dignity " . According to Kate Kellaway of The Guardian , she specialises in playing " a good woman in a frock " . She also plays many haughty characters , with a " bracing , nanny @-@ like demeanour " , but she is noted for her ability to win the empathy of audiences . Thompson belongs to a group of highly decorated British actresses including Judi Dench , Kate Winslet and Helena Bonham Carter who are known for appearing in " heritage films " and typically showing " restraint , rendering emotions through intellect rather than feelings , and a sense of irony , which demonstrates the heroine 's superior understanding " . Projecting a typically " British image " , Thompson 's often dogmatic and tight @-@ jawed manner has also been compared to Maggie Smith . With a background in comedy , Thompson 's performances are typically delivered with an ironic touch . Ang Lee , director of Sense and Sensibility stated that Thompson 's comedic approach may be her greatest asset as an actress , remarking , " Emma is an extremely funny lady . Like Austen , she 's laughing at her own culture while she 's a part of it . " Thompson has stated that the " most moving things are often also funny , in life and in art " which is present in her film work . She often brings her real personality to her roles , and Kellaway believes that her lack of conventional beauty contributes to her likeability as an actress . = = Personal life = = Thompson , although born in London , has confessed to feeling Scottish : " not only because I am half Scottish but also because I 've spent half my life here " . She frequently returns to Scotland and visits Dunoon in Argyll and Bute , where she owns a home . Thompson 's first husband was the actor and director Kenneth Branagh , whom she met in 1987 while filming the television series Fortunes of War . The couple married in 1989 and proceeded to appear in several films together , with Branagh often casting her in his own productions . Dubbed a " golden couple " by the British media , the relationship received considerable press interest . The pair attempted to keep their relationship private , refusing to be interviewed or photographed together . In September 1995 , Thompson and Branagh announced that they had separated ; their statement to the press blamed their work schedules , but it later emerged that he had fallen in love with actress Helena Bonham Carter . Thompson was living alone as the relationship with Branagh deteriorated , and entered into clinical depression . While filming Sense and Sensibility in 1995 , she began a relationship with her co @-@ star Greg Wise . Commenting on how she was able to overcome her depression , she told BBC Radio Four , " Work saved me and Greg saved me . He picked up the pieces and put them together again . " In 1999 , the couple had a daughter , Gaia , born when Thompson was 39 . The pregnancy was achieved through IVF treatment ; afterwards Wise and Thompson attempted to have another child using the same method . Three years of further IVF treatment were unsuccessful . In 2003 , Thompson and Wise were married in Dunoon . The family 's permanent residence is in West Hampstead , London , on the same road where she lived in her youth . Also in 2003 , Thompson and her husband informally adopted a Rwandan orphan and former child soldier named Tindyebwa Agaba . They met at a Refugee Council event when he was 16 , and she invited him to spend Christmas at their home . " Slowly , " Thompson has commented , " he became a sort of permanent fixture , came on holiday to Scotland with us , became part of the family . " Tindy became a British citizen in 2009 . = = = Views and activism = = = Thompson has said of her religious views : " I 'm an atheist ... I regard religion with fear and suspicion . It 's not enough to say that I don 't believe in God . I actually regard the system as distressing : I am offended by some of the things said in the Bible and the Qur 'an and I refute them . " Despite this , she has said that she approves of the " guiding moral principles " of the Christian tradition " if applied properly " , and that she observes Christmas . She is politically liberal and a supporter of the Labour Party ; she told the BBC Andrew Marr Show in 2010 that she had been a member of the party " all my life . " She supports the socialist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn . Thompson has been a campaigner since her youth . Since becoming a public figure she has regularly voiced her views and been involved in many issues , prompting criticism that she is overly outspoken . In 2010 , The Daily Telegraph asked : " Emma Thompson : a national treasure or Britain 's most annoying woman ? " She has justified her assertiveness by saying , " what I feel is that we all need to speak up and a woman who has got a louder voice needs to shout very loudly indeed . " She is particularly active in human rights work . As an ambassador for the charity ActionAid she has travelled to Uganda , Mozambique , Ethiopia , Liberia , and Burma . She is chair of the Helen Bamber Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture , a patron of the Refugee Council , and has a therapy room in her office for traumatised refugees . Thompson is also an activist for Palestinians , having been a member of the British @-@ based ENOUGH ! coalition that seeks to end the " Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and West Bank . " She is a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation , and in 2009 Time named her a " European Hero " in recognition of " her work to highlight the plight of Aids sufferers in Africa . " Aside from humanitarian work , Thompson is also an active environmentalist . She is a supporter of Greenpeace , and in January 2009 , as part of her campaign against climate change , she and three other members of the organisation bought land near the village of Sipson to deter the building of a third runway for Heathrow Airport . In August 2014 , Thompson and her daughter , Gaia , went on a Greenpeace " Save the Arctic " expedition to raise awareness of the dangers of drilling for oil . She is also an ambassador for the Galapagos Conservation Trust . In May 2016 Thompson announced that she would be supporting the Women 's Equality Party in the 2016 London mayoral election . Writing in The Guardian she said , " I am backing the Women ’ s Equality party because I really do not want to die before closing the pay gap , which stands , in our great and supposedly modern capital city , at 23 % . " = = Books = = In 2012 , Thompson wrote The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit as an addition to the Peter Rabbit series by Beatrix Potter to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit . She was approached by the publishers to write it , the first authorised Peter story since 1930 and the only one not written by Potter . The book falls in the middle of the earlier series , rather than at the end , and takes Peter Rabbit outside of Mr. McGregor 's garden and into Scotland . It was a New York Times Best Seller . In 2013 , Thompson wrote a second book in the series titled The Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit . = = Filmography and awards = = As of December 2015 Thompson has appeared in 40 films , 20 television programmes and eight stage productions . She has won and been nominated for many awards during her career , including five Academy Award nominations ( winning two ) , nine Golden Globe Award nominations ( winning two ) , seven BAFTA Award nominations ( winning three ) , and six Emmy Award nominations ( winning one ) .
= Duane Courtney = Duane Jerome Courtney ( born 7 January 1985 ) is an English semi @-@ professional footballer who plays as a defender for National League North club Corby Town . Courtney started his career in the youth system of Derby County as a schoolboy and later played for Birmingham City as a trainee . He played for AFC Telford United in the 2004 – 05 season and after being named their Player of the Season he joined Burnley in the Football League . After making eight appearances for them in one season he was released and joined Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints in 2006 . He played for them for three seasons before returning to England with Conference Premier team Kidderminster Harriers in 2009 . He left Kidderminster after one season to sign for York City , who released him in 2011 . He then played for Tamworth but left after their relegation to the Conference North to join Alfreton Town in 2014 . = = Career = = = = = Early career = = = Courtney joined the Derby County youth system as a schoolboy in 1999 before joining Birmingham City as a trainee in 2001 . He was also a reserve team player for Birmingham . He went on trial with Second Division team Colchester United in April 2004 after being recommended to the club by former Birmingham player Craig Fagan . Released by Birmingham in the summer of 2004 after not being offered professional terms , Courtney considered giving up football before joining Northern Premier League First Division team AFC Telford United in August following a trial . He scored for Telford in a 4 – 2 defeat to Kidsgrove Athletic in the FA Trophy preliminary round in October , which was the team 's first game in the competition . Courtney played in the 2 – 1 win over Kendal Town in the 2005 Northern Premier League First Division play @-@ off Final , seeing the club promoted to the Northern Premier League Premier Division . He received Telford 's Supporters ' Player of the Season , Manager 's Player of the Season and Players ' Player of the Season awards for the 2004 – 05 season and he signed a new one @-@ year contract in the summer of 2005 . = = = Burnley = = = He drew attention from Football League clubs and on 31 August 2005 he signed for Championship team Burnley on a two @-@ year contract for an initial fee of £ 25 @,@ 000 with a sell @-@ on clause after having a trial with the club , having opted not to join Wolverhampton Wanderers . He made his first team debut as a substitute in the 89th minute of a 1 – 0 victory at Leicester City on 18 October , which was followed by a stoppage time appearance in a 1 – 0 defeat at Aston Villa in the League Cup on 25 October . His first and only start for Burnley came in a 3 – 2 victory at Luton Town on 5 November , in which he gave a solid performance . Having struggled to break into the team Courtney finished the season with eight appearances , seven coming from the substitutes ' bench , and was placed on the transfer list in May 2006 . He rejected an offer from Conference National team Kidderminster Harriers in July 2006 on the advice of his agent and was eventually released by Burnley on 17 August after having his contract cancelled . = = = The New Saints = = = Following a trial with League Two team Bury , Courtney signed for Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints ( TNS ) on a free transfer on 20 September 2006 and he believed playing in this league was an " ideal shop window in which to develop his career and showcase his talent " . He finished the 2006 – 07 season with 29 appearances and three goals in all competitions and he was named in the Welsh Premier League Team of the Year for the season , having been a key member of the team that won the League and the FAW Premier Cup . Courtney played for TNS in both legs of their 4 – 4 draw on aggregate with FK Ventspils in the 2007 – 08 UEFA Champions League first qualifying round , a result that ended the team 's involvement in the tournament due to the away goal rule . He finished the 2007 – 08 season with 29 appearances and one goal in all competitions . Two further European appearances came in the 2008 – 09 season , playing in both legs of the 2 – 0 defeat on aggregate to FK Sūduva in the 2008 – 09 UEFA Cup first qualifying round . Courtney came on as a 90th @-@ minute substitute for TNS in the 2009 Welsh League Cup Final , which the side won with a 2 – 0 victory over Bangor City . He made 40 appearances and scored one goal in all competitions and the club announced in April 2009 that he would be released when his contract expired on 30 June , having made 98 appearances and scored five goals in all competitions for the club . = = = Kidderminster Harriers = = = After " composed performances " on trial in pre @-@ season , Courtney signed a one @-@ year contract with Conference Premier club Kidderminster Harriers on 20 July 2009 . He made his debut as a substitute in the 66th minute of a 1 – 0 victory over Hayes & Yeading United on 8 August 2009 , which was followed by his first start in a 1 – 0 defeat to Salisbury City on 11 August due to Liam Dolman not being fit . He played against Tamworth on 31 August 2009 despite an injury and although he was still suffering this injury he was able to play in the next game , a 2 – 0 defeat to Eastbourne Borough . Courtney commented in September 2009 that Kidderminster 's defence was taking time to gel , saying " We 've all played at a high standard , individually and collectively we are good , but there 's something missing . I think it 's communication between us , which is why we 're making mistakes . " His first and only goal for Kidderminster came with a low shot at Kettering Town in a 2 – 0 victory on 21 November 2009 and manager Mark Yates said " It was a good finish by Duane , he does it in training quite often " . He missed a game against AFC Wimbledon on 28 November 2009 due to illness and he returned to the team in a 0 – 0 draw with Tamworth on 1 December . He played for Kidderminster in their run to the FA Trophy semi @-@ final , in which they were beaten 5 – 1 on aggregate by Stevenage Borough . Courtney suffered an ankle injury against Cambridge United on 30 March 2010 and returned in the following game against Altrincham on 3 April , in which he was forced to be substituted due to his ankle . He did not miss any further playing time as he featured in the following game , a 1 – 1 draw with Rushden & Diamonds on 5 April 2010 . He finished the 2009 – 10 season with 49 appearances and one goal for Kidderminster . = = = York City = = = Following the signing of Lee Vaughan in the summer of 2010 , Courtney 's position at Kidderminster looked tenuous and the club stalled on a new contract as they were finalising their budget for the forthcoming season . He joined Conference Premier rivals York City on a one @-@ year contract on 24 May 2010 . He made his debut in a 2 – 1 defeat to former club Kidderminster as a 76th @-@ minute substitute on 14 August , the opening day of the 2010 – 11 season , and he conceded a penalty kick in the 89th minute that was scored by the opposition . His first start for the club came in a 1 – 1 draw at Wrexham on 11 September 2010 . Having made seven appearances for York , Courtney was made available for loan on 28 October 2010 . He went on trial with League Two club Cheltenham Town in January 2011 , who were managed by Yates , Courtney 's manager at Kidderminster . He impressed playing in central defence in Cheltenham 's reserve game against Coventry City . Courtney was released by York after his contract was cancelled on 21 January 2011 , after which he agreed to train with Cheltenham for one week . However , Cheltenham decided to not offer him a contract . = = = Tamworth = = = Courtney signed with Conference Premier club Tamworth on 3 February 2011 and he made his debut as a 75th @-@ minute substitute in a 1 – 0 defeat to Histon two days later . He finished the season with 18 appearances for Tamworth . Courtney signed a new two @-@ year contract with Tamworth on 22 June 2011 , keeping him at the club until the summer of 2013 . On 1 January 2012 , he scored his first goal for the club with a shot into the bottom corner in a 2 – 2 draw with Alfreton Town . Courtney made 44 appearances and scored one goal in 2012 – 13 and won the club 's Players ' Player of the Year , Manager 's Player of the Year and Supporter 's Player of the Year awards . He made 23 appearances and scored two goals for Tamworth in the 2013 – 14 season , which finished with the club 's relegation to the Conference North , and he missed a number of matches due to hamstring problems . = = = Alfreton Town = = = Courtney signed for Conference Premier club Alfreton Town on 4 June 2014 and made his debut in a 2 – 0 away defeat to Forest Green Rovers on 16 August . He made 18 appearances in the 2014 – 15 season as the club was relegated after finishing 21st in the Conference Premier . = = = Corby Town = = = Courtney signed for newly promoted National League North club Corby Town on 14 June 2015 . = = Style of play = = Courtney primarily plays as a right @-@ back and is a versatile player , also being able to play at left back and centre @-@ back . He is an attacking player and has pace and athleticism . Courtney said of his play " I can run for 90 minutes up and down and get forward quite well , as well as getting back . I 'm strong , quick and quite good in the air for my height " in 2010 . York manager Martin Foyle described him as " exciting " and said " He 's got the energy to get forward " . = = Personal life = = Born in Oldbury , West Midlands , Courtney lived in nearby Birmingham with his partner and two children up until 2010 when he moved to York following his transfer to York City . However , he failed to settle in York and after leaving the club in 2011 he returned to live in Birmingham . = = Career statistics = = As of match played 28 March 2016 . = = Honours = = AFC Telford United Northern Premier League First Division play @-@ offs : 2004 – 05 The New Saints Welsh Premier League : 2006 – 07 Welsh League Cup : 2008 – 09 FAW Premier Cup : 2006 – 07 Individual AFC Telford United Player of the Year : 2004 – 05 Tamworth Player of the Year : 2012 – 13
= Star Wars : Episode I – The Phantom Menace = Star Wars : Episode I – The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas , produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and stars Liam Neeson , Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August and Frank Oz . The film is set thirty @-@ two years before the original film , and follows Jedi Master Qui @-@ Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi @-@ Wan Kenobi as they protect Queen Amidala , in hopes of securing a peaceful end to a large @-@ scale interplanetary trade dispute . Joined by Anakin Skywalker — a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force — they simultaneously contend with the mysterious return of the Sith . Lucas began production of this film after he determined that film special effects had advanced to the level he wanted for the fourth film in the saga . Filming started on June 26 , 1997 , at locations including Leavesden Film Studios and the Tunisian desert . Its visual effects included extensive use of computer @-@ generated imagery ( CGI ) ; many of its characters and settings were completely computerized . The film was Lucas 's first directorial effort after a 22 @-@ year hiatus following Star Wars in 1977 . The Phantom Menace was released to theaters on May 19 , 1999 , sixteen years after the premiere of the previous Star Wars film , Return of the Jedi . The film 's premiere was extensively covered by media and was greatly anticipated because of the large cultural following the Star Wars saga had cultivated . Despite mixed reviews from critics , who tended to praise the visuals , action sequences , John Williams ' musical score , and the performances of Liam Neeson , Ewan McGregor , Pernilla August , Ray Park , and Ian McDiarmid , but criticize the writing , characterization and the majority of the acting ( particularly from Ahmed Best and Jake Lloyd ) , it grossed more than US $ 924 @.@ 3 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run , making it the second @-@ highest @-@ grossing film worldwide at the time — behind Titanic . It became the highest @-@ grossing film of 1999 , the highest @-@ grossing Star Wars film ( until the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens in 2015 ) , and is currently the seventeenth @-@ highest @-@ grossing film in North America unadjusted for inflation . A 3D reissue , which has earned an additional US $ 102 @.@ 7 million at the box office and brought the film 's overall worldwide takings to over US $ 1 billion , was released in February 2012 . The film was followed by two sequels , Star Wars : Episode II – Attack of the Clones in 2002 and Star Wars : Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005 . = = Cast = = Liam Neeson as Qui @-@ Gon Jinn , a Jedi Master and mentor to Obi @-@ Wan . When he discovers Anakin he insists that the boy be trained as a Jedi despite the Jedi Council 's protests . Lucas originally wanted to cast an American actor in the role , but cast Irishman Neeson because he considered that Neeson had great skills and presence . Lucas said Neeson was a " master actor , who the other actors will look up to , who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands " . Ewan McGregor as Obi @-@ Wan Kenobi , Qui @-@ Gon 's young Jedi apprentice . He holds Qui @-@ Gon in high regard but questions his motives at times . McGregor was cast from a shortlist of fifty actors , all of whom had to be compared to pictures of young Alec Guinness , who portrayed the elderly Obi @-@ Wan , to make a believable younger version . McGregor had a vocal coach to help his voice sound closer to Guinness ' . He also studied several of Guinness ' performances , from his early work and the Star Wars movies . Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala : Amidala , the 14 @-@ year @-@ old Queen of Naboo , hopes to protect her planet from a blockade by the Trade Federation . Over 200 actors auditioned for the role . The Production notes stated ; " The role required a young woman who could be believable as the ruler of that planet , but at the same time be vulnerable and open " . Portman was chosen especially for her performances in Léon : The Professional ( 1994 ) and Beautiful Girls ( 1996 ) , which impressed Lucas . He stated , " I was looking for someone who was young , strong , along the lines of Leia [ and ] Natalie embodied all those traits and more " . Portman was unfamiliar with Star Wars before being cast , but was enthusiastic about being cast as a character she expected to become a role model . Portman said , " It was wonderful playing a young queen with so much power . I think it will be good for young women to see a strong woman of action who is also smart and a leader . " Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker , a 9 @-@ year @-@ old slave boy and a skilled pilot who dreams of becoming a Jedi . Hundreds of actors were tested before the producers settled on Lloyd who Lucas considered met his requirements of " a good actor , enthusiastic and very energetic " . Producer Rick McCallum said that Lloyd was " smart , mischievous and loves anything mechanical — just like Anakin . " Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious , a Senator of Naboo who is eventually elected Chancellor of the Republic . McDiarmid was surprised when Lucas approached him 16 years after Return of the Jedi to reprise the role of Palpatine because he had assumed that a younger actor would play the part in the prequel films . Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker , Anakin 's mother who is concerned for her son 's future and allows him leave with the Jedi . August , a veteran of Swedish cinema , was chosen after auditioning with Liam Neeson . She was afraid of being rejected because of her accent . Frank Oz voices Yoda , the centuries @-@ old leader of the Jedi Council who is apprehensive about allowing Anakin to be trained . Yoda was mostly portrayed as a puppet designed by Nick Dudman based on Stuart Freeborn 's original design . Oz controlled the puppet 's mouth and other parts were controlled by puppeteers using remote controls . Lucas fitted Yoda 's filming around Oz 's schedule as he finished and promoted In & Out . A computer @-@ generated Yoda is featured in two distant shots . Warwick Davis portrays him in the scene in which Obi @-@ Wan becomes a Jedi Knight . Lucas said he originally wanted to use a full @-@ time digital Yoda , but the attempts did not work well enough . On the Blu @-@ ray release of The Phantom Menace , which was also used for the 3D reissue , a CG Yoda similar to the one from the other prequels is used instead . Oliver Ford Davies as Sio Bibble , the governor of Naboo . Hugh Quarshie as Captain Panaka , Queen Amidala 's chief of security at Theed Palace . Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks , a clumsy Gungan exiled from his home and taken in by Qui @-@ Gon and Obi @-@ Wan . Best was hired after Gurland saw him on a Stomp performance in San Francisco . Best was originally intended to provide motion capture data but his offer to voice the character was accepted . On the set , to provide references for the actors , Best was clothed in a suit made of foam and latex and a headpiece . Best 's filmed performance was later replaced with the computer @-@ generated character . Best frequently improvised movements to make Jar Jar look as clumsy and comedic as possible . Anthony Daniels voices C @-@ 3PO , a protocol droid built by Anakin . He lacks a metal covering in this film ; R2 @-@ D2 refers to it as being " naked " . A puppeteer dressed in a color closely matching the background — in a manner similar to the Japanese puppet theater Bunraku — manipulated a skeletal C @-@ 3PO figure attached to his front while Daniels read his lines off @-@ camera . The puppeteer was erased from the film during post @-@ production . Kenny Baker as R2 @-@ D2 , an astromech droid that saves Queen Amidala 's ship when other droids fail . Before the film 's production started , fans campaigned on the Internet to retain Baker as R2 @-@ D2 ; Lucas replied that the actor would remain . Baker is used for scenes where R2 @-@ D2 bends forwards and backwards and wobbles from side to side . Robots and a digital model were used in other shots . Terence Stamp as Supreme Chancellor Valorum , the current Chancellor who commissions Obi @-@ Wan and Qui @-@ Gon to negotiate with the Trade Federation Viceroy . Lucas described the character as a " good man but he 's beleaguered — a bit like [ Bill ] Clinton " . Additionally , Samuel L. Jackson appears as Mace Windu , a high @-@ ranking member of the Jedi Council who also opposes the training of Anakin . Ray Park portrays Darth Maul , a Zabrak warrior and Darth Sidious ' Sith apprentice who uses a double @-@ bladed lightsaber , while Peter Serafinowicz provides Maul 's voice . Keira Knightley plays Sabé , one of Queen Amidala 's handmaidens who serves as her decoy throughout the majority of the film . Silas Carson portrays Nute Gunray , the Viceroy of the Trade Federation who leads Naboo 's invasion and tries to force Queen Amidala to sign a treaty to legitimize the occupation . Carson also portrays three minor characters : Jedi Master Ki @-@ Adi @-@ Mundi , Trade Federation Senator Lott Dod , and an ill @-@ fated pilot ( the role for which Carson originally auditioned ) . Brian Blessed , Andy Secombe , and Lewis MacLeod voice , respectively , Boss Nass , the leader of the Gungan tribe who allies with the Naboo , Watto , a junk dealer on Tatooine who owns Anakin and his mother as slaves , and Sebulba , an aggressive , scheming podracer who is Anakin 's rival . In addition , Greg Proops and Scott Capurro voice Fode and Beed , the two @-@ headed announcer of the Boonta Eve Race . Dominic West plays a Naboo guard . Also , Sofia Coppola appears as Saché , one of Amidala 's handmaidens , and Ralph Brown appears as Ric Olié , the Queen 's starship pilot . Christian Simpson appears as Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes . = = Production = = = = = Development = = = While writing the original Star Wars , Lucas realized the story was too vast in scope to be covered in one film . The original film was written to introduce a wider story arc that could be told in sequels on the chance that it became successful , so Star Wars evolved from the first film in the series to the first episode of the saga 's second trilogy . Lucas eventually negotiated a contract that allowed him to make two sequels , and over time had created an elaborate backstory to aid his writing process . While writing The Empire Strikes Back , Lucas considered directions in which to take the story . In the original trilogy , Darth Vader was revealed to have been Anakin Skywalker , a once @-@ powerful Jedi Knight , and the traitor to the Jedi Legion . With this backstory in place , Lucas decided the movies would work best as a trilogy . In the final act of the trilogy 's final episode , Return of the Jedi , Vader is ultimately redeemed through an act of sacrifice for Luke . This was in 1983 , more than six years since the release of Star Wars . Lucas admitted to being " burned out " and announced he would take a break from working on the saga . Throughout the 80s , George Lucas remarked he had no desire to return to Star Wars and had unofficially canceled his sequel trilogy by the time of Return of the Jedi . Because Lucas had developed most of the backstory , the idea of prequels continued to fascinate him . In the early 1990s , Star Wars saw a resurgence in popularity in the wake of Dark Horse 's comic line and Timothy Zahn 's trilogy of novels . Lucas saw there was still a large audience for his idea of a prequel trilogy and with the development of special effects generated with computer @-@ generated imagery ( CGI ) , Lucas considered returning to his saga and directing the film . In 1993 , it was announced in Variety and other sources that he would be making the prequels . Lucas began outlining the story ; Anakin Skywalker rather than Obi @-@ Wan Kenobi would be the main protagonist and the series would be a tragedy examining Darth Vader 's origins . Lucas also began to change the prequels ' timeline relative to the original series , " filling @-@ in " the history , backstory , existing parallel or tangential to the originals and beginning a long story that started with Anakin 's childhood and ended with his death . This was the final step toward turning the franchise into a saga . George Lucas began writing the new Star Wars trilogy on November 1 , 1994 . The screenplay of Star Wars was adapted from Lucas ' 15 @-@ page outline that was written in 1976 , which he designed to help him keep track of the characters ' backstories and events that occurred before the original trilogy . Anakin was first written as a twelve @-@ year @-@ old , but Lucas reduced his age to nine because he felt the lower age would better fit the plot point of Anakin being affected by his mother 's separation from him . Eventually , Anakin 's younger age led Lucas to rewrite his participation in the movie 's major scenes . The film 's working title was The Beginning ; Lucas later revealed that its true title was The Phantom Menace ; a reference to Palpatine hiding his true identity as an evil Sith Lord behind the facade of a well @-@ intentioned public servant . The larger budget and possibilities opened up by the use of digital effects made Lucas " think about a much grander , more epic scale — " which is what I wanted Star Wars to be " . The story ended with five simultaneous , ongoing plots , one leading to another . The central plot is Palpatine 's intent to become Chancellor , which leads to the Trade Federation 's attack on Naboo , the Jedi being sent there , Anakin being met along the way , and the rise of the Sith Lords . As with the original trilogy , Lucas intended The Phantom Menace to illustrate several themes throughout the narrative . Duality is a frequent theme ; Amidala is a queen who passes as a handmaiden , Palpatine plays on both sides of the war , among others . " Balance " is frequently suggested ; Anakin is supposedly " the one " chosen to bring balance to the Force — Lucas said , " Anakin needed to have a mother , Obi @-@ Wan needed a Master , Darth Sidious needed an apprentice " as without interaction and dialogue " you wouldn 't have drama " . In November 2015 , Ron Howard confirmed that he , Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg were approached by Lucas to direct the film . = = = Pre @-@ production and design = = = Before Lucas had started writing , his producing partner Rick McCallum was preparing for the film . McCallum stated that his experience with The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles led to many of his decisions on The Phantom Menace , such as long @-@ term deals with actors and soundstages , the employment of recent graduates with no film experience , and the creation of sets and landscapes with digital technology . In April 1994 , McCallum started searching for artists in art , architecture and design schools , and in mid @-@ year he began location scouting with production designer Gavin Bocquet . Industrial Light & Magic ( ILM ) art director Doug Chiang impressed McCallum the most and was hired as the design director . Within three to four months of Lucas beginning the writing process , Chiang and his design team started a two @-@ year process of reviewing thousands of designs for the film . Chiang stated that Lucas intended Episode I to be stylistically different from the other Star Wars films ; it would be " richer and more like a period piece , since it was the history leading up to A New Hope " . The three planets on which the story takes place — some with varied environments such as the human and Gungan cities of Naboo and three buildings in Coruscant . With the exception of the Gungan city , which had an art nouveau @-@ inspired visual , these locations would be given distinctive looks with some basis in the real world . The concept drawings of Ralph McQuarrie for the original trilogy served as the basis for Mos Espa — which was also inspired by old Tunisian hotels and buildings and had touches such as a market place to differentiate it from A New Hope 's Mos Eisley — and Coruscant , in particular a metropolis design which became the basis for the Senate . Bocquet would later develop the work of Chiang 's team and design the interiors , translating the concepts into construction blueprints with environments and architectural styles that had some basis in reality " to give the audience something to key into " . Some elements were directly inspired by the original trilogy ; Lucas described the battle droids as predecessors to the Stormtroopers . Chiang uses that orientation to base the droids on the Imperial soldiers , only in the same style of stylized and elongated features seen in tribal African art . Terryl Whitlatch , who had a background on zoology and anatomy , was in charge of creature design . Many of the aliens are hybrids , combining features of real animals . At times entire food chains were developed even though only a small percentage of them would appear in the film . Whitlatch also designed detailed skeletons for the major characters and facial muscles on Jar Jar Binks as a reference for ILM 's animators . Each creature would reflect its environment ; those on Naboo were more beautiful because the planet is " lush and more animal @-@ friendly " , Tatooine has rough @-@ looking creatures " with weather @-@ beaten leathery skin to protect them from the harsh desert elements " , and Coruscant has bipedal , human @-@ looking aliens . Stunt coordinator Nick Gillard was recruited to create a new Jedi fighting style for the prequel trilogy . Gillard likened the lightsaber battles to a chess game " with every move being a check " . Because of their short @-@ range weapons , Gillard thought the Jedi would have had to develop a fighting style that merged every swordfighting style , such as kendo and other kenjutsu styles , with other swinging techniques , such as tennis swings and tree @-@ chopping . While training Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor , Gillard wrote a sequence which lasted around 60 seconds and intended to be around five or six sequences per fight . Lucas later referred to the Jedi as " negotiators " rather than high @-@ casualty soldiers . The preference of hand @-@ to @-@ hand combat was intended to give a spiritual and intellectual role to the Jedi . Because Gillard thought the stunt jumps with the actors and stuntmen dangling from wires did not look realistic , air rams were used to propel them into the air instead . Lucas decided to make elaborate costumes because the film 's society was more sophisticated than the one depicted in the original trilogy . Designer Trisha Biggar and her team created over 1 @,@ 000 costumes that were inspired by various cultures . Biggar worked closely with concept designer Iain McCaig to create a color palette for the inhabitants of each world : Tatooine followed A New Hope with sun @-@ bleached sand colors , Coruscant had grays , browns and blacks , and Naboo had green and gold for humans while Gungans wore " a leathery look , like their skin " . The Jedi costumes followed the tradition from the original film ; Obi @-@ Wan 's costume was inspired by the costume that was worn by Guinness . Lucas said he and Biggar would look at the conceptual art to " translat [ e ] all of these designs into cloth and fabric and materials that would actually work and not look silly " . Biggar also consulted Gillard to ensure the costumes would accommodate action scenes , and consulted the creature department to find which fabrics " wouldn 't wear too heavily " on the alien skins . A huge wardrobe department was set up at Leavesden Film Studios to create over 250 costumes for the main actors and 5 @,@ 000 for the background ones . Nute Gunray 's Thai accent was chosen after Lucas and McCallum listened to various languages to decide how the Neimodians would speak . The character design of Watto was an amalgam of rejected ideas ; his expressions were based on video footage of Secombe 's voice acting , photographs of animation supervisor Rob Coleman imitating the character , and modeler Steve Alpin saying Watto 's lines to a mirror . Lucas described Sebulba 's design as " a spider crossed with an orangutan crossed with a sloth " , with a camel @-@ like face , and clothing inspired by medieval armor . = = = Casting = = = After Samuel L. Jackson expressed interest in appearing in a Star Wars film , he was approached by casting director Robin Gurland to play Windu . Ray Park , a martial arts champion with experience in gymnastics and sword fighting , was originally a member of the stunt crew . Stunt coordinator Nick Gillard filmed Park to demonstrate his conception of the lightsaber battles . Lucas and McCallum were so impressed with the test tape that they gave Park the role of Maul . His voice was considered " too squeaky " and was dubbed over in post @-@ production by Peter Serafinowicz . Keira Knightley 's parents tried to convince her not to audition , but the teenage actress still sought a role given she was a Star Wars fan . The casting was influenced by Knightley 's remarkable similarity to Natalie Portman , with the actress admitting their mothers could not tell each other apart . Knightley reported to have " cried every single day " due to finding the wardrobe uncomfortable . Silas Carson was cast as Nute Gunray because another actor was uncomfortable with the costumes used by the Trade Federation characters , which were hot , exerted a lot of pressure on the bearer , and took about 15 minutes to apply . Hugh Quarshie considered the part of Panaka as " a good career move " and a production that would be fun to make . Brian Blessed originally auditioned for the role of Sio Bibble , the Governor of Naboo , for which he was considered " too loud " . Casting director Robin Gurland approached him to play Nass because it was a " bigger than life " character with " a kind of bravado " . Blessed described Nass as a " reluctant hero " , and a fun role to play . Sofia Coppola , daughter of Lucas ' long @-@ time friend and creative partner Francis Ford Coppola , considers Lucas as " like an uncle to me " . As she prepared the script for her directorial debut The Virgin Suicides , Sofia heard Lucas would make a new Star Wars film and asked him if she could accompany him during filming . Lucas offered Coppola a role in the royal entourage , which she accepted because it " seemed like a good vantage point to watch without getting in the way " . = = = Filming = = = Filming began on June 26 , 1997 , and ended on September 30 of that year , primarily taking place at Leavesden Film Studios in England . Leavesden was leased for a two and a half years so the production company could leave the sets intact and return after principal photography had been completed . The forest scenes on Naboo were filmed at Cassiobury Park in Watford , Hertfordshire . Pick @-@ ups were shot between August 1998 and February 1999 after Lucas screened a rough cut of the film for friends and colleagues in May 1998 . Most of the action and stunts were filmed by Roger Christian 's second unit , which worked alongside the main unit instead of afterwards because of the high number of shots to be completed daily . The Tunisian desert was again used for the Tatooine scenes ; Mos Espa was built outside the city of Tozeur . On the night following the third day of shooting in Tozeur , an unexpected sandstorm destroyed many of the sets and props . The production was quickly rescheduled to allow for repairs and was able to leave Tunisia on the date originally planned . The Italian Caserta Palace was used as the interior of the Theed City Naboo Palace ; it was used as a location for four days after it had been closed to visitors . Scenes with explosions were filmed on replica sets in Leavesden . A binder with the film 's storyboards served as a reference for live @-@ action filming , shots that would be filmed in front of a chroma key blue screen , and shots that would be composed using CGI . The sets were often built with the parts that would be required on screen ; often they were built only up to the heights of the actors . Chroma key was extensively used for digital set extensions , backgrounds or scenes that required cinematographer David Tattersall to seek powerful lamps to light the sets and visual effects supervisor John Knoll to develop software that would remove the blue reflection from shiny floors . Knoll , who remained on set through most of the production , worked closely with Tatterstall to ensure that the shots were suitable to add effects later . The cameras were fitted with data capture models to provide technical data for the CGI artists . The Phantom Menace was the final Star Wars film to be shot on 35mm film until Episode VII ( Star Wars : The Force Awakens ) . Some scenes , mostly of elements filmed by the special effects team , were shot on high definition , digital video tapes to test the performance of digital recordings , which Lucas and McCallum considered the next logical step because of the amount of digitizing — an expensive process compared to recording directly on digital media — for the compositing of computer @-@ generated effects . All future films would be shot using Sony CineAlta high @-@ definition video cameras . Greg Proops and Scott Capurro were filmed wearing makeup and blue bodysuits so their heads could be joined in a computer @-@ generated body . The visual effects crew did not like the original results and crafted Fode and Beed as an entirely computer generated alien . Editing took two years ; Paul Martin Smith started the process in England and focused on dialogue @-@ heavy scenes . Ben Burtt — who was also the film 's sound editor — was responsible for action sequences under Lucas ' supervision . Non @-@ linear editing systems played a large part in translating Lucas ' vision ; he constantly tweaked , revised and reworked shots and scenes . The final sound mix was added in March 1999 and the following month the film was completed after the delivery of the remaining visual effects shots . = = = Effects = = = The film saw breakthrough in computer generated effects . About 1 @,@ 950 of the shots in The Phantom Menace have visual effects . The scene in which toxic gas is released on the Jedi is the only sequence with no digital alteration . The work was so extensive that three visual effects supervisors divided the workload among themselves — John Knoll supervised the on @-@ set production and the podrace and space battle sequences , Dennis Muren supervised the underwater sequence and the ground battle , and Scott Squires , alongside teams assigned for miniature effects and character animation , worked on the lightsaber effects . Until the film 's production , many special effects in the film industry were achieved using miniature models , matte paintings , and on @-@ set visual effects — although other films had made extensive use of CGI . Knoll previewed 3 @,@ 500 storyboards for the film ; Lucas accompanied him to explain factors of the shots that would be practical and those which would be created through visual effects . Knoll later said that on hearing the explanations of the storyboards , he did not know how to accomplish what he had seen . The result was a mixture of original techniques and the newest digital techniques to make it difficult for the viewer to guess which technique was being used . Knoll and his visual effects team wrote new computer software , including cloth simulators to allow a realistic depiction of the digital characters ' clothing , to create certain shots . Another goal was to create computer @-@ generated characters that could act seamlessly with live @-@ action actors . While filming scenes with CGI characters , Lucas would block the characters using their corresponding voice actors on @-@ set . The voice actors were then removed and the live @-@ action actors would perform the same scene alone . A CGI character would later be added into the shot to complete the conversation . Lucas also used CGI to correct the physical presence of actors in certain scenes . Practical models were used when their visuals helped with miniature sceneries for backgrounds , set extensions , and model vehicles that would be scanned to create the digital models or filmed to represent spaceships and podraces . Lucas , who had previously confronted problems with the props used to depict R2 @-@ D2 , allowed ILM and the production 's British special effects department to create their own versions of the robot . Nine R2 @-@ D2 models were created ; one was for actor Kenny Baker to be dropped into , seven were built by ILM and featured two wheelchair motors capable of moving 440 pounds ( 200 kg ) , enabling it to run and be mostly used in stage sets , and the British studio produced a pneumatic R2 @-@ D2 that could shift from two to three legs and was mostly used in Tunisia because its motor drive system allowed it to drive over sand . Lucas originally planned to create many of the aliens with computer graphics , but those that would be more cost @-@ effectively realized with masks and animatronics were created by Nick Dudman 's creature effects team . These included the Neimodians , background characters in Mos Espa , the Jedi Council , and the Galactic Senate . Dudman 's team was told where the creatures would be required six months before principal photography begun , and they rushed the production . The Neimodian suits , which were originally intended as digital characters , were delivered one day before they would be required on set . Dudman traveled to Skywalker Ranch to see the original creatures that could be reused , and read the script for a breakdown of scenes with practical creatures , leaving only the more outlandish designs to be created using CGI . To research for the podrace vehicles , the visual effects crew visited a jet aircraft junkyard outside Phoenix , Arizona and scavenged four Boeing 747 engines . Life @-@ sized replicas of the engines were built and sent to Tunisia to provide reference in the film . Except for Jake Lloyd inside a hydraulically controlled cockpit and a few practical podracer models , the entire podracing scene — which the effects crew designed to be as " out of this world " as possible — is computer @-@ generated . = = = Music = = = As with previous Star Wars films , Star Wars Episode I : The Phantom Menace 's score was composed and conducted by John Williams . He started composing the score in October 1998 and began recording the music with the London Voices and London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios on February 10 , 1999 . Williams decided to use electronic instruments such as synthesizers to enhance the sound and choral pieces to " capture the magical , mystical force that a regular orchestra might not have been able to provide " , and create an atmosphere that was " more mysterious and mystical and less military " than those of the original trilogy . One of the most notable tracks is " Duel of the Fates " , which uses the chorus to give a religious , temple @-@ like feel to the epic lightsaber duel . The track was made into a music video . While composing Anakin 's theme , Williams tried to reflect the innocence of his childhood and to foreshadow his transformation into Darth Vader by using slight suggestions of " The Imperial March " in the melody . The film 's soundtrack was released by Sony Classical Records on May 4 , 1999 . This album featured the score , which Williams restructured as a listening experience ; it is not presented in film order and omits many notable cues from the film because of the space restriction of the compact disc . A two @-@ disc " Ultimate Edition " was released on November 14 , 2000 . The set features almost the entire score as it is heard in the film , including all of the edits and loops that were made for the sound mix . = = Themes = = Like previous Star Wars films , The Phantom Menace makes several references to historical events and films that George Lucas watched in his youth . The Star Wars films typically mix several concepts from different mythologies together . The Jedi practice Zen @-@ like meditation and martial arts , as did the ancient Japanese Samurai warriors . The name " Qui @-@ Gon " adapts the term Qigong , which refers to a Chinese discipline involving meditation and cultivation of the flow of the vital energy called " Chi " or " Qi " for healing , health and combat . The words Ch 'i ( Chinese ) , gi ( Korean ) , ki ( Japanese ) and the Indian term " Prana " all refer to the energy that is thought to flow through all living things , from the source of all chi ( or power ) which is " The Way " or " The Tao " in Chinese philosophy . In Taoist philosophy , from The Way , yin and yang — the opposing but complementary aspects of reality or nature — are born . Unlike Chinese philosophy , in which yin and yang are not moral qualities , the ancient Persian philosophy of Zurvanism taught that the dualism of dark and light forces are locked in an eternal battle while being two sides ( or evolutes ) of the same " Force " , the force of time itself ( Zurvan ) — the prime mover . These elements derive primarily from Eastern and Iranian religions and myths . There are many references to Christian beliefs in the film , such as the appearance of Darth Maul , whose design draws heavily from traditional depictions of the Christian devil , complete with red skin and horns . Maul 's facial tattoos were inspired by the indigenous peoples of Brazil . The Star Wars film cycle features a similar Christian narrative involving Anakin Skywalker ; he is the " chosen one " — the individual prophesied to bring balance to the Force — who was conceived of a virgin birth and is tempted to join the Sith . Anakin 's fall from grace seemingly prevents him from fulfilling his destiny as the " chosen one " . The inspiration behind the story of the virgin birth parallels a concept developed by Joseph Campbell and his work on The Hero with a Thousand Faces , which heavily influenced Lucas ' writing of the original Star Wars trilogy 's outline . Japanese films such as Akira Kurosawa 's The Hidden Fortress influenced the original Star Wars film ; scholars say that The Phantom Menace was likewise influenced by Korean and Japanese culture . Film historians Geoff King and Tanya Krzywinska write , " The costume and make @-@ up designs ... favour a mixture of the gothic and the oriental [ sic ] over anything very futuristic . The gothic is most strongly apparent in Darth Maul 's demonic horns and the red and black make @-@ up mask that borrows from the facial designs found in depictions of Japanese demons " . King and Krzywinska say that " Qui @-@ Gon 's pony tail and Obi @-@ Wan 's position of apprentice further encourage a reading in terms of the Samurai tradition " . They also say " Amidala , in keeping with her status and character , has a number of highly formal outfits ... to go with hair sculpted into a curve that frames make @-@ up of a Japanese cast " . = = Release = = The release on May 19 , 1999 of the first new Star Wars film in 16 years was accompanied by a considerable amount of attention . Few film studios released films during the same week as the release of The Phantom Menace ; DreamWorks and Universal Studios released The Love Letter on May 21 and Notting Hill on May 28 , respectively . The Love Letter was a commercial failure but Notting Hill fared better and followed The Phantom Menace closely in second place . Employment consultant firm Challenger , Gray & Christmas estimated that 2 @.@ 2 million full @-@ time employees missed work to attend the film , resulting in a US $ 293 million loss of productivity . According to The Wall Street Journal , many workers announced plans to view the premiere that many companies closed on the opening day . Queue areas formed outside cinema theaters over a month before ticket sales began . More theater lines appeared when it was announced that cinemas were not allowed to sell tickets in advance until two weeks into the release . This was because of a fear that family theater @-@ goers would be either unable to receive tickets or would be forced to pay higher prices for them . Instead , tickets were to be sold on a first @-@ come @-@ first @-@ served basis . However , after meetings with the National Association of Theatre Owners , Lucasfilm agreed to allow advance ticket sales on May 12 , 1999 , provided there was a limit of 12 tickets per customer . As a result , some advance tickets were sold by scalpers at prices as high as US $ 100 apiece , which a distribution chief called " horrible " and said it was exactly what they wanted to avoid . Daily Variety reported that theater owners received strict instructions from Lucasfilm that the film could only play in the cinema 's largest auditorium for the first 8 – 12 weeks , no honor passes were allowed for the first eight weeks , and they were obliged to send their payments to distributor 20th Century Fox within seven days . Despite worries about the film being finished on time , two weeks before its theatrical release Lucasfilm preponed the release date from May 21 to 19 , 1999 . At the ShoWest Convention , Lucas said the change was intended to give the fans a " head start " by allowing them to view it during the week and allowing families to view it during weekends . Foreshadowing his future conversion to digital cinematography , Lucas said the film would be released on four digital projectors on June 18 , 1999 . Eleven charity premieres were staged across the United States on May 16 , 1999 ; receipts from the Los Angeles event , where corporate packages were available for between US $ 5 @,@ 000 and US $ 25 @,@ 000 ; proceeds were donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation . Other charity premieres included the Dallas premiere for the Children 's Medical Center , the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research at the Sloan @-@ Kettering Hospital in New York , the Big Brother / Sister Association of the Philadelphia premiere , and the Children 's National Medical Center in Washington , D.C. A statement said that tickets were sold at US $ 500 apiece and that certain sections of the theaters were set aside for disadvantaged children . = = = Marketing = = = Lucasfilm spent US $ 20 million on the film 's advertising campaign and made promotional licensing deals with Hasbro , Lego , Tricon Global Restaurants , and PepsiCo . Lucasfilm also helped the Star Wars fan club to organize an event called Star Wars Celebration , which was held in Denver , Colorado between April 30 and May 2 , 1999 . The teaser trailer was released on selected screens accompanying Meet Joe Black on November 13 , 1998 , and media reported that people were paying full admission at theaters to see the trailer . To keep fans from leaving before the movie was over , some theaters played the teaser an additional time after the film finished . A second trailer was released on March 12 , 1999 , with the film Wing Commander . Again , many fans paid full theater admission to watch the new trailer . A bootlegged version of the preview was leaked to the Internet the same day . The next morning , the trailer was released on the film 's official website and shortly afterwards the servers became overloaded . The theatrical trailer caused even more media attention because it was premiered in theaters and screened at the \| ShoWest Convention in Las Vegas , and was aired on Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood . The teaser poster , featuring Anakin with his shadow forming Darth Vader 's silhouette , was released on November 10 , 1998 . After Lucas opted for a drawn theatrical poster , Drew Struzan , the artist responsible for the Special Edition posters , was commissioned to illustrate , and the poster was unveiled on March 11 , 1999 . Lucasfilm dictated that , contractually , Struzan 's illustration was the only art the foreign distributors could use , and other than the text , it could not be modified in any way . Many tie @-@ in adaptations , such as a LucasArts video game for the PlayStation and PC , a pinball machine by Williams , a four @-@ part comic book adaptation by Dark Horse Comics , and a junior novelization by Scholastic were released . The film 's official novelization was written by Terry Brooks , who met with Lucas before writing the book and receiving his approval and guidance . It included information about pending developments in the following two installments of the series . General Mills and Brisk were promotional partners in North America for the 2012 3D re @-@ release but promotion was limited . The film was extensively promoted in Japan ; promotional products were sold by 7 @-@ Eleven , Domino 's Pizza , Pepsi and Gari @-@ Gari Kun . Kellogg 's promoted the film internationally , and French restaurant Quick launched three Star Wars @-@ themed burgers . Lucasfilm also partnered with Variety , the Children 's Charity to raise funds for children through the sale of a special edition badge . = = = Home media = = = The film was released worldwide on VHS between April 3 and 8 , 2000 . Two versions were released in North America on April 4 — a standard pan and scan version and a widescreen Collector 's Edition version . In its first two days of availability , the regular version sold 4 @.@ 5 million copies and the limited edition sold 500 @,@ 000 . It was the first Star Wars film to be officially released on DVD , on October 16 , 2001 . The special features included seven deleted scenes completed specifically for the DVD , a commentary track featuring Lucas and producer Rick McCallum , and several documentaries — including a full @-@ length documentary entitled " The Beginning : Making Episode I " . The Phantom Menace became the fastest selling DVD ever in the U.S. ; 2 @.@ 2 million copies were sold in its first week after release . The DVD version was re @-@ released in a prequel trilogy box set on November 4 , 2008 . A Laserdisc version of The Phantom Menace was released in Japan several months before it was available on DVD in the U.S. The Star Wars films were released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on Blu @-@ ray Disc on September 16 , 2011 ; The Phantom Menace was restored to improve the picture quality and remove the magnification present on the previous DVD release , restoring approximately 8 percent of the picture to the frame . In the Blu @-@ ray release of The Phantom Menace , the Yoda puppet was replaced with a CGI model , making it consistent with the other films of the prequel trilogy . On April 7 , 2015 , Walt Disney Studios , 20th Century Fox , and Lucasfilm jointly announced the digital releases of the six released Star Wars films . Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released The Phantom Menace through the iTunes Store , Amazon Video , Vudu , Google Play , and Disney Movies Anywhere on April 10 , 2015 . = = = 3D re @-@ release = = = On September 28 , 2010 , it was announced that all six films in the series would be stereo @-@ converted to 3D . These would be re @-@ released in episode order , beginning with The Phantom Menace , which was released to cinemas in February 2012 . Prime Focus Limited did the conversion under close supervision by ILM . However , the 3D re @-@ releases of Star Wars : Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars : Episode III – Revenge of the Sith were postponed after Lucasfilm was bought by The Walt Disney Company , which decided to focus on the development of Star Wars : The Force Awakens . Lucas stated the 3D re @-@ release was " just a conversion " of the film 's 2011 Blu @-@ ray release and no additional changes were made . Only a change to Anakin 's magnetic wand during the podrace scene — its tip was sharpened to more accurately fit the original 2D photography to the new 3D image — was confirmed . = = = Novelization = = = = = Reception = = = = = Critical reception = = = The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 56 % " rotten " approval rating with an average score of 6 / 10 based on 212 reviews . The site 's critical consensus reads " Burdened by exposition and populated with stock characters , The Phantom Menace gets the Star Wars prequels off to a bumpy – albeit visually dazzling – start . " On Metacritic , the film has a score of 51 out of 100 based on 36 critics , indicating " mixed or average reviews " . On both sites , it is the lowest @-@ rated film in the Star Wars film series , excluding the animated feature The Clone Wars . Many aspects of the scripting were criticized , especially that of the character Jar Jar Binks , who was regarded by many members of the older fan community as toyetic — a merchandising opportunity rather than a serious character . Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described Binks as " a major miscue , a comic @-@ relief character who 's frankly not funny . " Drew Grant of Salon.com wrote " Perhaps the absolute creative freedom director George Lucas enjoyed while dreaming up the flick 's ' comic ' relief — with no studio execs and not many an independently minded actor involved — is a path to the dark side . " Red Letter Media produced a highly critical 70 minute video review narrated by a fictional " Harry S. Plinkett " , which went into great detail on the perceived flaws of the film that went viral and received over 5 million views . Among the many criticisms was the assertion that the film lacked basic structure , such as having a protagonist . Conversely , Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun @-@ Times gave it three @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half stars out of four and called it " an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking " and said " Lucas tells a good story . " Ebert also wrote that " If some of the characters are less than compelling , perhaps that 's inevitable " because it is the opening film in the new trilogy . He concluded his review by saying that rather than Star Trek films , filmmakers could " [ g ] ive me transparent underwater cities and vast hollow senatorial spheres any day . " Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a " B " gradeand complimented Liam Neeson 's performance and the action scenes . In an Entertainment Weekly review for the DVD release , Marc Bernardin gave the film a " C- " , calling it " haplessly plotted , horribly written , and juvenile " . ReelViews ' James Berardinelli wrote : Looking at the big picture , in spite of all its flaws , The Phantom Menace is still among the best " bang for a buck " fun that can be had in a movie theater . It isn 't as fresh as the original Star Wars nor does it have the thematic richness and narrative complexity of The Empire Strikes Back , but it is a distinct improvement over Return of the Jedi . In fact , after Return of the Jedi , I didn 't have a burning desire to return to this galaxy ' far , far away ' , but , with The Phantom Menace , Lucas has revived my interest . Now , it 's with genuine regret that I realize the next segment of the series is three long years away . Andrew Johnston of Time Out New York wrote " Let 's face it : no film could ever match the expectations some have for Episode I – The Phantom Menace . Which isn 't to say it 's a disappointment : on the contrary , it 's awesomely entertaining , provided you accept it on its own terms ... Like the original film , it 's a Boy 's Own adventure yarn with a corny but irresistible spiritual subtext . The effects and production design are stunning , but they always serve the story , not the other way around . " Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today said the film did " plenty right " and praised the characters Darth Maul and Watto . David Cornelius of efilmcritic.com said the film 's better moments " don 't merely balance out the weaker ones — they topple them . " Colin Kennedy of Empire magazine said that despite problems with pacing and writing , " there is still much pleasure to be had watching our full @-@ blown Jedi guides in action . " He praised the visuals and Liam Neeson 's performance , and said the duel between Darth Maul and the Jedi was " the saga 's very best lightsaber battle " . Empire magazine ranked The Phantom Menace on its list of " 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time " , while Entertainment Weekly and Comcast included the film on their lists of the worst movie sequels . James Berardinelli wrote " The Phantom Menace was probably the most overhyped motion picture of the last decade ( if not longer ) , and its reputation suffered as a result of its inability to satisfy unreasonable expectations . " William Arnold of the Seattle Post @-@ Intelligencer agreed that the film 's massive hype caused many of the negative reactions , saying " it built expectations that can 't possibly be matched and scuttled [ the ] element of storytelling surprise . " He also said the film was " well made and entertaining " and was much better than similar box office fare released around that year , such as The Mummy and The Matrix . The introduction of midi @-@ chlorians — microscopic organisms that mediate use of the Force — in the film has been controversial among fans . Some viewed it as a concept that negates the Force 's spiritual quality , although the film still portrays the Force as a mysterious entity using the midi @-@ chlorians to communicate with living beings . Film historian Daniel Dinello says " Anathema to Star Wars fanatics who thought they reduced the Force to a kind of viral infection , midi @-@ chlorians provide a biological interface , the link between physical bodies and spiritual energy . " Religion expert John D. Caputo writes " In the ' Gospel according to Lucas ' , a world is conjured up in which the intractable oppositions that have tormented religious thinkers for centuries are reconciled ... The gifts that the Jedi masters enjoy have a perfectly plausible scientific basis , even if its ways are mysterious : their bodily cells have a heavier than usual concentration of ' midi @-@ chlorians ' . " After the film 's release , there was controversy over whether several alien characters reflect racial stereotypes . For example , the oafish , slow @-@ witted Jar Jar Binks had long droopy ears reminiscent of dreadlocks and spoke with what many perceived as a Caribbean patois reminiscent of Jamaican Creole . The greedy and corrupt Neimoidians of the Trade Federation spoke with East Asian accents and the unprincipled trader Watto has been interpreted as a Jewish stereotype reminiscent of Charles Dickens ' character Fagin . Lucas has denied all of these implications , instead criticizing the American media for using opinions from the Internet as a reliable source for news stories . Lucas added that it reflected more the racism of the commenters than it does the movie ; however , animator Rob Coleman said he viewed footage of Alec Guinness as Fagin in Oliver Twist to inspire his animators in the creation of Watto . One critic described Jar Jar Binks as " [ s ] ervile and cowardly ... a black minstrel @-@ ish stereotype on par with Stepin Fetchit . " Michael Eric Dyson , professor of African @-@ American studies at Georgetown University , said the entire Gungan people seem oddly suggestive of a primitive African tribe . Dyson said " The leader of Jar Jar 's tribe is a fat , bumbling buffoon with a rumbling voice , and he seems to be a caricature of a stereotypical African tribal chieftain . " = = = Box office performance = = = Despite its mixed critical reception , The Phantom Menace was a financial success , breaking many box office records in its debut . It broke The Lost World : Jurassic Park 's records for the largest single @-@ day gross for taking more than US $ 28 million in the opening day and fastest to gross US $ 100 million in five days . It also became the quickest film to reach the US $ 200 million and US $ 300 million marks , surpassing Independence Day ( 1996 ) and Titanic ( 1997 ) respectively . The Phantom Menace was 1999 's most successful film , earning US $ 431 @,@ 088 @,@ 295 in North America and US $ 493 @,@ 229 @,@ 263 in other territories , taking US $ 924 @,@ 317 @,@ 558 worldwide . Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 84 @.@ 8 million tickets in the US in its initial theatrical run . At that time , the film was the third highest @-@ grossing film in North America behind Titanic and Star Wars ( 1977 ) , and the second highest @-@ grossing film worldwide behind Titanic without adjusting for inflation of ticket prices . When adjusted for ticket price inflation , it ranked as the 19th @-@ highest @-@ grossing film domestically , making it the fourth Star Wars film to be in the Inflation @-@ Adjusted Top 20 . Outside North America , the film grossed over US $ 10 million in Australia ( US $ 25 @.@ 9 million ) , Brazil ( US $ 10 @.@ 4 million ) , France and Algeria ( US $ 43 million ) , Germany ( US $ 53 @.@ 9 million ) , Italy ( US $ 12 @.@ 9 million ) , Japan ( US $ 109 @.@ 9 million ) , Mexico ( US $ 12 million ) , Spain ( US $ 25 million ) , and the United Kingdom and Ireland ( US $ 81 @.@ 9 million ) . After its 3D re @-@ release in 2012 , the worldwide box office gross exceeded US $ 1 billion . Although in the intervening years , the film had lost some of its rankings in the lists of highest @-@ grossing films , the 3D re @-@ release returned it to the worldwide all @-@ time Top 10 for several months . In North America , its revenues overtook those of the original Star Wars as the saga 's highest @-@ grossing film when not adjusting for inflation of ticket prices , and is currently the fifth highest @-@ grossing film in North America . In North America , its ranking on the Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation list climbed to 16th place — one place behind Return of the Jedi . The 3D re @-@ release , which premiered in February 2012 , earned US $ 43 million — US $ $ 22 @.@ 5 million of which was in North America — worldwide . As of June 2014 , the 3D re @-@ release has earned US $ 102 @,@ 727 @,@ 119 worldwide — including $ 43 @.@ 5 million in North America — and has increased the film 's overall box office takings to US $ 474 @.@ 5 million domestically , and US $ 552 @.@ 5 million in other territories . The film 's earnings exceeded US $ 1 billion worldwide on February 22 , 2012 , making it the first Star Wars film and the 11th film in history — excluding inflation — to do so . = = = Accolades = = = The Phantom Menace was nominated for three Academy Awards : Best Sound Editing , Best Visual Effects , and Best Sound Mixing ( Gary Rydstrom , Tom Johnson , Shawn Murphy , and John Midgley ) ; all of which went to The Matrix . The film won Saturn Awards for Best Costumes and Best Special Effects , the MTV Movie Award for Best Action Scene , and a Young Artist Award for Jake Lloyd 's performance . It was also nominated for — among others — the BAFTAs for Visual Effects and Sound , and the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media . The film did however received seven Golden Raspberry Award ( Razzie ) nominations for Worst Picture , Worst Director , Worst Screenplay , Worst Supporting Actor ( Jake Lloyd as Anakin ) , Worst Supporting Actress ( Sofia Coppola as Saché ) , Worst Screen Couple ( Jake Lloyd and Natalie Portman ) , and Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best won the Worst Supporting Actor category .
= Golden Gate Highlands National Park = Golden Gate Highlands National Park is located in Free State , South Africa , near the Lesotho border . It covers an area of 340 km2 ( 130 sq mi ) . The park 's most notable features are its golden , ochre , and orange @-@ hued deeply eroded sandstone cliffs and outcrops , especially the Brandwag rock . Another feature of the area is the numerous caves and shelters displaying San rock paintings . Wildlife featured at the park includes mongooses , eland , zebras , and over 100 bird species . It is the Free State 's only national park , and is more famous for the beauty of its landscape than for its wildlife . Numerous paleontology finds have been made in the park including dinosaur eggs and skeletons . = = Geography and climate = = " Golden Gate " refers to the sandstone cliffs that are found on either side of the valley at the Golden Gate dam . In 1875 , a farmer called J.N.R. van Reenen and his wife stopped here as they travelled to their new farm in Vuurland . He named the location " Golden Gate " when he saw the last rays of the setting sun fall on the cliffs . In 1963 , 47 @.@ 92 square kilometres ( 11 @,@ 840 acres ) were proclaimed as a national park , specifically to preserve the scenic beauty of the area . In 1981 the park was enlarged to 62 @.@ 41 km2 ( 15 @,@ 420 acres ) and in 1988 it was enlarged to 116 @.@ 33 km2 ( 28 @,@ 750 acres ) . In 2004 it was announced that the park would be joined with the neighbouring QwaQwa National Park . The amalgamation of QwaQwa National Park was completed in 2007 , increasing the park 's area to 340 km2 ( 84 @,@ 000 acres ) . The park is 320 km ( 200 mi ) from Johannesburg and is close to the villages of Clarens and Kestell , in the upper regions of the Little Caledon River . The park is situated in the Rooiberge of the eastern Free State , in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains . The Caledon River forms the southern boundary of the park as well as the border between the Free State and Lesotho . The highest peak in the park ( and also in the Free State ) is Ribbokkop at 2 @,@ 829 m ( 9 @,@ 281 ft ) . The park is located in the eastern highveld region of South Africa , and experiences a dry sunny climate from June to August . It has showers , hails and thunderstorms between October and April . It has thick snowfalls in the winter . The park has a relatively high rainfall of 800 mm ( 31 in ) per year . = = Vegetation = = The park is an area of rich highveld and montane grassland flora . It has more than sixty grass species and a large variety of bulbs and herbs . Each of these species has its own flowering time , meaning that veld flowers can be seen throughout the summer . The park also has Afromontane forests and high @-@ altitude Austro @-@ Afro alpine grassland , which is scarce in South Africa . The ouhout ( Leucosidea sericea ) , an evergreen species , is the most common tree in the park . Ouhout is a favourite habitat of beetles and 117 species occur on these trees in the park . The Lombardi poplars and weeping willows in the park are introduced species , but are kept because of their cultural and historic connection with the eastern Free State . Other exotic species in the park , for example wattle and bluegum , are systematically eradicated . = = Wildlife = = Instead of reintroducing one of the " big five " into the park , the sungazer lizard and water mongoose were reintroduced . Twelve species of mice , ten species of carnivores and ten antelope species have been recorded in the park . The grey rhebuck and the mountain reedbuck were present when the park was established . = = = Mammals = = = = = = Birds = = = Over 210 bird species have been observed in the park , including the rare bearded vulture and the endangered Cape vulture and bald ibis . = = = Snakes and fishes = = = Seven snake species , including the puff adder , mountain adder , and rinkhals are found in the park . = = Geology and palaeontology = = The geology of the park provides very visual " textbook " examples of Southern Africa 's geological history . The sandstone formations in the park form the upper part of the Karoo Supergroup . These formations were deposited during a period of aeolian deposition towards the end of the Triassic Period . At the time of deposition the climate of the area the park covers was becoming progressively drier until arid desert conditions set in , resulting in a land of dunes and sandy desert , with occasional scattered oases . The deposition of the sandstones ended when lava flowed out over the desert 190 million years ago . The following sequence of geological formations are visible in the park ( starting from the bottom ) : the Molteno Formation , Elliott Formation , Clarens Formation , and the Drakensberg Formation . The yellow @-@ brown Golden Gate and Brandwag cliffs are made up of the Clarens formation . The layers in this formation are 140 to 160 metres ( 460 to 520 ft ) thick . The Drakensberg formation comprises the basaltic lava that flowed over the desert . It forms the mountain summits in the park . On Ribbokkop it is 600 meters ( 2 @,@ 000 feet ) thick . The Elliot Formation is a red mudstone where many dinosaur fossils have been found . The oldest dinosaur embryos ever discovered were found in the park in 1978 . The eggs were from the Triassic Period ( 220 to 195 million years ago ) and had fossilised foetal skeletons of Massospondylus , a prosauropod dinosaur . More examples of these eggs have since been found in the park . Other fossils found in the park include those of advanced cynodontia ( canine toothed animals ) , small thecodontia ( animals with teeth set firmly in the jaw ) , bird @-@ like and crocodile @-@ like dinosaurs . = = Accommodation = = Accommodation in the park is available at Glen Reenen and Brandwag Rest camps . Caravaning and camping sites with all amenities are available at Glen Reenen camp . The hotel was formerly part of Brandwag camp , but since its recent refurbishment it is managed separately by SANParks as Golden Gate Hotel . The nearest town to Golden Gate Highlands National Park is Clarens ( 17 km to the west ) , but Phuthaditjhaba is also easily reached via a good tar road , driving through the access gate to the east of the park .
= Agent Carter ( season 2 ) = The second season of the American television series Agent Carter , which is inspired by the 2011 film Captain America : The First Avenger and the 2013 Marvel One @-@ Shot short film of the same name , features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she moves to Los Angeles to deal with the threats of the new atomic age in the wake of World War II , gaining new friends , a new home , and potential new love . It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) , sharing continuity with the films of the franchise . The season , which aired on ABC from January 19 to March 1 , 2016 , over 10 episodes , was produced by ABC Studios , Marvel Television , and F & B Fazekas & Butters , with Tara Butters , Michele Fazekas , and Chris Dingess serving as showrunners . In May 2015 , a second season of Agent Carter was ordered , with Hayley Atwell , who reprises her role from the film series and One @-@ Shot as Carter , returning to star . Alongside her , James D 'Arcy , Chad Michael Murray , and Enver Gjokaj also return from the first season . Filming took place in Los Angeles in late 2015 , with the season contrasting the lives of Carter and the Hedy Lamarr @-@ inspired Whitney Frost , portrayed by recurring guest star Wynn Everett . Visual and practical effects were mixed to realize the setting and more fantastical elements of the series , while David Zippel and Louis van Amstel provided a musical dream sequence for the season . Other characters from previous MCU media also appear , as well as elements shared with the films and the television series Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The season aired during the season three mid @-@ season break of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , receiving generally positive reviews , with critics praising the performances , particularly those of Atwell and D 'Arcy , as well as the setting and the character development of Whitney Frost . However , some elements , such as the season 's ending and humor , were criticized , and viewership for the season was low . ABC canceled Agent Carter on May 12 , 2016 . = = Episodes = = = = Cast and characters = = = = Production = = = = = Development = = = In January 2015 , showrunners Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters confirmed that Agent Carter was not intended to be a miniseries , and that a possible second season would not necessarily be limited to eight episodes like the first . The series was renewed for a second season on May 7 , 2015 , intended to debut in 2016 of the 2015 – 16 season during the midseason break of the third season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Later in May , Hayley Atwell stated the season would consist of 10 episodes . Butters explained that this would probably not allow for any standalone episodes , " but I definitely think it allows for more character , because we can have more personal stories built into the framework of the overall arching mystery " . = = = Writing = = = Before the second season was announced , Fazekas said that " We 've certainly been talking about what a second season would look like ... what 's great about the structure of this show is , you can tell so many different stories and go so many different directions . " Thus , Butters said of the first season storyline featuring Leviathan , " we wrapped up that story " already , with Toby Jones ' cameo as Arnim Zola in the first season finale just " a fun tie @-@ in " rather than something that would be followed up on in the second season . Series creators Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely revealed they " had a really nice story about who Peggy is and where she came from " that did not make it into the first season , but they hoped could be explored in a second , while Fazekas and Butters also revealed that there had been a story about Carter having " a night out with the girls " to explore her personal life , as well as more material for the character Angie , that they felt would both be easier to tell in a second season . Season two is set in 1947 , approximately six months to a year following the events of the first , with the time jump made to show " people are in a little bit different positions , and things have happened between these seasons that we maybe don 't know about . " Fazekas noted that " the challenge " for the season was to find a way to reunite Carter with Edwin Jarvis since he is " not an agent .... that 's a really important relationship , how do we keep them together ? ... The nice thing about Peggy this season is she 's not having to hide her agenda from the SSR . [ Jarvis ] is helping her out , just in a different way . " Elaborating on the SSR 's role in the season , Fazekas explained that when Markus and McFeely created the organisation for Captain America : The First Avenger it was inspired by the Office of Strategic Services ( OSS ) , which was " somewhat disbanded after the war , because it was created because of World War II . So now that the war is over , things are changing . And in real history , the OSS sort of became the CIA and some of its other functions went under other departments . There 's a little bit of change going on within SSR and so Thompson [ is now the New York SSR chief , but he ] has a boss [ in Vernon Masters ] that 's going to be saying , " Look , things are changing , and you need to look out for yourself . " " The season also sees Daniel Sousa promoted to the chief of the Los Angeles SSR office . The fictional company Isodyne Energy , who is involved with nuclear testing in the desert , was influenced by the real life 1940s companies such as Radiodyne , General Atomic or the beginnings of the Jet Propulsion Lab , " all of which were in L.A. in the ' 40s , and were developing the space program and were developing nukes . " Additionally , the season avoids depicting real life Hollywood stars from the 1940s because " the focus would shift from story to : does that person look or sound like an actor ? " Instead , the character Whitney Frost is depicted as an actress " who will have a part to play in our larger storyline . " The season introduces the Council of Nine , based on the Secret Empire , who " meet at the Arena Club , which is like this social club of white guys . They 're just the guys who sort of run the world . They have orchestrated assassinations . We insinuate that they orchestrated the 1929 Stock Market crash . " Members of the Council include powerful businessmen Calvin Chadwick and Hugh Jones , and their influence extends to " high levels of the government " as seen with War Department veteran Vernon Masters . Despite close similarities between the ' A ' symbol of the Arena Club and a Hydra symbol introduced in the third season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Fazekas stated that she " would not say " there was a connection between the Council and Hydra . With the introduction of Jason Wilkes and Frost , both considered " outsiders " as Carter was in the first season , co @-@ showrunner Chris Dingess noted how their arcs in the season would be similar , yet different to Carter 's , saying " I think everyone , to get to that place of getting respect , has a different road to get there . Everyone makes different choices along the way that define that road and I think with these three characters , everyone has a distinct , separate path . " Atwell spoke specifically about the season 's approach to diversity and prejudice , and noted that the series ' crew had expanded to include African American and Asian writers as well as a female director . " Since the first season heavily focused on a woman in a man 's world , " Atwell said , " we 're now going into more diversity and we 're investigating different prejudices within this time and one of them absolutely would have been race , as we all know .... if you have a staunchly white male cast then it might be more accurate of the time , but it becomes less relatable to our audiences , especially when the Marvel world 's so diverse . " On the racism issue , Butters stated , " We didn 't want to just have an African @-@ American character and not talk about that . That would have been very inauthentic . " As for the sexism Frost faces , Gina McIntrye and Andrea Towers of Entertainment Weekly saw similarities with Marvel 's Jessica Jones when Frost is asked to smile by two different men in her flashbacks in " Smoke & Mirrors " . Towers said , " The talent agent [ who asks Frost to smile ] may not be the Purple Man , but Whitney is certainly being ushered into a brainwashed mindset that will set her on a path she can 't deviate from easily . " At the conclusion of the season , Fazekas recalled the potential story revolving around Carter having a girls night out , saying that they realized that " once Peggy is on the mission , it starts to become difficult for her to have a social life ... we kept sort of punting that scene because every time we tried to do it , it was like , ' She 's not going to stop to go out to dinner . She has the world to save . ' " Also , they felt they were not properly servicing Angie 's character , instead " just sticking her in scenes just to be there , " resulting in the decision to ultimately not bring Angie back for the season as planned . In her place , the characters of Ana Jarvis and Rose Roberts are featured as confidante 's for Carter , " both people who are 100 % in on Peggy 's secret . Angie sort of figures it out at the end of the first season but Ana and Rose — there is no need to hide the truth from them . So it makes it a lot easier for her to confide in them . " = = = Casting = = = Atwell , James D 'Arcy , Chad Michael Murray , and Enver Gjokaj return from the first season to star as Peggy Carter , Edwin Jarvis , Jack Thompson , and Daniel Sousa , respectively . By July 2015 , Bridget Regan ( Dottie Underwood ) and Lyndsy Fonseca ( Angie Martinelli ) were negotiating contracts to also return for the season . At Fan Expo Canada the next month , Atwell confirmed that Regan would return for the season , with Dominic Cooper and Lesley Boone later also confirmed to be reprising their roles , respectively as Howard Stark and Rose Roberts . In December 2015 , Fonseca was confirmed to return for a dream sequence in " A Little Song and Dance " . Also returning for the second season is Ray Wise as Hugh Jones . In August 2015 , it was revealed that the character Whitney Frost would appear in the season , and Currie Graham was cast as her husband , Calvin Chadwick , the owner of Isodyne Energy . In October , Wynn Everett was revealed to be cast as Frost ; Reggie Austin was cast as physicist Jason Wilkes ; Lotte Verbeek was cast in the role of Ana Jarvis , the wife of Edwin Jarvis ; and Kurtwood Smith was revealed to be recurring as Vernon Masters , a veteran of the War Department . The next month , Ken Marino was cast as Joseph Manfredi , leader of the Maggia crime syndicate . Additionally , Matt Braunger was cast as SSR lab tech Aloysius Samberly , and Rey Valentin was cast as SSR Agent Vega . The dream sequence in " A Little Song and Dance " , dubbed an informal crossover with Dancing with the Stars , features many of the professional dancers from that series , including Louis van Amstel , Dmitry Chaplin , Karina Smirnoff , Anna Trebunskaya , Sasha Farber , and Damian Whitewood . Dancers Robert Roldan , Malene Ostergaard , Amanda Balen , Serge Onik , Jenya Shatilova , Lacey Escabar , Alla Kocherga , and Paul Kirkland are also featured in the sequence . = = = Design = = = Series costume designer Giovanna Ottobre @-@ Melton took inspiration from the films LA Confidential , Chinatown , and Who Framed Roger Rabbit to " represent the West Coast " , and the " sunshine noir " feel of the era for the season . The then @-@ just introduced " Dior New Look " is also referenced " with longer hemlines on supporting players . " The dream sequence at the beginning of " A Little Song and Dance " was choreographed by van Amstel and begins in black and white , before transitioning to color . Head of make @-@ up Debra LaMia Denaver explained that for the Zero Matter " wound " on Frost 's face , the " guidelines were for it to be like a cracked porcelain doll and then the black matter would come from inside out . From there , Jay [ Wejebe , makeup artist ] designed the prosthetics that we use and Robin [ Beauchesne , key makeup artist ] created all the different avenues the dark matter takes . " Using reference photographs and pre @-@ made prosthetics , the make @-@ up team were ultimately able to apply the effect to Everett in 30 minutes . = = = Filming = = = Filming for the season began on August 31 , and ended on December 19 , 2015 , with Edward J. Pei serving as director of photography . Unlike the first season , episodes were filmed concurrently , two at a time . Discussing the series ' location move , Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb explained that " Agent Carter season one took place in New York in 1946 . It wasn 't like we could go to New York and find 1946 , so we shot in L.A. But that 's part of the reason that when we talked about it , we said , ' You know what ? This season let 's stay in L.A. ' Because so much of L.A. still looks like it did in 1946 . " Butters expanded by saying the move to L.A. " was something we had talked about in the middle of the first season ... [ and ] we realized that not only was it a good idea for the storytelling , but also ... it 's much easier for us to shoot L.A. for L.A. than try to shoot L.A. for New York . " She added the season hoped to film at Musso & Frank Grill , the Formosa Cafe , the Griffith Observatory , racetracks , piers , and other locations in Downtown Los Angeles . The Universal Studios backlot serves as the backlot for the film studio Stark starts , Stark Pictures , with filming also taking place at the Los Angeles River . The Dunbar Hotel , a famous jazz club where both African @-@ Americans and Caucasians would attend , is portrayed in the season . The showrunners looked to the films LA Confidential , Chinatown , The Big Heat , and The Lady from Shanghai when shaping the visuals for the season , with additional research provided by Pei . Butters said , " it doesn 't feel like a different show . It just feels like an evolution of the show . " = = = Visual effects = = = DNeg TV provided the visual effects for the season , with Sheena Duggal returning as visual effects supervisor . Effects created for the season included the Zero Matter and its related properties , such as people being frozen and shattered by it , the dimensional rifts and the levitated objects that get sucked into them , and Wilkes becoming intangible . Frost 's Zero Matter " crack " on her face was also augmented with visual effects , to add depth , sentience , and an " infinite black " by color @-@ correcting the image , with the effects animators studying " cracking glass to better capture the animation effect . " 20 cast members were digitally scanned and modeled for interaction with Zero Matter , while many other instances required facial tracking markers on actors . For the Zero Matter itself , the design was described as a cross between " liquid spiders " and magnetic ferrofluid , the latter being used as an on set reference for the actors by Duggal . The main dimensional rifts were designed as black holes , based on the work of theoretical physicist Kip Thorne , which also inspired Double Negative 's visual effects for Interstellar ; the software developed for the film was reused for the series . DNeg TV also worked on Howard Stark 's Hover car , using the original computer asset for the version seen in Captain America : The First Avenger . Despite the original car from the film being only a shell and destroyed after the picture , an identical Cadillac was found for DNeg to laser scan and incorporate into the episode along with the real car when it is parked on the ground . = = = Music = = = The dance number used in the dream sequence from " A Little Song and Dance " was an original song from lyricist David Zippel and series composer Christopher Lennertz , in conjunction with Butters and Fazekas . Titled " Whatcha Gonna Do ( It 's Up to You ) " , the single was performed by Atwell and Gjokaj along with the Hollywood Studio Symphony , and was released on iTunes on March 18 , 2016 . = = = Marvel Cinematic Universe tie @-@ ins = = = In July 2015 , Butters revealed that the season would feature the Darkforce , which ties to the characters Doctor Strange and Marcus Daniels , the latter having appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In January 2016 , Fazekas elaborated , saying that the Darkforce , known as Zero Matter in the series , is the result of a nuclear test gone wrong by Isodyne Energy . Looking to the history of the Darkforce in the comics , Fazekas and Butters " were able to select what we liked and sort of make our own rules as to what it does , how it operates , and who it affects in our world . " The producers tried to take a scientific approach to the explanation of the Zero Matter , consulting with theoretical physicist Clifford Johnson to help ground it in science . Johnson provided the science equations seen on blackboards throughout the season , as well as real world reference for the Zero Matter containment systems . The showrunners also conversed with Eric Carroll at Marvel Studios to ensure anything they were doing with the Darkforce would not contradict the Doctor Strange script , and to see if they could destroy Howard Stark 's hover car , which was originally seen as a prototype in Captain America : The First Avenger . The mention in the season finale of the land Stark owns in Malibu is a reference to what will become the location for the home of his son , Tony , in the MCU films . = = Release = = = = = Broadcast = = = Season two of Agent Carter premiered on January 19 , 2016 on ABC with a two @-@ hour premiere , during the midseason break of the third season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It was originally scheduled to premiere on January 5 , 2016 , but was delayed due to an " earlier than usual " 2016 State of the Union Address . The season aired until March 1 , 2016 . = = = Marketing = = = Footage from the first episode was screened at New York Comic Con in October 2015 , while the first trailer for the season was released in November . Alice Walker of Screen Rant felt that " this promo highlights the best parts of the show . Fast paced and slick , Atwell is still incredibly charming .... There is a long way to go before we see if they can build on the momentum from the previous season , but so far it looks like a fun adventure . " Conversely , Kaitlin Thomas at TV.com called the promo " weird " , asking , " Why is ABC marketing Agent Carter like it 's one of the network 's casually daft melodramas instead of a well @-@ written drama [ ? ] ... From a tonal and thematic standpoint , the series depicted in that trailer feels like the polar opposite of what it actually is .... cutting together a bunch of scenes of Peggy punching people or holding a gun does not make her a badass when its framed in this way , and frankly , it 's no wonder people aren 't tuning in if that 's the type of show they think this is . " In March 2016 , Maureen Ryan , writing for Variety , described the season 's promotion as " lackluster " , and blamed it , as well as other factors that included " the botched rollout of Season 2 " , on the season 's ultimately poor viewership . = = Reception = = = = = Ratings = = = = = = Critical response = = = The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 80 % approval rating with an average rating of 7 @.@ 9 / 10 based on 15 reviews . The website 's consensus reads , " A move from New York to Hollywood gives Agent Carter new territory to explore , as the series continues to search for a storyline as dynamic as its heroine . " Mitchell Broussard at We Got This Covered graded the season premiere 4 @.@ 5 out of 5 stars , calling it " Fantastic " and positively comparing it to Marvel 's Ant @-@ Man by saying " Agent Carter finds a way to make the smaller stakes of Peggy 's noir sandbox as tense , credible , and addictively watchable as any other addition to the MCU . " Broussard highlighted the performances of Atwell and D 'Arcy as well as the new casting additions , and called the season 's pacing , due to the small episode order , " exciting " . He noted that " some may be disappointed in the more restrained adultness of the show releasing so soon after Jessica Jones , but I think that ’ s the greatest thing about this world : each show feels different and its own thing , despite their close proximity . " Variety 's Brian Lowry was less positive , praising the casting and performances but saying , " Agent Carter feels too slavishly locked into the S.H.I.E.L.D. formula ... it 's sort of a shame Agent Carter isn ’ t more compelling , since the impeccable period trappings and costumes make the series a nice change of pace , at least visually . " Eric Goldman of IGN gave the season an 8 @.@ 3 out of 10 , praising Atwell 's performance , as well as the return of Dottie in the season and the additions of Ana Jarvis and Whitney Frost . Conversely , he felt Reggie Austin as Jason Wilkes was likable , but ultimately the " character felt a bit bland " and that the humor in the season was pushed " a bit too far " . He concluded , " I don 't think [ the season ] was quite as tightly @-@ constructed as Season 1 and tonally , it sometimes wrestled with finding the right balance between the cool spy @-@ action elements and the likable comedic aspect ... But overall , it was another fun season filled with compelling characters — including a strong villain — and 1940s , Marvel @-@ flavored spy heroics , which benefitted from the new visuals the Los Angeles setting gave it . " Molly Freeman , reviewing the season finale for Screen Rant , called the season as a whole " Excellent " , particularly praising the character development given to the character of Whitney Frost , but criticized the way that the season ended that character 's storyline , stating that the finale " does a disservice to all the character development of Whitney throughout season 2 .... for the sake of sweeping her aside as easily as possible and giving the other cast members more development and screen time . After watching Agent Carter develop Whitney as such a powerful and sympathetic villain earlier this season , the way the show wrapped up her storyline is a disappointment . " = = = Accolades = = = For the season , the series was nominated for Best Superhero Adaptation Series at the 42nd Saturn Awards .
= The Sea Urchin ( 1913 film ) = The Sea Urchin is a 1913 American silent short romantic drama film directed by Edwin August and starring Jeanie MacPherson and Lon Chaney . The film was the earliest known character role by Lon Chaney and the first screenplay by MacPherson . The story follows a hunchback fisherman , who finds a young girl and raised her into womanhood with the intention of marrying her . A handsome boy soon gains her affections and the hunchback threatens him with a knife . The next day , the boat tips over during an argument and the hunchback saves the girl . As the young lovers reunite , he sees how happy they are together and he takes his leave . The film was released on August 22 , 1913 and was played across the United States . The film is presumed lost . = = Plot = = A hunchback fisherman finds a young girl tied to a mast , the sole survivor of a shipwreck , and raises her into womanhood with the intention of making her his wife . Ten years pass and the woman , out of gratitude , promises to marry him . The hunchback hires a handsome stranger , the boy . The boy and the girl fall in love , but the girl refuses to marry him . The hunchback sees the two embrace and threatens the boy with a knife . The next day , the three go fishing in the boat and an argument breaks out . During the argument the boat tips over and the girl is washed away . The hunchback and the boy search for her , until the boy becomes exhausted and collapses on the shore . The hunchback finds the girl on a rock and brings her ashore . As the two reunite , he sees how happy they are together and takes his leave . = = Cast = = Jeanie MacPherson as The Girl Lon Chaney as Barnacle Bill / Barnacle Ben Robert Z. Leonard as The Boy / Bob = = Production = = The film was a Powers Picture Plays directed by Edwin August and distributed by the Universal Film Manufacturing Company . The film 's production number was 0101 . The screen play was written by Jeanie MacPherson who also played the role of The Girl . Simon Louvish , author of Cecil B. DeMille : A Life in Art , states this uncredited screenplay was the first one to be authored by MacPherson . Louvish also refers to this film as a two @-@ reeler . Lon Chaney and Robert Z. Leonard had previously worked together for the Ferris Hartman Troupe . Three years prior to the release of the film , the two were involved in the production of musical comedies for the Troupe . In 1918 , Leonard would later direct his wife , Mae Murry , and Lon Chaney in Danger , Go Slow . = = Release and legacy = = The film was released on August 22 , 1913 . The Moving Picture World said the film was a memorable offering that contained vivid scenes along a picturesque coast . In an advertisement in Rushville , Indiana the film as billed as the " story of a Hunchback 's Love and Renunciation " . The film was also advertised , perhaps alternatively or erroneously , as Sea Urchins . Advertisements for the film included theaters in Pennsylvania , Texas , Kansas , Louisiana , Indiana , Utah , and New York . The film is important as the first known character role by Lon Chaney . Martin F. Norden , author of The Cinema of Isolation : A History of Physical Disability in the Movies , describes the plot as following the prevailing industry standards of disabled characters , where the figure " nobly " withdraws from the relationship after plotting revenge and then saving his beloved . Norden cites a quote from Chaney , saying this film made Chaney realize that " the screen was more interesting than the stage " . The film is now considered lost . It is unknown when the film was lost , but if it was in Universal 's vaults it would have been deliberately destroyed along with the remaining copies of Universal 's silent era films in 1948 .
= Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz = Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz , Ph.D. ( Urdu : مجدد احمد اعجا ز ; June 12 , 1937 — July 9 , 1992 ) , was a Pakistani @-@ American experimental physicist noted for his role in discovering new isotopes that expanded the neutron @-@ deficient side of the atomic chart . Some of the isotopes he discovered enabled significant advances in medical research , particularly in the treatment of cancer , and further advanced the experimental understanding of nuclear structures . Ijaz conducted his research work at Oak Ridge National Laboratories ( ORNL ) . He and his ORNL colleagues published more than 60 papers in physics journals announcing isotope discoveries and other results of their accelerator experiments from 1968 until 1983 . Ijaz participated in the U.S. Atoms for Peace initiative during the 1970s . The program provided a number of third @-@ world countries , including Pakistan , with civilian nuclear reactor technology to develop energy for peaceful purposes . As a tenured professor of Physics at Virginia Tech , he acted as thesis adviser to graduate students from around the world in experimental physics disciplines . Ijaz made extensive trips abroad during his career , including sabbaticals as a visiting professor at Saudi Arabia 's King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. in the early 1980s and as a visiting faculty member at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste , Italy in 1985 . He retired Professor Emeritus of Physics from Virginia Tech in December 1991 after a 27 @-@ year career in teaching and research . Ijaz and his wife emigrated to the United States and settled in Virginia , where had five children . He died in 1992 after a battle with cancer . = = Early life and education = = Mujaddid Ijaz was born on June 12 , 1937 in Baddomalhi , British Indian Empire . His father was a medical student who died in his mid @-@ 20s of brain cancer . His mother , a homemaker , remarried . He was the third of ten children in his family . Ijaz 's early education was made at rural village schools near Baddomalhi . He attended Islamia High School in Lahore . His early interest in science and physics was attributed to his step @-@ father 's work in the local meteorology department . After graduating from high school and finishing college entrance exam requirements , Ijaz was admitted to Government College in Lahore . There , he majored in physics and graduated with a B.Sc. in 1957 . He continued advanced studies under the tutelage of Prof. Rafi Muhammad Chaudhry , widely considered a pioneer in Pakistani experimental physics , until 1959 when he met Razia Begum Nazir . They later married and emigrated to the United States in 1960 . Ijaz and his wife arrived in Tallahassee , Florida in August 1960 , where they settled as incoming graduate students at Florida State University . He developed an early interest in particle physics and accelerator experiments while at Florida State , from where he graduated in June 1962 with a master 's degree in Physics . His thesis was titled Study of Angular Distributions of Elastically Scattered 8 to 19 Mev Alpha Particles from Al27 and from Ohio University in May 1964 with a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics with a thesis titled Proton @-@ Proton Collisions at 2 @.@ 0 BeV . = = Academic and scientific research career = = = = = Virginia Polytechnic Institute = = = Mujaddid Ijaz joined the faculty of the Virginia Tech Physics department in September 1964 as an Assistant Professor of Physics . In his early years as a faculty member , Ijaz devoted much of his time to his teaching responsibilities , including acting as adviser to the university 's roster of graduate students and doctoral candidates . He conducted his early research at the Physics department 's newly installed nuclear reactor , which at the time was equipped with a neutron activation analysis laboratory . Ijaz 's early experimental results earned him an appointment as research collaborator at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories in 1966 under a University Isotope Separator at Oak Ridge ( UNISOR ) grant funded by the U.S. Energy Department . In 1974 , Ijaz launched a Distinguished Visitors Colloquium Series under the Physics department 's sponsorship that brought world @-@ renowned physicists to the Blacksburg campus for nearly a decade . Visiting scholars included Salam , Sheldon Glashow , and Nobel physics laureates Hans Bethe , Robert Hofstadter , Eugene Wigner and Richard Feynman . Noted Chinese physicist Luke W. Mo ( whose group at the Stanford Linear Accelerator had won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1990 ) also lectured at Virginia Tech . Ijaz attained the rank of Full Professor of Physics in 1977 , and during the same year served as acting head of the Physics department . After several foreign sabbaticals in the 1980s , the first at U.P.M. in Dhahran , Saudi Arabia from 1979 until 1981 and another at I.C.T.P. in 1985 , he continued his teaching duties at Virginia Tech until retirement in December 1991 as Professor Emeritus of Physics . During the latter part of his career , Ijaz published papers that focused on methods and results in teaching , religion and science and other aspects of physics that did not form part of his technical research in earlier years . Also a physicist and teaching researcher at Virginia Tech , Lubna Razia Ijaz established a scholarship in 1996 that is awarded to students involved in physics education . = = = Oak Ridge National Laboratories = = = Mujaddid Ijaz began his research work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories ( ORNL ) in 1966 under Virginia Tech funding contributed to the UNISOR program . UNISOR was a consortium at that time of 13 institutions whose research scientists were collaborating at Oak Ridge supported by U.S. Energy Department grants together with Oak Ridge Associated Universities , of which Virginia Tech was one . Ijaz 's research focused on the discovery of new isotopes using ORNL 's High Flux Isotope Reactor . The reactor was built in 1965 with the highest neutron flux of any reactor at the time . It produced more medical isotopes while allowing higher fidelity of materials research than any other reactor available in the U.S. Energy Department 's science and energy laboratory system during the 1970s . Ijaz and his colleagues at Oak Ridge , led by Kenneth S. Toth , used the High Flux Reactor to discover new isotopes and map characteristics of existing isotopes , including isotopes of Erbium , Ytterbium , Thulium , Osmium , Hafnium , Tungsten , Mercury , Titanium , and Lead . In December 1982 , physicists at the University of Arizona used the mercury isotopes discovered by Toth , Ijaz et al. to successfully model behavior expected of heavier particles than traditional accelerator experiments could produce at the time due to energy limitations . During the 1970s , Ijaz participated in the Atoms for Peace initiative created by President Eisenhower in 1953 to help the post @-@ World War II international community cope with nuclear power . Pakistan 's first facility , a 5 MW PARR @-@ I pool @-@ type facility , was provided by the United States in 1965 . The reactor began operations on December 21 , 1965 under the supervision of Pakistani scientists led by Abdus Salam . = = = Notable collaborations = = = Mujaddid Ijaz collaborated with notable physicists and mathematicians throughout his 27 @-@ year career . Most notable among these were his collaborations with Abdus Salam whose groundbreaking work in electroweak interactions together with American physicists Steven Weinberg and Sheldon Glashow earned them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 . In 1976 , Salam recommended creating an international forum for the advancement of science and technology to be hosted by Pakistan in the Hazara region while serving as Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan . Since then , the Nathiagali Physics Conferences has gathered notable scientists from around the world during summer breaks to break the intellectual isolation faced by Pakistani scientists . Ijaz participated in these conferences several times during the mid @-@ 1970s under National Science Foundation grants . He was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Physical Society . = = Personal life = = Mujaddid Ijaz married Razia Begum ( nee Nazir ) in June 1960 prior to emigrating to the United States . Razia later took her husband 's chosen name , Lubna , when they both became naturalized American citizens on January 5 , 1970 . They had five children : Mansoor , Farouk , Atif and Mujeeb . Neelam , their only daughter , was born in Pakistan . The Ijazes initially settled in Blacksburg , where Virginia Tech was situated , and lived there from 1964 until 1969 . After several years of living in the rural community of Floyd , Virginia , they returned to Christiansburg , a township near Virginia Tech , in 1973 , building a home in the Appalachian Mountains that today remains the family 's homestead . Mujaddid Ijaz died on July 9 , 1992 at his home in Shawsville , Virginia of complications arising from a protracted battle with brain and lung cancer . He was buried in traditional Muslim rituals at the site of his most favored farm in Alum Ridge , surrounded by a large gathering of his family from around the United States and his physics colleagues and friends from southwestern Virginia . President George H. W. Bush consoled Ijaz 's widow in a letter dated July 24 , 1992 . = = Selected publications = = J. E. Campbell ; M. A. Ijaz ( 1969 ) . " A study of resonance production in six @-@ pronged Pi @-@ P interactions at 7 @.@ 0 GeV / c " . Nuclear Physics B , vol . 12 , pp. 549 @-@ 560 . M. A. Ijaz ; J. E. Campbell ( 1969 ) . " Distribution of transverse and longitudinal momentum in π − p interactions at 7 @.@ 0 GeV / c " . Nuovo Cimento Della Societa Italiana Di Fisica A , vol . 61 , no . 2 , pp. 307 @-@ 319 . M. A. Ijaz ; J. E. Campbell ; A. Naeem ( 1968 ) . " Transverse momentum distribution of pions in two and six prong events from pi--p collisions at 7 @.@ 0 GeV / c " . Canadian Journal of Physics , vol . 46 . M. A. Ijaz ; J. Campbell ( 1968 ) . " Some characteristic features of six prong pi @-@ p interactions at 7 @.@ 0 GeV / c " . Nuclear Physics B , vol . 7 , pp. 175 @-@ 182 .
= Princes Street , Dunedin = Princes Street ( often misspelt as " Princess Street " ) is a major street in Dunedin , the second largest city in the South Island of New Zealand . It runs south @-@ southwest for two kilometres from The Octagon in the city centre to the Oval sports ground , close to the city 's Southern Cemetery . North of The Octagon , George Street continues the line of Princes Street north @-@ northeast for two and a half kilometres . Princes Street is straight and undulates as it skirts the edge of the City Rise to its northwest . The part of the street immediately below The Octagon is the steepest section , as the road traverses an old cutting through Bell Hill . Princes Street was developed during Dunedin 's 1860s boom from the Central Otago gold rush , and consequently is one of New Zealand 's most historic streets , with about 70 buildings in close proximity listed on the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Register . Originally the site of the city 's wharf , a substantial area of land to the east of the street was formerly part of Otago Harbour , much of it reclaimed via rock removed during the lowering of Bell Hill which separated Princes Street from northern Dunedin in the early years of settlement . In the years following the gold rush , Princes Street was the heart of Dunedin 's central business district , but much of the city 's main retail area has now shifted north to George Street . = = History = = In the early years of Dunedin 's settlement , much of the city 's growth was on two areas of reasonably flat land close to the harbour , separated by the large Bell Hill and an area of low swampy land . The northern of these two flat areas surrounded the floodplain of the Water of Leith , a small river that runs through Dunedin . As the city grew the swamp was drained to become the new city 's centre , and the hill was lowered by excavation to allow access between the two areas of settlement . A street grid was set up with the main road split in two by the city centre ( now The Octagon ) - Princes Street to the south and George Street to the north . As with many of the city 's other place names , both these names and that of the Water of Leith reflect the names of places in Edinburgh . In the settlement 's early days , Bell Hill proved a major obstacle to travel south of the city centre , and major excavation work was carried out to provide access to the south . A cutting was made in the hill in 1858 , and during the 1860s the hill was lowered by some 14 metres ( 46 ft ) . The cutting allowed for the passage of transport between the two parts of the town . The southern flank of the hill was also completely removed ( that area now being occupied by Queen 's Gardens ) . The stone removed from the hill was used as construction material for many of the city 's first permanent buildings , and also as fill to reclaim the northern end of the Southern Endowment along the edge of the harbour . This reclamation work added a considerable area to the central city ; the original docks , close to the Exchange area of Princes Street , are now several hundred metres inland . The area of Princes Street between the Exchange and Market Reserve was a frequent source of dispute in the early years of European settlement . This area , at that time on the foreshore of Otago Harbour was a traditional landing site for Māori waka . Captain Cargill , the founder of the new city , wished to follow the British practice of keeping the foreshore as public land . As the town spread , the area around the landing site became populated by settlers , and visiting Maori relied on the coastal strip as a place to set up their encampments . The southern Commissioner for Crown Lands , Walter Mantell noted the problem and proposed to his superiors in Wellington that a site be found at which the Māori could erect permanent structures , naming the Princes Street foreshore as the preferred site . Mantell and Cargill , who had been bitter political opponents for the control of the early settlement , quickly found themselves at loggerheads over the proposal , and disputes over the ownership and allocation of the land dragged on for over two decades , finally being settled in the courts in 1877 . In the years following the Central Otago Gold Rush of the 1860s Dunedin grew rapidly , with much of the growth being centred on Princes Street . In the city 's early years this road was notorious for its unformed rough nature , a consequence of the work on Bell Hill , and led to Dunedin 's early nickname of " Mud @-@ edin " . The prosperity brought by the gold rush led to a boom in construction , and within a handful of years , the area around lower Princes Street became the most prosperous in the country . Many of the prominent grand buildings of this part of Dunedin date from this period , and numerous structures in the area have New Zealand Historic Places Trust classification as a result . There is a considerable photographic record of early Princes Street , largely thanks to the presence in the street of the studios of the Burton Brothers , pioneering New Zealand photographers . Many of their images , and those of other early Dunedin photographers , were collated and published in a series of books by photographic historian Hardwicke Knight , one of which — a collection of photographic works by Daniel Louis Mundy — was entitled Princes Street by gaslight ( 1977 ) . Several notable companies have either been founded or had their headquarters in Princes Street . Notable among these were The Drapery and General Importing Company of New Zealand , later simply known as The D.I.C. , Hallenstein 's , and H.E. Shacklock . The first New Zealand headquarters of Briscoes were also located on Princes Street . = = Route = = = = = The " Top 100 " = = = From the Octagon , Princes Street initially rises as it passes through a commercial district formerly commonly known as the Top 100 , crossing the outer Octagon of Moray Place before descending through the original cutting of Bell Hill towards the Exchange . The Top 100 theoretically takes its name from the 100 retail businesses which line Princes Street from the Octagon to the Exchange , although the actual number of businesses is not one hundred . This part of the city is sometimes seen as the creative heart of Dunedin , with numerous art galleries , video production companies , and the city 's professional theatre ( the Fortune Theatre ) all being based in the area from Moray Place to Rattray Street . Some parts of the Bell Hill cutting are still visible from Princes Street , though the most obvious escarpment of the hill is found between Moray Place and Queen 's Gardens , close to First Church . From Princes Street , the most notable part of the cutting is at Dowling Street , 300 metres south of the Octagon . Dowling Street narrows significantly above this intersection . The Dowling Street Steps , a 1926 structure listed by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust , rise from close to the Princes Street @-@ Dowling Street intersection , ascending a cliff that was formed as a result of the original work on Bell Hill . = = = The Exchange = = = The Exchange , on Princes Street 400 metres south of The Octagon , was the original financial heart of the city , but the CBD has drifted north to its current location on George Street . Princes Street still contains many of the city 's older and more stately business properties , particularly in the few blocks from The Exchange south . This area is also the lowest part of the street , as it descends from the remains of Bell Hill . This area , now several hundred metres inland from the edge of the Otago Harbour , was the site of the original landing place of settlers from the two ships which brought the Otago Association 's settlers to Dunedin . The two ships , the John Wickliffe and the Philip Laing , arrived in early 1848 . As they could not negotiate the harbour , they set anchor at the Otago Heads . Settlers from the ships travelled by smaller rowing boat from there to Dunedin . Massive reclamation of the area led to the creation of a wide strip of land , since occupied by commercial premises , warehousing , and the main rail line . The original nature of the site is reflected in the names of Jetty Street and Water Street , both of which cross Princes Street close to the Exchange . This part of Princes Street was at one point the location of a bridge across a small stream , the Toitu Stream , now diverted underground . A spring which fed the stream is still used as the source of water for Speight 's Brewery , which is located 200 metres to the northwest on Rattray Street . The former Exchange Building , from which The Exchange takes its name , was an impressive structure , designed by William Mason as a Post Office and later occupied by the University of Otago and the Otago Museum . Next to this was the 1863 Customhouse building , and outside the two was an open space known as Customhouse Square . The Exchange building was pulled down in 1969 , and it was largely the destruction of this building that led to changes in attitudes by Dunedinites regarding the change of their cityscape . Since this time , changes to the city 's old buildings have been met with vociferous protests . The Customhouse building is also long since gone . Today , the site of the buildings is the location of Dunedin 's biggest office block , John Wickliffe House , and the nearby John Wickliffe Plaza . Both are named for the John Wickliffe , the first of the two ships which brought the Otago Association 's settlers to Dunedin ( a nearby building , Philip Laing House , is named for the other of these two ships ) . Despite this , the area is the site of several prominent Victorian buildings , notably former bank buildings at the northern end of the area . Other imposing buildings in the area include the Chief Post Office building , the proposed site of a hotel , and - one block to the east - Consultancy House , a seven @-@ storey 1908 building regarded ( by dint of its construction methods ) as Dunedin 's first skyscraper . John Wickliffe Plaza is also the site of one of Dunedin 's more notable public monuments , dedicated to city founder Captain William Cargill . This monument , designed by Charles Robert Swyer and built in 1863 @-@ 4 , was originally sited in the Octagon , but was moved to the Exchange in 1872 . The Exchange was at one time a complex intersection with two busy streets , Rattray Street and High Street . These lead from State Highway 1 at Queen 's Gardens ( an open park containing the city 's main war memorial , Dunedin Cenotaph , close to which lies the Otago Settlers ' Museum and the Dunedin Chinese Garden ) 200 metres to the east of Princes Street , to the older hill suburbs to the west . Though these streets originally both crossed Princes Street , civic planning has reduced High Street at the intersection to a minor road , and John Wickliffe Plaza now covers part of the original intersection . Apart from the Cargill Monument , the Plaza contains several other items of public sculpture , notably a series of three small brass penguins called " We are not alone " , sculpted by Parry Jones and unveiled in 1999 . A Historic Places Trust blue plaque at the foot of the Cargill Monument marks the location of the first Salvation Army meeting in New Zealand , held at the site in April 1883 . = = = Below the Exchange = = = The lower Exchange and area immediately to the south of it contains some other notable buildings , including several of Dunedin 's more notable former and current public houses . Among these are Wain 's Hotel , the Provincial Hotel ( at the foot of Stafford Street ) , the Empire Tavern , and the former Prince of Wales Hotel . Wain 's Hotel , immediately opposite the former Post Office building , is an imposing Italianate structure built in 1878 from designs by Mason and Wales . The Empire Tavern also has a long history , and claims to be Dunedin 's oldest pub , having been continuously licensed since 1858 . Its recent past is closely tied with the Dunedin Sound music scene of the 1980s , of which it was a principal venue . Prior to its gutting by fire in the 1980s , the Prince of Wales Hotel , a block further down Princes Street , was noted for an unusual gimmick , in that the upstairs restaurant facilities were extensively themed on old railway carriages , and included in their decor several original vintage pieces of rolling stock . The Prince of Wales was later ( 1992 – 2010 ) the location of one of the city 's top restaurants , Bell Pepper Blues . Lower Princes Street rises slightly from the Exchange before dropping down , becoming flat for the final kilometre of its length . Here , there is a mix of commercial , wholesale , and light industrial properties , with only occasional retail shops . The street itself widens from thee crest below the Exchange , becoming a dual carriageway from this point south to the major junction at the southern end of the Oval . Several notable buildings are still found in the lower Princes Street area , among them the former H.E. Shacklock building and the Crown Roller Mills Building ; the latter in particular is a notable landmark . The Crown Roller Mills building is not in Princes Street itself , but rather lies at the foot of Manor Place , close to its intersection with Princes Street . It stands at the edge of a small area of parkland called the Market Reserve , at the opposite edge of which is the city 's main bus depot . This area was swampland when the first European settlers arrived in Dunedin , but was reclaimed and did host a regular market for a few years from the 1870s . The market was not well @-@ supported , however , and eventually folded . The bus depot is located on the site of the city 's 1902 Tram workshops . The Market Reserve also contains a children 's playground and , at the edge closes to the Crown Roller Mills Building , a small monument dedicated to Otago workers who have lost their lives while at work . This simple bluestone memorial was erected in 2003 by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions on a site donated by the Dunedin City Council . At the bottom end of Princes Street is the former Dunedin Metropolitan Club building , now home to Natural History New Zealand , one of the country 's leading television production companies . Opposite this lies a large recreation reserve , which — despite its roughly triangular shape — is called the Oval , or more correctly , Kensington Oval . Kensington Oval contains mainly cricket and association football pitches , and also caters for rugby , hockey , and softball . The Oval also contains one of the city 's main war memorials , dedicated to the fallen of the Boer War campaign . This lies close to the Oval 's northernmost point . Close to the Oval are two major road junctions . At the north end , a link road connects Princes Street with the city 's one @-@ way street system ( part of State Highway 1 ) and with Anderson 's Bay Road , a major arterial route to South Dunedin and Otago Peninsula . The part of Princes Street close to the Oval , as well as several other nearby streets , is used annually as part of the Dunedin Street Circuit , a temporary inner city motor @-@ racing circuit used during the week @-@ long Southern Festival of Speed . At the southern end of the Oval is a further junction , with Princes Street terminating in a link road to South Dunedin 's main street , King Edward Street , and a further road skirting the edge of a hilly spur to join South Road at the northern end of the suburb of Caversham . This latter road passes Dunedin 's Southern Cemetery , the oldest and arguably most historic of the city 's main cemeteries . The Southern Cemetery 's earliest graves are from 1858 , and it contains the remains of many of the city 's founding fathers , including Captain William Cargill , Thomas Burns , and Johnny Jones . The cemetery is notable for its large Chinese and Jewish sections . = = Transport links = = The top section of Princes Street , from the Octagon to the Exchange , has long been the hub of Dunedin 's public transport system . Buses from the north of the city largely pass along George Street and into the Octagon , those from the south pass into the southern end of Princes Street , and those from the hill suburbs arrive at the Octagon via Stuart Street or at the Exchange via High and Rattray Streets . Almost all of these use upper Princes Street between the Exchange and the Octagon as part of their route . In the city 's early years trams followed many of these same routes . Until the demise of the system in the 1950s , this area was also at the heart of the Dunedin cable tramway system , with the longer lines running up the slopes of City Rise via High , Rattray , or Stuart Streets . = = Heritage New Zealand listed buildings = = Few , if any , streets in New Zealand contain as many New Zealand Historic Places Trust Category I or Category II protected buildings as Princes Street . These buildings include the following : The Haynes ' Building , 42 @-@ 72 Princes St ( cnr . Princes St and Moray Place ) ( Category I ) . Often now known as the Savoy Building after the restaurant which is its main tenant , this four @-@ storey building was designed by Edmund Anscombe and completed in 1914 . The building , with its distinctive cupola , is a major landmark of upper Princes Street , lying one block south of the Octagon . The Queen 's Building , 109 Princes St ( Category II ) . An early , if small , skyscraper , the five @-@ storey Queen 's Building was completed in 1929 on the site of the former Queen 's Theatre , to a design of J. Louis Salmond . Excelsior Apartments , 33 Dowling Street ( cnr. of Dowling and Princes Sts ) ( Category II ) . Standing at the heart of Dunedin 's 19th century Central Business District , the Excelsior Apartments are an 1888 structure originally built as a tavern and hotel . The building was designed by Robert Forrest . The National Bank Building , 193 Princes St ( Category I ) . Designed by William Dunning , an Australian architect , and Charles Fleming MacDonald , this building is reminiscent of many of the grander buildings in Melbourne and Sydney . Constructed in a neo @-@ Baroque style , it uses Tasmanian sandstone and trachyte as a major feature in its façade , and was completed in 1913 . Continuing the history of the building be tenanted by financial institutions , the building was for many years home to MTF , a vehicle finance company . The Façade of the old Woolworth 's Building , 194 Princes St ( Category II ) . The Bank of New Zealand Building , 205 Princes St ( cnr . Princes and High Sts ) ( Category I ) . Designed in Venetian Renaissance styling , the 1882 BNZ building stands just two doors along from the National Bank building . The William Armson @-@ designed building is notable for the richly carved exterior work by Louis Godfrey and moulded ceilings in its interior . The façade combines Doric , Ionic and Corinthian styles , and makes good use of Port Chalmers bluestone and Oamaru stone , a compact , cream @-@ coloured limestone . The Southern Cross Hotel , 118 High St ( cnr . High and Princes Sts ) ( Category I ) . One of Dunedin 's principal hotels , the Southern Cross is housed in an impressive 1883 building designed by Louis Boldini . It occupies a prominent corner site in the heart of the Exchange . Formerly the Grand Hotel , the building has been extended considerably on several occasions in its history , and was considerably renovated in the 1980s , though most of its original features remain . The Southern Cross Hotel Building is home to Dunedin Casino . The Clarion Building , 282 @-@ 292 Princes St ( Category II ) . This 1878 William Mason building was originally a major drapery store in the heart of what was then Dunedin 's retail district . The exterior is of Venetian Gothic style , though the interior has been largely redeveloped in recent years . The Chief Post Office Building , 283 Princes St ( Category II ) . The Chief Post Office Building has not had an easy history . Designed by John Mair and the Governments Architects Office , construction was severely delayed by the Great Depression . Originally intended to be built in the early 1930s , it was not completed until 1937 . A sturdy and impressive structure , possibly modelled on some of the government architecture in vogue in the United Kingdom during this era , the building held Dunedin 's main post office branch until the late 1980s . Since this time it has lain largely empty ; many plans had been put forward for its use , including a hotel , a new site for the city 's public library , and offices for either the Dunedin City Council or Otago Regional Council . In 2013 , an extensive renovation of the lower few floors began , with Silver Fern Farms moving in on the ground and first floors as anchor tenant in February 2014 . Subsequently , other tenancies have been taken up by a gym and dance studio , and long @-@ term executive and hotel accommodation is planned for the remaining floors . Wain 's Hotel , 310 Princes St ( Category I ) . Built in 1879 to a design by Mason & Wales , Wain 's Hotel remains Dunedin 's grandest hotel building , and reflects the opulence which followed the Central Otago Gold Rush of the 1860s . The interior has been substantially remodelled , but the exterior 's Italianate Renaissance façade remains largely intact . This latter features much intricate work by mason George Munro , notably the figures found carved within the panelled spandrels and supporting the façade 's oriel windows . The ANZ Bank Building , Dunedin , 319 Princes St ( Category II ) . Robert Lawson 's 1874 Union Bank of Australasia building is the only classical temple form structure in Dunedin . It is a partner to the architect 's work on bank buildings in Oamaru , and features carved Corinthian columns by Godfrey . The building continued to be used as a bank until 1992 , and now houses a night club . The H.E. Shacklock Building , 595 @-@ 625 Princes St ( Category II ) . The only listed manufacturing building in Princes Street , the Shacklock building covers a large site at the southern end of Princes Street opposite the Market Reserve . The Cargill Monument at John Wickliffe Plaza is also listed ( Category I ) , as are numerous buildings and structures which lie close to the intersection of side roads with Princes Street ( e.g. , the Category I Crown Roller Mills Building in Manor Place and the Category II Dowling Street Steps ) .
= Tropical Depression Nine ( 2001 ) = Tropical Depression Nine caused minor flooding in Central America in September 2001 . The ninth tropical cyclone of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season , the depression developed from a tropical wave in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on September 19 . Without significant intensification , the depression made landfall in Puerto Cabezas , Nicaragua early on September 20 , which was about six hours after becoming a tropical cyclone . Once inland over Central America , the depression significant deteriorated and dissipated later that day , after lasting for less than 24 hours . The remnants emerged into the Pacific Ocean and later developed into Hurricane Juliette . Impact from the depression was rather minor . Although sustained winds on land did not exceed 30 mph ( 55 km / h ) , a fallen tree injured three children in El Salvador . In addition , heavy rainfall flooded at least 200 homes in San Salvador and inundated 15 farms . The depression did not result in fatalities and damage caused by it is unknown . = = Meteorological history = = A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa and emerged into the Atlantic Ocean on September 11 . After tracking westward for five days , the wave entered the Caribbean Sea on September 16 . Convection steadily increased in both coverage and intensity , and by September 19 , the system reached the southwestern Caribbean Sea . Satellite imagery and surface observations indicated that Tropical Depression Nine formed at 1800 UTC on September 19 , while located 50 miles ( 80 km ) north @-@ northwest of San Andres Island . Initially , the depression had two centers of circulation , one east of Costa Rica and one east of Puerto Cabezas , Nicaragua . Because the thunderstorm activity was more intense and persistent at the northern circulation , advisories were initiated using the latter . Computer forecast models predicted that the depression would make landfall in Nicaragua and then enter the eastern Pacific Ocean within 36 hours . Other computer forecast models separated it into two systems , with the northern center going into the Bay of Campeche and the southern center going westward through Costa Rica and into the Pacific while strengthening into a " significant tropical cyclone " . Although only a tropical depression , upper level outflow was circular and was indicative of a more " mature " tropical cyclone . At 0000 UTC on September 20 , the depression made landfall near Punta Cabezas , Nicaragua with winds of 35 mph ( 55 km / h ) and weakening was immediately forecast . Three hours later , the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory , as the lower level center became poorly defined because of interaction with the mountains of Central America and deep thunderstorm activity had significantly diminished . The National Hurricane Center noted the possibility of regeneration , if the circulation entered into the Pacific Ocean within a few days . Although the depression never redeveloped , the remnant tropical wave emerged into the Pacific Ocean and contributed to the development of Hurricane Juliette on September 21 . = = Preparations and Impact = = Upon development of the tropical depression , a tropical storm watch was issued from Bluefields , Nicaragua to Dangriga , Belize . When the depression made landfall , this warning was discontinued . Residents in El Salvador were advised to avoid rivers due to possible flooding but no mandatory evacuations were put in place . A green alert was issued in Nicaragua due to the threat of heavy rains and high winds . This alert remained in effect until September 21 . Three children were injured by a fallen tree in the country . The highest sustained winds on land from the depression were reported at Punta Cabezas , Nicaragua with winds of 30 mph ( 50 km / h ) and a minimum pressure of 1 @,@ 006 mbar ( 29 @.@ 7 inHg ) . A total of 1 @.@ 8 inches ( 46 mm ) of rain was recorded in Bluefields while up to 5 @.@ 9 inches ( 150 mm ) was estimated to have fallen in mountainous areas . In El Salvador , heavy rains from the depression helped alleviate drought conditions ; however , flooding also inundated 200 homes in San Salvador along the Acelhuate River . Fifteen farms were inundated by flooding , five of which were destroyed . Seventy people evacuated to shelters set up after the storm by the local Red Cross and armed forces . Military crews were quickly deployed to help clean up the damages on September 22 . Although it passed over Central America , there are no reports of damage or deaths in the region due to the tropical depression .
= Madonna ( entertainer ) = Madonna Louise Ciccone ( / tʃɪˈkoʊni / ) ( born August 16 , 1958 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , actress , and businesswoman . She achieved popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her music videos , which became a fixture on MTV . Madonna is known for reinventing both her music and image , and for maintaining her autonomy within the recording industry . Music critics have acclaimed her musical productions , which have generated some controversy . Referred to as the " Queen of Pop " , Madonna is often cited as an influence by other artists . Born in Bay City , Michigan , Madonna moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance . After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy , she signed with Sire Records ( an auxiliary label of Warner Bros. Records ) in 1982 and released her self @-@ titled debut album the following year . She followed it with a series of commercially and critically successful albums , including the Grammy Award winners Ray of Light ( 1998 ) and Confessions on a Dance Floor ( 2005 ) . Throughout her career , Madonna has written and produced most of her songs , with many of them reaching number one on the record charts , including " Like a Virgin " , " Papa Don 't Preach " , " Like a Prayer " , " Vogue " , " Take a Bow " , " Frozen " , " Music " , " Hung Up " , and " 4 Minutes " . Madonna 's popularity was further enhanced by her film roles , including Desperately Seeking Susan ( 1985 ) , Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) , and Evita ( 1996 ) ; the latter earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . However , most of her other films have been panned by critics . Her other ventures include fashion design , writing children 's books , and filmmaking . She has been acclaimed as a businesswoman , particularly after she founded entertainment company Maverick ( including the label Maverick Records ) . In 2007 she signed an unprecedented US $ 120 million 360 deal with Live Nation , which led to a record deal with Interscope Records . Having sold more than 300 million records worldwide , Madonna is recognized as the best @-@ selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records . The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) listed her as the best @-@ selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second highest @-@ certified female artist in the United States , with 64 @.@ 5 million album units . Madonna is the highest @-@ grossing solo touring artist of all time , earning US $ 1 @.@ 31 billion from her concerts since 1990 . Madonna became one of the five founding members of the UK Music Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility . She was ranked at number one on VH1 's list of 100 Greatest Women in Music and number two ( behind only The Beatles ) on Billboard 's list of Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time . = = Life and career = = = = = 1958 – 81 : Early life and career beginnings = = = Madonna was born to Catholic parents Silvio Anthony " Tony " Ciccone ( b . 1931 ) and Madonna Louise Fortin ( c . 1933 – December 1 , 1963 ) in Bay City , Michigan , on August 16 , 1958 . Her father 's parents were immigrants from Pacentro , Italy , while her mother was of French @-@ Canadian ancestry . Tony worked as an engineer designer for Chrysler and General Motors . Since Madonna had the same name as her mother , family members called her " Little Nonni " . She has two elder brothers , Anthony ( born 1956 ) and Martin ( born 1957 ) , and three younger siblings , Paula ( born 1959 ) , Christopher ( born 1960 ) , and Melanie ( born 1962 ) . Upon being confirmed in 1966 , she adopted Veronica as a confirmation name . She was raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township ( now Rochester Hills ) . Months before her mother died of breast cancer , Madonna noticed changes in her behavior and personality , although she did not understand the reason . Her mother was at a loss to explain her medical condition , and often began to cry when Madonna questioned her about it . Madonna later acknowledged that she had not grasped the concept of her mother dying . Madonna turned to her paternal grandmother for solace . The Ciccone siblings resented housekeepers and invariably rebelled against anyone brought into their home ostensibly to take the place of their beloved mother . Madonna later told Vanity Fair that she saw herself in her youth as a " lonely girl who was searching for something . I wasn 't rebellious in a certain way . I cared about being good at something . I didn 't shave my underarms and I didn 't wear make @-@ up like normal girls do . But I studied and I got good grades .... I wanted to be somebody . " Terrified that her father Tony could be taken from her as well , Madonna was often unable to sleep unless she was near him . In 1966 , Tony married the family 's housekeeper Joan Gustafson ; they had two children , Jennifer ( born 1967 ) and Mario ( born 1968 ) . At this point , Madonna started to resent him for decades , and developed a rebellious attitude . She attended St. Frederick 's and St. Andrew 's Catholic Elementary Schools , and West Middle School . Madonna was known for her high grade point average , and achieved notoriety for her unconventional behavior . She would perform cartwheels and handstands in the hallways between classes , dangle by her knees from the monkey bars during recess , and pull up her skirt during class — all so that the boys could see her underwear . Madonna later attended Rochester Adams High School where she became a straight @-@ A student and a member of the cheerleading squad . After graduating , she received a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan School of Music , Theatre & Dance , and attended the American Dance Festival over the summer . She convinced her father to allow her to take ballet lessons and was persuaded by Christopher Flynn , her ballet teacher , to pursue a career in dance . In 1978 , she dropped out of college and relocated to New York City . She had little money and worked as a waitress at Dunkin ' Donuts and with modern dance troupes , taking classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and eventually performing with Pear Lang Dance Theater . Madonna said of her move to New York , " It was the first time I 'd ever taken a plane , the first time I 'd ever gotten a taxi cab . I came here with $ 35 in my pocket . It was the bravest thing I 'd ever done . " She started to work as a backup dancer for other established artists . Madonna claimed that during a late night she was returning from a rehearsal , when a pair of men held her at knifepoint and forced her to perform fellatio . Madonna later commented that " the episode was a taste of my weakness , it showed me that I still could not save myself in spite of all the strong @-@ girl show . I could never forget it . " While performing as a backup singer and dancer for the French disco artist Patrick Hernandez on his 1979 world tour , Madonna became romantically involved with musician Dan Gilroy . Together , they formed her first rock band , the Breakfast Club , for which Madonna sang and played drums and guitar . In 1980 or 1981 she left Breakfast Club and , with her former boyfriend Stephen Bray as drummer , formed the band Emmy . The two began writing songs together , and Madonna later decided to market herself as a solo act . Their music impressed DJ and record producer Mark Kamins who arranged a meeting between Madonna and Sire Records founder Seymour Stein . = = = 1982 – 85 : Career breakthrough and first marriage = = = After Madonna signed a singles deal with Sire , her debut single , " Everybody " , was released in October 1982 , and the second , " Burning Up " , in March 1983 . Both became big club hits in the United States , reaching number three on Hot Dance Club Songs chart compiled by Billboard magazine . After this success , she started developing her debut album , Madonna , which was primarily produced by Reggie Lucas of Warner Bros. However , she was not happy with the completed tracks and disagreed with Lucas ' production techniques , so decided to seek additional help . Madonna moved in with boyfriend John " Jellybean " Benitez , asking his help for finishing the album 's production . Benitez remixed most of the tracks and produced " Holiday " , which was her third single and her first international top @-@ ten hit . The overall sound of Madonna was dissonant and in the form of upbeat synthetic disco , using some of the new technology of the time , like the Linn drum machine , Moog bass and the OB @-@ X synthesizer . The album was released in July 1983 and peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 six months later , in 1984 . It yielded two more top @-@ ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 , " Borderline " and " Lucky Star " . Madonna 's look and style of dressing , her performances , and her music videos influenced young girls and women . Her style became one of the female fashion trends of the 1980s . Created by stylist and jewelry designer Maripol , the look consisted of lace tops , skirts over capri pants , fishnet stockings , jewelry bearing the crucifix , bracelets , and bleached hair . Madonna achieved global recognition after the release of her second studio album , Like a Virgin , in November 1984 . It topped the charts in several countries and became her first number @-@ one album on the Billboard 200 . The title track , " Like a Virgin " , topped the Hot 100 chart for six consecutive weeks . It attracted the attention of organizations who complained that the song and its accompanying video promoted premarital sex and undermined family values , and moralists sought to have the song and video banned . Madonna was criticized for her performance of " Like a Virgin " at the first 1984 MTV Video Music Awards ( VMA ) . She appeared on stage atop a giant wedding cake , wearing a wedding dress and white gloves . The performance is noted by MTV as an iconic moment in VMA history . In later years , Madonna commented that she was terrified of the performance . The next hit was " Material Girl " promoted by her video , a mimicry of Marilyn Monroe 's performance of the song " Diamonds Are a Girl 's Best Friend " from the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . While filming this video , Madonna started dating actor Sean Penn . They married on her birthday in 1985 . Like a Virgin was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America and sold more than 21 million copies worldwide . In February 1984 , according to the film director Sir Richard Attenborough , Madonna auditioned at the Royale Theatre on Broadway for a dance role in his movie version of A Chorus Line using her birth @-@ name of Ciccone , but he rejected her . Madonna entered mainstream films in February 1985 , beginning with a brief appearance as a club singer in Vision Quest , a romantic drama film . Its soundtrack contained two new singles , her U.S. number @-@ one single , " Crazy for You " and " Gambler " . She also played the title role in the 1985 comedy Desperately Seeking Susan , a film which introduced the song " Into the Groove " , her first number @-@ one single in the UK . Although Madonna was not the lead actress for the film , her profile was such that the movie widely became considered ( and marketed ) as a Madonna vehicle . The New York Times film critic Vincent Canby named it one of the ten best films of 1985 . Beginning in April 1985 , Madonna embarked on her first concert tour in North America , The Virgin Tour , with the Beastie Boys as her opening act . She progressed from playing CBGB and the Mudd Club to playing large sporting arenas . At that time she released two more hit singles from the album , " Angel " and " Dress You Up " . In July , Penthouse and Playboy magazines published a number of nude photos of Madonna , taken in New York in 1978 . She had posed for the photographs as she needed money at the time , and was paid as little as $ 25 a session . The publication of the photos caused a media uproar , but Madonna remained " unapologetic and defiant " . The photographs were ultimately sold for up to $ 100 @,@ 000 . She referred to these events at the 1985 outdoor Live Aid charity concert , saying that she would not take her jacket off because " [ the media ] might hold it against me ten years from now . " = = = 1986 – 91 : True Blue , Who 's That Girl , and Like a Prayer = = = In June 1986 , Madonna released her third studio album , True Blue , which was inspired by and dedicated to Sean Penn . Rolling Stone magazine was generally impressed with the effort , writing that the album " sound [ s ] as if it comes from the heart " . It resulted in three singles making it to number @-@ one on the Billboard Hot 100 : " Live to Tell " , " Papa Don 't Preach " and " Open Your Heart " , and two more top @-@ five singles : " True Blue " and " La Isla Bonita " . The album topped the charts in over 28 countries worldwide , an unprecedented achievement at the time , and became her best @-@ selling studio album of her career to this date with sales of 25 million . In the same year , Madonna starred in the critically panned film Shanghai Surprise , for which she received her first Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress . She made her theatrical debut in a production of David Rabe 's Goose and Tom @-@ Tom ; the film and play both co @-@ starred Penn . The next year , Madonna was featured in the film Who 's That Girl . She contributed four songs to its soundtrack , including the title track and " Causing a Commotion " . Madonna embarked on the Who 's That Girl World Tour in July 1987 , which continued until September . It broke several attendance records , including over 130 @,@ 000 audience in a concert near Paris , which remains her biggest concert attendance ever . Later that year , she released a remix album of past hits , titled You Can Dance , which reached number 14 on the Billboard 200 . After an annulment in December 1987 , Madonna filed for divorce from Penn in January 1989 , citing irreconcilable differences . In January 1989 , Madonna signed an endorsement deal with soft @-@ drink manufacturer , Pepsi . In one of her Pepsi commercials , she debuted her song " Like a Prayer " . The corresponding music video featured many Catholic symbols such as stigmata and cross burning , and a dream of making love to a saint , leading the Vatican to condemn the video . Religious groups sought to ban the commercial and boycott Pepsi products . Pepsi revoked the commercial and canceled her sponsorship contract . The song was included on Madonna 's fourth studio album , Like a Prayer , which was co @-@ written and co @-@ produced by Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray . Madonna received positive feedback for the album , with Rolling Stone writing that it was " as close to art as pop music gets " . Like a Prayer peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 15 million copies worldwide , with 4 million copies sold in the U.S. alone . Six singles were released from the album , including " Like a Prayer " , which reached number one , and " Express Yourself " and " Cherish " , both peaking at number two . By the end of the 1980s , Madonna was named as the " Artist of the Decade " by MTV , Billboard and Musician magazine . Madonna starred as Breathless Mahoney in the film Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) , with Warren Beatty playing the title role . Her performance led to a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress . To accompany the film , she released the soundtrack album , I 'm Breathless , which included songs inspired by the film 's 1930s setting . It also featured the US number @-@ one hit " Vogue " and " Sooner or Later " , which earned songwriter Stephen Sondheim an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1991 . While shooting the film , Madonna began a relationship with Beatty , which dissolved by the end of 1990 . In April 1990 , Madonna began her Blond Ambition World Tour , which was held until August . Rolling Stone called it an " elaborately choreographed , sexually provocative extravaganza " and proclaimed it " the best tour of 1990 " . The tour generated strong negative reaction from religious groups for her performance of " Like a Virgin " , during which two male dancers caressed her body before she simulated masturbation . In response , Madonna said , " The tour in no way hurts anybody 's sentiments . It 's for open minds and gets them to see sexuality in a different way . Their own and others " . The Laserdisc release of the tour won Madonna a Grammy Award in 1992 for Best Long Form Music Video . The Immaculate Collection , Madonna 's first greatest @-@ hits compilation album , was released in November 1990 . It included two new songs , " Justify My Love " and " Rescue Me " . The album was certified diamond by RIAA and sold over 30 million copies worldwide , becoming the best @-@ selling compilation album by a solo artist in history . " Justify My Love " reached number one in the U.S. and top ten worldwide . Its music video featured scenes of sadomasochism , bondage , same @-@ sex kissing , and brief nudity . The video was deemed too sexually explicit for MTV and was banned from the network . Madonna responded to the banning : " Why is it that people are willing to go and watch a movie about someone getting blown to bits for no reason at all , and nobody wants to see two girls kissing and two men snuggling ? " In December 1990 Madonna decided to leave Jennifer Lynch 's film , Boxing Helena , which she had previously agreed to star in , without any explanation to the producers . Around this time , Madonna had an eight @-@ month relationship with rapper Vanilla Ice ; he ended their relationship because of Madonna 's Sex book . Her first documentary film Truth or Dare ( known as In Bed with Madonna outside North America ) was released in May 1991 . The documentary chronicled her Blond Ambition World Tour . = = = 1992 – 97 : Maverick , Erotica , Sex , Evita , and motherhood = = = In 1992 , Madonna had a role in A League of Their Own as Mae Mordabito , a baseball player on an all @-@ women 's team . She recorded the film 's theme song , " This Used to Be My Playground " , which became a Hot 100 number @-@ one hit . The same year , she founded her own entertainment company , Maverick , consisting of a record company ( Maverick Records ) , a film production company ( Maverick Films ) , and associated music publishing , television broadcasting , book publishing and merchandising divisions . The deal was a joint venture with Time Warner and paid Madonna an advance of $ 60 million . It gave her 20 % royalties from the music proceedings , the highest rate in the industry at the time , equaled only by Michael Jackson 's royalty rate established a year earlier with Sony . The first release from the venture was Madonna 's book , titled Sex . It consisted of sexually provocative and explicit images , photographed by Steven Meisel . The book received strong negative reaction from the media and the general public , but sold 1 @.@ 5 million copies at $ 50 each in a matter of days . At the same time she released her fifth studio album , Erotica , which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 . Its title track peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 . Erotica also produced five singles : " Deeper and Deeper " , " Bad Girl " , " Fever " , " Rain " and " Bye Bye Baby " . Madonna had provocative imagery featured in the 1993 erotic thriller , Body of Evidence , a film which contained scenes of sadomasochism and bondage . It was poorly received by critics . She also starred in the film Dangerous Game , which was released straight to video in North America . The New York Times described the film as " angry and painful , and the pain feels real . " In September 1993 , Madonna embarked on The Girlie Show World Tour , in which she dressed as a whip @-@ cracking dominatrix surrounded by topless dancers . In Puerto Rico she rubbed the island 's flag between her legs on stage , resulting in outrage among the audience . In March 1994 , she appeared as a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman , using profanity that required censorship on television , and handing Letterman a pair of her panties and asking him to smell it . The releases of her sexually explicit films , albums and book , and the aggressive appearance on Letterman all made critics question Madonna as a sexual renegade . Critics and fans reacted negatively , who commented that " she had gone too far " and that her career was over . Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli described her ballad " I 'll Remember " ( 1994 ) as an attempt to tone down her provocative image . The song was recorded for Alek Keshishian 's film With Honors . She made a subdued appearance with Letterman at an awards show and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno after realizing that she needed to change her musical direction in order to sustain her popularity . With her sixth studio album , Bedtime Stories ( 1994 ) , Madonna employed a softer image to try to improve the public perception . The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and generated two U.S. top @-@ five hits , " Secret " and " Take a Bow " , the latter topping the Hot 100 for seven weeks , the longest period of any Madonna single . At the same time , she became romantically involved with fitness trainer Carlos Leon . Something to Remember , a collection of ballads , was released in November 1995 . The album featured three new songs : " You 'll See " , " One More Chance " , and a cover of Marvin Gaye 's " I Want You " . In Evita ( 1996 ) , Madonna played the title role of Eva Perón . For a long time , Madonna had desired to play Perón and wrote to director Alan Parker to explain why she would be perfect for the part . She said later , " This is the role I was born to play . I put everything of me into this because it was much more than a role in a movie . It was exhilarating and intimidating at the same time ..... And I am prouder of Evita than anything else I have done . " After securing the role , she had vocal training and learned about the history of Argentina and Perón . During shooting she became ill several times due to the intense emotional effort required . However , as she told Oprah , she was also pregnant during the filming : " I was winded after every take . I had to lie on the couch every ten minutes so I could recover from dizzy spells , I was worried that I was shaking the baby around too much and that would injure it in some way . " Madonna wrote in her personal diary at the time : " Ironically , this feeling of vulnerability and weakness is helping me in the movie . I 'm sure Evita felt this way every day of her life once she discovered she was ill . " After its release , Evita garnered critical appreciation . Zach Conner from Time magazine commented , " It 's a relief to say that Evita is pretty damn fine , well cast and handsomely visualized . Madonna once again confounds our expectations . She plays Evita with a poignant weariness and has more than just a bit of star quality . Love or hate Madonna @-@ Eva , she is a magnet for all eyes . " Madonna won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for the role . She released three singles from the Evita soundtrack album , including " You Must Love Me " ( which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1997 ) and " Don 't Cry for Me Argentina " . Madonna was later presented with the Artist Achievement Award by Tony Bennett at the 1996 Billboard Music Awards . On October 14 , 1996 , Madonna gave birth to Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon , her daughter with Leon . Biographer Mary Cross writes that although Madonna was often ill during the filming and worried that her pregnancy would harm the film , she reached some important personal goals : " Now 38 years old , Madonna had at last triumphed on screen and achieved her dream of having a child , both in the same year . She had reached another turning point in her career , reinventing herself and her image with the public . " Her relationship with Carlos Leon ended in May 1997 ; she declared that they were " better off as best friends . " After Lourdes 's birth , Madonna became involved in Eastern mysticism and Kabbalah . She was introduced to Jewish mysticism by actress Sandra Bernhard in 1997 . = = = 1998 – 2002 : Ray of Light , Music , and second marriage = = = Madonna 's seventh studio album , Ray of Light , ( 1998 ) reflected a change in her image . She collaborated with electronica producer William Orbit and wanted to create a sound that could blend dance music with pop and British rock . American music critic Ann Powers explained that what Madonna searched for with Orbit " was a kind of a lushness that she wanted for this record . Techno and rave was happening in the 90 's and had a lot of different forms . There was very experimental , more hard stuff like Aphex Twin . There was party stuff like Fatboy Slim . That 's not what Madonna wanted for this . She wanted something more like a singer @-@ songwriter , really . And William Orbit provided her with that . " The album garnered critical acclaim , with Slant Magazine calling it " one of the great pop masterpieces of the ' 90s " Ray of Light was honored with four Grammy Awards — including Best Pop Album and Best Dance Recording — and was nominated for both Album of the Year and Record of the Year . Rolling Stone listed it among " The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time " . Commercially , the album peaked at number @-@ one in numerous countries and sold more than 16 million copies worldwide . The album 's first single , " Frozen " , became Madonna 's first single to debut at number one in the UK , while in the U.S. it became her sixth number @-@ two single , setting another record for Madonna as the artist with the most number two hits . The second single , " Ray of Light " , debuted at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 . The 1998 edition of Guinness Book of World Records documented that " no female artist has sold more records than Madonna around the world " . In 1999 , Madonna signed to play a violin teacher in the film Music of the Heart but left the project , citing " creative differences " with director Wes Craven . She recorded the single " Beautiful Stranger " for the 1999 film Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me , which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture , Television or Other Visual Media . Madonna starred in the 2000 film The Next Best Thing , and contributed two songs to the film 's soundtrack ; " Time Stood Still " and a cover of Don McLean 's 1971 song " American Pie " . Madonna released her eighth studio album , Music , in September 2000 . It featured elements from the electronica @-@ inspired Ray of Light era , and like its predecessor , received acclaim from critics . Collaborating with French producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï , Madonna commented : " I love to work with the weirdos that no one knows about — the people who have raw talent and who are making music unlike anyone else out there . Music is the future of sound . " Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic felt that " Music blows by in a kaleidoscopic rush of color , technique , style and substance . It has so many depth and layers that it 's easily as self @-@ aware and earnest as Ray of Light . " The album took the number @-@ one position in more than 20 countries worldwide and sold four million copies in the first ten days . In the U.S. , Music debuted at the top , and became her first number @-@ one album in eleven years since Like a Prayer . It produced three singles : the Hot 100 number @-@ one " Music " , " Don 't Tell Me " , and " What It Feels Like for a Girl " . The music video of " What It Feels Like for a Girl " depicted Madonna committing acts of crime and vandalism , and was banned by MTV and VH1 . She met director Guy Ritchie , who would become her second husband , in November 1998 and gave birth to their son Rocco John Ritchie on August 11 , 2000 in Los Angeles . Rocco and Madonna suffered complications from the birth due to her experiencing placenta praevia . He was christened at Dornoch Cathedral in Dornoch , Scotland , on December 21 , 2000 . Madonna married Ritchie the following day at nearby Skibo Castle . Her fifth concert tour , titled Drowned World Tour , started in June 2001 . The tour visited cities in the U.S. and Europe and was the highest @-@ grossing concert tour of the year by a solo artist , earning $ 75 million from 47 sold @-@ out shows . She also released her second greatest @-@ hits collection , titled GHV2 , to coincide with the home video release of the tour . GHV2 debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 . Madonna starred in the film Swept Away , directed by Ritchie . Released direct @-@ to @-@ video in the UK , the film was a commercial and critical failure . In May 2002 she appeared in London in the West End play Up For Grabs at the Wyndhams Theatre ( billed as ' Madonna Ritchie ' ) , to universally bad reviews and was described as " the evening 's biggest disappointment " by one . That October , she released " Die Another Day " , the title song of the James Bond film Die Another Day , in which she had a cameo role , described by The Guardian film reviewer as " incredibly wooden " . The song reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Raspberry for Worst Song . = = = 2003 – 06 : American Life and Confessions on a Dance Floor = = = Following Die Another Day , Madonna collaborated with fashion photographer Steven Klein in 2003 for an exhibition installation named X @-@ STaTIC Pro = CeSS . It included photography from a photo shoot in W magazine , and seven video segments . The installation ran from March to May in New York 's Deitch Projects gallery . It traveled the world in an edited form . The same year , Madonna released her ninth studio album , American Life , which was based on her observations of American society ; it received mixed reviews . She commented , " [ American Life ] was like a trip down memory lane , looking back at everything I 've accomplished and all the things I once valued and all the things that were important to me . " Larry Flick from The Advocate felt that " American Life is an album that is among her most adventurous and lyrically intelligent " while condemning it as " a lazy , half @-@ arsed effort to sound and take her seriously . " The title song peaked at number 37 on the Hot 100 . Its original music video was canceled as Madonna thought that the video , featuring violence and war imagery , would be deemed unpatriotic since America was then at war with Iraq . With four million copies sold worldwide , American Life was the lowest @-@ selling album of her career at that point . Madonna gave another provocative performance later that year at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards , while singing " Hollywood " with Britney Spears , Christina Aguilera , and Missy Elliott . Madonna sparked controversy for kissing Spears and Aguilera suggestively during the performance . In October 2003 , Madonna provided guest vocals on Spears ' single " Me Against the Music " . It was followed with the release of Remixed & Revisited . The EP contained remixed versions of songs from American Life and included " Your Honesty " , a previously unreleased track from the Bedtime Stories recording sessions . Madonna also signed a contract with Callaway Arts & Entertainment to be the author of five children 's books . The first of these books , titled The English Roses , was published in September 2003 . The story was about four English schoolgirls and their envy and jealousy of each other . Kate Kellway from The Guardian commented , " [ Madonna ] is an actress playing at what she can never be — a JK Rowling , an English rose . " The book debuted at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list and became the fastest @-@ selling children 's picture book of all time . The next year Madonna and Maverick sued Warner Music Group and its former parent company Time Warner , claiming that mismanagement of resources and poor bookkeeping had cost the company millions of dollars . In return , Warner filed a countersuit alleging that Maverick had lost tens of millions of dollars on its own . The dispute was resolved when the Maverick shares , owned by Madonna and Ronnie Dashev , were purchased by Warner . Madonna and Dashev 's company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music , but Madonna was still signed to Warner under a separate recording contract . In mid @-@ 2004 Madonna embarked on the Re @-@ Invention World Tour in the U.S. , Canada , and Europe . It became the highest @-@ grossing tour of 2004 , earning around $ 120 million and became the subject of her documentary I 'm Going to Tell You a Secret . In November 2004 , she was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame as one of its five founding members , along with The Beatles , Elvis Presley , Bob Marley , and U2 . In January 2005 , Madonna performed a cover version of the John Lennon song " Imagine " at Tsunami Aid . She also performed at the Live 8 benefit concert in London in July 2005 . Her tenth studio album , Confessions on a Dance Floor , was released in November 2005 . Musically the album was structured like a club set composed by a DJ . It was acclaimed by critics , with Keith Caulfield from Billboard commenting that the album was a " welcome return to form for the Queen of Pop . " The album won a Grammy Award for Best Electronic / Dance Album . Confessions on a Dance Floor and its lead single , " Hung Up " , went on to reach number one in 40 and 41 countries respectively , earning a place in Guinness World Records . The song contained a sample of ABBA 's " Gimme ! Gimme ! Gimme ! ( A Man After Midnight ) " , only the second time that ABBA has allowed their work to be used . ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus remarked " It is a wonderful track — 100 per cent solid pop music . " " Sorry " , the second single , became Madonna 's twelfth number @-@ one single in the UK . Madonna embarked on the Confessions Tour in May 2006 , which had a global audience of 1 @.@ 2 million and grossed over $ 193 @.@ 7 million , becoming the highest @-@ grossing tour to that date for a female artist . Madonna used religious symbols , such as the crucifix and Crown of Thorns , in the performance of " Live to Tell " . It caused the Russian Orthodox Church and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia to urge all their members to boycott her concert . At the same time , the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry ( IFPI ) announced officially that Madonna had sold over 200 million copies for her albums alone worldwide . While on tour Madonna participated in the Raising Malawi initiative by partially funding an orphanage in and traveling to that country . While there , she decided to adopt a boy named David Banda in October 2006 . The adoption raised strong public reaction , because Malawian law requires would @-@ be parents to reside in Malawi for one year before adopting , which Madonna did not do . She addressed this on The Oprah Winfrey Show , saying that there were no written adoption laws in Malawi that regulated foreign adoption . She described how Banda had been suffering from pneumonia after surviving malaria and tuberculosis when she first met him . Banda 's biological father , Yohane , commented , " These so @-@ called human rights activists are harassing me every day , threatening me that I am not aware of what I am doing ..... They want me to support their court case , a thing I cannot do for I know what I agreed with Madonna and her husband . " The adoption was finalized in May 2008 . A clothing line titled M by Madonna , in collaboration with Swedish clothing retailer H & M , was launched internationally in 2006 . The collection consisted of leather trench coats , sequined shift dresses , cream @-@ colored calf @-@ length pants , and matching cropped jackets . H & M said the collection reflected Madonna 's " timeless , unique and always glamorous style . " = = = 2007 – 10 : Filmmaking , Hard Candy and business venture = = = Madonna released the song " Hey You " for the Live Earth series of concerts . The song was available as a free download during its first week of release . She also performed it at the London Live Earth concert . Madonna announced her departure from Warner Bros. Records , and a new $ 120 million , ten @-@ year 360 deal with Live Nation . She produced and wrote I Am Because We Are , a documentary on the problems faced by Malawians . The documentary was directed by Nathan Rissman , who worked as Madonna 's gardener . She also directed her first film Filth and Wisdom . The plot of the film revolved around three friends and their aspirations . The Times said she had " done herself proud " while The Daily Telegraph described the film as " not an entirely unpromising first effort [ but ] Madonna would do well to hang on to her day job . " On March 10 , 2008 , Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility . Madonna did not sing at the ceremony but asked fellow Hall of Fame inductees and Michigan natives The Stooges to perform her songs " Burning Up " and " Ray of Light " . She thanked Christopher Flynn , her dance teacher from 35 years earlier , for his encouragement to follow her dreams . Madonna released her eleventh studio album , Hard Candy , in April 2008 . Containing R & B and urban pop influences , the songs on Hard Candy were autobiographical in nature and saw Madonna collaborating with Justin Timberlake , Timbaland , Pharrell Williams and Nate " Danja " Hills . The album debuted at number one in 37 countries and on the Billboard 200 . Don Shewey from Rolling Stone complimented it as an " impressive taste of her upcoming tour . " It received generally positive reviews worldwide though some critics panned it as " an attempt to harness the urban market " . " 4 Minutes " was released as the album 's lead single and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 . It was Madonna 's 37th top @-@ ten hit on the chart — it pushed Madonna past Elvis Presley as the artist with the most top @-@ ten hits . In the UK she retained her record for the most number @-@ one singles for a female artist ; " 4 Minutes " becoming her thirteenth . At the 23rd Japan Gold Disc Awards , Madonna received her fifth Artist of the Year trophy from Recording Industry Association of Japan , the most for any artist . To further promote the album , Madonna embarked on the Sticky & Sweet Tour ; her first major venture with Live Nation . With a gross of $ 280 million , it became the highest @-@ grossing tour by a solo artist then , surpassing the previous record Madonna set with the Confessions Tour ; it was later surpassed by Roger Waters ' The Wall Live . It was extended to the next year , adding new European dates , and after it ended , the total gross was $ 408 million . Life with My Sister Madonna , a book by Madonna 's brother Christopher , debuted at number two on The New York Times bestseller list . The book caused some friction between Madonna and her brother , because of the unsolicited publication . Problems also arose between Madonna and Ritchie , with the media reporting that they were on the verge of separation . Ultimately , Madonna filed for divorce from Ritchie , citing irreconcilable differences , which was finalized in December 2008 . She decided to adopt from Malawi . The country 's High Court initially approved the adoption of Chifundo " Mercy " James ; however , the application was rejected because Madonna was not a resident of the country . Madonna appealed , and on June 12 , 2009 , the Supreme Court of Malawi granted Madonna the right to adopt Mercy James . Madonna concluded her contract with Warner by releasing her third greatest @-@ hits album , Celebration , in September 2009 . It contained the new songs " Celebration " and " Revolver " along with 34 hits spanning her career with the label . Celebration reached number one in several countries , including Canada , Germany , Italy , and the United Kingdom . She appeared at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards on September 13 , 2009 , to speak in tribute to deceased pop star Michael Jackson . Madonna ended the 2000s as the best @-@ selling single artist of the decade in the U.S. and the most @-@ played artist of the decade in the UK . Billboard also announced her as the third top @-@ touring artist of the decade — behind only The Rolling Stones and U2 — with a gross of over $ 801 million , 6 @.@ 3 million attendance and 244 sell @-@ outs of 248 shows . Madonna performed at the Hope for Haiti Now : A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief concert in January 2010 . Her third live album , Sticky & Sweet Tour , was released in April , debuting at number ten on the Billboard 200 . It also became her 20th top @-@ ten album on the Oricon Albums Chart , breaking The Beatles ' record for the most top @-@ ten album by an international act in Japan . Madonna granted American TV show Glee the rights to her entire catalogue of music , and the producers planned an episode featuring Madonna songs exclusively . Glee : The Music , The Power of Madonna , an EP containing eight cover versions of Madonna songs featured in the episode , was released afterward and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 . Madonna released the Material Girl clothing line , which she designed with her daughter , Lourdes . The 1980s inspired clothing line , borrowed from Madonna 's punk @-@ girl style when she rose to fame in the 1980s , was released under the Macy 's label . In October , Madonna opened a series of fitness centers around the world named Hard Candy Fitness . Madonna and MG Icon also released the second fashion brand called Truth or Dare by Madonna to include footwear , underclothing , and accessories . = = = 2011 – 13 : W.E. , Super Bowl XLVI and MDNA = = = Madonna directed her second feature film , W.E. , a biographic about the affair between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson . Co @-@ written with Alek Keshishian , the film was premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September 2011 . Critical and commercial response to the film was negative . Madonna contributed the ballad " Masterpiece " for the film 's soundtrack , which won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . In February 2012 , Madonna performed at Super Bowl XLVI halftime show , visualized by Cirque Du Soleil and Jamie King and featured special guests LMFAO , Nicki Minaj , M.I.A. and Cee Lo Green . It became the then most @-@ watched Super Bowl halftime show in history with 114 million viewers , higher than the game itself . Following her 360 deal with Live Nation , Madonna signed a three @-@ album deal with Interscope Records , since Live Nation was not a record company . Her twelfth studio album , MDNA , was released in March 2012 and saw collaboration with various producers , most notably with William Orbit again and Martin Solveig . The album was well received by music critics , with Priya Elan from NME calling it " a ridiculously enjoyable romp " , citing its " psychotic , soul @-@ bearing stuff " as " some of the most visceral stuff she 's ever done . " MDNA became Madonna 's fifth consecutive studio album to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 . She also became the solo artist with the most number @-@ one albums in the UK and Australia , breaking the record previously held by Elvis Presley in the UK and Jimmy Barnes in Australia . The lead single " Give Me All Your Luvin ' " , featuring guest vocals from Minaj and M.I.A. , became Madonna 's record @-@ extending 38th top @-@ ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 . The MDNA Tour , which further promoted the album , began in May 2012 in Tel Aviv , Israel . The tour has received positive critical reception , but featured controversial subjects such as violence , firearms , human rights , nudity and politics . Lawsuits threatened against Madonna have also been engaged from the tour . It was a box office success with a gross of $ 305 @.@ 2 million from 88 sold @-@ out shows , and became the highest @-@ grossing tour of 2012 and the tenth highest @-@ grossing tour of all time . At the 2013 Billboard Music Awards , Madonna won three trophies for Top Touring Artist , Top Dance Artist and Top Dance Album . Madonna was named the top @-@ earning celebrity of the year by Forbes , earning an estimated $ 125 million , due to the success of the tour . Madonna 's fourth live album , MDNA World Tour , was released in September 2013 . It debuted at number one on the US Top Music Videos chart , becoming her tenth release to top the chart — the most for any artist . By 2013 , Madonna 's Raising Malawi organization built ten schools to educate 4 @,@ 000 children in Malawi at a value of $ 400 @,@ 000 . When Madonna visited the schools in April 2013 , President of Malawi Joyce Banda expressed criticism of the star and her charity , accusing her of exaggerating her charity 's contribution . Madonna responded by releasing a statement saying she was saddened that Banda had chosen to act negatively about her endeavors . " I have no intention of being distracted by these ridiculous allegations , " she added . Later , it was confirmed that Banda had not approved the statement released written by her press team and was " incandescent with anger " over the mix @-@ up . Working with photographer Steven Klein , Madonna completed a 17 @-@ minute film called secretprojectrevolution . The BitTorrent company was selected by Madonna to release the film as part of a Madonna bundle . It was released on September 24 , 2013 , and consisted of the 17 @-@ minute film , its stills , a Vice interview , and a message from Madonna . With the film she launched the Art for Freedom initiative , which helped to promote " art and free speech as a means to address persecution and injustice across the globe " . The website for the project has had over 3 @,@ 000 art related submissions since its inception , with Madonna regularly monitoring and enlisting the help of other artists like David Blaine and Katy Perry as guest curators . = = = 2014 – present : Rebel Heart = = = Madonna extended her business ventures and in February 2014 the singer premiered MDNA Skin , a range of skin care products , in Tokyo , Japan . After visiting her hometown of Detroit during May 2014 , Madonna decided to contribute funds to three of the city 's organizations , to help eliminate poverty from there . The singer released a statement saying that she was inspired by their work , adding that " it was obvious to me that I had to get involved and be part of the solution to help Detroit recover " . Madonna began work on her thirteenth studio album , with collaborators including Avicii , Diplo and Kanye West . In December 2014 , thirteen demos recorded for the album leaked onto the Internet . She posted in response that half of the tracks would not be used on the final release , while the other half had " changed and evolved " . Titled Rebel Heart , the album was released in March 2015 . Music critics responded positively towards the album , calling it her best effort in a decade . Rebel Heart became Madonna 's first album to miss the top position of the Billboard 200 since 1998 , but it reached number one in other major music markets , including Australia , Canada , Germany and Italy . From September 2015 , she embarked on the Rebel Heart Tour to promote the album ; the tour ended in March 2016 and traveled throughout North America , Europe and Asia and was the singer 's first visit to Australia in 23 years , where she also performed a one @-@ off show for her fans . It grossed a total of $ 169 @.@ 8 million from the 82 shows , with over 1 @.@ 045 million ticket sales . While on tour Madonna became embroiled in a legal battle with Ritchie , over the custody of her son Rocco . The dispute started when Rocco decided to continue living in England with Ritchie when the Rebel Heart Tour had visited there , while Madonna wanted him to return with her . Court hearings took place in both New York and London , and after multiple deliberations , Madonna decided to withdraw her application for custody , and appealed for a mutual discussion between herself and Ritchie about Rocco . = = Artistry = = = = = Musical style and songwriting = = = Madonna 's music has been the subject of much analysis and scrutiny . Robert M. Grant , author of Contemporary Strategy Analysis ( 2005 ) , commented that what has brought Madonna success is " certainly not outstanding natural talent . As a vocalist , musician , dancer , songwriter , or actress , Madonna 's talents seem modest . " He asserts Madonna 's success is in relying on the talents of others , and that her personal relationships have served as cornerstones to the numerous reinventions in the longevity of her career . Madonna 's approach was far from the music industry wisdom of " Find a winning formula and stick to it . " Her musical career has been a continuous experimentation with new musical ideas and new images and a constant quest for new heights of fame and acclaim . Grant concluded that " having established herself as the queen of popular music , Madonna did not stop there , but continued re @-@ inventing . " Musicologist Susan McClary wrote that " Madonna 's art itself repeatedly deconstructs the traditional notion of the unified subject with finite ego boundaries . Her pieces explore various ways of constituting identities that refuse stability , that remain fluid , that resist definition . " Critics noted that Madonna has " pushed the boundaries " in her music and image . Throughout her career Madonna has been involved in writing and producing most of her own music . Madonna 's early songwriting skill was developed during her time with the Breakfast Club in 1979 . According to author Carol Gnojewski , her first attempts at songwriting are perceived as an important self @-@ revelation , as Madonna said : " I don 't know where [ the songs ] came from . It was like magic . I 'd write a song every day . I said ' Wow , I was meant to do this ' . " Madonna later became the sole writer of five songs on her debut album , including " Lucky Star " which she composed on synthesizer . Rolling Stone has named her " an exemplary songwriter with a gift for hooks and indelible lyrics . " According to Freya Jarman @-@ Ivens , Madonna 's talent for developing " incredible " hooks for her songs allows the lyrics to capture the attention of the audience , even without the influence of the music . As an example , Jarman @-@ Ivens cites the 1985 single " Into the Groove " and its line " Live out your fantasy here with me , just let the music set you free ; Touch my body , and move in time , now I know you 're mine . " Though Madonna has worked with producers across many genres , her songs have been consistently stamped with her own sensibility and inflected with autobiographical detail . Some of her lyrics contain innuendos and double entendre , which led to multiple interpretations among music critics and scholars . Madonna has been nominated for being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame twice , for 2014 and 2016 ceremony . Rolling Stone listed Madonna at number 56 on the " 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time " . Before emerging as a pop star , Madonna has spent her early years in rock music alongside her bands , Breakfast Club and Emmy . While performing with Emmy , Madonna recorded about 12 @-@ 14 songs which resemble the punk rock of that period . Her early rock roots also can be found on the demo album Pre @-@ Madonna . Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that with her self @-@ titled debut album , Madonna began her career as a disco diva , in an era that did not have any such divas to speak of . In the beginning of the ' 80 's , disco was an anathema to the mainstream pop , and according to Erlewine , Madonna had a huge role in popularizing dance music as mainstream music . The album 's songs reveal several key trends that have continued to define her success , including a strong dance @-@ based idiom , catchy hooks , highly polished arrangements and Madonna 's own vocal style . Her second album , Like a Virgin ( 1984 ) , foreshadowed several trends in her later works . It contained references to classical works ( pizzicato synthesizer line that opens " Angel " ) ; potential negative reaction from social groups ( " Dress You Up " was blacklisted by the Parents Music Resource Center ) ; and retro styles ( " Shoo @-@ Bee @-@ Doo " , Madonna 's homage to Motown ) . Her mature artistic statement was visible in True Blue ( 1986 ) and Like a Prayer ( 1989 ) . In True Blue , she incorporated classical music in order to engage an older audience who had been skeptical of her music . Like a Prayer introduced live recorded songs and incorporated different genres of music , including dance , funk , R & B and gospel music . Her versatility was further shown on I 'm Breathless , which consists predominantly of the 1940s Broadway showtune @-@ flavoured jazz , swing and big band tracks . Madonna continued to compose ballads and uptempo dance songs for Erotica ( 1992 ) and Bedtime Stories ( 1994 ) . Both albums explored element of new jack swing , with Jim Farber from Entertainment Weekly saying that " she could actually be viewed as new jack swing 's godmother . " She tried to remain contemporary by incorporating samples , drum loops and hip hop into her music . With Ray of Light , Madonna brought electronic music from its underground status into massive popularity in mainstream music scene . Madonna experimented with more folk and acoustic music in Music ( 2000 ) and American Life ( 2003 ) . A change was noted in the content of the songs in Music , with most of them being simple love songs , but with an underlying tone of melancholy . According to Q magazine , American Life was characterized by " a thumping techno rhythm , liquid keyboard lines , an acoustic chorus and a bizarre Madonna rap . " The " conventional rock songs " of the album were suffused with dramatic lyrics about patriotism and composition , including the appearance of a gospel choir in the song " Nothing Fails " . Madonna returned to pure dance songs with Confessions on a Dance Floor , infusing club beats and retro music with the lyrics about paradoxical metaphors and reference to her earlier works . Madonna moved to urban direction with Hard Candy ( 2008 ) , mixing R & B and hip hop music with dance tunes . MDNA ( 2012 ) largely focused in electronic dance music , which she has embraced since Ray of Light . = = = Voice and instruments = = = Possessing a mezzo @-@ soprano vocal range , Madonna has always been self @-@ conscious about her voice , especially in comparison to her vocal idols such as Ella Fitzgerald , Prince , and Chaka Khan . Mark Bego , author of Madonna : Blonde Ambition , called her " the perfect vocalist for lighter @-@ than @-@ air songs " , despite not being a " heavyweight talent . " According to MSNBC critic Tony Sclafani , " Madonna 's vocals are the key to her rock roots . Pop vocalists usually sing songs " straight , " but Madonna employs subtext , irony , aggression and all sorts of vocal idiosyncrasies in the ways John Lennon and Bob Dylan did . " Madonna used a bright , girlish vocal timbre in her early albums which became passé in her later works . The change was deliberate since she was constantly reminded of how the critics had once labelled her as " Minnie Mouse on helium " . During the filming of Evita , Madonna had to take vocal lessons , which increased her range further . Of this experience she commented , " I studied with a vocal coach for Evita and I realized there was a whole piece of my voice I wasn 't using . Before , I just believed I had a really limited range and was going to make the most of it . " Besides singing Madonna has the ability to play several musical instruments . She learned to play drum and guitar from her then @-@ boyfriend Dan Gilroy in the late 1970s before joining the Breakfast Club line @-@ up as the drummer . This helped her to form the band Emmy , where she performed as the guitarist and lead vocalist . Madonna later played guitar on her demo recordings . On the liner notes of Pre @-@ Madonna , Stephen Bray wrote : " I 've always thought she passed up a brilliant career as a rhythm guitarist . " After her career breakthrough , Madonna focused mainly in singing but was also credited for playing cowbell on Madonna ( 1983 ) and synthesizer on Like a Prayer ( 1989 ) . In 1999 , Madonna had studied for three months to play the violin for the role as a violin teacher in the film Music of the Heart , before eventually leaving the project . After two decades , Madonna decided to perform with guitar again during the promotion of Music ( 2000 ) . She took further lessons from guitarist Monte Pittman to improve her guitar skill . Since then Madonna has played guitar on every tour , as well as her studio albums . At the 2002 Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards , she received nomination for Les Paul Horizon Award , which honors the most promising up @-@ and @-@ coming guitarist . = = = Influences = = = According to Taraborrelli , the defining moment of Madonna 's childhood was the tragic and untimely death of her beloved mother . Psychiatrist Keith Ablow suggests her mother 's death would have had an immeasurable impact on the young Madonna at a time when her personality was still forming . According to Ablow , the younger a child is at the time of a serious loss , the more profound the influence and the longer lasting the impact . He concludes that " some people never reconcile themselves to such a loss at an early age , Madonna is not different than them . " Conversely , author Lucy O 'Brien feels the impact of the rape she suffered is , in fact , the motivating factor behind everything Madonna has done , more important even than the death of her mother : " It 's not so much grief at her mother 's death that drives her , as the sense of abandonment that left her unprotected . She encountered her own worst possible scenario , becoming a victim of male violence , and thereafter turned that full @-@ tilt into her work , reversing the equation at every opportunity . " As they grew older Madonna and her sisters would feel deep sadness as the vivid memory of their mother began drifting farther from them . They would study pictures of her and come to think that she resembled poet Anne Sexton and Hollywood actresses . This would later raise Madonna 's interest in poetry , with Sylvia Plath being her favourite . Later , Madonna commented : " We were all wounded in one way or another by [ her death ] , and then we spent the rest of our lives reacting to it or dealing with it or trying to turn into something else . The anguish of losing my mom left me with a certain kind of loneliness and an incredible longing for something . If I hadn 't had that emptiness , I wouldn 't have been so driven . Her death had a lot to do with me saying — after I got over my heartache — I 'm going to be really strong if I can 't have my mother . I 'm going to take care of myself . " Taraborrelli felt that in time , no doubt because of the devastation she felt , Madonna would never again allow herself , or even her daughter , to feel as abandoned as she had felt when her mother died . " Her death had taught [ Madonna ] a valuable lesson , that she would have to remain strong for herself because , she feared weakness — particularly her own — and wanted to be the queen of her own castle . " In 1985 , Madonna commented that the first song to ever make a strong impression on her was " These Boots Are Made for Walkin ' " by Nancy Sinatra ; she said it summed up her own " take @-@ charge attitude " . As a young woman , she attempted to broaden her taste in literature , art , and music , and during this time became interested in classical music . She noted that her favorite style was baroque , and loved Mozart and Chopin because she liked their " feminine quality " . Madonna 's major influences include Karen Carpenter , The Supremes and Led Zeppelin , as well as dancers Martha Graham and Rudolf Nureyev . She also grew up listening to David Bowie , whose show was the first rock concert she ever attended . Madonna 's Italian @-@ Catholic background and her relationship with her parents are reflected in the album Like a Prayer . It was an evocation of the impact religion had on her career . Her video for the title track contains Catholic symbolism , such as the stigmata . During The Virgin Tour , she wore a rosary and prayed with it in the music video for " La Isla Bonita " . The " Open Your Heart " video sees her boss scolding her in the Italian language . On the Who 's That Girl World Tour , she dedicated the song " Papa Don 't Preach " to Pope John Paul II . During her childhood , Madonna was inspired by actors , later saying , " I loved Carole Lombard and Judy Holliday and Marilyn Monroe . They were all incredibly funny ... and I saw myself in them ... my girlishness , my knowingness and my innocence . " Her " Material Girl " music video recreated Monroe 's look in the song " Diamonds Are a Girl 's Best Friend " , from the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ( 1953 ) . She studied the screwball comedies of the 1930s , particularly those of Lombard , in preparation for the film Who 's That Girl . The video for " Express Yourself " ( 1989 ) was inspired by Fritz Lang 's silent film Metropolis ( 1927 ) . The video for " Vogue " recreated the style of Hollywood glamour photographs , in particular those by Horst P. Horst , and imitated the poses of Marlene Dietrich , Carole Lombard , and Rita Hayworth , while the lyrics referred to many of the stars who had inspired her , including Bette Davis , described by Madonna as an idol . However , Madonna 's film career has been largely received negatively by the film critic community . Stephanie Zacharek , critic for Time magazine , stated that , " [ Madonna ] seems wooden and unnatural as an actress , and it 's tough to watch , because she 's clearly trying her damnedest . " According to biographer Andrew Morton , " Madonna puts a brave face on the criticism , but privately she is deeply hurt . " After the box office bomb Swept Away ( 2002 ) , Madonna vowed that she would never again act in a film , hoping her repertoire as a bad actress would never be discussed again . Influences also came to her from the art world , most notably through the works of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo . The music video of the song " Bedtime Story " featured images inspired by the paintings of Kahlo and Remedios Varo . Madonna is also a collector of Tamara de Lempicka 's Art Deco paintings and has included them in her music videos and tours . Her video for " Hollywood " ( 2003 ) was an homage to the work of photographer Guy Bourdin ; Bourdin 's son subsequently filed a lawsuit for unauthorised use of his father 's work . Pop artist Andy Warhol 's use of sadomasochistic imagery in his underground films were reflected in the music videos for " Erotica " and " Deeper and Deeper " . Madonna is dedicated to Kabbalah , and in 2004 she adopted the name Esther which in Persian means " star " . She has donated millions of dollars to New York and London schools teaching the subject . She faced opposition from rabbis who felt Madonna 's adoption of the Kabbalah was sacrilegious and a case of celebrity dilettantism . Madonna defended her studies , saying : " It would be less controversial if I joined the Nazi Party " , and that her involvement with the Kabbalah is " not hurting anybody " . The influence of the Kabbalah was subsequently observed in Madonna 's music , especially albums like Ray of Light and Music . During the Re @-@ Invention World Tour , at one point in the show , Madonna and her dancers wore T @-@ shirts that read " Kabbalists Do It Better " . Her 2012 MDNA album has also drawn many influences from her Catholic upbringing , and since 2011 she has been attending meetings and services at an Opus Dei center , a Catholic institution that encourages spirituality through every day life . = = = Music videos and performances = = = In The Madonna Companion biographers Allen Metz and Carol Benson noted that more than any other recent pop artist , Madonna had used MTV and music videos to establish her popularity and enhance her recorded work . According to them , many of her songs have the imagery of the music video in strong context , while referring to the music . Cultural critic Mark C. Taylor in his book Nots ( 1993 ) felt that the postmodern art form par excellence is video and the reigning " queen of video " is Madonna . He further asserted that " the most remarkable creation of MTV is Madonna . The responses to Madonna 's excessively provocative videos have been predictably contradictory . " The media and public reaction towards her most @-@ discussed songs such as " Papa Don 't Preach " , " Like a Prayer " , or " Justify My Love " had to do with the music videos created to promote the songs and their impact , rather than the songs themselves . Morton felt that " artistically , Madonna 's songwriting is often overshadowed by her striking pop videos . " Madonna 's initial music videos reflected her American and Hispanic mixed street style combined with a flamboyant glamor . She was able to transmit her avant @-@ garde downtown New York fashion sense to the American audience . The imagery and incorporation of Hispanic culture and Catholic symbolism continued with the music videos from the True Blue era . Author Douglas Kellner noted , " such ' multiculturalism ' and her culturally transgressive moves turned out to be highly successful moves that endeared her to large and varied youth audiences . " Madonna 's Spanish look in the videos became the fashion trend of that time , in the form of boleros and layered skirts , accessorizing with rosary beads and a crucifix as in the video of " La Isla Bonita " . Academics noted that with her videos , Madonna was subtly reversing the usual role of male as the dominant sex . This symbolism and imagery was probably the most prevalent in the music video for " Like a Prayer " . The video included scenes of an African @-@ American church choir , Madonna being attracted to a statue of a black saint , and singing in front of burning crosses . This mix of the sacred and the profane upset the Vatican and resulted in the Pepsi commercial withdrawal . In 2003 , MTV named her " The Greatest Music Video Star Ever " and said that " Madonna 's innovation , creativity and contribution to the music video art form is what won her the award . " Madonna 's emergence occurred during the advent of MTV ; Chris Nelson from The New York Times spoke of pop artists like Madonna saying , " MTV , with its almost exclusively lip @-@ synched videos , ushered in an era in which average music fans might happily spend hours a day , every day , watching singers just mouth the words . " The symbiotic relationship between the music video and lip @-@ syncing led to a desire for the spectacle and imagery of the music video to be transferred to live stage shows . He added , " Artists like Madonna and Janet Jackson set new standards for showmanship , with concerts that included not only elaborate costumes and precision @-@ timed pyrotechnics but also highly athletic dancing . These effects came at the expense of live singing . " Thor Christensen of The Dallas Morning News commented that while Madonna earned a reputation for lip @-@ syncing during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour , she has subsequently reorganized her performances by " stay [ ing ] mostly still during her toughest singing parts and [ leaves ] the dance routines to her backup troupe ... [ r ] ather than try to croon and dance up a storm at the same time . " To allow for greater movement while dancing and singing , Madonna was one of the earliest adopters of hands @-@ free radio @-@ frequency headset microphones , with the headset fastened over the ears or the top of the head , and the microphone capsule on a boom arm that extended to the mouth . Because of her prominent usage , the microphone design came to be known as the " Madonna mic " . Metz noted that Madonna represents a paradox as she is often perceived as living her whole life as a performance . While her big @-@ screen performances are panned , her live performances are critical successes . Madonna was the first artist to have her concert tours as reenactment of her music videos . Author Elin Diamond explained that reciprocally , the fact that images from Madonna 's videos can be recreated in a live setting enhances the realism of the original videos . Thus her live performances have become the means by which mediatized representations are naturalized . Taraborrelli said that encompassing multimedia , latest technology and sound systems , Madonna 's concerts and live performances are deemed as " extravagant show piece , a walking art show . " = = Legacy = = Various music journalists , critical theorists , and authors have deemed Madonna the most influential female recording artist of all time . Author Carol Clerk wrote that " during her career , Madonna has transcended the term ' pop star ' to become a global cultural icon . " Rolling Stone of Spain wrote that " She became the first viral Master of Pop in history , years before the Internet was massively used . Madonna was everywhere ; in the almighty music television channels , ' radio formulas ' , magazine covers and even in bookshops . A pop dialectic , never seen since The Beatles 's reign , which allowed her to keep on the edge of tendency and commerciality . " Laura Barcella in her book Madonna and Me : Women Writers on the Queen of Pop ( 2012 ) wrote that " really , Madonna changed everything the musical landscape , the ' 80s look du jour , and most significantly , what a mainstream female pop star could ( and couldn 't ) say , do , or accomplish in the public eye . " William Langley from The Daily Telegraph felt that " Madonna has changed the world 's social history , has done more things as more different people than anyone else is ever likely to . " Alan McGee from The Guardian felt that Madonna is a post @-@ modern art , the likes of which we will never see again . He further asserted that Madonna and Michael Jackson invented the terms Queen and King of Pop . According to Tony Sclafani from MSNBC , " It 's worth noting that before Madonna , most music mega @-@ stars were guy rockers ; after her , almost all would be female singers ... When The Beatles hit America , they changed the paradigm of performer from solo act to band . Madonna changed it back — with an emphasis on the female . " Howard Kramer , curatorial director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum , asserted that " Madonna and the career she carved out for herself made possible virtually every other female pop singer to follow ... She certainly raised the standards of all of them ... She redefined what the parameters were for female performers . " According to Fouz @-@ Hernández , subsequent female singers such as Britney Spears , Christina Aguilera , Kylie Minogue , the Spice Girls , Destiny 's Child , Jennifer Lopez , and Pink were like her " daughters in the very direct sense that they grew up listening to and admiring Madonna , and decided they wanted to be like her . " Time magazine included her in the list of the " 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century " , where she became one of only two singers to be included , alongside Aretha Franklin . She also topped VH1 's lists of " 100 Greatest Women in Music " and " 50 Greatest Women of the Video Era " . Madonna 's use of sexual imagery has benefited her career and catalyzed public discourse on sexuality and feminism . As Roger Chapman documents in Culture Wars : An Encyclopedia of Issues , Viewpoints , and Voices , Volume 1 ( 2010 ) , she has drawn frequent condemnation from religious organizations , social conservatives and parental watchdog groups for her use of explicit , sexual imagery and lyrics , religious symbolism , and otherwise " irreverent " behavior in her live performances . The Times wrote that she had " started a revolution amongst women in music ... Her attitudes and opinions on sex , nudity , style and sexuality forced the public to sit up and take notice . " Professor John Fiske noted that the sense of empowerment that Madonna offers is inextricably connected with the pleasure of exerting some control over the meanings of self , of sexuality , and of one 's social relations . In Doing Gender in Media , Art and Culture ( 2009 ) , the authors noted that Madonna , as a female celebrity , performer , and pop icon , is able to unsettle standing feminist reflections and debates . According to lesbian feminist Sheila Jeffreys , Madonna represents woman 's occupancy of what Monique Wittig calls the category of sex , as powerful , and appears to gleefully embrace the performance of the sexual corvée allotted to women . Professor Sut Jhally has referred to Madonna as " an almost sacred feminist icon . " Madonna has received acclaim as a role model for businesswomen in her industry , " achieving the kind of financial control that women had long fought for within the industry " , and generating over $ 1 @.@ 2 billion in sales within the first decade of her career . Professor Colin Barrow from Cranfield School of Management described Madonna as " America 's smartest businesswoman ... who has moved to the top of her industry and stayed there by constantly reinventing herself . " London Business School academics called her a " dynamic entrepreneur " worth copying ; they identified her vision of success , her understanding of the music industry , her ability to recognize her own performance limits ( and thus bring in help ) , her willingness to work hard and her ability to adapt as the keys to her commercial success . Morton wrote that " Madonna is opportunistic , manipulative , and ruthless — somebody who won 't stop until she gets what she wants — and that 's something you can get at the expense of maybe losing your close ones . But that hardly mattered to her . " Hazel Blackmore and Rafael Fernández de Castro in the book ¿ Qué es Estados Unidos ? from the Fondo de Cultura Económica , noted : " Madonna has been undoubtedly the most important woman in the history of popular music and a great businesswoman in herself ; creating fashion , breaking taboos and provoking controversies . " According to Forbes , Madonna is the wealthiest woman in the music business . = = Achievements = = Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide . The Guinness World Records acknowledged her as the best @-@ selling female recording artist and the fourth best @-@ selling act of all time , behind The Beatles , Elvis Presley , and Michael Jackson . According to the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , she is the best @-@ selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top @-@ selling female albums artist in the United States , with 64 @.@ 5 million certified albums . Madonna is the most certified artist of all time in United Kingdom , with 45 awards from the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) as of April 2013 . Billboard named Madonna as the top touring female artist of all time . She is also the highest grossing solo touring artist , with over $ 1 @.@ 31 billion in concert gross , starting from the Blond Ambition World Tour ; she first crossed a billion gross with The MDNA Tour . Overall , Madonna ranks third on all @-@ time top @-@ grossing Billboard Boxscore list , with just The Rolling Stones ( $ 1 @.@ 84 billion ) and U2 ( $ 1 @.@ 67 billion ) ahead of her . Madonna has been honored with 20 MTV Video Music Awards — the most for any artist — including the lifetime achievement Video Vanguard Award in 1986 . Madonna holds the record for the most number @-@ ones on all combined Billboard charts , including twelve number @-@ one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and eight number @-@ one albums on the Billboard 200 . With 45 songs topping the Hot Dance Club Songs chart , Madonna became the artist with the most number @-@ one songs on an active Billboard chart , pulling ahead of George Strait with 44 number @-@ one songs on the Hot Country Songs chart . She has also scored 38 top @-@ ten singles on the Hot 100 , more than any other artist in history . In 2008 , Billboard magazine ranked her at number two , behind The Beatles , on the Billboard Hot 100 All @-@ Time Top Artists , making her the most successful solo artist in the history of American singles chart . = = Discography = = Madonna ( 1983 ) Like a Virgin ( 1984 ) True Blue ( 1986 ) Like a Prayer ( 1989 ) Erotica ( 1992 ) Bedtime Stories ( 1994 ) Ray of Light ( 1998 ) Music ( 2000 ) American Life ( 2003 ) Confessions on a Dance Floor ( 2005 ) Hard Candy ( 2008 ) MDNA ( 2012 ) Rebel Heart ( 2015 ) = = Filmography = = = = Tours = = The Virgin Tour ( 1985 ) Who 's That Girl World Tour ( 1987 ) Blond Ambition World Tour ( 1990 ) The Girlie Show World Tour ( 1993 ) Drowned World Tour ( 2001 ) Re @-@ Invention World Tour ( 2004 ) Confessions Tour ( 2006 ) Sticky & Sweet Tour ( 2008 – 09 ) The MDNA Tour ( 2012 ) Rebel Heart Tour ( 2015 – 16 ) = = Enterprises = = Boy Toy , Inc Webo Girl Publishing , Inc ( 1992 ) Maverick ( 1992 ) Semtex Girls ( 2006 ) Hard Candy Fitness ( 2010 ) Truth or Dare by Madonna ( 2011 )
= 2008 – 09 Big Ten Conference men 's basketball season = The 2008 – 09 Big Ten Conference men 's basketball season marked the continuation of the annual tradition of competitive basketball among Big Ten Conference members that began in 1904 . It was the 104th season of Big Ten Conference basketball play . Although during the 2008 @-@ 09 NCAA Division I men 's basketball season there were no Big Ten players named to any All @-@ American teams , no coaches given any national coaching honors , and no teams that won any major preconference tournament , the season was successful for other reasons . The conference had an overall 14 – 8 record in postseason play with one team reaching for the 2009 NCAA Men 's Division I Basketball Tournament championship game and another winning the championship of the 2009 National Invitation Tournament ( NIT ) . The season marked the second year that all regular season and Big Ten Conference Men 's Basketball Tournament games were nationally televised . It was the first season that eight member teams achieved 20 wins . During the season , the conference achieved a .781 winning percentage against non @-@ conference opponents , which is the highest percentage since 1998 – 99 . Michigan State was the regular season champion winning the league four games . Purdue and Illinois tied for second place . Michigan State 's Kalin Lucas was named Big Ten Player of the Year . Michigan State 's Tom Izzo was named Coach of the Year by the coaches while Penn State 's Ed Dechellis was named Coach of the Year by the media . Purdue won the Big Ten Tournament by defeating Ohio State in the championship . As a result of its win , Purdue received the conference 's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament . In total , seven teams received bids to the NCAA Tournament : Michigan State , Purdue , Illinois , Ohio State , Michigan , Minnesota , and Wisconsin . By placing 7 of its 11 teams in the tournament , it had 64 % of its teams in the tournament , which outpaced all other conferences . Both Michigan State and Purdue advanced to the second weekend 's Sweet Sixteen round , where Purdue lost to Connecticut . Michigan State advanced to the championship game where it lost to North Carolina 89 – 72 . The Big Ten also had two entrants in the 2009 NIT : Penn State and Northwestern with Penn State winning the tournament . = = Preseason = = = = = All @-@ Big Ten players = = = On October 26 , the Big Ten media selected Purdue as the preseason top team . It selected Michigan State and Wisconsin as second and third respectively . However , the November 10 national AP Poll and Coaches ' Poll ranked Michigan State as the highest among Big Ten teams with Purdue second and Wisconsin third in their respective preseason 2008 – 09 NCAA Division I men 's basketball rankings . The media also made preseason All @-@ Big Ten player selections : Manny Harris , sophomore guard from Michigan , Raymar Morgan , junior forward from Michigan State , Marcus Landry , senior forward from Wisconsin , E 'Twaun Moore , sophomore guard from Purdue , and Robbie Hummel , sophomore forward from Purdue , who was named Preseason Player of the Year . The Los Angeles Athletic Club released its annual preseason John R. Wooden Award watch list on November 13 . The list was composed of 50 student athletes who , based on 2007 – 08 's individual performance and team records , were the early frontrunners for college basketball 's most coveted trophy . These top 50 candidates were returning players . Transfers , freshmen , and medical red @-@ shirts were not eligible for this preseason list , but were evaluated and considered for both the Midseason Top 30 list and the National Ballot . The Big Ten was represented by Purdue 's Hummel , Wisconsin 's Landry and Michigan State 's Morgan . On December 18 , the Atlanta Tipoff Club released its annual early season Naismith College Player of the Year award watch list . The top @-@ 50 list included Hummel , Moore and Morgan . The watch list does not include incoming freshmen , although those student @-@ athletes were considered in the February 2009 mid season vote . = = Regular season = = November The Big Ten began the season anticipating competitive schedules since the conference had scheduled appearances against thirteen of the teams appearing in both of the major pre @-@ season rankings . The conference opened its first week with a 14 – 0 record , while holding all 14 opponents to 65 points or less . By the end of the second week of the season the Big Ten found itself with the best non @-@ conference record in the nation at 35 – 1 . They became the first power conference ( ACC , Big 12 , Big East , Big Ten , Pac @-@ 10 or SEC ) to have a road win against another of the conferences when Illinois bested Vanderbilt on November 20 . On the same date , Michigan achieved the conference 's first victory against a top five opponent since Michigan State upended Texas on December 22 , 2007 . Big Ten teams did not win any of the larger preconference tournaments : Purdue lost in overtime of the November 28 championship game of the 16 @-@ team 2008 NIT Season Tip @-@ Off tournament , Michigan placed second in the 16 @-@ team 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer tournament on November 21 , and Wisconsin was runner up in the 8 @-@ team Paradise Jam Tournament on November 24 . Minnesota , was successful in the 4 @-@ team National Association of Basketball Coaches Classic with a win over Georgia State Panthers in the championship game . December On Wednesday , December 3 , The Big Ten lost to the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 10th consecutive year in the ACC – Big Ten Challenge . The final margin was 6 – 5 . By the end of the fourth week of the season in early December , the Big Ten had the highest percentage of teams receiving votes in the Associated Press National Rankings and had the highest non @-@ conference strength of schedule in the Ratings Percentage Index ( RPI ) . Minnesota 's 8 – 0 start was Tubby Smith 's first . After five weeks , the Big Ten had the maintained its AP rankings leadership , but also took over the overall leadership in the RPI ratings . The conference 's 82 – 19 record included only losses to teams that had advanced to the post @-@ season the year before . Michigan State 's win against Texas gave the Big Ten half of the nation 's first six victories over top five teams . National Invitation Tournament defending champion , Ohio State 's eighth victory gave them the nation 's longest win streak at thirteen . Entering conference play , at 12 – 0 Minnesota remained one of the nine unbeaten teams in the nation , which was its best start since 1948 – 49 . The conference had one of three winning conference records on the road against non @-@ conference opponents at 10 – 8 and with 5 of its 11 teams ranked in the AP poll , it had the highest percentage of its teams ranked . January For the first time since freshmen became eligible in 1974 , Indiana started four freshmen in a conference opener on January 3 against Iowa . On January 11 , Minnesota tied a NCAA record and set a conference record by making all nine of its three @-@ point field goals . Illinois ' January 14 victory over Michigan made it the thirteenth team in NCAA Division I history and second ( after Indiana ) in the Big Ten to achieve 1600 wins . On January 21 , Northwestern snapped the third @-@ longest home @-@ court winning streak in the nation when it stopped Michigan State from earning its 29th straight home victory . John Beilein recorded his 500th win as head coach of a four @-@ year school and 575th win overall on January 24 against Northwestern . As January ended , the conference enjoyed its fourth consecutive week as the leader in the RPI strength of schedule . On January 31 , Matt Roth became the first Indiana Hoosier , first Big Ten freshman and third Big Ten player to record nine three @-@ point shots in a single game . February At the midpoint of the conference schedule at the beginning of February , the Big Ten had the highest Sagarin Rating central mean score . Previously , Michigan State had never won its first five conference road games since joining the Big Ten for the 1950 – 51 season , but during the season , they were one of the last two teams to be undefeated on the road at 7 – 0 . Tubby Smith became the third coach in NCAA history to record 20 wins during 16 consecutive seasons . Through its 166th contest , the Big Ten , which had led the nation in average attendance for the prior 32 years , surpassed two million in attendance for the sixteenth consecutive season and eighteenth overall . = = = Attendance = = = The big ten concluded the season with the highest attendance in the nation for the 33rd straight season with an average attendance of 12 @,@ 519 fans per game / session , including regular @-@ season games and conference tournament sessions . This surpassed the SEC , which was second with an 11 @,@ 625 average . The Big Ten held seven of the top 25 places among individual institutions , while no other conference had more than four individual schools among the top 25 . = = = Rankings = = = ^ Final Poll = ESPN / USA Today Coaches Poll = = = Preconference schedules = = = = = = = Tournaments = = = = No Big Ten teams won any major early conference tournaments . = = = = ACC – Big Ten Challenge = = = = = = = In @-@ season honors = = = Players of the week Throughout the conference regular season , the Big Ten offices named a player of the week each Monday . Midseason watch lists On February 5 , the Big Ten became one of six conferences to have multiple players selected as John R. Wooden Award 2008 – 09 Midseason Top 30 Candidates . Both Manny Harris and Kalin Lucas were chosen . On February 24 , Hummel became the only Big Ten player included in the Naismith midseason Top 30 . On February 26 , Turner became the only Big Ten player selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as a Top 15 finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy . = = = Conference honors = = = Two sets of conference award winners were recognized by the Big Ten - one selected by league coaches and one selected by the media . = = = All @-@ Big Ten Academic team = = = The Big Ten Conference had 40 men 's basketball letterwinners who were in at least their second academic year at their institution and who maintained a cumulative grade point average ( GPA ) of 3 @.@ 0 or higher during the winter semester to earn Big Ten Academic All @-@ Conference honors . Northwestern ’ s Sterling Williams who was a graduate student with a Communication Studies major had a perfect Winter GPA . These student @-@ athletes were eligible to be named Distinguished Scholar Awardees if they maintained a 3 @.@ 7 GPA for the entire academic year . = = National awards & honors = = = = = National awards = = = On March 22 , the Big Ten had no players among the four finalists named for the Naismith award to be announced on April 5 . On March 12 , Lucas was among the 25 finalists for the Wooden Award to be named on April 10 . = = = NABC = = = The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced their Division I All ‐ District teams on March 5 , recognizing the nation ’ s best men ’ s collegiate basketball student @-@ athletes . Selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC , 240 student @-@ athletes , from 24 districts were chosen . The selection on this list were then eligible for the State Farm Coaches ’ Division I All @-@ America teams announced at the 2009 NABC Convention in Detroit . The following list represented the Big Ten players chosen to the list . All Big Ten schools are within District 7 for the 2008 – 09 season . = = = USBWA = = = On March 10 , the U.S. Basketball Writers Association released its 2008 – 09 Men 's All @-@ District Teams , based on voting from its national membership . There were nine regions from coast to coast and a player and coach of the year were selected in each . The following enumerates all the Big Ten players selected within their respective regions . = = = Academic honors = = = = = = = CoSIDA = = = = On February 5 , 2009 , the College Sports Information Directors of America ( CoSIDA ) and ESPN the Magazine selected their Academic All @-@ Americans from throughout college basketball . CoSIDA has selected Academic All American teams since 1952 . To be nominated , a student @-@ athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3 @.@ 30 cumulative grade point average ( on a 4 @.@ 0 scale ) at his / her current institution . Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team ’ s games at the position listed on the nomination form ( where applicable ) . No student @-@ athlete is eligible until he has completed one full calendar year at his current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility . In the cases of transfers , graduate students and two @-@ year college graduates , the student @-@ athlete must have completed one full calendar year at the nominating institution to be eligible . Nominees in graduate school must have a cumulative GPA of 3 @.@ 30 or better both as an undergrad and in grad school . Penn State 's Danny Morrissey was a District 2 first @-@ team 2009 Academic All @-@ District Men ’ s Basketball Team selection . On February 25 , 2009 , the Big Ten had no Academic All America Men 's Basketball Team selections . = = = = Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award = = = = At the conclusion of the 2008 – 09 academic year , the inaugural class of Big Ten Distinguished Scholars were recognized for having attained a 3 @.@ 7 GPA for the academic year while earning varsity letters . Brett Finkelmeier , IND , Jamal Abu @-@ Shamala , MINN , Sterling Williams , NU , and Mark Wohlford , PUR represented men 's basketball as awardees . = = = All @-@ American = = = Lucas and Turner were Associated Press All @-@ American honorable mentions . = = = Summer play = = = Battle , Hummel , and Turner were selected to represent the United States in the 2009 World University Games July 2 – 11 in Belgrade , Serbia . John Shurna was named to the United States ' team for the 2009 FIBA Under @-@ 19 World Championship held July 2 – 12 in Auckland , New Zealand . = = = NBA Draft = = = During the 2009 NBA Draft , Mullens was chosen in the first round with the 24th overall selection by the Dallas Mavericks and Suton was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round with the 50th overall selection . = = = Coaching honors = = = Wisconsin head basketball coach , Bo Ryan , was chosen to be the head coach for the 2009 World University Games Team by USA Basketball . Purdue head basketball coach , Matt Painter , was chosen to be one of two assistant coaches for the 2009 FIBA Under @-@ 19 World Championship Team by USA Basketball . Painter was one of ten finalists for the 2009 Henry Iba Award as named by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association . Forbes named Ryan and Tom Izzo as two of the top ten coaches . = = Statistical leaders = = Eight of the eleven member Big Ten institutions will return at least 75 percent of their offensive production during the 2009 – 10 Big Ten Conference men 's basketball season , unless underclassmen declare for the 2009 NBA Draft . Indiana , Iowa , Michigan , Minnesota and Ohio State will return 90 percent of their total offensive production . The Buckeyes could return 100 percent of their scoring contingent next season . All five first @-@ team All @-@ Conference honorees were sophomores and are all projected to return as juniors . Overall , the Big Ten could return 80 @.@ 5 percent of its offensive production from 2008 to 2009 , and no team should lose more than half of its total scoring unit next year . Players must have played in 75 % of team 's games to be eligible . ( NCAA @-@ wide ranking ) in parenthesis for top 40 performers = = = Team statistics = = = Source : Fox Sports = = Postseason = = = = = Big Ten Tournament = = = # 3 Purdue defeated # 5 Ohio State in the 2009 Big Ten Conference Men 's Basketball Tournament championship game by a 65 – 61 margin . The All @-@ Big Ten Tournament team honorees were Boilermakers Robbie Hummel ( Most Outstanding Player ) , JaJuan Johnson and E 'Twaun Moore , Buckeye Evan Turner and Mike Davis of Illinois . = = = = Schedule = = = = = = = NCAA Tournament = = = Goran Suton was the Midwest regional most outstanding player . He was joined by teammates Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton on the NCAA Tournament All @-@ Midwest Regional team . Michigan State became the first team to play in the Final Four in their home state since Duke in 1994 and the first Big Ten team since Purdue in 1980 . They were also the team with the second shortest trip ( 92 miles ( 148 km ) ) to the Final Four since it was bracketed in 1985 . = = = National Invitation Tournament = = = Jamelle Cornley was the most outstanding player of the tournament . = = = Other tournaments = = = The Big Ten did not have any entrants in the other post season tournaments . = = = 2009 NBA Draft = = = Several All Big Ten players who completed their eligibility were not drafted . Among those , Marcus Landry made it to the NBA the following season nonetheless . The following players were selected in the 2009 NBA Draft ^ a : Goran Suton was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 2006 . = = = = Pre @-@ draft trades = = = = 1 On June 24 , 2009 , Portland acquired the 22nd pick from Dallas in exchange for the 24th pick , 56th pick and a 2010 second @-@ round draft pick . Portland used the 22nd pick to draft Víctor Claver and Dallas used the 24th and 56th pick to draft Byron Mullens and Ahmad Nivins respectively . = = = = Draft @-@ day trades = = = = The following trades involving drafted players were made on the day of the draft . A 1 2 Oklahoma City acquired the draft rights to 24th pick Byron Mullens from Dallas in exchange for the draft rights to 25th pick Rodrigue Beaubois and a future second @-@ round draft pick .
= Richard Hakluyt = Richard Hakluyt ( / ˈhæklʊt / , / ˈhæklət / , or / ˈhækəlwɪt / ; 1553 – 23 November 1616 ) was an English writer . He is known for promoting the British colonisation of North America by the English through his works , notably Divers Voyages Touching the Discoverie of America ( 1582 ) and The Principal Navigations , Voiages , Traffiques and Discoueries of the English Nation ( 1589 – 1600 ) . Hakluyt was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church , Oxford . Between 1583 and 1588 he was chaplain and secretary to Sir Edward Stafford , English ambassador at the French court . An ordained priest , Hakluyt held important positions at Bristol Cathedral and Westminster Abbey and was personal chaplain to Robert Cecil , 1st Earl of Salisbury , principal Secretary of State to Elizabeth I and James I. He was the chief promoter of a petition to James I for letters patent to colonize Virginia , which were granted to the London Company and Plymouth Company ( referred to collectively as the Virginia Company ) in 1606 . The Hakluyt Society publishes scholarly editions of primary records of voyages and travels . = = Family , early life and education = = Hakluyt 's patrilineal ancestors were of Welsh extraction , rather than Dutch as is often suggested ; they appear to have settled in Herefordshire in England around the 13th century , and , according to antiquary John Leland , took their surname from the " Forest of Cluid in Randnorland " . Some of Hakluyt 's ancestors established themselves at Yatton , and must have ranked amongst the principal landowners of the county . A person named Hugo Hakelute , who may have been an ancestor or relative of Richard Hakluyt , was elected Member of Parliament for the borough of Yatton in 1304 or 1305 , and between the 14th and 16th centuries five individuals surnamed " de Hackluit " or " Hackluit " were sheriffs of Herefordshire . A man named Walter Hakelut was knighted in the 34th year of Edward I ( 1305 ) and later killed at the Battle of Bannockburn , and in 1349 Thomas Hakeluyt was chancellor of the diocese of Hereford . Records also show that a Thomas Hakeluytt was in the wardship of Henry VIII ( reigned 1509 – 1547 ) and Edward VI ( reigned 1547 – 1553 ) . Richard Hakluyt , the second of four sons , was born in Eyton in Herefordshire in 1553 . Hakluyt 's father , also named Richard Hakluyt , was a member of the Worshipful Company of Skinners whose members dealt in skins and furs . He died in 1557 when his son was aged about five years , and his wife Margery followed soon after . Hakluyt 's cousin , also named Richard Hakluyt , of the Middle Temple , became his guardian . While a Queen 's Scholar at Westminster School , Hakluyt visited his guardian , whose conversation , illustrated by " certain bookes of cosmographie , an universall mappe , and the Bible " , made Hakluyt resolve to " prosecute that knowledge , and kind of literature " . Entering Christ Church , Oxford , in 1570 with financial support from the Skinners ' Company , " his exercises of duty first performed " , he set out to read all the printed or written voyages and discoveries that he could find . He took his Bachelor of Arts ( B.A. ) on 19 February 1574 , and shortly after taking his Master of Arts ( M.A. ) on 27 June 1577 , began giving public lectures in geography . He was the first to show " both the old imperfectly composed and the new lately reformed mappes , globes , spheares , and other instruments of this art " . Hakluyt held on to his studentship at Christ Church between 1577 and 1586 , although after 1583 he was no longer resident in Oxford . Hakluyt was ordained in 1578 , the same year he began to receive a " pension " from the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers to study divinity . The pension would have lapsed in 1583 , but William Cecil , 1st Baron Burghley , intervened to have it extended until 1586 to aid Hakluyt 's geographical research . = = At the English Embassy in Paris = = Hakluyt 's first publication was one that he wrote himself , Divers Voyages Touching the Discoverie of America and the Ilands Adjacent unto the Same , Made First of all by our Englishmen and Afterwards by the Frenchmen and Britons ( 1582 ) . Hakluyt 's Voyages brought him to the notice of Lord Howard of Effingham , and Sir Edward Stafford , Lord Howard 's brother @-@ in @-@ law . At the age of 30 , being acquainted with " the chiefest captaines at sea , the greatest merchants , and the best mariners of our nation " , he was selected as chaplain and secretary to accompany Stafford , now English ambassador at the French court , to Paris in 1583 . In accordance with the instructions of Secretary Francis Walsingham , he occupied himself chiefly in collecting information of the Spanish and French movements , and " making diligent inquirie of such things as might yield any light unto our westerne discoverie in America " . Although this was his only visit to Continental Europe in his life , he was angered to hear the limitations of the English in terms of travel being discussed in Paris . The first fruits of Hakluyt 's labours in Paris were embodied in his important work entitled A Particuler Discourse Concerninge the Greate Necessitie and Manifolde Commodyties That Are Like to Growe to This Realme of Englande by the Westerne Discoueries Lately Attempted , Written in the Yere 1584 , which Sir Walter Raleigh commissioned him to prepare . The manuscript , lost for almost 300 years , was published for the first time in 1877 . Hakluyt revisited England in 1584 , and laid a copy of the Discourse before Elizabeth I ( to whom it had been dedicated ) together with his analysis in Latin of Aristotle 's Politicks . His objective was to recommend the enterprise of planting the English race in the unsettled parts of North America , and thus gain the Queen 's support for Raleigh 's expedition . In May 1585 when Hakluyt was in Paris with the English Embassy , the Queen granted to him the next prebendary at Bristol Cathedral that should become vacant , to which he was admitted in 1585 or 1586 and held with other preferments till his death . Hakluyt 's other works during his time in Paris consisted mainly of translations and compilations , with his own dedications and prefaces . These latter writings , together with a few letters , are the only extant material out of which a biography of him can be framed . Hakluyt interested himself in the publication of the manuscript journal of René Goulaine de Laudonnière , the LivreL 'histoire notable de la Floride située ès Indes Occidentales in Paris in 1586 . The attention that the book excited in Paris encouraged Hakluyt to prepare an English translation and publish it in London under the title A Notable Historie Containing Foure Voyages Made by Certayne French Captaynes unto Florida ( 1587 ) . The same year , his edition of Peter Martyr d 'Anghiera 's De Orbe Nouo Decades Octo saw the light at Paris . This work contains an exceedingly @-@ rare copperplate map dedicated to Hakluyt and signed F.G. ( supposed to be Francis Gualle ) ; it is the first on which the name " Virginia " appears . = = Return to England = = In 1588 Hakluyt finally returned to England with Douglas Sheffield , Baroness Sheffield , after a residence in France of nearly five years . In 1589 he published the first edition of his chief work , The Principall Navigations , Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation , using eyewitness accounts as far as possible . In the preface to this he announced the intended publication of the first terrestrial globe made in England by Emery Molyneux . Between 1598 and 1600 appeared the final , reconstructed and greatly enlarged edition of The Principal Navigations , Voiages , Traffiques and Discoueries of the English Nation in three volumes . In the dedication of the second volume ( 1599 ) to his patron , Robert Cecil , 1st Earl of Salisbury , Hakluyt strongly urged the minister as to the expediency of colonizing Virginia . A few copies of this monumental work contain a map of great rarity , the first on the Mercator projection made in England according to the true principles laid down by Edward Wright . Hakluyt 's great collection has been called " the Prose Epic of the modern English nation " by historian James Anthony Froude . On 20 April 1590 Hakluyt was instituted to the clergy house of Wetheringsett @-@ cum @-@ Brockford , Suffolk , by Lady Stafford , who was Dowager @-@ Baroness Sheffield . He held this position until his death , and resided in Wetheringsett through the 1590s and frequently thereafter . In 1599 , he became an adviser to the East India Company , and in 1601 he edited a translation from the Portuguese of Antonio Galvão 's The Discoveries of the World . = = Later life = = In the late 1590s Hakluyt became the client and personal chaplain of Robert Cecil , 1st Earl of Salisbury , Lord Burghley 's son , who was to be Hakluyt 's most fruitful patron . Hakluyt dedicated to Cecil the second ( 1599 ) and third volumes ( 1600 ) of the expanded edition of Principal Navigations and also his edition of Galvão 's Discoveries ( 1601 ) . Cecil , who was the principal Secretary of State to Elizabeth I and James I , rewarded him by installing him as prebendary of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster on 4 May 1602 . In the following year , he was elected archdeacon of the Abbey . These religious occupations have occasioned reconsideration of the role played by spiritual concerns in Hakluyt 's writings on exploration , settlement , and England 's relations with its Catholic rivals . Hakluyt was married twice , once in or about 1594 and again in 1604 . In the licence of Hakluyt 's second marriage dated 30 March 1604 , he is described as one of the chaplains of the Savoy Hospital ; this position was also conferred on him by Cecil . His will refers to chambers occupied by him there up to the time of his death , and in another official document he is styled Doctor of Divinity ( D.D. ) . Hakluyt was also a leading adventurer of the Charter of the Virginia Company of London as a director thereof in 1589 . In 1605 he secured the prospective living of Jamestown , the intended capital of the intended colony of Virginia . When the colony was at last established in 1607 , he supplied this benefice with its chaplain , Robert Hunt . In 1606 he appears as the chief promoter of the petition to James I for letters patent to colonize Virginia , which were granted on 10 April 1606 . His last publication was a translation of Hernando de Soto 's discoveries in Florida , entitled Virginia Richly Valued , by the Description of the Maine Land of Florida , Her Next Neighbour ( 1609 ) . This work was intended to encourage the young colony of Virginia ; Scottish historian William Robertson wrote of Hakluyt , " England is more indebted for its American possessions than to any man of that age . " Hakluyt prepared an English translation of Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius ' Mare Liberum ( 1609 ) , a treatise that sought to demonstrate that the Dutch had the right to trade freely in the East Indies , contrary to Spanish and Portuguese claims of sovereignty over the seas , in the early 17th century . Helen Thornton has suggested that the translation was commissioned by Thomas Smythe who became treasurer of the Virginia Company in 1609 and was also Governor of the East India Company . In that year , Hakluyt was a consultant to the Company when it was renewing its charter . Grotius ' arguments supported England 's right to trade in the Indies . The translation may also have been part of the propaganda encouraging English people to settle in Virginia . In Mare Liberum , Grotius denied that the 1493 donation by Pope Alexander VI that had divided the oceans between Spain and Portugal entitled Spain to make territorial claims to North America . Instead , he stressed the importance of occupation , which was favourable to the English as they and not the Spanish had occupied Virginia . Grotius also argued that the seas should be freely navigable by all , which was useful since the England to Virginia route crossed seas which the Portuguese claimed . However , it is not clear why Hakluyt 's translation was not published in his lifetime . George Bruner Parks has theorized that publication at that time would have been inconvenient to England because after England had successfully helped Holland and Spain to negotiate the Twelve Years ' Truce during the Eighty Years ' War , the work would have supported English claims for free seas against Spain , but not its claims for closed seas against Holland . Hakluyt 's handwritten manuscript , MS Petyt 529 , in Inner Temple Library in London was eventually published as The Free Sea for the first time in 2004 . In 1591 , Hakluyt inherited family property upon the death of his elder brother Thomas ; a year later , upon the death of his youngest brother Edmund , he inherited additional property which derived from his uncle . In 1612 Hakluyt became a charter member of the North @-@ west Passage Company . By the time of his death , he had amassed a small fortune out of his various emoluments and preferments , of which the last was the clergy house of Gedney , Lincolnshire , presented to him by his younger brother Oliver in 1612 . Unfortunately , his wealth was squandered by his only son . Hakluyt died on 23 November 1616 , probably in London , and was buried on 26 November in Westminster Abbey ; by an error in the abbey register his burial is recorded under the year 1626 . A number of his manuscripts , sufficient to form a fourth volume of his collections of 1598 – 1600 , fell into the hands of Samuel Purchas , who inserted them in an abridged form in his Pilgrimes ( 1625 – 1626 ) . Others , consisting chiefly of notes gathered from contemporary authors , are preserved at the University of Oxford . Hakluyt is principally remembered for his efforts in promoting and supporting the settlement of North America by the English through his writings . These works were a fertile source of material for William Shakespeare and other authors . Hakluyt also encouraged the production of geographical and historical writings by others . It was at Hakluyt 's suggestion that Robert Parke translated Juan González de Mendoza 's The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof ( 1588 – 1590 ) , John Pory made his version of Leo Africanus 's A Geographical Historie of Africa ( 1600 ) , and P. Erondelle translated Marc Lescarbot 's Nova Francia ( 1609 ) . = = Legacy = = The Hakluyt Society was founded in 1846 for printing rare and unpublished accounts of voyages and travels , and continues to publish volumes each year . In May 2008 , a major interdisciplinary conference called Richard Hakluyt 1552 – 1616 : Life , Times , Legacy , examining the significance of Hakluyt 's work , was jointly organized by the National Maritime Museum , the Centre for Travel Writing Studies , Nottingham Trent University and NUI Galway . A major aim of the conference was to lay the groundwork for and establish a network of scholars to prepare a new edition of Hakluyt 's Principal Navigations . Those leading this group include Nigel Rigby , Will Ryan ( President of the Hakluyt Society ) , and the project 's editors Daniel Carey ( NUI , Galway ) , Andrew Hadfield ( University of Sussex ) and Claire Jowitt ( NTU ) . Westminster School named a house after him as recognition of achievement of an Old Westminster . = = Works = = = = = Authored = = = Hakluyt , Richard ( 1582 ) . Divers Voyages Touching the Discoverie of America and the Ilands Adjacent unto the Same , Made First of All by Our Englishmen and Afterwards by the Frenchmen and Britons : With Two Mappes Annexed Hereunto . London : [ Thomas Dawson ] for T. Woodcocke . Quarto . Reprint : Hakluyt , Richard ( 1850 ) . John Winter Jones , ed . Divers Voyages Touching the Discovery of America and the Islands Adjacent [ Hakluyt Society ; 1st Ser . , no . 7 ] . London : Hakluyt Society . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 665 @-@ 37538 @-@ 5 . Hakluyt , Richard ( 1584 ) . A Particuler Discourse Concerninge the Greate Necessitie and Manifolde Commodyties That Are Like to Growe to This Realme of Englande by the Westerne Discoueries Lately Attempted , Written in the Yere 1584 . [ London ? ] : [ s.n. ] Reprints : Hakluyt , Richard ( 1831 ) . C [ harles ] Deane , ed . A Discourse Concerning Western Planting Written in the Year 1584 ( Maine Historical Society . Collections , etc . ; 2nd Ser . ) . Maine : Maine Historical Society . Hakluyt , Richard ( 1993 ) . David B. Quinn & Alison M. Quinn , eds . A Particuler Discourse Concerninge the Greate Necessitie and Manifolde Commodyties that are Like to Growe to this Realme of Englande by the Westerne Discoueries Lately Attempted ... [ Hakluyt Society ; Extra Ser . , no . 45 ] . London : Hakluyt Society . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 904180 @-@ 35 @-@ 0 . Hakluyt , Richard ( 1589 ) . The Principall Navigations , Voiages , and Discoveries of the English Nation : Made by Sea or Over Land to the Most Remote and Farthest Distant Quarters of the Earth at Any Time within the Compasse of These 1500 Years : Divided into Three Several Parts According to the Positions of the Regions Whereunto They Were Directed ; the First Containing the Personall Travels of the English unto Indæa , Syria , Arabia ... the Second , Comprehending the Worthy Discoveries of the English Towards the North and Northeast by Sea , as of Lapland ... the Third and Last , Including the English Valiant Attempts in Searching Almost all the Corners of the Vaste and New World of America ... Whereunto is Added the Last Most Renowned English Navigation Round About the Whole Globe of the Earth . London : Imprinted by George Bishop and Ralph Newberie , deputies to Christopher Barker , printer to the Queen 's Most Excellent Majestie . Folio . Reprint : Hakluyt , Richard ( 1965 ) . The Principall Navigations Voiages and Discoveries of the English Nation ... Imprinted at London , 1589 : A Photo @-@ Lithographic Facsimile with an Introduction by David Beers Quinn and Raleigh Ashlin Skelton and with a New Index by Alison Quinn [ Hakluyt Society ; Extra Ser . , nos . 39a & 39b ] . Cambridge : Cambridge University Press for Hakluyt Society & Peabody Museum of Salem . 2 vols . Hakluyt , Richard ( 1598 – 1600 ) . The Principal Navigations , Voiages , Traffiques and Discoueries of the English Nation , Made by Sea or Overland ... at Any Time Within the Compasse of these 1500 [ 1600 ] Yeeres , & c . London : G. Bishop , R. Newberie & R. Barker . 3 vols . ; folio . Reprints : Hakluyt , Richard ( 1884 – 1890 ) . E [ dmund ] Goldsmid , ed . The Principal Navigations , Voyages , Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation . Edinburgh : E. & G. Goldsmid . 16 vols . Hakluyt , Richard ( 1903 – 1905 ) . The Principal Navigations Voyages Traffiques & Discoveries of the English Nation , etc . [ Hakluyt Society ; Extra Ser . , nos . 1 – 12 ] . Glasgow : James MacLehose & Sons for the Hakluyt Society . 12 vols . = = = Edited and translated = = = [ Cartier , Jacques ( 1580 ) . A Shorte and Briefe Narration of the Two Nauigations and Discoueries to the Northwest Partes called Newe Fraunce , first Translated out of French into Italian by ... Gio . Bapt . Ramutius , and now Turned into English by John Florio , etc . London : H [ enry ] Bynneman dvvelling in Thames streate , neere vnto Baynardes Castell . ] It seems likely that this work was not by Hakluyt : see " At the English Embassy in Paris " above . Laudonnière , René de ; Richard Hakluyt , transl . ( 1587 ) . A Notable Historie Containing Foure Voyages made by Certaine French Captaynes unto Florida , wherein the Great Riches and Fruitefulnes of the Countrey , with the Maners of the People , hitherto Concealed , are Brought to Light ... Newly Translated Out of French into English by R. H. ... London : Thomas Dawson . Quarto . Anglerius , Petrus Martyr ( 1587 ) . Richard Hakluyt , ed . De Orbe Nouo Petri Martyris Anglerii Mediolanensis Protonotarii et Caroli Quinti Senatoris Decades Octo , Diligenti Temporum Observatione et Utilissinis Annotationibus Illustratæ ... Paris : G. Auvray . Octavo . Galvão , Antonio ( 1601 ) . Richard Hakluyt , ed . The Discoveries of the World from Their First Originall unto the Yeer ... 1555 ; Written in the Portugall Tongue by A. Galvano . London : G. Bishop . Quarto . Reprint : Galvano , Antonio ( 1862 ) . Vice @-@ Admiral Bethune ( Charles Ramsay Drinkwater Bethune ) , ed . The Discoveries of the World , from Their First Original unto the Year of our Lord , 1555 . [ Edited by F. de Sousa Tavares . ] Corrected ... and published in England , by R. Hakluyt ... [ Hakluyt Society ; 1st Ser . , no . 30 ] . London : Hakluyt Society . de Soto , Ferdinando ; Richard Hakluyt , transl . ( 1609 ) . Virginia Richly Valued , by the Description of the Maine Land of Florida , Her Next Neighbour : Out of the Foure Yeeres Travell and Discoverie ... of Don Ferdinando de Soto and Sixe Hundred Able Men in His Companie ... Written by a Portugall gentleman of Elvas , ... and Translated out of Portugese by Richard Hakluyt . London : F. Kyngston for M. Lownes . Quarto . Grotius , Hugo ; William Welwod ; Richard Hakluyt , transl . ( 2004 ) . David Armitage , ed . The Free Sea . Indianapolis , Ind . : Liberty Fund . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 86597 @-@ 431 @-@ 9 . = = = Books = = = Burrage , Henry S [ weetser ] , ed . ( 1906 ) . ... Early English and French Voyages , Chiefly from Hakluyt , 1534 – 1608 : With Maps and a Facsimile Reproduction . New York , N.Y. : Scribner 's . Corbitt , David Leroy , ed . ( 1948 ) . Explorations , descriptions , and attempted settlements of Carolina , 1584 – 1590 . Raleigh : State Department of Archives and History . Gray , Albert ( 1917 ) . An Address on the Occasion of the Tercentenary of the Death of Richard Hakluyt , 23 November 1916 : With a Note on the Hakluyt Family ( OB4 ) . London : Hakluyt Society . Hakluyt , Richard ; Frank Knight ( 1964 ) . They Told Mr. Hakluyt : Being a Selection of Tales and Other Matter Taken from Richard Hakluyt 's " The Principal Navigations , Voyages , Traffics and Discoveries of the English Nation " , with Various Explanatory Notes by Frank Knight . London : Macmillan & Co . Hakluyt , Richard ( 1880s ) . Henry Morley , ed . Voyager 's Tales , from the Collections of Richard Hakluyt . London : Cassell & Co . Lynam , E [ dward ] [ William O 'Flaherty ] , ed . ( 1946 ) . Richard Hakluyt & His Successors : A Volume Issued to Commemorate the Centenary of the Hakluyt Society . London : Hakluyt Society . Mancall , Peter C. ( 2007 ) . Hakluyt 's Promise : An Elizabethan 's Obsession for an English America . New Haven , Conn . ; London : Yale University Press . Markham , Clements R [ obert ] ( 1896 ) . Richard Hakluyt : His Life and Work : With a Short Account of the Aims and Achievements of the Hakluyt Society : An Address , etc . ( OB1 ) . London : Hakluyt Society . Neville @-@ Sington , P [ amela ] A. ; Anthony Payne ( 1997 ) . Richard Hakluyt and His Books : An Interim Census of Surviving Copies of Hakluyt 's Divers Voyages and Principal Navigations . London : Hakluyt Society . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 904180 @-@ 56 @-@ 5 . Quinn , D [ avid ] B [ eers ] , ed . ( 1974 ) . The Hakluyt Handbook [ Hakluyt Society ; 2nd ser . , no . 144 ] . London : Hakluyt Society . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 521 @-@ 20211 @-@ 4 . 2 vols . A Reproduction of the Tablet Erected in Bristol Cathedral to the Memory of Richard Hakluyt Born 1522 , Died 1616 ( OB3 ) . London : Hakluyt Society . 1911 . Sir Walter Raleigh and Richard Hakluyt : An Exhibition Held in the King 's Library , British Museum , July – September 1952 . [ London ] : British Museum . 1952 . Watson , Foster ( 1924 ) . Richard Hakluyt . [ S.l. ] : The Sheldon Press . = = = News reports = = = O 'Toole , Fintan ( 10 March 2007 ) . " Virgin territories [ review of Peter C. Mancall 's Hakluyt 's Promise ] " . The Guardian ( Review ) ( London ) . Porter , Henry ( 8 April 2007 ) . " America 's debt to a forgotten hero : As the 400th anniversary of Jamestown nears , its spiritual father is being unjustly ignored " . The Observer ( London ) . Bridges , Roy ( 15 April 2007 ) . " Your letters : Hakluyt has not been forgotten " . The Observer ( London ) .
= The Plateau ( Fringe ) = " The Plateau " is the third episode of the third season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe , and the 46th episode overall . As one of the early Season 3 episodes that takes place entirely in the parallel universe , the episode centers on Olivia , conditioned to believe she is a member of the alternate Fringe team , trying to track down a mentally unstable man that can predict the team 's every move . " The Plateau " was co @-@ written by Monica Owusu @-@ Breen and Alison Schapker , and directed by Brad Anderson . It featured the only appearance of guest actor Michael Eklund , who played the episode 's antagonist Milo Stanfield . It first aired on October 7 , 2010 to an estimated 5 @.@ 2 million viewers . Reviews of the episode were mostly positive , and many praised the storyline and Eklund 's performance . = = Plot = = Olivia ( Anna Torv ) , trapped in the parallel universe , has been conditioned with drugs to believe she is her doppelganger , " Fauxlivia " , by Walternate ( John Noble ) , and has been integrated into the alternate Fringe team , though she is haunted by images of Peter ( Joshua Jackson ) and Walter ( Noble ) from the prime universe . She , Charlie ( Kirk Acevedo ) , and Lincoln ( Seth Gabel ) are called to the scene of an accident where a pedestrian has been run over by a bus , nearly duplicating events of a similar bus accident the day before , a statistical impossibility according to Astrid ( Jasika Nicole ) . Olivia finds a ball @-@ point pen at the scene , a rarity in the parallel universe because of the adoption of digital interfaces . Evidence suggests that the discovery of the pen by a bystander created a sequence of reactions that led to the victim 's death . The next day , another pedestrian is wounded in a bus accident . As the Fringe team investigates the scene , finding another pen , a bystander is struck and killed by an ambulance . Olivia spots a suspicious man in the crowds , but he uses a seemingly random series of happenstance events to get away . Olivia discovers ties between the three victims and a medical center . At the center , Dr. Levin ( Malcolm Stewart ) explains they help mentally challenged patients with experimental processes to boost their intelligence ; Olivia observes one set of patients uses pens as they are unable to cope with digital devices . When Olivia and Charlie discuss the victims with Dr. Levin , he is able to identify their culprit as Milo ( Michael Eklund ) , a patient taking an experimental drug to boost his IQ exponentially . Though released to care of his sole remaining family member Madeline ( Kacey Rohl ) , he was scheduled to return to reverse the process for his own health and safety . Dr. Levin identifies all three victims as those charged to return Milo to the center , the last victim only having been selected the day before . They visit Madeline , who worries for the safety of her brother . She explains that Milo is able to predict the outcome of numerous events to the smallest detail , and only by showing him a toy horse , a connection to their deceased parents , can she break Milo 's concentration . She provides Olivia and Charlie the location of the hotel that Milo is staying at . As they return to the city , Olivia and Charlie discuss plans with Astrid on how to capture Milo , but realize that since he can predict their every move , any plan would be futile , and approach the hotel directly . Milo leads Olivia on a chase through a construction area including a marked zone where the air is too thin , expecting to crush her under a load of cement bricks . Olivia , unaware of the warning signs for the zone , races through it instead of stopping to put on a respirator , nearly asphyxiating herself , and dodges the bricks in time to capture Milo . At the center , Dr. Levin notes that Milo 's condition is too far advanced to reverse , and only a computer is able to keep up with his thoughts . Madeline sadly leaves the toy horse at Milo 's side . That evening , Olivia has a vision of Peter ; the vision tries to break Olivia from the conditioning , explaining that her lack of knowledge of the parallel universe saved her life . = = Production = = In late March 2010 , Brothers & Sisters showrunners Monica Owusu @-@ Breen and Alison Schapker were hired as co @-@ executive producers for Fringe . The two had previously worked with Fringe co @-@ creators Roberto Orci , J.J. Abrams , and Alex Kurtzman on Alias , and again with Abrams on Lost . " The Plateau " marked the first Fringe episode they co @-@ wrote . Editor Timothy A. Good also joined the series , making " The Plateau " his first Fringe episode . Good called the episode one of two parts – the second half was the season 's eighteenth episode " Bloodline " , which Breen and Schapker also co @-@ wrote . The episode premise was inspired by executive producer J.H. Wyman 's son , who came up with the idea that a man could be smart enough to predict events . " The Plateau " marked the first appearance of a fringe case in the parallel universe . The episode featured the return of guest stars Kirk Acevedo , Ryan McDonald , Seth Gabel , and Philip Winchester . New guest actors included Michael Eklund as the antagonist Milo Stanfield , Malcolm Stewart as Dr. Levin , and Kacey Rohl as Madeline . Eklund and other actors auditioned in Vancouver , and the producers reviewed tapes of their previous work . As executive producer Jeff Pinkner explains , " We got incredibly lucky casting Michael Eklund for this role ... he really created this character . " " The Plateau " was the first episode of the third season to feature " Alt @-@ Astrid " , the prime universe Astrid 's doppelganger . Actress Jasika Nicole depicted her to have autistic characteristics , as Nicole has a sister with the disorder . The producers decided this would be the one doppelganger to have actual genetic differences with their counterpart , with Nicole believing her two characters possessed the greatest contrast among all of the doppelgangers . Former Fringe producer Brad Anderson served as the episodes director . The episode was shot in August 2010 , partly on Hastings Street in Vancouver . Anderson filmed the opening sequence in one day , which Owusu @-@ Bree praised as " unbelievable . " The crew employed a stunt double for some of Eklund 's more physical scenes , such as when he jumps onto a moving bus . Pinkner called the bus scene his favorite stunt on the series thus far . The hospital where Olivia and Charlie interview the drug trial doctor was filmed at the Toronto Public Library . There , the video the doctor showed them was added later by effects supervisor Jay Worth , forcing the actors to fake reactions to the images displayed . As with other Fringe episodes , Fox released a science lesson plan in collaboration with Science Olympiad for grade school children focusing on the science seen in " The Plateau " , with the intention of having " students learn about chain reactions , where small changes result in additional changes , leading to a self @-@ propagating chain of events . " = = Reception = = = = = Ratings = = = On its first broadcast on October 7 , 2010 , " The Plateau " was watched by an estimated 5 @.@ 2 million viewers , earning a 2 @.@ 0 / 5 ratings share for adults between the ages 18 and 49 . Time shifting viewing increased the episode 's ratings by 39 percent , finishing with a 2 @.@ 8 rating among adults . = = = Reviews = = = Entertainment Weekly 's Ken Tucker called the episode " at once cool @-@ looking , heart @-@ tugging , and pretty simple " , especially when compared to previous episodes like " White Tulip " . Writing for The A.V. Club , Noel Murray graded the episode with an A , explaining " I can 't really find anything to complain about here . The direction was effectively moody and snappy , the performances were sharp , and the case was cool . " Murray praised the subtle characteristics of the parallel universe , the action scenes , and the use of split @-@ screens to visually show Milo 's predictions . MTV 's Josh Wigler believed that the episode " demonstrated how the mystery @-@ of @-@ the @-@ week format can still be compelling : by taking everything familiar and applying a stark new layer of paint . " Andrew Hanson of the Los Angeles Times wrote " The third season of Fringe continues to get better with each episode . Most importantly , it has momentum . It 's moving forward with a distinct destination , and even though I know Fringe is heading somewhere , I have no idea where that might be , or what 's going to happen when we get there . Boy , if you 're not watching Fringe , you 're missing out . " SFScope contributor Sarah Stegall thought the episode was similar to Flowers for Algernon , but was skeptical of the premise that Milo could predict every event before they happened . She criticized the decision to make Milo " coldly calculating " , writing " This is but another version of the tired cliché of the stoic intellectual , the intelligent person who has no heart or emotions . Why are we so afraid of smart people ? ... It always annoys me when science fiction writers , of all people , diss their own audience with the idea that intellectuals are dangerous . " Stegall was pleased to have the first " standalone " episode of the season , explaining that it was the first where she could " relax and enjoy ... the tying together of a standalone with a mythology theme was absolutely brilliant . " Fearnet contributor Alyse Wax enjoyed the episode , but also thought " the idea that [ drugs ] could turn someone into a cartoonish evil genius is pretty farfetched . " Many critics praised Eklund and his character , with one calling Milo " spindly , intense , and nicely chilling " . In a January 2011 article , The Futon Critic rated " The Plateau " the twenty @-@ first best television episode of 2010 out of a list of fifty . The A.V. Club ranked Fringe the 15th best show of 2010 , in particular citing " The Plateau " as a justification . Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly named " The Plateau " the thirteenth best episode of the series , explaining " The first half of Fringe 's celebrated third season alternated between episodes set in the over here and over there worlds . In a tough call , we say the best of the over there stand @-@ alones was this brainy thriller about a dude with a low I.Q. who got an intelligence boost via nootopic drugs , and found himself becoming smarter and smarter , and more and more humanly detached , and causing chaos and death by concocting intricate chain reaction events . " In a similar list , Den of Geek named it the eighth best episode of the series , explaining that " The Plateau " stood out as " the best of a good crop of episodes " among the parallel universe storylines because of its villain and its use of Lincoln Lee , Charlie , and Olivia in action . "
= Hurricane Alex ( 2004 ) = Hurricane Alex was the first named storm , the first hurricane , and the first major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season . The first storm of the season , Alex formed unusually late in the season ; the fifth latest since 1954 . It developed from the interaction between an upper @-@ level low and a weak surface trough on July 31 to the east of Jacksonville , Florida . It moved northeastward , and strengthened to attain winds of 100 mph ( 160 km / h ) before passing within 10 miles ( 16 km ) of the Outer Banks coast . Alex strengthened further and reached a peak of 120 mph ( 190 km / h ) winds while off the coast of New England , one of only two hurricanes to reach Category 3 status north of 38 ° N. Alex caused a scare of a hurricane @-@ force direct hit in the Outer Banks of North Carolina , which had been devastated by Hurricane Isabel less than a year earlier . The hurricane produced light damage in the Outer Banks , primarily from flooding and high winds . Over 100 houses were damaged , while numerous cars were disabled from the flooding . Damage totaled about $ 7 @.@ 5 million ( 2004 USD ) . Alex produced strong waves and rip tides along the East Coast of the United States , causing one death and several injuries . = = Meteorological history = = A weak surface trough , located to the west of an upper @-@ level low , developed convection to the east of the Bahamas on July 26 . A tropical wave entered the area two days later , resulting in an increase of convective organization and area . Although conditions were not favorable for tropical cyclone formation , it sped to the northwest and steadily organized , developing a surface area of low pressure on the 30th . On July 31 , the system continued to organize , and developed into Tropical Depression One while located 200 miles ( 320 km ) to the east of Jacksonville , Florida . As the depression drifted erratically , the system remained weak due to its large circulation and lack of deep convection near the center . The center relocated to the south , closer to the center . An approaching upper @-@ level trough lessened the shear over the system , allowing the depression to intensify into Tropical Storm Alex on August 1 . The trough also caused Alex to increase its forward motion to the northeast . Deep convection continued to build over the center due to low shear and warm waters from the Gulf Stream , and Alex intensified into a hurricane on August 3 while located 75 miles ( 120 km ) southeast of Cape Fear , North Carolina . The cyclone continued to strengthen , and attained Category 2 status just hours after becoming a hurricane . The hurricane approached the Outer Banks of North Carolina , coming within 10 miles ( 16 km ) of Cape Hatteras later on the 3rd . The western portion of the eyewall passed over the Outer Banks , though the center remained offshore . Alex turned to the east @-@ northeast after passing the Outer Banks in response to becoming embedded within the west @-@ southwesterly flow . The hurricane briefly weakened to a Category 1 , but restrengthened due to warm waters of the Gulf Stream . Water temperatures remained 3 @.@ 6 ° F ( 2 ° C ) above normal , resulting in Alex intensifying into a 120 mph ( 195 km / h ) major hurricane on August 5 while located 450 miles ( 710 km ) south of Halifax , Nova Scotia . Due to low vertical shear and favorable conditions , Alex remained a Category 3 hurricane until passing over cooler waters late on the 5th while 290 miles ( 465 km ) south of Newfoundland . Alex rapidly weakened , degrading into tropical storm status on August 6 . Later on the 6th , Alex became extratropical while 950 miles ( 1530 km ) east of Cape Race , Newfoundland , and lost its identity shortly thereafter . = = Preparations = = Initially , forecasters believed Alex would remain weak , and on the first advisory the storm was predicted to make landfall as a minimal tropical storm . However , when strengthening became evident , the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet about 20 hours before hurricane conditions were experienced . In addition , a tropical storm warning existed for much of the North Carolina coastline as Alex paralleled the state . Despite Tropical Storm Warnings , 3 @,@ 500 tourists remained on the Outer Banks , though many planned to leave if Alex were to track closer or become stronger . No evacuations were ordered . Officials recommended residents to take precautions for the approaching hurricane . The National Weather Service in Morehead City issued a flash flood watch a day before the hurricane moved past the Outer Banks . The service also issued flash flooding warnings for Craven and Carteret Counties on the day of the hurricane 's closest approach . In preparation for the hurricane , the Cape Lookout National Seashore was closed and evacuated . The National Park Service also closed Cape Point Campground . = = Impact = = While drifting off the coast of Florida , Alex produced rip currents and strong waves along the North Carolina coast resulting in nine lifeguard rescues from the surf . Upon moving by the Outer Banks , a storm surge of up to 6 feet ( 1 @.@ 8 m ) occurred on the Pamlico Sound side of Buxton and Ocracoke Village . The flooding on Ocracoke Island was the worst since Hurricane Gloria nineteen years earlier . Elsewhere on the Outer Banks , waters rose 2 – 4 feet ( 0 @.@ 6 – 1 @.@ 2 m ) above normal . Rainfall directly along the coast amounted to over 5 inches ( 127 mm ) , while Ocracoke experienced 7 @.@ 55 inches ( 192 mm ) . Maximum sustained winds peaked at 88 mph ( 124 km / h ) , and gusts peaked at 115 mph ( 169 km / h ) in Morehead City . Beach erosion was minor along much of North Carolina 's coastline , with the exception of Ocracoke Island where erosion was significant . Cape Fear experienced minor beach erosion . The erosion , combined with high waves , washed out a portion of a roadway . The heavy rainfall in the Outer Banks disabled over 200 cars and flooded nearly 500 . Strong wind gusts left around 10 @,@ 000 buildings without power . Many places were not restored for two to three days after the storm . Wind and storm surge damaged over 100 houses and buildings . Damage amounted to about $ 7 @.@ 5 million ( 2004 USD ) . Two days after the storm passed , a man drowned off of Nags Head from strong rip currents and waves . This was the only direct casualty from the storm . Alex 's outer rainbands produced heavy rainfall across Virginia , peaking at over 7 inches ( 178 mm ) in the center of the state . The rainfall caused localized flooding , but there was no reported damage in the state . In Rehoboth Beach , Delaware , rip currents produced by the storm injured three people . A few young children had to be rescued when they were trapped by a jetty . In New Jersey , the strong surf and rip currents hospitalized at least five swimmers . Alex 's extratropical remnants sank the Pink Lady , a rowboat carrying four British rowers attempting to break the record for fastest crossing from St. John 's , Newfoundland to Falmouth , Cornwall . They were rescued by a Danish cargo ship , and injuries were limited to a mild concussion and a case of hypothermia . The rowers were roughly two weeks and 370 miles ( 595 km ) from their destination . The group had been on track to break the 1896 record of 54 days by 10 days . = = Aftermath and records = = On Ocracoke Island , officials ordered for the evacuation of the thousands of tourists who stayed , believing that keeping tourists on the island would hinder cleanup efforts . The tourists were evacuated in school buses to Hatteras Island , where they could rent a car if needed . Tourists were also evacuated by ferry to Swan Quarter , in Hyde County , where they boarded school buses and were taken to nearby Washington NC to rent available cars or find accommodations . The island was re @-@ opened to visitors on August 6 , three days after the storm passed through . Evacuation was ordered again on Friday of the following week when another storm threatened to hit the Outer Banks , but did not do so . Dare County officials requested aid from the National Guard for the cleanup process . The North Carolina Department of Transportation was ready to clear the roads once the storm exited the area . Alex marked the fifth @-@ latest start to a hurricane season since 1954 . The latest start to a hurricane season since 1954 was Hurricane Anita of the 1977 season , forming on August 29 . Alex is only the second hurricane on record to have reached Category 3 strength north of 38 ° N latitude . The other storm was Hurricane Ellen in the 1973 Atlantic hurricane season ; Alex was the stronger of the two . It is also one of only five hurricanes to be at major hurricane ( Category 3 or higher ) status within Canadian waters since 1950 .
= Chadian – Libyan conflict = The Chadian – Libyan conflict was a series of sporadic clashes in Chad between 1978 and 1987 between Libyan and Chadian forces . Libya had been involved in Chad 's internal affairs prior to 1978 and before Muammar Gaddafi 's rise to power in Libya in 1969 , beginning with the extension of the Chadian Civil War to northern Chad in 1968 . The conflict was marked by a series of four separate Libyan interventions in Chad , taking place in 1978 , 1979 , 1980 – 1981 and 1983 – 1987 . In all of these occasions Gaddafi had the support of a number of factions participating in the civil war , while Libya 's opponents found the support of the French government , which intervened militarily to save the Chadian government in 1978 , 1983 and 1986 . The pattern of the war delineated itself in 1978 , with the Libyans providing armour , artillery and air support and their Chadian allies the infantry , which assumed the bulk of the scouting and fighting . This pattern was radically changed in 1986 , towards the end of the war , when most Chadian forces united in opposing the Libyan occupation of northern Chad with a degree of unity that had never been seen before in Chad . This deprived the Libyan forces of their habitual infantry , exactly when they found themselves confronting a mobile army , well provided now with anti @-@ tank and anti @-@ air missiles , thus cancelling the Libyan superiority in firepower . What followed was the Toyota War , in which the Libyan forces were routed and expelled from Chad , putting an end to the conflict . Gaddafi initially intended to annex the Aouzou Strip , the northernmost part of Chad , which he claimed as part of Libya on the grounds of an unratified treaty of the colonial period . In 1972 his goals became , in the evaluation of historian Mario Azevedo , the creation of a client state in Libya 's " underbelly " , an Islamic republic modelled after his jamahiriya , that would maintain close ties with Libya , and secure his control over the Aouzou Strip ; expulsion of the French from the region ; and use of Chad as a base to expand his influence in Central Africa . = = Events = = = = = Occupation of the Aouzou Strip = = = Libyan involvement with Chad can be said to have started in 1968 , during the Chadian Civil War , when the insurgent Muslim National Liberation Front of Chad ( FROLINAT ) extended its guerrilla war against the Christian President François Tombalbaye to the northerly Borkou @-@ Ennedi @-@ Tibesti Prefecture ( BET ) . Libya 's king Idris I felt compelled to support the FROLINAT because of long @-@ standing strong links between the two sides of the Chadian @-@ Libyan border . To preserve relations with Chad 's former colonial master and current protector , France , Idris limited himself to granting the rebels sanctuary in Libyan territory and to providing only non @-@ lethal supplies . All this changed with the Libyan coup d 'état of 1 September 1969 that deposed Idris and brought Muammar Gaddafi to power . Gaddafi claimed the Aouzou Strip in northern Chad , referring to an unratified treaty signed in 1935 by Italy and France ( then the colonial powers of Libya and Chad , respectively ) . Such claims had been previously made when in 1954 Idris had tried to occupy Aouzou , but his troops were repelled by the French Colonial Forces . Though initially wary of the FROLINAT , Gaddafi had come to see by 1970 the organization as useful to his needs . With the support of Soviet bloc nations , particularly East Germany , he trained and armed the insurgents , and provided them with weapons and funding . On 27 August 1971 Chad accused Egypt and Libya of backing a coup against then @-@ president Tombalbaye by recently amnestied Chadians . On the day of the failed coup , Tombalbaye cut all diplomatic relations with Libya and Egypt , and invited all Libyan opposition groups to base themselves in Chad , and started laying claims to Fezzan on the grounds of " historical rights " . Gaddafi 's answer was to officially recognize on 17 September the FROLINAT as the sole legitimate government of Chad . In October , Chadian Foreign Minister Baba Hassan denounced Libya 's " expansionist ideas " at the United Nations . Through French pressure on Libya and the mediation of Nigerien President Hamani Diori , the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on 17 April 1972 . Shortly after , Tombalbaye broke diplomatic relations with Israel and is said to have secretly agreed on 28 November to cede the Aouzou Strip to Libya . In exchange , Gaddafi pledged 40 million pounds to the Chadian President and the two countries signed a Treaty of Friendship in December 1972 . Gaddafi withdrew official support to the FROLINAT and forced its leader Abba Siddick to move his headquarters from Tripoli to Algiers . Good relations were confirmed in the following years , with Gaddafi visiting the Chadian capital N 'Djamena in March 1974 ; in the same month a joint bank was created to provide Chad with investment funds . Six months after the signing of the 1972 treaty , Libyan troops moved into the Strip and established an airbase just north of Aouzou , protected by surface @-@ to @-@ air missiles . A civil administration was set up , attached to Kufra , and Libyan citizenship was extended to the few thousand inhabitants of the area . From that moment , Libyan maps represented the area as part of Libya . The exact terms by which Libya gained Aouzou remain partly obscure , and are debated . The existence of a secret agreement between Tombalbaye and Gaddafi was revealed only in 1988 , when the Libyan President exhibited an alleged copy of a letter in which Tombalbaye recognizes Libyan claims . Against this , scholars like Bernard Lanne have argued that there never was any sort of formal agreement , and that Tombalbaye had found it expedient not to mention the occupation of a part of his country . Libya was unable to exhibit the original copy of the agreement when the case of the Aouzou Strip was brought before the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) in 1993 . = = = Expansion of the insurgency = = = The rapprochement was not to last long , as on 13 April 1975 a coup d 'état removed Tombalbaye and replaced him with General Félix Malloum . As the coup was partly motivated by opposition to Tombalbaye 's appeasement of Libya , Gaddafi considered it a menace to his influence and resumed supplying the FROLINAT . In April 1976 , there was a Gaddafi @-@ backed attempted assassination of Malloum , and in the same year Libyan troops started making forays into central Chad in company of FROLINAT forces . Libyan activism began generating concerns in the strongest faction into which the FROLINAT had split , the Command Council of the Armed Forces of the North ( CCFAN ) . The insurgents split on the issue of Libyan support in October 1976 , with a minority leaving the militia and forming the Armed Forces of the North ( FAN ) , led by the anti @-@ Libyan Hissène Habré . The majority , willing to accept an alliance with Gaddafi , was commanded by Goukouni Oueddei . The latter group soon renamed itself People 's Armed Forces ( FAP ) . In those years , Gaddafi 's support had been mostly moral , with only a limited supply of weapons . All this started changing in February 1977 , when the Libyans provided Goukouni 's men with hundreds of AK @-@ 47 assault rifles , dozens of RPGs , 81 and 82mm mortars and recoilless cannons . Armed with these weapons , the FAP attacked in June the Chadian Armed Forces ' ( FAT ) strongholds of Bardaï and Zouar in Tibesti and of Ounianga Kébir in Borkou . Goukouni assumed with this attack full control of the Tibesti , because Bardaï , besieged since 22 June , surrendered on 4 July , while Zouar was evacuated . The FAT lost 300 men , and piles of military supplies fell into the hands of the rebels . Ounianga was attacked on 20 June , but was saved by the French military advisors present there . As it had become evident that the Aouzou Strip was being used by Libya as a base for deeper involvement in Chad , Malloum decided to bring the issue of the Strip 's occupation before the UN and the Organisation of African Unity . Malloum also decided he needed new allies ; he negotiated a formal alliance with Habré , the Khartoum Accord , in September . This accord was kept secret until 22 January , when a Fundamental Charter was signed , following which a National Union Government was formed on 29 August 1978 with Habré as Prime Minister . The Malloum @-@ Habré accord was actively promoted by Sudan and Saudi Arabia , both of which feared a radical Chad controlled by Gaddafi . The two nations saw in Habré , with his good Muslim and anti @-@ colonialialist credentials , the only chance to thwart Gaddafi 's plans . = = = Libyan escalation = = = The Malloum @-@ Habré accord was perceived by Gaddafi as a serious threat to his influence in Chad , and he increased the level of Libyan involvement . For the first time with the active participation of Libyan ground units , Goukouni 's FAP unleashed the Ibrahim Abatcha offensive on 29 January 1978 against the last outposts held by the government in northern Chad : Faya @-@ Largeau , Fada and Ounianga Kebir . The attacks were successful , and Goukouni and the Libyans assumed control of the BET Prefecture . The decisive confrontation between the Libyan @-@ FAP forces and the Chadian regular forces took place at Faya @-@ Largeau , the capital of the BET . The city , defended by 5 @,@ 000 Chadian soldiers , fell on 18 February after sharp fighting to a force of 2 @,@ 500 rebels , supported by possibly as many as 4 @,@ 000 Libyan troops . The Libyans do not seem to have directly participated in the fighting ; in a pattern that was to repeat itself in the future , the Libyans provided armor , artillery and air support . The rebels also were much better armed than before , displaying Strela 2 surface @-@ to @-@ air missiles . Goukouni captured about 2 @,@ 500 prisoners in 1977 and 1978 ; as a result , the Chadian Armed Forces lost at least 20 % of its manpower . In particular , the National and Nomadic Guard ( GNN ) was decimated by the fall of Fada and Faya . Goukouni used these victories to strengthen his position in the FROLINAT : during a Libyan @-@ sponsored congress held in March in Faya , the insurgency 's main factions reunited themselves and nominated Goukouni as the secretary @-@ general . Malloum 's reaction to the Goukouni – Gaddafi offensive was to sever diplomatic relations with Libya on 6 February and bring before the UN Security Council the issue of Libyan involvement . He raised again the question of Libya 's occupation of the Aouzou Strip ; on 19 February , however , after the fall of Faya , Malloum was forced to accept a ceasefire and withdraw the protest . Gaddafi halted the advance of Goukouni because of pressure from France , then an important supplier of Libya 's weapons . Malloum and Gaddafi restored diplomatic relations on 24 February in Sabha , Libya , where an international peace conference was held which included as mediators Niger 's President , Seyni Kountché , and Sudan 's Vice @-@ President , Abu al @-@ Gasim Mohamed Ibrahim . Under severe pressure from France , Sudan and Zaire , Malloum was forced to sign the Benghazi Accord , which recognized the FROLINAT and agreed on a new ceasefire , on 27 March . The agreement called for the creation of a joint Libya – Niger military committee tasked with implementation ; through this committee , Chad legitimized Libyan intervention in its territory . The accord also contained a condition dear to Libya : the termination of all French military presence in Chad . The stillborn accord was for Gaddafi nothing more than a strategy to strengthen his protégé Goukouni ; it also weakened considerably Malloum 's prestige among southern Chadians , who saw his concessions as a proof of his weak leadership . On 15 April , only a few days after signing the ceasefire , Goukouni left Faya , leaving there a Libyan garrison of 800 men . Relying on Libyan armor and airpower , Goukouni 's forces conquered a small FAT garrison and pointed towards N 'Djamena . Against Goukouni stood freshly arrived French forces . Already in 1977 , after Goukouni 's first offensives , Malloum had asked for a French military return in Chad , but President Valéry Giscard d 'Estaing was at first reluctant to commit himself before the March 1978 legislative elections ; also , France was afraid of damaging its profitable commercial and diplomatic relations with Libya . However , the rapid deterioration of the situation in Chad resolved the President on 20 February 1978 to start Opération Tacaud , which by April brought 2 @,@ 500 troops to Chad to secure the capital from the rebels . The decisive battle took place at Ati , a town 430 kilometres northeast of N 'Djamena . The town 's garrison of 1 @,@ 500 soldiers was attacked on 19 May by the FROLINAT insurgents , equipped with artillery and modern weapons . The garrison was relieved by the arrival of a Chadian task force supported by armor and , more importantly , of the French Foreign Legion and the 3rd Regiment of Marine Infantry . In a two @-@ day battle , the FROLINAT was repelled with heavy losses , a victory that was confirmed in June by another engagement at Djedaa . The FROLINAT admitted defeat and fled north , having lost 2 @,@ 000 men and left the " ultramodern equipment " they carried on the ground . Of key importance in these battles was the complete air superiority the French could count on , as the Libyan Air Force pilots refused to fight them . = = = Libyan difficulties = = = Only a few months after the failed offensive against the capital , major dissensions in the FROLINAT shattered all vestiges of unity and badly weakened Libyan power in Chad . On the night of 27 August , Ahmat Acyl , leader of the Volcan Army , attacked Faya @-@ Largeau with the support of Libyan troops in what was apparently an attempt by Gaddafi to remove Goukouni from the leadership of the FROLINAT , replacing him with Acyl . The attempt backfired , as Goukouni reacted by expelling all Libyan military advisors present in Chad , and started searching for a compromise with France . The reasons for the clash between Gaddafi and Goukouni were both ethnic and political . The FROLINAT was divided between Arabs , like Acyl , and Toubous , like Goukouni and Habré . These ethnic divisions also reflected a different attitude towards Gaddafi and his Green Book . In particular , Goukouni and his men had shown themselves reluctant to follow Gaddafi 's solicitations to make The Green Book the official policy of the FROLINAT , and had first tried to take time , postponing the question until the complete reunification of the movement . When the unification was accomplished , and Gaddafi pressed again for the adoption of The Green Book , the dissensions in the Revolution 's Council became manifest , with many proclaiming their loyalty to the movement 's original platform approved in 1966 when Ibrahim Abatcha was made first secretary @-@ general , while others , including Acyl , fully embraced the Colonel 's ideas . In N 'Djamena , the simultaneous presence of two armies — Prime Minister Habré 's FAN and President Malloum 's FAT — set the stage for the battle of N 'Djamena , which was to bring about the collapse of the State and the ascent to power of the Northern elite . A minor incident escalated on 12 February 1979 into heavy fighting between Habré and Malloum 's forces , and the battle intensified on 19 February when Goukouni 's men entered in the capital to fight alongside Habré . By 16 March , when the first international peace conference took place , an estimated 2 @,@ 000 – 5 @,@ 000 people had been killed and 60 @,@ 000 – 70 @,@ 000 forced to flee . The greatly diminished Chadian army left the capital in the rebels ' hands and reorganized itself in the south under the leadership of Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué . During the battle , the French garrison stood passively by , even helping Habré in certain circumstances , as when they demanded that the Chadian Air Force stop its bombings . An international peace conference was held in Kano in Nigeria , in which Chad 's bordering states participated along with Malloum , Habré , and Goukouni . The Kano Accord was signed on 16 March by all those present , and Malloum resigned , replaced by a Council of State under the chairmanship of Goukouni . This was a result of Nigerian and French pressures on Goukouni and Habré to share power ; the French in particular saw this as part of their strategy to cut all ties between Goukouni and Gaddafi . A few weeks later , the same factions formed the Transitional Government of National Unity ( GUNT ) , kept together to a considerable extent by the common desire to see Libya out of Chad . Despite signing the Kano Accord , Libya was incensed that the GUNT did not include any of the leaders of the Volcan Army and had not recognized Libyan claims on the Aouzou Strip . Since 13 April there had been some minor Libyan military activity in northern Chad , and support was provided to the secessionist movement in the south . However , a major response came only after 25 June , when the ultimatum of Chad 's neighbors for the formation of a new , more inclusive coalition government expired . On 26 June , 2 @,@ 500 Libyan troops invaded Chad , heading for Faya @-@ Largeau . The Chadian government appealed for French help . The Libyan forces were first stymied by Goukouni 's militiamen , and then forced to retreat by French reconnaissance planes and bombers . In the same month , the factions excluded by the GUNT founded a counter @-@ government , the Front for Joint Provisional Action ( FACP ) , in northern Chad with Libyan military support . The fighting with Libya , the imposition by Nigeria of an economic boycott , and international pressure led to a new international peace conference in Lagos in August , to which all eleven factions present in Chad participated . A new accord was signed on 21 August , under which a new GUNT was to be formed , open to all factions . The French troops were to leave Chad and be replaced by a multinational African peace force . The new GUNT took office in November , with Goukouni President , Kamougué Vice @-@ President , Habré Defence Minister and Acyl Foreign Minister . Despite the presence of Habré , the new composition of the GUNT had enough pro @-@ Libyans to satisfy Gaddafi . = = = Libyan intervention = = = From the start , Habré isolated himself from the other members of the GUNT , which he treated with disdain . Habré 's hostility for Libya 's influence in Chad united itself with his ambition and ruthlessness : observers concluded that the warlord would never be content with anything short of the highest office . It was thought that sooner or later an armed confrontation between Habré and the pro @-@ Libyan factions would take place , and more importantly , between Habré and Goukouni . Clashes in the capital between Habré 's FAN and pro @-@ Libyan groups became progressively more serious . On 22 March 1980 , a minor incident , as in 1979 , triggered the second battle of N 'Djamena . In ten days , the clashes between the FAN and Goukouni 's FAP , which both had 1 @,@ 000 – 1 @,@ 500 troops in the city , caused thousands of casualties and the flight of about half the capital 's population . The few remaining French troops , who left on 4 May , proclaimed themselves neutral , as did the Zairean peace force . While the FAN was supplied economically and militarily by Sudan and Egypt , Goukouni received the armed support of Kamougué 's FAT and Acyl 's CDR shortly after the beginning of the battle , and was provided with Libyan artillery . On 6 June , the FAN assumed control of the city of Faya . This alarmed Goukouni , and he signed , on 15 June , a Treaty of Friendship with Libya . The treaty gave Libya a free hand in Chad , legitimising its presence in that country ; the treaty 's first article committed the two countries to mutual defence , and a threat against one constituted a threat against the other . Beginning in October , Libyan troops , led by Khalifa Haftar and Ahmed Oun , airlifted to the Aouzou Strip operated in conjunction with Goukouni 's forces to reoccupy Faya . The city was then used as an assembly point for tanks , artillery and armored vehicles that moved south against the capital of N 'Djamena . An attack started on 6 December , spearheaded by Soviet T @-@ 54 and T @-@ 55 tanks and reportedly coordinated by advisors from the Soviet Union and East Germany , brought the fall of the capital on 16 December . The Libyan force , numbering between 7 @,@ 000 and 9 @,@ 000 men of regular units and the paramilitary Pan @-@ African Islamic Legion , 60 tanks , and other armored vehicles , had been ferried across 1 @,@ 100 kilometers of desert from Libya 's southern border , partly by airlift and tank transporters and partly under its own power . The border itself was 1 @,@ 000 to 1 @,@ 100 kilometers from Libya 's main bases on the Mediterranean coast . Wright states that the Libyan intervention demonstrated an impressive logistical ability , and provided Gaddafi with his first military victory and a substantial political achievement . While forced into exile and with his forces confined to the frontier zones of Darfur , Habré remained defiant . On 31 December he announced in Dakar he would resume fighting as a guerrilla against the GUNT . = = = Libyan withdrawal = = = On 6 January 1981 , a joint communiqué was issued in Tripoli by Gaddafi and Goukouni that Libya and Chad had decided " to work to achieve full unity between the two countries " . The merger plan caused strong adverse reaction in Africa , and was immediately condemned by France , which on 11 January offered to strengthen its garrisons in friendly African states and on 15 January placed its Mediterranean fleet on alert . Libya answered by threatening to impose an oil embargo , while France threatened to react if Libya attacked another bordering country . The accord was also opposed by all GUNT ministers present with Goukouni at Tripoli , with the exception of Acyl . Most observers believe that the reasons behind Goukouni 's accepting the accord may be found in a mix of threats , intense pressure and the financial help promised by Gaddafi . Just before his visit to the Libyan capital , Goukouni had sent two of his commanders to Libya for consultations ; at Tripoli , Goukouni learned from Gaddafi that they had been assassinated by " Libyan dissidents " , and that if Goukouni did not want to risk losing Libyan favour and lose power , he should accept the merger plan . The level of opposition caused Gaddafi and Goukouni to downplay the importance of the communiqué , speaking of a " union " of peoples , and not of states , and as a " first step " towards closer collaboration . But the damage had been done , and the joint communiqué badly weakened Goukouni 's prestige as a nationalist and a statesman . In response to the increasing international pressure , Goukouni stated that Libyan forces were in Chad by government request , and that international mediators should accept the decision of Chad 's legitimate government . In a meeting held in May , Goukouni became more accommodating , declaring that while Libyan withdrawal was not a priority , he would accept the decisions of the OAU . Goukouni could not at the time renounce Libyan military support , necessary for dealing with Habré 's FAN , which was supported by Egypt and Sudan and funded through Egypt by the US Central Intelligence Agency . Relations between Goukouni and Gaddafi started deteriorating . Libyan troops were stationed in various points of northern and central Chad , in numbers that had reached about 14 @,@ 000 troops by January – February 1981 . These forces created considerable annoyance in the GUNT by supporting Acyl 's faction in its disputes with the other militias , including the clashes held in late April with Goukouni 's FAP . There were also attempts to Libyanize the local population , which made many conclude that " unification " for Libya meant Arabization and the imposition of Libyan political culture , in particular of The Green Book . Amid fighting in October between Gaddafi 's Islamic Legionnaires and Goukouni 's troops , and rumors that Acyl was planning a coup d 'état to assume the leadership of the GUNT , Goukouni demanded on 29 October the complete and unequivocal withdrawal of Libyan forces from Chadian territory , which , beginning with the capital , was to be completed by 31 December . The Libyans were to be replaced by an OAU Inter @-@ African Force ( IAF ) . Gaddafi complied , and by 16 November all Libyan forces had left Chad , redeploying in the Aouzou Strip . Libya 's prompt retreat took many observers by surprise . One reason lay in Gaddafi 's desire to host the OAU 's annual conference in 1982 and assume the organization 's presidency . Another was Libya 's difficult situation in Chad where , without some popular and international acceptance for Libyan presence , it would have been difficult to take the concrete risk of causing a war with Egypt and Sudan , with US support . Gaddafi had not renounced the goals he had set for Chad , but he had to find a new Chadian leader , as Goukouni had proved himself unreliable . = = = Habré takes N 'Djamena = = = The first IAF component to arrive in Chad were the Zairean paratroopers ; they were followed by Nigerian and Senegalese forces , bringing the IAF to 3 @,@ 275 men . Before the peace @-@ keeping force was fully deployed , Habré had already taken advantage of Libya 's withdrawal , and made massive inroads in eastern Chad , including the important city of Abéché , that fell on 19 November . Next to fall was Oum Hadjer in early January 1982 , only 160 kilometres ( 99 mi ) from Ati , the last major town before the capital . The GUNT was saved for the moment by the IAF , the only credible military force confronting Habré , which prevented the FAN from taking Ati . In the light of Habré 's offensive , the OAU requested that the GUNT open reconciliation talks with Habré , a demand that was angrily refused by Goukouni ; later he was to say : " The OAU has deceived us . Our security was fully ensured by Libyan troops . The OAU put pressure on us to expel the Libyans . Now that they have gone , the organization has abandoned us while imposing on us a negotiated settlement with Hissein Habre " . In May 1982 , the FAN started a final offensive , passing unhindered by the peacekeepers in Ati and Mongo . Goukouni , increasingly angered with the IAF 's refusal to fight Habré , made an attempt to restore his relations with Libya , and reached Tripoli on 23 May . Gaddafi , however , burned by his experience the previous year , proclaimed Libya neutral in the civil war . The GUNT forces made a last stand at Massaguet , 80 kilometres ( 50 mi ) north of capital , but were defeated by the FAN on 5 June after a hard battle . Two days later Habré entered N 'Djamena unopposed , making him the de facto leader of Chad , while Goukouni fled the country , seeking sanctuary in Cameroon . After occupying the capital , Habré consolidated power by occupying the rest of the country . In barely six weeks , he conquered southern Chad , destroying the FAT , Kamougué 's militia ; Kamougué 's hopes for Libyan help failed to materialize . The rest of the country was conquered , with the exception of the Tibesti . = = = GUNT offensive = = = Since Gaddafi had kept mostly aloof in the months prior to the fall of N 'Djamena , Habré hoped to reach an understanding with Libya , possibly through an accord with Acyl , who appeared receptive to dialogue . But Acyl died on 19 July , replaced by Acheikh ibn Oumar , and the CDR was antagonized by Habré 's eagerness to unify the country , which led him to overrun the CDR 's domains . Therefore , it was with Libyan support that Goukouni reassembled the GUNT , creating in October a National Peace Government in the Tibesti town of Bardaï and claiming itself the legitimate government by the terms of the Lagos Accord . For the impending fight , Goukouni could count on 3 @,@ 000 – 4 @,@ 000 men taken from several militias , later merged in an Armée Nationale de Libération ( ANL ) under the command of a Southerner , Negue Djogo . Before Gaddafi could throw his full weight behind Goukouni , Habré attacked the GUNT in the Tibesti , but was repelled both in December 1982 and in January 1983 . The following months saw the clashes intensify in the North , while talks , including visits in March between Tripoli and N 'Djamena , broke down . On 17 March , Habré brought the conflict before the UN , asking for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to consider Libya 's " aggression and occupation " of Chadian territory . Gaddafi was ready now for an offensive . The decisive offensive began in June , when a 3 @,@ 000 @-@ strong GUNT force invested Faya @-@ Largeau , the main government stronghold in the North , which fell on 25 June . The GUNT force rapidly proceeded towards Koro Toro , Oum Chalouba and Abéché , assuming control of the main routes towards N 'Djamena . Libya , while helping with recruiting , training , and providing the GUNT with heavy artillery , only committed a few thousand regular troops to the offensive , and most of these were artillery and logistic units . This may have been due to Gaddafi 's desire that the conflict be read as a Chadian internal affair . The international community , in particular France and the US , reacted adversely to the Libyan @-@ backed offensive . On the same day as the fall of Faya , French Foreign Minister Claude Cheysson warned Libya that France would " not remain indifferent " to a new Libyan involvement in Chad , and on 11 July the French government accused again Libya of direct military support to the rebels . French arms shipments were resumed on 27 June , and on 3 July a first contingent of 250 Zaireans arrived to strengthen Habré ; the United States announced in July military and food aid for 10 million dollars . Gaddafi suffered also a diplomatic setback from the OAU , that at the meeting held in June officially recognized Habré 's government and asked for all foreign troops to leave Chad . Supplied by Americans , Zaireans and the French , Habré rapidly reorganized his forces ( now called Chadian National Armed Forces , or FANT ) . FANT marched north to confront the GUNT and the Libyans , who he met south of Abéché . Habré crushed Goukouni 's forces and started a vast counteroffensive that enabled him to retake in rapid succession Abéché , Biltine , Fada and , on 30 July , Faya @-@ Largeau , threatening to attack the Tibesti and the Aouzou Strip . = = = French intervention = = = Feeling that a complete destruction of the GUNT would be an intolerable blow for his prestige , and fearing that Habré would provide support for all opposition to Gaddafi , the Colonel called for a Libyan intervention in force , as his Chadian allies could not secure a definitive victory without Libyan armor and airpower . Since the day after the fall of the town , Faya @-@ Largeau was subjected to a sustained air bombardment , using Su @-@ 22 and Mirage F @-@ 1s from the Aouzou air base , along with Tu @-@ 22 bombers from Sabha . Within ten days , a large ground force had been assembled east and west of Faya @-@ Largeau by first ferrying men , armor , and artillery by air to Sabha , Kufra and the Aouzou airfield , and then by shorter @-@ range transport planes to the area of conflict . The fresh Libyan forces amounted to 11 @,@ 000 mostly regular troops , and eighty combat aircraft participated in the offensive ; however , the Libyans maintained their traditional role of providing fire support , and occasional tank charges , for the assaults of the GUNT , which could count on 3 @,@ 000 – 4 @,@ 000 men on this occasion . The GUNT @-@ Libyan alliance invested on 10 August the Faya @-@ Largeau oasis , where Habré had entrenched himself with about 5 @,@ 000 troops . Battered by multiple rocket launcher ( MRL ) , artillery and tank fire and continuous airstrikes , the FANT 's defensive line disintegrated when the GUNT launched the final assault , leaving 700 FANT troops on the ground . Habré escaped with the remnants of his army to the capital , without being pursued by the Libyans . This was to prove a tactical blunder , as the new Libyan intervention had alarmed France . Habré issued a fresh plea for French military assistance on 6 August . France , also due to American and African pressures , announced on 6 August the return of French troops in Chad as part of Operation Manta , meant to stop the GUNT @-@ Libyan advance and more generally weaken Gaddafi 's influence in the internal affairs of Chad . Three days later several hundred French troops were dispatched to N 'Djamena from the Central African Republic , later brought to 2 @,@ 700 , with several squadrons of Jaguar fighter @-@ bombers . This made it the largest expeditionary force ever assembled by the French in Africa outside of the Algerian War . The French government then defined a limit ( the so @-@ called Red Line ) , along the 15th parallel , extending from Mao to Abéché , and warned that they would not tolerate any incursion south of this line by Libyan or GUNT forces . Both the Libyans and the French remained on their side of the line , with France showing itself unwilling to help Habré retake the north , while the Libyans avoided starting a conflict with France by attacking the line . This led to a de facto division of the country , with Libya maintaining control of all the territory north of the Red Line . A lull ensued , during which November talks sponsored by the OAU failed to conciliate the opposing Chadian factions . Ethiopian leader Mengistu 's attempt at the beginning of 1984 was also unsuccessful . Mengistu 's failure was followed on 24 January by a GUNT attack , supported by heavy Libyan armor , on the FANT outpost of Ziguey , a move mainly meant to persuade France and the African states to reopen negotiations . France reacted to this breach of the Red Line by launching the first significant air counter @-@ attack , bringing new troops into Chad and unilaterally raising the defensive line to the 16th parallel . = = = French withdrawal = = = To put an end to the deadlock , Gaddafi proposed on 30 April a mutual withdrawal of both the French and Libyan forces in Chad . French President François Mitterrand showed himself receptive to the offer , and on 17 September the two leaders publicly announced that the mutual withdrawal would start on 25 September , and be completed by 10 November . The accord was at first hailed by the media as proof of Mitterrand 's diplomatic skill and a decisive progress towards the solution of the Chadian crisis ; it also demonstrated Mitterrand 's intent of following a foreign policy independent from both the US and the Chadian government regarding Libya and Chad . While France respected the deadline , the Libyans limited themselves to retiring some forces , while maintaining at least 3 @,@ 000 men stationed in Northern Chad . When this became evident , it embarrassed the French and caused recriminations between the French and Chadian governments . On 16 November , Mitterrand met with Gaddafi on Crete , under the auspices of the Greek prime minister Papandreou . Despite Gaddafi 's declaration that all Libyan forces had been withdrawn , the next day Mitterrand admitted that this was not true . However , he did not order French troops back to Chad . According to Nolutshungu , the 1984 bilateral Franco @-@ Libyan agreement may have provided Gaddafi with an excellent opportunity to find an exit from the Chadian quagmire , while bolstering his international prestige and giving him an opportunity to force Habré into accepting a peace accord which would have included Libya 's proxies . Instead , Gaddafi misread France 's withdrawal as a willingness to accept Libya 's military presence in Chad and the de facto annexation of the whole BET Prefecture by Libya , an action that was certain to meet the opposition of all Chadian factions and of the OAU and UN . Gaddafi 's blunder would eventually bring about his defeat , with the rebellion against him of the GUNT and a new French expedition in 1986 . = = = New French intervention = = = During the period between 1984 and 1986 , in which no major clash took place , Habré greatly strengthened his position thanks to staunch US support and Libya 's failure to respect the Franco @-@ Libyan 1984 agreement . Also decisive was the increasing factional bickering that started plaguing the GUNT since 1984 , centered around the fight between Goukouni and Acheikh ibn Oumar over the organization 's leadership . In this period , Gaddafi expanded his control over northern Chad , building new roads and erecting a major new airbase , Ouadi Doum , meant to better support air and ground operations beyond the Aouzou Strip . He also brought in considerable reinforcements in 1985 , raising Libyan forces in the country to 7 @,@ 000 troops , 300 tanks and 60 combat aircraft . While this build @-@ up took place , significant elements of the GUNT passed over to the Habré government , as part of the latter 's policy of accommodation . These desertions alarmed Gaddafi , as the GUNT provided a cover of legitimacy to Libya 's presence in Chad . To put a halt to these and reunite the GUNT , a major offensive was launched on the Red Line with the goal of taking N 'Djamena . The attack , started on 10 February 1986 , involved 5 @,@ 000 Libyan and 5 @,@ 000 GUNT troops , and concentrated on the FANT outposts of Kouba Olanga , Kalait and Oum Chalouba . The campaign ended in disaster for Gaddafi , when a FANT counteroffensive on 13 February using the new equipment obtained from the French forced the attackers to withdraw and reorganize . Most important was French reaction to the attack . Gaddafi had possibly believed that , due to the upcoming French legislative elections , Mitterrand would be reluctant to start a new risky and costly expedition to save Habré ; this evaluation proved wrong , as what the French President could not politically risk was to show weakness towards Libyan aggression . As a result , on 14 February Opération Epervier was started , bringing 1 @,@ 200 French troops and several squadrons of Jaguars to Chad . On 16 February , to send a clear message to Gaddafi , the French Air Force bombed Libya 's Ouadi Doum airbase . Libya retaliated the next day when a Libyan Tu @-@ 22 bombed the N 'Djamena Airport , causing minimal damage . = = = Tibesti War = = = The defeats suffered in February and March accelerated the disintegration of the GUNT . When in March , at a new round of OAU @-@ sponsored talks held in the People 's Republic of Congo , Goukouni failed to appear , many suspected the hand of Libya . These suspicions caused the defection from the GUNT of its vice president , Kamougué , followed by the First Army and the piecemeal FROLINAT Originel . In August , it was the CDR 's turn to leave the coalition , seizing the town of Fada . When in October Goukouni 's FAP attempted to retake Fada , the Libyan garrison attacked Goukouni 's troops , giving way to a pitched battle that effectively ended the GUNT . In the same month , Goukouni was arrested by the Libyans , while his troops rebelled against Gaddafi , dislodging the Libyans from all their positions in the Tibesti , and on 24 October went over to Habré . To reestablish their supply lines and retake the towns of Bardaï , Zouar and Wour , the Libyans sent a task @-@ force of 2 @,@ 000 troops with T @-@ 62 tanks and heavy support by the Libyan Air Force into the Tibesti . The offensive started successfully , expelling the GUNT from its key strongholds , also through the use of napalm . This attack ultimately backfired , causing the prompt reaction of Habré , who sent 2 @,@ 000 FANT soldiers to link with the GUNT forces . Also Mitterrand reacted forcefully , ordering a mission which parachuted fuel , food , ammunition and anti @-@ tank missiles to the rebels , and also infiltrated military personnel . Through this action , the French made clear that they no longer felt committed to keep south of the Red Line , and were ready to act whenever they found it necessary . While militarily Habré was only partly successful in his attempt to evict the Libyans from the Tibesti ( the Libyans would fully leave the region in March , when a series of defeats in the north @-@ east had made the area untenable ) , the campaign was a great strategic breakthrough for the FANT , as it transformed a civil war into a national war against a foreign invader , stimulating a sense of national unity that had never been seen before in Chad . = = = Toyota War = = = At the opening of 1987 , the last year of the war , the Libyan expeditionary force was still impressive , numbering 8 @,@ 000 troops and 300 tanks . However , it had lost the key support of its Chadian allies , who had generally provided reconnaissance and acted as assault infantry . Without them the Libyan garrisons resembled isolated and vulnerable islands in the Chadian desert . On the other side , the FANT was greatly strengthened , now having 10 @,@ 000 highly motivated troops , provided with fast @-@ moving and sand @-@ adapted Toyota trucks equipped with MILAN anti @-@ tank missiles . These trucks gave the name " Toyota War " to the last phase of the conflict . Habré started , on 2 January 1987 , his reconquest of northern Chad with a successful attack on the well @-@ defended Libyan communications base of Fada . Against the Libyan army the Chadian commander Hassan Djamous conducted a series of swift pincer movements , enveloping the Libyan positions and crushing them with sudden attacks from all sides . This strategy was repeated by Djamous in March in the battles of B 'ir Kora and Ouadi Doum , inflicting crushing losses and forcing Gaddafi to evacuate northern Chad . This in turn endangered Libyan control over the Aouzou Strip , and Aouzou fell in August to the FANT , only to be repelled by an overwhelming Libyan counter @-@ offensive and the French refusal to provide air cover to the Chadians . Habré readily replied to this setback with the first Chadian incursion in Libyan territory of the Chadian – Libyan conflict , mounting on 5 September a surprise and fully successful raid against the key Libyan air base at Maaten al @-@ Sarra . This attack was part of a plan to remove the threat of Libyan airpower before a renewed offensive on Aouzou . The projected attack on Aouzou never took place , as the dimensions of the victory obtained at Maaten made France fear that the attack on the Libyan base was only the first stage of a general offensive into Libya proper , a possibility that France was not willing to tolerate . As for Gaddafi , being subjected to internal and international pressures , he showed himself more conciliatory , which led to an OAU @-@ brokered ceasefire on 11 September . = = Aftermath = = While there were many violations of the ceasefire , the incidents were relatively minor . The two governments immediately started complex diplomatic manoeuvres to bring world opinion on their side in case , as was widely expected , the conflict was resumed . However , the two sides were also careful to leave the door open for a peaceful solution . The latter course was promoted by France and most African states , while the Reagan Administration saw a resumption of the conflict as the best chance to unseat Gaddafi . Steadily , relations among the two countries improved , with Gaddafi giving signs that he wanted to normalize relations with the Chadian government , to the point of recognizing that the war had been an error . In May 1988 , the Libyan leader declared he would recognize Habré as the legitimate president of Chad " as a gift to Africa " ; this led on 3 October to the resumption of full diplomatic relations between the two countries . The following year , on 31 August 1989 , Chadian and Libyan representatives met in Algiers to negotiate the Framework Agreement on the Peaceful Settlement of the Territorial Dispute , by which Gaddafi agreed to discuss with Habré the Aouzou Strip and to bring the issue to the ICJ for a binding ruling if bilateral talks failed . After a year of inconclusive talks , the sides submitted the dispute to the ICJ in September 1990 . Chadian @-@ Libyan relations further improved when Libyan @-@ supported Idriss Déby unseated Habré on 2 December . Gaddafi was the first head of state to recognize the new government , and he also signed treaties of friendship and cooperation on various levels . Regarding the Aouzou Strip , however , Déby followed his predecessor , declaring that if necessary he would fight to keep the strip out of Libya 's hands . The Aouzou dispute was concluded for good on 3 February 1994 , when the judges of the ICJ by a majority of 16 to 1 decided that the Aouzou Strip belonged to Chad . The court 's judgement was implemented without delay , the two parties signing an agreement as early as 4 April concerning the practical modalities for the implementation of the judgement . Monitored by international observers , the withdrawal of Libyan troops from the Strip began on 15 April and was completed by 10 May . The formal and final transfer of the Strip from Libya to Chad took place on 30 May , when the sides signed a joint declaration stating that the Libyan withdrawal had been effected . Muammar Gaddafi was angered by the devastating counter @-@ attack on Libya and the ensuing defeat at the Battle of Maaten al @-@ Sarra . Forced to accede to a ceasefire , the defeat ended his expansionist projects toward Chad and his dreams of African and Arab dominance . Given the French intervention on behalf of Chad and U.S. supply of satellite intelligence to FANT during the battle of Maaten al @-@ Sarra , Gaddafi blamed Libya 's defeat on French and U.S. " aggression against Libya " .
= Seth MacFarlane = Seth Woodbury MacFarlane ( / ˈsɛθ ˈwʊdbɛri məkˈfɑːrlɪn / ; born October 26 , 1973 ) is an American television producer , filmmaker , actor , and singer , working primarily in animation and comedy , as well as live @-@ action and other genres . He is the creator of the TV series Family Guy ( 1999 – 2003 , 2005 – present ) , co @-@ creator of the TV series American Dad ! ( 2005 – present ) and The Cleveland Show ( 2009 – 13 ) , and writer @-@ director of the films Ted ( 2012 ) , its sequel Ted 2 ( 2015 ) , and A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) . MacFarlane is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design , where he studied animation . Recruited to Hollywood , he was an animator and writer for Hanna @-@ Barbera for several television series , including Johnny Bravo , Cow and Chicken , Dexter 's Laboratory , I Am Weasel , and Larry & Steve . As an actor , he has made guest appearances on series , such as Gilmore Girls , The War at Home and FlashForward . In 2008 , he created his own YouTube series titled Seth MacFarlane 's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy . He won several awards for his work on Family Guy , including two Primetime Emmy Awards and an Annie Award . In 2009 , he won the Webby Award for Film & Video Person of the Year . He occasionally speaks at universities and colleges throughout the United States , and he is a supporter of gay rights . His first feature @-@ length comedy film Ted also features MacFarlane 's voice acting and performance @-@ capture as the titular walking and talking teddy bear , and became the highest @-@ grossing original R @-@ rated comedy . As a singer MacFarlane has performed at several venues , including Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall . MacFarlane has released three studio albums , in the same vein of his musical idol Frank Sinatra , beginning with Music Is Better Than Words in 2011 . He wrote the lyrics for the Academy Award @-@ nominated song " Everybody Needs a Best Friend " for Ted . MacFarlane served as executive producer of Cosmos : A Spacetime Odyssey , an update of the 1980s Carl Sagan – hosted Cosmos series , hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson . MacFarlane was instrumental in providing funding for the series , as well as securing studio support for it from other entertainment executives . = = Early life and education = = Seth Woodbury MacFarlane was born in Kent , Connecticut . His parents , Ronald Milton MacFarlane ( born 1946 ) and Ann Perry ( née Sager ; 1947 – 2010 ) , were born in Newburyport , Massachusetts . His sister is voice actress Rachael Ann MacFarlane ( born 1976 ) . He is of English , Scottish , and Irish descent , with roots in New England going back to the 1600s , including descent from Mayflower passenger William Brewster . MacFarlane 's parents met in 1970 , when they both lived and worked in Boston , Massachusetts , and married later that year . The couple moved to Kent in 1972 , where Ann began working in the Admissions Office at South Kent School . She later worked in the College Guidance and Admissions Offices at the Kent School , a selective college preparatory school where Ronald also was a teacher . During his childhood , MacFarlane developed an interest in illustration and began drawing cartoon characters Fred Flintstone and Woody Woodpecker , as early as two years old . By the age of five , MacFarlane knew that he would want to pursue a career in animation , and began by creating flip books , after his parents found a book on the subject for him . Four years later , aged nine , MacFarlane began publishing a weekly comic strip titled " Walter Crouton " for The Kent Good Times Dispatch , the local newspaper in Kent , Connecticut , which paid him five dollars per week . In one anecdote from the time , MacFarlane said in an October 2011 interview that as a child he was always " weirdly fascinated by the Communion ceremony " . He created a strip with a character kneeling at the altar taking Communion and asking " Can I have fries with that ? " The paper printed it and he got an " angry letter " from the local priest ; it led to " sort of a little mini @-@ controversy " in the town . MacFarlane received his high school diploma in 1991 from the Kent School . While there , he continued experimenting with animation , and his parents gave him an 8 mm camera . MacFarlane went on to study film , video and animation at the Rhode Island School of Design ( RISD ) , where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree . As a student , he had originally intended to work for Disney , but changed his mind upon graduating . At RISD MacFarlane created a series of independent films , eventually meeting future Family Guy cast member Mike Henry , whose brother Patrick was MacFarlane 's classmate . During his time at RISD , MacFarlane performed stand @-@ up comedy . In his senior year at RISD MacFarlane created a thesis film titled The Life of Larry , which eventually would become the inspiration for Family Guy . MacFarlane 's professor submitted his film to the animation studio Hanna @-@ Barbera , where he was later hired . = = Career = = = = = Television career = = = = = = = Hanna @-@ Barbera years = = = = MacFarlane was recruited during the senior film festival by development executive Ellen Cockrill and President Fred Seibert . He went to work at Hanna @-@ Barbera ( then Hanna @-@ Barbera Cartoons ) based on the writing content of The Life of Larry , rather than on cartooning ability . He was one of only a few people hired by the company solely based on writing talent . He worked as an animator and writer for Cartoon Network 's Cartoon Cartoons series . He described the atmosphere at Hanna @-@ Barbera as resembling an " old @-@ fashioned Hollywood structure , where you move from one show to another or you jump from a writing job on one show to a storyboard job on another " . MacFarlane worked on four television series during his tenure at the studio : Dexter 's Laboratory , Cow and Chicken , I Am Weasel , and Johnny Bravo . Working as both a writer and storyboard artist , MacFarlane spent the most time on Johnny Bravo . He found it easier to develop his own style at Johnny Bravo through the show 's process of scriptwriting , which Dexter 's Laboratory , Cow and Chicken , and I Am Weasel did not use . As a part of the Johnny Bravo crew , MacFarlane met actors and voiceover artists such as Adam West and Jack Sheldon of Schoolhouse Rock ! fame . Meeting these individuals later became significant to the production and success of his Family Guy series . He also did freelance work for Walt Disney Television Animation , writing for Jungle Cubs , and for Nelvana , where he wrote for Ace Ventura : Pet Detective . Through strict observation of writing elements such as story progression , character stakes and plot points , MacFarlane found the work for Disney was , from a writing standpoint , very valuable in preparation for his career ( particularly on Ace Ventura ) . MacFarlane also created and wrote a short titled Zoomates for Frederator Studios ' Oh Yeah ! Cartoons on Nickelodeon . In 1996 , MacFarlane created a sequel to The Life of Larry entitled Larry & Steve , which features a middle @-@ aged character named Larry and an intellectual dog , Steve . The short was broadcast as one of Cartoon Network 's World Premiere Toons . Executives at Fox saw both Larry shorts and negotiations soon began for a prime @-@ time animated series . = = = = Family Guy = = = = Although MacFarlane enjoyed working at Hanna @-@ Barbera , he felt his real calling was for prime @-@ time animation , which would allow a much edgier style of humor . He first pitched Family Guy to Fox during his tenure at Hanna @-@ Barbera . A development executive for Hanna @-@ Barbera , who was trying to get back into the prime @-@ time business at the time , introduced MacFarlane to Leslie Kolins and Mike Darnell , heads of the alternative comedy department at Fox . After the success of King of the Hill in 1997 , MacFarlane called Kolins once more to ask about a possible second pitch for the series . The company offered the young writer a strange deal : Fox gave him a budget of US $ 50 @,@ 000 to produce a pilot that could lead to a series ( most episodes of animated prime @-@ time productions cost at least US $ 1 million ) . Recalling the experience in an interview with The New York Times , MacFarlane stated , " I spent about six months with no sleep and no life , just drawing like crazy in my kitchen and doing this pilot " . After six months , MacFarlane returned to Fox with a " very , very simply , crudely animated film – with just enough to get the tone of the show across " to present to the executives , who loved the pilot and ordered the series immediately . In July 1998 , the Fox Broadcast Company announced the purchase of Family Guy for a January 1999 debut . Family Guy was originally intended to be a series of shorts on MADtv , much in the same way The Simpsons had begun on The Tracey Ullman Show a decade earlier . Negotiations for the show 's MADtv connection fell through early on as a result of budgetary concerns . At age 24 , MacFarlane was television 's youngest executive producer . Family Guy first aired January 31 , 1999 . MacFarlane 's work in animating Family Guy has been influenced by Jackie Gleason and Hanna @-@ Barbera along with examples from The Simpsons and All in the Family . In addition to writing three episodes , " Death Has a Shadow " , " Family Guy Viewer Mail 1 " and " North by North Quahog " , MacFarlane voices Family Guy 's main male characters – Peter Griffin , Stewie Griffin , Brian Griffin , and Glenn Quagmire as well as Tom Tucker , his son Jake Tucker , and additional characters . Bolstered by high DVD sales and established fan loyalty , Family Guy developed into a US $ 1 @-@ billion franchise . On May 4 , 2008 , after approximately two and a half years of negotiations , MacFarlane reached a US $ 100 @-@ million agreement with Fox to keep Family Guy and American Dad ! until 2012 . The agreement makes him the world 's highest paid television writer . MacFarlane 's success with Family Guy has opened doors to other ventures relating to the show . On April 26 , 2005 , he and composer Walter Murphy created Family Guy : Live in Vegas . The soundtrack features a Broadway show tune theme , and MacFarlane voiced Stewie in the track " Stewie 's Sexy Party " . A fan of Broadway musicals , MacFarlane comments on using musicals as a component to Family Guy : I love the lush orchestration and old @-@ fashioned melody writing ... it just gets you excited , that kind of music " , he said . " It 's very optimistic . And it 's fun . The one thing that 's missing for me from popular music today is fun . Guys like [ Bing ] Crosby , or [ Frank ] Sinatra , or Dean Martin , or Mel Tormé [ ... ] these are guys who sounded like they were having a great time . In addition , a Family Guy video game was released in 2006 . Two years later , in August 2007 , he closed a digital content production deal with AdSense . MacFarlane takes cast members on the road to voice characters in front of live audiences . Family Guy Live provides fans with the opportunity to hear future scripts . In mid @-@ 2007 , Chicago fans had the opportunity to hear the then upcoming sixth season premiere " Blue Harvest " . Shows have been played in Montreal , New York City , Chicago , and Los Angeles . On July 22 , 2007 , in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , MacFarlane announced that he may start working on a feature film , although " nothing 's official " . In September 2007 , Ricky Blitt gave TV.com an interview confirming that he had already started working on the script . Then in TV Week on July 18 , 2008 , MacFarlane confirmed plans to produce a theatrically released Family Guy feature film sometime " within the next year " . He came up with an idea for the story , " something that you could not do on the show , which [ to him ] is the only reason to do a movie " . He later went on to say he imagines the film to be " an old @-@ style musical with dialogue " similar to The Sound of Music , saying that he would " really be trying to capture , musically , that feel " . On October 13 , 2011 , MacFarlane confirmed that a deal for a Family Guy film had been made , and that it would be written by himself and series co @-@ producer Ricky Blitt . On November 30 , 2012 , MacFarlane confirmed plans to produce a Family Guy film . Despite its popularity , Family Guy has often been criticized . The Parents Television Council frequently criticizes the show for its content , once organized a letter @-@ writing campaign aimed at removing it from Fox 's lineup , and has filed complaints with the Federal Communications Commission alleging that some episodes of the show contained indecent content . MacFarlane has responded to the PTC 's criticism by saying , among other things , " That 's like getting hate mail from Hitler . They 're literally terrible human beings . " Family Guy has been cancelled twice , although strong fan support and DVD sales have caused Fox to reconsider . MacFarlane mentioned how these cancellations affected the lineup of writers each time Fox approved the show . " One of the positive aspects of Family Guy constantly being pulled off [ the air ] is that we were always having to restaff writers " . During the sixth season , episodes of Family Guy and American Dad ! were delayed from regular broadcast due to the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike ( which MacFarlane participated in to support the writers while Fox aired three Family Guy episodes without MacFarlane 's permission ) . On February 12 , 2008 , the strike ended , and the series resumed airing regularly , beginning with " Back to the Woods " . = = = = American Dad ! = = = = MacFarlane has a second long @-@ running , successful adult animated series in American Dad ! which has been in production since early 2005 . To date , American Dad ! is MacFarlane 's only animated series never to have suffered an official cancellation , though it did undergo a network relocation from Fox to TBS on October 20 , 2014 , following the show 's 11th season . TBS announced on July 16 , 2013 , that they had picked up the series for a 15 @-@ episode 12th season . Reportedly , the purpose of the network relocation was originally to make room for new animated broadcasts on Fox 's now @-@ defunct " Animation Domination " lineup . It was reported that the relocation of American Dad ! allowed room for other shows , such as Mulaney and another animated series from Seth MacFarlane called Bordertown . Bordertown is slated to begin its run in the 2015 – 16 television season . While MacFarlane regularly does extensive voice acting work for American Dad ! , he has left much of the show 's creative direction up to Weitzman and Barker . MacFarlane has credited this move with helping to give the series its own distinct voice and identity . Though , as announced on November 4 , 2013 , Barker departed American Dad ! after 10 seasons of serving as the show 's producer / co @-@ showrunner , resulting from creative differences as production for season 11 on TBS commenced . American Dad ! was first shown after Super Bowl XXXIX , debuting with the episode " Pilot . " This February 6 , 2005 series premiere was somewhat of an early sneak preview as the program would not begin airing regularly as part of Fox 's Animation Domination until May 1 , 2005 . Because of atypical scheduling of the show 's first 7 episodes , American Dad ! has a controversial season number discrepancy in which many are divided as to how many seasons the program has had . Beyond division between media journalists and fans , there has been conflicting reports as to what season the show is in even between American Dad ! creators and the show 's official website — both from its original Fox website and now from TBS website . At Comic @-@ Con 2013 on July 20 , American Dad ! co @-@ creator Mike Barker hinted that an American Dad ! movie — centering on the Roger character and set from his birth planet — is in the works and partially written . What with Barker 's departure from the series however , it is unclear if any of these plans have been scrapped or modified in any way . MacFarlane has described the initial seasons of American Dad ! as being similar to All in the Family , likening title character Stan Smith 's originally bigoted persona to Archie Bunker . MacFarlane has also stated that his inspiration to create American Dad ! derived from his and Weitzman 's exasperation with George W. Bush 's policies as former United States President . After the early couple of seasons however , the series discontinued using these elements of political satire and began to serve up its own very distinguished brand of entertainment and humor . MacFarlane was described as having difficulty understanding the series in its early going ; however , he heavily warmed up to the series after its early seasons once he felt the show truly came into its own . His fellow co @-@ creators have sensed this through MacFarlane 's greatly increased attention to the series after its early seasons . MacFarlane has also revealed to being a huge American Dad ! fan himself . He has taken note of the increasing fondness and excitement over the " Roger " character from fans via his Twitter . The show focuses on the Smith family : Stan Smith , the insanely drastic , endangering , dog @-@ eat @-@ dog , rash and inconsiderate head of the household . He has an exaggeratedly large chin and masculine manner about him . As the family 's breadwinner , he works as a CIA officer and was initially portrayed in the series as an old @-@ fashioned conservative bigot but has since grown out of these traits ( the show known for its story arc elements and other distinguishing plot techniques ) ; Stan 's paradoxically moralistic yet simultaneously inappropriate , corrupt wife , Francine ; and their two children , new @-@ age hippie daughter Hayley and nerdy son Steve . Accompanied with the Smith family are three additional main characters , two of which are non @-@ human species : zany , shocking , blithely cruel and rascally alien Roger , who 's full of disguises / alter egos and has few if any limits on his behaviors . He was rescued by Stan from Area 51 ; Klaus , the man @-@ in @-@ a @-@ fish @-@ body pet . Klaus 's unenviable situation came about from a brain of an East German Olympic skier being shrunk and transplanted into a fish body ; and Jeff Fischer , Hayley 's boyfriend turned " whipped " husband , known for his infatuation with Hayley 's mom , Francine . Together , the Smiths and their three housemates run what is only at a first glance the typical middle @-@ class American lifestyle , but is anything but . Seth MacFarlane provides the voices of Stan and Roger , basing Roger 's voice on Paul Lynde ( who played Uncle Arthur in Bewitched ) . His sister Rachael MacFarlane provides the voice of Hayley . = = = = The Cleveland Show = = = = MacFarlane developed a Family Guy spin @-@ off called The Cleveland Show , which focuses on the character of Cleveland Brown and his family . The idea for the show originated from a suggestion by Family Guy writer and voice of Cleveland , Mike Henry . Fox ordered 22 episodes and the series first aired on September 27 , 2009 . The show , which was picked up to air a first season consisting of 22 episodes , was picked up by Fox for a second season , consisting of 13 episodes , bringing the total number to 35 episodes . The announcement was made on May 3 , 2009 before the first season even premiered . Due to strong ratings , Fox picked up the back nine episodes of season 2 , making a 22 @-@ episode season and bringing the total episode count of the show to 44 . The series ended on May 19 , 2013 , with a total of 4 seasons and 88 episodes , and the character of Cleveland returned to Family Guy in the episode He 's Bla @-@ ack ! . This is the only animated series created by MacFarlane that does not have him voicing the main character . Seth MacFarlane played Tim the Bear up until season 3 episode 10 . Jess Harnell voices Tim from season 3 episode 11 onwards . = = = = Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy = = = = On September 10 , 2008 , MacFarlane released a series of webisodes known as Seth MacFarlane 's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy with its animated shorts sponsored by Burger King and released weekly . = = = = Television producing = = = = MacFarlane was the executive producer of a live @-@ action sitcom starring Rob Corddry called The Winner . The show premiered on Fox on March 4 , 2007 . The plot has a man named Glen discussing the time he matured at 32 and has him pursuing his only love after she moves in next door . Glen meets her son and both become good friends . After only six episodes , the show was officially cancelled on May 16 , 2007 . However , at Family Guy Live in Montreal on July 21 , 2007 , Seth MacFarlane stated , " It is looking like there could be a future life for The Winner " . After MacFarlane 's statement , neither Fox nor MacFarlane has released any details of plans for the show to return . The show was mentioned in the Family Guy episode " Family Gay " , where all of the horses at a racing track are named after failed Fox shows , The Winner being one of them . In August 2011 , Fox announced that they had ordered a 13 @-@ part updated series of Cosmos : A Spacetime Odyssey . MacFarlane co @-@ produced the series with Ann Druyan and Steven Soter . The new series is hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson and began airing on the channel March 9 , 2014 , with repeats airing on the National Geographic Channel on the next night . Besides serving as one of the executive producers , MacFarlane also provided voices for characters during the animation portions of the series . In 2013 , MacFarlane announced that he would be working on a live @-@ action sitcom called Dads . The series , which had been given the go @-@ ahead for a six @-@ episode season , revolves around Eli , played by Seth Green , and Warner , played by Giovanni Ribisi , two successful guys in their 30 's whose world is turned upside down when their dads move in with them . MacFarlane , Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild executive @-@ produced the series , with Sulkin and Wild writing . On May 7 , 2014 , Fox cancelled the series after its first season . In 2014 , Starz announced that they had ordered a two @-@ season , 20 @-@ episode series called Blunt Talk . The series will follow an English newscaster who moves to Los Angeles with his alcoholic manservant and the baggage of several failed marriages to host a sanctimonious talk show . The show was created by Jonathan Ames and will also serve as showrunner . MacFarlane will serve as executive producer . MacFarlane currently executive produces the animated series Bordertown . The series is set in Texas and follows a border patrol agent named Bud Buckwald and a Mexican immigrant named Ernesto Gonzales . The show satirizes America 's changing cultural landscape . MacFarlane first began work on the series in 2009 . = = = = Television hosting = = = = MacFarlane often participates as one of the " roasters " in the annual Comedy Central Roasts . MacFarlane is the only person to serve as roastmaster for more than one Comedy Central roast . In 2010 , he filled this role for The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff . The following year he was roastmaster of Comedy Central roasts of Donald Trump and Charlie Sheen . On October 1 , 2012 , it was announced that MacFarlane would host the 85th Academy Awards on February 24 , 2013 . He also presented the nominees with actress Emma Stone , on January 10 , 2013 . In addition to hosting , MacFarlane was also nominated in the Academy Award for Best Original Song category for co @-@ writing the theme song " Everybody Needs a Best Friend " for his film Ted with Walter Murphy . Critical response to MacFarlane 's performance was mixed . Columnist Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly commented " By calling constant attention to the naughty factor , " MacFarlane created " an echo chamber of outrage , working a little too hard to top himself with faux @-@ scandalous gags about race , Jews in Hollywood , and the killing of Abraham Lincoln . " Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter praised MacFarlane 's performance saying that he did " impressively better than one would have wagered . " He also noted that he added " plenty of niceties with a little bit of the Ricky Gervais bite @-@ the @-@ hand @-@ that @-@ feeds @-@ you thing and worked the juxtaposition rather nicely . " He stirred up controversy in the form of a musical number titled " We Saw Your Boobs " . On October 29 , 2014 , it was announced that MacFarlane would host the Breakthrough Prize ceremony . The event was held on Silicon Valley and televised on November 15 , 2014 on Discovery Channel and Science , and globally on November 22 , 2014 on BBC World News . = = = Film career = = = = = = = Ted = = = = MacFarlane made his directorial live @-@ action film debut with the release of Ted in 2012 . He announced that he was directing it on an episode of Conan that aired on February 10 , 2011 . Along with directing the film , he also wrote the screenplay , served as producer , and starred as the title character . Ted tells the story of John Bennett ( Mark Wahlberg ) and his talking teddy bear ( MacFarlane ) who keeps John and his girlfriend Lori Collins ( Mila Kunis ) from moving on with their lives . The film received generally favorable reviews from both critics and audiences , and was a box office success , opening with the highest weekend gross of all time for an original R @-@ rated comedy . Internationally , the movie is currently the highest @-@ grossing original R @-@ rated comedy of all time , beating The Hangover . A sequel , Ted 2 , was released on June 26 , 2015 . = = = = A Million Ways to Die in the West = = = = MacFarlane co @-@ wrote and starred in his second film , A Million Ways to Die in the West . Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild were also co @-@ writers for the film . The film follows a cowardly sheep farmer ( MacFarlane ) who loses a gunfight and sees his girlfriend leave him for another man . When a mysterious woman rides into town , she helps him find his courage . But when her outlaw husband arrives seeking revenge , the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test . The film was met with mixed to negative reviews from critics . On January 27 , 2014 , MacFarlane announced that he wrote a companion novel based on the film 's script , which was released on March 4 , 2014 . An audio @-@ book version was also made available , narrated by Jonathan Frakes . MacFarlane wrote the book on weekends during shooting for the film , partially due to boredom . = = = Music career = = = = = = = Music Is Better Than Words = = = = He signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records and released a big band / standards album in 2011 . MacFarlane 's debut studio album , Music Is Better Than Words , was released on September 27 , 2011 , drawing on his training in and attraction to " the Great American Songbook and particularly the early- to late- ' 50s era of orchestration " . The singer , asked about his experience with the music , said he did " old Nelson Riddle , Billy May charts [ with ] one of my composers , Ron Jones , [ who ] has a group called the Influence Jazz Orchestra that he performs with throughout L.A. " His album was nominated in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category at the 54th Grammy Awards . Music Is Better Than Words received a score of 52 out of 100 on Metacritic 's compilation of music critic reviews . = = = = Holiday for Swing = = = = MacFarlane was featured on Calabria Foti 's 2013 single " Let 's Fall in Love " . In September 2013 , it was announced that MacFarlane was working on a Christmas album scheduled for release in 2014 . The album , which contains collaborations with Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles , is titled Holiday for Swing , and was released on September 30 , 2014 . The album was recorded between Christmas Day and New Year 's Eve 2013 in Los Angeles and in studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios in London . The album received mostly positive reviews . = = = = No One Ever Tells You = = = = MacFarlane released his third studio album on October 30 , 2015 . Titled No One Ever Tells You , it received mostly positive reviews , and earned MacFarlane a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album . Due to the success of his musical endeavors , MacFarlane will be honored by Barbara Sinatra at the 28th annual Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational on February 20 . = = = Future projects = = = In 2011 , it was announced that MacFarlane would be reviving The Flintstones for the Fox network , with the first episode airing in 2013 . MacFarlane said that he would provide the voice of Barney Rubble . However , at the San Diego Comic @-@ Con International in July 2012 , while promoting Ted , MacFarlane revealed that the project had been shelved due to the unimpressed response garnered by Fox . Regarding Broadway , MacFarlane told The Hollywood Reporter , " If I did a Broadway musical , I 'd probably want to do something a little bit more old @-@ fashioned " , and went on saying " I wouldn 't necessarily do something that was as edgy as what they [ Matt Stone and Trey Parker ] have done . The challenge to me would be more along the lines of , gosh , can somebody write Oklahoma ! for 2011 ? " He has also said that , " The good thing about Broadway is that you don 't have to worry about an airdate . It gets done when it gets done . " In late 2011 , it was confirmed that MacFarlane is working on another animated series with Alex Borstein and Gary Janetti . Currently not much is known about the series other than it will be about a family and will have a female lead role . Janetti stated that the series has not yet been greenlit by Fox . On May 4 , 2016 , FOX picked up a sci @-@ fi comedy @-@ drama series to be created , executive @-@ produced by and star MacFarlane set 300 years in the future aboard the Orville , a not @-@ so @-@ top @-@ of @-@ the @-@ line exploratory ship in Earth ’ s interstellar fleet . The series will premiere during the 2017 @-@ 2018 season . = = = Guest appearances = = = MacFarlane has appeared in sitcoms , comedy and news programs , independent films , and other animated shows . In 2002 , MacFarlane appeared in the Gilmore Girls episode " Lorelai 's Graduation Day " . Four years later on November 5 , 2006 , MacFarlane guest starred on Fox 's The War at Home as " Hillary 's Date " , an unnamed 33 @-@ year @-@ old man who secretly dates teenaged Hillary in the episode " I Wash My Hands of You " . MacFarlane also appeared as the engineer Ensign Rivers on Star Trek : Enterprise in the third season episode " The Forgotten " and the fourth season episode " Affliction " . During 2006 , MacFarlane had a role in the independent film Life is Short . He portrayed Dr. Ned , a psychologist who advises a short man ( played by Freaks and Geeks star Samm Levine ) to have relationships with taller women . He is a frequent guest on the radio talkshow Loveline , hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky . MacFarlane appeared on the November 11 , 2006 episode of Fox 's comedy show MADtv and performed a live action re @-@ enactment of a scene from the Family Guy episode " Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr . High " . In the scene , Peter and Lois suspect Chris of murdering his teacher 's husband . As a reaction , a terrified Meg jumps out the window . A version with MacFarlane as Peter , Nicole Parker as Kathy Griffin as Lois , Ike Barinholtz as Dane Cook as Chris , Nicole Randall Johnson as Queen Latifah as Meg , and Keegan @-@ Michael Key as Snoop Dogg as Stewie was recorded over the original cartoon . MacFarlane served as a host to the Canadian Awards for the Electronic & Animated Arts 's Second Annual Elan Awards on February 15 , 2008 . MacFarlane has also appeared on news shows and late night television shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live ! and Late Show with David Letterman . On January 19 , 2007 , MacFarlane appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC to discuss Stephen Colbert 's appearance on The O 'Reilly Factor and Bill O 'Reilly 's return appearance on The Colbert Report . MacFarlane introduced the segment by saying in Stewie 's voice " Oh , wait Bill . Hold still , allow me to soil myself on you . Victory is mine ! " Three months later on March 24 , 2007 , MacFarlane was interviewed on Fox 's Talkshow with Spike Feresten , and closed the show by singing the Frank Sinatra song " You Make Me Feel So Young " . He also provided Stewie 's voice when he appeared as a brain tumor @-@ induced hallucination to Seeley Booth in an episode of Bones , writing his own dialogue for the episode . On May 8 , 2009 , MacFarlane was a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher . Other than Family Guy and American Dad ! , MacFarlane voices characters in other cartoon shows and films . He voiced Wayne " The Brain " McClain in an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force . He has also voiced various characters on Adult Swim 's Robot Chicken , including a parody of Lion @-@ O and Emperor Palpatine as well as Peter Griffin in the Season 2 premiere – he even parodied himself in the Season 4 premiere , in which he renewed the show simply by mentioning it in a Family Guy @-@ like cutaway after its fictitious cancellation at the end of Season 3 . He also played the villain " The Manotaur " in Bob Boyle 's animated kids series Yin Yang Yo ! . In addition , MacFarlane voiced Johann Kraus in the 2008 film Hellboy II : The Golden Army . He also had a guest appearance in the animated film Futurama : Into the Wild Green Yonder where he sings " That Was Then ( And This is Too ) " , the opening theme . He had also starred in a commercial for Hulu in which he plays an alien presenting Hulu as an " evil plot to destroy the world " , progressively as his famous Family Guy and American Dad ! characters . He also lent his voice to the series finale movie of the Comedy Central series , Drawn Together . MacFarlane also played Ziggy in the 2010 film Tooth Fairy . In August 2010 , he appeared as a guest voice @-@ over in a sci @-@ fi themed episode of Disney 's Phineas and Ferb entitled " Nerds of a Feather " . On September 15 , 2012 , MacFarlane hosted the season premiere of Saturday Night Live , with musical guest Frank Ocean . The episode was MacFarlane 's first appearance on the show . MacFarlane had a cameo in the 2013 film Movie 43 . MacFarlane collaborated with Matt Groening on an episode of The Simpsons and Futurama . = = Artistry = = = = = Musical style = = = In 2009 , he appeared as a vocalist at the BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in Prom 22 A Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals . In 2010 , he reappeared at the Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in a Christmas concert special . In 2012 , it was announced he would again appear at the Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in a concert celebrating Broadway musicals . Regarding his musical passion , MacFarlane has said , " I love and am fascinated by exciting orchestration — what you can do with a band that size — and I think in many ways it 's a lost art . " MacFarlane 's sound of music is predominantly traditional pop , easy listening , jazz , vocal , vocal jazz , show tunes , swing , and big band He will occasionally use musical comedy for either his shows or movies . In 2015 , MacFarlane again appeared at The Proms as a vocalist with the John Wilson Orchestra , this time in a Sinatra programme . = = = Voice and influences = = = MacFarlane has a baritone voice . He is a pianist and singer who , in his early years , trained with Lee and Sally Sweetland , the vocal coaches of Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra . In an interview with NPR , MacFarlane commented on their vocal training , to which he said " They really drill you , " he said . " They teach you the old @-@ style way of singing , back when you had no electronic help . ... [ They teach you to ] show your teeth . If you look at old photos of Sinatra while he 's singing , there 's a lot of very exposed teeth . That was something that Lee Sweetland hit on day in and day out , and correctly so , because it just brightens the whole performance . " His comedy influences include people like Woody Allen , Jackie Gleason , Mel Brooks , and the creators of Monty Python . While his musical influences include people like Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , Vic Damone , Johnny Mercer , Bing Crosby , Bobby Darin , Gordon MacRae , and the Rat Pack . = = Activism = = = = = Political views = = = MacFarlane is a supporter of the Democratic Party . He has donated over US $ 200 @,@ 000 to various Democratic congressional committees and to the 2008 presidential campaign of then @-@ U.S. Senator Barack Obama . He has stated that he supports the legalization of cannabis . MacFarlane serves on the board of directors of People for the American Way , a progressive advocacy organization . In 2015 MacFarlane revealed support for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 U.S. presidential election , and he introduced Sanders onstage at a Los Angeles rally . = = = = LGBT issues = = = = MacFarlane is passionate about his support for gay rights . He said it is " infuriating and idiotic " that two gay partners " have to go through this fucking dog and pony act when they stop at a hotel and the guy behind the counter says , ' You want one room or two ? ' " He went on to say , " I 'm incredibly passionate about my support for the gay community and what they 're dealing with at this current point in time " . MacFarlane continued , " Why is it that Johnny Spaghetti Stain in fucking Georgia can knock a woman up , legally be married to her , and then beat the shit out of her , but these two intelligent , sophisticated writers who have been together for 20 years can 't get married ? " MacFarlane , in recognition of " his active , passionate commitment to humanist values , and his fearless support of equal marriage rights and other social justice issues " , was named the Harvard Humanist of the Year in 2011 . However MacFarlane was criticized for his portrayal of transsexualism in the Family Guy episode " Quagmire 's Dad " . Gay novelist Brent Hartinger found the episode 's inclusion of transphobic remarks from Peter and Lois Griffin — as well as a scene of Brian vomiting profusely upon discovering his new girlfriend to be Glenn Quagmire 's father – to be " shockingly insensitive " . Hartinger continued , " Frankly , it 's literally impossible for me to reconcile last night 's episode with MacFarlane 's words , unless I come to the conclusion that the man is pretty much a complete idiot " . The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation , a LGBT media watchdog organization , shared " serious concerns being voiced from members of the community " about the episode . MacFarlane said he was " surprised " by the negative reaction to " Quagmire 's Dad " , saying that " it seemed that [ gay commentators ] were not picking up on the fact that it was a very sympathetic portrayal of a transsexual character " . He further added , " Look , Brian happens to be a heterosexual character , as I am . If I found out that I had slept with a transsexual , I might throw up in the same way that a gay guy looks at a vagina and goes , ' Oh , my God , that 's disgusting . ' " = = = Speaking engagements = = = MacFarlane is a frequent speaking guest on college campuses . On April 16 , 2006 , he was invited by Stanford University 's ASSU Speakers ' Bureau to address an audience of over 1 @,@ 000 at Memorial Auditorium . MacFarlane was invited by Harvard University 's class of 2006 to deliver the " class day " address on June 7 , 2006 . He spoke as himself , and also as Peter Griffin , Stewie Griffin and Glenn Quagmire . He also has delivered speeches at George Washington University , Washington University in St. Louis , the University of Texas , the University of Missouri , University of Toledo , Bowling Green State University , and Loyola Marymount University . = = = 2007 – 08 Writers Guild of America strike = = = During the 2007 – 08 Writers Guild of America strike , MacFarlane publicly sided with the Writers Guild , and fully participated in the strike . Official production of Family Guy was halted for most of December 2007 and various periods afterwards . Fox continued producing episodes without MacFarlane 's final approval , and although he refused to work on the show during the strike , his contract with Fox required him to contribute to any episodes it subsequently produced . Rumors of continued production on Family Guy prompted the statement from MacFarlane that " ..... it would just be a colossal dick move if they did that " . During the strike , MacFarlane wrote an inside joke into an episode of Family Guy about Jon Stewart 's choice to return to the air and undermine the writers of The Daily Show , causing Stewart to respond with an hour @-@ long call in which he questioned how MacFarlane could consider himself the " moral arbiter " of Hollywood . The strike ended on February 12 , 2008 . = = = The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive = = = MacFarlane donated money to create The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive at the Library of Congress . MacFarlane said , " The work of Carl Sagan has been a profound influence in my life , and the life of every individual who recognizes the importance of humanity 's ongoing commitment to the exploration of our universe [ ... ] The continuance of our journey outward into space should always occupy some part of our collective attention , regardless of whatever Snooki did last week . " = = Personal life = = In a 2004 interview with The Daily Princetonian , MacFarlane noted his similarities to Brian Griffin from Family Guy , revealing , " I have some Brian type issues from time to time – looking for the right person – but I date as much as the next guy " . On July 16 , 2010 , MacFarlane 's mother , Ann Perry Sager , died after a long battle with cancer . Her death was reported by Larry King on his show Larry King Live , who acknowledged a conversation he had with her during an interview with her son in May 2010 . = = = September 11 , 2001 experience = = = On the morning of September 11 , 2001 , MacFarlane was scheduled to return to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston . Suffering from a hangover after the previous night 's celebrations that followed his speech at his alma mater , the Rhode Island School of Design , and with an incorrect departure time ( 8 : 15 a.m. instead of 7 : 45 a.m. ) from his travel agent , he arrived at Logan International Airport about ten minutes too late to board the flight as the gates had been closed . Fifteen minutes after departure , American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked , and at 8 : 46 a.m. it was flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center , killing everyone on board . MacFarlane said , The only reason it hasn 't really affected me as it maybe could have is I didn 't really know that I was in any danger until after it was over , so I never had that panic moment . After the fact , it was sobering , but people have a lot of close calls ; you 're crossing the street and you almost get hit by a car ..... this one just happened to be related to something massive . I really can 't let it affect me because I 'm a comedy writer . I have to put that in the back of my head . = = = Lawsuits = = = On October 3 , 2007 , Bourne Co . Music Publishers filed a lawsuit accusing Family Guy of infringing its copyright on the song " When You Wish upon a Star " , through a parody song entitled " I Need a Jew " appearing in the episode " When You Wish Upon a Weinstein " . Bourne Co . , which holds the copyright , alleged the parody pairs a " thinly veiled " copy of their music with antisemitic lyrics . Named in the suit were MacFarlane , 20th Century Fox Film Corp. , Fox Broadcasting Co . , Cartoon Network , and Walter Murphy ; the suit sought to stop the program 's distribution and asked for unspecified damages . Bourne argued that " I Need a Jew " uses the copyrighted melody of " When You Wish Upon a Star " without commenting on that song , and that it was therefore not a First Amendment @-@ protected parody per the ruling in Campbell v. Acuff @-@ Rose Music , Inc . On March 16 , 2009 , United States District Judge Deborah Batts held that Family Guy did not infringe on Bourne 's copyright when it transformed the song for comical use in an episode . In December 2007 , Family Guy was again accused of copyright infringement when actor Art Metrano filed a lawsuit regarding a scene in Stewie Griffin : The Untold Story , in which Jesus performs Metrano 's signature magic parody act , involving absurd faux magical hand gestures while humming the distinctive tune " Fine and Dandy " . MacFarlane , 20th Century Fox , Steve Callaghan , and Alex Borstein were all named in the suit . In July 2009 , a federal district court judge rejected Fox 's motion to dismiss , saying that the first three fair use factors involved — " purpose and character of the use " , " nature of the infringed work " , and " amount and substantiality of the taking " — counted in Metrano 's favor , while the fourth — " economic impact " — had to await more fact @-@ finding . In denying the dismissal , the court held that the reference in the scene made light of Jesus and his followers — not Metrano or his act . The case was settled out of court in 2010 with undisclosed terms . On July 16 , 2014 , MacFarlane was hit with a lawsuit from the production company of a series of Internet videos called Charlie the Abusive Teddy Bear claiming that Ted infringes on the copyright of its videos due to the Ted bear largely matching the background story , persona , voice tone , attitude , and dialogue of the Charlie bear . The case was settled out of court on March 23 , 2015 , with undisclosed terms . = = Accolades = = MacFarlane has won two Emmy awards for his work on Family Guy and has been nominated seventeen times . He has been nominated for three Grammy awards for his work in Family Guy : Live in Vegas , Music Is Better Than Words , and Family Guy . He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for co @-@ writing the opening song " Everybody Needs a Best Friend " from his film Ted with the film 's composer Walter Murphy . He has received numerous awards from other organizations , including the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production and the Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation for the Family Guy episode titled " Blue Harvest " , the MTV Movie Award for Best On @-@ Screen Duo and the Empire Award for Best Comedy for Ted . In 2015 , he will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . = = Filmography = = Stewie Griffin : The Untold Story ( 2005 ) Hellboy II : The Golden Army ( 2008 ) Futurama : Into the Wild Green Yonder ( 2009 ) The Drawn Together Movie : The Movie ! ( 2010 ) Tooth Fairy ( 2010 ) Trek Nation ( 2011 ) Ted ( 2012 ) Movie 43 ( 2013 ) A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) Ted 2 ( 2015 ) = = Discography = = = = = Albums = = = = = = = Studio albums = = = = = = = = Soundtrack albums = = = = = = = Singles = = = = = = = As main artist = = = = = = = = As featuring artist = = = = = = Written works = = MacFarlane , Seth ( 2014 ) . A Million Ways to Die in the West . New York : Ballantine Books . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 553 @-@ 39167 @-@ 1 .
= Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge = The Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge was a two @-@ lane cantilevered truss bridge carrying U.S. Route 82 / U.S. Route 278 across the Mississippi River between Lake Village , Arkansas and Greenville , Mississippi . It was the first bridge to connect the two towns . The bridge was named for Benjamin G. Humphreys II , a former United States Congressman from Greenville . Hailed as progressive when it opened in 1940 , it became functionally obsolete as vehicle and river traffic increased . Because of its narrow two lanes with no shoulders , the bridge often became blocked by accidents or by the crossing of large vehicles like farm equipment . Due to its location near a sharp bend in the Mississippi River , the bridge became a hazard to river traffic ; barges and towboats frequently collided with it . In 1994 , a study concluded that a new bridge was needed and the old one should be torn down . A new bridge , the Greenville Bridge , was built as a replacement further downriver from the sharp bend . It opened in 2010 . In 2011 , work began to remove the Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge . = = Description = = The Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge , very modern in its time , was a two lane , steel cantilevered truss bridge that carried US 82 / 278 over the Mississippi River , and connected the towns of Lake Village , Arkansas and Greenville , Mississippi by road for the first time . Prior to the bridge , local vehicles and local freight could only cross the river by ferry . It was named after Benjamin G. Humphreys , a US Congressman from Greensville who co @-@ authored a flood control bill in 1917 establishing a national flood control program on the Mississippi , and promoted the concept of flood control to contain the river . The bridge opened on October 4 , 1940 to great fanfare . Its main span width was 840 feet ( 260 m ) , the highway bridge with the longest span on the Mississippi River . The width of the roadway was 24 feet ( 7 @.@ 3 m ) — two lanes of 12 feet ( 3 @.@ 7 m ) each — with no shoulders . = = History = = In the late 1930s , talk started on the construction of a bridge to cross the Mississippi River at Greenville . In 1936 , a group called the Arkansas @-@ Mississippi @-@ Alabama US 82 Association was formed to raise funds for the bridge . In 1937 , Milton C. Smith ( the mayor at that time ) worked with John A. Fox , ( the secretary of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce ) , to get Congress to pass a law authorizing the bridge . The bill authorizing the bridge was signed into law in August 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . In 1938 , Smith applied for money from the Works Progress Administration to fund the estimated $ 4 @.@ 5 million it would take to build the bridge . The Works Progress Administration agreed to the proposal in September 1938 , and construction started on the bridge a few months later . The Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge was built by the company now known as HNTB and opened to much fanfare in 1940 as the " pathway to progress " for the Mississippi Delta . It was a through @-@ truss design and had a span of 840 feet ( 256 meters ) . Until 1943 , this was the longest bridge for vehicles on the Mississippi River . Over time , the bridge supported increasing volumes of highway traffic and vehicles hitting the bridge . In the 1950s , an Air Force plane crashed into the bridge . Though the bridge remained structurally sound , it was becoming functionally obsolete . It had only two narrow highway lanes and no shoulders . An accident or the crossing of very large vehicles such as a large combine could force the bridge to close . With river traffic increasing , damage from barge collisions increased . By 1972 , the Greenville Bridge was hit more times by barges than any other bridge on the Mississippi . The bridge was located close to a sharp bend in the Mississippi ; towboats and barges had difficulty making the sharp turn and regaining their course in time to avoid a collision with the bridge . Over the years many have not been able to make the turn quickly and have hit it . The bridge had become a danger to river traffic . A 1994 engineering study by the Mississippi Department of Transportation explored alternatives to upgrading the crossing of US 82 and issued a report that explored a four @-@ lane crossing at Greenville . It concluded the best of several alternatives it identified was to build a new bridge 0 @.@ 5 miles ( 0 @.@ 80 km ) downriver from the old one , and to remove the old bridge . Additional studies evaluated the type of bridge to build , and by 1995 the cable @-@ stayed bridge was chosen as the best design to fit the river and soil conditions , as well as providing sufficient clearance for river navigation . Engineering plans were completed in 1999 for the Greenville Bridge , its replacement . = = Destruction = = The new Greenville Bridge opened to traffic on August 4 , 2010 . In 2011 the massive process of removing the old bridge by cutting into small sections to be recycled was begun , and was expected to be completed by September 2012 . At times the river has been closed to traffic to aid the demolition . The job is dangerous and two workers have died .
= Special Troops Battalion , 10th Mountain Division ( United States ) = The 10th Mountain Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion is a special troops battalion of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Drum , New York . It is the organization for the command elements of the 10th Mountain Division . The Battalion contains the Division 's senior command structure , including its Headquarters and Headquarters Company , as well as communications , intelligence , operational and support elements as well as the Division Band which provide services to any units assigned to the Headquarters at a time . Activated to oversee division elements prior to World War II , the battalion fought in Italy for a year . After the war it served as the command element for the 10th when it was a training unit . Due to reorganizations in the Army , the Special Troops Battalion was not reactivated with the 10th Mountain Division in 1985 , and instead remained inactive while the division served in numerous contingencies throughout the 1990s . Reactivated during another reorganization in 2004 , the Special Troops Battalion supported the 10th Mountain Division command elements when they deployed to both Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq . During this service , it has received several commendations for its multiple deployments . In October 2009 , the Special Troops Battalion was redesignated to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion , 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) . = = Organization = = The 10th Mountain Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion is subordinate to the 10th Mountain Division , and is a permanent formation of the division , as the 10th Mountain Division 's command elements are all contained within HHBN . It is organized under the same uniform structure that all Special Troops Battalions in the United States Army conform to . The battalion consists of five companies ; the division 's Headquarters and Headquarters Company , known as Headquarters Support Company ; Intelligence Sustainment Company , a Military Intelligence company ; Division Signal Company , a Signal company ; Operations Company and the 10th Mountain Division Band . These companies provide services for the other elements under the 10th Mountain Division 's command . As such , all of the formations are mountain warfare qualified . = = History = = The Special Troops Battalion was activated on 6 November 1944 , as an organizational structure for the command elements of the 10th Mountain Division . It was activated at Camp Swift , Texas , while the division was staging in preparation for deployment to Europe during World War II . = = = World War II = = = The 10th Light Division ( Alpine ) was constituted on 10 July 1943 , and activated two days later at Camp Hale , Colorado . The division was centered around regimental commands ; the 85th Infantry Regiment , 86th Infantry Regiment , and 87th Infantry Regiment . Also assigned to the division were the 604th , 605th , and 616th Field Artillery battalions , the 110th Signal Company , the 710th Ordnance Company , the 10th Quartermaster Company , the 10th Reconnaissance Troop , the 126th Engineer Battalion , the 10th Medical Battalion , and the 10th Counter @-@ Intelligence Detachment . The 10th Light Division was unique in that it was the only division in the Army with three field artillery battalions instead of four . The division trained for one year at the 9 @,@ 200 @-@ foot @-@ high Camp Hale . Soldiers trained to fight and survive under the most brutal mountain conditions , traveling on skis and show shoes , and sleeping in the snow without tents . On 22 June 1944 , the division was shipped to Camp Swift , Texas to prepare for maneuvers in Louisiana , which were later canceled . A period of acclimation to a low altitude and hot climate was necessary to prepare for this training . On 6 November 1944 , the 10th Division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division . It was at this point that the Special Troops Battalion was activated . That same month the blue and white " Mountain " tab was authorized for the division 's new shoulder sleeve insignia . = = = = Italy = = = = The battalion and its division sailed for Italy in late 1944 , arriving in Italy on 6 January 1945 . It was the last US Army Division to enter combat in World War II . The battalion provided command for the division as it immediately entered combat near Cutigliano and Orsigna . Preliminary defensive actions were followed on 19 February 1945 by Battle of Monte Castello in conjunction with troops of a Brazilian Expeditionary Force . The unit made concerted attacks on the Monte Della Torraccia @-@ Mount Belvedere sector , and the peaks were cleared after several days of heavy fighting . In early March the division fought its way north of Canolle and moved to within 15 miles ( 24 km ) of Bologna . Maintaining defensive positions for the next three weeks , the division jumped off again in April , captured Mongiorgio on 20 April , and entered the Po Valley , seizing the strategic points Pradalbino and Bomporto . The 10th crossed the Po River on 23 April , reaching Verona on 25 April , and ran into heavy opposition at Torbole and Nago . After an amphibious crossing of Lake Garda , it secured Gargnano and Porto di Tremosine on 30 April , as German resistance in Italy ended . After the German surrender in Italy on 2 May 1945 , the division went on security duty , receiving the surrender of various German units and screening the areas of occupation near Trieste , Kobarid , Bovec and Log pod Mangartom , Slovenia until V @-@ E Day , the end of the war in Europe . = = = = Demobilization = = = = Originally , the battalion and division were to be sent to the Pacific theater to take part in Operation Downfall , the invasion of mainland Japan . However , Japan surrendered in August 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . The division returned to the US two days after the surrender . All of its combat elements , as well as the Special Troops Battalion , were demobilized and deactivated on 30 November 1945 , at Camp Carson , Colorado . = = = Cold War = = = In June 1948 , the division was rebuilt and activated at Fort Riley , Kansas to serve as a training division . Without its " Mountain " tab , the division served at the 10th Infantry Division for the next ten years . The battalion was also rebuilt and delegated to commanding the training units . The division was charged with processing and training replacements in large numbers . This mission was expanded with the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 . By 1953 , the division had trained 123 @,@ 000 new Army recruits at Fort Riley . In 1954 , the division was converted to a combat division once again , though it did not regain its " Mountain " status . Using equipment from the deactivating 37th Infantry Division , the 10th Infantry Division was deployed to Germany , replacing the 1st Infantry Division at Würzburg , serving as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization defensive force . The division served in Germany for four years , until it was rotated out and replaced by the 3rd Infantry Division . On 1 July 1957 , the battalion was redesignated as the 10th Administration Company . However , the company moved with the division to Fort Benning , Georgia , and was deactivated on 14 June 1958 . = = = Reactivation = = = In 1985 , when the 10th Mountain Division was reactivated again , the Special Troops Battalion was not made a part of the organizational structure , in accordance with the new format of US Army Divisions per the 1963 Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan . Upon the return of the division headquarters and 1st Brigade from Afghanistan after supporting Operation Enduring Freedom , the 10th Mountain Division began the process of transformation into a modular division . On 16 September 2004 , the division headquarters finished its transformation , which returned the Special Troops Battalion to active service . The 1st Brigade became the 1st Brigade Combat Team , 10th Mountain Division , while the 3rd Brigade Combat Team , 10th Mountain Division was activated for the first time . In January 2005 , the 4th Brigade Combat Team , 10th Mountain Division was activated at Fort Polk , Louisiana . 2nd Brigade Combat Team , 10th Mountain Division would not be transformed until September 2005 , pending a deployment to Iraq . Around that time , the Special Troops Battalion received its heraldry , including a coat of arms and a distinctive unit insignia . The division headquarters and 3rd Brigade Combat Team redeployed to Afghanistan in 2006 , staying in the country until 2007 . The division and brigade served in the eastern region of the country , along the border with Pakistan , fulfilling a similar role as it did during its previous deployment . During this time , the deployment of the brigade was extended along with that of the 4th Brigade Combat Team , 82nd Airborne Division , however , it was eventually replaced by the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team which was rerouted from Iraq . After a one @-@ year rest , the headquarters of the 10th Mountain Division was deployed to Iraq for the first time in April 2008 , along with the 4th Brigade Combat Team . The division headquarters served as the command element for southern Baghdad , while the 4th BCT operated in North Baghdad . The 10th Mountain participated in larger scale operations such as Operation Phantom Phoenix . The headquarters of the 10th Mountain Division is currently deployed to Afghanistan in support of OEF XV and transitioning to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan . = = Honors = = The 10th Mountain Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion was awarded two campaign streamers in World War II and four campaign streamers in the War on Terrorism for a total of six campaign streamers and two unit decorations in its operational history . Some of the division 's brigades received more or fewer decorations depending on their individual deployments . = = = Campaign streamers = = =
= A Glorious Way to Die = A Glorious Way to Die : The Kamikaze Mission of the Battleship Yamato , April 1945 is a 1981 military history book by Russell Spurr about the suicide mission of the Japanese battleship Yamato against the American Pacific Fleet during the Battle of Okinawa near the end of World War II . Yamato was the largest battleship in the world , and Japan sacrificed her in a final , desperate attempt to halt the Allied advance on the Japanese archipelago . The book was published in 1981 in the United States by Newmarket Press , and in the United Kingdom by Sidgwick & Jackson . Spurr , a British journalist and editor of the Hong Kong @-@ based Far Eastern Economic Review , interviewed Japanese and Americans involved with Yamato 's last mission , and drew on Japanese naval documents and records to write the book . He tells the story from both the Japanese and American points of view . A Glorious Way to Die was generally well received by critics and historians . American author and journalist Charles Kaiser wrote in The New York Times that the book 's strength is " its ability to re @-@ create the fear the Japanese engendered with their desperation tactics " , which resulted in American perception that they were all prepared to fight to the death . A reviewer in the Canadian journal Pacific Affairs commended Spurr 's " well @-@ balanced treatment of historical evidence and his workmanship in reconstructing the tragic event " , and said that the book " deserves wide reading " . = = Background = = During World War II Russell Spurr was a lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy fighting the Japanese in Burma . After the war , in February 1946 , Spurr was part of the Commonwealth occupation force stationed in the Japanese naval base of Kure in southern Japan . There he noticed a huge drydock standing empty , and after querying what it had been used for , he learnt that it was where Yamato had been built . Spurr had been isolated in Burma for several years and had never heard of Yamato , but he became interested in her story and started collecting information about the battleship . After returning to England , Spurr worked as a journalist . In 1952 The London Daily Express sent him to Japan as its China and Far East correspondent , but he found that he had little time to resume his pursuit of information on the fate of Yamato . In the mid @-@ 1970s Spurr returned to the Far East again , this time as a writer for the Far Eastern Economic Review . He began conducting interviews about Yamato with former Japanese naval commanders and survivors of the battleship 's last mission . He also gained access to Japanese naval documents and records seized by the United States , plus US interrogation transcripts . For the American side of the story , he interviewed US naval commanders and personnel involved in the sinking of Yamato . Satisfied with what he had , Spurr began writing the book in the late 1970s , over 30 years after he first found out about the battleship . In his introduction to the book , Spurr said that he made no attempt to " gloss over the facts , unpalatable though they may be to either side . " He added , " The result , I trust , presents more than the story of a ship or a sortie , but offers some insight into the agonizing dilemma of a misguided , courageous people who persisted in continuing a hopeless war . " = = Synopsis = = In A Glorious Way to Die , Russell Spurr recounts the final mission of Japanese battleship Yamato . He describes the events that led to the decision by the Japanese at Combined Fleet headquarters to send Yamato , the pride of the Imperial Japanese Navy , on a suicide mission against the American Pacific Fleet during the Battle of Okinawa near the end of World War II . Spurr tells the story of Yamato 's last mission from both the Japanese and the American point of view , dramatised in a third @-@ person narrative . Construction of Yamato began in secrecy at the Kure naval base in 1937 . She was completed soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 , but had already been rendered obsolete by the Japanese themselves after their successful carrier @-@ based attacks at Pearl Harbor and elsewhere . Yamato , the largest battleship in the world , with nine 18 @.@ 1 @-@ inch guns with a range of over 22 miles , became , in the words of a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reviewer , a " 70 @,@ 000 @-@ ton white elephant the Japanese did not quite know what to do with " . In March 1945 , after the Americans had invaded Okinawa and all but eliminated the Japanese Navy , a final kamikaze mission called Operation Ten @-@ Go ( Operation Heaven One ) was conceived by Japanese commanders at Combined Fleet to repulse the Allied advance on the Japanese archipelago . The plan was to send Yamato with eight support destroyers and a cruiser to Okinawa . Yamato would only be given enough fuel to reach Okinawa , and would have no air cover as all available airplanes would be used for a series of kamikaze attacks on US aircraft carriers . At Okinawa Yamato and her support craft would beach themselves and assist the island defenders . Without air cover there was little chance of Yamato reaching her destination , but , according to American author and journalist Charles Kaiser , the Japanese high command were " perfectly prepared to sacrifice the remnants of [ their ] fleet to avoid the stigma of surrender " . Not all Japanese naval officers agreed with Combined Fleet 's decision to sacrifice Yamato , and while they had no choice but to comply , some committed one act of defiance by secretly supplying the battleship and the rest of her fleet with enough fuel to return home . Yamato set sail for Okinawa from the Kure naval base on March 29 , 1945 , and on April 7 , 1945 the Americans intercepted the Japanese fleet , 200 miles from Okinawa . Using 280 bombers and torpedo planes in three waves of attacks from nine aircraft carriers , the Americans sank the battleship and five of her support ships within three hours . After Yamato went down , the Americans machine @-@ gunned survivors in the water . Spurr explains the reason for their hatred of the Japanese : The Americans felt no compunction about slaughtering their helpless foes . They had always fought a blatantly racial war in the Pacific – and so had the Japanese . Headline @-@ seeking brass hats openly declared that killing Japs was no worse than killing lice . Reports of Japan 's atrocities against war prisoners and even the unnatural fanaticism of the Kamikaze combined to convince the Americans that these were inhuman freaks , deserving little mercy . The apogee of brutalization was to be reached , four months later , at Hiroshima . After the US planes left the area , the remaining Japanese support ships picked up what survivors they could from the water and returned to Kure . According to Spurr , of Yamato 's total crew of 3332 , only 269 survived . The Americans lost 12 men in their attack on the Japanese fleet . = = Reception = = Roger Jaynes , writing in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel described A Glorious Way to Die as " a dramatic absorbing account of Yamato 's last mission " . His only complaint was that the book takes too long to " get into " , and that the first 90 pages , most of which deal with background information , should have been heavily condensed . But once " Yamato finally leaves port " , Jaynes said the book is " a chilling account of how more than 3 @,@ 000 Japanese sailors obediently sailed to their deaths , knowing they had no air cover and that the American planes were waiting " . In a review of the book in The New York Times , Richard F. Shepard called it a " compelling story " . He said that Spurr tells this " naval saga " , which had degenerated into a " racial conflict " , from the point of view of the people involved , " people who had little time for moralizing or preachments , anything but getting on with the killing " . American author and journalist Charles Kaiser , also writing in The New York Times , said that the book 's strength is " its ability to re @-@ create the fear the Japanese engendered with their desperation tactics " and the resulting American perception that they were all prepared to fight to the death . Kaiser added that younger readers may have a better understanding from this book of what led to US President Truman 's decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan , " even if they [ ... ] question the morality of that decision " . A reviewer at the Internet Bookwatch said the book is not just " a dry historical record " , but is " aptly presented " , well researched and " a worthy addition to World War II history shelves " . Kirkus Reviews called the book " A gripping recreation of the last ten days in the life of HIJMS Yamato " . It said that Spurr gives the battleship , which " live [ s ] on as a legend in Japan " , " appropriately big @-@ picture treatment " , and explains Japan 's " predilection for self @-@ immolation " and its kamikaze philosophy . Kearney Smith , recounting his brother 's experiences on a US Landing Craft Support ship in the Battle of Okinawa in Aboard LCS 11 in World War II : A Memoir by Lawrence B. Smith , also said that Spurr 's book " give [ s ] lots of insight into the matter of kamikaze attacks " . In a review in the Canadian journal Pacific Affairs , Kyozo Sato noted that the book highlights the Imperial Navy 's " fatal lack of foresight " in recognizing the role air support and aircraft carriers would play in naval warfare , and persisted with the construction of Yamato . It also investigates " the politics and mentality of the Japanese leadership and the morale and spirit of the fighting men and the nation " . He said that Spurr 's hope that his book will help explain why Japan refused to surrender , " is a modest aspiration for his well @-@ balanced treatment of historical evidence and his workmanship in reconstructing the tragic event " . Sato 's opinion of the book was that it " deserves wide reading " . In 1981 , A Glorious Way to Die was selected by the Military Book Club and was a Literary Guild alternate selection . = = Works citing this book = = Rasor , Eugene L. ( 1996 ) . The Southwest Pacific Campaign , 1941 – 1945 : Historiography and Annotated Bibliography . Greenwood Press. p . 233 . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 313 @-@ 28874 @-@ 6 . Rose , Lisle Abbott ( 2007 ) . Power at Sea Volume 2 : The Breaking Storm , 1919 – 1945 . University of Missouri Press. pp. 438 , 492 . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 8262 @-@ 1694 @-@ 6 . Rottman , Gordon ( 2002 ) . World War 2 Pacific Island Guide . Greenwood Publishing Group. p . 467 . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 313 @-@ 31395 @-@ 0 . Rottman , Gordon ( 2012 @-@ 09 @-@ 18 ) . Okinawa 1945 : The Last Battle . Osprey Publishing. p . 94 . ISBN 978 @-@ 1 @-@ 78200 @-@ 462 @-@ 2 . Smith , Kearney ( 2011 @-@ 01 @-@ 01 ) . Aboard LCS 11 in World War II : A Memoir by Lawrence B. Smith . Xlibris Corporation. p . 96 . ISBN 978 @-@ 1 @-@ 4568 @-@ 4595 @-@ 7 .
= Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy = " Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy " is the tenth television episode of The Simpsons ' sixth season . It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on December 4 , 1994 . In the episode , Homer and Marge 's sex life is struggling , but Grampa perks things up with a homemade revitalizing tonic . He and Homer go on the road to sell their elixir , and Grampa reveals that Homer ’ s conception was unintentional . Homer is upset with his father and decides to spend more time with his children , but his over @-@ parenting does not work that well on them . Homer goes back to the old farmhouse he grew up in for inspiration and meets back up with his father , but their loving reunion is soured when the house goes up in flames . The episode was directed by Wes Archer and written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein . After its initial airing on Fox , the episode was later released as part of a 1999 video collection : The Simpsons – Too Hot For TV , and released again on the 2003 DVD edition of the same collection . The episode features cultural references to songs such as " Foggy Mountain Breakdown " and " Celebration " , as well as a reference to the 1963 film The Nutty Professor . " Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy " received positive reception from television critics , and acquired a Nielsen rating of 9 @.@ 5 . = = Plot = = When Homer and Marge 's marriage declines due to their fading sex life , Grampa pieces together a tonic that is guaranteed to put the sparks back into their relationship . The effectiveness of the tonic results in Homer and Abe going into business together , selling " Simpson and Son ’ s Revitalizing Tonic " to the public utilizing a medicine show . They travel from town to town selling the product , but after visiting the farmhouse where Homer grew up , the two get into an argument . Abe yells at Homer in the car , saying that if he had not taken the tonic years ago , Homer would not have been born , finally shouting " You were an accident ! " Homer stops the car and hisses " Get out ! " , not accepting Abe 's apology and saying in an " OUT " . Abe steps out of the car and says he hopes Homer will forgive him , but Homer drives away and leaves his father there , later telling Marge he cannot forgive what his father said and then resolves to be a better father . However , things don 't go well for either Homer or Abe : Homer 's rushed efforts to bond with Bart and Lisa lead them to note that he 's just as " half @-@ assed " at doing too much as he was at being a non @-@ presence for them , while Abe 's attempt to use Barney as the new " Son " fails instantly . Bart attempts to figure out why all of the adults disappear after they buy the " Simpson and Son 's Tonic " . They come up with a few conspiracy theories , all of which are unrelated with the tonic . Lisa , however , sarcastically offers up the possibility of all the adults having to be home before dark due to being reverse vampires , which frightens the rest of the children more than their other ideas . Depressed at having failed to be a good father even when he is trying , Homer goes back to the farmhouse to think . He sees old photographs , including one of himself as a child on Christmas morning , where he thinks his father was not even there on Christmas when he finally got to meet Santa Claus . Homer then realizes that it was really his father in a Santa costume , proving that Abe did actually care for him . Homer quickly reunites with Abe , who by coincidence has also gone to the farmhouse to reflect . Both of them accidentally set fire to different parts of the building , starting with Homer accidentally setting fire to the photo and Abe throwing a bottle of his tonic into a fireplace , and bump into one another on the front porch while fleeing the blaze . They both admit they are screw @-@ ups and they finally reconcile . = = Production = = The episode was directed by Wes Archer , and was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein . It was originally intended to deal with Homer and Marge 's problematic sex life , but later developed into a story about the relationship between Homer and Grampa . Dan Castellaneta provides the voices for both Homer and Grampa . Castellaneta therefore had to talk to himself when he recorded the voices of the two characters in their interactions for this episode . Castellaneta says that it is hard for him to do Grampa 's voice because it is " wheezy and airy " . Homer and Marge spend the night at an inn , called the Aphrodite Inn , to spice up their sex life . The inn was partly based on the Madonna Inn , which as in the episode features different kinds of sex @-@ oriented rooms with unusual names that are supposed to spice up your love life . The design of the old farmhouse was inspired by the house featured in the 1993 film Flesh and Bone . Bart 's obsession with conspiracy theories was inspired by the writers observation that children around his age go through a stage where they become " addicted " to information about UFOs and paranormal phenomena . Bill Oakley himself had gone through the same thing when he was around 10 years old . = = Cultural references = = Al Gore , former Vice President of the United States , is shown celebrating Lisa 's purchase of his book , Sane Planning , Sensible Tomorrow , by listening to " Celebration " by Kool & the Gang . " Foggy Mountain Breakdown " is played during a chase scene , reminiscent of a recurring theme of the 1967 landmark film Bonnie and Clyde . A parody of The X @-@ Files ' theme song is played in the background of a scene after Lisa purchases a copy of Gore 's book Sane Planning , Sensible Tomorrow . When Professor Frink takes the tonic , he transforms into a suave man with a deep voice , which is a reference to Jerry Lewis transforming into Buddy Love in The Nutty Professor . Grampa , within proper context , successfully pronounces the word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis . Milhouse 's conspiratorial revelation and his line about being through the looking glass is quoted from the movie , JFK . = = Reception = = In its original American broadcast , " Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy " finished 58th in the ratings for the week of November 28 to December 4 , 1994 , with a Nielsen rating of 9 @.@ 5 . The episode was the third highest rated show on the Fox network that week . Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood , the authors of the book I Can 't Believe It 's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide , said it was " an amazing episode , in which Homer actually has an argument with someone , rather than backing down . As he and his father drift further apart , so the family are at a loss at what to do . You can 't help but feel sorry for Grampa as a piece of Simpson family history goes up in flames " . Nate Meyers at Digitally Obsessed praised Dan Castellaneta 's role in the episode and said : " Dan Castellaneta 's work as both Homer and Grampa Simpson in [ the episode ] is full of emotion and brilliant comic timing . Watch the closing scene carefully as Homer returns to his childhood home , because Castellaneta gracefully dances between a tender father @-@ son relationship and flat @-@ out comedy " . Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide said he " didn ’ t remember this as a very good episode , but it actually turns out to be quite strong . The initial plot in which Homer and Marge can ’ t get it together offers plenty of funny moments , and the scenes in which Homer battles with his dad offer depth and much humor . It ’ s also hard to beat the children 's fears of the reverse vampires " . = = Merchandise = = " Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy " originally aired on Fox in the United States on December 4 , 1994 . The episode was selected for release in a 1999 video collection of selected episodes titled : The Simpsons – Too Hot For TV . Other episodes included in the collection set were " The Cartridge Family " , " Natural Born Kissers " , and " Treehouse of Horror IX " . It was included in The Simpsons season 6 DVD set , which was released August 16 , 2005 – The Simpsons – The Complete Sixth Season . The episode was again included in the 2003 DVD release of the " Too Hot For TV " set .
= Desolate North = Desolate North is the debut studio album by the funeral doom metal band Celestiial , first released by Bindrune Recordings on June 6 , 2006 . It comprises the five tracks from Celestiial 's demo , Ashen , combined with three more tracks recorded separately . It was written , performed and recorded entirely by Tanner Anderson , the member of Celestiial , and was never written to be an album or to be performed . The Bindrune CD release is out @-@ of @-@ print , but Desolate North is still available digitally and in LP @-@ format , the latter having been released by music distributor Handmade Birds in 2011 . The album received mixed reviews — some critics claimed it was fresh and a new sound , while others argued it was very similar to music already available . Desolate North has an extremely slow rhythm and has only limited vocals . The music is interspersed with various woodland sounds , such as running water and footsteps . The natural imagery used on the album is reminiscent of that used in black metal , but the music is closer to ambient . = = Recording = = The album was recorded in three parts . First , Anderson recorded the music for Ashen . This was done in a wooden loft in the corner of the rehearsal space used by Azrael , of whom Anderson was , at the time , a member . Anderson has said that he does not remember how long this recording took him , as he slept there after finishing the work . He described that space as perfect for the recording , as there was nothing there to distract him . As the entire album was recorded and played by Anderson , the only option was to record the music in layers . First , he recorded the drums , using a drum kit . However , he was unhappy with the way they sounded , and so re @-@ recorded on a drum machine . The next layers to be recorded were the guitar , bass and vocals , with other sounds being added later . The other three songs on Desolate North one was recorded at the same place in early 2005 , and the other two , the harp pieces , were recorded at Anderson 's home . He has said how this was the most difficult part of the recording . As it happened , Anderson misplaced his microphone stand and so recorded those two songs with the microphone tucked under his chin . Despite the hindrance , Anderson claimed that the microphone picked up everything , and he was happy with the result . Anderson has described the process as giving the album a " raw " sound , and he has hypothesized that it is because of the raw sound of the album that critics have described his work as having influences from black metal . Although the album 's production was criticised by Ignacio Coluccio of Maelstrom , Kim Kelly , of Pivotal Alliance , praised the album for its high quality recording , explaining that it " is not raw , necro black metal at all " . = = Release = = A small number of copies of Ashen were sent to various people . Marty Rytkonen , of Bindrune Recordings , was the only person attached to a record label to receive one , and Celestiial was then taken on by Bindrune . Anderson was very happy with this , as he had been an avid reader of Worm Gear ( a magazine attached to the label ) when he was younger . Despite the fact that Anderson had not written Desolate North with the intention of it ever being released , in 2006 , it was released by Bindrune Recordings . The CD version released by Bindrune Recordings is now out of print . However , in 2011 , the album was rereleased in vinyl LP format by Handmade Birds , and the album remains available in digital format . = = Musical style = = Desolate North has been described as taking " the template of the funeral doom genre ... and disembowel [ ing ] the formula even further " . The album makes use of minimal vocals , instead relying on electronics , guitars , and syncopated drums ( with liberal use of cymbals ) . These sounds are also backed up by more traditional instruments , such as harps and Native American flutes . Additionally , sampled sounds — including footsteps , water , birdsong and wind — are used . Celestiial is a funeral doom metal band . However , Desolate North has been described as taking the genre in new directions with comparisons to ambient , goth , experimental , and dark folk music being made . The music has also been described as meditative and medieval . Anderson admits that there may be death metal influences in the vocals , but says that it was not a conscious design , and that the music does not have any other similarities to death metal . He claims that there are no black metal influences . He says that describing Celestiial 's music as folk is a bad idea , as folk is such a broad , vague description as to make it meaningless . He says that what he is creating is neither folk , nor traditional , and even the harp songs are not traditional works , though they are influenced by the traditional music of the United Kingdom and traditional Irish music . = = Imagery = = Desolate North uses imagery very much based around nature , with natural sounds sampled in the music , and imagery involving woodland , and , as one reviewer put it , " the scary places that we all fear when the lights are out " . Bindrune recordings describes this affinity for nature by saying that " Celestiial was created to mirror mysticism in nature . " Brandon Stosuy , of Pitchfork Media , talked of a black metal influence in the album 's imagery . Anderson responded to the claim of black metal influence by stating that he does not know why people compare his music to black metal ; he hypothesized that it is simply the raw production of the music , or the double ' i ' in the band name . Anderson was once asked about whether there were any pagan beliefs in Celestiial . He responded that Celestiial " is romanticized Paganism with very real Pagan values behind it " . He talked of how Celestiial celebrated paganism and the natural world , but that paganism is often viewed as something that it is not . = = Reception = = Desolate North received mixed reviews . The album garnered positive reviews from a number of ezines , with comparisons to founders of the genre , such as Disembowelment . AllMusic reviewer Eduardo Rivadavia , however , felt that Desolate North compared negatively with the efforts of more prominent bands , concluding that " Celestiial could be a hell of a lot worse , but they could be much better , too . " Scott Seward of Decibel Magazine felt that the music compared well to similar bands , said that Anderson " makes beautiful sounds out of the darkness that others would rather run from " . Reviewers disagreed on the originality of the music — while Seward claimed that it was new and inventive , Murat Batmaz , of Maelstrom , said that it was very typical funeral doom metal . Negative reviews and comments talked about the poor production and guitars , and the lack of speed in the music , combined with the monotony of the sound . Seward felt that the album " is not ' heavy ' music in the least , if we ’ re talking volume and crunch " , but that " it is ' heavy ' music if we ’ re talking about the end product : a deep and pervasively creepy atmosphere that is compelling in its use of silence and hushed reverence for the forest floor " . = = Track listing = = All songs written and composed by Tanner Anderson .
= 1996 Oman cyclone = The 1996 Oman cyclone ( also known as Cyclone 02A ) was a tenacious and deadly system that caused historic flooding in the southern Arabian Peninsula . It originated from a disturbance in the Gulf of Aden , the first such tropical cyclogenesis on record . After moving eastward , the system interacted with the monsoon trough and became a tropical storm on June 11 . Later that day , it turned toward Oman and struck the country 's southeast coast . It weakened over land , dissipating on June 12 , although it continued to produce rainfall – heavy at times – over the next few days . Offshore Oman , the storm 's rough waves disabled an oil tanker and damaged a fishing boat , killing one person in the latter incident . Striking Oman , the storm produced significant rainfall totals well above the monthly average , peaking at 234 mm ( 9 @.@ 2 in ) in the Dhofar region . Strong winds where the storm moved ashore damaged buildings and the local water plant . The rains washed out roads and isolated villages , killing two people due to drowning in Al @-@ Ghubra . However , the effects were more severe in Yemen , where the floods were considered the worst on record . The storm produced the heaviest rainfall in 70 years , reaching 189 mm ( 7 @.@ 4 in ) in Ma 'rib . Flood waters washed away or damaged 1 @,@ 068 km ( 664 mi ) of roads and 21 bridges , some of them dating back 2 @,@ 000 years to the Roman era . The storm washed away the topsoil or otherwise wrecked 42 @,@ 800 ha ( 106 @,@ 000 acres ) of crop fields , accounting for US $ 100 million in agriculture damage . At least 1 @,@ 820 houses were destroyed , many of them built on wadis , or dry river beds . Overall damage was estimated at US $ 1 @.@ 2 billion , and there were 338 deaths in Yemen . The World Bank assisted in a project to rebuild the damaged infrastructure in Yemen and to mitigate against future floods . = = Meteorological history = = On May 31 , a weak circulation persisted over the warm waters of the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia . Its origins were unknown , possibly the convergence of the sea breeze along the coast of Somalia with the monsoon flow . The system produced convection , or thunderstorms , along both coasts of the body of water . As it moved east @-@ northeastward along the coast of Yemen and Oman , the disturbance brought dry air from the north , which decreased the convection . It moved farther offshore on June 7 into the open Arabian Sea , where it interacted with the south @-@ west monsoon and developed more convection . The area of thunderstorms persisted about 1 @,@ 480 km ( 920 mi ) northeast of Somalia by June 9 . It became circular as the circulation became more defined , fueled by the instability from the monsoon trough . Wind shear was expected to prevent significant development , although the system organized enough that the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on June 10 . On the next day , the agency initiated advisories on Tropical Cyclone 02A about 160 km ( 100 mi ) from the Oman coastline . This marked the first occasion that a tropical cyclone originated from a system in the Gulf of Aden . After becoming a tropical storm , the system 's structure became more aligned as it developed an anticyclone aloft . Fueled by water temperatures of 29 ° C ( 84 ° F ) , the cyclone intensified further . At 03 : 00 UTC on June 11 , the Omani city of Fahud recorded sustained winds of 75 km / h ( 45 mph ) , and a station on Masirah Island recorded a pressure of 994 mbar ( 29 @.@ 4 inHg ) . On this basis , the JTWC estimated that the storm attained peak winds of 75 km / h ( 45 mph ) . However , a nearby ship reported sustained winds of 85 km / h ( 50 mph ) , and the well @-@ defined structure on satellite imagery suggested winds as strong as 120 km / h ( 75 mph ) . Moving northwestward , the cyclone made landfall around 09 : 00 UTC on June 11 about 130 km ( 80 mi ) southwest of Masirah Island in southeastern Oman , at a location named Ras Madrakah . It quickly weakened over the desert terrain and dry air , and the circulation dissipated by June 12 over the central portion of the country . However , the remnants turned to the southwest , steered by a northerly flow . It entered the Rub ' al Khali , or Empty Quarter , of Saudi Arabia late on June 12 , and continued slowly westward . The storm 's interaction with the monsoon brought the intertropical convergence zone northward into Oman and Yemen , bringing unusually heavy rainfall until the system gradually wound down . The IMD – the official warning agency for the basin – did not track the cyclone . In general , tropical cyclone forecast models failed to predict that the storm would form . = = Impact = = The precursor to the storm dropped heavy rainfall in Oman , reaching 29 mm ( 1 @.@ 1 in ) in Khaftawt on May 31 . The storm later produced intense precipitation across the coast and desert regions of the country . Masirah recorded 48 mm ( 1 @.@ 9 in ) of rainfall over 36 hours , compared to the average monthly average of 1 mm ( 0 @.@ 039 in ) , while Salalah reported 36 mm ( 1 @.@ 4 in ) , or 600 % of the average June rainfall . However , the heaviest rainfall occurred on June 11 and into the following day , when the system drew moisture into mountainous parts of the Dhofar region . A station called Jebel Ashor recorded 234 mm ( 9 @.@ 2 in ) over 48 hours , including 143 mm ( 5 @.@ 6 in ) on June 11 . Farther north , heavy rainfall occurred in the Al Hajar Mountains , where 201 mm ( 7 @.@ 9 in ) was recorded , mostly over eight hours ; there , 71 @.@ 8 mm ( 2 @.@ 83 in ) of precipitation was recorded over two hours . Offshore the Arabian Peninsula , the cyclone produced rough waves that disabled an oil tanker ; the crew was rescued by the Omani Coast Guard after being stranded for a few days . A fishing boat was damaged after being washed ashore near Ras Madrakah , killing one person in the crew of nine . Near where the storm moved ashore , the storm 's strong winds heavily damaged the village of Ras Madrakah . Considered the worst storm in memory , the cyclone wrecked workshops and buildings , including damaging the roof of the desalination plant , leaving residents without water for several days . Strong winds of over 93 km / h ( 58 mph ) knocked down 20 trees in Rima that were planted to provide shade for government buildings . Across the storm 's track through Oman , the rains replenished water levels in aquifers , while also washing out roads and isolating villages . This lack of transportation prevented prompt repair work . The Jiddat al @-@ Harasis desert was flooded for over a month due to the storm , killing two people due to drowning in Al @-@ Ghubra . The floods provided grazing for the endangered oryx population , although many livestock were killed . Three airports in the country were closed due to floods up to four days . Damage was heaviest in Yemen , where the storm 's remnants dropped the heaviest rainfall in 70 years . Ma 'rib recorded 189 mm ( 7 @.@ 4 in ) of rainfall , and the capital Sana 'a reported 164 mm ( 6 @.@ 5 in ) of precipitation . Widespread flooding affected much of Yemen , the worst on record for the country . Damage was heaviest in three governorates – Hadhramaut , Shabwah , and Ma 'rib – with lesser effects in three other governorates . The waters washed away or damaged 1 @,@ 068 km ( 664 mi ) of roads and 21 bridges , including the primary road crossing Hadhramaut . Some of the damaged roads were built 2 @,@ 000 years prior under the Roman Empire . Primary highways were damaged in 16 locations . Thousands of cars and other vehicles were inundated , necessitating boat travel to transport injured residents . About 2 @,@ 300 m ( 7 @,@ 500 ft ) of power lines was cut . The floods washed away 113 power poles , and four main generators were affected , causing widespread outages . Storm debris contaminated also many drinking wells and damaged 1 @,@ 357 water pumps damaged . About 80 % of Shabwah Governorate lost water access , forcing some residents to drink from contaminated wadis , or formerly dry river beds . About one @-@ third of gabions – structures to help with flood control – were damaged or destroyed , as were 634 dykes . Many Yemeni villages were isolated , and the entirety of Ahwar and Qaishan provinces were inaccessible within Abyan Governorate . The floods destroyed 1 @,@ 820 houses , many of them washed away , and many others were damaged , leaving 22 @,@ 842 families homeless . The storm washed away the topsoil or otherwise wrecked 42 @,@ 800 ha ( 106 @,@ 000 acres ) of crop fields . The storm also knocked over 37 @,@ 000 fruit trees and killed 13 @,@ 000 livestock , accounting for about US $ 100 million in agriculture damage . About 70 % of arable land in Shabwah Governorate was washed away . The floods littered about 25 km ( 16 mi ) of irrigation canals with sand . Many of the houses and fields were built on wadis which were swept away when water levels rose . The floods also damaged or destroyed 43 health facilities and 53 schools . Overall , 338 people were killed by the floods in Yemen , and damage was estimated at US $ 1 @.@ 2 billion , according to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters . However , Yemen 's General Secretariat for Natural Disasters and Relief estimated damage at US $ 200 million , which accounted for 12 % of the country 's GDP . = = Aftermath = = After the worst of the floods ended , the Yemeni government created a Flood Relief High Committee to coordinate incoming aid and relief distribution . The Ministry of Health coordinated the transportation and storage of goods . Workers quickly repaired roads and airports . In Shabwah , CARE and Oxfam repaired damaged pumps and wells to restore access to clean water , and the German government sent a team to restore water access in Ma 'rib Governorate . The widespread destruction of crop fields caused many tribes to abandon their ancestral land . Many of the residents left homeless either stayed with families or relatives , or resided in temporary shelters , where there were reports of malaria , typhoid , and diarrhea . The government provided building materials to rebuild houses . In the immediate aftermath , the local Red Cross chapter distributed about 1 @,@ 300 blankets , 200 tents , and 200 sets of cooking tools . Stagnant waters in Yemen caused a locust outbreak in August 1996 that affected Saudi Arabia for the next three months . Officials used over 350 @,@ 000 l ( 92 @,@ 000 US gal ) of pesticide in response to the outbreak . The heavy rural damage depressed the regional economy in 1996 and 1997 . On June 17 , the government of Yemen issued an appeal for international aid , while also declaring four governorates as disaster areas . After the severe flooding occurred , 20 countries and various international organizations provided money or relief goods to Yemen , amounting to US $ 14 million . Yemen 's needs were determined by a survey between officials in the Ministry of Electricity and workers in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs . Several departments within the United Nations provided assistance as well toward a crop assessment , drugs , and wheat flour . The World Health Organization provided medical supplies to the country . The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies provided 3 million water tablets , along with cash and general supplies . The European Commission ( precursor to the European Union ) donated about US $ 186 @,@ 000 to the Yemeni Red Cross , and other European countries – France , Germany , Italy , the Netherlands , Norway , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , and the United Kingdom – also provided assistance . Other countries in the Middle East also sent supplies to Yemen . Neighboring Oman sent 28 metric tons of food , and Qatar sent US $ 1 @.@ 2 million worth of food , blankets , and tents . Syria sent US $ 5 million worth of food aid . As part of a plan toward preventing future floods , the World Bank provided US $ 14 @.@ 5 million to rebuild roads , power and water plants , and regrowing lost crops . In the months after the floods , the government of Yemen sought help from the International Development Association to prevent future floods from being as damaging . The government created an Emergency Flood Rehabilitation Project that was geared toward more long term solutions . Thousands of farmers benefited from the improved irrigation and from the employment opportunities . Roads and bridges were rebuilt to a higher construction standard using local builders and contractors , the first such occurrence in the country using competitive bidding . The project was completed in December 2001 at a cost of US $ 31 @.@ 59 million ; the International Development Association paid US $ 27 @.@ 44 million , and Yemen 's government provided the rest of the funding .
= HMS Anne ( 1915 ) = HMS Anne was a seaplane carrier of the Royal Navy used during World War I. Converted from the captured German freighter Aenne Rickmers , the ship 's two aircraft conducted aerial reconnaissance , observation and bombing missions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea during 1915 – 17 even though the ship was not commissioned into the Royal Navy until mid @-@ 1915 . She was decommissioned in late 1917 and became a Merchant Navy collier for the last year of the war . Anne was sold off in 1922 and had a succession of owners and names until she was scrapped in 1958 . = = Description = = Anne was 367 feet 1 inch ( 111 @.@ 89 m ) long , had a beam of 47 feet 7 inches ( 14 @.@ 5 m ) , and a draught of 27 feet 3 inches ( 8 @.@ 31 m ) . She was rated at 4 @,@ 083 gross register tons ( GRT ) . The ship had one propeller shaft powered by one triple @-@ expansion steam engine that used steam generated by an unknown number of coal @-@ fired boilers . Anne had a maximum speed of 11 knots ( 20 km / h ; 13 mph ) . = = Career = = The merchant ship SS Aenne Rickmers was built by Rickmers of Bremerhaven in 1911 . On the outbreak of war in August 1914 , she was seized whilst in Port Said , Egypt and was requisitioned for service under the Red Ensign of the British Merchant Marine in January 1915 to operate seaplanes . No special modifications were made to the ship ; the aircraft were stowed on the aft hatch covers and handled with her cargo booms . Aenne Rickmers operated two French Nieuport floatplanes that had been off @-@ loaded by the French seaplane carrier Foudre ; they were flown by French pilots with British observers . For the first two months of 1915 , the ship and her aircraft supported Allied operations in Syria , Palestine and the Sinai Peninsula . Aside from reconnaissance duties , they delivered and recovered Allied agents as well as observed for ships performing coastal bombardments . On 4 March , Aenne Rickmers was ordered to join several Allied ships that were going to bombard Smyrna , Turkey . A week later , she was torpedoed by the Turkish torpedo boat Demir Hisar . The ship was hit by one torpedo in the Number 1 cargo hold ; this was full of timber which limited water ingress and saved her from sinking . Aenne Rickmers arrived at Mudros the following day to begin repairs , but the repair crew was withdrawn a week later to work on the damaged battlecruiser HMS Inflexible . The seaplane carrier HMS Raven II ( another merchant conversion ) arrived on 20 March to load her aircraft and crew , leaving only a five @-@ person skeleton crew behind . During a storm on 6 April , the ship dragged her anchors and ran aground on a sandy beach . She was temporarily repaired there and refloated on 12 May , sailing to Alexandria , Egypt two days later for permanent repairs and to off @-@ load her cargo . This was completed by 18 June , but the ship lay idle until the end of the month when she was provided with an Arab crew and sailed to Port Said . Aenne Rickmers rendezvoused with the French armoured cruiser Jeanne d 'Arc on 18 July at Scarpanto and the carrier searched the Turkish coast for U @-@ boat bases and observed while the French ship bombarded coastal installations . The ship then returned to Port Said where she was fitted with a 12 @-@ pounder gun . Aenne Rickmers was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 5 August 1915 and renamed HMS Anne the same day . She rendezvoused with Jeanne d 'Arc and the French pre @-@ dreadnought battleship Jauréguiberry around 13 August and observed while they bombarded Turkish installations in Haifa . On 17 August , aircraft from both Anne and Raven II spotted for Jeanne d 'Arc as she bombarded Tarsus and then assisted Jeanne d 'Arc and Jauréguiberry on 30 August as they captured Ruad Island . In early September , the ship assisted the French as they evacuated Armenian troops and civilians from Alexandretta and the surrounding area and then resumed her earlier work of reconnaissance and espionage . Anne lost her first aircraft when it suffered an engine failure whilst on a reconnaissance mission over Beersheba on 9 October . The ship had her bottom cleaned in Alexandria during November and lost another aircraft , again over Beersheba , on 22 December . In January 1916 , she was assigned to the East Indies and Egypt Seaplane Squadron together with the carriers Empress , Ben @-@ my @-@ Chree and Raven II . The squadron was under the command of the General Officer Commanding , Egypt and its primary duty was to watch Turkish positions and movements in southern Palestine and the Sinai in early 1916 . Around 17 April , Anne was attacked by two German aircraft , but was not damaged . A few days later , she discovered a U @-@ boat base at Makry , whilst operating near Kastellorizo . The ship loaded aboard the French seaplane contingent in Egypt at the end of the month , and delivered it to Malta on 9 May for transfer , including her own Nieuports , to the French seaplane carrier Campinas . Her aircraft had made a total of 118 flights since she began operating them in January 1915 and only two had been lost . Later that month , Anne exchanged her existing 12 @-@ pounder for an anti @-@ aircraft gun of the same calibre and was back at Port Said by 21 May . She lay idle there until mid @-@ June when she began transporting military supplies between Port Said and several ports in the Red Sea . This lasted until 2 August when she embarked British seaplanes , including Short Type 184 , Sopwith Schneider and Baby floatplanes , and she observed for the French cruiser Pothuau on 10 August as the latter ship bombarded Mersina . The East Indies and Egypt Squadron reassembled in late August with Raven II , Anne and Ben @-@ my @-@ Chree and the aircraft from the three carriers attacked the Turkish supply dump at El Afule for thirty minutes . The squadron then steamed south along the Palestinian coast where they encountered two Turkish supply dhows . One was sunk by the escorting French destroyer Arbalete while the other was captured . The squadron flew off seven aircraft that attacked an encampment at Bureir and a nearby railroad viaduct . One of Anne 's seaplanes was lost during this mission and the pilot was captured . Despite the loss , her aircraft bombed Turkish installations at Tull Keram , Nablus , Ludd and Ramleh before returning to Port Said on 27 August . A few days later , Anne replaced Raven II , after that ship had been damaged by an air attack on 1 September , on an expedition into the Red Sea to support the Arab Revolt against the Turks . She rendezvoused with the elderly cruiser HMS Fox and Dufferin of the Royal Indian Marine ( RIM ) and they arrived at Rabigh on 9 September . The ship briefly ran aground off Yenbo , but got off and was able to observe for Fox and Hardinge of the RIM as they shelled Turkish positions near Wejh on 13 September . Aside one brief visit to Suez to recoal , Anne remained in the area while her aircraft flew bombing and reconnaissance missions until she was relieved by Raven II on 26 October . The ship was idle at Port Said for the rest of the year other than one trip to Cyprus transporting coal . In January 1917 , Anne returned to the Red Sea and joined Hardinge and the Armed boarding steamer Suva . Together with some 500 Arabs , the crews of the three ships made an amphibious landing and captured Wejh . The ship returned to Suez on 27 January and seems to have been used only as a collier until she was paid off on 8 August . = = = Commercial service = = = Anne served as a collier under the Red Ensign from 29 January 1918 until the end of the war under the management of F. C. Strick and Co . She was sold in 1922 to S.N. Vlassopoulos of Greece and was renamed Ithaki . The ship was sold to a Romanian company in 1939 and renamed Moldova ; she was then transferred to Panamanian registry in 1942 with the same name . Moldova was sold in 1949 to Wallem & Co. and renamed Jagharat in 1954 . She resumed her former name of Moldova in 1955 and arrived at Hong Kong to be scrapped on 8 November 1958 .
= I Blame Myself = " I Blame Myself " is a song by American recording artist Sky Ferreira from her debut studio album Night Time , My Time ( 2013 ) . It was released in the United Kingdom on June 9 , 2014 by Capitol Records as the second single from the record . The song was written and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Justin Raisen , with additional songwriting provided by Ferreira , Daniel Nigro , and Jordan Benik . " I Blame Myself " is a synthpop song , in which Ferreira acknowledges that she is responsible for her public image . Contemporary music critics commended " I Blame Myself " in their reviews of Night Time , My Time , and placed particular praise on its production . An accompanying music video for the track was filmed in Compton , California and directed by Grant Singer ; it was premiered through Ssense on April 16 , 2014 . It depicts Ferreira as a gang leader , who is called in to settle a conflict between rivaling groups . She has performed the track on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in April 2014 . = = Background = = In February 2014 , it was reported that " Boys " would be serviced as the second single from Night Time , My Time , following its lead single " You 're Not the One " which had been premiered in September 2013 . However , Capitol Records instead released the song as a free digital download in the United Kingdom on March 1 , preceding the launch of Night Time , My Time in the country . " I Blame Myself " was confirmed as the official second single from the record in April , while Ferreira was filming its accompanying music video . " I Blame Myself " was written and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Justin Raisen , with additional songwriting provided by Ferreira , Daniel Nigro , and Jordan Benik . Rechtshaid and Raisen additionally collaborated for the drums . Individually , Rechshaid contributed vocal production , while Raisen was responsible for recording , Pro Tools engineering , additional vocals , synthesizers , and mixing . Mereki Beach provided additional vocals for the track , while Jeremiah Raisen assisted during its production . Ferreira commented that she had co @-@ written the track during summer 2013 ; she sings " 10 years old without a voice / I feel like nothing 's really changed / Now I 'm just a little older " during the second verse , which she revealed was inspired by a two @-@ year period in which she did not speak because she felt like she had had nothing to offer . = = Composition = = Drawing from synthpop music , " I Blame Myself " incorporates minimalist production elements. with styles commonly seen in new wave music . Distinguished as the " poppiest " track from Night Time , My Time , its lyrics see Ferreira accepting that her behavior contributes to the public image she is given by the media ; during the chorus , she states " I just want you to realize I blame myself for my reputation . " " I Blame Myself " was assumed to have been inspired by the " anthemic pop fizz " from her breakthrough single " Everything Is Embarrassing " from her second extended play Ghost ( 2012 ) . Jenn Pelly from Pitchfork Media implied that " I Blame Myself " referenced the struggles Ferreira faced while creating her long @-@ delayed debut studio album ; Pelly suggested that the track was inspired by her frequent conflicts with her record label during production of the project , and added that it " lays out the emotional core " of her process . Jillian Mapes from the same publication assumed that Ferreira crafted the song in response to being labeled a " socialite [ and ] Forever 21 model " and receiving criticism after her drug arrest in September 2013 , which she expected would highlight that her side projects " have nothing to do with the kind of songs Ferreira writes these days " . " I Blame Myself " , in addition to the tracks " 24 Hours " and " Love in Stereo " , blend " tenderized vocal hooks [ and ] chiming synth melodies " , which reminded Lauren Martin from Fact of 1980s music . With his similar observation , Dan Keenan from Impact noted that the " chiming synths " that Martin recognized developed into the " undeniably cathartic " refrain . = = Critical reception = = " I Blame Myself " received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics . Writing for The A.V. Club , Annie Zaleski called the track the " most stunning song " from Night Time , My Time ; she commended Ferreira 's " confident " vocal delivery and the " strident tone " of the recording , which Zaleski felt was " deeply affecting . " Dan Keenan from Impact felt that its lyrics showcased that pop music is not always equivalent with insincerity . Writing for Pitchfork Media , Carrie Battan felt that " I Blame Myself " sounded like " an uptempo beast " that deserved to be successful . Jordan Sargent from Spin felt that " I Blame Myself " positively exemplified a " darkness " among the stand @-@ out tracks from the record , which he credited to having her adolescence " drained away by airplane flights , photo shoots , and useless recording sessions " . The New York Times ' Jon Caramanica was unsure why Ferreira " [ painted ] such a dark picture of herself " with the lyrics , and felt that the self @-@ punishment was unnecessary given the strength of " I Blame Myself " and Night Time , My Time overall . John Preston from Polari believed that the track was a worthy substitute for fans that " mourn the overall departure " of the mainstream pop sound of Ferreira 's 2010 single " One " , and raved that it was an example of " airy and gleaming brilliance " . Two critics from Pitchfork Media reviewed " I Blame Myself " separately from Night Time , My Time . Jenn Pelly ranked the track as the twelfth @-@ best song released in 2013 . She spoke favorably of its lyrical content , commending the chorus lyrics " How could you know what it feels like to fight the hounds of hell ? " and " You think you know me so well " for painting Ferreira as an exemplar for " bullied high school weirdos " , and appreciating that the lines " I know it 's not your fault / That you don 't understand / I blame myself " for acknowledging her own wrongdoings with the intention of starting anew . Jillian Mapes complimented the " bluntness " that was delivered throughout the song , and suggested that the track had " anthem potential " . She praised the verses for verbalizing self @-@ confidence issues that are often associated with young women , with particular acclaim being placed on the lines " I ’ m just a face without a choice / Trust you ’ d never like to guess what I think above the shoulders . " She concluded her review by noting that the song should be recognized as a " declaration of force [ and ] a song about the power of vulnerability " rather than confusing it for an " admission of weakness " . = = Music video = = An accompanying music video for " I Blame Myself " was filmed in Compton , California and directed by Grant Singer . During an interview with Idolator , Ferreira commented that " I can 't really give too many details about it yet , but I shot it in L.A. with Grant Singer , who does all my other videos . And my family ’ s in it . " A 15 @-@ second preview of the project was released on April 14 , 2014 , while the final product was premiered through the online retailer Ssense on April 16 , 2014 . It was the first of several " shoppable " music videos released through the retailer , in partnership with London magazine System . The clip was inspired by the visuals for 1990s hip hop music and the catalog of Michael Jackson , which Ferreira revealed " inspire me and played a big part of my childhood . " The video depicts an ongoing conflict between gangs , which Ferreira attempts to remedy upon her arrival ; she is eventually taken in for questioning by law enforcement , although she resists her arrest and later escapes from jail . She commented that its concept was inspired by real events , and elaborated that " people always ask me questions about certain things , and it 's kind of like my response . " Jeremy Gordon from Pitchfork Media interpreted Ferreira 's commentary to be referencing her arrest in September 2013 , in which she was charged with possession of ecstasy . Ferreira was criticized on social media networks for allegedly objectifying African American people in the music video , with whom she was seen dancing with during several scenes interspersed throughout the clip . On her Facebook account , Ferreira commented that " I never have and never will look at any human being as a prop " and criticized false assumptions of the " rich little white girl exploiting the black people and the ghetto " . = = Live performances = = Having appeared as the musical guest that evening , Ferreira performed " I Blame Myself " on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on April 5 , 2014 . She was dressed in a sequined blazer , a white shirt , black shorts , a black tie , and sunglasses . Ferreira stood in place while singing the track ; the onstage visuals consisted of several blue and red strobe lights . Having taken place before the music video was made publicly available , she revealed that the visuals for the song had been filmed and would be released shortly . = = Credits and personnel = = Credits adapted from the liner notes of Night Time , My Time . Recording Recorded at White Bronco Studios ( Highland Park , California ) Personnel Mereki Beach – additional vocals Jordan Benik – songwriter Sky Ferreira – songwriter Daniel Nigro – songwriter , additional vocals , editing Jeremiah Raisen – assisting Justin Raisen – songwriter , recording , Pro Tools engineering , additional vocals , drums , synthesizer , mixing Ariel Rechtshaid – songwriter , vocals , drums
= Mycena intersecta = Mycena intersecta is a species of mushroom in the Mycenaceae family . First reported as a new species in 2007 , it is known only from central Honshu , in Japan , where it is found growing solitarily or scattered , on dead leaves in lowland forests dominated by oak . The mushrooms have olive @-@ brown caps up to 12 mm ( 0 @.@ 47 in ) in diameter atop slender stems that are 50 to 80 mm ( 2 @.@ 0 to 3 @.@ 1 in ) long by 0 @.@ 7 to 1 @.@ 2 mm ( 0 @.@ 03 to 0 @.@ 05 in ) thick . On the underside of the cap are the distantly spaced , whitish gills that have cross @-@ veins running between them . Microscopic characteristics of the mushroom include the smooth , irregularly cylindrical cheilocystidia ( cystidia on the gill edge ) , the absence of pleurocystidia ( cystidia on the gill face ) , the diverticulate elements of the cap cuticle , the broadly club @-@ shaped to irregularly shaped caulocystidia ( cystidia on the stem ) , the weakly dextrinoid flesh ( staining reddish to reddish @-@ brown in Melzer 's reagent ) , and the absence of clamp connections . The edibility of the mushroom is unknown . = = Taxonom and naming = = The mushroom was first collected by Japanese mycologist Haruki Takahashi in 1999 , and published as a new species ( along with seven other Japanese Mycenas ) in a 2007 publication . The specific epithet is from the Latin word intersecta or " intersected " , and refers to the intervenose gills . Its Japanese name is Oriibu @-@ ashinagatake ( オリーブアシナガタケ ) . According to Takahashi , the fungus is best classified in the section Fragilipedes ( Fr . ) Quél . , as defined by the Dutch Mycena specialist Maas Geesteranus . = = Description = = The cap of M. intersecta is initially conical to convex to bell @-@ shaped , eventually reaching 8 to 12 mm ( 0 @.@ 31 to 0 @.@ 47 in ) in diameter . When it is moist , it is partly translucent , so that the outlines of the gills underneath the cap can be seen . The cap is somewhat hygrophanous , and dry . Its surface is initially minutely pruinose ( as if covered with a fine white powder ) , but this effect soon sloughs off , leaving the surface smooth . The cap color is initially olive @-@ brown to yellowish @-@ brown , then somewhat paler from the margin . The white flesh is up to 0 @.@ 7 mm thick , and lacks any distinctive taste and odor . The slender stem is 50 to 80 mm ( 2 @.@ 0 to 3 @.@ 1 in ) long by 0 @.@ 7 to 1 @.@ 2 mm ( 0 @.@ 03 to 0 @.@ 05 in ) thick , cylindrical , and hollow . Its surface is dry , and colored pale olive @-@ brown near the top , becoming olive @-@ brown downward . Like the cap , it is at first pruinose , but smooths out in age . The base of the stem is covered with coarse white hairs . The gills are adnate to subdecurrent ( running slightly down the length of the stem ) , and distantly spaced , with 16 – 19 gills reaching the stem . The gills are up to 1 @.@ 5 mm broad , thin , somewhat intervenose , and whitish , with edges that are the same color as the gill faces . Takahashi 's description does not include any discussion of the mushroom 's edibility . = = = Microscopic characteristics = = = The basidiospores are roughly ellipsoid and measure 7 @.@ 5 – 8 @.@ 5 by 5 – 6 µm . They are thin @-@ walled , smooth , colorless , and inamyloid to weakly amyloid — indicating a weak ability to absorb the iodine in Melzer 's reagent . The spore @-@ bearing cells , the basidia are 22 – 31 by 5 @.@ 5 – 7 µm , club @-@ shaped , and mostly two @-@ spored . The cheilocystidia ( cystidia on the gill edge ) are 27 – 40 by 3 – 6 µm , abundant , and form a sterile gill edge . They are irregularly cylindrical to constricted , smooth , colorless , and thin @-@ walled . Pleurocystidia ( cystidia on the gill face ) are absent . The hymenophoral tissue is made of thin @-@ walled hyphae that are 5 – 18 µm wide , cylindrical , smooth , colorless , and weakly dextrinoid . The cap cuticle is made of parallel , bent @-@ over hyphae that are 2 – 6 µm wide , cylindrical , and densely covered with warty or finger @-@ like thin @-@ walled diverticulae that are colorless and inamyloid . The layer of hyphae underneath the cap cuticle are parallel , olive @-@ brown , and weakly dextrinoid , with short and inflated cells up to 22 µm wide . The stem cuticle is made of parallel , bent @-@ over hyphae that are 2 – 4 µm wide , cylindrical , smooth to sparsely diverticulate . These hyphae curve outward to form club @-@ shaped or irregularly shaped caulocystidia ( cystidia on the stem ) that are olive @-@ brown , inamyloid , and thin @-@ walled . They measure 13 – 29 by 3 – 7 µm , and are broadly club @-@ shaped to irregularly shaped , and often have one to three knob @-@ like excrescences . The stem tissue is made of longitudinally running , cylindrical hyphae that are 5 – 12 µm wide , smooth , colorless , and have a weakly dextrinoid in Melzer 's reagent . Clamp connections are absent in all tissues of M. intersecta . = = = Similar species = = = The European species Mycena viridimarginata is somewhat similar to M. intersecta in appearance , but may be distinguished by its greenish @-@ edged gills , cheilocystidia with abruptly tapering points , and clamp connections . = = Habitat and distribution = = Mycena intersecta is known only from Kanagawa , Japan . The fruit bodies are found solitary or scattered , on dead leaves in lowland forests dominated by the oak trees Quercus myrsinaefolia and Q. serrata .
= Evanescence ( Evanescence album ) = Evanescence is the self @-@ titled and third studio album by the American rock band Evanescence . It was released on October 7 , 2011 on Wind @-@ up Records . The band began writing the album in June 2009 . Its release was delayed several times ; on February 22 , 2010 , the band entered the studio with producer Steve Lillywhite but later stopped working with him because he " wasn 't the right fit " . At the time the album was scheduled for an August or September 2010 release , but Lee later announced that Evanescence had suspended recording to write more material . On April 11 , 2011 , the band returned to the studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz . According to Lee , the band brought influences from Björk , Depeche Mode , Massive Attack , MGMT and Portishead to the album . Evanescence 's songs contain sounds and influences characteristic of nu metal , hard rock and electro . Although the album received generally @-@ positive reviews from music critics , who praised Lee 's vocals and its innovative sound , some noted a similarity to the band 's older material . Evanescence debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with 127 @,@ 000 copies sold in its first week , and topped four other Billboard charts ; Rock Albums , Digital Albums , Alternative Albums and Hard Rock Albums . The album was successful worldwide , appearing on the charts of over twenty countries . The band promoted Evanescence by premiering songs online on a number of websites and appearing on several television shows . The first single from the album , " What You Want " , was released on August 9 , 2011 ; " My Heart Is Broken " , the album 's second single , was released on November 11 . " Lost in Paradise " was released internationally as its third single on May 25 , 2012 , and " The Other Side " was distributed to U.S. modern rock radio stations as a promotional single on June 11 . In 2011 the band embarked on the Evanescence Tour , their third worldwide tour , to promote the album with The Pretty Reckless and Fair to Midland . = = Background and writing = = After finishing a tour to promote Evanescence 's previous album , The Open Door , Amy Lee said that she " just sort of took off and didn 't know what I was going to do next . " According to Lee , she was unsure at the time when ( or if ) Evanescence would continue . After taking a break from music for 18 months , she decided she wanted to work with the band members and it " became more of a group project " . Lee admitted to an identity crisis : " [ The success with ] Fallen happened really fast , and it was just go , go , go for a couple years , and we went right into writing and wrote the next record . By the time we finished touring with The Open Door , I just needed to go , ' Who am I as an adult ? ' " During her hiatus , Lee began painting , attended concerts and museums and listened to folk and indie music . In a June 2009 post on the Evanescence website , Lee wrote that the band was in the process of writing material for an album planned for release the following year . According to Lee , the music would be an evolution of previous work and " better , stronger , and more interesting " . She described Evanescence 's music as epic , dark , big , beautiful and desperate . In a Spin interview , Lee called the record " fun " – according to her , a " totally new thing " for the band : " When I listen to our old music I see that 's where I was in my life at that time . This has been a long trip and parts have been hard . But it 's about not taking everything so seriously this time . " Writing for the album began in 2009 , when Lee wrote an electronic @-@ driven song different from her usual style . She said , " I remember listening to it over and over , just obsessing over it the way I used to obsess over Evanescence music . That was the spark for me – and the spark to go in the electronic direction and bring some of that into what Evanescence is doing . " Unlike the band 's two previous albums ( primarily written by Lee ) , every band member contributed to the writing process . = = Recording and development = = Evanescence entered the studio on February 22 , 2010 to begin recording the album . Will Hunt returned as drummer ; a second drummer and programmer , Will " Science " Hunt , was brought in to assist with writing but did not join the band . David Campbell , who previously worked with Evanescence on The Open Door , was brought back to handle string arrangements and the album was scheduled for release by producer Steve Lillywhite . Lee later said that Lillywhite " wasn 't the right fit " , adding that the band was experimenting and when they tried to record the songs Lee wrote without the band " it wasn 't working . " According to Lee , the slow , acoustic songs written with Lillywhite did not mesh with Evanescence 's sound . When the band began recording with Lillywhite , the album was intended for an August or September 2010 release . However , on June 21 , 2010 Lee announced on EvThreads.com that Evanescence had suspended recording to continue work on the album and " get our heads into the right creative space " . According to Lee , Wind @-@ up Records was experiencing " uncertain times " which would further delay the album 's release . Label president Ed Vetri supported Lee 's decision : " One thing we do at Wind @-@ up is , we 're patient . I [ f ] it 's not right , it 's not coming out . If it takes a year or four years , [ we 're ] going to take the time it needs to write the right record . " After visiting the studio several times to see the album 's progress , Vetri said that " her core fans will be really happy . " Evanescence re @-@ entered Blackbird Studio in Nashville in early April 2011 with nineteen songs and new producer Nick Raskulinecz , who previously produced for Alice in Chains and Foo Fighters . The album was mixed by Randy Staub . After an initial denial by band management , on June 12 Lee confirmed that guitarist Troy McLawhorn had rejoined Evanescence . She also announced that the album would be released on October 4 , 2011 ; the date was later pushed back a week by Wind @-@ up Records . According to Lee , when the band returned to the studio , she wanted the album released as soon as possible because of the long time since Evanescence 's last album . The instruments other than pianos were recorded first , followed by the pianos and then by Lee 's vocals ; she said the demanding songs made her " push " herself vocally . Raskulinecz 's production , she said , made Evanescence a rock album . Lee appreciated his work , including the producer 's willingness to answer her questions and determine when the album would be finished : Nick is an awesome producer . He really helped me get the plan and have confidence in the decisions that we made . For me , I have a lot of ideas and sometimes it just comes down to " OK , everything that I 'm doing I have two options ! " He 's awesome , because as I 'm doing these things I 'm asking him from the vocal booth or the piano room or whatever , " Which one of these should I do ? " He 's good at helping me make a quick decision . I really trust his opinion because he makes great records . In December 2015 , Lee posted a cover of " Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing " by Chris Isaak , which she stated was originally intended to appear on the album produced by Lillywhite in 2010 . She also further explained that the original album did not share any of the same tracks that the version produced by Raskulinecz had , as the record company rejected these recordings . Lee said she used her frustration with being forced to start over to write what she called " ( Evanescence 's ) heaviest album . " = = Title and concept = = In a June 2011 Kerrang ! interview , Lee said that the album would be self @-@ titled and was " about the band ; it 's more of a band record . " Lee explained that the concept " to me is about falling back in love with this thing , with Evanescence , with what I 've obsessed over for a decade , longer than that . " There were originally many album @-@ title ideas , but Lee said that as the project became more collaborative " it just felt like this is who we are , it 's a band . And to have that feeling in the music where the band is so pumped up , it was just the only title that felt right . It 's about falling back in love with this thing in a major way . " In an MTV News interview , she said that sixteen songs had been recorded but not all would be included on the album . It was later decided to release two versions of the album : a deluxe edition with all sixteen songs and a standard edition with twelve . Eveanescence 's cover artwork was introduced on the band 's website on August 30 , 2011 . It is their first album cover which does not feature Lee . In an interview , she discussed the cover : " Well , both of our other records are me on the cover , and I think it 's cool to have that photo , you know , that people can look at and go , ' OK , that 's who that is . ' But I feel like , by now , they know who we are , and I wanted something really different . I didn 't feel like we had to put a photo on the cover , I wanted it to be more mysterious and more about Evanescence itself , not just me . " The cover , black with vapor behind the band 's name , is a play on the meaning of " evanescence " ( " to dissipate like vapor " ) . = = Composition = = = = = Musical style and inspiration = = = During the Steve Lillywhite sessions , Lee described the album as a " rainbow of sounds " with heavy , stripped @-@ out songs . According to Lee , it had electro influences and a lot of drum programming . During the later sessions with Nick Raskulincecz , she discussed two of the album 's themes : brokenness ( " Brokenness has become a little bit of theme , without necessarily offering a solution " ) and oceans . In a later MTV interview , Lee mentioned other themes : " the quest for freedom , and then there 's songs that are just about falling in love " . She said that Evanescence used new and vintage instruments ( such as a harp , synthesizers and the Moog Taurus Pedal ) and recorded the ballads " Secret Door " and " My Heart Is Broken " . In a Kerrang ! interview , Lee said she was inspired by her life and personal relationships . According to Lee , the album was fun but not in a " poppy way " and the band enjoyed its recording . She was inspired by her relationship with Evanescence 's fans : " I can really hear myself singing about my relationship with Evanescence and with the fans . There 's always one big relationship on a record that I sing about the most . I feel like my big relationship on this album [ is ] with Evanescence itself , and with the fans . I think lyrically you 're hearing a lot about a relationship , a struggle with a relationship or love in a relationship , and mostly I 'm singing about that . " For the album , the band was influenced by artists such as Björk , Depeche Mode , Massive Attack , MGMT and Portishead . Lewis Corner of the Digital Spy website noted that rumbling guitars and dainty strings were present on most of the album 's songs : " Amy Lee declares over roaring guitars and classical strings , reinforcing their medieval influences as opposed to the electronic sound they 've been purporting . " = = = Music and lyrics = = = Lee shares writing credits with other members of the band on 11 of the standard @-@ edition album 's 12 songs . Evenescence 's first track and lead single , " What You Want " , was described as one of the band 's most unusual songs with heavy guitar melodies , loud drums and a freedom theme . Opening with drums and a synchronized synthesizer , Lee sings " Do what you , what you want / If you have a dream for better / Do what you , what you want / ' Til you don 't want it anymore " before the song 's rhythmic , guitar @-@ driven beat . Lyrically , the song explores a relationship which is not working out , despite present love . " Made of Stone " , one of the album 's oldest songs , has heavy @-@ metal influences . " The Change " ( originally entitled " Purple " ) , which begins gently and grows more insistent , has been compared to " Digital Bath " by the American alternative metal band Deftones . The fourth track ( and second single ) , " My Heart Is Broken " , is a ballad written for harp and recorded with a piano . It begins with the piano and Lee 's vocals , evolving into rhythmic guitars and strings . In the chorus Lee sings , " I will never find a way to heal my soul / And I will wander ' til the end of time / Torn away from you / My heart is broken " . The fifth track , " The Other Side " , has churning , chunky guitars , a double @-@ bass drum and Lee 's " ethereal , widescreen " vocals with elements of R & B. Lyrically , the song 's theme is death . " Lost in Paradise " is a symphonic rock ballad which begins with piano , strings and Lee 's unlayered vocals before adding the band for the song 's climax ; its lyrics reflect Lee 's past struggles , apologizing to her fans for the band 's five @-@ year absence . The song 's musical structure was compared to " Jóga " , by the Icelandic recording artist Björk . " Sick " has a loose , lazy melody and a chanted chorus ; one of the first songs written for the album , it " set [ s ] a heavy direction for the rest of the record . " " End of the Dream " begins " full bore with chunky guitar , then falls into a brooding grove with piano underpinning Lee 's unmistakable vocals . " In the chorus , Lee sings " Follow your heart ' til it bleeds , " evincing the track 's " seize the day " message . Lee said about the song , " It 's about understanding that this life isn 't forever , and how you have to live it , embrace even the pain , before it 's all over . As much as it hurts , it just means you 're alive . So don 't be so afraid to get hurt that you miss out on living . " " Oceans " begins with a big , low synth and a vocal before the band joins in . According to Lee , " It 's big and lush . We 've been having a lot of fun playing that one especially . " " Never Go Back " ( originally called " Orange " ) examines " loss from the perspective of someone losing someone in a tragedy " . Lee said that the song , with the lyrics " It 's all gone , the only world I 've ever known " , was inspired by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami . " Swimming Home " is an electro @-@ pop song with grinding guitars and a " weeping " piano . = = Release and promotion = = Evanescence was first released in snippets , with portions of " What You Want " , " The Other Side " and " Lost in Paradise " previewed on MTV News on July 11 , 13 and 15 respectively . Several songs were made available online , including " The Other Side " , which premiered on September 21 at Hot Topic ; " My Heart Is Broken " on September 27 , and " End of the Dream " on Spin on October 4 . All songs became available on Spin on October 7 . A Renholdër remix of " Made of Stone " appears on the soundtrack and in the closing credits of the film Underworld : Awakening , and a Photek remix of " A New Way to Bleed " is on The Avengers soundtrack Avengers Assemble : Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture . On August 8 , Evanescence appeared on " MTV First : Evanescence " to introduce the album 's first single , " What You Want " , with a live performance and an extended interview . Lee went to Toronto 's Liberty Studios on August 22 to preview five mastered songs from the new album ( " What You Want " , " The Change " , " The Other Side " , " My Heart Is Broken " and " Lost in Paradise " ) to a selected audience of thirty . Evanescence appeared at the Rock in Rio festival on October 2 , 2011 , performing " What You Want " , " Made of Stone " , " The Change " , " The Other Side " , " My Heart Is Broken " , " Sick " and several songs from their previous two albums . Before Evanescence 's U.S. release , Lee appeared on billboard.com on October 11 to promote the album . The band appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live ! on October 15 , performing " What You Want " and " Going Under " . On December 12 , Evanescence appeared at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert , where they performed " Lost in Paradise " and 2003 's " Bring Me to Life " . On February 1 , 2012 , the band performed " My Heart Is Broken " on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , and two days later they played " Made of Stone " and " The Other Side " on Conan . = = = Tour = = = Evanescence began their tour to promote the album with a concert at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville , Tennessee on August 17 , 2011 . This was followed by performances at Rock on the Range in Winnipeg on August 20 , Rock in Rio on October 2 and at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico on October 6 . The band began the first U.S. leg of their tour on October 10 in Oakland , California , and finished it in New York City . Evanescence then played several concerts in the United Kingdom , beginning at London 's Hammersmith Apollo on November 4 and finishing the leg on November 13 at the O2 Academy Birmingham . Supported by The Pretty Reckless , Fair to Midland and Rival Sons , the tour 's set list included songs from Evanescence 's three albums . Lee said , " We 're definitely focusing mainly on the new material . We 're really excited about that music the most – obviously it 's the newest – but of course we 'll be playing some from both of our other albums too . I guess I 'd say in general , our show 's on the heavy @-@ energy side , so we 'll be running around singing a lot of fast songs . " The Evanescence Tour continued in 2012 with concerts in the United States , Asia and Europe , including Lisboa V in Portugal and Rock am Ring in Germany . Their South American tour began on October 4 in Porto Alegre , Brazil , and the band returned to the UK for four shows in November . Evanescence also played on the Carnival of Madness tour with Halestorm , Cavo , New Medicine and Chevelle . That tour began on July 31 , 2012 , at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield , Illinois and ended on September 2 at the Outer Harbor in Buffalo , New York . = = = Singles = = = " What You Want " , the album 's first single , was released digitally on August 9 , 2011 . The song 's lyrics are about freedom , one of Evanescence 's themes . It debuted at number one on the UK Rock Chart , making Evanescence the artist with the most number @-@ one singles on the chart in 2011 . " What You Want " peaked at numbers 68 and 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart , respectively . Its video , filmed in a Brooklyn , New York warehouse on July 30 , 2011 with the band performing the song live , was directed by Meiert Avis and released on September 13 . " My Heart Is Broken " was distributed to hot , modern and adult @-@ contemporary radio stations on October 31 , 2011 and to pop stations the following day as the album 's first mainstream single . Its video was released in January 2012 , and the song was distributed to alternative and modern @-@ rock stations on February 13 . The next mainstream single , " Lost in Paradise " , was released internationally on May 25 . Its video , released on February 14 , 2013 , focuses on Evanescence 's tour with footage of the band performing the song filmed by fans around the world . " The Other Side " was a promotional single which was distributed to modern @-@ rock stations on June 11 and alternative stations the following day . Although a lyric video was uploaded to the band 's YouTube channel on August 30 , 2012 , Lee said that no other video would be made for the song . = = Critical reception = = Evanescence has received mostly @-@ positive reviews from music critics . Metacritic assigned an average score of 63 to the album based on nine reviews , indicating a generally favorable reception . Before its release the album appeared on several lists , including Spin 's " 26 Fall Albums That Matter Most " , Entertainment Weekly 's " Fall Albums We Can 't Wait to Hear " and Rolling Stone 's " Fall Music Preview : The Season 's Hottest Albums " . Steve Beebee of Kerrang ! gave the album five stars out of five , calling it " easily their most cohesive and confident work " and their " best album to date " . According to Rick Florino of Artistdirect , Evanescence was " their best album to date and a new classic " and " [ they ] manage to experiment while staying unshakably infectious . That 's not an easy feat , and few acts manage to do that . " Allmusic 's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Raskulinecz 's production , Lee 's vocals and the " fair share of crossover hooks " , adding that the band sounded " less tortured tonally even if it remains quite dramatic . " Entertainment Weekly 's Kyle Anderson said , " When [ Lee ] uses baroque orchestral accoutrements to wage an air assault on her demons ... she 's more than just the token girl in the pit . " Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave the album four stars out of five , saying that the band 's trademark sound was present on the album " and truth be told , we wouldn 't want it any other way . " Mark Lepage of the Montreal Gazette praised the album , calling it " one rolling , chugging , plangent epic . " According to Chad Grischow of IGN , Evanescence is a " great album that delivers the familiar while keeping an eye on the future . " Rob Williams of the Winnipeg Free Press described the album as gothic nu @-@ metal and hard rock , with dramatic orchestration which makes everything sound " big and alive " : " With so many extra bells and whistles , despair has never sounded so epic . " Marc Hirsh of The Boston Globe wrote that the album captures " each party elevating the other far above where their proclivities would get them on their own . " According to Nick Catucci of Rolling Stone , Evanescence is primarily a " syrupy mix of piano , guitar and strings " which is not as " saucy " as the band 's older material . Chris Willman of Reuters wrote , " Every interchangeable tune on the new album also sounds designed to play over the end credits of an action blockbuster that takes itself too seriously " . Theon Weber of Spin gave the album a mixed review ; rather than holding back too much , Weber wrote , Lee did not do enough to restrain her performance : " Evanescence gets lost in the cavernous spaces carved out by their unsecret weapon . " Edna Gundersen of USA Today criticized Raskulinecz 's production and the album 's electronics : " Tempered , her [ Lee 's ] emotional wail enhances the hypnotic medieval magic of signature Evanescence tunes . Some electronics slip into the mix , but the band 's rock essence and penchant for weepy strings remain prominent , as does its flair for conveying wretched despair . " Although PopMatters ' Dane Prokofiev criticized the album 's eponymous title as a new @-@ band strategy , he praised the " noticeable increase in the prominence of choir singing , tinkling piano motifs , and the silky sound of string instruments " with the caveat that the additional deluxe @-@ edition songs were superior to those on the standard edition . Steven Hyden of The A.V. Club called the album " narcissistic " , " corny " and " irredeemably stupid " . = = Chart performance = = Evanescence was released on October 11 , 2011 in the United States . The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 ( the band 's second album to debut at number one on the chart ) , selling more than 127 @,@ 000 copies during its first week . The first week 's sales were lower than those for Evanescence 's previous album , The Open Door , which sold more than 447 @,@ 000 copies in its first week . The album fell to fourth place the following week , selling over 40 @,@ 000 copies . Evanescence also topped the Digital Albums , Top Rock Albums , Alternative Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts in the U.S. , and was 2011 's 141st @-@ bestselling album in that country . As of August 2012 , Evanescence had sold 421 @,@ 000 copies in the U.S. The album sold more than 2 @,@ 000 copies on its first day of sales in the United Kingdom and debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart , selling 26 @,@ 221 copies in its first week . It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry on August 22 , 2014 , for shipments of over 100 @,@ 000 copies . Evanescence was certified gold in Australia in 2012 , for shipments of over 35 @,@ 000 copies . By January 12 , 2012 , the album sold over 40 @,@ 000 copies in Canada and was certified gold by Music Canada . = = Track listing = = All songs produced by Nick Raskulinecz . = = Credits and personnel = = Credits are taken from Allmusic and the album 's liner notes . = = Charts and certifications = = = = Release history = =
= Grey 's Anatomy ( season 4 ) = The fourth season of the American television medical drama Grey 's Anatomy , commenced airing in the United States on September 27 , 2007 and concluded on May 22 , 2008 . The season continues the story of a group of surgeons and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital , describing their professional lives and the way they affect the personal background of each character . Season four had twelve series regulars with ten of them returning from the previous season , out of which eight are part of the original cast from the first season . The season aired in the Thursday night timeslot at 9 : 00 EST . In addition to the regular seventeen episodes , a clip @-@ show narrated by the editors of People recapped previous events of the show and made the transition from Grey 's Anatomy to Private Practice , a spin @-@ off focusing of Dr. Addison Montgomery and aired on September 19 , 2007 , before the season premiere . The season was officially released on DVD as a five @-@ disc boxset under the title of Grey 's Anatomy : Season Four – Expanded on September 9 , 2008 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment . For the first time in the show 's history , many cast changes occur , seeing the first departure of two main cast members . The season received mixed response from critics and fans , resulting in several awards and nominations for the cast members and the production team . Show creator Shonda Rhimes heavily contributed to the production of the season , writing five out of the seventeen episodes . The highest @-@ rated episode was the season premiere , which was watched by 20 @.@ 93 million viewers . The season was interrupted by the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike , which resulted in the production of only seventeen episodes , instead of twenty @-@ three originally planned . = = Production = = This is the first season to be produced by ABC Studios under its current name , after the transition from Touchstone Television in May 2007 . It was also produced by ShondaLand Production Company , and The Mark Gordon Company , whereas Buena Vista International , Inc. distributed it . The executive producers were creator and show runner Shonda Rhimes , Betsy Beers , Mark Gordon , Krista Vernoff , Rob Corn , Mark Wilding , Joan Rater , and James D. Parriott , all part of the production team since the series ' inception . The regular directors were Rob Corn and Jessica Yu . Producer Shonda Rhimes wrote five of the seventeen episodes , two of which were along with fellow producer Krista Vernoff . Unlike the other seasons , except from the first one , which aired mid @-@ season , the fourth season of Grey 's Anatomy had a reduced number of episodes , due to the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike , which caused the production to cease from February to April , leaving the show with no writing staff during that time . Since the show had only produced ten episodes before the winter @-@ holiday hiatus , and aired another one after the break ended , the show decided to complete the season with six new episodes , and returned on April 24 , 2008 . Only seventeen episodes were produced out of the twenty @-@ three originally conceived for the season . After Kate Walsh 's transition the Grey 's Anatomy spin @-@ off , Private Practice , her character left the show after a two @-@ year run . On June 7 , 2007 , it was announced that Isaiah Washington 's contract had not been renewed . Former Reunion star , Chyler Leigh , guest starred in the final two episodes of season three as Lexie Grey , a new intern and Meredith Grey ’ s younger half @-@ sister . On June 11 , 2007 , it was announced that Leigh would become a series regular , instead of a 13 episode story arc as previously planned . The character Dr. Erica Hahn , portrayed by Brooke Smith joined the main cast , reprising her antagonizing role in the season 's fifth episode . She replaces Preston Burke as head of Cardiothoracics . Upon her return , she makes Sandra Oh 's character , Cristina Yang work harder for her success in Cardiothoracics and initially served as a new love interest for Eric Dane 's Mark Sloan . Even though a new male character was originally thought to be introduced as a rival for Dr. Derek Shepherd , the change didn 't occur . Former Dawson 's Creek star Joshua Jackson was scheduled to make his return to television in a multi @-@ episode arc as a doctor with his first appearance in the season 's eleventh episode . Jackson 's appearance was cancelled due to the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike , and the storyline of the character he was supposed to play has never been aired on the show . = = Cast = = The fourth season had twelve roles receiving star billing , with ten of them returning from the previous season , eight of whom are part of the original cast from the first one . All the actors who are billed as series regulars portray physicians from the surgical wing of the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital . The majority of the show 's episodes are narrated by Ellen Pompeo , who portrayed protagonist Dr. Meredith Grey , a surgical resident whose storylines are the series ' focal points . Sandra Oh acted as Meredith 's best friend , highly competitive resident Dr. Cristina Yang . Fellow resident Dr. Isobel " Izzie " Stevens was portrayed by Katherine Heigl , while Dr. Alexander " Alex " Karev was played by Justin Chambers . T.R. Knight acted as insecure resident with self @-@ confidence issues , Dr. George O 'Malley , whereas Chandra Wilson portrayed Chief Resident and general surgeon Dr. Miranda Bailey , former mentor of the five residents during their internship . James Pickens , Jr. portrayed attending physician and general surgeon Dr. Richard Webber , who continues his position as Chief of Surgery , despite his former wishes of retirement . Orthopedic surgeon and fifth @-@ year resident Dr. Calliope " Callie " Torres , who was portrayed by Sara Ramirez , has to face her husband 's unfaithfulness and her unexpected bisexuality . Attending plastic surgeon , Dr. Mark Sloan was portrayed by Eric Dane , who is constantly seeking reconciliation with former best friend , attending physician and Chief of Neurosurgery Dr. Derek Shepherd ( Patrick Dempsey ) , whose lasting relationship with Meredith Grey faces difficulties . Former Reunion star Chyler Leigh was promoted to series regular status , after short appearances in the final two episodes of the third season , portraying Meredith 's half @-@ sister Lexie Grey , who opts for a surgical internship at Seattle Grace Hospital against Massachusetts General Hospital , after her mother 's sudden death . Silence of the Lambs star , Brooke Smith was upgraded to series regular status after multiple guest appearances in the second and third seasons . An antagonizing character at first , she replaces Preston Burke as the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery , constantly displaying disrespect for Cristina 's previous relationship with him . Numerous supporting characters have been given recurring appearances in the progressive storyline , including former Gilmore Girls actor Edward Herrmann who appeared in three episodes . Seth Green of Buffy the Vampire Slayer guest starred in two episodes , whereas Lauren Stamile portrayed nurse Rose , a love interest for Derek . Former regular Kate Walsh appeared for the first time since her departure on May 1 , 2008 receiving a special guest star billing in the role of Addison Montgomery , now the main character of the spin @-@ off Private Practice . Jeff Perry , Loretta Devine and Debra Monk reprised their roles as Thatcher Grey , Adele Webber and Louise O 'Malley , respectively . Diahann Carroll and Elizabeth Reaser continued their season three @-@ introduced roles as Jane Burke and Rebecca Pope , respectively . In October 2006 , news reports surfaced that Washington had insulted co @-@ star T.R. Knight with a homophobic slur during an argument with Patrick Dempsey . Shortly after the details of the argument became public , Knight publicly disclosed that he was gay . The situation seemed somewhat resolved when Washington issued a statement , apologizing for his " unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on @-@ set . " The controversy later resurfaced when the cast appeared at the Golden Globes in January 2007 . While being interviewed on the red carpet prior to the awards , Washington joked , " I love gay . I wanted to be gay . Please let me be gay . " After the show won Best Drama , Washington , in response to press queries as to any conflicts backstage , said , " I never called T.R. a faggot . " However , in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show , Knight said that " everybody heard him . " After being rebuked by his studio , Touchstone Television , Washington issued a statement apologizing for repeating the word on the Golden Globes carpet . On January 30 , 2007 , a source told People magazine that Washington was scheduled to return to the Grey 's Anatomy set as early on that Thursday for the first time since entering " executive counseling " after making the comments at the Golden Globes . However , on June 7 , 2007 , ABC announced it had decided not to renew Washington 's contract , and that he would be dropped from the show . " I 'm mad as hell and I 'm not going to take it anymore , " Washington said in a statement released by his publicist , borrowing the famous line from Network . In another report , Washington stated he was planning to " spend the summer pursuing charity work in Sierra Leone , work on an independent film and avoid worrying about the show . " In a subsequent interview , Washington claimed that " they fired the wrong guy " , referring to Knight , and said he was considering filing a lawsuit as a result . He accused Knight of using the controversy to bolster his own career and increase his salary on Grey 's Anatomy . Washington , in late June 2007 , began asserting that racism within the media was a factor in his firing from the series . On July 2 , 2007 , Washington appeared on Larry King Live on CNN , to present his side of the controversy . According to Washington , he never used the " F Word " in reference to Knight , but rather blurted it out in an unrelated context in the course of an argument " provoked " by Dempsey , who , he felt , was treating him like a " B @-@ word , " a " P @-@ word , " and the " F @-@ word , " which Washington said conveyed " somebody who is being weak and afraid to fight back . " Washington himself said that his dismissal from Grey 's Anatomy was an unfortunate misunderstanding that he was eager to move past . He later stated that if he were to be asked to make a cameo appearance on the show , he would not hesitate to say " yes " . Washington 's image was used in advertisements for the May 9 , 2008 episode " The Becoming " . After this aired , Washington 's attorney Peter Nelson contacted ABC and Screen Actors Guild and cited this as an unlawful use of his client 's image . His publicist , Howard Bragman , told The Hollywood Reporter that " they have the rights of the character to advance the story , but not the image " and stated he expected this to result in a " financial settlement " , but it is still uncertain whether this ultimately happened . = = Reception = = Debbie Chang of BuddyTV.com expressed disappointment in the shows ' development throughout the season , by stating it was " all about couples , jumping in and out of relationships , trying their darnedest to have hot sex on the cramped , twin @-@ sized bunk @-@ beds in the on @-@ call room " . Chang also noted the little screen time of characters Mark Sloan and Richard Webber , and the lack of romantic development in their storylines . Many critics negatively reviewed Izzie Stevens 's development in the show 's fourth season , particularly her affair with George . Katherine Heigl herself deemed their relationship " a ratings ploy " . Heigl explained : " They really hurt somebody , and they didn ’ t seem to be taking a lot of responsibility for it . I have a really hard time with that kind of thing . I ’ m maybe a little too black and white about it . I don ’ t really know Izzie very well right now . She ’ s changed a lot . " Laura Burrows of IGN stated the series became " a little more than mediocre , but less than fantastic " in its fourth season . She also said that " this season proved that even strong chemistry and good acting cannot save a show that suffers from the inevitable recycled plot . " However , the episode " Physical Attraction , Chemical Reaction " received a positive review , with Burrows stating that it " fully encompassed all the things that make this show great : intense emotional drama and macabre OR activities " . The Derek / Rose relationship received negative reviews , with Burrows stating that it was " emotional , but not remarkable " . Jack Florey of IndieLondon reviewed the characters , stating that their behaviour is the show 's biggest problem : " the self @-@ absorbed , pretentious and frequently selfish attitudes that drive the surgeons at the centre of Grey ’ s exasperate more than reward . " As for the storylines , Foley stated that they didn 't " ring true " and that " the plot devices became increasingly clunky " , noting the lack of realism in arcs such as George and Callie 's marriage and the Izzie 's affair " as a means of ripping it apart " . Florrey also commented on Meredith Grey 's arc , by stating that she turned into " one of the most selfish , self @-@ centered characters on television " , whereas Mark Sloan 's storyline was named " sex @-@ obsessed , borderline misogynistic and close to scandalous " . Daniel Fienberg of Zap2It said " One of the season 's best performances came from Emmy @-@ nominated guest star Elizabeth Reaser . " Pajiba TV reviewed Reaser 's performance by stating that it " has been one of the only good things that show 's had going for it anymore . " Entertainment Weekly called Reaser 's performance as Ava the sixth most memorable patient performance on the show . About.com stated that Alex Karev developed into " a bold and overly confident surgeon " . Several actors and members of the production team have been awarded for their work on the show during the season . At the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 21 , 2008 , Sandra Oh was nominated for her performance as Cristina Yang in the episode " The Becoming " , whereas Chandra Wilson received a nomination for her portrayal of Miranda Bailey in " Lay Your Hands on Me " , both for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series . Katherine Heigl who portrayed Izzie Stevens declined to put her name forward for consideration at the Emmy Awards , claiming that she had been given insufficient material on the series to warrant a nomination . Diahann Carroll was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Jane Burke in " Love / Addiction " . The make @-@ up team , consisting of Norman T. Leavitt , Brigitte Bugayong , Thomas R. Burman and Bari Dreiband @-@ Burman , was nominated for both Best Prosthetic Make @-@ Up in " Forever Young " and Best Non @-@ Prosthetic Make @-@ Up in " Crash Into Me " . Sara Ramirez 's portrayal of Callie Torres was positively reviewed , resulting in her receiving a nomination at the 2008 American Latino Media Arts Awards . At the 65th Golden Globe Awards in January 13 , 2008 , the series was nominated for Best Drama Television Series , whereas Katherine Heigl 's individual performance resulted in a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series . At the 40th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Image Awards , Chandra Wilson won Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series , where Shonda Rhimes was awarded at the Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series category , for " Freedom " . James Pickens , Jr. also received a nomination for his performance as Richard Webber at the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category . At the 2008 Prism Awards , Justin Chambers was nominated for Performance in a Drama Series Episode , whereas Elizabeth Reaser received a nomination for Performance in a Drama Multi @-@ Episode Storyline . At the Teen Choice Awards in 2008 , Patrick Dempsey and Katherine Heigl were nominated for Choice Television Actor and Actress . The season was the second to air in the Thursday night time slot , at 9 : 00 ET , after it was moved at the beginning of the third season , following two seasons in the Sunday night timeslot , as a lead @-@ out to Desperate Housewives , which aired at 9 : 00 ET for its entire run . The season aired as a lead @-@ out to Ugly Betty , then in its second season , which aired on Thursday nights at 8 : 00 ET . Grey 's Anatomy averaged 15 @.@ 92 million viewers in its fourth season , ranking tenth in viewership . The highest @-@ rated episode of the season was the season premiere , with 20 @.@ 93 million viewers tuning in and a 7 @.@ 3 rating , ranking the third for the week . The episode showed a decrease in ratings compared to the previous season premiere , which had almost five more million viewers tuning in and a 9 @.@ 0 rating . The season premiere also attracted less viewers than the previous season finale , which was watched by 22 @.@ 57 million viewers , and received an 8 @.@ 0 rating Although " A Change is Gonna Come " attracted more viewers than Desperate Housewives 's " Now You Know " , which was watched by 19 @.@ 32 million viewers , received a 6 @.@ 7 rating and ranked fourth in the week , the episode was outperformed by CSI : Crime Scene Investigation 's " Dead Doll " , which aired in the same hour and ranked first in the week , with 25 @.@ 22 million viewers tuning in and an 8 @.@ 8 rating . The lowest @-@ rated episode was the ninth , watched by 14 @.@ 11 million viewers and ranked fourteenth in the week , with a 4 @.@ 9 rating , seeing a sudden decrease , after the previous episode , the second most @-@ watched in the season , which attracted 19 @.@ 61 million viewers and received a 6 @.@ 8 rating . " Crash Into Me : Part 1 " was outperformed in the time slot by CSI : Crime Scene Investigation 's " You Kill Me " , the Thanksgiving special episode which attracted 14 @.@ 75 million viewers and received a 5 @.@ 2 rating , ranking eleventh in the week . The season finale was watched by 18 @.@ 09 million viewers , being the first season finale of Grey 's Anatomy to attract less than 20 million viewers . It was ranked fifth in the week , and received a 6 @.@ 3 rating . There was a significant decrease in the number of viewers , compared to the previous season finale , which attracted almost four more million viewers and received an 8 @.@ 0 rating . = = Episodes = = The number in the " No. in series " column refers to the episode 's number within the overall series , whereas the number in the " No. in season " column refers to the episode 's number within this particular season . " U.S. viewers in millions " refers to the number of Americans in millions who watched the episodes live . The fourth season 's episodes are altogether 740 minutes in length . = = DVD Release = = The fourth season was officially released on DVD in region 1 on September 9 , 2008 , almost three weeks before the fifth season premiere , which aired on September 25 , 2008 . Under the title Grey 's Anatomy : Season Four – Expanded , the box set consists of episodes with Dolby Digital 5 @.@ 1 surround sound and widescreen format . It also contained extras available only on DVD , including extended episodes , interviews with cast and crew members , footage from behind the scenes and unaired scenes cut from the aired episodes . The same set was released in region 4 on November 5 , 2009 , after more than a year after its original release in the United States , whereas its first release date in region 2 was November 23 , 2009 . The DVD box set is currently no . 1074 in Movies and Television on Amazon.com and no . 1927 in Film and Television on Amazon.co.uk. The season was also released as a five @-@ disc Blu @-@ ray box set in regions A and B. The Blu @-@ ray release proved unsuccessful and is currently no . 39614 in Movies and Television on Amazon.com
= Romualdas Marcinkus = Romualdas Marcinkus ( 22 July 1907 – 29 March 1944 ) was a Lithuanian pilot . Marcinkus participated in an early trans @-@ European flight on 25 June 1934 , and was the only Lithuanian pilot to serve in the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) during the Second World War . In his youth Marcinkus was a Lithuanian multifold football champion and a playing coach for the Lithuania national football team . While serving in the Lithuanian Air Force , Marcinkus was a paratrooper instructor , and headed the aviation sport and physical education department , and during his later years coached a junior football team . A few months before the Soviet occupation of Lithuania early in the Second World War , Marcinkus left Lithuania and enlisted in the French Air Force . After the Battle of France and the French capitulation , Marcinkus escaped to Britain , where he flew for the RAF . As a pilot for No. 1 Squadron RAF , he took part in various missions , including escorting bombers and night combat . On 12 February 1942 , during Operation Cerberus , he was shot down , became a prisoner of war , and was sent to Stalag Luft III . At Stalag Luft III Marcinkus became an active member of an underground group of prisoners who organized and executed the Great Escape . Marcinkus was responsible for analyzing the German railway schedules – a vital part of the plan . On the night of 25 March 1944 , Marcinkus became one of 76 servicemen who escaped the prison camp . After several days he was recaptured by the Gestapo and executed . At the end of the Second World War , Lithuania lost its independence and Marcinkus was largely forgotten . His memory was kept alive by the Lithuanian émigré press . After Lithuania regained its independence in 1990 , more detailed accounts of his life were published there and abroad . = = Early life = = Marcinkus was born on 22 July 1907 in the provincial Lithuanian town of Jurbarkas . At the time Jurbarkas , as well of the rest of Lithuania , was part of the Russian Empire . Romualdas ' father , Pranas Marcinkus , served as a policeman in Jurbarkas , Tauragė , and Rumšiškės . His mother , Honorata Kroazė @-@ Marcinkienė , came from an urban family of French origins . Marcinkus ' cousin , Vanda Kroazė @-@ Šestakauskienė , stated that the Kroazė family 's origins in Lithuania began with a Frenchman named Courvoisier , who came to Lithuania with Napoleon 's army during the French invasion of Russia in the 19th century and married a local Lithuanian woman . Romaualdas was the eldest of five children in the family . After his younger brother died during childhood he became the family 's only son . Following the First World War , Lithuania successfully re @-@ established its independence and the first gymnasium in Jurbarkas was established . Soon afterwords , Marcinkus attended the institution , and became passionate about sports , especially football . Romualdas , or Romas as his friends called him , played football for the local team . Marcinkus was known for his stamina and discipline among his peers . = = In Lithuanian army service = = At age 17 , Marcinkus moved from Jurbarkas to Kaunas , the temporary capital of Lithuania . In Kaunas , he attended the Higher German School . After graduating from the German School , he enrolled at the Kaunas Military School , intending to enlist in the Lithuanian army . During this time the Lithuanian army was expanding and modernizing . The Lithuanian Air Force was especially targeted for rapid development and service in this branch was prestigious . Some of its earlier members such as Jurgis Dobkevičius and Antanas Gustaitis were instrumental in improving on aeronautical designs . While at the military school Marcinkus played for the KSK ( Kauno sporto klubas ) football club . After his father 's death in 1927 , Marcinkus took on the responsibility of supporting his remaining family , he also began playing football for LFLS Kaunas . The aviator Steponas Darius , with associates , had established the Lietuvos Fizinio Lavinimo Sąjunga , which soon became one of the leading football clubs in Lithuania . Marcinkus joined the club and won a national championship during his first season . On 27 July 1927 , Marcinkus played for Lithuania in an international match . Although they lost , Marcinkus managed to score his first goal in an international game . The Lithuanian team 's coach predicted a bright future for Marcinkus in football . At that time football was among the most popular sports in Kaunas . In 1928 Marcinkus graduated from the Kaunas Military School and received a commission as an infantry second lieutenant . From 1930 until 1932 he attended the Vytautas the Great Military Institute 's aviation department and became a military pilot . While pursuing his military career , Marcinkus did not abandon his passion for football . He became a Lithuanian football champion three times . His team won the cup for the Baltic states ' championship twice , and he played over forty games for the national team . Eventually , Marcinkus became a coach for the national team . He also wrote several articles about football and ethics in sports . His many successes made him a celebrity in his home county . He is considered one of the best Lithuanian players of that time . In 1933 , Marcinkus advanced to the rank of lieutenant , which was conferred by Lithuanian President , Antanas Smetona . In the same year he married Aleksandra Lingytė . Lingytė was also a prominent Lithuanian sportswoman ; she won several basketball championships for Lithuania . Around the same time , inspired by Klemensas Martinkus , Marcinkus became a paratrooper instructor . Soon he became a parachuting master in the air force and participated in various air shows . In 1934 Marcinkus was transferred to the air reconnaissance department , there he started improving his expertise in independent flying , mapping , photography , and weapon systems . 1934 proved to be a challenging year for Marcinkus . Antanas Gustaitis , a prominent Lithuanian aircraft constructor and commander of Lithuanian Military Aviation , invited Marcinkus to participate in a trans @-@ European flight , along with Jonas Liorentas , Juozas Namikas , Jonas Mikėnas , and Kazys Rimkevičius . After detailed planning and preparation , the trans @-@ European flight was begun in the same year . During the 25 days of their flight , the pilots flew three of Gustaitis ' designed aircraft , the ANBO IVs , over 10 @,@ 000 kilometers and visited 12 European capitals . The Lithuanian pilots were warmly welcomed in the countries they visited . They were received by the British Royal Family and the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini . Upon his return , Marcinkus was promoted to the rank of captain and decorated with the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Knight 's Cross . He was also named head of the aviation physical education department . He went on to establish a junior football team and teach German . His superiors noted that Marcinkus seemed more interested in sports than in his military duties at that time . His sporting career ended in 1938 , however , when he injured a knee and was forced to abandon football . Despite the fact that he was decorated with steel wings ( plieno sparnai ) , the highest award in Lithuanian military aviation , the following year proved very trying on a personal level . He was burdened with debts and underwent a nervous breakdown . His military career was interrupted by a scandal and he was transferred to the reserves . While the Winter War was gathering momentum , Marcinkus argued for supporting Finland , but Lithuania remained neutral during the conflict . Nevertheless , some Lithuanians left to fight alongside the Finns . In 1940 Marcinkus also left Lithuania , apparently intending to help Finland , although the war had ended by the time he arrived . Soon afterwards he traveled to France , then at war with Germany . = = In French army service = = Marcinkus arrived in France in mid @-@ March 1940 and immediately requested acceptance into the French Air Force . Bureaucratic delays hindered his enlistment . By the time these hurdles were cleared , the Battle for France was rapidly drawing to a close . It is possible , however , that Marcinkus succeeded in shooting down several German military planes during his short career in the French air force . After France surrendered , Marcinkus managed to make his way to the French colonies in Africa ( Morocco and Algeria ) . He decided to go to Great Britain and continue fighting , but the French army 's terms of armistice at Compiègne and tensions between Britain and France made this difficult . On 12 August 1940 he was finally demobilized from the French army . Marcinkus and some of his associates concocted a daring plan to commandeer several aircraft without authorization and fly to England . The plan was not executed due to increased security at airfields and other circumstances . He finally received the necessary documents enabling him to go to Britain in autumn of 1940 . = = In British service = = In October 1940 , Marcinkus reached Liverpool , and from there travelled on to London . On 24 December of the same year , Marcinkus became a pilot in the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) . To achieve that , he changed some of his personal data ; he stated that he was three years younger , otherwise he would have been too old for service in the RAF . At that time , his homeland Lithuania had already lost its independence , and the Lithuanian air force was rapidly liquidated by its occupiers . Throughout the years , Maricinkus maintained close contacts with the Lithuanian attaché in Britain in order to receive news about Lithuania and his family . On 1 January 1941 , Marcinkus was transferred to a training base . He demonstrated his flying skills , hoping to fly the British Hurricane fighter aircraft . He was successful and was transferred to No. 1 Squadron RAF . Marcinkus became the only Lithuanian pilot to fly for the RAF during the Second World War . Marcinkus wrote in his letter about the new challenges lying ahead : I was transferred to the night fighters – at that time the most dangerous kind of military aviation . But I like danger – I faced danger during my entire life , in flying , sports , and personal life . With this I am satisfied , but ... I am lacking warmth and the comfort of my personal life in this country of " cold slob weather and so called correctness " . In one of the Marcinkus 's letters to the Lithuanian envoy , Bronius Balutis , he notes that he shot down his first German bomber , a Dornier Do 17 in March . Marcinkus also wrote that he was gathering skills and knowledge in order to make a contribution towards liberating Lithuania and restoring its independence . In the RAF , Marcinkus carried out multiple tasks , including various training missions , night combat and bomber escort . In June , Marcinkus and his squadron members engaged in prolonged air combat with the Luftwaffe . As later reports confirm , the Germans lost four Me 109 fighter aircraft , one of which was shot down by Marcinkus . The original report submitted by Marcinkus claiming one Me 109 shot down on 21 June 1941 is held in The National Archives ; he states that he fired two short bursts from his guns from 100 yards behind the German . Sergeant Blasil , also of 1 Squadron , witnessed the plane break up in the air . On the allied side , one American pilot was missing . The last mission Marcinkus carried out as a RAF pilot was on 12 February 1942 . On 11 February 1942 , a German operation codenamed " Cerberus " had commenced , in which a German Kriegsmarine squadron consisting of Scharnhorst , Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen , supported by a number of smaller ships , attempted to sail to their home bases via the English Channel . Six fighters from No. 1 Squadron were tasked with intercepting German ships and attacking German torpedo boats . Marcinkus was among the pilots . On 12 February , while attacking the Scharnhorst , his plane was shot down by anti @-@ aircraft fire and crashed into the sea . Romualdas Marcinkus suffered a spinal fracture and was rescued by Germans , subsequently becoming a prisoner of war . During the course of the battle , the British lost approximately forty planes and failed to prevent the German fleet from returning to Kiel and Wilhelmshaven . = = The Great Escape = = Marcinkus was sent to Stalag Luft III , a prisoner @-@ of @-@ war camp near Sagan that housed captured air force servicemen during the Second World War . The camp was restructured several times in order to accommodate more POWs . It would eventually hold over 10 @,@ 000 inmates . Marcinkus was the only known Lithuanian at the camp . Squadron Leader Roger Bushell selected inmates and began planning an escape , at first focused on digging a tunnel . Already experienced from earlier escapes , Bushell became the nominal leader of this endeavour . The group expanded and accepted Marcinkus into their ranks — his fluent command of several languages , most importantly German , was seen as valuable . The prisoners delegated various tasks amongst themselves in order to better implement their escape . Marcinkus began working on creating forged documents that would aid the escapees once they were out of the confines of the Stalag . He also contributed his intelligence to analyses of the Baltic and Low Countries . His extensive knowledge of Germany 's military and transport positions led to his nickname as " Know @-@ it @-@ All . " He analyzed German news reports , but his most important contribution was his compilation of the German railway schedules , an essential part of the escape plan . Bertram James remembered Marcinkus ' contribution to the escape operation : While I didn 't know Marcinkus directly , but I remember him very well . I remember him as friendly guy , having a good character , he also had a phenomenal memory . He was especially good at memorizing numbers , dates , and after analyzing a pile of information , he made a precise compilation of the Reich 's railway schedules . These schedules were used by men , who during the Great Escape traveled by train , including me ... He was fluent in German , perhaps this allowed him to bribe or negotiate with German officials in order to get needed information , but I know for sure , that Marcinkus ' analyzed vast amounts of information and became very useful during the Great Escape . During March 1944 , final preparations for the escape gathered momentum . In its original form about 200 prisoners were to escape . As cover stories , they were to pose as foreign workers from a number of countries . According to the plan , Marcinkus needed to be among the first escapees . He was selected to lead a group of four prisoners posing as Lithuanian workers traveling back to Lithuania . The group 's prospects hinged on the hope that the Germans encountered on the way would not speak or understand Lithuanian , as Marcinkus was the only member fluent in that language . On the night of 25 March , the prisoners enacted their plan . Serious problems arose immediately . The tunnel hatch proved difficult to open and the tunnel exit was several metres short of the relatively safe forested area . These problems led to delays and only 76 POWs managed to make their break for freedom . As originally intended , Marcinkus was one of the first ten to escape . Marcinkus and the three prisoners in his group posing as Lithuanians – Tim Walenn , Henri Picard and Gordon Brettell – managed to reach a train heading towards Danzig ( now Gdansk , Poland ) . Most likely , they intended to travel to East Prussia , cross the Lithuanian border , and somehow cross the Baltic Sea to neutral Sweden . However , officials at the Stalag had discovered the escape and began manhunts . Marcinkus and his group travelled further than most of the escapees , but were captured by the Gestapo near Schneidemühl on 26 March . Marcinkus and his associates were brought to Stalag XXB and spent the night there . On the following day they were handed over to the Danzig Gestapo . = = Death = = Officers of the Danzig Gestapo took Marcinkus to a forest near Pruśce and executed him . On 29 March his body was cremated in Danzig 's Gestapo crematorium . The executions of the fifty recaptured servicemen were sanctioned by Adolf Hitler . Only three escapees managed to reach their final destinations . The Gestapo claimed that the recaptured servicemen were shot after resisting arrest and while attempting to escape again . By the time of his death Marcinkus held the rank of flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve . = = Commemoration = = Details of the Great Escape executions reached the British Government . Its Foreign Secretary , Anthony Eden , then delivered this speech to the House of Commons : His Majesty 's Government must , therefore , record their solemn protest against these cold @-@ blooded acts of butchery . They will never cease in their efforts to collect the evidence to identify all those responsible . They are firmly resolved that these foul criminals shall be tracked down to the last man wherever they may take refuge . When the war is over they will be brought to exemplary justice . The remaining inmates at Stalag Luft III erected a memorial to their fifty executed comrades at the end of 1944 . Following the war , the Allies launched an investigation into the escaped prisoners ' executions and named seventy @-@ two individuals as responsible . Marcinkus ' killer was convicted in 1948 . In the same year Marcinkus ' burial place was identified and an urn containing his ashes was transferred to the British section of the Old Garrison Cemetery in Poznań , his grave is marked by a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone . Marcinkus was posthumously mentioned in despatches in the 1944 King 's Birthday Honours , he also received the 1939 – 45 Star , the Air Crew Europe Star , and the War Medal 1939 – 1945 . British authorities attempted to contact his relatives in Lithuania , but Lithuania — as a Soviet Socialist Republic — was behind the Iron Curtain , and they were advised to stop these attempts since his relatives might suffer negative consequences . At the time Soviet authorities saw those people who maintained contacts with the West as untrustworthy . Marcinkus was seldom mentioned during the Cold War and his pre @-@ war biography was only reprinted in the Lithuanian émigré press , particularly in the US During the 1950s articles about Marcinkus began to appear in these newspapers , including Karys , Vienas iš daugelio ( 1950 ) , Paskutinis žuvusiojo lakūno atvirukas ( 1955 ) , and Kapitono Marcinkaus mirtis nelaisvėje ( 1956 ) . The first significant publication discussing Marcinkus in Soviet Lithuania appeared in a 1967 issue of the journal Švytūrys . Thereinafter Marcinkus 's life was more frequently mentioned , although much of the information presented was inaccurate and incomplete . After Lithuania successfully re @-@ established its independence , interest in his story gained momentum in Lithuania and elsewhere . In Jurbarkas , a street was named after him . The Lithuanian Air Force now sponsors the Marcinkus Pistol Marksmanship Cup . In 2001 the British Ambassador in Vilnius gave Marcinkus ' previously unclaimed war medals to a surviving relative , his nephew , Alvydas Gabėnas , during a commemorative ceremony . The RAF provided a fly @-@ past of Harrier jets from Marcinkus ' No. 1 Squadron RAF , in which one aircraft saluted the ceremony . In the same year a plaque was dedicated to honour the famous Lithuanian pilot in Kaunas . Gražina Sviderskytė , a CNN award @-@ winning journalist , wrote a detailed account of Marcinkus ' life in her book Uragano kapitonas ( " Hurricane Captain " ) , which was published in 2004 . A documentary film with the same title was produced in 2004 . Marcinkus ' life story was reprinted in various foreign publications in the USA , Canada , and Japan .
= Mount Hood = Mount Hood , called Wy 'east by the Multnomah tribe , is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon . It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States . It is located about 50 miles ( 80 km ) east @-@ southeast of Portland , on the border between Clackamas and Hood River counties . In addition to being Oregon 's highest mountain , it is one of the loftiest mountains in the nation based on its prominence . The height assigned to Mount Hood 's snow @-@ covered peak has varied over its history . Modern sources point to three different heights : 11 @,@ 249 feet ( 3 @,@ 429 m ) , a 1991 adjustment of a 1986 measurement by the U.S. National Geodetic Survey ( NGS ) , 11 @,@ 240 feet ( 3 @,@ 426 m ) based on a 1993 scientific expedition , and 11 @,@ 239 feet ( 3 @,@ 426 m ) of slightly older origin . The peak is home to 12 named glaciers and snowfields . It is the highest point in Oregon and the fourth highest in the Cascade Range . Mount Hood is considered the Oregon volcano most likely to erupt , though based on its history , an explosive eruption is unlikely . Still , the odds of an eruption in the next 30 years are estimated at between 3 and 7 percent , so the U.S. Geological Survey ( USGS ) characterizes it as " potentially active " , but the mountain is informally considered dormant . = = Establishments = = Timberline Lodge is a National Historic Landmark located on the southern flank of Mount Hood just below Palmer Glacier , with an elevation of about 6 @,@ 000 feet ( 1 @,@ 800 m ) . The mountain has six ski areas : Timberline , Mount Hood Meadows , Ski Bowl , Cooper Spur , Snow Bunny , and Summit . They total over 4 @,@ 600 acres ( 7 @.@ 2 sq mi ; 19 km2 ) of skiable terrain ; Timberline offers the only year @-@ round lift @-@ served skiing in North America . Mount Hood is within the Mount Hood National Forest , which comprises 1 @,@ 067 @,@ 043 acres ( 1 @,@ 667 sq mi ; 4 @,@ 318 km2 ) of land — including four designated wilderness areas that total 314 @,@ 078 acres ( 491 sq mi ; 1 @,@ 271 km2 ) — and more than 1 @,@ 200 miles ( 1 @,@ 900 km ) of hiking trails . The most northwestern pass around the mountain is called Lolo Pass . Native Americans crossed the pass while traveling between the Willamette Valley and Celilo Falls . = = Name = = The Multnomah name for Mount Hood was Wy 'east . In one version of the legend , the two sons of the Great Spirit Sahale fell in love with the beautiful maiden Loowit , who could not decide which to choose . The two braves , Wy 'east and Klickitat , burned forests and villages in their battle over her . Sahale became enraged and smote the three lovers . Seeing what he had done , he erected three mountain peaks to mark where each fell . He made beautiful Mount St. Helens for Loowit , proud and erect Mount Hood for Wy 'east , and the somber Mount Adams for the mourning Klickitat . There are other versions of the legend . In another telling , Wy 'east ( Hood ) battles Pahto ( Adams ) for the fair La @-@ wa @-@ la @-@ clough ( St. Helens ) . Or again Wy 'east , the chief of the Multnomah tribe , competed with the chief of the Klickitat tribe . Their great anger led to their transformation into volcanoes . Their battle is said to have destroyed the Bridge of the Gods and thus created the great Cascades Rapids of the Columbia River . The mountain was given its present name on October 29 , 1792 , by Lt. William Broughton , a member of Captain George Vancouver 's discovery expedition . Lt. Broughton observed its peak while at Belle Vue Point of what is now called Sauvie Island during his travels up the Columbia River , writing , " A very high , snowy mountain now appeared rising beautifully conspicuous in the midst of an extensive tract of low or moderately elevated land [ location of today 's Vancouver , Washington ] lying S 67 E. , and seemed to announce a termination to the river . " Lt. Broughton named the mountain after Lord ( Samuel ) Hood , a British Admiral at the Battle of the Chesapeake . Lewis and Clark spotted the mountain on October 18 , 1805 . A few days later at what would become The Dalles , Clark wrote , " The pinnacle of the round topped mountain , which we saw a short distance below the banks of the river , is South 43 @-@ degrees West of us and about 37 miles ( 60 km ) . It is at this time topped with snow . We called this the Falls Mountain , or Timm Mountain . " Timm was the native name for Celilo Falls . Clark later noted that it was also Vancouver 's Mount Hood . Two French explorers from the Hudson 's Bay Company may have traveled into the Dog River area east of Mount Hood in 1818 . They reported climbing to a glacier on " Montagne de Neige " ( Mountain of Snow ) , probably Eliot Glacier . = = = Ships = = = There have been two United States Navy ammunition ships named for Mount Hood , despite the mountain 's namesake having been an enemy commander . USS Mount Hood ( AE @-@ 11 ) was commissioned in July 1944 and was destroyed in November 1944 while at anchor in Manus Naval Base , Admiralty Islands . Her explosive cargo ignited , resulting in 45 confirmed dead , 327 missing and 371 injured . A second ammunition ship , AE @-@ 29 , was commissioned in May 1971 and decommissioned in August 1999 . = = Volcanic activity = = The glacially eroded summit area consists of several andesitic or dacitic lava domes ; Pleistocene collapses produced avalanches and lahars ( rapidly moving mudflows ) that traveled across the Columbia River to the north . The eroded volcano has had at least four major eruptive periods during the past 15 @,@ 000 years . The last three eruptions at Mount Hood occurred within the past 1 @,@ 800 years from vents high on the southwest flank and produced deposits that were distributed primarily to the south and west along the Sandy and Zigzag rivers . The last eruptive period took place around 220 to 170 years ago , when dacitic lava domes , pyroclastic flows and mudflows were produced without major explosive eruptions . The prominent Crater Rock just below the summit is hypothesized to be the remains of one of these now @-@ eroded domes . This period includes the last major eruption of 1781 to 1782 with a slightly more recent episode ending shortly before the arrival of Lewis and Clark in 1805 . The latest minor eruptive event occurred in August 1907 . The glaciers on the mountain 's upper slopes may be a source of potentially dangerous lahars when the mountain next erupts . There are vents near the summit that are known for emitting gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide . Prior to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens , the only known fatality related to volcanic activity in the Cascades occurred in 1934 , when a climber suffocated in oxygen @-@ poor air while exploring ice caves melted by fumaroles in Coalman Glacier . Since 1950 , there have been several earthquake swarms each year at Mount Hood , most notably in July 1980 and June 2002 . Seismic activity is monitored by the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver , Washington , which issues weekly updates ( and daily updates if significant eruptive activity is occurring at a Cascades volcano ) . The most recent evidence of volcanic activity at Mount Hood consists of fumaroles near Crater Rock and hot springs on the flanks of the volcano . = = Elevation = = Mount Hood was first seen by European explorers in 1792 and is believed to have maintained a consistent summit elevation , varying by no more than a few feet due to mild seismic activity . Elevation changes since the 1950s are predominantly due to improved survey methods and model refinements of the shape of the Earth ( see vertical reference datum ) . Despite the physical consistency , the estimated elevation of Mount Hood has varied substantially over the years . Early explorers on the Columbia River estimated the elevation to be 10 @,@ 000 to 12 @,@ 000 feet ( 3 @,@ 000 to 3 @,@ 700 m ) . Two people in Thomas J. Dryer 's 1854 expedition calculated the elevation to be 18 @,@ 361 feet ( 5 @,@ 596 m ) and that the tree line was at about 11 @,@ 250 feet ( 3 @,@ 430 m ) . Two months later , a Mr. Belden claimed to have climbed the mountain during a hunting trip and determined it to be 19 @,@ 400 feet ( 5 @,@ 900 m ) upon which " pores oozed blood , eyes bled , and blood rushed from their ears . " Sometime by 1866 , Reverend G. H. Atkinson determined it to be 17 @,@ 600 feet ( 5 @,@ 400 m ) . A Portland engineer used surveying methods from a Portland baseline and calculated a height of between 18 @,@ 000 and 19 @,@ 000 feet ( 5 @,@ 500 and 5 @,@ 800 m ) . Many maps distributed in the late 19th century cited 18 @,@ 361 feet ( 5 @,@ 596 m ) , though Mitchell 's School Atlas gave 14 @,@ 000 feet ( 4 @,@ 300 m ) as the correct value . For some time , many references assumed Mount Hood to be the highest point in North America . Modern height surveys also vary , but not by the huge margins seen in the past . A 1993 survey by a scientific party that arrived at the peak 's summit with 16 pounds ( 7 @.@ 3 kg ) of electronic equipment reported a height of 11 @,@ 240 feet ( 3 @,@ 426 m ) , claimed to be accurate to within 1 @.@ 25 inches ( 32 mm ) . Many modern sources likewise list 11 @,@ 240 feet ( 3 @,@ 426 m ) as the height . However , numerous others place the peak 's height one foot lower , at 11 @,@ 239 feet ( 3 @,@ 426 m ) . Finally , a height of 11 @,@ 249 feet ( 3 @,@ 429 m ) has also been reported . Mount Hood 's tree line is generally around 6 @,@ 000 feet ( 1 @,@ 800 m ) . = = Glaciers = = Mount Hood is host to 12 named glaciers or snow fields , the most visited of which is Palmer Glacier , partially within the Timberline Lodge ski area and on the most popular climbing route . The glaciers are almost exclusively above the 6 @,@ 000 @-@ foot ( 1 @,@ 800 m ) level , which also is about the average tree line elevation on Mount Hood . More than 80 percent of the glacial surface area is above 7 @,@ 000 feet ( 2 @,@ 100 m ) . The glaciers and permanent snow fields have an area of 3 @,@ 331 acres ( 1 @,@ 348 ha ) and contain a volume of about 282 @,@ 000 acre feet ( 0 @.@ 348 km3 ) . Eliot Glacier is the largest glacier by volume at 73 @,@ 000 acre feet ( 0 @.@ 09 km3 ) , and has the thickest depth measured by ice radar at 361 feet ( 110 m ) . The largest glacier by surface area is the Coe @-@ Ladd Glacier system at 531 acres ( 215 ha ) . Glaciers and snowfields cover about 80 percent of the mountain above the 6 @,@ 900 @-@ foot ( 2 @,@ 100 m ) level . The glaciers declined by an average of 34 percent from 1907 – 2004 . Glaciers on Mount Hood retreated through the first half of the 20th century , advanced or at least slowed their retreat in the 1960s and 1970s , and have since returned to a pattern of retreat . The neo @-@ glacial maximum extents formed in the early 18th century . During the last major glacial event between 29 @,@ 000 and 10 @,@ 000 years ago , glaciers reached down to the 2 @,@ 600 @-@ to @-@ 2 @,@ 300 @-@ foot ( 790 to 700 m ) level , a distance of 9 @.@ 3 miles ( 15 @.@ 0 km ) from the summit . The retreat released considerable outwash , some of which filled and flattened the upper Hood River Valley near Parkdale and formed Dee Flat . Older glaciation produced moraines near Brightwood and distinctive cuts on the southeast side ; they may date to 140 @,@ 000 years ago . = = Climbing = = Mount Hood is Oregon 's highest point and a prominent landmark visible up to 100 miles ( 160 km ) away . It has convenient access and a minimum of technical climbing challenges . About 10 @,@ 000 people attempt to climb Mount Hood each year . There are no trails to the summit . Even the " easier " southside climbing route is a technical climb with crevasses , falling rocks , and often inclement weather . Ropes , ice axes , crampons and other technical mountaineering gear are necessary . Peak climbing season is generally from April to mid @-@ June . There are six main routes to approach the mountain with about 30 total variations for summiting . The climbs range in difficulty from class 2 to class 5 @.@ 9 + ( for Arachnophobia ) . The most popular route , dubbed the south route , begins at Timberline Lodge and proceeds up Palmer Glacier to Crater Rock , the large prominence at the head of the glacier . The route goes east around Crater Rock and crosses Coalman Glacier on the Hogsback , a ridge spanning from Crater Rock to the approach to the summit . The Hogsback terminates at a bergschrund where Coalman Glacier separates from the summit rock headwall , and then to Pearly Gates , a gap in the summit rock formation , then right onto the summit plateau and the summit proper . Technical ice axes , fall protection , and experience are now recommended in order to attempt the left chute variation or Pearly Gates ice chute . The Forest Service is recommending several other route options due to these changes in conditions ( e.g. " Old Chute " , West Crater Rim , etc . ) . = = = Climbing accidents = = = As of May 2002 , more than 130 people had died in climbing @-@ related accidents since records have been kept on Mount Hood , the first in 1896 . Incidents in May 1986 , December 2006 , and December 2009 attracted intense national and international media interest . Though avalanches are a common hazard on other glaciated mountains , most Mount Hood climbing deaths are the result of falls and hypothermia . Despite a quadrupling of forest visitors since 1990 , fewer than 50 people require rescue per year . Only 3 @.@ 4 percent of search and rescue missions in 2006 were for mountain climbers . = = Hiking = = The Timberline Trail , which circumnavigates the entire mountain , was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps . Typically , the 40 @.@ 7 @-@ mile ( 65 @.@ 5 km ) hike is snow @-@ free from late July until the autumn snows begin . A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail is coincident with the Timberline Trail on the west side of Mount Hood . The predecessor of the Pacific Crest Trail was the Oregon Skyline Trail , established in 1920 , which connected Mount Hood to Crater Lake .
= Pee ( South Park ) = " Pee " is the thirteenth season finale of the American animated television series South Park . The 195th overall episode of the series , it originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 18 , 2009 . In the episode , the boys visit Pi Pi 's Splashtown waterpark , where so many people urinate in the pools that the entire park becomes engulfed in tsunamis of urine . The episode was written and directed by series co @-@ creator Trey Parker , and was rated TV @-@ MA L in the United States . " Pee " served as a parody of the disaster film genre , particularly the movie 2012 which was released five days before " Pee " was broadcast . According to Nielsen ratings , the finale episode was seen by 2 @.@ 87 million households , making it the highest rated cable show of the night . The episode received generally mixed reviews . = = Plot = = Cartman , Stan , Kyle , Kenny , Butters and Jimmy arrive at Pi Pi 's Splashtown waterpark . Cartman is distraught to discover that most of the park 's attendants are people of different races , while Kyle is disgusted to learn so many people freely urinate in the pools . Based on his observance of more minorities at the park than white people , Cartman calculates there will be no white people left by the year 2012 , and interprets this as a sign that Mayans accurately predicted the world would end the same year , and that the new world will be " made up of minorities . " Annoyed by Cartman 's racism , Kyle points out that since white people do not make up the majority of the park 's attendance , then they are the new minority , but Cartman refuses to believe it , ignorantly thinking that a minority is someone who is " black or brown . " At the same time , a scientist tests the park 's water and discovers it is 98 percent urine . He urges Pi Pi , the park 's Venetian owner , to immediately close and evacuate his park , claiming the high urine content will soon trigger a cataclysmic event . Pi Pi dismisses the warning , but the park is soon overcome by tsunamis of urine and volcanic eruptions . Hundreds drown in the subsequent flood , including Kenny , but the other boys manage to survive . The park is quarantined , and the scientist advises against a mission to rescue those trapped inside , fearing their exposure to " pee contamination " has turned them into dangerous , hate @-@ filled mutants . To prove his theory , the scientist urinates onto a test monkey , which clearly becomes annoyed and enraged . An antidote to this reaction is then tested on other monkeys , but proven unsuccessful when the monkeys still become angered when urinated on . Meanwhile , Cartman clings to debris to stay afloat , while the other boys have reached higher ground . Cartman is rescued by the occupants of an inflatable raft . Noticing he is the only white person in the raft , Cartman assumes he is the " last of his species , " and that his envisioned 2012 scenario has occurred three years early . He imagines a world in which he must speak in minority slang , is paid lower wages , and eventually forced to live in a concentration camp . The other boys find Pi Pi , who informs them the park can be drained of the inundation if someone can swim through the pee to reach an emergency release valve . Kyle reluctantly agrees to do the job as he said at the start of the episode that he could hold his breath for the longest , but is horrified to learn he must drink some of the pee in order to offset the fluid pressure he will encounter at the depths . Outside , an antidote that keeps the monkeys calm during yet another urination test is discovered : bananas . Back inside the park , Kyle reluctantly drinks a jarful of pee in preparation for his plunge into the flood . Just after he finishes the jar , helicopters arrive as part of the rescue mission . Just as Kyle complains that eating a banana would be the only ordeal more disgusting than what he has just been through , he is ordered at gunpoint to consume the antidote , much to his anger . = = Production = = " Pee " , the South Park thirteenth season finale , was written and directed by series co @-@ founder Trey Parker , and was rated TV @-@ MA L in the United States . Since the episode takes place in a waterpark , all animation had to be drawn from scratch . The episode was conceived a mere week before its initial broadcast , and the animation was almost completely unfinished two days before airing . Parker and Matt Stone had the idea of a waterpark @-@ themed episode for a long time and reminisced about Water World in Denver , Colorado during the episode 's production . Initially , the name of the park in the episode was Pi Pi 's Urine World . " Pee " first aired on November 18 , 2009 in the United States on Comedy Central . The episode marked the third time during the thirteenth season that Kenny was killed , a running gag throughout the series . He also died during the season premiere , " The Ring " and during " W.T.F. " During one of the final scenes , an alien holding a banana is visible among the crowd in the background . The alien was placed in the episode as part of a contest offered by the show 's official website , in which viewers who could find and identify the alien in the episode could enter a contest , with the winner getting an animated version of himself or herself placed in the South Park opening credits . The episode featured a musical number sung by Cartman called " Not My Water Park " , in which he despairs over the number of minorities at the waterpark . He also reminisces about the park before the ride instructions were also read in Spanish . The day after " Pee " was originally broadcast , three different kinds of T @-@ shirts and hooded sweatshirts based on the episode were made available on South Park Studios , the official website of South Park . One featured Butters standing next to a puddle of urine saying , " 1 in 3 People Admit They Pee in Pools " . The second included Cartman and his quote from the episode , " Your world is cold and void of any humanity " . The third featured Stan , Cartman , Kyle and Kenny wearing bathing suits and standing in front of a Pi Pi 's Splashtown logo . = = Cultural references = = The episode is a parody on the disaster film genre , which has been parodied in previous South Park episodes , like " Pandemic " , the twelfth season parody of the film Cloverfield . " Pee " included a particularly large number of references to 2012 , a science fiction film about the end of the world as predicted by the Mayan calendar , which was released only days before " Pee " was originally broadcast . The episode parodies many common elements of such disaster films , including scientists struggling to figure out the source of the problem . The destruction of rides and park amenities by the tsunami of urine is a reference to the destruction of historical monuments in 2012 , and other such disaster films by Roland Emmerich , the director of 2012 , Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow . " Pee " also includes several references to the 2012 phenomenon , the prediction that cataclysmic events would occur in the year 2012 , which is said to be the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar . The scene in which Kyle is forced to drink three cups of urine in order to prevent his body from enduring the effects of fluid pressure before swimming down to drain it all out , is a parody of a scene in the 1989 film The Abyss , where the protagonist inhales a liquid breathing medium before venturing into the ocean depths . There is also a reference to the film Alive ( 1993 ) when Randy comes to rescue the children on a helicopter . He is holding a baby red shoe , just as Nando Parrado at the end of the movie . = = Reception = = In its original American broadcast on November 18 , 2009 , " Pee " was watched by 2 @.@ 87 million overall households , according to the Nielsen ratings , making it the most watched cable show of the night . It beat the second highest @-@ ranked cable show , Bravo 's Top Chef , by about 600 @,@ 000 households . The episode received generally mixed reviews . If Magazine writer Carl Cortez , who was critical of the second half of season thirteen , said " Pee " ranked as one of the best episodes of the season , and said it included several " classic South Park moments " . Cortez called it a " wonderfully twisted spoof " of disaster films and called the script " pretty biting stuff ... without being wholly offensive " . Ramsey Isler of IGN said the emergency staff subplot working on a cure was not " quite perfect parody " . But he praised Kyle in the ending scene , as well as the way South Park found a new , literal twist on " toilet humor " by featuring rivers and tsunamis of pee . Sean O 'Neal of The A.V. Club said that the episode was overly offensive , rather than an ironic commentary on racism . Although O 'Neal said previous South Park episodes like " With Apologies to Jesse Jackson " were effective , " Pee " and its references to minority park attendees and the Italian waterpark owner " came off less like ironic racism and more as good , old @-@ fashioned , butter @-@ your @-@ cornbread @-@ with @-@ it racism " . = = Home release = = " Pee " , along with the thirteen other episodes from South Park 's thirteenth season , was released on a three @-@ disc DVD set and two @-@ disc Blu @-@ ray set in the United States on March 16 , 2010 . The sets included brief audio commentaries by Parker and Stone for each episode , a collection of deleted scenes , and a special mini @-@ feature Inside Xbox : A Behind @-@ the @-@ Scenes Tour of South Park Studios , which discussed the process behind animating the show with Inside Xbox host Major Nelson .
= New York State Route 350 = New York State Route 350 ( NY 350 ) is a north – south state highway in western Wayne County , New York , in the United States . It extends for 11 @.@ 40 miles ( 18 @.@ 35 km ) from an intersection with NY 31 and NY 31F in the village of Macedon to a junction with NY 104 in the town of Ontario . NY 350 serves as the eastern terminus for three routes : the aforementioned NY 31F , NY 286 , and NY 441 , all of which originate in the Rochester area . Aside from the village of Macedon at its south end and the hamlet of Ontario Center at its north terminus , NY 350 serves mostly rural areas dominated by farmland . NY 350 was assigned c . 1932 to the portion of its routing south of Cator Corners , the north junction with NY 31F . It was extended northward to its current terminus in the 1940s . = = Route description = = NY 350 begins at an intersection with NY 31 in the village of Macedon near the former Mobil Chemical and Tyco plant . The junction also serves as the eastern terminus of NY 31F , which overlaps NY 350 north from the intersection on Ontario Center Road . The conjoined routes cross over the Erie Canal and an industrial railroad spur off of the CSX Transportation @-@ owned Rochester Subdivision before exiting the village and entering the surrounding town of Macedon . NY 31F and NY 350 pass through forested areas up to an overpass carrying the Rochester Subdivision line over the road , at which point the wooded areas give way to open fields . The two routes split roughly 1 @.@ 75 miles ( 2 @.@ 82 km ) north of Macedon at a junction named Cator Corners . While NY 31F heads west through Macedon Center toward Monroe County , NY 350 continues east as Ontario Center Road . As NY 350 departs Cator Corners , it curves back to the north , leaving Macedon Center Road — the east – west roadway that NY 31F follows from Cator Corners west to the county line — to continue east as a county road . NY 350 continues across rolling farmland to the town of Walworth , where it meets the eastern terminus of NY 441 at a four @-@ way intersection with Walworth – Penfield Road west of the hamlet of Walworth . The route continues on , entering a slightly more forested area as it heads toward a junction with NY 286 at Atlantic Avenue . Like NY 31F and NY 441 before it , NY 286 serves as an east – west connector between NY 350 and the eastern suburbs of the city of Rochester 15 miles ( 24 km ) to the west . Past NY 286 , the wooded areas become more sporadic as NY 350 turns to travel in a more northwesterly direction across farmlands and fields . It soon enters the town of Ontario , where development along the road increases as it heads into the hamlet of Ontario Center . Here , it passes Wayne High School of the Wayne Central School District prior to intersecting Ridge Road in the center of the community . This junction once served as Ontario Center 's main business district ; however , it has been replaced in purpose by the adjacent four @-@ lane NY 104 , located just 200 yards ( 183 m ) north of Ridge Road . NY 350 ends upon intersecting the NY 104 divided highway ; however , Ontario Center Road continues north of the east – west commercial strip for 3 miles ( 5 km ) to Lake Road near the Lake Ontario shoreline . = = History = = The portion of modern NY 350 that overlaps with NY 31F was originally designated as part of Route 20 , an unsigned legislative route , by the New York State Legislature in 1908 . Route 20 continued east from here on what is now NY 31 and west on current NY 31F . On March 1 , 1921 , Route 20 was altered to follow modern NY 31 and NY 250 between Macedon and Fairport , bypassing current NY 350 entirely . Even though it was no longer part of a legislative route , the Macedon – Cator Corners highway was taken over by the state of New York by 1926 . At the time , it was the only portion of what is now NY 350 that was state @-@ maintained . In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York , the segment of current NY 350 between Atlantic Avenue and Ridge Road became part of an extended NY 35 , which had ended at a junction west of the village of Avon in Livingston County prior to 1930 . The extension took NY 35 northeastward through Monroe and Wayne Counties to a new terminus in the town of Ontario . NY 35 entered Wayne County on modern NY 286 ( Atlantic Avenue ) and followed Atlantic Avenue and Ontario Center Road north to NY 3 ( Ridge Road ; later U.S. Route 104 or US 104 ) . By the following year , the portion of Ontario Center Road from Cator Corners to NY 33 ( Walworth – Penfield Road ; now NY 441 ) was designated as part of NY 33B . The Macedon – Cator Corners segment of former legislative Route 20 was designated as NY 350 c . 1932 . NY 35 was split up into two routes in the early 1940s . The portion of old NY 35 west of Ontario Center Road became NY 383 while the Ontario Center Road section became part of an extended NY 350 . The extension created an overlap between NY 350 and NY 33B from Cator Corners to NY 33 . NY 33 was truncated on its east end to downtown Rochester on January 1 , 1949 . As a result , NY 33B was redesignated as NY 31F . The easternmost leg of the route still overlapped NY 350 ; however , it now followed NY 350 south to NY 31 in Macedon . NY 350 was extended a short distance northward in the mid @-@ 1940s to meet the new super two highway carrying US 104 between Union Hill and Sodus . = = Major intersections = = The entire route is in Wayne County .
= Honest services fraud = Honest services fraud is a crime defined in a 28 @-@ word sentence of 18 U.S.C. § 1346 ( the federal mail and wire fraud statute ) , added by the United States Congress in 1988 , which states : " For the purposes of this chapter , the term scheme or artifice to defraud includes a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services . " The statute has been applied by federal prosecutors in cases of public corruption as well as in cases in which private individuals breached a fiduciary duty to another . In the former , the courts have been divided on the question of whether a state law violation is necessary for honest services fraud to have occurred . In the latter , the courts have taken differing approaches to determining whether a private individual has committed honest services fraud — a test based on reasonably foreseeable economic harm and a test based on materiality . The statute , which has been a target of criticism , was given a narrow construction by the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Skilling v. United States ( 2010 ) . In order to avoid finding the statute to be unconstitutionally vague , the Court interpreted the statute to only cover " fraudulent schemes to deprive another of honest services through bribes or kickbacks supplied by a third party who ha [ s ] not been deceived " . = = History and case law = = Since at least 1941 , particularly in the 1970s and 1980s , and prior to 1987 , the courts had interpreted the mail fraud and wire fraud statutes as criminalizing not only schemes to defraud victims of money and property , but also schemes to defraud victims of intangible rights such as the " honest services " of a public official . In 1987 , the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in McNally v. United States that the mail fraud and wire fraud statutes pertained strictly to schemes to defraud victims of tangible property , including money . In 1988 , Congress enacted a new law that specifically criminalized schemes to defraud victims of " the intangible right of honest services . " = = = Meaning of " honest services " in public corruption = = = Honest services fraud is generally more easily proven in the public sphere than in the private , because honest services fraud by public officials can include most unethical conduct , whereas honest services fraud by private individuals only includes some unethical conduct . Federal courts have generally recognized two main areas of public @-@ sector honest service fraud : bribery ( direct or indirect ) , where a public official was paid in some way for a particular decision or action , and failure to disclose a conflict of interest , resulting in personal gain . = = = = Necessity , or lack thereof , of state law violations = = = = In 1997 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided in United States v. Brumley that in order for a state official to have committed honest services fraud , he or she must have violated the state statute defining the services which were owed to the employer ( the state ) . We find nothing to suggest that Congress was attempting in § 1346 to garner to the federal government the right to impose upon states a federal vision of appropriate services — to establish , in other words , an ethical regime for state employees . Such a taking of power would sorely tax separation of powers and erode our federalist structure . Under the most natural reading of the statute , a federal prosecutor must prove that conduct of a state official breached a duty respecting the provision of services owed to the official 's employer under state law . Stated directly , the official must act or fail to act contrary to the requirements of his job under state law . This means that if the official does all that is required under state law , alleging that the services were not otherwise done " honestly " does not charge a violation of the mail fraud statute . However , the First , Fourth , Ninth , and Eleventh Circuit Courts have all held that the federal statute does not limit the meaning of " honest services " to violations of state law . As the Ninth Circuit decided in United States v. Weyhrauch in 2008 : Because laws governing official conduct differ from state to state , conditioning mail fraud convictions on state law means that conduct in one state might violate the mail fraud statute , whereas identical conduct in a neighboring state would not . Congress has given no indication it intended the criminality of official conduct under federal law to depend on geography . The defendant in that case , Bruce Weyhrauch , is currently appealing that decision to the United States Supreme Court , which granted certiorari . = = = = Intent to defraud and personal benefit = = = = In 1997 , the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit set a key limit on honest services fraud in United States v. Czubinski , ruling that a mere workplace violation does not constitute fraud without evidence of depriving the employer of property in some way . Richard Czubinski was employed in Massachusetts by the Internal Revenue Service when , in 1992 , he violated IRS rules by carrying out several unauthorized searches of the IRS database and accessing files outside of the course of his official duties . In 1995 , he was convicted of wire fraud ( defrauding the IRS of property and the public of his honest services ) and computer fraud . The appellate court reversed the honest services fraud conviction on the basis that Czubinski 's actions did not amount to anything more than a workplace violation , warranting no more than a dismissal : Czubinski was not bribed or otherwise influenced in any public decisionmaking capacity . Nor did he embezzle funds . He did not receive , nor can it be found that he intended to receive , any tangible benefit . ... The conclusive consideration is that the government simply did not prove that Czubinski deprived , or intended to deprive , the public or his employer of their right to his honest services . Although he clearly committed wrongdoing in searching confidential information , there is no suggestion that he failed to carry out his official tasks adequately , or intended to do so . Czubinski 's other convictions were also reversed . = = = Meaning of " honest services " in private fiduciary relationships = = = Although the law is most often applied to corrupt public officials , several federal courts have upheld honest services fraud convictions of private individuals who breached a fiduciary duty to another , such as an employer . Generally , the federal circuit courts have adhered to one of two approaches when dealing with honest services fraud cases . One , the " reasonably foreseeable economic harm " test , requires that the defendant intentionally breached his fiduciary duty and " foresaw or reasonably should have foreseen " that his actions could cause economic harm to his victim . The other , the " materiality " test , requires that the defendant possessed a fraudulent intent and made " any misrepresentation that has the natural tendency to influence or is capable of influencing " the victim to change his behavior . = = = = " Reasonably foreseeable economic harm " test = = = = In 1997 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held in United States v. Frost that private individuals could be also convicted of honest services fraud . Two professors at the University of Tennessee Space Institute , Walter Frost and Robert Eugene Turner , were also president and vice president , respectively , of FWG Associates , a private atmospheric science research firm . Frost and Turner gave FWG reports to two of their students , one a doctoral candidate employed by the Department of the Army and one a master 's degree candidate employed by NASA , allowing them to plagiarize an overwhelming majority of the reports for their respective dissertations . They also allowed another doctoral candidate , employed by NASA , to submit a dissertation which was mostly written by one of their employees at FWG . Their aim was to secure federal contracts with the agencies employing these students . All three students received their degrees , facilitated by Frost and Turner . In addition to many other charges , Frost and Turner were convicted of three counts of mail fraud for defrauding the University of Tennessee of their honest services as employees . On appeal , Frost and Turner argued that § 1346 did not apply to them because they were not public servants . The court disagreed , ruling that " private individuals , such as Frost and Turner , may commit mail fraud by breaching a fiduciary duty and thereby depriving the person or entity to which the duty is owed of the intangible right to the honest services of that individual . " In 1998 , the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the wire fraud conviction of Sun @-@ Diamond Growers of California for defrauding its hired public relations firm of the honest services of one of its agents , James H. Lake , in order to curry favor with the United States Secretary of Agriculture , Mike Espy . The corporation 's vice president for corporate affairs , Richard Douglas , had acted in the scheme in such a manner that potentially could have caused economic harm to the public relations firm ( tarnishing its reputation by engaging Lake in illegal activity ) – he and Lake had illegally funneled contributions to a congressional candidate , Espy 's brother . Sun @-@ Diamond argued that those actions could not be criminal because there was no intent to do economic harm to the firm . However , the court ruled that an intent to do economic harm was not necessary to have committed wire fraud , affirming a pre @-@ McNally decision in light of the 1988 statute : In the private sector context , § 1346 poses special risks . Every material act of dishonesty by an employee deprives the employer of that worker 's " honest services , " yet not every such act is converted into a federal crime by the mere use of the mails or interstate phone system . Aware of the risk that federal criminal liability could metastasize , we held in Lemire that " not every breach of a fiduciary duty works a criminal fraud . " ... Rather , " [ t ] here must be a failure to disclose something which in the knowledge or contemplation of the employee poses an independent business risk to the employer . " ... Sun @-@ Diamond appears to confuse the requirement of an intent to defraud ... with a requirement of intent to cause economic harm . In 1999 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit adopted a similar interpretation in United States v. deVegter . Michael deVegter , a financial advisor hired by Fulton County , Georgia , to craft a professional recommendation of the best underwriter for the county to hire. deVegter accepted a payment of about $ 42 @,@ 000 from Richard Poirier in exchange for manipulating the report to influence Fulton County into hiring Poirier 's investment banking firm for the underwriter job. deVegter and Poirier were both indicted for conspiracy and wire fraud , with the latter including charges under the honest services statute . The district court dismissed the honest services charges for lack of evidence before the trial began ; the government appealed . The court agreed with the government that there was sufficient evidence alleged in the indictment for the defendants to be charged with honest services fraud , because the allegations showed a breach of fiduciary duty and an intent to defraud in such a manner that " reasonably foreseeable economic harm to Fulton County " was a consequence of the scheme . In 2001 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recognized that there were two different tests that other circuit courts had generally used to determine whether honest services fraud had been committed ; in United States v. Vinyard , it concluded that the " reasonably foreseeable economic harm " test was superior ( because it was based on employee intent and not employer response ) and applied that test to the case at hand . The defendant in the case , Michael Vinyard , had been convicted in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina of fourteen counts of mail fraud and twelve counts of money laundering . His brother , James Vinyard , was an employee of the Sunoco Products Corporation who was charged with finding an independent broker to research recycled resins for their manufacture of plastic bags . The brothers instead created their own brokerage , " Charles Stewart Enterprises , " incorporated in the state of Iowa , and misrepresented it to Sunoco as an legitimate , independent firm that was supplying recycled resins at the lowest possible price . They purchased recycled resins from plastic vendors and , marking up the price , sold them to Sunoco , which eventually yielded $ 2 @.@ 8 million in profits . The brothers funneled these profits from CSE to themselves through another entity in order to conceal their involvement with CSE on their tax returns . When the brothers were eventually indicted for mail fraud and money laundering , James Vinyard pleaded guilty and testified against his brother . Michael Vinyard appealed , arguing that his conviction of honest services fraud ( defrauding Sunoco of the honest services of his brother , their employee ) was wrongful because he did not cause harm nor did he intend to cause economic harm to the victim , Sunoco . Upholding his conviction , the court rejected this argument : The reasonably foreseeable harm test is met whenever , at the time of the fraud scheme , the employee could foresee that the scheme potentially might be detrimental to the employer 's economic well @-@ being . Furthermore , the concept of " economic risk " embraces the idea of risk to future opportunities for savings or profit ; the focus on the employer 's wellbeing encompasses both the long @-@ term and the short @-@ term health of the business . Whether the risk materializes or not is irrelevant ; the point is that the employee has no right to endanger the employer 's financial health or jeopardize the employer 's long @-@ term prospects through self @-@ dealing . Therefore , so long as the employee could have reasonably foreseen the risk to which he was exposing the employer , the requirements of § 1346 will have been met . In 2006 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit treated the issue of whether private defendants could be prosecuted under § 1346 as settled law , citing the numerous other circuits which had affirmed the practice . In the case United States v. Williams , the defendant , John Anthony Williams , was an Oregon insurance salesman who had sold several annuities to an elderly rancher named Loyd Stubbs . When Stubbs liquidated his annuities , Williams deposited the resulting funds in a joint bank account he had opened in his and Stubbs ' names . Williams proceeded to make massive cash withdrawals from the account , depositing the money in his own personal account and spending much of it ; he also wired money to personal bank accounts he had in Belize and Louisiana . Williams was convicted of four counts of wire fraud , three counts of mail fraud , three counts of money laundering , and one count of foreign transportation of stolen money ; the fraud charges stemmed from schemes to defraud Stubbs of money and of Williams ' honest services as his financial advisor . On appeal , Williams argued that § 1346 did not apply to private commerce . The court disagreed , and , citing previous case law , ruled that within a fiduciary relationship the statute applied . = = = = " Materiality " test = = = = In 1996 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit laid out the " materiality " test in its decision in United States v. Gray . Kevin Gray , Gary Thomas , and Troy Drummond were three members of the men 's basketball coaching staff at Baylor University in Texas . These coaches helped five players , recruited from two @-@ year colleges , to obtain the credits required for eligibility and possibly scholarships by providing these students with written course work or answers to correspondence exams , which were then sent to the sponsoring schools as the students ' work . They were convicted of conspiracy , mail fraud , and wire fraud ; the fraud charges stemmed from schemes to deprive Baylor University of both property ( in the form of scholarships ) and the coaches ' honest services as Baylor employees . The court upheld the convictions , affirming the honest services fraud convictions on the basis that the coaches made " material " misrepresentations : A breach of fiduciary duty can constitute illegal fraud ... only when there is some detriment to the employer . ... The detriment can be a deprivation of an employee 's faithful and honest services if a violation of the employee 's duty to disclose material information is involved . ... Materiality exists whenever " an employee has reason to believe the information would lead a reasonable employer to change its business conduct . " ... The information withheld , i.e. the " coaches ' cheating scheme " , was material because Baylor did not get the quality student it expected . Further , appellants failure to disclose the scheme to Baylor was material as Baylor might have been able to recruit other qualified , eligible students to play basketball . Instead , once the scheme was suspected , Baylor was forced to institute a costly investigation and the players under suspicion were withheld from competition . It is quite reasonable to believe that Baylor would have changed its business conduct had it known of the " cheating scheme . " In 1997 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit also applied the " materiality " test in its decision in United States v. Cochran . Robert M. Cochran was a bond underwriter in Oklahoma who was convicted of five counts of wire fraud , two counts of money laundering , and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property . Three of wire fraud counts for which Cochran was convicted were honest services fraud . Cochran 's firm , Stifel , Nicolaus & Company , served as managing underwriter when the SSM Healthcare System , a non @-@ profit corporation operating several hospitals and nursing homes , issued more than $ 265 million of tax @-@ exempt bonds ; Sakura Global Capital bid $ 400 @,@ 000 to provide SSM with a forward supply contract . However , SGC subsequently made a secret payment of $ 100 @,@ 000 to Cochran 's firm over the course of three wire transmissions ; thus , Cochran supposedly deprived SSM and its bondholders of his honest services . The appellate court reversed his conviction , deciding that the government did not provide sufficient evidence that Cochran had actually defrauded SSM or its bondholders of his honest services , applying the " materiality " test : Though Stifel misrepresented that SGC would not pay an additional fee to Stifel for the forward supply contract , this information resulted in no actual or potential harm to SSM . ... No evidence independent of the alleged scheme suggests in any way that Mr. Cochran sought to harm SSM or its bondholders . Moreover , we know not from this record how SSM would have changed its conduct had the disclosure been made . In 1999 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit diverged from the D.C. Circuit 's Sun @-@ Diamond ruling in its decision in United States v. Pennington . Donald B. Pennington was the president of Harvest Foods , a grocery store chain in eastern Arkansas , when that company contracted with a food broker and a consultant , John Oldner , to negotiate deals between it and its suppliers . The broker and consultant both funneled a portion of their money from Harvest Foods and its supplier to Pennington – through a sham corporation , Capitol City Marketing – as kickbacks . Pennington was convicted of money laundering and mail fraud ; in his appeal he contended that there was insufficient evidence to convict him because the government had failed to show that he had an intent to defraud Harvest Foods of his honest services as its president . The court upheld the conviction , stating that there was sufficient evidence that his actions were a breach of his duty as a fiduciary of Harvest Foods to disclose his material interest in their contracts with Oldner and the broker . However , the court also went further and required ( and found ) intent to economically harm : Pennington and Oldner correctly assert that , when dealing with business transactions in the private sector , a mere breach of fiduciary or employee duty may not be sufficient to deprive a client or corporation of " honest services " for purposes of § 1346 — to be guilty of mail fraud , defendants must also cause or intend to cause actual harm or injury , and in most business contexts , that means financial or economic harm . ... However , proof of intent to harm may be inferred from the willful non @-@ disclosure by a fiduciary , such as a corporate officer , of material information he has a duty to disclose . In 2003 , the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit , like the Fourth Circuit in Vinyard , noted the existence of the two tests , but unlike the Fourth Circuit , it opted to use the " materiality " test ( describing it as " arising out of fundamental principles of the law of fraud " and critiquing the alternative as " designed simply to limit the scope " of the law ) . It applied this test to the case at hand , United States v. Rybicki . The defendants were two personal injury lawyers , Thomas Rybicki and Fredric Grae , in the state of New York ; both were convicted of twenty counts of mail fraud , two counts of wire fraud , and one count of conspiracy . The fraud charges pertained to a scheme to make illegal payments to insurance claims adjusters with the intent of inducing the adjusters to expedite the settlement of certain claims ; Rybicki and Grae made such payments in at least twenty cases . As the acceptance of such payments by the adjusters was against the insurance companies ' policies , Rybicki and Grae had defrauded those insurance companies of the honest services of their employees . Such was the basis for the successful fraud prosecution . The court affirmed the conviction , determining that all of the necessary elements for the crime of honest services fraud to have occurred were present , including material misrepresentation . The court defined the crime thus : The phrase " scheme or artifice [ to defraud ] by depriv [ ing ] another of the intangible right of honest services , " in the private sector context , means a scheme or artifice to use the mails or wires to enable an officer or employee of a private entity ( or a person in a relationship that gives rise to a duty of loyalty comparable to that owed by employees to employers ) purporting to act for and in the interests of his or her employer ( or of the other person to whom the duty of loyalty is owed ) secretly to act in his or her or the defendant 's own interests instead , accompanied by a material misrepresentation made or omission of information disclosed to the employer or other person . = = Usage and criticism = = The statute grants jurisdiction to the federal government to prosecute local , state and federal officials . It is frequently used to fight public corruption because it is easier to prove than bribery or extortion . The term " honest services " is broad and open to jury interpretation , according to several legal experts . Prosecutions under the 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ( RICO ) frequently use violations of the honest services statute , as mail and wire fraud are predicate acts of racketeering ; therefore , two mailings or wire transmissions in the execution of honest services fraud can form " a pattern of racketeering activity . " Prosecutions for honest services fraud that do not involve public corruption generally involve corporate crime , although the line between torts and crimes in such cases is considered murky and unclear . The law is reportedly a favorite of federal prosecutors because the language of statute is vague enough to be applied to corrupt political officials ' unethical or criminal activities when they do not fall into a specific category , such as bribery or extortion . For similar reasons , defense attorneys dislike the law , viewing it as a poorly defined law that can be used by prosecutors to convert any kind of unethical behavior into a federal crime . Nevertheless , prosecutors must still prove all the elements of mail fraud or wire fraud in a case regarding a scheme to defraud of honest services . U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has criticized the statute , stating that the clause was so poorly defined that it could be the basis for prosecuting " a mayor for using the prestige of his office to get a table at a restaurant without a reservation . " In The Perfect Villain : John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff , investigative journalist Gary S. Chafetz argued that honest @-@ services fraud is so vague as to be unconstitutional , and that prosecutors abused it as a tool to increase their conviction rates . Bennett L. Gershmann , a professor at Pace University Law School , similarly has contended that the law " is not only subject to abuse ... but has been abused . " The case of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman is often cited as an example of possible prosecutorial misconduct and abuse of the honest services law . Many interest groups oppose the usage of the honest services law , including the conservative United States Chamber of Commerce and Washington Legal Foundation , as well as the more liberal National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers . One notable proponent of the law is the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington . = = Recent notable prosecutions = = Several notable figures have been charged with or convicted of honest services fraud . Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty in 2006 to honest services fraud in addition to conspiracy and tax evasion ; he was convicted in 2008 of further charges of honest services fraud in addition to further charges of conspiracy and tax evasion . Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling was convicted in 2006 of honest services fraud , in addition to securities fraud . Former Illinois governor George Ryan was convicted in 2006 of honest services fraud , in addition to racketeering , tax fraud , obstruction of justice , and making false statements to federal agents . Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman was convicted in 2006 of honest services fraud , in addition to conspiracy , bribery , and obstruction of justice . Duke Cunningham , a former Congressman from California , was convicted of corruption charges including honest services fraud . Bob Ney , a former congressman from Ohio , was convicted of corruption charges including honest services fraud . Newspaper magnate Conrad Black was convicted in 2007 of honest services fraud , in addition to obstruction of justice . Former Alaska state legislator Bruce Weyhrauch was convicted in 2007 of honest services fraud in addition to bribery and extortion . Former New York Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno was convicted in 2009 on two counts of honest services fraud . Mary McCarty , a former Palm Beach County Commissioner , is currently serving a federal prison sentence for honest services fraud . New Jersey political boss Joe Ferriero was convicted in 2009 of conspiracy and two counts of mail fraud . Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted in 2009 for allegedly conspiring to commit honest services fraud , as well as for allegedly soliciting bribes . Former Alabama state legislator Sue Schmitz was convicted in 2009 of three counts of mail fraud and four counts of fraud involving a program receiving federal funds . Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan originally pleaded guilty to honest services fraud and conspiracy in the Kids for cash scandal . The pleas were later withdrawn . Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and wife Maureen were convicted of multiple counts , including conspiring to defraud the public and honest services violations in September 2014 . = = Supreme Court cases = = In its 2009 @-@ 2010 term , there were three appeals against the statute at the United States Supreme Court , all challenging its constitutionality . All three appellants were convicted of honest services fraud in 2006 or 2007 . Weyhrauch v. United States , by former Alaska state legislator Bruce Weyhrauch , deals with whether a public official can be charged with honest services fraud without violating his duty under state law . Black v. United States , by newspaper magnate Conrad Black , deals with whether there must be proof that the defendant knew his actions would cause economic harm to the company . Skilling v. United States , by former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling , deals with whether the honest services statute requires proof of personal gain . He is also contending that the statute is unconstitutionally vague and unfair . In December 2009 , the Associated Press reported that the Justices of the Court " seemed to be in broad agreement that the law is vague and has been used to make a crime out of mistakes , minor transgressions and mere ethical violations . " Both liberal and conservative justices have criticized the law . Richard Thornburgh , a former United States Attorney General , has remarked that he expects the court to issue " something fairly sweeping ... without doing violence to proper law enforcement . " On June 24 , 2010 , the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in the cases of Black and Skilling that the law against " honest services " fraud is too vague to constitute a crime unless a bribe or kickback was involved .
= M @-@ 15 ( Michigan highway ) = M @-@ 15 is a north – south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan . The southern terminus is a junction with US Highway 24 ( US 24 ) just south of Clarkston on the northwestern edge of the Detroit metropolitan area . The trunkline is a recreational route running north and northwest to the Tri @-@ Cities area . The northern terminus is the junction with M @-@ 25 on the east side of Bay City . The total length is about 73 2 ⁄ 3 miles ( 118 @.@ 6 km ) between the two regions . The original M @-@ 15 designation was used in the northern half of the state in 1919 . This designation was wholly replaced by the US 41 on November 11 , 1926 . This previous designation contained the section of highway in Marquette County that is home to the first painted highway centerline in the nation . Another section in western Marquette County included the first bridge built by the state of Michigan . Within the next year after M @-@ 15 was replaced by US 41 , the designation was reused for a new highway routing along the current highway . This current highway was extended northerly to eventually end at I @-@ 75 in Bay City , before it was scaled back slightly to end in southeast Bay City . A proposed , but unbuilt , extension around the west side of Metro Detroit later became part of the I @-@ 275 corridor . This highway is now a part of the Pure Michigan Byway System , but none of it is located on the National Highway System . A section of the two @-@ lane highway has the local moniker , " Death Alley " , where the local sheriff says the highway is poorly designed . The stretch of highway in Genesee County has been the location of 14 traffic fatalities between 2004 and 2009 as reported by The Flint Journal , including that of a 14 @-@ year @-@ old local girl . = = Route description = = M @-@ 15 runs through mostly rural agricultural communities of The Thumb connecting the northern edge of Metro Detroit with the Tri @-@ Cities area . It starts at a junction south of the village of Clarkston in northern Oakland County . The highway runs north along Ortonville Road from the intersection with US 24 ( Dixie Highway ) near Deer and Middle lakes through Clarkston . Continuing through town on Main Street near Parke Lake , it comes to an interchange with Interstate 75 ( I @-@ 75 ) north of the village next to Little Walters Lake . South of Ortonville near Lake Louise and Bald Eagle Lake , M @-@ 15 turns northwest between the two lakes . The trunkline becomes State Road at the county line and turns north again near Shinanguag Lake near the Ortonville State Recreation Area outside Goodrich in southeastern Genesee County . South of Davison , M @-@ 15 intersects I @-@ 69 near the Davison Country Club before running through town . In Otisville , State Road curves around to the west of some small lakes and through town . State Road turns northwesterly again in Millington in southwestern Tuscola County , heading up to Vassar . In Vassar , M @-@ 15 intersects and turns northwest along Huron Avenue , a historical routing of M @-@ 24 , crossing the Cass River in town . Outside Vassar , Huron Avenue becomes Saginaw Road . In western Tuscola County , M @-@ 15 intersects M @-@ 46 in the community of Richville . The name of the road changes in Saginaw County to Vassar Road , and the trunkline continues northwesterly through the Blumfield Township communities of Blumfield Corners and Arthur . Arthur is located along the highway between the M @-@ 83 and M @-@ 81 junctions . In Bay County , M @-@ 15 follows Tuscola Road where it meets the western terminus of M @-@ 138 which runs along Munger Road in Munger . As the highway enters Bay City on the southeast side of town , Tuscola Road leaves the farmlands for residential areas of Bay City . The roadway runs northerwesterly near the St. Stanislaus , St. Patrick and Elm Lawn cemeteries , before turning north on Trumbull Street at 10th Street . The highway follows Trumbull Street for five blocks , where the highway designation ends at a four @-@ way intersection with M @-@ 25 / Center Avenue . Trumbull Street continues north through this residential section of the city . = = History = = = = = Original designation = = = On July 1 , 1919 , the original routing of M @-@ 15 was located in the Upper Peninsula ( UP ) . It ran from the state line along the Menominee River in Menominee , connecting with STH @-@ 15 in Wisconsin , running north through the UP to Escanaba , Marquette and Houghton . Between Powers and Escanaba , M @-@ 15 ran concurrently with M @-@ 12 . The northern terminus of the highway was at Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor . The first highway centerline in the nation was painted along a section of the highway in 1917 , along the Marquette – Negaunee Road , now a part of Marquette County Road 492 . The Peshekee River Bridge , carried M @-@ 15 over the Peshekee River in western Marquette County 's Michigamme Township . The bridge was built in 1914 in response to the 1913 State Trunk Line Act passed by the Michigan Legislature . This act designated a state trunkline highway network of nearly 3 @,@ 000 miles ( 4 @,@ 828 km ) . The act further said that the Michigan State Highway Department would design , build and maintain trunkline bridges spanning 30 feet ( 9 m ) or more so long as the local governments improved an adjacent 3 miles ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) of roads . Marquette County built a mainline road from Marquette west to Michigamme near the county line , this road generally followed what is now known as County Road 492 ( CR 492 ) . About 5 miles ( 8 @.@ 0 km ) west of Marquette on CR 492 is a historical marker at the site of the first center line painted in 1917 along Dead Man 's Curve . M @-@ 15 continued through Morgan Meadows and crossing the Carp River into the town of Negaunee and connecting with Ishpeming . This road in now known as East Division or " County Road " also former Business M @-@ 28 . West of Ishpeming in Ishpeming Township , M @-@ 15 followed Randal Drive and Westward to North Lake Junction . M @-@ 15 made its way along what is now CR 496 and several abandoned sections through Clarksburg and Humboldt Locations and the village of Champion . West of Champion M @-@ 15 continued to Michigamme crossing the Peshekee River , Marquette County improved a 3 @-@ mile ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) section in 1913 to encourage the state to build the bridge . The bridge was designed by C.V. Dewart for the department and built by the local firm of Powell and Mitchell in Marquette . The bridge was designated Trunk Line Bridge No. 1 as the first state @-@ built bridge on the trunkline highway system . The 1925 draft plan for the establishment of the US Highway System would have replaced M @-@ 15 with three different US Highways . Between Menominee and Powers , M @-@ 15 was to be replaced by US 41 . East of Powers to Rapid River , the trunkline would have been US 2 . The next segment between Rapid River and Covington was planned as US 102 while the remainder north to Copper Harbor was planned as US 41 In between Powers and Covington , US 41 was planned to follow US 2 west to Iron Mountain and then route of the modern US 141 between Powers and Covington . When the system was announced on November 11 , 1926 , US 41 was the only US Highway routed along the alignment of M @-@ 15 . The original map showed US 41 following an unbuilt alignment between Powers and Marquette , but the US 41 designation was instead routed to follow the former M @-@ 15 . = = = Current designation = = = The current routing of M @-@ 15 was designated after 1926 . The southern end was located at US 10 in Clarkston running north to M @-@ 38 and M @-@ 24 in Vassar . By the end of 1936 , M @-@ 15 was extended concurrently along M @-@ 24 from Vassar into Bay City . By June 1942 , the M @-@ 24 concurrency was removed as M @-@ 24 was realigned to replace M @-@ 85 between Vassar and Caro . By July 1 , 1960 , the northern end was extended to run concurrently with M @-@ 25 and BUS US 23 to US 23 on the west side of Bay City . This M @-@ 15 / M @-@ 25 routing was extended again in the next year to end at the new I @-@ 75 / US 10 / US 23 freeway . These two northerly extensions were both reversed and scaled back in 1970 . M @-@ 15 's northern end is moved back to M @-@ 25 / Center Avenue in Bay City , its current location . At some time after the 1993 beginning of the program , M @-@ 15 was named the " Pathway to Family Fun " Recreational Heritage Route in what is now the Pure Michigan Byway System . Running roughly parallel to I @-@ 75 , the route has not been added to the National Highway System , a system of roadways considered important to the nation 's economy , defense and mobility . The state highway map in 1933 showed a proposed southern extension from Clarkston through southern Oakland County , Wayne County into Monroe County . This proposed highway would have bypassed Metro Detroit to the west through Farmington , Northville , Plymouth and Belleville . The full highway was never built , and M @-@ 15 was never extended south of Clarkston , but part of this proposal was completed . Much of it later became Haggerty Highway , and part of the I @-@ 275 and M @-@ 5 corridors . = = = " Death Alley " = = = M @-@ 15 between the Oakland County line and I @-@ 69 has been nicknamed by locals as " Death Alley " . On April 17 , 2009 , The Flint Journal reported that between 2004 and April 2009 , 14 people died on the stretch of road in car accidents . When Genesee County Sheriff Robert J. Pickell was asked about the stretch , he said the road suffers from a bad design , including a lack of turn lanes . He was quoted as saying , " It 's a death trap " . The Michigan Department of Transportation ( MDOT ) looks at roadways after every fatal crash to determine what improvements could be made . Other local government officials have called for solutions to safety issues on the roadway . = = Major intersections = =
= Boeing 757 = The Boeing 757 is a mid @-@ size , narrow @-@ body twin @-@ engine jet airliner that was designed and built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes . It is the manufacturer 's largest single @-@ aisle passenger aircraft and was produced from 1981 to 2004 . The twinjet has a two @-@ crew member glass cockpit , turbofan engines of sufficient power to allow takeoffs from relatively short runways and higher altitudes , a conventional tail and , for reduced aerodynamic drag , a supercritical wing design . Intended to replace the smaller three @-@ engine 727 on short and medium routes , the 757 can carry 200 to 295 passengers for a maximum of 3 @,@ 150 to 4 @,@ 100 nautical miles ( 5 @,@ 830 to 7 @,@ 590 km ) , depending on variant . The 757 was designed concurrently with a wide @-@ body twinjet , the 767 , and owing to shared features pilots can obtain a common type rating that allows them to operate both aircraft . The 757 was produced in two fuselage lengths . The original 757 @-@ 200 entered service in 1983 ; the 757 @-@ 200PF , a package freighter ( PF ) variant , and the 757 @-@ 200M , a passenger @-@ freighter combi model , debuted in the late 1980s . The stretched 757 @-@ 300 , the longest narrow @-@ body twinjet ever produced , began service in 1999 . Passenger 757 @-@ 200s have been modified to special freighter ( SF ) specification for cargo use , while military derivatives include the C @-@ 32 transport , VIP carriers , and other multi @-@ purpose aircraft . Private and government operators have also customized the 757 for research and transport roles . All 757s are powered by Rolls @-@ Royce RB211 or Pratt & Whitney PW2000 series turbofans . Eastern Air Lines and British Airways placed the 757 in commercial service in 1983 . The narrow @-@ body twinjet succeeded earlier single @-@ aisle airliners , and became commonly used for short and mid @-@ range domestic routes , shuttle services , and transcontinental U.S. flights . After regulators granted approval for extended flights over water ( ETOPS ) in 1986 , airlines also began using the aircraft for intercontinental routes . Major customers for the 757 included U.S. mainline carriers , European charter airlines , and cargo companies . The airliner has recorded eight hull @-@ loss accidents , including seven fatal crashes , as of September 2015 . Production of the 757 ended in October 2004 , after 1 @,@ 050 had been built for 54 customers . The 757 @-@ 200 was by far the most popular model , with 913 built . Diminished sales amid an airline industry trend toward smaller jetliners led Boeing to end production without a direct replacement , in favor of the 737 family . The last 757 was delivered to Shanghai Airlines in November 2005 . In July 2015 , 738 of the narrow @-@ body twinjets were in airline service ; Delta Air Lines is the largest operator with 138 aircraft . = = Development = = = = = Background = = = In the early 1970s , following the launch of the wide @-@ body 747 , Boeing began considering further developments of its narrow @-@ body 727 trijet . Designed for short and medium length routes , the three @-@ engined 727 was the best @-@ selling commercial jetliner of the 1960s and a mainstay of the U.S. domestic airline market . Studies focused on improving the 189 @-@ seat 727 @-@ 200 , the most successful 727 variant . Two approaches were considered : a stretched 727 @-@ 300 , and an all @-@ new aircraft code @-@ named 7N7 . The former was a cheaper derivative using the 727 's existing technology and tail @-@ mounted engine configuration , while the latter was a twin @-@ engine aircraft which made use of new materials and improvements to propulsion technology which had become available in the civil aerospace industry . United Airlines provided input for the proposed 727 @-@ 300 , which Boeing was poised to launch in late 1975 , but lost interest after examining development studies for the 7N7 . Although the 727 @-@ 300 was offered to Braniff International Airways and other carriers , customer interest remained insufficient for further development . Instead , airlines were drawn to the high @-@ bypass @-@ ratio turbofan engines , new flight deck technologies , lower weight , improved aerodynamics , and reduced operating cost promised by the 7N7 . These features were also included in a parallel development effort for a new mid @-@ size wide @-@ body airliner , code @-@ named 7X7 , which became the 767 . Work on both proposals accelerated as a result of the airline industry upturn in the late 1970s . By 1978 , development studies focused on two variants : a 7N7 @-@ 100 with seating for 160 , and a 7N7 @-@ 200 with room for over 180 seats . New features included a redesigned wing , under @-@ wing engines , and lighter materials , while the forward fuselage , cockpit layout , and T @-@ tail configuration were retained from the 727 . Boeing planned for the aircraft to offer the lowest fuel burn per passenger @-@ kilometer of any narrow @-@ body airliner . On August 31 , 1978 , Eastern Air Lines and British Airways became the first carriers to publicly commit to the 7N7 when they announced launch orders totaling 40 aircraft for the 7N7 @-@ 200 version . These orders were signed in March 1979 , when Boeing officially designated the aircraft as the 757 . The shorter 757 @-@ 100 did not receive any orders and was dropped ; 737s later fulfilled its envisioned role . = = = Design effort = = = The 757 was intended to be more capable and more efficient than the preceding 727 . The focus on fuel efficiency reflected airline concerns over operating costs , which had grown amid rising oil prices during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 . Design targets included a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption from new engines , plus an additional 10 percent from aerodynamic improvements , versus preceding aircraft . Lighter materials and new wings were also expected to improve efficiency . The maximum take @-@ off weight ( MTOW ) was set at 220 @,@ 000 pounds ( 99 @,@ 800 kg ) , which was 10 @,@ 000 pounds ( 4 @,@ 540 kg ) more than the 727 . The 757 's higher power @-@ to @-@ weight ratio allowed it to take off from short runways and serve airports in hot and high climates , offering better takeoff performance than that offered by competing aircraft . Competitors needed longer takeoff runs at airports at higher elevations , with higher ambient temperatures and thinner air . Boeing also offered options for higher payload capability . The twin @-@ engine configuration was chosen for greater fuel efficiency versus three- and four @-@ engine designs . Launch customers Eastern Air Lines and British Airways selected the RB211 @-@ 535C turbofan built by Rolls @-@ Royce , which was capable of 37 @,@ 400 pounds @-@ force ( 166 kN ) of thrust . This marked the first time that a Boeing airliner was launched with engines produced outside the U.S. Domestic manufacturer Pratt & Whitney subsequently offered the 38 @,@ 200 pounds @-@ force ( 170 kN ) thrust PW2037 , which Delta Air Lines launched with an order for 60 aircraft in November 1980 . General Electric also offered its CF6 @-@ 32 engine early in the program , but eventually abandoned its involvement due to insufficient demand . As development progressed , the 757 increasingly departed from its 727 origins and adopted elements from the 767 , which was several months ahead in development . To reduce risk and cost , Boeing combined design work on both twinjets , resulting in shared features such as interior fittings and handling characteristics . Computer @-@ aided design , first applied on the 767 , was used for over one @-@ third of the 757 's design drawings . In early 1979 , a common two @-@ crew member glass cockpit was adopted for the two aircraft , including shared instrumentation , avionics , and flight management systems . Cathode @-@ ray tube ( CRT ) color displays replaced conventional electromechanical instruments , with increased automation eliminating the flight engineer position common to three @-@ person cockpits . After completing a short conversion course , pilots rated on the 757 could be qualified to fly the 767 and vice versa , owing to their design similarities . A new aft @-@ loaded shape which produced lift across most of the upper wing surface , instead of a narrow band as in previous airfoil designs , was used for the 757 's wings . The more efficient wings had less drag and greater fuel capacity , and were similar in configuration to those on the 767 . A wider wingspan than the 727 's produced less lift @-@ induced drag , while larger wing roots increased undercarriage storage space and provided room for future stretched versions of the aircraft . One of the last 727 vestiges , the T @-@ tail , was dropped in mid @-@ 1979 in favor of a conventional tail . This avoided the risk of an aerodynamic condition known as a deep stall , and allowed for more passengers to be carried in a less tapered rear fuselage . At 155 @.@ 3 feet ( 47 @.@ 3 m ) in length , the 757 @-@ 200 was 2 @.@ 1 feet ( 0 @.@ 640 m ) longer than the 727 @-@ 200 , and with a greater proportion of its internal volume devoted to cabin space , seating was available for 239 passengers , or 50 more than its predecessor . The fuselage cross @-@ section , whose upper lobe was common to the 707 and 737 , was the only major structural feature to be retained from the 727 . This was mainly to reduce drag , and while a wider fuselage had been considered , Boeing 's market research found low cargo capacity needs and reduced passenger preference for wide @-@ body aircraft on short @-@ haul routes . = = = Production and testing = = = Boeing built a final assembly line in Washington at its Renton factory , home of 707 , 727 , and 737 production , to produce the 757 . Early in the development program , Boeing , British Airways , and Rolls @-@ Royce unsuccessfully lobbied the British aircraft industry to manufacture 757 wings . Ultimately , about half of the aircraft 's components , including the wings , nose section , and empennage , were produced in @-@ house at Boeing facilities , and the remainder subcontracted to primarily U.S.-based companies . Fairchild Aircraft made the leading edge slats , Grumman supplied the flaps , and Rockwell International produced the main fuselage . Production ramp @-@ up for the new narrow @-@ body airliner coincided with the winding @-@ down of the 727 program , and final assembly of the first aircraft began in January 1981 . The prototype 757 rolled out of the Renton factory on January 13 , 1982 . The aircraft , equipped with RB211 @-@ 535C engines , completed its maiden flight one week ahead of schedule on February 19 , 1982 . The first flight was affected by an engine stall , following indications of low oil pressure . After checking system diagnostics , company test pilot John Armstrong and co @-@ pilot Lew Wallick were able to restart the affected engine , and the flight proceeded normally thereafter . Subsequently , the 757 embarked on a seven @-@ day weekly flight test schedule . By this time , the aircraft had received 136 orders from seven carriers , namely Air Florida , American Airlines , British Airways , Delta Air Lines , Eastern Air Lines , Monarch Airlines , and Transbrasil . The seven @-@ month 757 flight test program used the first five aircraft built . Tasks included flight systems and propulsion tests , hot and cold weather trials , and route @-@ proving flights . Data from the 767 program helped expedite the process . After design issues were identified , the 757 's exit doors received dual @-@ spring mechanisms for easier operation , and the fuselage was strengthened for greater bird strike resistance . The production aircraft was 3 @,@ 600 pounds ( 1 @,@ 630 kg ) lighter than originally specified , and recorded a three percent better @-@ than @-@ expected rate of fuel burn . This resulted in a range increase of 200 nautical miles ( 370 km ) , and prompted Boeing to tout the aircraft 's fuel efficiency characteristics . After 1 @,@ 380 flight test hours , the RB211 @-@ powered 757 received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) certification on December 21 , 1982 , followed by U.K. Civil Aviation Authority ( CAA ) certification on January 14 , 1983 . The first delivery to launch customer Eastern Air Lines occurred on December 22 , 1982 , about four months after the first 767 deliveries . The first 757 with PW2037 engines rolled out about one year later , and was delivered to Delta Air Lines on November 5 , 1984 . = = = Service entry and operations = = = Eastern Air Lines operated the first commercial 757 flight on January 1 , 1983 , on the Atlanta @-@ to @-@ Tampa route . On February 9 , 1983 , British Airways began using the aircraft for London @-@ to @-@ Belfast shuttle services , where it replaced Hawker Siddeley Trident 3B trijets . Charter carriers Monarch Airlines and Air Europe also began 757 operations later that year . Early operators noted improved reliability and quieter performance compared with previous jetliners . Transition courses eased pilots ' introduction to the new CRT @-@ based cockpit , and no major technical issues arose . Eastern Air Lines , the first 727 operator to take delivery of 757s , confirmed that the aircraft had greater payload capability than its predecessor , along with lower operating costs through improved fuel burn and the use of a two @-@ crew member flight deck . Compared with the 707 and 727 , the new twinjet consumed 42 and 40 percent less fuel per seat , respectively , on typical medium @-@ haul flights . Despite the successful debut , 757 sales remained stagnant for most of the 1980s , a consequence of declining fuel prices and a shift to smaller aircraft in the post @-@ deregulation U.S. market . Although no direct competitor existed , 150 @-@ seat narrow @-@ bodies such as the McDonnell Douglas MD @-@ 80 were cheaper to acquire and carried nearly as many passengers as some airlines ' 757s . A three @-@ year sales drought abated in November 1983 when Northwest Airlines placed orders for 20 aircraft , which averted a costly production rate decrease . In December 1985 , a freighter model , the 757 @-@ 200PF , was announced following a launch order for 20 aircraft from UPS Airlines , and in February 1986 , a freighter @-@ passenger combi model , the 757 @-@ 200M , was launched with an order for one aircraft from Royal Nepal Airlines . The freighter model included a main deck cargo hold and entered service with UPS in September 1987 . The combi model could carry both cargo and passengers on its main deck and entered service with Royal Nepal Airlines in September 1988 . In the late 1980s , increasing airline hub congestion and the onset of U.S. airport noise regulations fueled a turnaround in 757 sales . From 1988 to 1989 , airlines placed 322 orders , including a combined 160 orders from American Airlines and United Airlines . By this time , the 757 had become commonplace on short @-@ haul domestic flights and transcontinental services in the U.S. , and had replaced aging 707s , 727s , Douglas DC @-@ 8s , and McDonnell Douglas DC @-@ 9s . The 757 @-@ 200 's maximum range of 3 @,@ 900 nautical miles ( 7 @,@ 220 km ) , which was over one @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half times the 727 's , allowed airlines to use the aircraft on longer nonstop routes . The 757 was also flown out of airports with stringent noise regulations , such as John Wayne Airport in Orange County , California , and airports with aircraft size restrictions , such as Washington National Airport near downtown Washington , D.C. The largest U.S. operators , Delta Air Lines and American Airlines , would ultimately operate fleets of over 100 aircraft each . In Europe , British Airways , Iberia , and Icelandair were the 757 's largest mainline customers , while other carriers such as Lufthansa rejected the type as too large for their narrow @-@ body aircraft needs . Many European charter airlines , including Air 2000 , Air Holland , and LTU International , also acquired the twinjet for holiday and tour package flights in the late 1980s . In Asia , where even bigger aircraft were commonly preferred because of large passenger volumes , the 757 found fewer orders . A 1982 sales demonstration was unable to attract a purchase from potential customer Japan Airlines , and the first Asian customer , Singapore Airlines , sold its four 757s in 1989 in favor of standardizing on the 240 @-@ seat wide @-@ body Airbus A310 , just five years after debuting the type on Indonesian and Malaysian routes . The 757 fared better in China , where following an initial purchase by the Civil Aviation Administration of China ( CAAC ) in 1987 , orders grew to 59 aircraft , making it the largest Asian market . Operators such as China Southern , China Southwest , Shanghai Airlines , Xiamen Airlines , and Xinjiang Airlines used the 757 on medium length domestic routes . In 1986 , the FAA approved RB211 @-@ powered 757s for extended @-@ range twin @-@ engine operational performance standards ( ETOPS ) operations over the North Atlantic , following precedents set by the 767 . Under ETOPS regulations , a set of safety standards governing twinjet flights over oceans and other areas without nearby suitable landing sites , airlines began using the aircraft for mid @-@ range intercontinental routes . Although the 757 was not originally intended for transoceanic flights , regulators based their decision on its reliable performance record on extended transcontinental U.S. services . ETOPS certification for 757s equipped with PW2000 series engines was granted in 1992 . In the early 1990s , the FAA and other U.S. government agencies , including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) and the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) , began studying the 757 's wake turbulence characteristics . This followed several incidents , including two fatal crashes , in which small private aircraft experienced loss of control when flying close behind the twinjet . Smaller airliners had also suffered unexpected rolling movements when flying behind 757s . Investigators focused on the aircraft 's aft @-@ loaded wing design , which at certain points during takeoff or landing could produce wingtip vortices that were stronger than those emanating from larger 767s and 747s . Other tests were inconclusive , leading to debate among government agencies , and in 1994 and 1996 the FAA updated air traffic control regulations to require greater separation behind the 757 than other large @-@ category jets . The 757 became the only sub @-@ 300 @,@ 000 @-@ pound ( 136 @,@ 000 kg ) airliner to be classified as a " heavy " jet , alongside wide @-@ body aircraft , under FAA separation rules . = = = Stretched variant = = = Production of the 757 peaked at an annual rate of 100 aircraft in the early 1990s , during which time upgraded models came under consideration . For over a decade , the narrow @-@ body twinjet had been its manufacturer 's only single @-@ aisle airliner without a stretched variant , and while rumors of a long @-@ range 757 @-@ 200X and stretched 757 @-@ 300X persisted , no formal announcements had been made . European charter carriers were particularly interested in a higher @-@ capacity version which could take better advantage of the 757 's range . Besides meeting the needs of charter customers , a larger model would enable Boeing to match the passenger lift capabilities of the 767 @-@ 200 with lower operating costs , and counter longer @-@ range versions of the 185 @-@ seat Airbus A321 , a new stretched variant of the A320 narrow @-@ body airliner . In September 1996 , following a launch order for 12 aircraft from charter carrier Condor , Boeing announced the stretched 757 @-@ 300 at the Farnborough Airshow . The new model was a 23 @.@ 4 @-@ foot ( 7 @.@ 13 m ) stretch of the 757 @-@ 200 , resulting in room for 50 more passengers and nearly 50 percent more cargo . The type 's design phase was intended to be the shortest in its manufacturer 's history , with 27 months from launch to certification . Due to development and cost concerns , radical upgrades such as a Next Generation 737 @-@ style advanced cockpit were not implemented . Instead , the stretched derivative received upgraded engines , enhanced avionics , and a redesigned interior . The first 757 @-@ 300 rolled out on May 31 , 1998 , and completed its maiden flight on August 2 , 1998 . Following regulatory certification in January 1999 , the type entered service with Condor on March 19 , 1999 . The 757 @-@ 300 was also ordered by American Trans Air , Arkia Israel Airlines , Continental Airlines , Icelandair , and Northwest Airlines . Sales for the type remained slow , and ultimately totaled 55 aircraft . Boeing had targeted the 757 @-@ 300 as a potential 767 @-@ 200 replacement for two of its largest customers , American Airlines and United Airlines , but neither were in a financial position to commit to new aircraft . Overtures to other charter airlines also did not result in further orders . By November 1999 , faced with diminishing sales and a reduced backlog despite the launch of the 757 @-@ 300 , Boeing began studying a decrease in 757 production rates . = = = Further developments = = = While the 757 program had been financially successful , declining sales in the early 2000s threatened its continued viability . Airlines were again gravitating toward smaller aircraft , now mainly the 737 and A320 , because of their reduced financial risk . An airline industry downturn and the large number of relatively young 757s already in service also reduced customer demand . In 2000 , spurred by interest from Air 2000 and Continental Airlines , Boeing reexamined the possibility of building a longer @-@ range 757 @-@ 200X . The proposed derivative would have featured auxiliary fuel tanks , plus wing and landing gear upgrades from the 757 @-@ 300 , resulting in a higher MTOW and a potential range increase to over 5 @,@ 000 nautical miles ( 9 @,@ 260 km ) . However , the proposal failed to garner any orders . In March 2001 , Boeing delivered the first 757 @-@ 200SF , a second @-@ hand 757 @-@ 200 converted for freighter use , to DHL Aviation . The 757 @-@ 200SF marked the manufacturer 's first foray into passenger @-@ to @-@ freighter conversions . Customer interest in new 757s continued to decline , and in 2003 , a renewed sales campaign centered on the 757 @-@ 300 and 757 @-@ 200PF yielded only five new orders . In October 2003 , following Continental Airlines ' decision to switch its remaining 757 @-@ 300 orders to the 737 @-@ 800 , Boeing announced the end of 757 production . The 1,050th and last example , a 757 @-@ 200 built for Shanghai Airlines , rolled off the production line at the Renton factory on October 28 , 2004 , and was delivered on November 28 , 2005 , after several months of storage . With the conclusion of the 757 program , Boeing consolidated 737 assembly at its Renton factory , downsizing its facilities by 40 percent and shifting staff to different locations . Since the end of production , most 757s have remained in service , mainly in the U.S. From 2004 to 2008 , the average fuel cost for typical mid @-@ range U.S. domestic 757 flights tripled , putting pressure on airlines to improve the fuel efficiency of their fleets . In May 2005 , the FAA granted regulatory approval for manufacturer @-@ sanctioned blended winglets from Aviation Partners Incorporated as a retrofit on the 757 @-@ 200 . The winglets improve fuel efficiency by five percent and increase range by 200 nautical miles ( 370 km ) through the reduction of lift @-@ induced drag . Continental Airlines was the first carrier to order winglets for the 757 @-@ 200 , and in February 2009 became the first operator of 757 @-@ 300s with winglets . In the 2010s , the 757 has remained the only narrow @-@ body aircraft in use by the large fleets of all three U.S. legacy carriers : American Airlines , Delta Air Lines and United Airlines . During this period , the 757 's capacity and range capabilities have remained largely unequaled among narrow @-@ body airliners ; when selecting replacement aircraft , airlines have had to either downsize to smaller single @-@ aisle aircraft in production with fewer seats and less range such as the 737 @-@ 900ER and A321 , or upsize to the larger , longer @-@ range 787 Dreamliner and A330 @-@ 200 wide @-@ body jets . The Tupolev Tu @-@ 204 , a narrow @-@ body twinjet introduced in 1989 with a design similar to the 757 's , is offered in a 200 @-@ seat version , which has seen limited production for mainly Russian customers . Within Boeing , the 215 @-@ seat , 3 @,@ 200 @-@ nautical @-@ mile ( 5 @,@ 930 km ) range 737 @-@ 900ER has been regarded as the closest aircraft in production to the 757 @-@ 200 . = = = Replacement aircraft = = = Boeing officials stated in 2011 that the manufacturer had no plans to develop a dedicated 200 @-@ seat airliner to replace its largest narrow @-@ body aircraft . Instead , a new airliner family , code @-@ named Y1 , was being considered for the 145- to 180 @-@ seat markets covered by the 737 @-@ 700 and 737 @-@ 800 . Stretched Y1 models or a medium @-@ range version of the 787 Dreamliner were possible replacements for the 757 . In 2012 , after shelving the Y1 project in favor of the redesigned and re @-@ engined 737 MAX family , Boeing indicated that the larger 737 MAX models ( particularly the largest and longest range variant , 737 MAX 9 ) would cover the bulk of the 757 replacement market . Company officials further emphasized that up to 95 percent of the 757 's current routes could be flown by the 737 MAX . In 2014 , Airbus launched the Airbus A321neoLR , a model with three auxiliary fuel tanks and seating for 206 passengers . The European manufacturer states that the new variant will exceed the range of a 757 @-@ 200 with winglets and be more fuel @-@ efficient . In response , the options open to Boeing include developing and building a new aircraft , whose cost could reach US $ 15 billion , or revising and enhancing the 767 , as well as reengining and improving the wings of the existing 757 . Officials at Air Lease Corporation , which has ordered the Airbus A321neoLR , have urged Boeing to build an all @-@ new twin @-@ aisle airplane for 7 @,@ 000 feet ( 2 @,@ 130 m ) runways . However , Boeing officials have declined to respond directly to Airbus ' decision to launch the A321neoLR , and have dismissed its rival 's projections of demand for 1 @,@ 000 aircraft ; instead , the company now considers the space between the 737 MAX 9 and the 787 @-@ 8 to be a niche , and foresees a more modest , incremental market . Boeing officials have also dismissed suggestions to reengine the 757 . Whether the 757 replacement market is commercially viable has been debated by aviation industry analysts , with some skeptics pointing to the fact that over 150 aircraft , or approximately 15 percent of the worldwide 757 fleet , are currently unused and parked in desert storage . In early 2015 , Boeing disclosed that it was conducting studies for a long @-@ haul 757 successor aimed at transatlantic routes too long for the A321neoLR and 737 MAX 9 . Such an aircraft would carry more passengers than the 737 MAX and have more range than the 757 . A parallel development along with the 737 replacement , similar to when the 757 and 767 were developed in the 1970s , is under consideration . As of February 2015 , Boeing has not committed to a replacement ( which would be available after the 777X ) , but is polling customers such as United Airlines on how to fill the gap between the 737 MAX 9 and the 787 . Boeing calls the successor airliner " MOM " for Middle of Market . The airplane could likely seat 220 passengers and be sized between the 737 and 787 @-@ 8 Dreamliner . = = Design = = = = = Overview = = = The 757 is a low @-@ wing cantilever monoplane with a conventional tail unit featuring a single fin and rudder . Each wing features a supercritical cross @-@ section and is equipped with five @-@ panel leading edge slats , single- and double @-@ slotted flaps , an outboard aileron , and six spoilers . The wings are largely identical across all 757 variants , swept at 25 degrees , and optimized for a cruising speed of Mach 0 @.@ 8 ( 533 mph or 858 km / h ) . The reduced wing sweep eliminates the need for inboard ailerons , yet incurs little drag penalty on short and medium length routes , during which most of the flight is spent climbing or descending . The airframe further incorporates carbon @-@ fiber reinforced plastic wing surfaces , Kevlar fairings and access panels , plus improved aluminum alloys , which together reduce overall weight by 2 @,@ 100 pounds ( 950 kg ) . To distribute the aircraft 's weight on the ground , the 757 has a retractable tricycle landing gear with four wheels on each main gear and two for the nose gear . The landing gear was purposely designed to be taller than the company 's previous narrow @-@ body aircraft in order to provide ground clearance for stretched models . In 1982 , the 757 @-@ 200 became the first subsonic jetliner to offer carbon brakes as a factory option , supplied by Dunlop . The stretched 757 @-@ 300 features a retractable tailskid on its aft fuselage to prevent damage if the tail section contacts the runway surface during takeoff . Besides common avionics and computer systems , the 757 shares its auxiliary power unit , electric power systems , flight deck , and hydraulic parts with the 767 . Through operational commonality , 757 pilots can obtain a common type rating to fly the 767 and share the same seniority roster with pilots of either aircraft . This reduces costs for airlines that operate both twinjets . = = = Flight systems = = = The 757 's flight deck uses six Rockwell Collins CRT screens to display flight instrumentation , as well as an electronic flight instrument system ( EFIS ) and an engine indication and crew alerting system ( EICAS ) . These systems allow the pilots to handle monitoring tasks previously performed by the flight engineer . An enhanced flight management system , improved over versions used on early 747s , automates navigation and other functions , while an automatic landing system facilitates CAT IIIb instrument landings in 490 feet ( 150 m ) low visibility conditions . The inertial reference system ( IRS ) which debuted with the 757 @-@ 200 was the first to feature laser @-@ light gyros . On the 757 @-@ 300 , the upgraded flight deck features a Honeywell Pegasus flight management computer , enhanced EICAS , and updated software systems . To accommodate the same flight deck design as the 767 , the 757 has a more rounded nose section than previous narrow @-@ body aircraft . The resulting space has unobstructed panel visibility and room for an observer seat . Similar pilot viewing angles as the 767 result from a downward sloped cockpit floor and the same forward cockpit windows . Three independent hydraulic systems are installed on the 757 , one powered by each engine , and the third using electric pumps . A ram air turbine is fitted to provide power for essential controls in the event of an emergency . A basic form of fly @-@ by @-@ wire facilitates spoiler operation , utilizing electric signaling instead of traditional control cables . The fly @-@ by @-@ wire system , shared with the 767 , reduces weight and provides for the independent operation of individual spoilers . When equipped for extended @-@ range operations , the 757 features a backup hydraulic motor generator and an additional cooling fan in the aircraft 's electronics bay . = = = Interior = = = The 757 interior allows seat arrangements of up to six per row with a single center aisle . Originally optimized for flights averaging two hours , the 757 features interior lighting and cabin architecture designs aimed at a more spacious impression . As on the 767 , garment @-@ bag @-@ length overhead bins and a rear economy @-@ class galley are standard equipment . The bins have twice the capacity as those on the preceding 727 . To save weight , honeycomb sandwich is used for interior paneling and bins . Unlike previous evacuation slide designs which are not equipped for water landings , the 757 's main exits feature combination slide rafts similar to those found on the 747 . In the 1980s , Boeing altered the interior designs of its other narrow @-@ body aircraft to be similar to that of the 757 . In 1998 , the 757 @-@ 300 debuted a redesigned interior derived from the Next Generation 737 and 777 , including sculptured ceiling panels , indirect lighting , and larger overhead bins with an optional continuous handrail built into their base for the entire cabin length . Centerline storage containers mounted in the aisle ceiling for additional escape rafts and other emergency equipment were also added . The 757 @-@ 300 's interior later became an option on all new 757 @-@ 200s . In 2000 , with wheeled carry @-@ on baggage becoming more popular , Delta Air Lines began installing overhead bin extensions on their 757 @-@ 200s to provide additional storage space , and American Airlines did the same in 2001 . The larger bins are part of aftermarket interior upgrades which include updated ceiling panels and lighting . = = Variants = = The 757 was produced in standard and stretched lengths . The original 757 @-@ 200 debuted as a passenger model , and was subsequently developed into the 757 @-@ 200PF and 757 @-@ 200SF cargo models , as well as the convertible 757 @-@ 200M variant . The stretched 757 @-@ 300 was only available as a passenger model . When referring to different versions , Boeing and airlines have been known to collapse the model number ( 757 ) and the variant designator ( e.g. -200 or -300 ) into a truncated form ( e.g. " 752 " or " 753 " ) . The International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO ) classifies all variants based on the 757 @-@ 200 under the code " B752 " , while the 757 @-@ 300 is referred to as " B753 . " = = = 757 @-@ 200 = = = The 757 @-@ 200 , the original version of the aircraft , entered service with Eastern Air Lines in 1983 . The type was produced with two different door configurations , both with three standard cabin doors per side : the baseline version has a fourth , smaller cabin door on each side aft of the wings , and is certified for a maximum capacity of 239 , while the alternate version has a pair of over @-@ the @-@ wing emergency exits on each side , and can seat a maximum of 224 . The 757 @-@ 200 was offered with a MTOW of up to 255 @,@ 000 pounds ( 116 @,@ 000 kg ) ; some airlines and publications have referred to higher gross weight versions with ETOPS certification as " 757 @-@ 200ERs " , but this designation is not used by the manufacturer . Similarly , versions with winglets are sometimes called " 757 @-@ 200W " or " 757 @-@ 200WL " . The first engine to power the 757 @-@ 200 , the Rolls @-@ Royce RB211 @-@ 535C , was succeeded by the upgraded RB211 @-@ 535E4 in October 1984 . Other engines used include the RB211 @-@ 535E4B , along with the PW2037 and PW2040 from Pratt & Whitney . Its range with full payload is 3 @,@ 850 nautical miles ( 7 @,@ 130 km ) . Although designed for short and medium length routes , the 757 @-@ 200 has since been used in a variety of roles ranging from high @-@ frequency shuttle services to transatlantic routes . In 1992 , after gaining ETOPS approval , American Trans Air launched 757 @-@ 200 transpacific services between Tucson and Honolulu . Since the turn of the century , mainline U.S. carriers have increasingly deployed the type on transatlantic routes to Europe , and particularly to smaller cities where passenger volumes are unable to support wide @-@ body aircraft . Production for the 757 @-@ 200 totaled 913 aircraft , making the type by far the most popular 757 model . In July 2015 , 683 of different 757 @-@ 200 versions were in service . The longest commercial route served by a 757 is United Airlines ' New York to Berlin flight at over 4 @,@ 000 nautical miles ( 7 @,@ 410 km ) as of February 2015 ; the aircraft assigned to this route cannot fly with full payload . United 's 757s assigned to transatlantic routes are fitted with 169 seats . = = = 757 @-@ 200PF = = = The 757 @-@ 200PF , the production cargo version of the 757 @-@ 200 , entered service with UPS Airlines in 1987 . Targeted at the overnight package delivery market , the freighter can carry up to 15 containers or pallets on its main deck , for a volume of up to 6 @,@ 600 cubic feet ( 187 m3 ) , while its two lower holds can carry up to 1 @,@ 830 cubic feet ( 51 @.@ 8 m3 ) of bulk cargo . The maximum revenue payload capability is 87 @,@ 700 pounds ( 39 @,@ 800 kg ) including container weight . The 757 @-@ 200PF is specified with a MTOW of 255 @,@ 000 pounds ( 116 @,@ 000 kg ) for maximal range performance ; when fully loaded , the aircraft can fly up to 3 @,@ 150 nautical miles ( 5 @,@ 830 km ) . Because the freighter does not carry any passengers , it can operate transatlantic flights free of ETOPS restrictions . Power is provided by RB211 @-@ 535E4B engines from Rolls @-@ Royce , or PW2037 and PW2040 engines from Pratt & Whitney . The freighter features a large , upward @-@ opening main deck cargo door on its forward port @-@ side fuselage . Adjacent to the large cargo door is a standard exit door used by the pilots . All other emergency exits are omitted , and cabin windows and passenger amenities are not available . The main deck cargo hold has a smooth fiberglass lining , and a fixed rigid barrier with a sliding access door serves as a restraint wall next to the flight deck . Both lower holds can be equipped with a telescoping baggage system to load custom @-@ fitted cargo modules . When equipped for extended @-@ range transatlantic operations , UPS 757 @-@ 200PFs feature an upgraded auxiliary power unit , additional cargo bay fire suppression equipment , enhanced avionics , and an optional supplemental fuel tank in the aft lower hold . Total production for the 757 @-@ 200PF totaled 80 aircraft . In July 2015 , 79 of these were in service . = = = 757 @-@ 200M = = = The 757 @-@ 200M , a convertible version capable of carrying cargo and passengers on its main deck , entered service with Royal Nepal Airlines in 1988 . Also known as the 757 @-@ 200 Combi , the type retains the passenger windows and cabin doors of the 757 @-@ 200 , while adding a forward port @-@ side cargo door in the manner of the 757 @-@ 200PF . Kathmandu @-@ based Royal Nepal Airlines , later renamed Nepal Airlines , included the convertible model as part of an order for two 757s in 1986 . Nepal Airlines ordered the 757 @-@ 200M to fulfill a requirement for an aircraft that could carry mixed passenger and freight loads , and operate out of Tribhuvan International Airport in the foothills of the Himalayas . Patterned after convertible variants of the 737 and 747 , the 757 @-@ 200M can carry two to four cargo pallets on its main deck , along with 123 to 148 passengers in the remaining cabin space . Nepal Airlines ' 757 @-@ 200M , which features Rolls @-@ Royce RB211 @-@ 535E4 engines and an increased MTOW of 240 @,@ 000 pounds ( 109 @,@ 000 kg ) , was the only production example ever ordered . In October 2010 , Pemco World Air Services and Precision Conversions launched aftermarket conversion programs to modify 757 @-@ 200s into 757 Combi aircraft . Vision Technologies Systems launched a similar program in December 2011 . All three aftermarket conversions modify the forward portion of the aircraft to provide room for up to ten cargo pallets , while leaving the remaining space to fit around 45 to 58 passenger seats . This configuration is targeted at commercial charter flights which transport heavy equipment and personnel simultaneously . Customers for converted 757 Combi aircraft include the Air Transport Services Group , National Airlines , and North American Airlines . = = = 757 @-@ 200SF = = = The 757 @-@ 200SF , a conversion of passenger 757 @-@ 200s for cargo use , entered service with DHL Aviation in 2001 . Modifications by Boeing Wichita in Kansas included the removal of passenger amenities , main deck structural reinforcement , and the installation of a 757 @-@ 200PF forward fuselage section with a port @-@ side cargo door . The forward two entry doors are retained , resulting in a main deck cargo capacity of 14 pallets , which is one less than the 757 @-@ 200PF . Environmental controls can be fitted for animal cargo , and rear exits and window pairs are retained on some aircraft . Besides Boeing , Israel Aerospace Industries , Precision Conversions , and ST Aerospace Services have also handled 757 @-@ 200SF conversions . In September 2006 , FedEx Express announced a US $ 2 @.@ 6 billion plan to acquire over 80 converted 757 freighters to replace its 727 fleet . In July 2015 , 173 converted 757 @-@ 200SFs were in service . = = = 757 @-@ 300 = = = The 757 @-@ 300 , the stretched version of the aircraft , entered service with Condor in 1999 . With an overall length of 178 @.@ 7 feet ( 54 @.@ 5 m ) , the type is the longest single @-@ aisle twinjet ever built . Designed to serve the charter airline market and provide a low @-@ cost replacement for the 767 @-@ 200 , the 757 @-@ 300 shares the basic design of the original 757 , while extending the fuselage before and after the wings . Eight standard cabin doors , plus a pair of over @-@ the @-@ wing emergency exits on each side , enable the 757 @-@ 300 to have a maximum certified capacity of 295 passengers A higher MTOW of 272 @,@ 500 pounds ( 124 @,@ 000 kg ) is specified , while fuel capacity remains unchanged ; as a result , the stretched variant offers a maximum range of 3 @,@ 395 nautical miles ( 6 @,@ 290 km ) . Engines used on the type include the RB211 @-@ 535E4B from Rolls @-@ Royce and the PW2043 from Pratt & Whitney . Due to its greater length , the 757 @-@ 300 features a retractable tailskid on its aft fuselage . Condor ordered the stretched 757 to replace its McDonnell Douglas DC @-@ 10s and serve as low @-@ cost , high @-@ density transportation to holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands . Because tests showed that boarding the 757 @-@ 300 could take up to eight minutes longer than the 757 @-@ 200 , Boeing and Condor developed zone @-@ based boarding procedures to expedite loading and unloading times for the lengthened aircraft . The 757 @-@ 300 has been operated by mainline carriers Continental Airlines ( now part of United Airlines ) , Northwest Airlines ( now part of Delta Air Lines ) , and Icelandair ; other operators have included American Trans Air ( the first North American operator ) , Arkia Israel Airlines , along with charter carriers Condor and Thomas Cook Airlines . Production for the 757 @-@ 300 totaled 55 aircraft . All 55 were in service in July 2015 . = = = Government , military , and corporate = = = Government , military , and private customers have acquired the 757 for uses ranging from aeronautical testing and research to cargo and VIP transport . The 757 @-@ 200 , the most widely ordered version of the aircraft , has formed the basis for these applications . The first government operator of the 757 was the Mexican Air Force , which took delivery of a VIP @-@ configured 757 @-@ 200 in November 1987 . Airborne Research Integrated Experiments System – ARIES , a NASA platform for air safety and operational research , was created in 1999 using the second production 757 . The aircraft originally flew in the 757 flight test program before entering service with Eastern Air Lines . After NASA purchased the aircraft in 1994 to replace its 737 @-@ 100 testbed , it was initially used to evaluate a hybrid laminar flow control system , avionics systems for the proposed Northrop YF @-@ 23 jet fighter , and the 777 's fly @-@ by @-@ wire control system . Equipped with a flight deck research station , on @-@ board laboratories , and two experimental flight decks , ARIES was used for evaluating weather information and landing approach systems , as well as runway friction tests . ARIES went into storage in 2006 . C @-@ 32 – the United States Air Force ( USAF ) operates four VIP @-@ configured 757 @-@ 200s under the designation C @-@ 32A , with missions including the transport of the Vice President of the United States under the callsign Air Force Two . The C @-@ 32As are outfitted with a communication center , conference room , seating area , and private living quarters . The USAF also operates two 45 @-@ seat 757 @-@ 200 aircraft , designated C @-@ 32B , for use by the U.S. State Department Foreign Emergency Support Team . The C @-@ 32As feature the blue @-@ and @-@ white paint scheme used by the USAF for its VIP transport fleet , while the C @-@ 32Bs are painted in solid white with minimal identification markings . The first C @-@ 32s were delivered in 1998 and replaced C @-@ 137 transports . F @-@ 22 Flying Testbed – the first 757 built was used in 1998 as a testbed for Lockheed Martin F @-@ 22 Raptor avionics and sensor integration . The Boeing @-@ owned aircraft was fitted with a canard above its cockpit to simulate the jet fighter 's wing sensor layout , along with a forward F @-@ 22 fuselage section with radar and other systems , and a 30 @-@ seat laboratory with communication , electronic warfare , identification , and navigation sensors . Krueger flap and Natural Laminar Flow Insect Mitigation Test Program – Boeing commenced a series of test flights on 17 March 2015 with a modified Boeing 757 , incorporating new wing @-@ leading @-@ edge sections and an actively blown vertical tail . The left wing has been modified to include a 6 @.@ 7 m @-@ span glove section supporting a variable @-@ camber Krueger flap which will be deployed during landing and which protrudes just ahead of the leading edge . Although Krueger flaps have been tried before as insect @-@ mitigation screens , previous designs caused additional drag ; the newer design being tested is variable @-@ camber and designed to retract as seamlessly as possible into the lower wing surface . Increasing the use of natural laminar flow ( NLF ) on an aircraft wing has the potential to improve fuel burn by as much as 15 % , but even small contaminants from insect remains will trip the flow from laminar to turbulent , destroying the performance benefit . The test flights have been supported by the European airline group TUI AG and conducted jointly with NASA as part of the agency ’ s Environmentally Responsible Aviation ( ERA ) program . While the left wing tests the Kreuger flaps , the right wing is being used to test coatings that prevent insects from adhering to the wing . Success here will open the door to the application of Natural Laminar Flow to reduce fuel burn . Active Flow Control System – Boeing has mounted 31 active flow jets mounted ahead of the rudder 's leading edge . They receive air from the Auxiliary Power Unit ( APU ) . Their purpose is to recover air flow that has separated from the rudder and redirect it to the rudder so that the rudder regains effectiveness , even at high deflection angles . The air exiting the APU is very hot , at 380 degrees F , and is cooled by a heat exchanger mounted under the aft fuselage , which is connected to the ducts running along the front and back of the stabilizer 's spars . This ensures an even air supply at all times . Royal New Zealand Air Force 757 Combi – the Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF ) operates two 757s converted to 757 @-@ 200M standard by ST Aerospace Services for delivering equipment , medical evacuation , troop movements , and VIP transport . A cargo door , upgraded auxiliary power unit , enhanced communications systems , and retractable airstairs are fitted . The aircraft , which replaced two 727 @-@ 100QCs , have carried the Prime Minister of New Zealand , and flown to the ice @-@ covered Pegasus Field near New Zealand 's Scott Base in McMurdo Sound , Antarctica . VIP transport – the 757 @-@ 200 serves as VIP transports for the President of Argentina under the Presidential Air Group serial Tango 01 and for the President of Mexico under the Mexican Air Force call sign TP01 or Transporte Presidencial 1 . A Royal Brunei Airlines 757 @-@ 200 was used by the Sultan of Brunei in the 1980s before being sold to the Government of Kazakhstan in 1995 . The royal family of Saudi Arabia uses a 757 @-@ 200 as a flying hospital . During the 2004 U.S. presidential election , Senator John Kerry chartered a 757 @-@ 200 from TransMeridian Airlines nicknamed " Freedom Bird " as his campaign jet . During the 2008 U.S. presidential election , then @-@ Senator Barack Obama chartered a 757 @-@ 200 from North American Airlines for the same purpose . In 2008 , British heavy metal band Iron Maiden chartered and customized a 757 ( nicknamed " Ed Force One " , and of which singer Bruce Dickinson was the pilot ) for their " Somewhere Back in Time World Tour " . Since the 2000s , Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has used his personal 757 @-@ 200 to transport team members between games . = = Operators = = The largest 757 operators are Delta Air Lines , FedEx Express and United Airlines ; Delta Air Lines is the largest overall , with a 757 fleet of 138 aircraft as of 2015 . American Airlines ' 757 fleet of 142 aircraft was the largest until 2007 , when the carrier retired Pratt & Whitney PW2000 @-@ powered models acquired from TWA in order to standardize around a Rolls @-@ Royce RB211 @-@ powered fleet . Delta subsequently acquired 17 former American Airlines 757s , and in October 2008 gained 45 more 757s from its merger with Northwest Airlines . The cargo carrier with the most 757s is FedEx Express , which operated a 757 @-@ 200SF fleet of 96 aircraft in July 2015 . The largest operator of the 757 @-@ 200PF is UPS Airlines , with 75 aircraft in July 2015 . DHL Aviation and its affiliated companies , DHL Air UK , DHL Latin America , European Air Transport Leipzig , and Blue Dart Aviation , combined operate 43 cargo 757s of various types in 2015 . Joint launch customer British Airways operated the 757 @-@ 200 for 27 years before retiring the type in November 2010 . To celebrate the fleet 's retirement , the airline unveiled one of its last three 757 @-@ 200s in a retro style livery on October 4 , 2010 , matching the color scheme that it introduced the aircraft into service with in 1983 . Subsequently , the type remained in operation with the company 's subsidiary , OpenSkies . A total of 738 aircraft ( all 757 variants ) were in airline service in July 2015 with operators Delta Air Lines ( 138 ) , FedEx Express ( 96 ) , United Airlines ( 91 ) , American Airlines ( 84 ) , UPS Airlines ( 75 ) , Icelandair ( 26 ) , DHL Air ( 21 ) , and other airlines with fewer aircraft of the type . Over the duration of the 757 program , 1 @,@ 049 aircraft were ordered and delivered , and 1 @,@ 050 examples were built . The prototype 757 was not delivered and remained with the manufacturer for testing purposes . = = Orders and deliveries = = Data from Boeing , through the end of production = = Incidents and accidents = = As of October 2015 , the 757 has been involved in 29 aviation occurrences , including 8 hull @-@ loss accidents . Seven crashes and 11 hijackings have resulted in 574 occupant fatalities . The first fatal event involving the aircraft occurred on October 2 , 1990 , when a hijacked Xiamen Airlines 737 collided with a China Southern Airlines 757 on the runways of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport , China , killing 46 of the 122 people on board . Two 757 @-@ 200s were hijacked in the September 11 attacks ; hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Arlington , Virginia , killing all 64 on board and 125 on the ground , and United Airlines Flight 93 was also hijacked and crashed near Shanksville , Pennsylvania , killing all 44 on board . Accidents involving human error include American Airlines Flight 965 , which crashed into a mountain in Buga , Colombia , on December 20 , 1995 , killing 151 passengers and eight crew members with four survivors , and the mid @-@ air collision of DHL Flight 611 near Überlingen , Baden @-@ Württemberg , Germany , on July 1 , 2002 , with the loss of two on board plus 69 on a Bashkirian Airlines Tupolev Tu @-@ 154 . American Airlines Flight 965 was blamed on navigational errors by the crew , while DHL Flight 611 involved air traffic control errors . Accidents attributed to pilot disorientation due to improperly maintained instruments include Birgenair Flight 301 on February 6 , 1996 , in Puerto Plata , Dominican Republic , with the loss of all 189 passengers and crew , and Aeroperú Flight 603 on October 2 , 1996 , off the coast of Pasamayo , Peru , with the loss of all 70 on board . In the Birgenair accident , investigators found that the aircraft had been stored without the necessary covers for its pitot tube sensors , thus allowing insects and debris to collect within , while in the Aeroperú accident , protective tape covering static vent sensors had not been removed . Two private aircraft crashes were blamed on wake turbulence emanating from 757s . On December 18 , 1992 , a Cessna Citation crashed near Billings Logan International Airport in Montana , killing all six aboard , and on December 15 , 1993 , an IAI Westwind crashed near John Wayne Airport in California , killing all five aboard . Both airplanes had been flying less than three nautical miles ( 5 @.@ 56 km ) behind a 757 . The FAA subsequently increased the required separation between small aircraft and 757s from four to five nautical miles ( 7 @.@ 41 to 9 @.@ 26 km ) . On September 14 , 1999 , Britannia Airways Flight 226A crash landed near Girona @-@ Costa Brava Airport , Spain , during a thunderstorm ; the 757 's fuselage broke into several pieces . All 245 occupants evacuated successfully . On October 25 , 2010 , American Airlines Flight 1640 , a 757 flying between Miami and Boston , safely returned to Miami after suffering the loss of a two @-@ foot ( 0 @.@ 61 m ) fuselage section at an altitude of approximately 31 @,@ 000 feet . After investigating the incident , the FAA ordered all 757 operators in the U.S. to regularly inspect upper fuselage sections of their aircraft for structural fatigue . = = Aircraft on display = = One complete aircraft , Delta Air Lines ' 757 @-@ 200 registered N608DA , has been retired and is on display at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta , Georgia . The aircraft was the sixty @-@ fourth example built . Prior to being moved to its permanent location , the aircraft was repainted in its originally delivered livery ; it is now on static display at the museum entrance . The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D.C. features a 757 @-@ 200 fuselage section as part of its " How Things Fly " exhibition at its National Mall gallery . Visitors are able to walk through the cabin . The fuselage was donated by Boeing and was previously part of a test aircraft ; the interior fittings were donated by United Airlines and installed into the aircraft section for exhibition purposes . = = Specifications = = Sources : Boeing 757 airport planning report , Boeing 757 specifications and Boeing 757 winglet data Note : 1Speed is at altitude , not sea level . See NASA Mach number calculator page for explanation about Mach number and example calculations .
= Bruce Davidson ( equestrian ) = Bruce Oram Davidson ( born December 31 , 1949 , in Rome , New York ) is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing . He grew up in a family uninterested in horses , but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to riding . He began college at Iowa State University , but left in his third year to train full @-@ time with the United States Equestrian Team . In 1974 he married , and his two children were born in 1976 and 1977 . His son , Bruce Davidson , Jr . , has followed in his footsteps to become a top eventing rider . At 18 , Davidson tried out for the United States eventing team and was accepted . He won his first medal as a member of the silver @-@ medal @-@ winning US team at the 1972 Summer Olympics . After that , Davidson went to win gold at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics and silver in 1996 , participating unsuccessfully in 1988 . He has also competed repeatedly at both the World Equestrian Games and the Pan American Games , winning medals at both , as well as winning repeatedly at the top @-@ level Badminton Horse Trials and Rolex Kentucky Three Day events . In the 1980s and early 1990s , Davidson was a consistently top @-@ level rider on both the American and international eventing scenes . He is also known for his horse breeding and training abilities . = = Personal life = = In 1949 , Davidson was born to Francis and Annette Davidson , the former a businessman and the latter a concert pianist . He was the third of four children , and had little opportunity to be around horses until his family moved to Westport , Massachusetts , when he was a child . A family friend introduced Davidson to horses , and he began attending Pony Club events . He bought , trained and sold horses until he found a championship horse in Irish Cap , the horse that took him to his first gold medal at the 1974 World Eventing Championship . Davidson went to college at Iowa State University with a veterinary major , but left in his third year to train with the United States Equestrian Team ( USET ) . In 1974 , Davidson married Carol Hannum , a top rider and daughter of Nancy Hannum , who owns extensive property in Pennsylvania surrounding Davidson 's Chesterland Farm . In 1976 , Davidson 's son , Bruce " Buck " Oram Davidson , Jr . , was born , followed by a daughter , Nancy Fraser Davidson , in 1977 . In 2006 , Davidson 's first grandson , Oram , was born to Nancy . Buck Davidson is also an internationally competitive event rider , competing in high @-@ level events such as the Rolex Kentucky Three Day along with his father . In 2002 , at a competition in Massachusetts , Davidson 's horse suffered a fall in a freak accident . The horse , High Scope , broke his neck and died instantly , while Davidson was taken to the intensive care unit at Massachusetts Memorial Hospital . After being treated for injuries , Davidson was released . In 2010 , Davidson missed that year 's Rolex Three Day Event in Kentucky after undergoing surgery to repair herniated discs in his back . = = Career = = = = = Competition = = = At 18 , Davidson participated in a tryout for aspiring eventers run by Neil Ayer and Jack le Goff , who were trying to build the United States team to an international level . He had talent , and according to LeGoff , " He didn 't know which diagonal he was posting when he came to me . Two years later , he was riding in the Olympics . " Davidson was chosen , and began training with the USET in a four @-@ year , seven @-@ day @-@ a @-@ week program in Gladstone , New Jersey . Davidson won team eventing medals at Olympic Games in 1972 , 1976 , 1984 and 1996 , and also competed at the 1988 Games . In the 1972 Games , at age 22 , he took individual eighth , while the American team won silver . At the 1976 Summer Olympics , the team won gold while Davidson came in tenth individually . In 1984 , Davidson , who finished 13th individually , was the lowest scoring member of the gold @-@ medal @-@ winning United States team . At the 1988 Games , Davidson took 18th , while the American team did not finish the competition . In 1996 , Davidson did not compete as an individual , but the American team again took silver . Outside of the Olympics , Davidson also competed repeatedly at the Eventing World Championships and the Pan @-@ American Games . He took both an individual and a team gold at the 1974 World Championships , and another individual gold at the 1978 Championships . Davidson 's victory at the 1974 Championships aboard Irish Cap made him the first American ever to win the event , and his win in 1978 aboard Might Tango made him the first rider of any nationality to win back @-@ to @-@ back championships . In this event , the inexperienced Might Tango was Davidson 's backup horse after Irish Cap went lame , leading to a scenario which Sports Illustrated likened to " a junior high school quarterback leading USC to victory in the Rose Bowl " . Might Tango 's inexperience led to increased tiredness and rumors that the activity made him go into shock , but Davidson replied that the horse was just " very tired " and praised him for his stamina . The United States also took a team bronze at the 1978 championships . In 1990 , Davidson took an individual bronze at the World Championships in Stockholm , Sweden . In 1998 , Davidson competed at the World Equestrian Games in Rome , where he took an individual 21st place , as well as helping the US to a team 4th . At the 1975 Pan American Games , he took both the individual and the team silver ; he followed this up by an individual gold and a team silver at the 1995 Games . He has also ridden at the Badminton Horse Trials , where he is one of only two Americans to win that event , and he also holds the honor of having the most wins at the Rolex Three Day Event with six victories . Through his 1974 World Championship victory , Davidson is credited with helping to create the Rolex event , as this victory allowed the US to host the 1978 World Championships . The 1978 event turned into an annual competition that eventually became the Rolex Kentucky Three @-@ Day , which was the first and continues to be the only four @-@ star eventing competition in the United States . Davidson has competed at the event almost every year since it began . In 1993 and 1995 , Davidson held the top place in the world eventing rankings compiled by the FEI , and between 1980 and 1995 , he was annually named the leading rider for the United States Eventing Association . = = = Other = = = In 2002 , Davidson was named as one of the 50 most influential horsemen of the 20th century by the equine magazine The Chronicle of the Horse . In 2009 , Davidson was inducted to the United States Eventing Association Hall of Fame , along with his horse Irish Cap . In 2003 , another horse ridden by Davidson , Plain Sailing , had also been inducted . Davidson is also known for his success in finding and training the horses that he rides at the international level . Irish Cap was purchased at the age of five years , JJ Babu and Dr. Peaches as yearlings and Might Tango as a two @-@ year @-@ old ex @-@ racehorse – all ended as championship horses . He is currently a Thoroughbred breeder , and at his Chesterland Farm he says that " the ultimate in the sport is to breed , train and win , to carry the whole system right on through . "
= Typhoon Dujuan ( 2003 ) = Typhoon Dujuan , known in the Philippines as Typhoon Onyok , was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Pearl River delta since Typhoon Hope in 1979 . The 13th storm and 7th typhoon of the 2003 Pacific typhoon season , Dujuan developed on August 27 to the east of Taiwan . It initially moved to the northwest , slowly intensifying into a tropical storm while drawing moisture and rainfall over the Philippines . On the island of Luzon , one person was killed and areas were flooded . Dujuan quickly intensified after turning and moving quicker to the west @-@ northwest , developing an eye . It reached peak winds of 150 km / h ( 90 mph ) on September 1 , and shortly thereafter passed just south of Taiwan . There , Dujuan left 590 @,@ 000 people without power , killed three , and caused NT $ 200 million ( NWD , $ 115 million USD ) in crop damage . While moving through the South China Sea , the typhoon developed concentric eyewalls . Dujuan weakened to severe tropical storm status before making landfall on September 2 in southern China , just east of Hong Kong near Shenzhen , Guangdong . The storm dissipated the next day after causing 40 deaths and ¥ 2 @.@ 3 billion ( CNY , $ 277 million USD ) in damage . Most of the deaths were in Shenzhen where the storm moved ashore , and the city experienced a near @-@ total power outage . = = Meteorological history = = On August 25 , an area of convection persisted on satellite imagery on August 25 . The thunderstorms pulsed and became better organized by August 27 . That day , the Japan Meteorological Agency ( JMA ) estimated that a tropical depression formed southeast of the Japanese island of Okinotorishima , or about 520 km ( 325 mi ) northwest of Guam . The Joint Typhoon Warning Center ( JTWC ) also estimated a tropical cyclone formed on August 27 . With a ridge to the north , the depression tracked slowly to the southwest . The system gradually organized while developing improved outflow to the south , although a tropical upper tropospheric trough to the north caused wind shear . On August 29 , the JMA upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Dujuan , although the JTWC had upgraded a day prior . That day , the Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration ( PAGASA ) began issuing advisories as the storm approached the region , naming it Onyok . Shortly after it was named , Dujuan quickly intensified after an upper level low to the northwest improved outflow to the north . On August 30 , the ridge to the north built eastward , causing the storm to slow and turn more to the northwest . That day , an eye developed in center , and the JMA upgraded Dujuan to typhoon status . Subsequently , the typhoon accelerated to the west @-@ northwest and later to the west . On September 1 , the JMA estimated Dujuan attained peak 10 – minute sustained winds of 150 km / h ( 90 mph ) . Around the same time , the JTWC assessed peak 1 – minute winds of 230 km / h ( 145 mph ) , making it the equivalent of a Category 4 on the Saffir @-@ Simpson hurricane wind scale . While near peak intensity , the center of Dujuan passed about 45 km ( 30 mi ) south of the southern tip of Taiwan . While moving westward through the South China Sea , the typhoon weakened slightly after its peak intensity due to an eyewall replacement cycle . Radar from the Hong Kong Observatory indicated an inner eye about 20 km ( 12 mi ) in diameter , and an outer eye about 100 km ( 60 mi ) in diameter . At around 1200 UTC on September 2 , Dujuan made landfall just east of Hong Kong , near Shenzhen . The JMA estimated the typhoon had weakened into a severe tropical storm by the time of landfall , while the JTWC estimated winds of 185 km / h ( 115 mph ) . It was considered the strongest typhoon to strike the Pearl River Delta since Typhoon Hope in 1979 . Dujuan rapidly weakened while continuing westward through China , dissipating on September 3 over Guangxi . = = Preparations and impact = = Although the center passed north of Luzon in the Philippines , Dujuan interacted with the monsoon to produce heavy rainfall over the country . Flash flooding in Metro Manila covered roads , causing traffic jams . Dangerous conditions caused many schools to close . The typhoon destroyed one house , and one person was killed in the country . While in the vicinity , Dujuan produced gusts of 100 km / h ( 62 mph ) on Yonaguni , a Japanese subdivision of Okinawa . Strong winds and high waves disrupted marine and airline traffic , with two flights canceled . Rainfall on Okinawa reached about 18 mm ( 0 @.@ 71 in ) . On August 31 , officials in Taiwan issued a sea warning , advising for boats to avoid the Bashi Channel . Schools in southern Taiwan were closed , and transport was disrupted . The Ministry of National Defense canceled a military exercise due to the storm . In Taiwan , the typhoon dropped heavy rainfall that reached 628 mm ( 24 @.@ 7 in ) in Pingtung County , and several other locations reported over 200 mm ( 7 @.@ 9 in ) . Sustained winds reached 176 km / h ( 109 mph ) on Orchid Island offshore southeastern Taiwan , where gale force winds were recorded for 13 hours and gusts reached 271 km / h ( 168 mph ) . The typhoon was so strong that it destroyed the anemometer there . On the island of Taiwan , winds peaked at 87 km / h ( 54 mph ) at Dongshi , while gusts peaked at 184 km / h ( 114 mph ) in a mountainous region of Nantou County . The typhoon left about 590 @,@ 000 people without power at some point on the island . Transport was disrupted , and there was about NT $ 200 million ( TWD , $ 115 million USD ) . Dujuan killed three people and injured eight in southern Taiwan ; one was a drowning in the Penghu islands , and another occurred when a man was blown out of his window in Taipei . Before Dujuan made its final landfall , the Hong Kong Observatory initially issued a standby warning signal , and eventually raised it to a number 9 signal , the second @-@ highest out of 10 , for the first time since Typhoon York in 1999 . The threat of the storm caused 360 flights to be canceled or delayed at Hong Kong International Airport , and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was closed . Officials opened 27 shelters for residents , housing over 120 people . Winds in the territory briefly reached typhoon status , or 120 km / h ( 75 mph ) , at Lau Fau Shan . Rainfall reached over 90 mm ( 3 @.@ 5 in ) on Lantau Island . Dujuan caused minor flooding and two small landslides In Hong Kong , the typhoon knocked down 85 trees and caused a power outage affecting 300 people in Yuen Long . Dujuan injured 24 people in the territory , and four fishermen were missing and presumed drowned after their boat sank . Despite the close passage , damage was minor in Hong Kong . During the height of the storm , three people stole $ 1 @.@ 3 million ( USD ) worth of jewelry , watches , and clothing from a store . On the Chinese mainland , Dujuan produced 183 mm ( 7 @.@ 2 in ) of rainfall in Puning in Guangdong , of which 131 mm ( 5 @.@ 2 in ) fell in 24 hours . In Fujian province , winds reached 144 km / h ( 90 mph ) in Quanzhou , and in Guangdong , winds peaked at 179 km / h ( 112 mph ) in Shenzhen . In Shenzen near where Dujuan made landfall , 90 % of residents lost power , after strong winds knocked down power lines , although it was quickly restored . Also in the city , 20 people were killed , 16 of whom due to the collapse of a half @-@ finished building that they were constructing . Officials had opened 272 emergency shelters before the storm 's arrival , housing 4 @,@ 950 people . In Huizhou , nine people were killed , and another three people died in Shanwei from the storm . Across Guangdong , the typhoon damaged roads , water and power systems , and telecommunication networks . About 139 @,@ 000 ha ( 340 @,@ 000 acres ) of crops were damaged in the province , and 54 @,@ 000 homes were destroyed . In Macau , 30 flights were delayed at Macau International Airport , and two bridges were closed . In Fuzhou in Fujian province , the storm knocked down 500 trees . Overall damage in China was estimated at ¥ 2 @.@ 3 billion ( CNY , $ 277 million USD ) , and across Guangdong , the typhoon injured about 1 @,@ 000 people and killed 40 people .
= Clara Clemens = Clara Langhorne Clemens Samossoud , formerly Clara Langhorne Clemens Gabrilowitsch ( June 8 , 1874 – November 19 , 1962 ) , was the daughter of Samuel Clemens , who wrote as Mark Twain . She was a contralto concert singer and , as her father 's only surviving child , managed his estate and guarded his legacy after his death . She was married twice — first to Ossip Gabrilowitsch , then ( after Gabrilowitsch 's death ) to Jacques Samossoud . She wrote biographies of Gabrilowitsch and of her father . In her later life she became a Christian Scientist . = = Childhood = = Clara was the second of three daughters born to Samuel Clemens and his wife Olivia Langdon Clemens in Elmira , New York . Her older sister , Susy , died when Clara was 22 . Her only brother , Langdon , died as an infant before she was born . Her younger sister was Jean . Clara had a serious accident as a child , while riding a toboggan she ended up being hurled into a great oak tree . This resulted in a severe leg injury that almost led to amputation . = = Early career = = She spent the period from September 1897 to May 1899 living in Vienna with her parents . While there , she cultivated her voice for the purpose of going on the concert stage . Her voice was characterized as unusually sweet and attractive . She also studied piano in 1899 under Teodor Leszetycki . In December 1900 , she was invited by the people of Hartford to perform at a grand concert given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra . She studied for several years under masters in Europe , before making her professional debut in Florence . Her American debut , assisted by violinist Marie Nichols , as a contralto concert singer was on the evening of September 22 , 1906 at the Norfolk Gymnasium. in Norfolk , Connecticut where in 1905 she rented Edgewood , Clemens used the proceeds from the concert to purchase a memorial window for her mother in the Norfolk Church of the Transfiguration , Episcopal . Charles Edmund " Will " Wark ( 1876 @-@ 1954 ) , a classical pianist originally from Cobourg , Ontario , Canada , became Clemens piano accompanist from the winter of 1906 to late in 1908 . Clemens and Nichols also continued to perform together , including a series of concerts in London and Paris in 1908 . On May 30 , Clemens debuted in London at a benefit concert , raising money for American girls to attend Oxford and Cambridge Universities . = = Accident and marriage = = At 10 : 00am on December 20 , 1908 in Danbury , Clemens went for a sleigh ride with Russian concert pianist Ossip Gabrilowitsch who was staying with her father at his residence , Innocence at Home , in Redding . While passing through Redding Glen , the horse took fright at a wind @-@ whipped newspaper and bolted with driver Gabrilowitsch losing control . At the top of a hill , next to a 60 @-@ foot ( 18 m ) drop , the sleigh overturned , throwing Clemens out . Gabrilowitsch leaped to the ground and caught the horse by the head , stopping it as it was about to plunge over the bank , dragging Clemens with her dress caught in a runner . Having only sprained his right ankle , Gabrilowitsch returned Clemens to home , unharmed except for the shock of the accident . Twain biographer Michael Shelden doubted the truth of this heroic tale and supplied a motive for why the story might have been planted in the press , namely , to quiet rumors that Clara was having an affair with Charles E. Wark , her former accompanist , a married man . Clemens had been introduced to Gabrilowitsch in 1899 in Vienna by Theodor Leschetizky who was also training Gabrilowitsch . At noon on October 6 , 1909 , she subsequently married Gabrilowitsch in the drawing room at Stormfield , the Clemens home with Rev. Dr. Joseph H. Twitchell presiding . ( Twitchell was a great friend of her father . ) Her father said that the engagement was not new , having been " made and dissolved twice six years ago . " He also said that the marriage was sudden because Gabrilowitsch had just recovered from a surgical operation he had undergone in the summer and they were about to head off to their new house in Berlin where he would begin his European season . Her sister , Jean Clemens , drowned in the bathtub on December 24 , 1909 after having an epileptic seizure . On April 21 , 1910 , her father died and left his entire estate to her in a will dated August 17 , 1909 which provided for quarterly payments of interest to keep it " free from any control or interference from any husband she may have . " On July 9 , she announced that she was giving practically the entire library of her father , comprising nearly 2 @,@ 500 books , to the Mark Twain Free Library . On August 19 , 1910 , her only child was born in Connecticut at Stormfield . Nina Gabrilowitsch ( 1910 @-@ 1966 ) , the last known lineal descendant of Mark Twain , died January 16 , 1966 in a Los Angeles hotel . She had been a heavy drinker , and bottles of pills and alcohol were found in her room . = = Later life = = On April 23 , 1926 , she played the title role in a dramatization of Joan of Arc written by her father at Walter Hampden 's theater . This adaptation and her performance were not very well received by critics . It was again produced in 1927 , opening on April 12 and for a series of special morning and afternoon performances at the Edyth Totten Theatre . Gabrilowitsch was conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1918 until 1935 , when he fell ill . He entered the Henry Ford Hospital on March 25 , 1935 , where he stayed until September 28 , 1935 , at which point he was released to his home to convalesce . He subsequently died at his home on September 14 , 1936 , aged 58 . On May 11 , 1944 , Clara and Jacques Samossoud , a Russian born symphony conductor 20 years her junior , were married in her Hollywood home . She died at age eighty @-@ eight in San Diego , California . Clara explored eastern religions for a few years , and then eventually became a Christian Scientist , although there is some question as to her seriousness and commitment to it . She authored a book on the subject : Awake to a Perfect Day , published by Citadel Press , NYC , 1956 After originally objecting to the release of her father 's Letters from the Earth in 1939 , she changed her stance shortly before her death in 1962 and allowed them to be published . She also published biographies of both her father ( My Father , Mark Twain in 1931 ) and of her first husband ( My Husband : Gabrilowitsch in 1938 ) .
= Lindsay Hassett = Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE ( 28 August 1913 – 16 June 1993 ) was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia . The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle @-@ order batsman , described by Wisden as , " ... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing , nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a simple matter " . His sporting career at school singled him out as a precocious talent , but he took a number of seasons to secure a regular place in first @-@ class cricket and initially struggled to make large scores . Selected for the 1938 tour of England with only one first @-@ class century to his name , Hassett established himself with three consecutive first @-@ class tons at the start of the campaign . Although he struggled in the Tests , he played a crucial role in Australia 's win in the Fourth Test , with a composed display in the run @-@ chase which sealed the retention of the Ashes . Upon returning to Australia , he distinguished himself in domestic cricket with a series of high scores , becoming the only player to score two centuries in a match against Bill O 'Reilly — widely regarded as the best bowler in the world . However , the eruption of World War II interrupted Hassett 's progress . With first @-@ class cricket cancelled , he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force , serving in the Middle East and New Guinea before being chosen to captain the Australian Services cricket team that played the " Victory Tests " in England during the months immediately following Victory in Europe Day . Hassett was the only capped Test player in the team and his men unexpectedly drew the series 2 – 2 against an English team consisting of Test cricketers . Hassett 's leadership was intrinsic to the success of the team , which toured and helped to re @-@ establish the game in England , India and Australia in the aftermath of the war . At the advanced age of 32 , Hassett began his Test cricket career in earnest and became a more sedate , cautious player who often frustrated spectators with his slow scoring . From 1946 – 47 onwards , he served as Don Bradman 's vice @-@ captain for three series , including the Invincibles tour of England in 1948 . He then succeeded the retired Bradman as Australian captain in 1949 and presided over a successful team that gradually aged and declined . After an unbeaten tour of South Africa that saw a 4 – 0 triumph in the Tests , Hassett led the Australians to 4 – 1 home win over England in the 1950 @-@ 51 Ashes series . The solitary loss in the Fifth Test was the first Australian Test defeat since the resumption of cricket after World War II . Australia 's dominance of world cricket waned and , in Hassett 's final season at home in 1952 – 53 , it drew 2 – 2 against a South African team that was expected to be weak opposition . In 24 Test matches as captain , Hassett oversaw 14 wins and suffered defeat only four times , but it was the last of the four losses that blighted his record . Defeated in the last match of the 1953 series against England , Hassett 's team lost The Ashes , ending Australia 's 19 @-@ year ascendancy . At the age of 40 , he promptly retired following a final testimonial match after returning to Australia . A cheerful character with a poker face that aided his captaincy , Hassett was known for his ability as an ambassador for Australia , his sense of humour and diplomatic skills . Richie Benaud wrote of him : " There are others who have made more runs and taken more wickets , but very few have ever got more out of a lifetime . " = = Early years = = The youngest of nine children ( six boys and three girls ) , Hassett was born in Newtown , a suburb of Geelong , Victoria 's second @-@ largest city . His father Edward was a real estate agent who served as the secretary of the Geelong Permanent Building Society and was a keen club cricketer . The Hassett boys played three @-@ a @-@ side cricket matches in the backyard where Lindsay imitated his idol , the Test batsman Bill Ponsford . Along with two of his brothers , Lindsay attended Geelong College and made the First XI at the age of 14 . During his five years in the team , he amassed 2 @,@ 335 runs and was captain for three years . This total included an innings of 245 against Scotch College . In addition , he led the school 's football team for three seasons and won the Victorian Public Schools singles championship at tennis . An elder brother , Richard , played for Victoria in the early 1930s as a leg spinner . While still at school , Hassett played for the South Melbourne First XI in Melbourne 's district cricket competition during the 1930 – 31 season . A month after his debut for South , he was selected for his first representative match ; batting for the Victorian Country XI against the touring West Indies team , he scored 147 not out . After being overlooked for further state honours for a season , he made his first @-@ class debut against South Australia in February 1933 , but his highest score in four innings for the season was 12 and he aggregated only 25 runs . He was overlooked for the entirety of the next two seasons . Recalled in 1935 – 36 , Hassett consolidated his place in the team through consistency rather than tall scores , scoring 212 runs at 30 @.@ 28 , including two fifties , 73 and 51 . The following season , he led Victoria 's batting averages , scoring 503 runs at 71 @.@ 85 . Despite his success , Hassett was unable to register his maiden first @-@ class century , although he did manage seven consecutive fifties in nine innings for the season , including a 93 against Queensland and 83 against arch @-@ rivals New South Wales in a consistent run that helped Victoria to the Sheffield Shield title . In 1937 – 38 , Hassett made 693 first @-@ class runs including a century and five fifties at an average of 53 @.@ 30 , including another 90 against Queensland . Despite having only one first @-@ class century to his name , 127 not out against the touring New Zealanders at the MCG in the first match of the season , he " scraped " into Australia 's team for the 1938 tour of England . = = Test debut = = Hassett allayed doubt about his selection when he began the tour with innings of 43 , 146 , 148 and 220 not out , against Worcestershire , Oxford University , Leicestershire and Cambridge University respectively as Australia won their first four matches by an innings . He added 57 and 98 in the next two matches against the Marylebone Cricket Club and Hampshire , and despite failing to pass 30 in the next four innings , he was selected to make his Test debut at Nottingham in the first match of the series . Hassett had an ignominious debut , scoring one and two in a high @-@ scoring draw in which almost 1 @,@ 500 runs were scored for the loss of only 24 wickets on a " batting paradise " . He maintained his county form between Tests , adding 118 against Lancashire before scoring his only half @-@ century in the Tests , adding 56 and 42 at Lord 's in the drawn Second Test . The Third Test was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain , and Hassett prepared for what would be the decisive Fourth Test by scoring 94 and 127 in consecutive matches against Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire . The match at Headingley in Leeds was Australia 's only Test victory , which was enough to ensure a drawn series and the retention of The Ashes . In a low @-@ scoring match in a batsman @-@ friendly series , Australia , chasing a target of only 105 runs to win , had slumped to 3 / 50 when Hassett came to the crease as an approaching storm threatened to either end the game or make the pitch difficult to bat on . Hassett calmly hit 33 runs from 36 balls , to guide the tourists to a five @-@ wicket victory , much to the relief of his captain Don Bradman , who was so nervous about the outcome that he could not watch the play . The innings earned Hassett a reputation of being calm under pressure , and Bradman later wrote that Hassett was a " masterful player " in a crisis . After the match @-@ winning innings , Hassett failed to pass 31 in his next six innings before Australia lost the Fifth Test by an innings and 579 runs , the heaviest defeat in Test history . He made 42 and 10 in the record @-@ breaking match , and added a pair of half @-@ centuries against Sussex thereafter . As he finished third in the batting averages for the tour , with 1 @,@ 589 runs at 52 @.@ 97 , and the dry summer resulted in pitches mostly favourable to batting , Wisden found his Test performances , in which he made 199 runs at 24 @.@ 88 , anomalous : Hassett , adding together the runs he made and the runs he saved , was one of the most useful men on the side . He never quite fulfilled the promise of a sensational start ... He appeared to make his strokes very late and , although adopting almost a two @-@ eyed stance , had , so far as could be seen , no technical faults ... there was a good deal of surprise that he did not come off in the big matches although it must not be forgotten that his second innings at Leeds counted a lot in Australia 's victory . = = Rivalry with O 'Reilly = = Benefiting from his experience in England , Hassett scored five centuries in his nine matches for 1938 – 39 and finished second in the first @-@ class aggregates for the season . This included a run of seven matches in the middle of the season in which he scored five centuries and four fifties and ended the season with 967 runs at 74 @.@ 38 . He made 211 not out and 102 in two matches against South Australia , whose attack was led by Clarrie Grimmett , the world record holder for the most career Test wickets . Hassett also scored centuries in both matches against Queensland and another against Western Australia . In the first match against Queensland , he scored 104 in the first innings before adding 73 in the second innings to steer the Victorians to a narrow three @-@ wicket victory . This period of Hassett ’ s career was notable for his battles with Australia 's leading Test bowler , Bill O 'Reilly , when the latter appeared for New South Wales ( NSW ) . O 'Reilly conceded that Hassett played his bowling better than any other batsman . Hassett 's method was predicated on counter @-@ attacking : whenever O 'Reilly bowled his famed wrong ' un , he could read this delivery in its flight ( whereas most other batsmen could not ) and he advanced down the pitch to hit the ball over the fielders on the leg side . The disparate demeanours and physiques of the two men accentuated their rivalry . Ray Robinson wrote that O 'Reilly , " ... towered nine inches above him ; it would have looked more apt for Hassett to sell him a newspaper than contend with his bowling . " The phlegmatic Hassett sometimes goaded the irascible O 'Reilly , which few batsmen were game to do . On one occasion , he repeatedly mis @-@ hit O 'Reilly 's bowling , prompting an irritated O 'Reilly to ask if he had a middle to his bat . Hassett replied , " I don 't need one with you , Tige . " It was a long , defensive innings of 81 against NSW ( including O 'Reilly ) in 1937 that first brought Hassett to the attention of the national selectors . During an interval in the match , O 'Reilly told his teammates : " Nobody has ever kept me out like that little bastard . " In the 1938 – 39 season , O ’ Reilly removed Hassett twice in three innings in matches between the two states . Their rivalry culminated in two encounters on the SCG at the conclusion of the 1939 – 40 season . The first , between Victoria and NSW , effectively decided the winner of the Sheffield Shield ; Victoria had won the first match between the two teams for the season . By scoring 122 in both innings , Hassett became the only player to score two centuries in a match against a team containing O 'Reilly . Nevertheless , NSW won the game and the shield , before playing against a Rest of Australia combination . Batting for the Rest of Australia , Hassett almost repeated his feat by making 136 and 75 , but this was not enough to stop NSW , who demonstrated their strength with another victory . Hassett had scored five half @-@ centuries in the five preceding matches of the season , including three in four innings against Grimmett ’ s South Australia , and ended the Australian summer with 897 runs at 74 @.@ 75 . He lost his wicket to O 'Reilly in a first @-@ class match only three times . = = War years and the Services team = = On 23 September 1940 , Hassett enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) ; despite his enlistment he remained active in cricket and played four first @-@ class matches in the following 1940 – 41 season , scoring 384 runs at 54 @.@ 86 including a century against South Australia , before his posting to the Middle East in early @-@ 1941 . As a member of the 2 / 2nd Heavy Anti @-@ Aircraft Regiment , attached to the Australian 7th Division , he was stationed at Haifa in the British Mandate of Palestine ( now Israel ) . During his time in the army , Hassett became popular among his colleagues because of his " blithe spirit " . He was offered a commission as an officer , but declined . Hassett maintained his connection to cricket by captaining an AIF team against service teams from other Empire countries serving in the region , playing matches in Egypt and Palestine . Following the outbreak of war in the Pacific , the Australian 6th and 7th Divisions were recalled to Australia . He married during his brief return to Melbourne in May 1942 , before his unit was deployed to Port Moresby in New Guinea to fight against Imperial Japan . In 1945 , with the cessation of hostilities in Europe , Hassett was selected to lead the Australian Services cricket team on a tour of England . Officially a military unit , the team 's commanding officer was Squadron Leader Stan Sismey of the Royal Australian Air Force , although Hassett was the on @-@ field captain . They went on to play 64 matches in nine months of cricket in four countries . The focal point of the campaign was a series of matches against England known as the " Victory Tests " , which began in May . Australian cricket administrators would not accredit the three @-@ day matches as official Test matches , arguing that there were not enough Test @-@ level players among the servicemen ; Hassett was the only player who had Test experience , and only nine others had played first @-@ class cricket . As a result , Australia were not expected to be able to seriously challenge the hosts , who had many of their pre @-@ war Test players . The Victory Tests were expected to usher in a new post @-@ war era , which it hoped would be more aggressive and attractive . The last Anglo @-@ Australian Test series before the war had featured a large number of draws due to defensive play . Australia unexpectedly drew the series 2 – 2 , and Hassett wrote at the end of the series that " This is cricket as it should be ... These games have shown that international cricket can be played as between real friends — so let 's have no more talk of " war " in cricket " . The series was regarded as an outstanding success , with a total attendance of 367 @,@ 000 watching the bright and attacking play . In the five Victory Tests , Hassett made 277 runs at 27 @.@ 70 , including two fifties . The Services and Australian Imperial Force teams played separate matches in England during the season , which lasted until September , although only one other Services match was given first @-@ class status . Hassett scored three centuries in matches for the Services . Due to the unexpectedly strong success of the Victory Tests , the government of Australia ordered the team to delay their demobilisation . With the team raising so much money for war charities , the government directed them to travel home via India and Ceylon for further fundraising matches for the Red Cross . Hassett enjoyed greater success on the Services tour of India , although the Australians had little to celebrate as a team . It was a tougher proposition for Hassett ’ s men , as all but one of the nine matches were against first @-@ class opposition , and many of the players regarded the local umpires as being deliberately biased in favour of the home teams . After arriving in October , conflict hit the team after a series of ineffective displays . The team , mostly made up of RAAF personnel , had been ill with food poisoning and dysentery , and travelled across the Indian subcontinent via long and bumpy train journeys for the first month . The airmen wanted to travel by air , and tried to ask Hassett and manager Keith Johnson for air travel . When this was refused , they threatened to abandon the tour or replace infantryman Hassett with either Keith Carmody or Keith Miller — who were RAAF fighter pilots — if their wish was not granted . With incumbent Australian captain Bradman likely to miss the upcoming tour of New Zealand , the Services leader would be one of the frontrunners for the national captaincy . Miller refused to plot against Hassett and the dispute ended when Sismey arranged for a RAAF plane already in India to transport the team ; after a month in India , their first flight came in late November . In the opening match of the tour , a draw against North Zone , Hassett made 73 . In a high @-@ scoring match in hot conditions against the Prince 's XI in Delhi , he struck 187 and 124 not out in Australia 's 8 / 424 declared and 5 / 304 . The team was scheduled to play East Zone in Calcutta , but the city was gripped in deadly riots as independence activists agitated against British rule . Australia batted first and made only 107 , before East Zone replied with 131 . Led by Hassett 's 125 , Australia posted 304 to leave the hosts a target of 281 . On the final day , pro @-@ independence rioters broke through the security presence and invaded the pitch for the second time during the match , while East Zone were batting . East Zone batsman Denis Compton told the rioters to talk to Hassett , saying that the Australian skipper controlled proceedings . Hassett smiled at the leader of the irate demonstrators and asked " You wouldn 't happen to have a cigarette , would you , old boy ? " The rioters calmed down and play resumed . Australia struggled in the three representative matches against India . Hassett made 53 in the first match in Mumbai , and although the Australians took a 192 @-@ run first innings lead , the hosts managed to hold on for a draw . The second match in Calcutta was an evenly @-@ contested draw , before India won the deciding match . Hassett top @-@ scored with 143 in Australia ’ s 339 , but the hosts took a first innings lead of 186 to set up a six @-@ wicket win . Hassett ended with 235 runs at 47 @.@ 00 in the three international matches , but did not taste victory in any of his seven matches on Indian soil . He scored 57 as Australia defeated Ceylon by an innings in Colombo before returning to Australia mid December . As time had passed , the players had become increasingly tired by the long campaign , and morale began to drop as waited for their return to their families and civilian life . = = Post @-@ war career = = Johnson 's team arrived in Australia late in 1945 , but the armed services and Australian Board of Control ordered them to play another series against the various Australian states . The fixtures were meant to revive cricket following the war and were also used as a lead @-@ up to the international tour to New Zealand in March 1946 . As a result , Hassett could not appear for Victoria during the 1945 – 46 season . The Services performed poorly ; after playing consecutive draws against Western Australia and South Australia , they were crushed by an innings by both Victoria and New South Wales , before drawing against Queensland and Tasmania , the smallest state . Hassett ’ s team was saved by the clock against Queensland when the time ran out with the hosts four runs short of their target , but their fortunes were reversed in the final match when Tasmania hung on with only one wicket in hand to salvage a draw . Hassett ended the Australian summer with 312 runs at 39 @.@ 00 , including three fifties . During the entire Services campaign , he scored 1 @,@ 434 runs at 49 @.@ 44 in 18 first @-@ class matches and top @-@ scored for the Australians ’ whole campaign with 187 . His aggregate was only 13 behind that of all rounder Keith Miller . Based on his form for the Services , Hassett was selected in the Australian team for a brief five @-@ match tour of New Zealand in February and March 1946 . As the military men played poorly in Australia , the national selectors concluded that their achievements against England must have been against weak opposition , and only Hassett and Miller were selected for the Australian tour of New Zealand . Despite speculation that he would lead the team , as Bradman had made himself unavailable due to concerns over fitness and his ability to play at his pre @-@ war world @-@ leading standards , the Australian Board of Control appointed Bill Brown as captain and O 'Reilly as Brown 's deputy . In the Board 's ballot for the leadership positions , Hassett received only one of the 13 votes , although it was enough to make him the third on @-@ tour selector . One motive speculated for his being overlooked was that he had rested himself from the match against Victoria because he was tired of the long periods in the military away from his family and decided instead to spend the time in Melbourne with his wife and young daughter ; this supposedly drew the ire of the Victorian Cricket Association . On the tour , Hassett made first @-@ class centuries against Auckland ( 121 ) and Wellington ( 143 ) and scored 19 in the one @-@ off match against New Zealand — retrospectively accredited as a Test — played at Basin Reserve in Wellington on a poor rain @-@ affected pitch that saw the contest finished within two days . The match ended in an easy victory for Australia when New Zealand was bowled out for 42 and 54 , but the tour attracted big crowds and made a record profit . Hassett scored 351 runs at 70 @.@ 20 for the whole tour . By the time he returned home from the tour , Hassett had played cricket continuously for almost twelve months . = = = Sheet anchor role = = = The following season , Hassett returned to serve his state and became Victorian captain for the first time . In the warm @-@ up matches ahead of the Tests , he hit 57 , 57 and 28 against the touring MCC team . He then scored 114 and 36 not out against South Australia in his last match before the beginning of the Ashes series . After a long deliberation , and against medical advice , the 38 @-@ year @-@ old Bradman decided to resume as Test captain . As Brown was injured and O 'Reilly had retired , Hassett was appointed vice @-@ captain . The First Test at Brisbane revealed a more circumspect Hassett . He made 128 ( from 395 balls in 392 minutes ) , his maiden Test century , and shared a 276 @-@ run partnership with Bradman , the cornerstone of Australia 's match @-@ winning score of 645 . Although the crowd continually barracked Hassett for his slow scoring , Ray Robinson felt that he played a crucial " anchoring " role in support of Bradman , who initially struggled with his timing , controversially survived an appeal for a catch by Jack Ikin , then limped through the latter stages of his innings with a strained muscle . Hassett later joked that one of his brothers had his wedding on the day , and was waiting for the batting to finish before starting the ceremony , but could wait no more and proceeded , only to come back after the marriage had been completed to find that just one run had been scored in the intervening period and that his brother was still only on 97 . Australia went on to start the post @-@ war Ashes era with a crushing win by an innings and 332 runs . Hassett made 34 as Australia won the Second Test by an innings , and the Third Test was his first Test on his home ground at the MCG . He made only 12 and 9 as England held on for a draw with three wickets in hand . Hassett 's other major innings of the series was 78 from 227 balls in the drawn Fourth Test at Adelaide . He added 189 runs with Arthur Morris after Australia , in reply to England 's first innings of 460 , were 2 / 18 . At one point , the umpire denied an appeal by Norman Yardley for lbw against Hassett , prompting a frustrated Neville Cardus to write , " ... he deserved to be [ given out ] ; the sight of a cricketer of his gifts continuing to deny his eye and technique in a Test match was enough to make any umpire go mad and , like the judge in Chesterton 's story , administer justice instead of law . " Hassett ended the Tests with 47 in the second innings as Australia stumbled to a five @-@ wicket win on a deteriorating and spinning pitch in the Fifth Test in Sydney , in pursuit of 214 . He finished the series with 332 runs at 47 @.@ 43 and had difficulty against the leg spinner Doug Wright , who dismissed him five times in seven innings . He had added 126 for Victoria against Wally Hammond ’ s Englishmen just a week earlier . Despite his slow scoring in the Tests , Hassett was dynamic in the Shield matches for Victoria . In two matches for Victoria between the Third and Fourth Tests , Hassett hit 200 against Queensland and 190 against NSW ; in both innings he scored at a rate of almost 50 runs per hour . Victoria won both their matches against arch @-@ rivals NSW convincingly , by an innings and 288 runs respectively , and won the Sheffield Shield , having secured victory in each of the four matches that Hassett played in . Hassett was highly productive throughout the whole season , ending with 1 @,@ 213 runs at 71 @.@ 35 . India embarked on its first tour of Australia in the summer of 1947 – 48 , and the hosts won the first series between the two countries 4 – 0 . After failing to pass 50 in the first two Tests , Hassett hit 80 in a rain @-@ affected Third Test win , and then his highest Test score , 198 not out in an innings win in the Fourth Test in Adelaide , finishing the series with 332 runs at 110 @.@ 67 . Hassett was rested from the Fifth and final Test as Australia sought to try out new players such as Sam Loxton ahead of the tour of England . He remained in strong form for Victoria , scoring 118 and 204 against South Australia and Queensland respectively , but his state were unable to retain their title , losing three and winning two matches when Hassett was available . He ended the season with 893 runs at 68 @.@ 69 . = = = Invincibles tour = = = Ten years after his first tour of England , Hassett was included in the 1948 team as Bradman 's deputy . Hassett was one of three on @-@ tour selectors along with Bradman and Arthur Morris . Considered one of the strongest Australia teams to tour England , the team became known as The Invincibles because it went undefeated through 34 matches , an unprecedented feat . As matches often started the day after the previous fixture , Australia employed a rotation policy and Hassett led the tourists in nine of the 34 matches while Bradman was rested . Under Hassett 's watch , Australia won seven matches , five of these by an innings , while both draws were rain @-@ affected fixtures in which more than half the playing time was lost . Hassett had two close encounters as captain , both on damp pitches before the First Test when Australia 's unbeaten record was challenged . Against Yorkshire in the third match of the tour , Australia came the closest to losing for the entire tour . In a low @-@ scoring match in which neither team posted more than 101 , Australia was set 60 for victory , Hassett elected not to ask for the pitch to be rolled . Former Australian Test batsman Jack Fingleton said that Hassett " might have made an initial mistake in not having the pitch rolled because whenever there was rain about in England the heavy roller seemed to knock any nonsense [ erratic bounce and sideways movement ] out of the pitch " . Australia lost quick wickets and Hassett came in with the score at 2 / 5 . After being involved in a run out , he fell to leave Australia at 5 / 20 . Australia lost another wicket to be 6 / 31 , effectively seven down with Sam Loxton incapacitated by injury , but scraped hom without further loss after both batsmen at the crease were dropped . It would have been their first defeat against an English county since 1912 . In the 11th match of the tour against Hampshire , Australia ceded a first innings lead for the first time on tour . On a drying pitch , Australia were dismissed for 117 in reply to the home side 's 195 . Australia had made a solid start , before Hassett fell for 26 , sparking a collapse of 8 / 47 to be all out for 117 . Hampshire were then bowled out for 103 , leaving Australia a target of 182 , which they reached to seal an eight @-@ wicket win . The two matches aside , Hassett had a productive lead @-@ in to the Tests , scoring 110 against Surrey and two fifties . One of these came in a match against the Marylebone Cricket Club ( MCC ) at Lord 's . The MCC fielded seven players who would represent England in the Tests , and was basically a full @-@ strength Test team . It was a chance to gain a psychological advantage before the Tests . Australia batted first and Hassett made 51 in an innings win . Fingleton hailed Hassett 's display as " the prettiest half century we saw in the whole summer . There was not effort in his play . The ball sped quietly and quickly in all directions . " In the First Test at Trent Bridge , Hassett came in on the second day with Australia at 4 / 185 in reply to England 's 165 . Australia had been scoring slowly due to England 's use of leg theory . Hassett almost holed out early when he edged a ball just wide of the wicket @-@ keeper . Hassett and Bradman were heckled for their slow batting but they remained unhurried in the face of England 's stifling tactics Australia had plenty of time after bowling out their opponents easily . Hassett had a period of 20 minutes without scoring . Early on the third day , Bradman fell for 138 with the score at 5 / 305 . Yardley again pinned Hassett down with more leg theory . Laker bowled with one slip , while Young had none and employed a pure ring field . The scoring was slow during this passage of play — Young delivered 11 consecutive maiden overs and his 26 @-@ over spell conceded only 14 runs . The injured Ray Lindwall came out to join Hassett at 7 / 365 without a runner . Hassett — who had scored only 30 runs in the first 75 minutes of the morning — swept Laker for four and then hit him for the first six of the match . Hassett added 53 in the two hours of the morning session to reach lunch at 94 . Australia were unhurried and remained patient in the face of Yardley 's defensive tactics because they had bowled England out on the first day and there was still sufficient time to force a result . After the break , Hassett reached his first Test century on English soil. from 305 minutes . He then accelerated , adding a further 37 runs in 49 minutes , before being bowled by Bedser , having struck 20 fours and a six . This ended an eighth @-@ wicket partnership of 107 with Lindwall with the score at 8 / 473 ; Australia ended at 509 to take a 344 @-@ run first innings lead . In the second innings , Hassett hit the winning run to end with an unbeaten 21 in an eight @-@ wicket win . The First Test set the tone for the series , and ahead of the next Test , Hassett top scored with 127 and took five catches in an innings win over Northamptonshire . Hassett scored 47 and a duck in the Second Test at Lord 's , having been dropped three times in the first innings as Australia went on to a 409 @-@ run win . Hassett then struck 139 against Surrey , his second century against the county in as many matches . Hassett and Australia were in difficulty in the Third Test at Old Trafford . Hassett made 38 as Australia scored 221 in reply to 363 . In England 's second innings , Hassett twice dropped Cyril Washbrook in the same position from the same shot . After the third day 's play , Washbrook shouted Hassett a drink ; England were in a strong position , 316 runs ahead with seven wickets in hand . Luckily for Australia and Hassett , the pair of missed chances from the England opener late in the day cost little . Washbrook remained unbeaten on 85 as England declared without further addition after the entire fourth day and the final morning had been lost to rain . Hassett was not required as Australia batted for 61 overs to ensure a draw . Hassett had a new role as the teams headed to Headingley for the Fourth Test . He would improvise and open with Morris , as regular opener Sid Barnes was injured . Hassett dropped Len Hutton — who went on to score 81 — on 25 . Hassett struggled to make an impact in the unfamiliar role , scoring 13 and 17 . However , the other Australian batsmen stepped up and scored 3 / 404 in 330 minutes on the final day to set a new world record for the highest successful Test runchase , ensuring an unassailable 3 – 0 series lead . Hassett scored two fifties in the lead @-@ up to the Fifth Test , where he returned to his customary role with the return of Barnes . Hassett took a diving catch in the first innings and scored 37 in an innings win . Australia thus won the series convincingly 4 – 0 and Hassett finished the series with 310 runs at 44 @.@ 29 . After the Tests , seven matches remained on Bradman 's quest to go through a tour of England without defeat. played in four of the matches and was in fine form , hitting three consecutive centuries . Against the Gentlemen of England at Lord 's , Hassett made 200 not out against a team that featured eight Test players . He then made 103 against Somerset and 151 against the South of England . Australia won the first two and were denied by rain in the third . Hassett ended the first @-@ class matches with 1 @,@ 563 runs at 74 @.@ 22 and seven centuries . He had the third highest aggregate behind Bradman and Morris and the second highest average . In recognition of his performances in England , he was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1949 . Wisden opined that " in addition to his playing ability Hassett 's cheerfulness and leadership , which extended to off @-@ the @-@ field relaxation as well as in the more exacting part of the programme , combined to make him an ideal vice @-@ captain able to lift a considerable load off Bradman 's busy shoulders " . = = = Captain of Australia = = = By virtue of his performances with the Services team and his seniority in Australian cricket , Hassett appeared certain to succeed Bradman as captain ; his only rival for the position was NSW captain Arthur Morris , the third selector during the tour of England . The season , which was purely domestic with no touring Test team , started with Bradman 's testimonial match , in which Hassett led a team against the retiring Australian leader . Hassett scored 35 and 102 and the match ended with the scores tied . Bradman 's outfit managed to fall short of the victory by the smallest possible margin , ending one run short of their target with one wicket remaining at the end of the final over . Hassett continued his liking for the Queensland attack , scoring 104 and 205 in Victoria ’ s two matches against their northern opponents for the year . Victoria did not do so well as a team , winning two and losing one of the six matches in which Hassett played , as New South Wales took the title . The summer finished with Hassett captaining a team against an eleven led by Morris . The match was designated as a trial for the selection of the Australian team to tour South Africa the following summer . Hassett scored 73 and 159 and top @-@ scored in both innings ; Morris 66 and 12 . However , Hassett ’ s effort was not enough to stop an eight @-@ wicket defeat after Morris ’ s men took a 377 @-@ run first innings lead . Morris and Hassett were the first and third highest run @-@ scorers for the 1948 – 49 season . Hassett ended the season with 855 runs at 61 @.@ 07 . The day after the match , the chosen touring team was passed to the Board of Control for a decision on the captaincy . The 7 – 6 result in favour of Hassett provoked Ray Robinson to write that the deciding vote , cast for Hassett by the Board chairman Dr Allen Robertson ( from Victoria ) , " ... save [ d ] the Board from an act of disgusting ingratitude " and that , " ... once again Hassett 's notable achievements with the Services team had been devalued . " The main reason given for the administrators ' less than unanimous endorsement of Hassett was his religion . As an Irish Catholic , Hassett was subjected to the sectarian bias of some Australian cricket officials , an attitude that was common among the Anglo @-@ Saxon Protestant ruling class of the time , and so narrowly became the first Catholic captain since Percy McDonnell in 1888 . The team itself was significantly different from the Invincibles squad . Bradman had retired ; Sid Barnes , Don Tallon , Ernie Toshack and Bill Brown were unavailable , while the omission of Keith Miller caused a furore . Miller later joined the tour after an injury sustained in a car crash sidelined Bill Johnston for an extended period at the start of the tour . However , Johnston recovered , and both he and Miller took their places in all five Tests , eliminating any disadvantage caused by the controversial initial omission of the latter . Matching Bradman 's feat , Hassett led his team through South Africa undefeated and claimed the Test series 4 – 0 , winning 14 out of 21 matches . Although he was hampered by recurrent problems with his tonsils , the success of the tour was attributed to Hassett 's , " ... unobtrusive yet dominant personality . " He scored 889 first @-@ class runs at 68 @.@ 38 on the tour , including four centuries . In the lead @-@ up to the Tests , Hassett scored 100 and 96 , and he led Australia to four consecutive wins , three by an innings and the other by ten wickets . The opening Test began at Johannesburg on Christmas Eve 1949 . Batting first , Australia started poorly when both opening batsmen failed to score , before Hassett " transformed the course of the game with a hundred of considerable quality . " He compiled 112 ( in 261 minutes ) of the 198 runs added while he was at the crease ; Australia amassed 413 then bowled South Africa out twice to win by an innings . He then scored 57 and enforced the follow on in an eight @-@ wicket win in the Second Test . Hassett ’ s winning run looked at an end when Australia was exposed to a sticky wicket in the Third Test . The hosts had reached 2 / 240 at the end of the first day before rain hit and made the pitch extremely difficult for batting . The next day , Hassett had to waste time to keep South Africa batting on the poor surface so that Australia ’ s batsmen would not be exposed to the worst conditions . He then told his bowlers to perform badly so that the hosts would not realise how difficult the pitch was and declare so that Australia would have to face the sticky wicket . Despite Hassett ’ s subterfuge , the pitch was so poor that South Africa fell to be 311 all out , but Australia had gained extra time . The tourists made only 75 , but then dismissed the hosts for 99 , Hassett using defensive tactics to slow the scoring and keep South Africa batting as the pitch slowly improved . Australia chased down the target of 336 with five wickets in hand to secure a highly unlikely win . The local newspaper , The Natal Mercury said that " Renowned for their fighting qualities as a cricketers , the occasion brought the best out of the Australians ... That indomitable spirit to win through , no matter what the circumstances may be , was in most marked evidence . " Hassett ’ s perfect record as Test captain ended in the Fourth Test , when he made 53 in a high @-@ scoring draw . He then " reached peak form " in the final Test at Port Elizabeth . He top @-@ scored with 167 as the match unfolded in a similar manner to the First Test , with a similar result . Australia made 7 / 549 declared and then won by an innings and 259 runs after enforcing the follow on . As a leader , Hassett was regarded as an outstanding success . In that era , the tours were accompanied by much ceremony , and captains were expected to make many appearances with dignatories at dinner parties and make speeches . He had his players participate in cultural activities such as dancing and singing with indigenous tribesmen , and reached out to the local children , interspersing his presentations with self @-@ deprecating jibes . As the team ’ s boat departed for home , Hassett tossed his remaining money away among the local children . The Australian High Commission hailed him as the most effective Australian diplomat to have visited South Africa . Of his on @-@ field performances , the historian Chris Harte wrote that " Hassett ’ s captaincy impressed from the start . His warmth of personality and sense of fun contrasted with Bradman ’ s efficient but cold methods . It was a happy tour with the players remembering particularly the hospitality offered to them . " = = = Success at home = = = Hassett started the 1950 – 51 season strongly ; after making 19 against England for Victoria , he struck 113 and 179 against South Australia and New South Wales in his two other matches before the Tests . The England team that visited Australia for the 1950 – 51 Ashes series had a poor start to their tour , but at Brisbane on the opening day of the First Test , " ... surprised even themselves by dismissing Australia for 228 on a good pitch . " However , rain intervened to negate England 's advantage , and when the contest resumed two days later , England batted on a sticky wicket . The English captain Freddie Brown conceded a first @-@ innings lead of 160 runs by declaring with his team 's score on 7 / 68 to force Australia to bat in unfavourable conditions . The Australian batsmen fared worse in the difficult conditions and Hassett gambled by declaring at 7 / 32 , setting England 193 to win . Hassett himself had only managed eight and three for the match . During the 70 minutes remaining before stumps , Australia took six English wickets ( which meant that 20 wickets fell for 102 runs in the day 's play ) , and went on to win the match by 70 runs the following day . Hassett returned to his normal form away from the sticky wicket , scoring 127 and 28 not out against Queensland between Tests . It was his third century in as many matches for Victoria . In the Second Test at Melbourne , " Australia owed much to the imperturbable Hassett " , as he top @-@ scored with 52 in the first innings . Australia won another low @-@ scoring match by 28 runs ; Freddie Brown was the only other player to post a half century in the match and no team passed 200 . Hassett then stroked 70 in the Third Test , which Australia won by an innings to take an unassailable 3 – 0 series lead , before Australia won their fifth Test in a row in the next match in Adelaide . Before the final Test , Hassett 's run @-@ scoring peaked when he stroked 232 against Brown 's men in a drawn match for Victoria . In the Fifth Test at the MCG , he top @-@ scored with 92 before his dismissal to a one @-@ handed diving catch sparked a collapse and Australia managed only 217 batting first . The tourists took a first innings lead and Hassett made 48 in Australia ’ s second innings of 197 . England made the 95 needed for victory , and the eight @-@ wicket loss was Australia 's first Test defeat since the resumption of international cricket after World War II , ending a streak of 25 Tests without defeat . Hassett and Brown described the series as the friendliest they had been involved in , but despite the success on the field , the series was poorly attended and revenue was down by around 25 % from the corresponding tour four years earlier , mainly due to the absence of Bradman to spark public interest . Hassett was the second @-@ highest run @-@ scorer of the series , hitting 366 runs at 40 @.@ 67 . Only England 's Len Hutton ( 533 runs at 88 @.@ 83 ) was better . Hassett ended the first @-@ class season with 1 @,@ 423 runs at 64 @.@ 68 , including four centuries and five fifties , topping the run @-@ scoring aggregates . He played in seven shield matches without defeat , winning five to help Victoria to another title . Wisden , taking into consideration Australia 's post @-@ war record and the West Indies ' success during their 1950 tour of England , declared the 1951 – 52 series between the two sides to be , " the unofficial cricket championship of the world " . Hassett went into the First Test at Brisbane without playing a first @-@ class match for the season due to the scheduling . However , this was negated by the fact that the tourists only had one match of comparable standard before the Tests , prompting Hassett to make some unusually blunt comments , saying that " The West Indies have suffered from sheer stupidity in the organisation of their tour " . Like many of the Australians , he struggled to pick the action of West Indian leg spinner Sonny Ramadhin . He was out for only six in the first innings , as Australia eked out a 10 @-@ run lead . He then managed 35 as Australia scraped home in the second innings by three wickets to 7 / 236 . He had been dismissed by Ramadhin both times , bowled and lbw , unable to pick which way the ball was spinning . Between Tests , Hassett had an opportunity to rectify this problem when Victoria hosted the Caribbean tourists , but Ramadhin prevailed again , dismissing him for 12 in his only innings . Having worked out how to pick Ramadhin 's variations , he compiled 132 and 46 not out in a seven @-@ wicket win in the Second Test at Sydney . Hassett 's century was part of a 235 @-@ run partnership with Keith Miller , an Australian Test record for any wicket against the West Indies . Ramadhin ended with 1 / 196 and was demoralised . Between Tests , Hassett 's Victorians faced New South Wales in consecutive matches . Hassett scored 92 in the first encounter , a high @-@ scoring draw , and his team had the upper hand in the latter , forcing their opponents to hold on with only three wickets remaining . Hassett missed the next Test with a strained muscle ; this led to a bureaucratic restriction that hindered his deputy Morris . Having been injured on the eve of the Test , Hassett ’ s withdrawal forced the selectors to call in batsman Phil Ridings at late notice , but some of the board members could not be contacted to ratify the decision . This meant that Hassett had to be replaced by a spare bowler who was already in the squad . In Hassett ’ s absence , Australia ’ s thin batting line @-@ up collapsed on a damp pitch hostile to batsmen and lost . Returning for the Fourth Test at the MCG , Australia ’ s batsmen again struggled ; Hassett made 15 and his team conceded a lead of 56 on the first innings . His team was set a second innings target of 260 runs to win . Hassett made 102 but found little support from the other batsmen . When he was dismissed with the score at 8 / 218 , the West Indies appeared set to level the series . However , an unbeaten last wicket partnership of 38 runs between tailenders Doug Ring and Bill Johnston gave Australia an unlikely victory and the series 3 – 1 . It was reported that Hassett , who had just taken a shower after being dismissed , was so mesmerised by the efforts of Ring and Johnston that the watched the final moments of the match naked from the change rooms . Ahead of the final Test of the series , Hassett 's Victorians suffered a four @-@ wicket defeat in their second match of the season against the West Indies , Hassett scoring 56 and 43 . Australia completed an emphatic 4 – 1 result by winning the final encounter , even though they were bowled out for 116 on the first day of the match , before fighting back to dismiss the tourists for 78 . Hassett 's second innings score of 64 took his total to 402 runs ( at an average of 57 @.@ 43 ) , making him the leading run @-@ scorer for the series . Hassett ended the season with a dominant 229 against South Australia , setting up an innings win , dwarfing the 222 and 166 made by his opponents combined . Despite this , New South Wales claimed the Sheffield Shield for the season , and Hassett ended the summer with 855 runs at 61 @.@ 07 . = = = Australia 's decline and the Ashes lost = = = In 1952 – 53 , South Africa 's cricket authorities were hesitant to send their inexperienced team to Australia , fearing that the Test series would be uncompetitive . The Australian Board of Control 's concern that — after losing money on the previous season 's tour by the West Indies — the series would be another financial disaster resulted in South Africa offering an indemnity of ₤ 10 @,@ 000 against any losses . Hassett began the season with two consecutive Sheffield Shield losses before the Tests , although he did manage 91 against South Australia before facing South Africa . He scored 123 in the return match later in the season and Victoria recorded two wins under his watch , against Queensland . Australia won the opening game of the rubber in an unexpectedly close match in Brisbane by 96 runs , Hassett making 55 and 17 . South Africa struck back and gained their first Test victory over Australia for 41 years , taking the Second Test at Melbourne by 82 runs . Australia recovered momentum by convincingly winning the Third Test by an innings , but Hassett 's form had been mediocre in all three encounters , totalling 76 runs in five innings . In the Fourth Test at Adelaide , he played his only significant innings for the series , scoring 163 and sharing a 275 @-@ run stand with Colin McDonald . With Australia heading for a victory that would give them the series , Ray Lindwall and Miller suffered injuries and were unable to bowl in the second innings . This compelled Hassett to delay his second innings declaration : South Africa then forced a draw by batting out 73 ( eight @-@ ball ) overs against the depleted bowling attack with four wickets in hand . In anticipation of the forthcoming tour of England , Australian selectors made a fateful decision to rest Lindwall and Miller for the last Test when Hassett won the toss and elected to bat . He scored 40 runs in a total of 520 that gave Australia apparent command of the match . However , South Africa again fought back ; after scoring 435 , the tourists bowled Australia out for 209 , Hassett making 30 . They then won the match by chasing a target of 297 runs in their second innings . Hassett bowled the final over and the tourists ’ Roy McLean took three fours from the first five balls to reach their target and square the series . Hassett ended the Tests with 309 runs at 38 @.@ 63 and the entire season with 779 runs at 38 @.@ 95 , a substantially lower return compared to previous Australian summers . For the first time in 20 years , Australia had failed to win a Test series at home , the last being the infamous Bodyline series of 1932 – 33 . Wisden called the 2 – 2 result , " ... the biggest cricket shock for many years . " The absence of Lindwall and Miller in the later part of the series exposed the limitations of the other Australian bowlers and did not augur well for the future . Hassett made it known that the tour of England in 1953 would be his farewell to the game . The selectors included only two specialist opening batsmen in the team , which caused problems when McDonald was injured and Morris struggled for form . This forced Hassett to play as an opener in the Tests ; while Morris ’ s old partner Barnes was in England to report on the tour as a reporter , his history of criticising cricket administrators meant that officialdom would call him into the squad to cover for McDonald . There were also tensions among the team off the field . The more experienced members of the team from Hassett ’ s generation were World War II veterans , and were happy to be alive and tended to enjoy drinking and partying , while the younger members tended to be teetotallers . This led to a divide as the seniors regularly halted the team bus for drinking stops at the roadside pubs , leaving their younger teammates waiting . Some of the non @-@ drinkers said that because of the frequent visits at pubs , the team bus only travelled approximately 15 km each hour . Hassett struggled in two warm @-@ up matches against Tasmania before the Australians left for England , and despite winning both fixtures , it was not to be a happy tour on the field . In the first match on English soil , against East Molesey , Bill Johnston , Australia ’ s leading wicket @-@ taker in 1948 , broke down with a serious knee injury . Hassett struggled in the opening first @-@ class matches in England , passing 40 only once in six innings . In the last match before the Tests , against Sussex , he hit an unbeaten 108 . Australia 's progress before the Tests was constantly curtailed by bad weather . Of the six first @-@ class matches that Hassett played , three did not reach the second innings , although Australia did manage two victories . In the First Test at Trent Bridge , Hassett hit 115 in a rain @-@ affected match that ended in a draw . Over the next month , he struggled in the county matches , scoring only 30 runs in total . The Australians were to be frustrated in the next three Tests . In the Second Test at Lord ’ s , Hassett made 104 , top @-@ scoring in Australia ’ s 346 despite being hindered by a bandaged right arm and cramps . England took a 26 @-@ run first innings lead , but Australia replied with 368 . Hassett ’ s bowlers reduced England to 3 / 12 but they hung on to deny Australia victory . The Third Test was another wet affair . Hassett made 26 as Australia scored 318 and took a 42 @-@ run first innings lead , but they then collapsed to be 8 / 35 . Australia was saved from defeat by the rain , which meant that less than 14 hours of play was possible . In the Fourth Test , the Australians worked themselves into a position to win the match and thus retain the Ashes . Hassett made 37 as his team compiled 266 and took a 99 @-@ run first innings lead . The tourists looked set for victory and retention of The Ashes at the start of the final day , but time @-@ wasting and defiant defence from the English batsmen left Australia a target of 177 in the last two hours . This would have required a scoring rate much higher than in the first four days of the match . Hassett made only four , but Australia had made 111 in 75 minutes and were on schedule for a win . At that point , English medium @-@ pacer Trevor Bailey began bowling with the wicket @-@ keeper more than two metres down the leg side in order to deny the Australians an opportunity to hit the ball , but the umpires did not penalise them as wides . The match ended in a draw with Australia at 4 / 147 when time ran out . English wicket @-@ keeper Godfrey Evans said that " they were right " in claiming that Bailey 's bowling was " the worst kind of negative cricket " and that he had " cheated [ them ] of victory " . The match was also marred by a series of umpiring decisions made by Frank Chester against the Australians , leading Hassett to request that he not be appointed for the Fifth Test , something the English cricket authorities granted . This meant that the fate of the Ashes would be determined by the final match at The Oval . Hassett warmed up with consecutive half @-@ centuries against Surrey and Warwickshire . In the second innings of the latter match , he made 21 not out , holding the team together as Australia stumbled to 5 / 53 in pursuit of 166 for victory when time ran out . In Australia ’ s tour matches at The Oval , the pacemen had been effective , and Hassett and Morris thought that things would be similar in the Tests . As a result , leg spinner Ring was omitted . Hassett made 53 as Australia made 275 batting first . England then took a 31 @-@ run lead and Hassett was out for only 10 in the second innings as Australia fell for only 162 , as the local spinners Jim Laker and Tony Lock cut down the Australians on a turning surface . The hosts then reached the target safely with eight wickets in hand to claim a 1 – 0 victory , thus winning the Ashes for the first time since the infamous Bodyline tour of 1932 – 33 . Hassett was in fine form after the Tests , scoring 148 against Somerset , 65 against Kent , 106 against South , and 74 and 25 against TN Pearce 's XI in the remaining first @-@ class matches in England . Australia managed to win the matches against Kent and South by an innings , but it was too late to save the Ashes . Nevertheless , Harte said that " Hassett ’ s leadership throughout had been sparkling " . Hassett made one final first @-@ class appearance upon returning to Australia , in a testimonial match against Morris 's XI . He made 126 in the first innings , his final century , but could manage only three in the second as his team went down by 121 runs . Nevertheless , the match sent him into retirement ₤ 5 @,@ 503 wealthier , and with more first @-@ class centuries than any Australian except Bradman . = = Style and personality = = The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle @-@ order batsman , known for his wide range of strokes , timing , quick footwork and strong wrists . However , as his career progressed and his seniority in the Australian team increased , he became a more cautious player who often frustrated spectators with sedate scoring , particularly after World War II . Despite this , Hassett remained an aggressive and adventurous strokemaker in matches for Victoria . He had a poker face , and this benefited him as a captain , as even his teammates sometimes found it hard to discern his mood or thinking . During his 24 Test matches in charge , he won 14 games and suffered defeat only four times , but it was the last of the four losses that blighted his record . Hassett was a very occasional right @-@ arm medium pace bowler , averaging one over per first @-@ class match . He took 18 wickets in 216 matches , and never took more than two in a single innings . He never took a wicket at Test level and bowled less than 19 overs . Hassett ’ s most distinctive trait was his fun @-@ loving personality . He was famed for his practical jokes , sense of humour — particularly his self @-@ deprecating quips — and wit , such as in his calming talk to the rioters in Calcutta in 1945 . He remained jovial during his speeches even after Australia suffered defeats . After bowing out of Test cricket in 1953 with a loss , he said that England " earned the victory from the very first ball — to the second last over anyway " , referring to an over that he bowled when defeat became inevitable . During the 1938 tour of England , Hassett smuggled a “ wet , muddy , and complaining ” mountain goat ( put a waistcoat on the goat , according to some sources ) into the bedroom he shared with Stan McCabe and O 'Reilly while the team was staying at Grindleford , after they had fallen asleep . They awoke to unexpected smells and bleating . During the 1948 tour of England , he was reported to have unnerved his teammates and tempted fate by bringing a toy duck into the dressing room , and held up play during a county match by hiding the ball in a pile of sawdust . During the same summer , Hassett and a few teammates were being chauffeured back to London after a function . It was after midnight , but Hassett asked the driver to stop at a random mansion along the road . He then rang the bell and told the startled householder that he " just thought we 'd pop in " . The owner happened to recognise Hassett and received the cricketers . In the Third Test of the same tour , after dropping two hooked catches from Washbrook , Hassett responded by borrowing a policeman ’ s helmet , before motioning to Ray Lindwall to bowl another bouncer . During the 1953 tour of England , a waiter spilled a dessert on Hassett 's jacket . Initially declining the waiter 's multiple offers to have his jacket taken away for cleaning , Hassett acquiesced and while taking off his jacket , noticed a spot on his trousers . He then silently pointed to the spot , removed his trousers and handed them to the waiter , before continuing to eat his meal in his underpants . Aside from the humorous side of his personality , Hassett was also known for his diplomatic skills as a leader and his affability , particularly his ability to endear himself to hosts and public while representing Australia overseas . Richie Benaud wrote of Hassett : " There are others who have made more runs and taken more wickets , but very few have ever got more out of a lifetime . " Teammate Keith Miller said that Hassett had " more genuine friends in all walks of life than any other cricketer " . = = Outside cricket = = After returning from World War II , Hassett operated a sports store in Melbourne ; one of his staff members was Victorian Test teammate Neil Harvey . After retiring from cricket , Hassett joined the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a radio commentator in 1956 , remaining in that position until 1981 . During his time in the commentary booth , he was known for his self @-@ deprecating humour and frequently made fun of his conservative approach to batting during the latter half of his career . Hassett was known for his disapproval of some of the aspects of the modern evolution of cricket , particularly the more aggressive player conduct that contrasted with the more sedate and gentlemanly style of his era . He served on the executive committee of the Anti @-@ Cancer Council of Victoria , along with fellow former South Melbourne , Victorian and Test cricketer Laurie Nash . Hassett ran for election as South Melbourne ’ s delegate to the VCA in December 1953 , but was defeated . During the 1954 – 55 Ashes series in Australia , he wrote for The Daily Telegraph . In 1942 , Hassett married Tessie Davis , a Geelong accountant , and they had two daughters . His nephew John Shaw went on to play for Victoria in the 1950s and 1960s . A batsman , Shaw was a regular member of the state team and was selected for an Australian Second XI that toured New Zealand in 1959 – 60 . The MCG has a function room named after Hassett , as does the VCA , which launched a monthly luncheon club in December 1990 named in his honour . In the first year of its operation , more than 500 people joined and a profit in excess of AUD12,000 was made ; this money was reinvested in the VCA 's promotion of junior cricket . In his final years , Hassett moved to Batehaven on the south coast of New South Wales to pursue his love of fishing . He died there in 1993 . = = Test match performance = =
= Agnosticism = Agnosticism is the view that the truth values of certain claims – especially metaphysical and religious claims such as whether God , the divine , or the supernatural exist – are unknown and perhaps unknowable . According to the philosopher William L. Rowe , " agnosticism is the view that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist . " Agnosticism is a doctrine or set of tenets rather than a religion as such . Thomas Henry Huxley , an English biologist , coined the word " agnostic " in 1869 . Earlier thinkers , however , had written works that promoted agnostic points of view , such as Sanjaya Belatthaputta , a 5th @-@ century BCE Indian philosopher who expressed agnosticism about any afterlife ; and Protagoras , a 5th @-@ century BCE Greek philosopher who expressed agnosticism about " the gods " . The Nasadiya Sukta in the Rigveda is agnostic about the origin of the universe . = = Defining agnosticism = = Agnosticism is of the essence of science , whether ancient or modern . It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe . Consequently Agnosticism puts aside not only the greater part of popular theology , but also the greater part of anti @-@ theology . On the whole , the " bosh " of heterodoxy is more offensive to me than that of orthodoxy , because heterodoxy professes to be guided by reason and science , and orthodoxy does not . That which Agnostics deny and repudiate , as immoral , is the contrary doctrine , that there are propositions which men ought to believe , without logically satisfactory evidence ; and that reprobation ought to attach to the profession of disbelief in such inadequately supported propositions . Agnosticism , in fact , is not a creed , but a method , the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle ... Positively the principle may be expressed : In matters of the intellect , follow your reason as far as it will take you , without regard to any other consideration . And negatively : In matters of the intellect do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable . Being a scientist , above all else , Huxley presented agnosticism as a form of demarcation . A hypothesis with no supporting objective , testable evidence is not an objective , scientific claim . As such , there would be no way to test said hypotheses , leaving the results inconclusive . His agnosticism was not compatible with forming a belief as to the truth , or falsehood , of the claim at hand . Karl Popper would also describe himself as an agnostic . According to philosopher William L. Rowe , in this strict sense , agnosticism is the view that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist . Others have redefined this concept , making it compatible with forming a belief , and only incompatible with absolute certainty . George H. Smith , while admitting that the narrow definition of atheist was the common usage definition of that word , and admitting that the broad definition of agnostic was the common usage definition of that word , promoted broadening the definition of atheist and narrowing the definition of agnostic . Smith rejects agnosticism as a third alternative to theism and atheism and promotes terms such as agnostic atheism ( the view of those who do not believe in the existence of any deity , but do not claim to know if a deity does or does not exist ) and agnostic theism ( the view of those who do not claim to know of the existence of any deity , but still believe in such an existence ) . Most recently , the terms apathetic and pragmatic agnosticism have been coined with regard to the view that there is no proof of either the existence or non @-@ existence of any deity , but since any deity that may exist appears unconcerned for the universe or the welfare of its inhabitants , the question is largely academic and that their existence therefore has little to no impact on personal human affairs and should be of little theological interest . = = = Etymology = = = Agnostic ( from Ancient Greek ἀ- ( a- ) , meaning " without " , and γνῶσις ( gnōsis ) , meaning " knowledge " ) was used by Thomas Henry Huxley in a speech at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society in 1869 to describe his philosophy , which rejects all claims of spiritual or mystical knowledge . Early Christian church leaders used the Greek word gnosis ( knowledge ) to describe " spiritual knowledge " . Agnosticism is not to be confused with religious views opposing the ancient religious movement of Gnosticism in particular ; Huxley used the term in a broader , more abstract sense . Huxley identified agnosticism not as a creed but rather as a method of skeptical , evidence @-@ based inquiry . In recent years , scientific literature dealing with neuroscience and psychology has used the word to mean " not knowable " . In technical and marketing literature , " agnostic " can also mean independence from some parameters — for example , " platform agnostic " or " hardware agnostic " . = = = Qualifying agnosticism = = = Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume contended that meaningful statements about the universe are always qualified by some degree of doubt . He asserted that the fallibility of human beings means that they cannot obtain absolute certainty except in trivial cases where a statement is true by definition ( e.g. tautologies such as " all bachelors are unmarried " or " all triangles have three corners " ) . = = = Types = = = Strong agnosticism ( also called " hard " , " closed " , " strict " , or " permanent agnosticism " ) The view that the question of the existence or nonexistence of a deity or deities , and the nature of ultimate reality is unknowable by reason of our natural inability to verify any experience with anything but another subjective experience . A strong agnostic would say , " I cannot know whether a deity exists or not , and neither can you . " Weak agnosticism ( also called " soft " , " open " , " empirical " , or " temporal agnosticism " ) The view that the existence or nonexistence of any deities is currently unknown but is not necessarily unknowable ; therefore , one will withhold judgment until evidence , if any , becomes available . A weak agnostic would say , " I don 't know whether any deities exist or not , but maybe one day , if there is evidence , we can find something out . " = = History = = = = = Greek philosophy = = = Agnostic thought , in the form of skepticism , emerged as a formal philosophical position in ancient Greece . Its proponents included Protagoras , Pyrrho , Carneades , Sextus Empiricus and , to some degree , Socrates , who was a strong advocate for a skeptical approach to epistemology . Pyrrho said that we should refrain from making judgment as we can never know the true reality . According to Pyrrho , having opinion was possible , but certainty and knowledge are impossible . Carneades was also a skeptic in relation to all knowledge claims . He proposed a probability theory , however . According to him , certainty could never be attained . Protagoras rejected the conventional accounts of the gods . He said : Concerning the gods , I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not or of what sort they may be . Many things prevent knowledge including the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life . = = = Hindu philosophy = = = Throughout the history of Hinduism there has been a strong tradition of philosophic speculation and skepticism . The Rig Veda takes an agnostic view on the fundamental question of how the universe and the gods were created . Nasadiya Sukta ( Creation Hymn ) in the tenth chapter of the Rig Veda says : = = = Hume , Kant , and Kierkegaard = = = Aristotle , Anselm , Aquinas , and Descartes presented arguments attempting to rationally prove the existence of God . The skeptical empiricism of David Hume , the antinomies of Immanuel Kant , and the existential philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard convinced many later philosophers to abandon these attempts , regarding it impossible to construct any unassailable proof for the existence or non @-@ existence of God . In his 1844 book , Philosophical Fragments , Kierkegaard writes : Let us call this unknown something : God . It is nothing more than a name we assign to it . The idea of demonstrating that this unknown something ( God ) exists , could scarcely suggest itself to Reason . For if God does not exist it would of course be impossible to prove it ; and if he does exist it would be folly to attempt it . For at the very outset , in beginning my proof , I would have presupposed it , not as doubtful but as certain ( a presupposition is never doubtful , for the very reason that it is a presupposition ) , since otherwise I would not begin , readily understanding that the whole would be impossible if he did not exist . But if when I speak of proving God 's existence I mean that I propose to prove that the Unknown , which exists , is God , then I express myself unfortunately . For in that case I do not prove anything , least of all an existence , but merely develop the content of a conception . Hume was Huxley 's favourite philosopher , calling him " the Prince of Agnostics " . Diderot wrote to his mistress , telling of a visit by Hume to the Baron D 'Holbach , and describing how a word for the position that Huxley would later describe as agnosticism didn 't seem to exist , or at least wasn 't common knowledge , at the time . The first time that M. Hume found himself at the table of the Baron , he was seated beside him . I don 't know for what purpose the English philosopher took it into his head to remark to the Baron that he did not believe in atheists , that he had never seen any . The Baron said to him : " Count how many we are here . " We are eighteen . The Baron added : " It isn 't too bad a showing to be able to point out to you fifteen at once : the three others haven 't made up their minds . " = = = Thomas Henry Huxley = = = Agnostic views are as old as philosophical skepticism , but the terms agnostic and agnosticism were created by Huxley to sum up his thoughts on contemporary developments of metaphysics about the " unconditioned " ( William Hamilton ) and the " unknowable " ( Herbert Spencer ) . Though Huxley began to use the term " agnostic " in 1869 , his opinions had taken shape some time before that date . In a letter of September 23 , 1860 , to Charles Kingsley , Huxley discussed his views extensively : I neither affirm nor deny the immortality of man . I see no reason for believing it , but , on the other hand , I have no means of disproving it . I have no a priori objections to the doctrine . No man who has to deal daily and hourly with nature can trouble himself about a priori difficulties . Give me such evidence as would justify me in believing in anything else , and I will believe that . Why should I not ? It is not half so wonderful as the conservation of force or the indestructibility of matter ... It is no use to talk to me of analogies and probabilities . I know what I mean when I say I believe in the law of the inverse squares , and I will not rest my life and my hopes upon weaker convictions ... That my personality is the surest thing I know may be true . But the attempt to conceive what it is leads me into mere verbal subtleties . I have champed up all that chaff about the ego and the non @-@ ego , noumena and phenomena , and all the rest of it , too often not to know that in attempting even to think of these questions , the human intellect flounders at once out of its depth . And again , to the same correspondent , May 6 , 1863 : I have never had the least sympathy with the a priori reasons against orthodoxy , and I have by nature and disposition the greatest possible antipathy to all the atheistic and infidel school . Nevertheless I know that I am , in spite of myself , exactly what the Christian would call , and , so far as I can see , is justified in calling , atheist and infidel . I cannot see one shadow or tittle of evidence that the great unknown underlying the phenomenon of the universe stands to us in the relation of a Father [ who ] loves us and cares for us as Christianity asserts . So with regard to the other great Christian dogmas , immortality of soul and future state of rewards and punishments , what possible objection can I — who am compelled perforce to believe in the immortality of what we call Matter and Force , and in a very unmistakable present state of rewards and punishments for our deeds — have to these doctrines ? Give me a scintilla of evidence , and I am ready to jump at them . Of the origin of the name agnostic to describe this attitude , Huxley gave the following account : When I reached intellectual maturity and began to ask myself whether I was an atheist , a theist , or a pantheist ; a materialist or an idealist ; Christian or a freethinker ; I found that the more I learned and reflected , the less ready was the answer ; until , at last , I came to the conclusion that I had neither art nor part with any of these denominations , except the last . The one thing in which most of these good people were agreed was the one thing in which I differed from them . They were quite sure they had attained a certain " gnosis " – had , more or less successfully , solved the problem of existence ; while I was quite sure I had not , and had a pretty strong conviction that the problem was insoluble . And , with Hume and Kant on my side , I could not think myself presumptuous in holding fast by that opinion ... So I took thought , and invented what I conceived to be the appropriate title of " agnostic " . It came into my head as suggestively antithetic to the " gnostic " of Church history , who professed to know so much about the very things of which I was ignorant . ... To my great satisfaction the term took . In 1889 , Huxley wrote : Therefore , although it be , as I believe , demonstrable that we have no real knowledge of the authorship , or of the date of composition of the Gospels , as they have come down to us , and that nothing better than more or less probable guesses can be arrived at on that subject . = = = William Stewart Ross = = = William Stewart Ross wrote under the name of Saladin . He championed agnosticism in opposition to the atheism of Charles Bradlaugh as an open @-@ ended spiritual exploration . In Why I am an Agnostic ( c . 1889 ) he claims that agnosticism is " the very reverse of atheism " . = = = Robert G. Ingersoll = = = Robert G. Ingersoll , an Illinois lawyer and politician who evolved into a well @-@ known and sought @-@ after orator in 19th @-@ century America , has been referred to as the " Great Agnostic " . In an 1896 lecture titled Why I Am An Agnostic , Ingersoll related why he was an agnostic : Is there a supernatural power — an arbitrary mind — an enthroned God — a supreme will that sways the tides and currents of the world — to which all causes bow ? I do not deny . I do not know — but I do not believe . I believe that the natural is supreme — that from the infinite chain no link can be lost or broken — that there is no supernatural power that can answer prayer — no power that worship can persuade or change — no power that cares for man . I believe that with infinite arms Nature embraces the all — that there is no interference — no chance — that behind every event are the necessary and countless causes , and that beyond every event will be and must be the necessary and countless effects . Is there a God ? I do not know . Is man immortal ? I do not know . One thing I do know , and that is , that neither hope , nor fear , belief , nor denial , can change the fact . It is as it is , and it will be as it must be . In the conclusion of the speech he simply sums up the agnostic position as : We can be as honest as we are ignorant . If we are , when asked what is beyond the horizon of the known , we must say that we do not know . = = = Bertrand Russell = = = Bertrand Russell 's pamphlet , Why I Am Not a Christian , based on a speech delivered in 1927 and later included in a book of the same title , is considered a classic statement of agnosticism . He calls upon his readers to " stand on their own two feet and look fair and square at the world with a fearless attitude and a free intelligence " . In 1939 , Russell gave a lecture on The existence and nature of God , in which he characterized himself as an atheist . He said : The existence and nature of God is a subject of which I can discuss only half . If one arrives at a negative conclusion concerning the first part of the question , the second part of the question does not arise ; and my position , as you may have gathered , is a negative one on this matter . However , later in the same lecture , discussing modern non @-@ anthropomorphic concepts of God , Russell states : That sort of God is , I think , not one that can actually be disproved , as I think the omnipotent and benevolent creator can . In Russell 's 1947 pamphlet , Am I An Atheist or an Agnostic ? ( subtitled A Plea For Tolerance in the Face of New Dogmas ) , he ruminates on the problem of what to call himself : As a philosopher , if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic , because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one can prove that there is not a God . On the other hand , if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think I ought to say that I am an Atheist , because when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God , I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the Homeric gods . In his 1953 essay , What Is An Agnostic ? Russell states : An agnostic thinks it impossible to know the truth in matters such as God and the future life with which Christianity and other religions are concerned . Or , if not impossible , at least impossible at the present time . Are Agnostics Atheists ? No . An atheist , like a Christian , holds that we can know whether or not there is a God . The Christian holds that we can know there is a God ; the atheist , that we can know there is not . The Agnostic suspends judgment , saying that there are not sufficient grounds either for affirmation or for denial . Later in the essay , Russell adds : I think that if I heard a voice from the sky predicting all that was going to happen to me during the next twenty @-@ four hours , including events that would have seemed highly improbable , and if all these events then produced to happen , I might perhaps be convinced at least of the existence of some superhuman intelligence . = = = Leslie Weatherhead = = = In 1965 Christian theologian Leslie Weatherhead published The Christian Agnostic , in which he argues : ... many professing agnostics are nearer belief in the true God than are many conventional church @-@ goers who believe in a body that does not exist whom they miscall God . Although radical and unpalatable to conventional theologians , Weatherhead 's agnosticism falls far short of Huxley 's , and short even of weak agnosticism : Of course , the human soul will always have the power to reject God , for choice is essential to its nature , but I cannot believe that anyone will finally do this . = = = Charles Darwin = = = Raised in a religious environment , Charles Darwin studied to be an Anglican clergyman . While eventually doubting parts of his faith , Darwin continued to help in church affairs , even while avoiding church attendance . Darwin stated that it would be " absurd to doubt that a man might be an ardent theist and an evolutionist " . Although reticent about his religious views , in 1879 he wrote that " I have never been an atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God . – I think that generally ... an agnostic would be the most correct description of my state of mind . " = = Demographics = = Demographic research services normally do not differentiate between various types of non @-@ religious respondents , so agnostics are often classified in the same category as atheists or other non @-@ religious people . A 2010 survey published in Encyclopædia Britannica found that the non @-@ religious people or the agnostics made up about 9 @.@ 6 % of the world 's population . A November – December 2006 poll published in the Financial Times gives rates for the United States and five European countries . The rates of agnosticism in the United States were at 14 % , while the rates of agnosticism in the European countries surveyed were considerably higher : Italy ( 20 % ) , Spain ( 30 % ) , Great Britain ( 35 % ) , Germany ( 25 % ) , and France ( 32 % ) . A study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that about 16 % of the world 's people , the third largest group after Christianity and Islam , have no religious affiliation . According to a 2012 report by the Pew Research Center , agnostics made up 3 @.@ 3 % of the US adult population . In the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey , conducted by the Pew Research Center , 55 % of agnostic respondents expressed " a belief in God or a universal spirit " , whereas 41 % stated that they thought that they felt a tension " being non @-@ religious in a society where most people are religious " . According to the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics , 22 % of Australians have " no religion " , a category that includes agnostics . Between 64 % and 65 % of Japanese and up to 81 % of Vietnamese are atheists , agnostics , or do not believe in a god . An official European Union survey reported that 3 % of the EU population is unsure about their belief in a god or spirit . = = Criticism = = Agnosticism is criticized from a variety of standpoints . Some religious thinkers see agnosticism as limiting the mind 's capacity to know reality to materialism . Some atheists criticize the use of the term agnosticism as functionally indistinguishable from atheism ; this results in frequent criticisms of those who adopt the term as avoiding the atheist label . = = = Theistic = = = Theistic critics claim that agnosticism is impossible in practice , since a person can live only either as if God did not exist ( etsi deus non @-@ daretur ) , or as if God did exist ( etsi deus daretur ) . Religious scholars such as Laurence B. Brown criticize the misuse of the word agnosticism , claiming that it has become one of the most misapplied terms in metaphysics . Brown raises the question , " You claim that nothing can be known with certainty ... how , then , can you be so sure ? " = = = = Christian = = = = According to Pope Benedict XVI , strong agnosticism in particular contradicts itself in affirming the power of reason to know scientific truth . He blames the exclusion of reasoning from religion and ethics for dangerous pathologies such as crimes against humanity and ecological disasters . " Agnosticism " , said Ratzinger , " is always the fruit of a refusal of that knowledge which is in fact offered to man ... The knowledge of God has always existed " . He asserted that agnosticism is a choice of comfort , pride , dominion , and utility over truth , and is opposed by the following attitudes : the keenest self @-@ criticism , humble listening to the whole of existence , the persistent patience and self @-@ correction of the scientific method , a readiness to be purified by the truth . The Catholic Church sees merit in examining what it calls " partial agnosticism " , specifically those systems that " do not aim at constructing a complete philosophy of the unknowable , but at excluding special kinds of truth , notably religious , from the domain of knowledge " . However , the Church is historically opposed to a full denial of the capacity of human reason to know God . The Council of the Vatican declares , " God , the beginning and end of all , can , by the natural light of human reason , be known with certainty from the works of creation " . Blaise Pascal argued that even if there were truly no evidence for God , agnostics should consider what is now known as Pascal 's Wager : the infinite expected value of acknowledging God is always greater than the finite expected value of not acknowledging his existence , and thus it is a safer " bet " to choose God . Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli cited 20 arguments for God 's existence , asserting that any demand for evidence testable in a laboratory is in effect asking God , the supreme being , to become man 's servant . = = = Atheistic = = = According to Richard Dawkins , a distinction between agnosticism and atheism is unwieldy and depends on how close to zero a person is willing to rate the probability of existence for any given god @-@ like entity . About himself , Dawkins continues , " I am agnostic only to the extent that I am agnostic about fairies at the bottom of the garden . " Dawkins also identifies two categories of agnostics ; " Temporary Agnostics in Practice " ( TAPs ) , and " Permanent Agnostics in Principle " ( PAPs ) . Dawkins considers temporary agnosticism an entirely reasonable position , but views permanent agnosticism as " fence @-@ sitting , intellectual cowardice " . = = Related concepts = = Ignosticism is the view that a coherent definition of a deity must be put forward before the question of the existence of a deity can be meaningfully discussed . If the chosen definition is not coherent , the ignostic holds the noncognitivist view that the existence of a deity is meaningless or empirically untestable . A.J. Ayer , Theodore Drange , and other philosophers see both atheism and agnosticism as incompatible with ignosticism on the grounds that atheism and agnosticism accept " a deity exists " as a meaningful proposition that can be argued for or against .
= The Cookbook = The Cookbook is the sixth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott , released by The Goldmind Inc. and Atlantic Records on July 4 , 2005 , in the United States . The album is notable for the fact that Timbaland , who produced the vast majority of material on Elliott 's past albums , only produced two tracks . Three singles were released from the album ; the first , " Lose Control " , was released on May 27 , 2005 , and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and charted well internationally . The second single , " Teary Eyed " , was released on August 8 , 2005 , and failed to chart on any Billboard chart and charted low in other countries . The third single , " We Run This " , was released on February 21 , 2006 , and peaked at number forty @-@ eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted moderately well internationally . The album received generally favorable reviews from critics and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 . It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , selling 657 @,@ 000 copies in the United States and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album , ultimately losing to Kanye West 's Late Registration . The music video for " Lose Control " , directed by Dave Meyers won the Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video . = = Background = = The title The Cookbook derived of Elliott feeling " no two records are going to sound alike ; each record has its own spices and herbs . Each record is cooking up a hot recipe for a hot album . " The black and white cover features Elliott posing with a vintage microphone in a 1920s juke joint . She explained the cover , saying , " I wanted people to see I was taking music back to the roots — not just hip hop , but our ancestors . Whether they was on railroad tracks or cooking in somebody 's kitchen , they was always singing . " In an interview with Billboard magazine , Elliott said , " I really do think this is my best album . I was in a really great space with this album . I wasn 't in a great space with some of the other albums I 've done . " She went on to say , " I played Lil ' Kim the album the other day , and she told me it was incredible and that there was not one song on it that she didn 't like . " = = Recording = = In January 2005 , it was revealed Elliott had been working on a new album . Two months later , Ciara confirmed she would appear on the album , singing and rapping on the potential first untitled single at the time . Elliott worked on The Cookbook with such producers as The Neptunes , Rich Harrison and Scott Storch . The album included only two songs produced by Timbaland , who produced most or all songs on Elliott 's previous albums . She explained , " Me and Tim , this like our sixth album , so if we go any further left , we gonna be on Mars somewhere . We 've done everything it is to do . I think both of us came to a spot where we didn 't know where to go with each other . " She said Timbaland was very involved with the album , supporting or opposing certain producers . Elliott went on to say , " I was eight songs deep and I let Tim listen and he was like , ' Nah , you 're going in the wrong direction . You trippin ' . ' I had to go back in the studio and come up with new records . [ When he heard those ] , he was like , ' This is the Missy people are listening to . ' " = = Singles = = The first , " Lose Control " , was released on May 27 , 2005 , and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart , number six on the Billboard Hot R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Songs and number two on the Billboard Pop 100 . The single also peaked at number two on the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart and in the top ten in four other countries . A Dave Meyers @-@ directed promotional video accompanied the song ; it was the most played video on BET and MTV2 and second most played video in the United States . It went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video , while the song itself received a nomination for Best Rap Song . The second single , " Teary Eyed " , was released on August 8 , 2005 ; it failed to chart except in Australia and Switzerland . The music video for the song was directed by Antti J. Jokinen and was filmed " like a movie " . It features Elliott responding to a relationship that had gone wrong . The third single , " We Run This " , was released on February 21 , 2006 , and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 39 on the Billboard Pop 100 and peaked in the top forty in Australia , Ireland and the United Kingdom . An edited version of the song was used as the theme song for the gymnastics @-@ themed film Stick It , as well as for the music video , which was directed by Dave Meyers . The video features a cameo by gold @-@ medalist Dominique Dawes as Elliott 's gymnastics coach , with scenes from the film being used throughout the video . The song received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance . = = Reception = = = = = Critical response = = = The Cookbook received positive reviews from most music critics . At Metacritic , which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics , the album received an average score of 74 , based on 28 reviews , which indicates " generally favorable reviews " . Rich Juzwiak of Stylus Magazine gave the album an A rating , stating " Her adventurous and , yes , massive , persona is allowed to wander wherever it wants on The Cookbook , be it avant or common . " Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote , " The Cookbook is a convincing return to form .... Sounding as unique and startling and formidable as ever , Missy Elliott is clearly not a woman to be messed with . " John Bush of AllMusic noted that " Elliott forces a few rhymes , plays to type with her themes , and uses those outside producers to follow trends in hip @-@ hop .... What 's different here is how relaxed Elliott is , how willing she seems to simply go with what comes naturally and sounds best . " Q stated " If not Elliott 's most inventive album , The Cookbook is certainly her most colourful and entertaining " . However , Ben Sisario of Blender wrote , " For every killer raise @-@ your @-@ hands hook there is a snoozer of an SWV @-@ esque torch ballad , and she can 't seem to tell the difference . " He went on to say , " Almost half the songs are treacly Kleenex soul ballads ; even the titles ... bring a cringe . " Los Angeles Times writer Natalie Nichols found that " her souffle of hip @-@ hop , soul , R & B , funk and dance music falls a bit flat " . Rolling Stone 's Brian Hiatt called The Cookbook Elliott 's " least cohesive , most conventional album yet . " Entertainment Weekly 's Margeaux Watson viewed that " she 's clearly lost without Timbaland " , calling him " the main ingredient of her original flavor " . Steve Horowitz of PopMatters noted that it " does have a few duds " and found some of the " offensive lyrics " as flaws , but wrote that " While not every cut is a winner , Elliott does a fairly consistent job of gaining the listener 's attention through her outrageous lyrics and performance style " . Pitchfork Media 's Ryan Dombal found the album " Even more bipolar than usual " , with Elliott " jolting from uber @-@ hypeness to soul @-@ crushing balladry . Fortunately , supported by an array of producers both grizzly and green , her invaluable unpredictability is alternately harnessed and given new life on this album , despite its uneven and transitional nature . " Joan Morgan of The Village Voice complimented Elliott 's " ability to capture the ain 't @-@ afraid @-@ to @-@ sweat flava " and stated " Elliott mines the best of hip @-@ hop 's old @-@ school elements for throwback tracks that are engagingly sparse and elemental " . In his consumer guide for The Village Voice , critic Robert Christgau gave The Cookbook an A- rating , indicating " the kind of garden @-@ variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction " . Christgau called it a " benchmark album " and commented that " Elliott showcases the musical health of African American pop [ ... ] Elliott 's disinclination to give it up to gangsta 's thrill cult or black pop 's soft @-@ focus porn , plus her proven ability to work a good beat when she gets one , leads her naturally to a collection that ebbs and flows , peaks and dips , and pokes fun at any canon of taste you got " . The album was nominated at the 2006 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album , but lost to Kanye West 's Late Registration . = = = Commercial performance = = = The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 , selling 176 @,@ 000 copies in the first week of release . It has sold 657 @,@ 000 copies in the United States and has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America . The Cookbook peaked in the top thirty in Australia , Belgium , Germany , the Netherlands , New Zealand , Norway and Switzerland . = = Track listing = = = = = Sample credits = = = " Partytime " contains a sample from " Whammer Jammer " by The J. Geils Band " Irresistible Delicious " contains a sample from " Lick the Balls " by Slick Rick " Lose Control " contains a sample from " Clear " by Cybotron and " Body Work " by Hot Streak " My Struggles " contains a sample from " What 's the 411 ? " by Mary J. Blige " We Run This " contains a sample from " Apache " by The Sugarhill Gang = = Personnel = = = = Charts and certifications = = = = Release history = =
= Chandra Levy = Chandra Ann Levy ( April 14 , 1977 – c . May 1 , 2001 ) was an American intern at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington , D.C. , who disappeared in May 2001 . She was presumed murdered after her skeletal remains were found in Rock Creek Park in May 2002 . The case attracted attention from the American news media for years . The police investigation revealed she was having an affair with Congressman Gary Condit , a married Democrat then serving his fifth term representing California 's 18th congressional district , and a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence . Condit was never named as a suspect by police and was eventually cleared of involvement . However , after a cloud of suspicion was raised by the intense media focus on the missing intern and the later revelation of the affair , he was not re @-@ elected in 2002 , with the Levy issue cited as a contributory factor . The circumstances surrounding Levy 's death were unclear for eight years . On March 3 , 2009 , D.C. authorities obtained a warrant to arrest Ingmar Guandique , an illegal immigrant from El Salvador . He had been convicted of assaulting two other women in Rock Creek Park around the time of Levy 's disappearance . Prosecutors alleged that Guandique had attacked and tied up Levy in a remote area of the park and left her to die of dehydration or exposure . In November 2010 Guandique was convicted of murdering Levy ; he was sentenced in February 2011 to 60 years in prison . In June 2015 , Guandique was granted a new trial and in March 2016 , the date was set to October 11 , 2016 . = = Life and background = = Levy was born in Cleveland , Ohio , to Robert and Susan Levy ; the family moved to Modesto , California , where she attended Grace M. Davis High School . Her parents are members of Congregation Beth Shalom , a Conservative Jewish synagogue . She attended San Francisco State University , where she earned a degree in journalism . After interning for the California Bureau of Secondary Education and working in the office of Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan , she began attending the University of Southern California to earn a master 's degree in public administration . As part of her final semester of study , Levy moved to Washington , D.C. , to become a paid intern with the Federal Bureau of Prisons . In October 2000 she began her internship at the bureau 's headquarters , where she was assigned to the public affairs division . Her supervisor , bureau spokesperson Dan Dunne , was impressed with Levy 's work , especially her handling of media inquiries regarding the upcoming execution of Timothy McVeigh , convicted of bombing the Oklahoma City Federal Building . Levy 's internship was abruptly terminated in April 2001 because her academic eligibility was found to have expired in December 2000 . She had already completed her master 's degree requirements and was scheduled to return to California in May 2001 for graduation . = = Murder case = = = = = Disappearance and search = = = Levy was last seen on May 1 , 2001 . The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia was first alerted on May 6 , when Levy 's parents called from Modesto to report that they had not heard from their daughter in five days . Police called hospitals and visited Levy 's apartment in Dupont Circle that day , finding no indication of foul play . On May 7 , Levy 's father told the police that his daughter had been having an affair with a U.S. congressman , and said the next day that he believed the congressman to be U.S. Representative Gary Condit . Levy 's aunt also called the police and told them that Chandra had confided in her about the affair . Police obtained a warrant on May 10 to conduct a formal search of Levy 's apartment . Investigators found her credit cards , identification and mobile phone left behind in her purse , along with partially packed suitcases . The answering machine was full , with messages left by her relatives and two from Condit . A police sergeant tried to examine Levy 's laptop computer and inadvertently corrupted the internet search data , as he was not a trained technician . Computer experts took a month to reconstruct the data to determine that the laptop was used on the morning of May 1 to search for websites related to Amtrak , Baskin @-@ Robbins , Condit , Southwest Airlines , and a weather report from The Washington Post . The last search at 12 : 24 p.m. was for the location of the Pierce @-@ Klingle Mansion , a historic house in Rock Creek Park that is used as the park 's administrative office . On July 25 , 2001 , three D.C. police sergeants and 28 police cadets searched along Glover Road in the park but failed to find evidence related to Levy . Later , a second attempt found nothing . = = = Relationship with Condit = = = Controversy surrounding Levy 's disappearance drew the attention of the American news media . Levy 's parents and friends held numerous vigils and news conferences in an attempt to " bring Chandra home . " Condit , a married man who represented the congressional district in which the Levy family resided , at first denied that he had had an affair with her . Though police stated that Condit was not a suspect , Levy 's family said they felt Condit was being evasive and possibly hiding information about the matter . Unidentified police sources alleged that Condit had admitted to an affair with Levy during an interview with law enforcement officers on July 7 , 2001 . Condit described her to police as a vegetarian who avoided drinking and smoking . He thought that Levy was going to return to Washington , DC after her graduation and was surprised to find out that the lease on her apartment had ended . Investigators searched Condit 's apartment on July 10 . They questioned flight attendant Anne Marie Smith , who claimed that Condit told her she did not need to speak to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about his personal life . Federal officials began investigating Condit for possible obstruction of justice as Smith was also involved in an affair with him . ( She was not acquainted with Levy . ) Upset by leaks to the media , Condit refused to submit to a polygraph test by the D.C. police ; his attorney asserted that Condit passed a test administered by a privately hired examiner on July 13 . He avoided answering direct questions during a televised interview on August 23 , with news anchor Connie Chung on the ABC News program Primetime Thursday . Intensive coverage continued until news of the September 11 attacks superseded the media 's coverage of the Levy case . In a nationwide Fox News / Opinion Dynamics poll of 900 registered voters conducted in July 2001 , 44 percent of American respondents thought that Condit was involved in Levy 's disappearance and 27 percent felt that he should resign . Fifty @-@ one percent of the respondents believed that he was acting as if he were guilty ; 13 percent felt that he should run again for office . A poll sample taken from Condit 's congressional district held a more favorable view of Condit . On March 5 , 2002 , Condit lost the Democratic primary election for his Congressional seat to his former aide , then @-@ Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza , with the Levy controversy being cited as a contributing factor . He was subpoenaed to appear on April 1 , 2002 , before a District of Columbia grand jury investigating the disappearance . The date was kept a carefully guarded secret to avoid further leaks . Condit left Congress at the end of his term on January 3 , 2003 . = = = Discovery of remains = = = District of Columbia Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey announced on May 22 , 2002 , that skeletal remains matching Levy 's dental records had been discovered by a man walking his dog and looking for turtles in Rock Creek Park . Detectives found bones and personal items scattered , but not buried , in a forested area along a steep incline . A sports bra , sweat shirt , leggings and tennis shoes were among the evidence that was recovered . Though police had previously searched over half the 1 @,@ 754 @-@ acre main section of the park ( 2 @.@ 74 mi2 , 7 @.@ 10 km2 ) , the wooded slope where Levy 's remains were eventually found had not been searched as it was very remote : about one mile ( 1 @.@ 6 km ) north of the Pierce @-@ Klingle Mansion and about four miles ( 6 km ) from Levy 's apartment . After a preliminary autopsy was performed , District of Columbia police announced that there was sufficient evidence to open a homicide investigation . On May 28 , D.C. medical examiner Jonathan L. Arden officially declared Levy 's death a homicide , but said , " There 's less to work with here than I would like . It 's possible we will never know specifically how she died . " Arden found damage to her hyoid bone , suggesting possible strangulation , but did not deem it to be conclusive evidence of such a cause of death . On June 6 , after the police completed their search , private investigators hired by the Levys found her shin bone with some twisted wire about 25 yards ( 23 m ) from the other remains . Police chief Ramsey said , " It is unacceptable that these items were not located . " = = = Memorial services = = = On May 28 , 2002 , the Levy family organized a memorial service at the Modesto Centre Plaza that drew over 1 @,@ 200 people , some from as far as Los Angeles . Speakers at the 90 @-@ minute ceremony included Levy 's brother , grandmother , great @-@ aunt and friends . In a eulogy delivered in Hebrew and English by Rabbi Paul Gordon , Levy was described as " a good person taken from us much too soon . " About a year later , on May 27 , 2003 , Levy 's remains were buried in Lakewood Memorial Park Cemetery at Hughson , California , near her home town of Modesto . Attended by about 40 of Levy 's friends and family members , the private ceremony concluded with the release of 12 white doves . = = = Identification of the prime suspect = = = In September 2001 , D.C. police and federal prosecutors were contacted by the lawyer of an informant , held in a D.C. jail , who claimed to have knowledge of Levy 's killer . The informant , whose identity was protected for his safety , said that Ingmar Guandique , a 20 @-@ year @-@ old illegal immigrant from El Salvador also being held in the jail , told him that Condit paid him $ 25 @,@ 000 to kill Levy . Investigators ruled out the story about Condit , because Guandique had already admitted to assaulting two other women in the same park where Levy 's remains were found . Guandique failed to show up for work on the day of Levy 's disappearance . His former landlady recalled that his face appeared scratched and bruised at around that time . The investigators on the Levy case did not interview the other Rock Creek Park victims . Police chief Ramsey avoided calling Guandique a suspect and described him as a " person of interest " , telling reporters not to make " too big a deal " about him . Assistant chief Terrance W. Gainer said that if Guandique had been considered a suspect , D.C. police would have been after him " like flies on honey . " Guandique denied attacking Levy . On November 28 , the FBI had the informant take a polygraph test , which he failed . A polygraph test on Guandique , administered on February 4 , 2002 , returned inconclusive results that were officially ruled " not deceptive " . Because neither the informant nor Guandique was fluent in English , D.C. chief detective Jack Barrett said that he would have preferred polygraph tests to have been administered by bilingual examiners , who were unavailable at the time . When Judge Noel Anketell Kramer was asked about Guandique 's potential connection to the Levy homicide , she responded , " This is such a satellite issue . To me it doesn 't have anything to do with this case . " Kramer sentenced Guandique to 10 years in prison for his attacks on two other women at Rock Creek Park . Guandique was sent to the U.S. Penitentiary , Big Sandy near Inez , Kentucky , and was later transferred to the U.S. Penitentiary at Victorville , California . The Levy homicide remained listed as a " cold case " until 2006 , when Cathy L. Lanier succeeded Ramsey as D.C. police chief . Lanier replaced the lead detective on the case with three veteran investigators who had more homicide experience . In 2007 , the editors of the Washington Post assigned a new team of reporters to take a year to re @-@ examine the Levy case . The resulting series of articles , published during the summer of 2008 , focused on the past failure of the police to fully investigate Guandique 's connection to the attacks in Rock Creek Park . In September 2008 , investigators searched Guandique 's federal prison cell in California and found a photo of Levy that he had saved from a magazine . Police interviewed acquaintances of Guandique and witnesses of the other Rock Creek Park incidents . On March 3 , 2009 , the Superior Court of the District of Columbia issued an arrest warrant for Guandique . He was returned to the custody of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections on April 20 via the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City . Two days later , Guandique was charged in D.C. with Levy 's murder . He was indicted by a grand jury on six counts : kidnapping , first @-@ degree murder committed during a kidnapping , attempted first @-@ degree sexual abuse , first @-@ degree murder committed during a sexual offense , attempted robbery , and first @-@ degree murder committed during a robbery . Guandique pleaded not guilty at his arraignment , where a trial date was initially set for January 27 , 2010 . His lawyers argued that Guandique 's federal prison cell was outside the jurisdiction of a court @-@ ordered search . After errors in processing contaminated some of the gathered evidence with DNA from employees of the prosecution , the start date of the trial at the Moultrie Courthouse was moved to October 4 , 2010 . = = = Trial of Guandique = = = On October 18 , 2010 , jury selection commenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before Judge Gerald I. Fisher . Assistant U.S. Attorney Fernando Campoamor @-@ Sanchez presented the names of potential witnesses for the trial , including FBI agent Brad Garrett and the two women whom Guandique was convicted of assaulting . At the start of the trial , the prosecution 's case was expected to take around four weeks and the defense was expected to take one day . On October 25 and 26 , Halle Shilling and Christy Wiegand testified about being attacked by Guandique while independently jogging in Rock Creek Park . Wiegand recounted that Guandique grabbed her from behind , dragged her down a ravine and held a knife against her face . On October 26 , 2010 , Levy 's then @-@ 64 @-@ year @-@ old father , Robert , took the stand and refuted statements about his past suspicions of Condit . Robert Levy testified that he told authorities during the early years of the investigation that his daughter Chandra would have been too cautious to jog in the woods alone , but said that he no longer believed this to be true . He said that he also told police that his daughter and Condit had a five @-@ year plan between them to get married . In retrospect , Robert Levy admitted : " I just said whatever came to mind just to point to him as the villain . " Levy added that he had been convinced that Condit was “ guilty until we learned about this character here ” , referring to Guandique . On November 1 , Condit testified at the trial and was asked on at least three occasions if he and Chandra Levy had been involved in a sexual relationship . He replied , " I am not going to respond to that question out of privacy for myself and Chandra . " FBI biologist Alan Giusti testified that semen found on underwear from Levy 's apartment contained sperm matching Condit 's DNA profile . Prosecution witness Armando Morales , who shared a cell with Guandique at the U.S. Penitentiary in Kentucky , testified that Guandique was concerned about being transferred between prisons in 2006 because of inmate violence against suspected rapists . Morales stated that Guandique , a fellow member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang , confided to him that he had killed Levy while trying to rob her , but said that he did not rape her . The prosecution rested their case on November 10 , while dropping two out of the six charges against Guandique : sexual assault and murder associated with that assault . On November 15 , the defense rested its case without calling Guandique to the stand . Other prison witnesses called by the defense refuted Morales ' testimony . Jose Manuel Alaniz said that Guandique made no mention of rape or murder while sharing a cell with both Alaniz and Morales at the penitentiary in Kentucky . Alaniz admitted under cross @-@ examination that he " didn 't want to be too nosy " and was often asleep at the prison while recovering from a gunshot wound . The prosecution dropped two more charges because the statute of limitations had passed : kidnapping and attempted robbery . During closing arguments for the remaining charges of first @-@ degree murder committed during a kidnapping and during a robbery , prosecutor Amanda Haines contended that Guandique bound and gagged Levy after attacking her , leaving her to die of dehydration or exposure in the park . Defense attorney Santha Sonenberg countered with the lack of any DNA evidence connecting Guandique to the crime scene . Calling the prosecution 's case " fiction " , Sonenberg suggested that Levy had been murdered elsewhere , with her dead body being dumped in the park . The jury began deliberations on November 17 , 2010 . Scheduled proceedings of the case met delays because of increased security at the courthouse . After two days of deliberations , all but one juror had voted to convict Guandique . On the third day , the jury asked Judge Gerald Fisher to clarify the definition of assault . Fisher responded that any physical injury could legally be considered an assault , regardless of how small . On November 22 , 2010 , the jury found Guandique guilty of both remaining counts of first @-@ degree murder . After the trial , a juror said the testimony of Morales was decisive in reaching the verdict . The conviction was called a " miracle " for having been reached with only circumstantial evidence . Gladys Weatherspoon , who had previously represented Guandique in the 2001 assault cases , stated that she was troubled by the jury 's verdict : " I just think they were going to convict anyway .... They felt bad for that woman , the mom . She 's sitting in there every day . " At a post @-@ trial press conference , Susan Levy said , " There 's always going to be a feeling of sadness . I can surely tell you , it ain 't closure . " Since the conclusion of the trial , Susan Levy has acted to keep photographic evidence of her daughter 's remains sealed from the news media . = = = = Sentencing and appeals = = = = On February 1 , 2011 , Guandique 's attorneys requested a new trial on the grounds that the verdict had been improperly attained . The 17 @-@ page filing claimed that the prosecutors had appealed to the emotions of the jury , using " references to facts not in evidence . " The motion also alleged that one juror , who did not take notes , had breached the judge 's instructions not to be " influenced by another juror 's notes . " The prosecution opposed a retrial , arguing that the issue regarding the notes was no more than a technicality that did not have a significant effect on the verdict . Guandique faced a minimum penalty of 30 years to a maximum of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole . In seeking the maximum possible sentence , the prosecutors stated that Guandique " is unable to control himself and thus , will always remain a danger to women . " A memo submitted by the prosecution in February 2011 cited Guandique 's harassment of female staff in prison , including soliciting a nurse and masturbating in front of guards . Assistant U.S. Attorney Fernando Campoamor @-@ Sanchez disclosed that he had traveled to El Salvador with a detective to investigate allegations that Guandique had fled his native country because of suspected attacks against local women dating back to 1999 . During the sentencing hearing on February 11 , Guandique said to Levy 's family , " I am sorry for what happened to your daughter , " and insisted on his innocence . Before Judge Gerald Fisher reminded Susan Levy to address the court instead of the defendant , Levy said to him , " Did you really take her life ? Look me in my eyes and tell me . " Fisher denied Guandique 's motion for retrial and handed down a sentence of 60 years in prison , stating that Guandique " will be a danger for some time . He 's a sexual predator . " Guandique repeated his innocence during his sentencing . He has maintained his innocence in the years since the trial . On February 25 , 2011 , public defender James Klein filed an appeal of Guandique 's conviction with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals . According to the court 's annual report , appeals take an average of 588 days to reach resolution . Guandique will not be eligible for parole until he is at least 80 years old . In December 2012 and January 2013 , a set of secret hearings was made known to the public , but the subject of the meetings was sealed by the judge . After a third hearing in February , the judge in the case unsealed transcripts from the previous hearings which revealed that Klein was seeking a new trial based on new evidence in the case . A fourth hearing was scheduled for April 2013 . = = = = New trial ordered = = = = On May 22 , 2015 , prosecutors dropped their opposition to a new trial . On June 3 , 2015 , the defense said a new witness , a neighbor , called 911 at 4 : 37 a.m. on the last day Levy was alive to report hearing a ' blood @-@ curdling scream ' , possibly coming from Levy 's apartment . On June 4 , 2015 , Judge Gerald Fisher granted a motion for the new trial . Guandique 's attorneys suggested that Morales fabricated Guandique 's confession to gain favor with law enforcement . On June 12 , 2015 , Judge Robert E. Morin set the retrial of Guandique for March 1 , 2016 but in March , the trial date was moved to October 11 , 2016 . In November 2015 , prosecutors told a D.C. Superior Court judge that their office failed to turn over documents to the defense before the defendant ’ s first trial . In December 2015 , defense attorneys argued in new court filings that the charges should be dismissed because of prosecutorial errors . = = = Media coverage = = = The disappearance of Chandra Levy became a national topic of the news media in the summer of 2001 , with 63 percent of Americans closely following the case . The media swamped Levy 's parents from the moment they decided to go to Washington , D.C. in search of their daughter . According to Condit , there were about a hundred reporters camped out in front of his apartment during the morning of September 11 , 2001 , but they all left after news spread about the terrorist attacks . Media critics and cable news executives later cited the Levy case , as well as the concurrent sensationalist coverage of a string of shark attacks , as a reflection of the manner of news coverage in the United States before the September 11 attacks had taken priority . In 2002 , D.C. newspaper Roll Call first reported the possible connection of Ingmar Guandique to the case , with little effect on the news media 's focus on Condit . Conservative commentator Michelle Malkin noted the lack of headlines that an illegal immigrant had been questioned in the Levy case . She said that in her review of 115 news items from the Lexis @-@ Nexis database , not a single mention of Guandique referred to his status as a " criminal illegal alien . " She called the " glaring omission " of his status " a newsworthy act of negligence . " She wrote that only the very conservative Human Events reported that the Immigration and Naturalization Service had approved his working legally while applying for temporary protected status . That application was ultimately denied , but not before he had assaulted two other women at Rock Creek Park . In 2005 , investigative journalist Dominick Dunne said on Larry King Live that he believed Gary Condit knew more information about the Levy case than he had been disclosing . Condit filed two lawsuits against Dunne , forcing him into an undisclosed financial settlement on one of them . In 2008 , U.S. District Judge Peter Leisure dismissed the other suit that alleged slander , because " The context in which Dunne 's statements were made demonstrates that they were part of a discussion about ' speculation ' in the media and inaccurate media coverage . " During the summer of 2008 , The Washington Post ran a 13 @-@ part series billed , in part , as " a tale of the tabloid and mainstream press pack journalism that helped derail the investigation . " The two investigative reporters behind the Post series , Scott Higham and Sari Horwitz , wrote a book detailing their investigation . The book , Finding Chandra , was published in May 2010 . Commentators , including The Washington Post Metro reporter Robert Pierre , wrote that emphasis on a glamorous white murder victim , when " about 200 people are killed in this city every year , most of them black and male , " was " absolutely absurd and dare I say , racist , at its core . " The media were criticized for their " rush to judgment " in suggesting , sometimes blatantly , that Condit was guilty of the murder , especially in the early days of the investigation . Some of the reporters camped in front of Condit 's Washington apartment house were quoted as saying that they would remain there " until he resigns . " When Ingmar Guandique was convicted in November 2010 of murdering Levy , Condit 's lawyer Bert Fields remarked , " It 's a complete vindication but that comes a little late . Who gives him his career back ? " = = Impact = = Levy 's death has had a lasting impact , due in part to the efforts of her family and friends . Levy 's disappearance came after a number of other high @-@ profile cases that led to the creation of resources for missing young adults . For example , Levy 's parents quickly turned for help to the Carole Sund / Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation , a nonprofit group that was established in Modesto after three female hikers disappeared from a 1999 trip to Yosemite National Park and were later found slain . That foundation , which offered the Levys staff support and contributed towards a cash reward for information about Chandra 's disappearance , was merged into the Laci & Conner Search and Rescue Fund in 2009 ; Susan Levy had previously participated in the efforts to find Laci Peterson , another missing woman from Modesto . In 1997 , when Kristen Modafferi mysteriously disappeared from the San Francisco Bay Area just three weeks after her 18th birthday , her parents turned to their congresswoman for help they were ineligible to receive from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children . As a result , Congress enacted " Kristen 's Law " in October 2000 , which established the National Center for Missing Adults ( NCMA ) within the U.S. Department of Justice to coordinate such missing person cases . By the time Levy disappeared , institutions were in place to provide her family with support and to assist in a nationwide search to locate her . Although the Levy family moved quickly to mobilize all such available resources , including offering a cash reward for information , hiring their own investigators , and seeking media attention , those efforts to locate Chandra Levy or find her killer were overshadowed by the speculation surrounding her possible relationship with Condit . Susan Levy later joined with Donna Raley , the mother of another young woman who disappeared in 1999 from Modesto , to form " Wings of Protection " , a support group for people with missing loved ones . The Mary Ann Liebert company , publishers of the Journal of Women 's Health and Gender @-@ Based Medicine , presented their annual Criterion Award in May 2002 to Susan Levy for her work with " Wings of Protection . " Newsweek magazine stated that the media may have become more skeptical of " herd mentality " and open to alternative suspects after the Levy case . The D.C. police claimed that they would have discovered Levy 's body earlier , if not for a miscommunication regarding the scope of the search . Commanders had ordered a search within 100 yards ( 91 m ) of each road and trail in Rock Creek Park , but searches were focused within 100 yards of roads only , resulting in the body remaining undiscovered for a longer period of time . Both the Chief of Detectives , Jack Barrett , and the Chief of Police , Charles H. Ramsey , have since left the force in D.C. Ramsey became head of the Philadelphia Police Department ; Barrett , who became an analyst for an intelligence support firm in Arlington , Virginia , stated in hindsight that the media had imposed " enormous amounts of pressure " on the D.C. police . Morales , who is serving time for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and crack cocaine , is scheduled to be released on August 5 , 2016 . Condit retired from politics and moved with his wife to Phoenix , Arizona , to manage real estate and open two Baskin @-@ Robbins franchises , which have since closed .
= Fly Like a Bird = " Fly Like a Bird " is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey , first released on February 13 , 2006 by Island Records as the sixth single from her tenth studio album , The Emancipation of Mimi ( 2005 ) . Written and produced by Carey and James " Big Jim " Wright , the song is influenced by Gospel , soul , and R & B music genres . Its arrangement is built on piano chords and guitar melodies , and features Carey 's pastor Clarence Keaton , who recites two Biblical verses during the song 's introduction and bridge . Carey described " Fly Like a Bird " as the most personal and religious track from The Emancipation of Mimi , with its lyrics featuring a veritable prayer to God : " Fly like a bird , take to the sky , I need you now Lord , carry me high ! " . At the time of its release , " Fly Like a Bird " received acclaim from music critics . While many praised Carey 's strong vocal performance throughout its climax , many pinpointed on its lyrical content and compared it to Carey 's debut song , " Vision of Love " . Released as the final single from its parent album , the song was only sent to adult contemporary and gospel radio stations , during the same time " Say Somethin ' " was commissioned to mainstream channels . Carey performed the song on several high profile industry events , including the 48th annual Grammy Awards , the Shelter from the Storm : A Concert for the Gulf Coast concert charity benefit , and Idol Gives Back . Additionally , Carey included the song on the set @-@ lists for all her succeeding tours since its release . = = Background and recording = = Following record @-@ breaking success throughout the 1990s , Carey departed from Columbia Records after the release of Rainbow ( 1999 ) . Almost a year later , she signed an unprecedented $ 100 million five @-@ album record contract with Virgin Records , and began work on a film and soundtrack project titled Glitter . Prior to its release on September 11 , 2001 , Carey suffered an " emotional and physical breakdown " , and was subsequently hospitalized over a period of several weeks . Glitter became a box @-@ office bomb , earning less than eight million dollars , and receiving scathing reviews . The soundtrack , while faring slightly better , failed to reach the critical or commercial heights of Carey 's previous releases , and eventually lead to the annulment of her record contract with Virgin . Following the events , as well as the release of Carey 's succeeding album , Charmbracelet ( 2002 ) , she began working on new material for The Emancipation of Mimi ( 2005 ) . Aside from the dance @-@ influenced tracks and the ballads , Carey created a concept , in which a song 's lyrics would reach out to God . She created the song 's choral lyrics , melody and main instrumentation , before calling James " Big Jim " Wright for a collaboration . During their meeting , Wright helped Carey arrange the song 's chord structure , as well as produce the introduction , while Carey finished the rest of the lyrics . Once completing " Fly Like a Bird " , Carey had her pastor , Clarence Keaton , read two verses from the Bible on the song , " Weeping may endure for the night , but joy comes in the morning " during the introduction , and " He said ' He 'll never forsake you , or leave you alone ' Trust him " . According to Carey , the song , as well as the Biblical verses , were included on her " comeback album " because they helped her get through many difficult situations in the past . She described moments that were difficult growing up , during which she reached out to God , as well as during her breakdown , when she used such verses to give her faith . Carey explained how although the verses helped her greatly , no one had ever said them to her . For this reason , she wanted to make sure they were there for fans and listeners to hear , in order to give them faith and assurance lest they be in a grave situation . = = = Release = = = Following the extended chart success of The Emancipation of Mimi , " Fly Like a Bird " was released as a promotional single from the project . Simultaneously promoted alongside " Say Somethin ' , the song was released on March 13 , 2006 to urban , urban AC and gospel stations , while the latter to mainstream Top 40 channels . Tom Ferguson from Billboard did not agree with releasing both singles concurrently , as he had given " Say Somethin ' " a negative review . According to Ferguson , while the latter had radio appeal , its " scantily produced drum 'n'bass " only distracted , concluding " ' Fly Like A Bird ' is a classic : why muddy the water with this release . " = = Composition = = " Fly Like a Bird " is a mid @-@ tempo ballad , drawing influence from Gospel , soul and R & B music genres . It incorporates music from several musical instruments , including the organ , bass drum and trumpet . According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing , the song is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 54 beats per minute . It is composed in the key of B minor with Carey 's vocal range spanning from the low @-@ note of B2 in a background note to the high @-@ note of A6 . The song 's chorus has a chord progression of F ♯ m7 @-@ Bm @-@ G / A @-@ Bmaj7 in the verses , while changing into Gmaj7 during the bridge . Lyrically , " Fly Like a Bird " boasts a prayer in which the protagonist asks God for help during difficult times , and to carry them " higher and higher " . Cintra Wilson from LA Weekly described the song 's lyrics in depth , as well as where she felt the yearning lyrics stemmed from : 'Fly Like A Bird ' , is a kitchen @-@ sink , hyper @-@ produced gospel number , but is really quite moving . There is a real , human yearning for mercy in it — Mariah ’ s true cry for help from a place of near @-@ suicidal despair : ' Sometimes this life can be so cold / ( Lord ) I pray you 'll come and carry me home ' . But there ’ s a lot of hope and faith in this wounded voice : Carey keeps , with touching conviction , a firm grip on the idea that some higher , divine intelligence out there loves her , even if nobody else does ; even if she is lost to herself . It comes across emotionally , because her heart is fully in it — Mimi has been beaten , humiliated , heartbroken ; joys have been slapped out of her hands quicker than she could appreciate them . She ’ s deeply confused , and God , she really needs help . Hell : We ’ ve all been there . Entertainment Weekly 's Tom Sinclair described the song as a " veritable prayer that explicitly references God " , and highlighted the lines " Sometimes this life can be so cold / I pray you 'll come and carry me home , Carry me higher , higher , higher . " According to Carey , the song holds deep lyrical meaning for herself , as well as her fans . She compared it to older emotional ballads from her career , and described the sentiment they held for many fans " Usually , I 'll have an introspective bleak @-@ outlook @-@ on @-@ life song . In the past it 's been ' Petals ' or ' Close My Eyes ' . Those were the ones that the hard @-@ core fans related to most . But this has a hopefulness to it . That 's why it 's one of my favorites , too . " Additionally , Carey outed Keaton 's verse during the song 's introduction as her favorite part of the song , and included it as a guide for fans , due to the help it had given her in the past : 'To me the most important thing is the message he says in the beginning of the song , ' she notes . ' Weeping may endure for a night , but joy comes in the morning . ' I felt like a lot of people may not hear that message and a lot of people need to . It wasn 't to be preachy . A lot of times people will hear songs that I write that are not the typical songs people look at as ' Mariah Carey songs.' = = Critical reception = = " Fly Like a Bird " received acclaim from music critics , many of whom praised Carey 's gospel @-@ flavored vocal performance , as well as the song 's lyrical content . Critic Jim DeRogatis from the Chicago Sun @-@ Times called Carey 's voice as " one @-@ in @-@ a @-@ million " , and wrote " she 's never been shy about showing off with frequently annoying octave @-@ spanning trills – and her instrument seems to be intact ; witness the display of bravado on ' Fly Like a Bird ' . " When describing the song , Dina Passaro from Newsday wrote " This songstress is back and better than ever ! " and claimed Carey " sounds awesome and tears it apart " . Tom Ferguson from Billboard called the track a " classic " , and wrote " the re @-@ crowned diva delivers a consummate vocal . " Similarly , in a separate review for the song , Ferguson went into detail regarding Carey 's performance in " Fly Like a Bird " : The Emancipation of Mimi spawns yet another career @-@ redefining hit in the sweet , soulful " Fly Like a Bird " , an honest @-@ to @-@ God religious mantra about redemption . Set against a low @-@ key , organ @-@ spiced groove that recalls mid- ' 70s R & B , Carey opens with a pretty , wispy vocal and buoyant harmonies throughout the first chorus before she waves her arms , parts the clouds and wails to the heavens as a mile @-@ high wall of gospel background vocals joins in for the crescendo . The flight of ' Bird ' from humble call for deliverance into a frenzied ecclesiastic hymn is utterly spine @-@ tingling . A joyful noise . Entertainment Weekly 's Tom Sinclair outed the song as a " heart @-@ on @-@ my @-@ sleeve number " , and called it the " crux of the album " . Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine felt the song " made Mariah likeable again " and wrote " [ it 's ] an inspirational ballad that 's equal parts ' Butterfly ' and ' Hero ' . " A writer from the Sarasota Herald @-@ Tribune compared it to Carey 's debut single , " Vision of Love " , and called it one of the best cuts from The Emancipation of Mimi . Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic gave the song a mixed review , criticizing the condition of Carey 's voice , " As good as those Wright @-@ helmed cuts are , they are also the times that the mixes slip and don 't hide the flaws in Mariah 's voice , and it sounds as airy , thin , and damaged as it did on Charmbracelet . " = = Commercial performance = = During April 2006 , " Fly Like a Bird " was released to US urban and adult contemporary radio stations , at the same time " Say Somethin ' " ( featuring Snoop Dogg , the sixth single from The Emancipation of Mimi ) , was released to pop and rhythmic radio stations . " Fly Like a Bird " failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 , instead reaching number four on Billboards Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart , which represents the twenty @-@ five songs below the Hot 100 's number 100 position that have not yet appeared on the Hot 100 . It peaked at number nineteen on Billboard 's Hot R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Songs chart and topped the Hot Adult R & B Airplay chart for six weeks . The song experienced longevity in the urban market , reaching its peak on the R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Songs chart in its twenty @-@ fourth week . = = Music video = = Following the radio premiere of " Say Somethin ' " , as well as the video release , MTV News reported that Carey would film a music video for " Fly Like a Bird " at the end of March 2006 . According to Carey , the video had already been conceptualized by mid @-@ March , with a script featuring Carey , Keaton and a church choir as the main focuses . In a later interview , Carey said , " We don 't have a lot of time to do it . It 's not a big @-@ budget thing . But it doesn 't need to be . It just needs to be about the song , capturing the song and the emotion of it . " While plans for the video 's filming were made , a final version was never released or commissioned . = = Live performances = = Following the European promotional tour for The Emancipation of Mimi , Carey launched the stateside release of the album on Good Morning America , in the form of an interview and five @-@ piece outdoor concert . The concert , taking place in Times Square , and featuring the largest crowd in the plaza since the 2004 New Year 's Eve celebration , Carey performed the first three singles from the album , as well as " Fly Like a Bird " and " Make It Happen " ( 1991 ) . Months later , following the tragic events involving Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast throughout August 2005 , she was featured as a head @-@ lining performer at the Shelter from the Storm : A Concert for the Gulf Coast concert charity benefit . Carey , wearing a non @-@ formal ensemble of a pink tank @-@ top and blue jeans , performed " Fly Like a Bird " alongside a large church choir . According to Nielsen Media Research , the special was viewed by over twenty @-@ four million United States citizens , airing on over twelve different cable channels and in ninety @-@ five countries . Following the beginning of 2006 , and the continued charting of the album , Carey was nominated for eight Grammy Awards , the most she had received in one night throughout her career . Due to the continued success of The Emancipation of Mimi , Carey decided to return to the Grammy stage for the 48th annual ceremony , held on February 8 , 2006 , for the first time since 1996 . The performance opened with a pre @-@ taped video of Carey discussing the importance of religion and God in her life , and how it helped her get through difficult times as a child and adult . Following the video , she appeared on stage wearing a white Chanel evening gown , and began with a shortened version of " We Belong Together " . Following its completion , the spotlight focused on Carey 's now @-@ deceased pastor Clarence Keaton , who opened " Fly Like a Bird " with a passage from the Bible , also featured in the studio recording of the song . Mid @-@ way through the song , a black temporary wall was removed , revealing a large choir , who joined Carey for the song 's gospel climax . After completing her performance , " Fly Like a Bird " induced the night 's only standing ovation , prompting Teri Hatcher , who was presenting the next award , to exclaim " It 's like we 've all just been saved . " Critics raved about Carey performance following the completion of the ceremony , with Jon Pareles from The New York Times saying " once she was worked up , she moaned , growled and swooped to the high and low extremes of her voice in " Fly Like a Bird " . A writer from USA Today complimented her recital of both songs , writing " Carey certainly earned the right to savor the spotlight this year . But the diva made room for Walker 's booming baritone in ' Bird ' , her fluttering homage to Minnie Ripperton . " Gary Susman from Entertainment Weekly called Carey the " comeback queen " and wrote " Its what her voice did , soaring into the rafters like only Carey 's can . " Roger Friedman from Fox News outed the performance as " the number that sent the audience into a frenzy " . On April 9 , 2008 , reality competition American Idol aired its second annual charity event , titled Idol Gives Back . Backed up by Randy Jackson on the bass , Carey appeared on stage as the last head @-@ lining performer of the evening . Mid @-@ way through the performance , a large church choir walked on stage in blue garbs , and provided the gospel climax for the song . Ann Powers from the Los Angeles Times called the song an " inspirational show @-@ stopper " and felt Carey 's vocal 's were " patented impossible notes " . In regards to the performance , Katie Byrne from MTV News wrote " Carey was at her over @-@ the @-@ top best , with a full gospel choir and the high notes that made her famous . " Aside from several televised performances , Carey included " Fly Like a Bird " on the set @-@ lists of all her tours following its release . During Carey 's The Adventures of Mimi Tour ( 2006 ) stop at Madison Square Garden , the song was dedicated to Ol ' Dirty Bastard , who died in 2004 from an accidental drug overdose . The performance had to be re @-@ done , as Carey 's pastor , Clarence Keaton , missed his cue for the Biblical verses , and was forced to be found backstage and ushered to the spotlight . Four years later , Carey performed the song throughout her Angels Advocate Tour , only dedicating it to Keaton , who died on July 3 , 2009 . Editor and journalist Thomas Kintner from the Hartford Courant felt that during her live recital of " Fly Like a Bird " , Carey " displayed power and sky @-@ scraping pitch " . = = Track listing = = United States CD single ( Promo ) " Fly Like a Bird " – 3 : 53 " My Saving Grace " – 4 : 10 = = Credits and personnel = = Credits adapted from the The Emancipation of Mimi liner notes . Vocals – Mariah Carey Songwriting – Mariah Carey , James " Big Jim " Wright Production – Mariah Carey , James " Big Jim " Wright Background vocals – Mariah Carey , Mary Ann Tatum , Melonie Daniels , Trey Lorenz , Sherry Tatum , Courtney Bradley , Rev. Dr. Clarence Keaton Engineers – Brian Garten , Dana Jon Chapelle Assistant engineer – Jason Finkel , Michael Leedy , Manuel Farolfi , Riccardo Durante Mixer – Phil Tan ( mixed at Right Track Studios , NYC ) Mastering – Herb Powers Additional keyboards – Loris Holland = = Charts = =
= Sigismunda mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo = Sigismunda mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo , fully titled Sigismunda mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo , her murder 'd Husband , is an oil painting by British artist William Hogarth . Finished in 1759 , it was the principal piece of the eight works he displayed in an exhibition in 1761 . It was the final and most ambitious of his attempts to secure for himself a reputation as a genre painter . It depicts a dramatic moment in one of the novelle in Boccaccio 's Decameron . While Hogarth had expected this work to be acclaimed as a masterpiece of dramatic painting , the work was met with criticism and ridicule . In the catalogue of the exhibition of Hogarth 's works at the Tate Gallery in 2007 , the criticism was described as " some of the most damning critical opprobrium the artist ever suffered " . = = Analysis = = Sigismunda mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo illustrates a scene from the first tale on Day 4 of The Decameron , a medieval collection of short stories ( novelle ) by Italian author and poet , Giovanni Boccaccio . Seated at an ornate wooden table , wearing a pearl tiara and flowing silk , is Sigismunda ( called Ghismonda in Boccaccio 's original tale ) , the heroine of one of the novelle . It is probable that Hogarth modelled her on his wife , Jane . She clasps a golden goblet containing the heart of her murdered husband , Guiscardo . Guiscardo was a servant and page in the court of Sigismunda 's father , Prince Tancred of Salerno . When Sigismunda 's father discovered that Guiscardo and Sigismunda had wed secretly , he angrily ordered his men to murder the low @-@ born Guiscardo , and had Guiscardo 's heart delivered to Sigismunda in a golden cup . Despite having committed to die without shedding a tear , she weeps as she realises her father has murdered her husband . She adds poison to the cup containing Guiscardo 's heart , and commits suicide by drinking it . Hogarth claimed to have long been interested in the story of Sigismunda , which had appeared in England in several versions by the mid @-@ 18th century . It had become popular after being translated in John Dryden 's 1699 volume of Fables , Ancient and Modern , and adapted for the English stage by James Thomson in 1745 . = = Commissioning = = The painting was one of Hogarth 's last works , commissioned in 1758 by Sir Richard Grosvenor . James Caulfeild , 1st Earl of Charlemont had previously commissioned a painting from Hogarth , allowing Hogarth to select the subject and price . For Lord Charlemont , Hogarth chose to paint the satirical Piquet , or Virtue in Danger ( also known as The Lady 's Last Stake , after a 1708 play by Colley Cibber ) , which , with echoes of Marriage à @-@ la @-@ Mode , shows an army officer offering an aristocratic lady a chance to recover the fortune she has just lost by gambling ( with the implication that if she loses again , she will have to take him as her lover ) . After Grosvenor saw this painting in Hogarth 's studio in 1758 , he asked Hogarth to paint a picture for him as well , under the same terms . Hogarth chose a more serious topic for Grosvenor 's painting . He is said to have painted Sigismunda mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo with the aim of proving that he could equal works of the " Old Italian Masters " , and intending the painting to be one of his masterpieces . In the leg of the table in the painting , a turbaned , pug @-@ nosed figure is carved , emerging from the ornate decoration , which is reminiscent of Hogarth 's self @-@ portrait The Artist Painting the Comic Muse from around 1757 , and is perhaps Hogarth 's attempt to insert himself bodily into the picture , thereby making an overt connection between himself and the Old Masters . In 1758 , Sir Thomas Sebright , 5th Baronet had paid £ 405.5s in an Old Master auction for a painting of Sigismunda supposedly by Correggio . Hogarth doubted the attribution and was later proved correct : the painting is now considered to be by Francesco Furini . Nevertheless , Hogarth priced his Sigismunda in line with what was paid for the " Correggio " version and commensurate with the time he had spent creating it – at least two hundred days ( although it appears he was also working on finishing Piquet during this period ) – and this may have contributed to Grosvenor 's eventual loss of interest . When Hogarth presented the piece to Grosvenor , he rejected it , ostensibly because it was " so striking and inimitable , that the constantly having it before one 's eyes would be too often occasioning melancholy ideas to arise in one 's mind " ; in disgust , Hogarth released him from their bargain . = = Reception = = Hogarth exhibited the painting at the Society of Artists in Spring Gardens in 1761 . Although press reports – perhaps placed by Hogarth and his supporters – were enthusiastic , Sigismunda mourning over the Heart of Guiscardo was attacked by critics who marked Hogarth 's attempt to emulate the drama depicted in older Italian paintings as foolhardy and ridiculous . Many critics were repulsed by the shocking contrast between the melancholy beauty of Sigismunda and the grotesquely bloody organ that she delicately touched . It was said that Hogarth placed an attendant next to the painting to note the remarks made by the viewers ; changes to the painting suggest that he may have responded to these criticisms by altering his work , although it is impossible to ascertain whether many of the changes were made before or after the painting was exhibited . One of the fiercest critics of Hogarth 's work was the critic and writer Horace Walpole . Walpole , who had admired the " Correggio " , compared Hogarth 's portrayal of Sigismunda to that of a " maudlin fallen virago " , and saw in it : None of the somber grief , no dignity of suppressed anguish , no involuntary tear , no settled meditation on the fate she meant to meet , no amourous warmth turned holy by despair John Wilkes dismissed it as " not human " . More predictably , in his Epistle to William Hogarth , Charles Churchill sympathised with Sigismunda as the " helpless victim of a dauber 's hand " . After ten days of the exhibition , Hogarth replaced the painting with another of his canvases , Chairing the Member , the fourth and last piece in his Humours of an Election series . Hogarth was unable to sell the painting , but he considered selling engravings based on it . A subscription ticket for the engraving of Sigismunda depicting Time Smoking a Picture was made , and some subscriptions were sold before being recalled , but by March 1761 Hogarth had abandoned the project , having failed to find an engraver to produce the plates . Hogarth instructed his widow not to sell the canvas for less than £ 500 . On Jane Hogarth 's death in 1789 , the painting passed to her cousin , Mary Lewis . She sold it by auction at Greenwood 's in 1790 for 56 guineas to the publisher John Boydell , who exhibited it in his Shakespeare Gallery . Benjamin Smith made an engraving which was published in 1795 . The painting was sold for 400 guineas at Christie 's in 1807 , and had been acquired by J.H. Anderdon by 1814 . He bequeathed it to the Tate Gallery in 1879 . = = Alterations = = A number of alterations are visible to the naked eye as pentimenti . A piece of paper draped over the edge of the table is clearly visible in outline , despite having been painted over with detailing of the table itself . Sigismunda 's index finger which was bent towards and perhaps touching the heart has been straightened , but the outline of the tip is still visible on the surface of the heart . A looped cord in the top right @-@ hand corner is poorly concealed under the topmost layer of paint . It is also known that , to attempt to appease critics , Hogarth repainted the fingers of Sigismunda so that the blood that was previously there would no longer be visible .
= Sardines ( Inside No. 9 ) = " Sardines " is the first episode of British dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9 . Written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith , it premiered on BBC Two and BBC Two HD on 5 February 2014 . The episode features a stand @-@ alone plot revolving around a group of adults , who are non @-@ recurring characters , playing sardines at an engagement party . Rebecca , the bride @-@ to @-@ be , finds a boring man named Ian in a wardrobe ; he introduces himself as a colleague of Jeremy , Rebecca 's fiancé . The pair are subsequently joined by family , friends and colleagues of Rebecca and Jeremy . As more people enter the room and step into the wardrobe , secrets shared by some of the characters are revealed , with various allusions to incestuous relationships , child sexual abuse and adultery . The humour is both dark and British , with references to past unhappiness and polite but awkward interactions . The story takes place entirely in the bedroom of a country house , with much of the filming taking place inside the wardrobe . Pemberton and Shearsmith wrote the episode with the intention of evoking a feeling of claustrophobia in viewers . In addition to the writers , the episode starred Katherine Parkinson , Tim Key , Luke Pasqualino , Ophelia Lovibond , Anne Reid , Julian Rhind @-@ Tutt , Anna Chancellor , Marc Wootton , Ben Willbond and Timothy West . The cast and writing were praised by television critics , and the episode was chosen as pick of the day in a number of publications . On its first showing , " Sardines " was watched by 1 @.@ 1 million viewers , which was 5 @.@ 6 % of the audience . = = Development and production = = Writers Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith , who had previously worked together on The League of Gentlemen and Psychoville , took inspiration for Inside No. 9 from " David and Maureen " , episode 4 of the first series of Psychoville , which was in turn inspired by Alfred Hitchcock 's Rope . " David and Maureen " took place entirely in a single room , and it was filmed in only two shots . The writers were keen to explore other stories in this bottle episode or TV play format , and Inside No. 9 allowed them to do this . At the same time , the concept of Inside No. 9 was a " reaction " to Psychoville , with Shearsmith saying that " We 'd been so involved with labyrinthine over @-@ arcing , we thought it would be nice to do six different stories with a complete new house of people each week . That 's appealing , because as a viewer you might not like this story , but you 've got a different one next week . " The format of the series also pays homage to Tales of the Unexpected , The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents . Pemberton and Shearsmith returned to writing more macabre stories , according to the latter , as they " always feel slightly unfulfilled if [ they ] write something that 's purely comedic , it just feels too frivolous and light " . During the filming of " Sardines " , Shearsmith professed excitement to be working on Inside No. 9 , saying that " being in the middle of filming a third series of Psychoville would be utterly depressing " . Pemberton and Shearsmith aimed for a simpler experience than Psychoville , describing " Sardines " by saying the episode is " just about some good actors in a wardrobe with a good story " . As each episode of Inside No. 9 features new characters , the writers were able to attract actors who might have been unwilling to commit to an entire series . In addition to Pemberton and Shearsmith , " Sardines " starred Katherine Parkinson , Tim Key , Luke Pasqualino , Ophelia Lovibond , Anne Reid , Julian Rhind @-@ Tutt , Anna Chancellor , Marc Wootton , Ben Willbond and Timothy West . West had previously starred in Tales of the Unexpected , and Shearsmith said that , due to this prior appearance , " it was a great nod " to have West in the episode . " Sardines " has more characters than any other episode of the first series , and these characters were written before casting took place . Pemberton recalls the fun he had in selecting a cast for the episode , aiming to bring together a very varied group of actors who would work well as a group . Pemberton described the concept of " Sardines " as " a simple idea " , and he was happy that the pair did not " have to worry about the consequences of it " , due to the format of the series . The writers were inspired by a large wardrobe in their workspace . They had already written several other episodes for the series , and confinement was a recurring theme ; the possibility of putting characters into a wardrobe gave them the opportunity to develop the theme to a more extreme level . The story was not initially about the game of sardines . Pemberton said that the writers " talked about various ideas of why [ the characters ] were in a wardrobe " , but that the pair " were certainly not working out [ their ] Freudian psychobabble " . A list of characters was written before the script , and the script included the introduction of a new character every three pages . " Sardines " was written so that a feeling of claustrophobia would develop as the story progressed ; Pemberton said that " our first consideration was , ' Can we get 12 people in a wardrobe ? ' So when we did the script read @-@ through , the designer bought a wardrobe off eBay and we checked whether we could all get in it and shut the door " . Writers for Broadcast described seeing the assortment of actors " crammed inside an imposing wardrobe " during filming as " an arresting spectacle " . The story is filmed from within a single bedroom , with much of it taking place inside the wardrobe . Filming presented a particular challenge , as the aim was to give the impression that the viewer was in the wardrobe with the characters , and not to " cheat " by giving the impression that the viewer was outside the wardrobe looking in . The episode was filmed with two wardrobes ; one complete one , and one " faked " one . The complete prop was used to film the characters entering the wardrobe , while the other was in a different room for close @-@ up shots from " within " the wardrobe . For director David Kerr , the difficulty was sustaining the illusion that everything was happening in a single place , ideally without viewers even realising that there was a technical challenge involved . The episode was filmed mostly in sequence , meaning more actors arrived as the filming continued , reflecting the fact that more characters arrive as the episode progresses . Kerr aimed for a particularly " immersive " filming style on the episode , with extensive use of wide angle shots . He aimed to avoid " leading " the audience with regards to the more important characters , by , for instance , " not giving [ them ] coverage " earlier in the episode . = = Plot = = Rebecca and Jeremy host their engagement party at Rebecca 's family 's stately home . The guests play the parlour game sardines , a variation of hide @-@ and @-@ seek in which one person hides and the other players have to join them in their hiding place once they are found . Rebecca finds Ian ( who works with Jeremy ) in a bedroom wardrobe . As they wait for more people to arrive , Ian mistakenly calls her " Rachel " . A young man , Lee , enters the room but does not find the pair , though they are later found and joined by Rebecca 's prudish brother Carl , and then Carl 's flamboyant partner Stuart . Jeremy 's ex @-@ girlfriend Rachel finds the group and joins them . Ian mentions that Jeremy frequently talks about " you " , but it is unclear whether he is talking to Rebecca or Rachel . To Rebecca 's annoyance , Stuart , Rachel and Ian briefly leave the wardrobe for a break . Stuart enters the en suite where Geraldine is sat on the toilet . In the wardrobe , Carl and Rebecca talk ; the former is uncomfortable , and , when Rebecca asks why , he tells her to " look where we are " . Ian , Rachel and Geraldine join Rebecca and Carl . Geraldine says that the room is normally locked , but Rebecca rebukes her . Stuart rejoins the group after using the toilet . As the group talk , Mark and his wife , Liz , enter the bedroom , unaware of the people hiding in the wardrobe . The pair talk candidly before beginning foreplay and lying down on the bed . Geraldine shouts to alert them , and those in the wardrobe pretend they did not hear Mark and Liz 's conversation . Mark and Liz reluctantly enter the wardrobe . As the doors close , Rachel 's boyfriend Lee enters the room , but as the wardrobe has become more cramped , Stuart and Lee hide under the bed and Ian moves to the en suite bathroom . Stuart and Carl argue , and it is revealed that Carl has a fear of intimacy . When " Stinky " John enters the room , both those in the wardrobe and under the bed claim there is no room , so he hides behind a curtain . Jeremy enters the room and tells Rebecca he is going to pick up another guest from the train station , but as he turns to leave he mistakenly calls her " Rachel " . Andrew , Rebecca 's father , enters and becomes annoyed when he sees people hiding in different places . He forces Jeremy , Stuart , Lee and Stinky John into the wardrobe with everyone else and follows them in . The people in the wardrobe are uncomfortable , not least because of John 's odour . Geraldine passes around mints as Andrew tells Mark that he no longer has contact with Dicky Lawrence , a potential business contact of Mark 's . Andrew sings the " sardine song " , but Carl angrily stops him . Andrew and Geraldine reminisce about a scout jamboree held in the house many years ago , but Geraldine remembers that a boy named Phillip Harrison , nicknamed " Little Pip " , said Andrew did " terrible things " , and that the police were involved . Carl says how Andrew paid Pip 's family to move away , and Andrew counters by claiming he did nothing to Pip and was only teaching him how to wash himself . Carl implies that he and John were not as lucky as Pip , and John says he can smell carbolic soap . There is silence , and Stuart points out no one else is looking for them , but they realise Ian has not yet returned from the bathroom . Jeremy says Ian is the person he was going to pick up from the station , but when Mark claims Ian is already at the party , Jeremy reveals the person Mark is referring to is not Ian . Outside , " Ian " locks the wardrobe and sprays it with lighter fluid while singing the sardine song . Carl realises Ian is actually Phillip , and the episode ends with Phillip leaning against the wardrobe , a lighter in his hand . = = Cast = = = = Analysis = = The episode is , in effect , a one @-@ scene , one @-@ act , play . Writing in The Times , Andrew Billen observed that Aristotle " ruled that plays should take place over a single day in a single place " , while " Sardines " takes place " over half an hour in a single wardrobe " . The use of the wardrobe is reminiscent of Beckettian absurd theatre , and presented particular cinematographic challenges . For Ryan Lambie , writing for entertainment website Den of Geek , the single @-@ camera setup and Kerr 's direction gave the episode " the tense look of an early Hitchcock film , all low angles and illuminating shafts of light " . The characters bring their respective agendas , relationships and backstories into the wardrobe . The various interconnected plotlines are seeded towards the start of the episode , and more is gradually revealed before they are resolved . " Sardines " starts as comedic , before becoming darker ; as more characters arrive , their relatively cordial interactions become more unpleasant . The increasingly claustrophobic environment serves to heighten the tension . The comedy is black , with the most overt humour coming from Stuart , a flamboyant character played by Shearsmith . The humour is also extremely British . Tropes of Britishness identified by PopMatters critic David Upton include the dated clothing , and interaction between Katherine and Tim at the start of the episode . Despite not knowing each other , they converse courteously , which " smacks of more refined days " ; the conversation is a " portrayal of social awkwardness " . With the introduction of the noticeably younger Lee , there is a clash of customs , illustrating the differing norms of the respective generations . This " 1940s aesthetic " and the fact the story took place in a single location tied the episode to " a golden age of plays on British television " . Broadcaster and writer Mark Radcliffe felt that the script " could be a really arresting stage play " . As is typical of Shearsmith and Pemberton 's work , " Sardines " addresses dark topics . Writing in The Daily Telegraph , Paul Kendall identified some of Shearsmith and Pemberton 's " regular tropes " utilised in the episode ; namely " a bunch of misfits , uncomfortable silences and allusions to dark crimes in the distant past " . Billen felt that the treatment of dark issues was reminiscent of the work of Alan Ayckbourn . Particular themes addressed in the episode include murder , incestuous relationships , child sexual abuse , vengeance and adultery . As the episode progresses , secrets related to these themes are revealed to be the explanation for apparently innocuous tendencies , such as Carl 's dislike for the sardine song and John 's aversion to soap . = = Reception = = " Sardines " was well received by television critics . Kendall , Billen , Keith Watson and Dan Owen , writing for The Daily Telegraph , the Metro , MSN and The Times , respectively , all gave the episode four out of five stars , while , writing for The Arts Desk , Veronica Lee gave it five out of five . The episode was labelled " pick of the day " in The Times , The Sunday Times , The Observer and the Daily Record . Reviewers responded positively to the cast . Kendall described the acting as " top notch " and Owen said that all cast @-@ members " played their roles to perfection " , while Jane Simon , writing for The Daily Mirror , said that " every twinge of awkwardness and discomfort is played to perfection as the mood turns darker " . Harry Venning , writing for The Stage , described the cast as " impressively stellar " , and also commended the writers ' performances . Comedy critic Bruce Dessau said that the " cast alone is almost recommendation enough " , while another reviewer said that if " a bomb dropped on the cupboard where they were hiding , a good portion of the acting talent in this country would be wiped out . " Key 's portrayal of Ian and Parkinson 's portrayal of Rebecca were particularly praised . Journalists also lauded the script , with Kendall labelling the dialogue " perfectly pitched " , Dessau calling it " tightly written " and without wastage , and Owen praising the way each character was " delivered into the story at the exact right moment " . Brad Newsome , writing for The Sydney Morning Herald ( the episode having been shown in Australia on BBC First in 2015 ) , said that the episode was " deftly written " , and Venning said the " lean , mean narrative didn 't just twist and turn , it folded back upon itself to provide a totally unexpected , profoundly disturbing and deeply satisfying denouement " . On The Arts Desk , Lee praised the direction of Kerr , saying that he delivered " a pitch @-@ perfect piece with no character overwritten or line overplayed " . Dean , writing for The Independent , commended the writers ' " weaving together of the morbid with the laugh @-@ out loud " , and Mike Bradley , writing in The Observer , called the episode " wickedly funny " ; similarly , Newsome said the episode displayed " a wicked sense of humour " . Dessau concurred on the darkness and quality of humour . Watson was more ambivalent , saying the episode offered " more of a knowing chuckle than an outright belly laugh " . Watson wrote that " the chief joy [ of the episode ] was the stealthy way the atmospheric story was built up layer by layer " . In The Times , Billen described " Sardines " as " a disciplined comedy , but a little bit of discipline , as one of the League 's perverts might say , never did anyone any harm " . With the exception of the ending , Billen " loved it " . A separate review in The Times , however , praised the twist ending ; " this isn 't just an inspired set @-@ up performed by a stellar cast – it builds to a macabre and horribly imagined climax . " Owen was ambivalent about the ending of " Sardines " , saying that it " worked very well in terms of narrative , but perhaps it landed with too much softness " . Mark Jones , writing in The Guardian , gave a more mixed review overall , describing " Sardines " as a " slow burner , but a decent introduction to a series " . Newsome called the episode a " gem of an opener " . = = = Viewing figures = = = On its first showing , " Sardines " was seen by 1 @.@ 1 million viewers , which was 5 @.@ 6 % of the British audience . This was lower than the premiere of Psychoville , but higher than the audience towards the end of the second series . " Sardines " immediately followed the first episode of the two @-@ part Royal Cousins at War , a BBC documentary . This had stronger viewing figures , with 2 million viewers ( 8 @.@ 6 % of the audience ) . Nonetheless , " Sardines " was more highly viewed than is typical for the slot . Despite this strong start for the series , the viewing figures for Inside No. 9 later dipped ; the average viewing for the series was 904 @,@ 000 people , or 4 @.@ 9 % of the audience , lower than the slot average of 970 @,@ 000 ( 5 @.@ 1 % of the audience ) .
= Yuffie Kisaragi = Yuffie Kisaragi ( ユフィ・キサラギ , Yufi Kisaragi ) is a video game character from Square Enix 's Final Fantasy series . Designed by Tetsuya Nomura , she was first introduced in the 1997 role @-@ playing video game Final Fantasy VII as a young female ninja princess and thief . She can become one of the game 's player characters after finishing a special sidequest . Yuffie reappears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series , expanding her background and showing her after the events of the original game . Yuffie has also been featured in other Square Enix games , most notably the Kingdom Hearts crossover series , voiced by Yumi Kakazu in the Japanese versions of the games . In the English versions , Christy Carlson Romano provides her voice for Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children , and Mae Whitman is Yuffie 's voice for Kingdom Hearts II and Dirge of Cerberus : Final Fantasy VII . The character has achieved a high level of popularity in Japan , but the English @-@ language media reception has been more mixed . = = Appearances = = = = = Final Fantasy VII = = = One of two secret characters in the 1997 role @-@ playing video game Final Fantasy VII , Yuffie is a 16 @-@ year @-@ old ninja and a thief who fights with oversized shuriken that she can throw like a boomerang . A fiercely patriotic daughter of Godo Kisaragi ( ゴドー・キサラギ , Godō Kisaragi ) , the leader of Wutai ( ウータイ , Ūtai ) , a culture based on real @-@ world East Asia , Yuffie feels her country has lost its former glory and become nothing more than a resort town . After losing the war against Shinra Electric Power Company , Godo began to turn Wutai into a tourist attraction . This did not suit Yuffie , who began running off , stealing the magical Materia from unaware travelers in hope to someday become strong enough to change this situation . Sneaky and arrogant , Yuffie has a tomboyish and charismatic personality and obsessively steals and collects Materia . She also tends to be short @-@ tempered and is prone to motion sickness . Gameplay @-@ wise , Yuffie possesses the special Materia " Throw " , enabling her to throw almost any item from the player 's inventory at enemies during combat , and when leveled up , the ability " Coin " becomes available , allowing her to throw the party 's Gil currency at the enemy . Yuffie is introduced when she ambushes the protagonist Cloud Strife and his allies in either the Gongaga jungle or the forests south of Junon , appearing as " Mystery Ninja " . If the player defeats her in combat and then chooses the correct series of dialogue choices , she introduces herself and joins the player 's party as one of player characters . However , once in Wutai Village , Yuffie steals the party 's Materia and hides , but is kidnapped by a Midgar crime lord , the lecherous Don Corneo . When the group rescues Yuffie , she returns the stolen Materia and continues working with the party . In another sidequest , she proves herself by fighting the bosses of Wutai 's five story pagoda , the last of these battles against Godo . These fights , and the sequence of conversations following , enable both father and daughter to understand the other 's actions and to come to a mutual respect . At Godo 's request , Cloud officially takes Yuffie ( who obtains her level 4 Limit Break special attack , called " All Creation " ) with him on his quest . If Yuffie is present at the end of disc one , when Aerith Gainsborough is murdered by the party 's nemesis Sephiroth , the player can witness an uncharacteristic display of emotion from the character , as she breaks down in Cloud 's arms after failing to control her sobs . Yuffie 's loyalty to the team is called into question after Cloud temporarily disbands his party ahead of their final confrontation with Sephiroth ; when Yuffie is the last to return Barret Wallace suspects her of abandoning the team in light of her earlier treachery at Wutai . When Yuffie returns to the group she subsequently rebukes Barrett for his judgement . = = = Compilation of Final Fantasy VII = = = In the 2005 computer animated film Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children , Yuffie reunites with her Final Fantasy VII allies to fight against the summon creature Bahamut SIN . In the On the Way to a Smile novella " Case of Yuffie " , which is set between the end of Final Fantasy VII and the beginning of Advent Children , the disease Geostigma spreads to Wutai , and Yuffie sets out to find a cure . In the 2004 action role @-@ playing game Before Crisis : Final Fantasy VII , set six years before Final Fantasy VII , Yuffie encounters Shinra 's agents called the Turks in Wutai and unknowingly works with them against the eco @-@ terrorist group AVALANCHE . In the 2006 third @-@ person shooter game Dirge of Cerberus : Final Fantasy VII , set one year after Advent Children , Yuffie leaves home and joins the World Regenesis Organization , where she is placed in charge of espionage and intelligence gathering . Yuffie infiltrates Mako Reactor Zero deep within the ruins of Midgar and shuts it off when the ex @-@ Turk Vincent Valentine defeats the Shinra remnant Deepground . The nine @-@ year @-@ old Yuffie also makes brief appearances in the 2007 prequel action role @-@ playing game Crisis Core : Final Fantasy VII , where she fights against Shinra following their invasion and takeover of Wutai . After meeting Zack Fair , she enlists his help to find treasures in several side missions . = = = Other appearances = = = Outside the Final Fantasy series , Yuffie has also been featured in the Kingdom Hearts series since 2002 . In the first Kingdom Hearts , a younger Yuffie acts as a supporting character in Traverse Town , helping to defeat the Heartless who had destroyed her world . Yuffie 's appearance in 2004 's Kingdom Hearts : Chain of Memories is a projection from Sora 's memories in Traverse Town . In 2005 's Kingdom Hearts II , she aids Leon and the others as part of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee , this time appearing in her Advent Children attire . In both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II , Yuffie is additionally featured as an opponent in the Olympus Coliseum , while 2008 's Kingdom Hearts coded features a virtual simulation of Yuffie . She also appears in the manga adaptations of Kingdom Hearts , Kingdom Hearts II and Chain of Memories published by Gangan Comics and Tokyopop . Yuffie is an unlockable playable character in the PlayStation version of the 1998 fighting game Ehrgeiz : God Bless the Ring , appearing alongside other characters from Final Fantasy VII . She is also one of the playable characters in the 2006 board video game Itadaki Street Portable for the PlayStation Portable , in a chibi @-@ style design that is similar to her model during the exploration gameplay mode of Final Fantasy VII , and in the 2013 action puzzle mobile game Pictlogica Final Fantasy , also in a chibi form . She was the first DLC character released for the 2014 rhythm game Theatrhythm Final Fantasy : Curtain Call . Yuffie also makes unplayable appearances in some video games . In the 2008 action role @-@ playing / fighting game hybrid Dissidia Final Fantasy , she is a tutor of the in @-@ game manuals and an unlockable friend card in this game . Yuffie is a " Legend " type assist character in the 2012 social role @-@ playing mobile game Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade , depicted in her Final Fantasy VII , Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts outfits . She appears as one of three summonable support characters in the 2014 racing mobile game Final Fantasy VII G @-@ Bike . She is also featured on various cards in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game ( 2011 ) and Final Fantasy Artniks ( 2012 ) . Two large Yuffie action figures were released by Square Enix as part of the Final Fantasy VII Play Arts Vol . 2 series in 2008 ( in her original game attire ) , and Final Fantasy VII Movie Advent Children Series 2 in 2009 ( in her film attire ) . Other merchandise include a small super deformed figurine version as she appears in Itadaki Street Portable , from 2009 's Final Fantasy Trading Arts Mini Vol . 4 , a 1997 plush doll and a keyholder figurine by Banpresto , a 2001 garage kit figure by Kotobukiya , and a wallscroll poster in Final Fantasy Poster Vol . 5 . Her theme music in Final Fantasy VII , " Descendant of Shinobi " , is included in a vocal form on the album Final Fantasy Song Book : Mahoroba as " Walking in the Road , After the Rain " by Nobuo Uematsu and Yuji Hasegawa . = = Creation and development = = During early development of Final Fantasy VII , Yuffie was envisioned as a 25 @-@ year @-@ old ex @-@ SOLDIER now working as a bounty hunter , seeking both the game 's protagonist Cloud Strife and its antagonist Sephiroth , while also having a bounty on her own head . Her job class was originally listed as " ninja ( assassin ) " and she was intended to be a daughter of the long @-@ deceased Kasumi Kisaragi . The Wutai sidequest present in the final incarnation of the game was significantly different . Her age and description was different for each of the several wanted posters ; what Yuffie looks like , as her level , is determined on the last wanted poster viewed . She would also encounter the party in a random encounter , or attack Cloud when he is sleeping in an inn . The Wutai scenario required Yuffie to be recruited to complete it . Having a close attachment to Yuffie 's character , Final Fantasy VII event planner Jun Akiyama was responsible for the large number of cutscenes featuring her and her actions during fights . Mae Whitman , who voiced Yuffie in the English versions of Kingdom Hearts II and Dirge of Cerberus , said she was not " aware of the extent to which people were familiar with her character already . " In a 2012 interview , Whitman recalled Yuffie as " bubbly and bright and nice . But still super cool ! " = = Reception = = Yuffie Kisaragi has received a notably positive reception in Japan , having placed as the 42nd best PlayStation character in the 2007 " Den @-@ Play Awards " by Dengeki PlayStation . In 2010 , readers of Japanese magazine Famitsu voted her as the 48th best video game character of all time . Electronic Gaming Monthly included " seeing Yuffie once again " as one of the greatest moments of Kingdom Hearts while giving it their Role @-@ Playing Game of the Year 2002 award . David Smith from IGN ranked Yuffie seventh on the 2008 list of top ten Final Fantasy VII characters , stating that she " belongs in the Wacky Sidekicks wing of the RPG hall of fame ; " although commenting that Yuffie can sometimes be " a pain in the neck , " Smith said that she became such an appealing sidekick character that Square would go on to use the " Yuffie formula " with Rikku from Final Fantasy X. In a 2013 poll by Square Enix , Yuffie was voted the 14th most popular Final Fantasy female character , sharing that spot with Beatrix from Final Fantasy IX . According to Edge , Yuffie , being one of characters that are " are brands in and of themselves " , " created a new anime stereotype -- the , uh , giddy girl ninja . " WomanGamers.com gave the character an overall score of 7 @.@ 0 / 10 , opining that while " a 16 year old ninja girl was a nice refreshing change [ ... ] it would have been nice if her character had matured and developed through this story . " In 2012 , Becky Cunningham of Cheat Code Central ranked her as the fourth top ninja in video games , stating that despite her " cocky , brash , and slightly abrasive personality , " Yuffie is " also a compassionate person with an impressive goal , " serving " as both comic relief and unlikely hero , a seemingly self @-@ centered sneak thief who always does the right thing in the end . " In 2013 , Liam Gilchrist of What Culture included her ten memorable Final Fantasy characters that deserve their own game , possibly " a Thief @-@ esque title , but more suitable for younger players . " In a 2014 poll by Spanish magazine Hobby Consolas , Yuffie was voted one of eight best ninja characters in video games . Márcio Pacheco Alexsandro of Brazil 's Game Hall placed Yuffie at fifth spot on his 2014 list of top female ninja characters in games , commenting on her close resemblance to Makimachi Misao from Rurouni Kenshin . In 2012 Jef Rouner of the Houston Press listed Yuffie 's reaction to Aerith 's death as one of the five most " heartbreaking " missable scenes in the Final Fantasy franchise ; which he felt rivalled the emotional impact of anything found in the main narrative . UGO.com featured her in the 2011 list of 25 most sexy ninja girls in all media for her appearance in Advent Children , adding " that third @-@ dimension certainly adds something . " In his review for Advent Children , James Mielke of 1UP.com called her " as cutely jailbait as ever ; " the film itself was called " Ogling Legal @-@ Age Yuffie " by Geson Hatchett of Hardcore Gamer . In 2015 , Indonesian television Liputan 6 ranked her seventh in their list of the sexiest Oriental characters in gaming . However , some of the reception was more negative . In her character profile , IGN wrote called her " both impressively useful and incredibly annoying . " In 2010 , Scott Sharkey of 1UP.com placed her in the category " The Perky Idiot " alongside Rikku and Selphie while discussing the top five character types in the Final Fantasy series . That same year , GamesRadar 's Mikel Reparaz included the appearance of Yuffie among the other Final Fantasy VII characters in Ehrgeiz on the list of the 55 best character cameos in video game history , but called her " hyper @-@ annoying " . In 2013 , Kyle Lowe of Complex ranked her as the fifth most annoying classic video game character . Joe Juba of Game Informer included her among " Final Fantasy 's particular breed of annoying female companions , like Selphie and Vaan . " Lisa Foiles of The Escapist included this " crazy , hyperactive teenager " on her 2014 list of top five annoying princesses in video games , calling her " just a definition of annoying . "
= Forrest Highway = Forrest Highway is a 95 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 59 mi ) highway in Western Australia 's Peel and South West regions , extending Perth 's Kwinana Freeway from east of Mandurah down to Bunbury . Old Coast Road was the original Mandurah – Bunbury route , dating back to the 1840s . Part of that road , and the Australind Bypass around Australind and Eaton , were subsumed by Forrest Highway . The highway begins at Kwinana Freeway 's southern terminus in Ravenswood , continues around the Peel Inlet to Lake Clifton , and heads south to finish at Bunbury 's Eelup Roundabout . There are a number of at @-@ grade intersections with minor roads in the shires of Murray , Waroona , and Harvey including Greenlands Road and Old Bunbury Road , both of which connect to South Western Highway near Pinjarra . The settlement of Australind by the Western Australian Land Company in 1840 – 41 prompted the first real need for a good quality road to Perth . A coastal Australind – Mandurah route was completed by 2 November 1842 . Though the road was rebuilt by convicts in the 1850s , its importance was already declining . With a new road via Pinjarra at the foothills of the Darling Scarp completed in 1876 , and the opening of the Perth − Bunbury railway in 1893 , few people travelled up the old coastal road . In the late 1930s there was a proposal to re @-@ establish the road as a tourist route , which could also reduce traffic on the main road along the foothills , but it was put on hold due to World War II . Improvements to Old Coast Road started in the early 1950s , but with little progress made until 1954 when the Main Roads Department approved £ 1000 worth of works . The name " Old Coast Road " was formally adopted on 27 January 1959 , and a sealed road was completed in September 1969 . Since the 1980s , the state government has been upgrading the main Perth to Bunbury route , by extending Kwinana Freeway south from Perth , and constructing a dual carriageway on Old Coast Road north of Bunbury , including bypasses around Australind and Dawesville . A bypass was also planned around Mandurah , which underwent detailed environmental reviews and assessments in the 1990s and early 2000s . Construction of the New Perth Bunbury Highway project , which became Forrest Highway and the final Kwinana Freeway extension , began in December 2006 , and the new highway was opened on 20 September 2009 . Within one year of opening , the number of road accidents in the area had decreased significantly , but tourism and businesses in the towns on bypassed routes were also affected . There are few services alongside the highway , although as of June 2015 a pair of roadhouses are planned near Greenlands Road . In June 2014 , Forrest Highway was extended south to Bunbury by renaming much of Old Coast Road as well as Australind Bypass as part of the highway . = = Route description = = Forrest Highway is the southern section of State Route 2 , continuing south from Kwinana Freeway at a folded diamond interchange with Pinjarra Road . All other intersections with the highway are at @-@ grade , with cross roads intersected via two closely spaced T junctions . The highway , which is controlled and maintained by Main Roads Western Australia , has two lanes in each direction separated by a wide median strip , and a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour ( 70 mph ) . The road travels south for six kilometres ( 4 mi ) , over the Murray River and through rural farmland in and beyond South Yunderup . The highway then veers south @-@ west , meeting Greenlands Road at a pair of staggered T junctions , and continues towards the Harvey Estuary over a distance of nine kilometres ( 6 mi ) before intersecting Mills Road , at another pair of closely spaced T junctions . The road curves back to the south , reaching Old Bunbury Road after ten kilometres ( 6 @.@ 2 mi ) . Forrest Highway meanders across the Spearwood dune system for ten and a half kilometres ( 6 @.@ 5 mi ) , through a series of large curves , before it reaches Old Coast Road at Lake Clifton , an alternative coastal route to Mandurah . Forrest Highway continues south for 25 kilometres ( 16 mi ) , to the west of Myalup State Forest and two to three kilometres ( 1 @.@ 2 to 1 @.@ 9 mi ) east of Lake Preston . A further 12 kilometres ( 7 @.@ 5 mi ) takes the highway to the northern edge of Leschenault . In these sections , the highway passes turnoffs to Preston Beach , Myalup and Binningup . The countryside for this part is mostly tuart , jarrah and marri forest , with some wetland vegetation and some cleared farming land . The highway then heads south @-@ east , going inland to bypass the developed areas east of the Leschenault Inlet . After five and a half kilometres ( 3 @.@ 4 mi ) Forrest Highway crosses the Brunswick River , continues southwards towards the Collie River for another five and a half kilometres ( 3 @.@ 4 mi ) . It crosses the river , then curves around Eaton to head westward to the Eelup Roundabout , which it reaches after travelling for nine kilometres ( 5 @.@ 6 mi ) and crossing the adjacent Preston River . The signalised roundabout provides access into Bunbury , as well as to Robertson Road , a ring road that connects to South Western Highway and Bussell Highway . When the highway was first opened in 2009 , the average daily weekday traffic volume north of Old Bunbury Road was 9 @,@ 680 . By April 2011 , it had increased to 10 @,@ 660 vehicles . In 2012 up to 14 @,@ 000 vehicles per day used the highway , and 17 @,@ 000 by 2014 . = = History = = = = = Background = = = Following the establishment of the Swan River Colony , the earliest report of exploration of the district around what is now Bunbury is from Lieutenant H. W. Bunbury in December 1836 . The route he – and later others – took was slow and hazardous , taking four days to cover around 80 miles ( 130 km ) , and crossing four rivers . The route began with passage from Perth to Pinjarra , before turning south @-@ west and passing through low , open scrubland , and a medium @-@ timbered area with low marshes . The first river to cross was the Harvey River , which could only be forded by horses at a single point , near the river mouth . Continuing south @-@ westward , the northern tip of Leschenault Estuary was reached , and its shores followed before curving around into Bunbury . The last stretch of approximately 12 miles ( 19 km ) was the most dangerous for many years , as it required precarious crossings at the Collie and Preston Rivers . In an initial attempt to settle the area , the government declared the land open for pastoral settlement by ordinary settlers , but little progress was made . By 1840 , the population was just fifty @-@ three , and most of those were in or near Bunbury ( then known as Port Leschenault ) . The settlement of Australind by the Western Australian Land Company in 1840 – 41 prompted the first real need for a good quality road to Perth . Throughout much of 1842 , there was much debate and discussion over providing a new route to Bunbury . A coastal route from Fremantle had been proposed , while an alternative proposal published on 11 May was a new route from Pinjarra to Bunbury , via an upstream crossing of the Harvey River , where a bridge could easily be built . The coastal route would have required a ferry to cross the Murray River 's estuary , and would not go through Pinjarra , a significant settlement in the area ; however , it would be shorter , had more water along the route , and would go through the village of Mandurah , which had a population of twenty @-@ nine people from six families . In a letter dated 12 June 1842 in the Colonial Secretary 's Records , Marshall Clifton , Chief Commissioner of the Western Australian Land Company , wrote of the need for an improved Perth – Fremantle – Bunbury road . On a special trip he took in the previous October to look for a new route , two surveyors gave their approval to the proposed coastal route , with a ferry across the estuary . Governor John Hutt approved of the idea of a road , but thought a ferry would be impractical , at least during winter , and that the lack of public funds made it impossible . Clifton continued to write letters to the Colonial Secretary advocating the construction of a road . = = = 19th century road = = = During the winter of 1842 , the existing route became impassable , and Clifton undertook the creation of the proposed coastal route . He sent his company 's men to clear the path and make a road . The first report of the new road was on 19 October , praising the new route but deriding the almost impassable obstacles presented by the large rivers en route . The Australind – Mandurah route was completed by 2 November , and the speed of the new route allowed almost daily communication . It could be travelled in 32 hours , with a ferry to cross the estuary at Mandurah . The ferry was operated , and later owned , by nearby resident Mrs Lyttleton , as the government was not interested at that time in owning or leasing out the ferry . The government later appropriated the ferry on 2 February 1843 , and imposed standardised tolls for passengers and livestock . Ten years later , the ferry service was made available to the public free of charge . The road was rebuilt by convicts in the 1850s , but by that decade , the importance of the coast road was diminishing . For most of its length , the road went through well @-@ timbered , sandy limestone country of little value to agriculture , and settlers in the vicinity of the road were scarce . In contrast , settlements had spread and prospered in the foothills of the Darling Scarp , and on 1 July 1853 , Colonial Secretary Frederick Barlee announced a new proposal for a Perth – Pinjarra – Bunbury route along the foothills , with a one chain ( 66 ft ; 20 m ) width , mostly following the alignment of previous tracks . Between 1864 and 1876 , two parties of convicts were involved in the making of the road . From 30 June 1868 , the government discontinued the ferry 's operation and the position of caretaker , leaving travellers to work the ferry themselves . The news was not well received , with newspaper letters complaining of the great inconvenience to the users of the shorter coastal route . As a result , the government reappointed a caretaker on 30 March 1869 . In 1894 the ferry was finally abandoned in favour of a 600 @-@ foot @-@ long ( 180 m ) wooden bridge adjacent to old ferry jetties , which was built by contract at a cost of £ 1700 . However , following the completion of the Perth – Bunbury railway in 1893 , few people travelled up the coast road . While the adjacent land was still privately owned , it was uninhabited . = = = Early 20th century = = = Within the first few years of the twentieth century , the road had become known as " the old coast road " , or simply Old Coast Road . In 1907 , the road was described as being seldom used , except by tramps , runaway sailors , and swagmen , with very few settlers in the area . For the next three decades , there was little interest in the road , other than maintaining it in a usable condition . By 1918 it had become almost impassable , so the Harvey Road Board decided to spend £ 300 to reconstruct a 30 @-@ chain ( 2 @,@ 000 ft ; 600 m ) length . A few years later , in 1921 , the section from Lake Clifton to Mandurah was reopened by Jack Ochiltree , so as to be suitable for motor vehicles , and in 1926 the section from Bunbury to Lake Preston was similarly suitable . The establishment of a tourist route along the coastal road between Australind and Mandurah was proposed in the late 1930s by the Harvey Road Board . The Bunbury Road Board supported the idea , with the beauty and pleasure of the route discussed at a meeting of the road board in January 1939 ; the lack of a proper road surface was seen as the only obstacle . Traffic was predicted to grow over the next five years to an extent that would justify a second route to Perth , particularly as the traffic volume on the existing inland road was already heavy and causing accidents . The Minister for Works , Harry Millington , considered the proposal in July 1939 , and by early 1940 a number of rumours emerged regarding the imminent commencement of works ; however , the Main Roads Department had no intention to undertake them . The Harvey Road Board decided to refrain from pursuing the matter until World War II had concluded . By 1943 , vegetation was overgrowing the road , making it difficult to spot in places , and in December 1946 about 200 yards ( 180 m ) was inundated by water one @-@ foot ( 30 cm ) deep . Negotiations between Main Roads and the road boards recommenced in 1947 , and by October 1948 the provision of a suitable road was costed at £ 280 @,@ 000 . Given that a good quality road already linked Perth and Bunbury , and there was likely to be little immediate benefit , Main Roads did not consider the proposal to be warranted . At a February 1949 conference of officials from local governments in the South West region it was decided to once more pursue the reopening of the coastal route , due to the amount of traffic on the existing Perth – Bunbury road . Over the next year the proposal was supported by the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce , South West Zone Development Committee , and Bunbury Municipal Council . Reasons for supporting the proposal included " defence , land settlement , relieving the main highway , and tourist advantages " . It was also a political issue leading up to the 1950 state election , as well as afterwards . The summer of 1950 had seen a shortage of milk in Perth , leading to the consideration of turning undeveloped land along Old Coast Road into pastures for dairy farming . After inspecting the land on 17 May 1950 , the Agriculture Minister advocated for Old Coast Road to be reopened , to develop the adjacent land which was well suited to milk production . = = = New construction in the 1950s = = = An official inspection in October 1950 reported that it would not be difficult to improve the old road into a reasonable track , which would then have a better chance of attracting assistance from Main Roads . The Mandurah Road Board spent £ 1200 on the road , while the Harvey Road Board requested a £ 500 grant from Main Roads for their portion of the road . Two years later little progress had been made , and Main Roads therefore refused to fund feeder roads to connect to Old Coast Road . By May 1952 , works had halted as Main Roads believed that the existing , winding route around the estuary was too prone to flooding . Settlers in the area recalled it never flooding previously , and the Mandurah Road Board was concerned that should a new road be built , they would still have to maintain the old road for access to properties . The road was inspected by the Premier , Deputy @-@ Commissioner of Main Roads J. D. Leach , and the district engineer H. A. Smith . They indicated that a new road would likely closely follow the old road , but that a detailed survey would be needed . Nearby limestone deposits would be suitable for the road 's foundation , with the cost estimated at £ 11 per chain . Mandurah had grown rapidly as a tourist destination in the post war period , and on 17 May 1953 a new bridge connecting Old Coast Road to Mandurah was opened . Construction of the new bridge , adjacent to the old bridge , began in September 1951 , and was designed with reinforced concrete piles . The old wooden bridge had rapidly deteriorated due to the presence of marine organisms , and needed considerable attention to maintain it in a usable condition . The opening ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Mandurah Road Board , W. Anderson , Leader of the Opposition , Ross McLarty , Minister for Works , John Tonkin ; Commissioner of Main Roads , Digby Leach ; C. H. Henning , MLC ; engineer in charges of bridges , Ernest Godfrey ; local government representatives , and a number of schoolchildren who were given a half @-@ day off school . No further work had been done on Old Coast Road by 1954 , as the road boards in the area had insufficient funds . More pressure for a new road came from the Education Department , which saw the need for a school bus in the area , but could not provide the service due to the poor condition of Old Coast Road . Leach , who was by then the Commissioner , indicated that Main Roads would likely approve requests for grants to improve Old Coast road from the road boards in the area , and that provision for funding had been made in the 1954 – 55 budget . Work was finally cleared to commence in September 1954 with Main Roads approving the Mandurah Road Board 's schedule of works , including £ 1000 for the following works on Old Coast Road : " New construction 18 ft [ 5 @.@ 5 m ] wide southwards from Yeedong @-@ rd , and new construction 12 ft [ 3 @.@ 7 m ] wide along the eastern boundary of Location 1130 from the end of the existing construction to the northern boundary of Reserve 2851 . " The name " Old Coast Road " was formally adopted on 27 January 1959 , and a sealed road was completed in September 1969 . = = = Perth Bunbury Highway = = = Since the 1980s , the state government has been committed to constructing and upgrading the Perth Bunbury Highway , a route along coastal roads , including Old Coast Road south of Mandurah . The ultimate design is for a freeway or expressway @-@ standard road , but with staged construction initially providing a dual carriageway . = = = = Australind Bypass = = = = The 20 @.@ 5 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 12 @.@ 7 mi ) Australind Bypass was constructed in the 1980s to relieve pressure on Old Coast Road , and improve local amenity . The bypass travelled to the east and south of Australind and Eaton , to connect to Bunbury 's Eelup Roundabout via an alignment previously part of Jubilee Road . There were slight deviations in the route to protect remnant paperbark trees , tuarts , acacia , and aquatic plants , as well as a site of aboriginal importance , identified by botanical and aboriginal heritage surveys . Australind Bypass was built in two stages by the Bunbury Division of Main Roads . The first stage opened on 11 December 1987 , and was a 4 @.@ 7 @-@ kilometre ( 2 @.@ 9 mi ) length from Eelup Roundabout to Eaton Drive , plus a 2 @-@ kilometre ( 1 @.@ 2 mi ) link from the bypass ( north of the rail line ) and the Collie River bridge on Old Coast Road . Stage two , the remaining 15 @.@ 8 kilometres ( 9 @.@ 8 mi ) to reconnect with Old Coast Road , was completed ahead of schedule in December 1998 . Australind Bypass was opened on 16 December 1988 by Federal Transport Minister Bob Brown , who helped complete the final seal , together with the Mayor of Bunbury Ern Manea . State Transport Minister Bob Pearce planted a roadside tree to commemorate the opening of the bypass , which was also attended by the Commissioner of Main Roads Albert Tognolini , and Mitchell MLA David Smith , Minister for Community Service , Justice and the South West . Vintage cars led a procession from the on @-@ site opening ceremony to a reception held in Bunbury . The new road was designed to be easily made into a dual carriageway when required ; this was completed nine years later , with the Australind Bypass duplication project officially opened by Mitchell MLA Dan Sullivan on 18 December 1997 . = = = = Dual carriageway sections = = = = In addition to the Australind Bypass , much of Old Coast Road was upgraded to a dual carriageway . A 7 @.@ 2 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 4 @.@ 5 mi ) second carriageway through Halls Head and Falcon was opened in 1989 . Two further dual carriageway sections , from Harvey to Myalup , and around Glen Iris , opened on 17 June 1996 . The dual carriageway was extended up to Lake Clifton c . December 2000 . Construction of the dual carriageway Dawesville Bypass around eastern Dawesville , south of Mandurah , began in late 2000 , and was opened in July 2001 . = = = New Perth Bunbury Highway = = = While Old Coast Road 's dual carriageway was advancing north from Bunbury , and Kwinana Freeway was progressively being extended south from Perth , the alignment through Mandurah was constrained by existing development . Keeping the existing alignment would result in a traffic bottleneck through Mandurah . To overcome this problem , Main Roads began planning for a new route east of the Peel Inlet in the 1980s . The proposed Perth Bunbury Highway Peel deviation , part of which later became an extension to Kwinana Freeway , underwent a public environmental review in 1997 , and an environmental assessment by the Environmental Protection Authority ( EPA ) in 2000 . The relevant environment factors considered by the EPA were vegetation communities , declared rare and priority flora , wetlands , and traffic noise . Main Roads proposed management plans for each factor . Only clearing of vegetation critical for road construction would be undertaken , and more vegetation would be replaced than the amount impacted , using local native species . A survey for declared rare and priority flora found no rare species , and only one priority species , Lasiopetalum membranaceum , near the southern end of the project . Road construction would impact one conservation class wetland , but no protected wetlands . To minimise impact , road drainage would be designed to contain spills and prevent direct discharges into the surrounding environment . Noise levels would be contained to an acceptable limit in the road design , in accordance with the Main Roads traffic noise policy . The EPA concluded that the road could be designed and managed to an acceptable standard . Main Roads ' 2006 plan for environmental management of the project included numerous aspects , which for the northern segment of the project exceeded the environmental approval requirements . Specific plans were developed regarding fauna , topsoil management , construction , foreshores , and both Aboriginal and European heritage . Construction of the highway and freeway extension began in December 2006 , with the whole project then called the New Perth Bunbury Highway . The work was undertaken by a partnership of Main Roads , Leighton Contractors , WA Limestone and GHD , known as the Southern Gateway Alliance . The project consisted of a 32 @-@ kilometre ( 20 mi ) freeway @-@ standard extension as far as South Yunderup Road in South Yunderup , and a 38 @-@ kilometre ( 24 mi ) highway @-@ standard dual carriageway to Old Coast Road at Lake Clifton . Taking traffic around the eastern side of the Peel @-@ Harvey Estuary prior to joining the existing dual carriageway on Old Coast Road reduced the journey time from Perth to Bunbury . The final road names were not known until early 2009 , when Transport Minister Simon O 'Brien revealed that the section south of Pinjarra Road would be known as Forrest Highway , with the section to the north to become part of Kwinana Freeway . The highway 's name commemorates Sir John Forrest , the state 's first premier . The Kwinana Freeway extension and Forrest Highway were opened on 20 September 2009 , with a ceremony held at the interchange between the freeway , highway , and Pinjarra Road . The roads were officially opened by Premier Colin Barnett , Senator Chris Evans , Transport Minister Simon O 'Brien , Member for Canning Don Randall , and the previous Transport Minister Alannah MacTiernan . The $ 705 million project ( equivalent to $ 808 million in 2013 ) was jointly funded by the state and federal governments , which contributed $ 375 million and $ 330 million respectively ( equivalent to $ 430 million and $ 378 million in 2013 ) . At the time it opened , it was Western Australia 's largest ever road infrastructure project . = = = Forrest Highway after opening = = = One year after Forrest Highway opened , the number of road accidents on the main roads in the area had decreased by 60 % . Traffic on South Western Highway had reduced by 50 % north of Pinjarra , and by 20 % to the south , and there was an 82 % reduction along Old Coast Road within a month of the new highway opening . However , tourism in towns along the former routes was affected by the reduced traffic flow , with businesses losing as much as 60 % of their trade . Forrest Highway has been criticised for the lack of roadside facilities . In January 2014 , it was described as " the busiest , most unserviced , long stretch of highway in the nation " by MP Murray Cowper , Member for Murray @-@ Wellington . With toilets only available at the John Tognela Rest Area near the southern end of the highway , travellers have reportedly stopped alongside the highway or side roads to urinate and change nappies . A farming family with property adjacent to the highway was willing to invest in a roadhouse near Herron Point , but Main Roads required roadhouses to be built on both sides of the highway . According to Cowper , traffic volume would need to increase from 17 @,@ 000 to 30 @,@ 000 vehicles per day to justify such an investment . A few months later , in April 2014 , a Perth developer had begun constructing twin roadhouses five kilometres ( 3 mi ) south of Greenlands Road , approximately halfway between Perth and Bunbury . The property was purchased in 2004 , before construction began on the highway , with the intention of developing the site when there was a viable amount of traffic . The main tenant will be a national fuel retailer , with food and beverage retailers and other amenities to be located on both sides of the highway . The facilities were initially expected to be completed by the end of 2014 , but work was put on hold due to a legal dispute between the developer and landowner . The dispute was resolved and development resumed in June 2015 , with completion expected by Easter 2016 , according to Cowper . On 5 June 2014 , the Geographic Names Committee decide to rename the roads that connect Forrest Highway to Bunbury – part of Old Coast Road as well as Australind Bypass – as part of the highway . The renaming had been proposed in 2013 due to public confusion over the three names used for the route to Bunbury : Forrest Highway to Lake Clifton , Old Coast Road from there to north of Australind , and then Australind Bypass . Emergency services had difficulty locating incidents due to the confusion . The renaming followed similar changes to Main Roads ' internal @-@ use designations in May 2011 , which deprecated Perth Bunbury Highway ( Highway H2 ) in favour of Melville Mandurah Highway ( Highway H2 ) for the portion north of Mandurah , Lakeland Lake Clifton Road ( Main Road M74 ) for the Mandurah to Lake Clifton section together with Mandjoogoordap Drive , and an extension of Forrest Highway ( Highway H57 ) for the Lake Clifton to Bunbury portion . Changes to the road signs were expected to be completed by mid @-@ July . The renaming was considered unusual , as it affected a significant length of a major road , which was the address of eleven residential properties . = = Major intersections = = = = Old Coast Road = = While much of Old Coast Road was renamed Forrest Highway in 2014 , bypassed sections of the former Perth Bunbury Highway near Mandurah and Australind have retained the name Old Coast Road , and have significance as part of numbered road routes . = = = Mandurah – Lake Clifton = = = Old Coast Road starts at the intersection of Mandurah Terrace and Pinjarra Road in Mandurah . It crosses the Mandurah estuary into Halls Head via the 184 @-@ metre @-@ long ( 604 ft ) Mandurah Bridge . The road heads south @-@ west as a two @-@ lane road serving the canal estate in eastern Halls Head . After 1 @.@ 7 kilometres ( 1 @.@ 1 mi ) Old Coast Road intersects Mandurah Road at a T junction . Mandurah Road and Old Coast Road south @-@ westbound form a continuous dual carriageway , and from here Old Coast Road is part of National Route 1 . The road then proceeds through Mandurah 's southern suburbs of Falcon and Wannanup for 8 @.@ 7 kilometres ( 5 @.@ 4 mi ) before bridging the Dawesville Channel . After 1 @.@ 3 kilometres ( 0 @.@ 81 mi ) , Old Coast Road turns south to run through eastern Dawesville as a single carriageway ; about 500 metres ( 0 @.@ 31 mi ) to the west the dual carriageway also travels south as Dawesville Bypass . The two routes meet again after three and a half kilometres ( 2 @.@ 2 mi ) . Old Coast Road is briefly a dual carriageway for 700 metres ( 0 @.@ 43 mi ) before reducing to a 28 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 17 mi ) two @-@ lane road through Bouvard , Herron and Lake Clifton . The road terminates at a T junction with Forrest Highway . = = = Leschenault – Pelican Point = = = While Forrest Highway bypasses Australind , there is a turn off for Old Coast Road and Tourist Drive 260 at Leschenault . The road heads south through the residential suburb for three and a half kilometres ( 2 @.@ 2 mi ) before going through a 1 @.@ 4 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 0 @.@ 87 mi ) reverse curve . Now at the eastern edge of the Leschenault Inlet , Old Coast Road enters Australind and travels along the shoreline for nine and a half kilometres ( 5 @.@ 9 mi ) . The road crosses the Collie River , and 600 metres ( 0 @.@ 37 mi ) later there is a roundabout with Estuary Drive and Hamilton Road . The tourist drive follows Estuary Drive to Bunbury , while Old Coast Road continues south for 1 @.@ 4 kilometres ( 0 @.@ 87 mi ) to rejoin Forrest Highway at the south @-@ eastern edge of Pelican Point .
= Pau Gasol = Pau Gasol Sáez ( Catalan pronunciation : [ ˈpaw ɣəˈzɔɫ ] , Spanish pronunciation : [ ˈpau ɣaˈsol ] ; born July 6 , 1980 ) is a Spanish professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He is a six @-@ time NBA All @-@ Star , and a four @-@ time All @-@ NBA selection , twice on the second team and twice on the third team . He has won two NBA championships , both with the Los Angeles Lakers . He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2002 with the Memphis Grizzlies , one of only two non @-@ American NBA players to win that award . He is the older brother of fellow NBA player Marc Gasol . Gasol was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft , but his rights were traded to Memphis . He currently holds the Grizzlies franchise records for field goals made and attempted , free throws made and attempted , offensive , defensive , and total rebounds , blocked shots , turnovers , and points . After seven seasons with the team , Gasol was traded to the Lakers in 2008 . In 2014 , he signed with the Chicago Bulls . Gasol has won two Olympic silver medals , a FIBA World Cup and three EuroBasket titles with the Spanish national basketball team . = = Early career = = Pau Gasol was born in Barcelona . He began playing basketball as a center with his school team , Alvirne , and he eventually signed with Cornellà . When he was sixteen , he began playing for Barcelona 's junior team . He also won both the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the 1998 FIBA Europe Under @-@ 18 Championship . After moving to the senior team of Barcelona , Gasol played just 25 total minutes in the Spanish ACB League 1998 – 99 season , and averaged 13 @.@ 7 minutes per game in the ACB the next year . However , in his final season in the ACB , Gasol averaged 12 @.@ 4 points and 5 @.@ 8 rebounds in 24 @.@ 7 minutes per game . Barcelona was victorious in the Spanish National Cup championship game in 2001 , and Gasol was named Most Valuable Player . After entering the NBA draft , Gasol was selected third overall in the first round in the 2001 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks , who traded his draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Shareef Abdur @-@ Rahim . = = NBA career = = = = = Memphis Grizzlies ( 2001 – 2008 ) = = = In Gasol 's first season with the Grizzlies , he won the Rookie of the Year Award , and was named to the All @-@ Rookie first team . He averaged 17 @.@ 6 points and 8 @.@ 9 rebounds per game , and was also the only team member to play in all 82 games that season . Gasol led the team in scoring ( 19 @.@ 0 points per game ) in his second year with the Grizzlies , and for the second year in a row , played in all 82 games . Gasol missed the first game of his career , during his third year , with a foot injury on April 5 , 2004 , which snapped his string of 240 consecutive games played . He grabbed the 1,500th rebound of his career on November 12 , 2003 , against the Orlando Magic and scored his 3,000th career point on October 31 , 2003 , against the Boston Celtics . Despite having 22 points in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs , the highest by a Memphis players in the playoffs , his team was eliminated in the first round , not winning a single game against San Antonio . This was both the Grizzlies and Gasol 's first trip to the NBA Playoffs . He scored 31 points and blocked four shots on January 11 , 2005 , against the Indiana Pacers to earn 5 @,@ 000 points and 500 blocks in his career , becoming the 10th fastest player to reach 5 @,@ 000 points / 500 blocks since 1973 – 74 . He also helped his team make it to the playoffs for the second time in his career , but they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Phoenix Suns . In his fifth year with the Grizzlies , he became the franchise ’ s all @-@ time leading rebounder on March 24 against the New York Knicks when he grabbed his 3,072nd rebound in a Grizzlies uniform . He made 29 consecutive free throw attempts from January 24 to 28 , tying the second best mark in Grizzlies history , including two straight games going 12 – 12 from the line , tying the best single @-@ game mark in franchise history . Gasol and the Grizzlies returned to the 2006 NBA Playoffs \| playoffs ] ] for the third time in his and his team 's history . Once again , they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Dallas Mavericks . On February 9 , 2006 , making his first appearance , Gasol was selected to play in the 2006 NBA All @-@ Star Game in Houston , Texas as a reserve center for the Western Conference . At the time , he was one of four players ranked among Western Conference forwards in the top ten in points , rebounds , assists and blocked shots . He was the first Spanish basketball player as well as the first Grizzlies player to ever make it to the All @-@ Star Game . Gasol missed the first 23 games of the 2006 – 07 NBA season due to a broken foot suffered near the end of Spain 's semifinal win over Argentina in the 2006 FIBA World Championship . He would go on to be named Most Valuable Player of the tournament , which Spain won . He had a season @-@ high 34 points ( most by a Grizzly that season ) , and eight rebounds and tied a career @-@ high and franchise record with eight blocks on January 29 against the Sacramento Kings , and surpassed Shareef Abdur @-@ Rahim as the franchise 's all @-@ time leader in free throw attempts on January 31 against the Dallas Mavericks . He became the all @-@ time franchise leader in field goals made on February 6 against the Houston Rockets , and became the all @-@ time franchise leader in minutes played on February 7 at Dallas . He surpassed Shareef Abdur @-@ Rahim ( 7 @,@ 801 points ) as the Grizzlies ' all @-@ time leading scorer on March 7 , 2007 , against the Toronto Raptors ( 7 @,@ 809 points at the time ) . On January 24 , 2007 , Gasol recorded his second career triple @-@ double against the hosting Utah Jazz , garnering 17 points , 13 rebounds , and 12 assists . He also registered 2 blocks and one steal . = = = Los Angeles Lakers ( 2008 – 2014 ) = = = On February 1 , 2008 , Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers along with a 2010 second round draft pick for Kwame Brown , Javaris Crittenton , Aaron McKie , the rights to Marc Gasol ( Pau 's younger brother ) , and 2008 and 2010 first round draft picks . There has been some controversy surrounding the trade . Chris Wallace denied in an ESPN article that he had been ordered by owner Michael Heisley to make the Grizzlies more attractive to a potential buyer . Wallace said , " No one put pressure on me to do this , and Michael Heisley has actually been reluctant to move Pau . " He also said that they had been " trolling " the waters for a while and dealt with a number of teams . He selected the Lakers deal because " it didn 't get any better than this . " When Gasol departed the Grizzlies , he held twelve franchise records , including games played , minutes played , field goals made , free throws made and attempted , offensive , defensive , and total rebounds , blocked shots , turnovers , and points . Per game statistics , he leads Memphis in defensive and total rebounds along with blocked shots . On February 5 , he made his first Lakers appearance in a game against the New Jersey Nets , during which he scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds in a 105 – 90 win over the Nets . On March 14 , Gasol sprained his ankle in a game against the New Orleans Hornets , stepping on the foot of teammate Vladimir Radmanović in the first quarter . Gasol was expected to miss the remaining three games of the Lakers ' road trip after x @-@ rays came up negative . Gasol returned to the starting lineup on April 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers and played nearly thirty @-@ two minutes , registering 10 points , six rebounds and seven assists . He admitted to feeling limited with the swelling in his ankle still present . Gasol helped the Lakers finish the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference ( 57 – 25 ) , with him in the starting lineup the Lakers went 22 – 5 . Kobe Bryant has also stated that playing with Gasol clicked from the start . In the Lakers ' opening game of the playoffs , he contributed 36 points , 16 rebounds , 8 assists and 3 blocked shots . When the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round , it was Gasol 's first trip to the second round in four tries . His previous team , the Grizzlies , failed to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row . He contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz to help the Lakers advance to the conference finals . On May 31 , he recorded a career high 19 rebounds in a series @-@ clinching win against the San Antonio Spurs , and he became the first Spaniard to reach the NBA Finals . Gasol scored 14 @.@ 7 points per game on .532 shooting in the 2008 Finals against the Boston Celtics , which was below his scoring average of 18 @.@ 9 during the regular season , However , he led the Lakers in rebounding with 10 @.@ 2 per game throughout the championship series , up from his regular @-@ season average of 8 @.@ 4 . Los Angeles lost in six games against Boston in the Finals , including a 131 – 92 loss in Game 6 . In the Playoffs , Gasol was the second leading Laker in points ( 16 @.@ 9 ) , rebounds ( 9 @.@ 3 ) and assists per game ( 4 @.@ 0 ) . He was the leader in blocks per game ( 1 @.@ 90 ) and was tied with Lamar Odom with the most postseason double @-@ doubles ( 10 ) . On January 2 , 2009 , in a win against the Utah Jazz , Gasol scored his 10,000th career point . Gasol earned his second All @-@ Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference squad during the 2008 – 09 NBA season , his first as a Laker . He was also named Western Conference Player of the Month after helping the Lakers to an 11 – 2 record for the month of February that included road wins over Boston and Cleveland . He finished the regular season with averages of 18 @.@ 9 points , 9 @.@ 6 rebounds , 3 @.@ 5 assists , and 1 block per game . Gasol then won his first NBA championship ring when the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the 2009 Finals . On December 24 , 2009 , Gasol signed a 3 @-@ year extension with the Lakers worth $ 64 @.@ 7 million . Gasol earned his third All @-@ Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference and finished the regular season with averages of 18 @.@ 3 points , 11 @.@ 3 rebounds , 3 @.@ 4 assists , and 1 @.@ 7 blocks . In Game 6 of the first round , Gasol grabbed 18 rebounds and his last @-@ second putback eliminated the Oklahom City Thunder . In the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz , he averaged 23 @.@ 5 points and 14 @.@ 5 rebounds , and finally in the conference finals against the Phoenix Suns , he averaged 19 @.@ 7 points with 7 @.@ 2 rebounds . In Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics , Gasol scored 19 points , ( 6 – 16 FGM @-@ A , 7 – 13 FTM @-@ A ) grabbed 18 rebounds and recorded two blocks as the Lakers repeated as champions . In 2010 , he was chosen as the 15th @-@ smartest athlete in sports by Sporting News . Challenged by Lakers ' coach Phil Jackson to be more assertive while Bryant recovered from offseason knee surgery , Gasol started the season 's first week averaging 25 @.@ 3 points on 52 @.@ 5 percent shooting , 10 @.@ 3 rebounds , and five assists per game as the Lakers started 3 – 0 . He was named Western Conference Player of the Week . He earned his third straight All @-@ Star selection and his season averages of 19 points and 10 rebounds were nearly identical to what he had put up as a Laker the previous three seasons . Pau 's play also merited him All @-@ NBA second team honors for the first time in his career . In the playoffs , Gasol only averaged 13 points on 42 % shooting over 10 games , and the Lakers were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round . Gasol had the worst post season performance of his career . Lakers Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Magic Johnson cited Gasol as a possible trade option for the Lakers to acquire Magic center Dwight Howard . Gasol ignored the false reports about his relationship status with his girlfriend as the cause of his poor performance and has accepted the criticism of his play as valid . During the 2011 – 12 NBA season , Gasol and teammate Lamar Odom were subjected to trade rumors involving former New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul . After the trade fell through , Gasol vowed that it would not affect the way he played . Odom , on the other hand , was angry at the Laker organization and was traded to the 2010 – 11 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks for a future first round pick . After Lakers co @-@ captain Derek Fisher was traded in March 2012 , Gasol joined Bryant as co @-@ captains of the team . He won the 2011 – 12 seasonlong NBA Community Assist Award . After a 1 – 4 start to the 2012 – 13 season , the Lakers replaced head coach Mike Brown with Mike D 'Antoni . Gasol was struggling after seven games under D 'Antoni , averaging 10 @.@ 1 points and 8 @.@ 0 rebounds while shooting 38 @.@ 8 percent , and he was benched in the fourth quarter in multiple games . The team had difficulties getting Gasol involved in D 'Antoni 's offense , which historically had not had post players playing forward . Gasol ranked only 27th in the league in post @-@ up points with 2 @.@ 7 per game , down from prior seasons when he was fifth in 2010 – 11 and ninth in 2011 – 12 . On November 18 , 2012 , in a win against the Houston Rockets , Gasol scored his 15,000th career point . Bothered by tendinitis in both knees since training camp , Gasol sat out eight games in December before returning to the starting lineup . Later , he was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis , but continued playing . General manager Mitch Kupchak told Lakers season @-@ ticket holders the team needed Gasol to be more involved . On January 7 , 2013 , Gasol received a blow to the face from Denver 's JaVale McGee in the fourth quarter of a 112 – 105 loss . He suffered a concussion , forcing him to miss the next five games . In his first game back , he came off the bench after having started his first 345 games with the Lakers . In the next game , he returned to the starting lineup and scored 25 points against Toronto , only his second 20 @-@ point game of the season . However , in the next game on January 21 , D 'Antoni moved Gasol to a reserve role and started Earl Clark , a change the coach considered permanent . On February 5 against the Brooklyn Nets , Gasol tore the plantar fascia of his right foot . Gasol had tweaked the fascia in the first half , but played through the soreness until he felt it pop when he tried to block a shot by Brook Lopez towards the end of the game . He returned over six weeks later on March 22 after missing 20 games , with D 'Antoni returning him to the starting lineup over Clark . After a two @-@ game adjustment period , Gasol 's play was solid , and Bryant insisted that Gasol receive the ball in the post . D 'Antoni stated that Gasol had played well since January , and attributed the forward 's earlier struggles to injuries and the team 's evolving offensive system . " I have a lot more confidence in him now , and he 's playing great , " D 'Antoni said . He finished the season with career lows in points ( 13 @.@ 7 ) and field @-@ goal percentage ( .466 ) , and his rebounds ( 8 @.@ 6 ) were his lowest since his first season with Los Angeles . He was limited to career @-@ low 49 games . However , he had three triple @-@ doubles in his last seven games including the playoffs . Gasol was owed $ 19 @.@ 3 million in 2013 – 14 in the final year of his contract , which would cost the Lakers around $ 50 million including luxury taxes . He became a free agent after the season . = = = Chicago Bulls ( 2014 – 2016 ) = = = On July 18 , 2014 , Gasol signed with the Chicago Bulls . He said after he was introduced : " It was a gut feeling . I thought Chicago was going to be the best fit for me . It 's a great challenge , but I 'm driven by challenge . I look forward to it . " On January 1 , 2015 , Gasol recorded a career @-@ high 9 blocks , along with 17 points and 9 rebounds , in the 106 @-@ 101 win over the Denver Nuggets . Ten days later , he scored a career @-@ high 46 points on 17 @-@ of @-@ 30 shooting in a 95 @-@ 87 win over the Milwaukee Bucks . On April 9 , 2015 , he recorded a league @-@ best 51st double @-@ double of the season with 16 points and 15 rebounds in an 89 @-@ 78 win over the Miami Heat . He recorded his 54th double @-@ double of the season in the regular season finale on April 15 against the Atlanta Hawks to finish as the league @-@ leader in double @-@ doubles in 2014 – 15 . On December 5 , 2015 , Gasol became the 116th player to reach 1 @,@ 000 regular @-@ season games . He had 13 points and 11 rebounds against the Charlotte Hornets for his ninth double @-@ double of the season . On January 25 , 2016 , he recorded his first career first quarter double @-@ double with 13 points and 10 rebounds . He finished the game with 19 points and 17 rebounds , as the Bulls were defeated by the Miami Heat 89 – 84 . On February 9 , Gasol was named as Jimmy Butler 's replacement on the 2016 Eastern Conference All @-@ Star squad . On February 27 , he recorded his eighth career triple @-@ double and first as a Bull with 22 points , 16 rebounds and a career @-@ high 14 assists in a 103 – 95 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers . At 35 years old , he became the oldest player to record a triple @-@ double since Kobe Bryant did so at 36 years old in 2014 . On March 7 , he recorded his second triple @-@ double of the season with 12 points , 17 rebounds and 13 assists in a 100 – 90 win over the Milwaukee Bucks , becoming just the fourth player 35 years or older with multiple triple @-@ doubles in a season , joining Jason Kidd , Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce . On April 2 , in a loss to the Detroit Pistons , he became the 38th NBA player to reach 10 @,@ 000 career rebounds . He also became the 36th with 10 @,@ 000 points and 10 @,@ 000 rebounds . = = = San Antonio Spurs ( 2016 – present ) = = = On July 14 , 2016 , Gasol signed with the San Antonio Spurs . = = Spanish national team = = Gasol 's first competition with the senior Spain national basketball team was the 2001 EuroBasket tournament , having previously won the 1998 FIBA Europe Under @-@ 18 Championship and 1999 FIBA Under @-@ 19 World Championship with Spanish junior teams . Being considered , against his own will , the leader of the team , Gasol ended up with the bronze medal in the competition . Gasol has since had much success with the Spanish team , winning the 2006 FIBA World Championship and the 2009 and 2011 EuroBasket tournaments , being chosen as the Most Valuable Player in the first two ; he also won silver medals at the 2003 and 2007 EuroBasket , and the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games . Gasol was also the highest @-@ scoring player of the 2004 Summer Olympics , and Spain 's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics , replacing the injured Rafael Nadal . In 2014 , Gasol was named to the All @-@ tournament team of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup . In the 2015 FIBA Eurobasket , Gasol was named the MVP of the competition after some amazing performances , averaging 25 @.@ 6 points and 8 @.@ 8 rebounds per game ( he was the competition leader for points per game , and 4th in rebounds per game ) . During the knockout matches of the competition , Gasol inspired the Spanish side which was missing many of its stars like Ricky Rubio , Juan Carlos Navarro , Alex Abrines and his brother Marc Gasol . Remembered will be his incredible showing at the semi @-@ final against France , where he scored 40 points , half of his team 's total . The 35 @-@ year @-@ old NBAer was also named the competition 's leader for blocked shots per game ( 2 @.@ 3 ) . = = Player profile = = Gasol is very athletic and quick for a 7 @-@ footer ( 213 cm ) , allowing him to play both the power forward and center positions , much like fellow European players Toni Kukoč and Dirk Nowitzki . He is a refined scorer in the post and midrange ; his overall game is near @-@ ambidextrous and makes it difficult for opposing teams to defend . Gasol uses a variety of midrange jumpers , hook shots , up @-@ and @-@ under moves , and shot fakes to score very efficiently . In addition , his foot speed relative to his size allows him to run the fast break and finish effectively . He is also a skilled passer for a big man , earning 3 @.@ 3 assists per game over his career . Defensively , he is an above @-@ average shot blocker with a career average of 1 @.@ 6 blocks per game . Former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant said of Gasol , " You 'd be hard @-@ pressed to find a big [ man ] with his skill set in the history of the game . " Gasol is a double @-@ double machine , having recorded over 550 double @-@ doubles in his NBA career . On April 2 , 2016 , he became the 36th player in NBA history to reach the 10 @,@ 000 @-@ point / 10 @,@ 000 @-@ rebound mark . = = Career statistics = = Note : The Euroleague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season . He also played in domestic competition , and regional competition if applicable . = = = NBA = = = = = = = Regular season = = = = = = = = Playoffs = = = = = = = Euroleague = = = = = Awards & honors = = = = = FC Barcelona = = = Spanish King 's Cup champion ( 2001 ) Most Valuable Player of the Spanish King 's Cup ( 2001 ) Spanish League champion ( 1999 , 2001 ) Spanish League Finals MVP ( 2001 ) All @-@ Euroleague Second Team ( 2001 ) = = = NBA = = = 2 × NBA champion ( 2009 , 2010 ) 2 × All @-@ NBA Second Team selection ( 2011 , 2015 ) 2 × All @-@ NBA Third Team selection ( 2009 , 2010 ) 6 × NBA All @-@ Star ( 2006 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2015 , 2016 ) NBA Rookie of the Year Award ( 2002 ) NBA All @-@ Rookie First Team ( 2002 ) = = = European Player of the Year awards = = = 2x Mr. Europa ( 2004 , 2009 ) 3x Euroscar Award ( 2008 , 2009 , 2010 ) 2x FIBA Europe Player of the Year ( 2008 , 2009 ) 2x All @-@ Europeans Player of the Year ( 2009 , 2010 ) = = = Spanish national team = = = Gold medal at the FIBA Europe Under @-@ 18 Championship ( 1998 ) Gold medal at the FIBA Under @-@ 19 World Championship ( 1999 ) Bronze medal at the FIBA Europe Under @-@ 20 Championship ( 2000 ) Bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2001 Silver medal at the EuroBasket 2003 Gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship Most Valuable player of the 2006 FIBA World Championship Silver medal at the EuroBasket 2007 Silver medal at 2008 Olympic Basketball Tournament Gold medal at the EuroBasket 2009 Gold medal at the EuroBasket 2011 Silver medal at 2012 Olympic Basketball Tournament Gold medal at the EuroBasket 2015 = = Personal life = = Gasol 's mother , Marisa , was a medical doctor , and his father , Agustí , was a nurse administrator . When Pau was born , his family was living in Cornellà , but he was born in Barcelona , at Sant Pau Hospital , where both of his parents worked . When he was six years old , his family moved to another Barcelona suburb , Sant Boi de Llobregat , where he spent the remainder of his childhood . His parents moved to the Memphis suburb of Germantown , Tennessee , after he signed with the Grizzlies , and enrolled his younger brothers Marc and Adrià in Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis . They planned to move to the Los Angeles area when Pau was traded to the Lakers , with Agustí accepting a job with a health @-@ care company in that area ; although the Grizzlies obtained the rights to Marc 's services as part of the trade , he was expected to re @-@ sign with his Spanish team Akasvayu Girona . However , when Marc decided to sign with the Grizzlies , their parents chose to stay in Germantown . Agustí now works from home for the same company , while Marisa now volunteers at St. Jude Children 's Research Hospital . Since being traded to the Lakers , Gasol lives in Redondo Beach , across the street from the shoreline . In 2009 , Gasol , along with several other NBA players , joined the Hoops for St. Jude charity program benefitting the St. Jude Children 's Research Hospital . Gasol was never interested in football , but loved basketball . The first sport he played was actually rugby , before switching to basketball . He is described as " a family boy and the perfect student , a tad shy , and a bit of a joker . " He originally did not want to make sports his career . On the day that Magic Johnson announced his HIV @-@ positive status in 1991 , the 11 @-@ year @-@ old Gasol , who had heard the news in school , decided that he wanted to be a doctor and find a cure for AIDS . He enrolled in medical school at the University of Barcelona , but left as his basketball career at FC Barcelona advanced . He remains strongly interested in medicine . Gasol regularly visits Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles , a standard stop for athletes making charitable visits in the L.A. area , but does not limit his business to visiting young patients . On one visit , he asked a group of doctors well @-@ informed questions about their treatment of children with scoliosis . In April 2010 , Gasol was scheduled to sit in on a spinal surgery , wearing surgical scrubs , with Dr. David Skaggs , the hospital 's chief of orthopedic surgery . Skaggs has said , " We talk to him now almost like he is a surgical colleague . " Gasol canceled his original plans to observe a surgery when he came down with a low @-@ grade fever the day before the operation , not wishing to risk infecting anyone at the hospital . He was able to reschedule his observation for June 2010 , witnessing Skaggs lead a team operating on a 13 @-@ year @-@ old girl from Colorado with scoliosis . Gasol also has a broad range of intellectual and cultural interests . He has taught himself Italian and French to go along with his childhood languages of Catalan and Spanish plus English . While with the Lakers , he and Kobe Bryant spoke to one another during games in Spanish to keep opponents from knowing their plans . Gasol also regularly reads historical novels , plays the works of French classical composers on his keyboard , and attends concerts and operas ; he is a friend of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo , and often visits him backstage after performances . His younger brother Marc , who is 216 centimetres ( 7 ft 1 in ) tall and 127 kilograms ( 280 lb ) , is also a professional basketball player , currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies . Marc was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers , 48th overall , in the 2007 NBA draft and his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies , as part of the deal that sent Gasol to the Lakers . Their youngest brother Adrià played for Lausanne 's basketball team ; his coach at Lausanne said , " He 's built like Pau , with a mean streak like Marc , " although he was not at the time considered a major basketball prospect . After returning to Spain for his final two years of high school basketball , Adrià enrolled at University of California , Los Angeles ( UCLA ) in August 2012 and joined the UCLA basketball team as a walk on . Gasol denied false reports that he had broken up with his girlfriend , Silvia Lopez Castro , in the exit interviews after his poor performance in the 2011 NBA Playoffs .
= Walter Payton = Walter Jerry Payton ( July 25 , 1954 – November 1 , 1999 ) was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League ( NFL ) for thirteen seasons . Payton was known around the NFL as " Sweetness " . He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of the NFL . Payton , a nine @-@ time Pro Bowl selectee , once held the league 's record for most career rushing yards , touchdowns , carries , yards from scrimmage , all @-@ purpose yards , and many other categories . His eight career touchdown passes are just second to Frank Gifford an NFL record for non @-@ quarterbacks . He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 . Hall of Fame NFL player and coach Mike Ditka described Payton as the greatest football player he had ever seen — but even greater as a human being . Payton began his football career in Mississippi , and went on to have an outstanding collegiate football career at Jackson State University where he was an All @-@ American . He started his professional career with the Chicago Bears in 1975 , who selected him as the 1975 Draft 's fourth overall pick . Payton proceeded to win two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards and won Super Bowl XX with the 1985 Chicago Bears . After struggling with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis for several months , Payton died on November 1 , 1999 , aged 46 , from cholangiocarcinoma . His legacy includes the Walter Payton Award , the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award , and a heightened awareness of the need for organ donations . = = Early life = = Payton was one of three children born to Peter and Alyne Payton in West Point , Mississippi . His father was a factory worker who had played semi @-@ professional baseball . Payton was an active member of the Boy Scouts , Little League , and his local church . At John J. Jefferson High School , Payton played drums in the marching band , participated in the track team and sang in the school choir . Outside of school , he played drums in jazz @-@ rock groups . His brother Eddie was on the football team , and Payton did not play partly to avoid competing with him . After Eddie graduated , the football coach asked Payton to try out for the team , and he agreed on condition that he be allowed to continue playing in the band . Once he began to play football , as a junior , he achieved instant success as a running back , running 65 yards for a touchdown on his first high school carry . At 5 ft 10 in ( 1 @.@ 78 m ) , he was not especially large , but his speed and strength made him one of the team 's featured players . Jefferson High School was integrated with neighboring Columbia High School that year ; Payton and his teammates were upset that their head coach , Charles L. Boston , had become an assistant and Payton boycotted some of the spring practices in protest , but returned during the fall season . He then earned statewide honors as a member of Mississippi 's all @-@ state team , leading Columbia to an unexpected 8 @-@ 2 season . His performance helped ease the local tensions surrounding desegregation . Tommy Davis , Columbia ’ s football coach , claimed that he could always count on Payton when the team needed to score . Payton ’ s statistics proved that that was no exaggeration : he scored in every game during his junior and senior years . He was named to the all @-@ conference team three years in a row . Payton also led the Little Dixie Conference in scoring his senior year and made the all @-@ state team . In addition to excelling at football , Payton averaged 18 points a game for Columbia ’ s basketball team , leaped three @-@ quarters of an inch short of 23 feet in the long jump , played some baseball , and continued to drum in the school band . = = College career = = Though Payton had established himself as one of Mississippi 's best running back prospects , he received no invitations from Southeastern Conference colleges or universities , which were accepting only a few black players at the time . After originally committing to Kansas State University , he decided to pursue his collegiate career at the historically black , Jackson State University , Jackson , Mississippi , where his older brother Eddie played football ( contrary to popular belief , he was never recruited by the University of Kansas , according to then coach Don Fambrough as Payton claimed in his autobiography ) . While attending Jackson State , Payton played alongside many future professional football players , including Jerome Barkum , Robert Brazile , and Jackie Slater . As a member of the Jackson State Tigers , Payton rushed for more than 3 @,@ 500 yards , averaging 6 @.@ 1 yards per carry . Also , he broke the scoring record by rushing for 65 touchdowns during his college career , although this is not an official NCAA record , as they do not recognize individual scoring records . In 1973 , Payton was selected for the All @-@ American Team . The following year he was named Black College Player of the Year . Payton graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor 's degree in Communications . He acquired the nickname " Sweetness " in college . The nickname 's origin is ambiguous : it is variously said to have stemmed from his personality , from his athletic grace , or as a sarcastic description of his aggressive playing style . In 1996 , Payton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . On January 18 , 2010 , it was announced that Payton would be one of eleven members of the inaugural class inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame on February 20 , 2010 . = = = Breakout performance = = = On October 1 , 1972 during Walter Payton ’ s sophomore year , he set a then @-@ best SWAC scoring record by scoring 7 touchdowns and running two points after for 46 points as Jackson State crushed Lane College , 72 − 0 . Payton scored on TD runs of 6 , 8 , 2 , 3 , 1 , 2 , and 31 yards in the blowout win . = = = Statistics = = = = = Professional career = = = = = 1975 – 1982 = = = The Chicago Bears drafted Walter Payton in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft , as the fourth overall pick . The Bears had endured several losing seasons after the retirement of the iconic Gale Sayers in 1972 . Payton 's first game was not particularly successful ; he was held to zero net rushing yards on eight attempts . His best performance of the season was the final game against the New Orleans Saints , where he rushed for 134 yards on 20 carries . Payton finished the season with only 679 yards and seven touchdowns . However , Payton led the league in yards per kickoff returns . Payton was eager to improve his performance . During the 1976 NFL season , Payton rushed for 1 @,@ 390 yards and scored 13 touchdowns . After the season , he was selected to play in the 1977 Pro Bowl , where he was declared the Pro Bowl MVP . The next year , he rushed for 1 @,@ 852 yards and scored 16 touchdowns , becoming the league ’ s leading scorer for the season . He earned numerous awards that season , including the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America 's Most Valuable Player awards . A memorable game of the 1977 NFL season was against the Minnesota Vikings on November 20 . He rushed for a then @-@ record 275 yards , breaking the previous record of 273 yards held by O. J. Simpson . In that record @-@ setting game against the Vikings , Payton was suffering with a 101 @-@ degree fever and intense flu . His longest run was for 58 yards , and he caught one pass for 6 yards . His record stood for 23 years until Corey Dillon of the Cincinnati Bengals ran for 278 yards on October 22 , 2000 — a record that has since been broken by Jamal Lewis ( 295 yards ) on September 14 , 2003 , and Adrian Peterson ( 296 yards ) on November 4 , 2007 . By the end of the decade , Payton had received additional accolades for his exploits as a blocker , receiver , emergency punter , and quarterback . = = = 1983 – 1986 = = = The Bears struggled to assemble consecutive winning seasons , landing only two playoff berths since his arrival . The lack of success prompted the Bears ' management to replace Neill Armstrong with Mike Ditka for the season that began in the Fall of 1982 . Ditka , a tight end during the 1960s and 1970s who would also join the Pro Football Hall of Fame , led the Bears to a 3 – 6 ( strike @-@ shortened ) record in 1982 . He led the Bears to an 8 – 8 finish in 1983 and to a 10 – 6 finish in 1984 . Payton continued his success by rushing for more than 1 @,@ 400 yards in both seasons . On October 7 , 1984 against the New Orleans Saints , Payton broke Jim Brown 's career rushing record of 12 @,@ 312 yards . In 1985 , Payton rushed for more than 1 @,@ 500 yards , helping the Bears establish the league 's second @-@ best offense . The Bears ' 46 defense of that season would go on to become one of the best in NFL history , setting a record for fewest points allowed . Payton performed with his teammates in the widely released 1985 music video The Super Bowl Shuffle . The Bears went on to a 15 – 1 record that culminated in a 46 @-@ 10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX . Although Payton 's offensive prowess had assisted the Bears throughout the 1985 season , he did not score any touchdowns in the postseason and the New England Patriots prevented him from reaching the end zone in the Super Bowl . According to quarterback Jim McMahon , he was targeted by two or three defenders on every play , and others stated that Payton 's mere presence allowed others to shine , given that at least 2 people were targeting Payton on every play . In a later interview , Ditka stated that one of his major regrets was Payton 's lack of a touchdown in this game . = = = 1986 − 1987 = = = Payton , who was a 12 @-@ year veteran , amassed 1 @,@ 333 yards in the 1986 NFL season . The Bears won the NFC Central Division , but lost to the Washington Redskins 27 – 13 in the divisional round . At the end of the 1986 season , he announced that he would retire after completing the 1987 NFL season . During his last season with the Bears , Payton split carries with his successor , Neal Anderson , and rushed for only 533 yards . Payton 's career ended with another loss to the Washington Redskins in the divisional round of the playoffs by the score of 21 – 17 on January 10 , 1988 . Over his entire career , Payton rushed for 16 @,@ 726 yards , which broke the record for most rushing yards by any NFL player in history , and scored 110 touchdowns . He caught 492 passes for 4 @,@ 538 yards and 15 touchdowns . Payton set several team records , including most career rushing yards , receptions , touchdowns , and touchdown passes by a running back . His jersey number was retired by the Bears , and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 . The only game he missed in his 13 @-@ year career was in his rookie season of 1975 . = = Playing style = = Payton 's motto was " Never Die Easy " , which is also the title of his posthumously published autobiography . Payton attributed this motto to Bob Hill , his coach at Jackson State . In practice , this meant that Payton refused to deliberately run out @-@ of @-@ bounds and always delivered some punishment to his tacklers before being forced off the field or forced down . One of Payton 's signature maneuvers was the " stutter @-@ step " , a high @-@ stepping , irregularly paced run . He developed this as a way to distract his pursuers during long runs , saying that it startled them into thinking and gave him some advantage over players who were actually faster runners . In his autobiography , he likened the stutter step to a kind of " option play " : when he was stutter @-@ stepping , defenders would have to commit to a pursuit angle based upon whether they thought he would accelerate after the stutter @-@ step , or cut — he would read this angle and do the opposite of what the defender had committed to . He re @-@ invented the practice of stiff @-@ arming his tacklers , which had gone out of favor among running backs in the 1970s . At times , he used his high school experience as a long jumper to leap over his opponents , landing on his head in the end zone to gain a touchdown in a game against the Buffalo Bills . His running gait was somewhat unusual , as his knees were minimally bent , and the motion was largely powered from the hip . This may have given his knees , a football player 's most vulnerable joints , some protection , although he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees in 1983 . He referred to this procedure as an 11 @,@ 000 @-@ yard checkup . After scoring touchdowns , Payton declined to celebrate ; instead , he would often hand the ball to his teammates or the official . He disapproved of the growing practice of touchdown celebrations ; he preferred post @-@ game antics such as rushing into the locker room and locking his teammates out in the cold while taking a long shower . Although Payton would have won the respect of his peers and coaches by his running alone , he made 492 receptions and over 4 @,@ 000 yards over his career and was a consistent threat in the passing game . = = Personal life = = Throughout his life Walter Payton had claimed his date of birth as July 25 , 1954 , a date which is cited in many of his early biographies . However , while researching his biography of Payton , Sports Illustrated 's Jeff Pearlman discovered his actual date of birth to be July 25 , 1953 . Pearlman found Payton 's earliest use of the later date during his pursuit of the Heisman Trophy at Jackson State . Payton married Connie Norwood in 1976 . During his rookie year he resided in a home on the north side of Arlington Heights , Illinois . The couple had two children , Jarrett Payton ( born 1980 ) and Brittney ( born December 26 , 1985 ) and resided in South Barrington , Illinois . A 2011 biography by Jeff Pearlman describes a tumultuous personal life very different from his positive public image . According to Pearlman 's biography , Payton was a consistent adulterer , and a multiple drug user . His drug use began with painkillers provided to him by the Chicago Bears to cope with the punishment he absorbed during games , and continued after his football career ended . Payton did not cope well with life after his career , especially with issues of boredom and loneliness . His wife and family contend that the book is filled with factual misstatements , and paints too bleak a picture of his life . However , many reviewers of Pearlman 's work have found it to have been " exhaustively " researched and documented by hundreds of interviews . The ghostwriter for Payton 's autobiography called the book " an incredible , thoughtful , deep and profound read . It ’ s exceptional work . " = = Civic Awards = = Walter Payton was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln ( the State ’ s highest honor ) by the Governor of Illinois in 1987 in the area of Sports . = = Investments = = In 1995 , Payton , along with many other investors , sought to bring an NFL expansion team to St. Louis , Missouri , and Payton expressed his interest in becoming the first minority owner in NFL history . Although the NFL strongly favored a franchise in St. Louis , their efforts were thwarted because of internal dissension among the investment group members leading the NFL to award franchises to investment groups in Jacksonville , Florida ( Jacksonville Jaguars ) and Charlotte , North Carolina ( Carolina Panthers ) . St. Louis eventually received a team when the Los Angeles Rams moved to the city in 1995 . Payton pursued various business ventures in retirement , including becoming co @-@ owner of Dale Coyne Racing in the CART IndyCar World Series . He also drove in several Trans @-@ Am Series events , including a 1993 race at Road America in which his car overturned and caught fire . He suffered burns but escaped serious injury . In 1995 , he and several partners purchased a Chicago , Burlington and Quincy Railroad roundhouse in Aurora , Illinois . The property became known as " Walter Payton 's Roundhouse " , hosting a restaurant , brewery , banquet and meeting facility , and museum . In 1999 the property received an award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation . The beers brewed at the Roundhouse received awards in the 2000s . Payton appeared on a 1987 episode of Saturday Night Live ( co @-@ hosting with fellow football player Joe Montana ) . In 1994 , he made an appearance at Summerslam in the corner of Razor Ramon . = = Illness and death = = In February 1999 , Payton announced that he had a rare autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis , which may have led to his cholangiocarcinoma ( bile duct cancer ) . He spent his final months as an advocate for organ transplants , appearing in many commercials to encourage others to donate organs , although by the time his first appeal was recorded , his illness was already too far advanced for transplantation to have been a viable option . In April of that year , Payton made a final public appearance at a Chicago Cubs game with Mike Ditka , where he threw the game 's ceremonial first pitch . Author Don Yaeger worked with him during the last weeks of his life to create his autobiography , Never Die Easy . On November 1 , 1999 , Payton died from the complications that arose from his illness . During the same week , the NFL held special ceremonies in each game to commemorate his career and legacy . In addition , the Chicago Bears wore special # 34 patches on their jerseys to honor Payton . His body was cremated after his death . Speakers at Payton 's public funeral service , held in Soldier Field , included Jesse Jackson ; then National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ; former teammate Dan Hampton ; his widow Connie Payton ; and his children , Jarrett and Brittney . Among the 1 @,@ 000 mourners at the private service were John Madden ; Illinois Governor George Ryan ; Chicago 's mayor Richard M. Daley ; former teammates Matt Suhey , Mike Singletary , Roland Harper , and Jim McMahon ; the Bears ' equipment manager and building superintendent ; and many other people representing a wide social , political , and economic spectrum . = = Legacy = = Payton 's legacy continues through the charitable Walter and Connie Payton Foundation . His own appeals — and after his death , his foundation 's — for greater awareness of the need for organ donations are widely credited with bringing national attention to the problem . After his appeals , donations in Illinois skyrocketed , and the regional organ bank of Illinois was overwhelmed with calls . In response , the City of Chicago inserted organ donation requests into city @-@ vehicle @-@ registration mailings in early 2000 , and by August 2000 , 13 @,@ 000 people had signed on to the program . The foundation continues to run a program that Payton organized to donate toys to underprivileged children across the Chicago area each Christmas . The family established the Walter Payton Cancer Fund in 2002 . Many modern NFL running backs have cited Payton as a source of inspiration . Emmitt Smith tearfully paid homage to Payton after breaking Payton ’ s rushing record . LaDainian Tomlinson , who set numerous records during the 2006 NFL season , named Payton as one of his foremost mentors and inspirations . Ahman Green , a former player for the Bears ' rival Green Bay Packers , is said to have idolized Payton , viewing the highlight film " Pure Payton " before each game . Walter 's son , Jarrett Payton , was a running back for the Tennessee Titans , NFL Europe 's Amsterdam Admirals , CFL 's Montreal Alouettes and IFL 's Chicago Slaughter . During his tenure at the University of Miami , Jarrett wore a # 34 jersey to honor his father 's memory . In 2009 , Jarrett married on March 4 , which was intentionally set to coincide with Payton 's jersey number . The city of Chicago has honored Payton ’ s memory in several ways . In 1999 , the city created a special city sticker that featured Payton . The profits from the sales of these stickers along with the special license plate created by the State of Illinois are given to support organ @-@ donor programs across Illinois . Also , the city named a high school , Walter Payton College Prep , in his honor . In September 2007 , the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center opened the Walter Payton Liver Center after a generous donation from Payton 's family , who were pleased with the care he received there . Chicago Metra commuters have long been witness to a simple " # 34 Sweetness " , painted on a bridge piling of the Air Line on the south end of the Chicago Union Station yards . The CBS sitcom Mike and Molly honored Payton in 2011 with " The Walter Payton Elementary School " . Until its sale to Two Brothers Brewing in 2011 , Walter Payton 's Roundhouse continued to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the Aurora , Illinois site . A plaque now hangs on the building commemorating Payton . There are two athletic awards named after Payton . The NCAA gives the " Walter Payton Award " to the best offensive player from a Division I FCS ( still often known by its former designation of Division I @-@ AA ) football team . The NFL hands out the " Walter Payton Man of the Year " award for player achievements in community service during a particular season . The wellness center at Jackson State University is also named in honor of him , known as " The Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center . " The Chicago Bears honored Payton 's career and life on November 1 , 2009 by airing a special tribute video during halftime . The video consisted of highlight clips from Payton 's career and interview segments from Mike Ditka , Virginia McCaskey , Richard Dent , and many other members of the Bears organization . Payton 's wife , daughter , son , and mother were present to watch the video , which aired on Soldier Field 's Jumbotron . After Payton 's death , Nickol Knoll Hill , an old landfill site turned into a golf course in Arlington Heights , Illinois , was renamed " Payton 's Hill " . There are two plaques on the hill to remind visitors of the hill that it was where Payton used to train in the 1970s / 80s . Payton did his morning run at the hill every day . Pictures and memorabilia of Payton cover the walls of the golf course club house . = = Career statistics = = Payton was the NFL 's all @-@ time leader in rushing yards and all @-@ purpose yards prior to the 2002 NFL season , when Emmitt Smith broke his record . He also held the single game rushing record until the 2000 NFL season , when it was broken by Corey Dillon . Payton led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns in the 1977 NFL season . Also , he was among the top @-@ ten players for rushing attempts during his entire career , including 1976 , 1977 , and 1978 , leading the category in 1979 . As of 2013 , he is the NFL 's second all @-@ time leading rusher , and is ranked fourth in rushing touchdowns scored . Along with Frank Gifford , Payton threw six interceptions , more than any other non @-@ quarterback position in NFL history . He also passed for eight touchdowns , which is second to Gifford ( 14 ) for non @-@ quarterbacks . = = = Career totals = = = = = = Statistics by season = = = = = NFL records = = = = = Service = = = Consecutive regular season starts by a running back : 170 , from 000000001975 @-@ 12 @-@ 07 @-@ 0000December 7 , 1975 to 000000001987 @-@ 09 @-@ 20 @-@ 0000September 20 , 1987 Payton missed only one game in his career for a coach 's decision , despite being eligible . = = = Rushing attempts = = = Consecutive seasons leading the league in rushing attempts : 4 ( 1976 – 1979 ) = = = Rushing yards gained = = = Rushing yards gained , career : 16 @,@ 726 Broken by Emmitt Smith Seasons with 1 @,@ 000 or more yards rushing : 10 ( 1976 – 1981 , 1983 – 1986 ) Payton played in only nine games during the 1982 season because of the players ' strike . Broken by Emmitt Smith Rushing yards gained , game : 275 ( on 40 carries ) , Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings , 000000001977 @-@ 11 @-@ 20 @-@ 0000November 20 , 1977 Record first broken by Corey Dillon on 000000002000 @-@ 10 @-@ 22 @-@ 0000October 22 , 2000 Games with 100 or more yards rushing , career : 77 Consecutive games with 100 or more yards rushing : 9 , from 000000001985 @-@ 10 @-@ 13 @-@ 0000October 13 , 1985 to 000000001985 @-@ 12 @-@ 08 @-@ 0000December 8 , 1985 Broken by Barry Sanders = = = Rushing touchdowns = = = Rushing touchdowns , career : 110 First broken by Marcus Allen ; record now held by Emmitt Smith = = = Yards from scrimmage gained = = = Yards from scrimmage gained , career : 21 @,@ 264 Broken by Jerry Rice Games with 100 or more yards from scrimmage gained , career : 108 = = = All @-@ purpose attempts = = = All @-@ purpose attempts , career : 4 @,@ 368 Broken by Emmitt Smith All @-@ purpose attempts , season : 400 ( 1979 ) Broken by Eric Dickerson in 1983 = = = All @-@ purpose yards gained = = = All @-@ purpose yards gained , career : 21 @,@ 803 Games with 150 or more all @-@ purpose yards gained , career : 46 Tied by Barry Sanders = = = Touchdown passes = = = Touchdown passes , non @-@ quarterback , career : 8
= JFK ( film ) = JFK is a 1991 American historical legal @-@ conspiracy thriller film directed by Oliver Stone . It examines the events leading to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and alleged cover @-@ up through the eyes of former New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison ( Kevin Costner ) . Garrison filed charges against New Orleans businessman Clay Shaw ( Tommy Lee Jones ) for his alleged participation in a conspiracy to assassinate the President , for which Lee Harvey Oswald ( Gary Oldman ) was found responsible by a government investigation : the Warren Commission . The film was adapted by Stone and Zachary Sklar from the books On the Trail of the Assassins by Jim Garrison and Crossfire : The Plot That Killed Kennedy by Jim Marrs . Stone described this account as a " counter @-@ myth " to the Warren Commission 's " fictional myth . " The film became embroiled in controversy . Upon JFK 's theatrical release , many major American newspapers ran editorials accusing Stone of taking liberties with historical facts , including the film 's implication that President Lyndon B. Johnson was part of a coup d 'état to kill Kennedy . After a slow start at the box office , the film gradually picked up momentum , earning over $ 205 million in worldwide gross . JFK was nominated for eight Academy Awards ( including Best Picture ) and won two for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing . It was the most successful of three films Stone made about the American Presidency , followed later by Nixon with Anthony Hopkins in the title role and W. with Josh Brolin as George W. Bush . = = Plot = = The film opens with newsreel footage , including the farewell address in 1961 of outgoing President Dwight D. Eisenhower , warning about the build @-@ up of the " military @-@ industrial complex " . This is followed by a summary of John F. Kennedy 's years as president , emphasizing the events that , in Stone 's thesis , would lead to his assassination . This builds to a reconstruction of the assassination on November 22 , 1963 . New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison subsequently learns about potential links to the assassination in New Orleans . Garrison and his team investigate several possible conspirators , including private pilot David Ferrie ( Joe Pesci ) , but are forced to let them go after their investigation is publicly rebuked by the federal government . Kennedy 's suspected assassin Lee Harvey Oswald is killed by Jack Ruby , and Garrison closes the investigation . The investigation is reopened in 1966 after Garrison reads the Warren Report and notices what he believes to be multiple inaccuracies . Garrison and his staff interrogate several witnesses to the Kennedy assassination , and others involved with Oswald , Ruby , and Ferrie . One such witness is Willie O 'Keefe ( Kevin Bacon ) , a male prostitute serving five years in prison for soliciting , who reveals he witnessed Ferrie discussing a coup d 'état . As well as briefly meeting Oswald , O 'Keefe was romantically involved with a man called " Clay Bertrand " . Jean Hill ( Ellen McElduff ) , a teacher who says she witnessed shots fired from the grassy knoll , tells the investigators that Secret Service threatened her into saying three shots came from the book depository , revealing changes that were made to her testimony by the Warren Commission . Garrison 's staff also test the single bullet theory by aiming an empty rifle from the window through which Oswald was alleged to have shot Kennedy . They conclude that Oswald was too poor a marksman to make the shots , indicating someone else , or multiple marksmen , were involved . Garrison meets a high @-@ level figure in Washington D.C. who identifies himself as " X " ( Donald Sutherland ) . He suggests a conspiracy at the highest levels of government , implicating members of the CIA , the Mafia , the military @-@ industrial complex , Secret Service , FBI , and Kennedy 's vice @-@ president & then president Lyndon Baines Johnson as either co @-@ conspirators or as having motives to cover up the truth of the assassination . X explains that the President was killed because he wanted to pull the United States out of the Vietnam War and dismantle the CIA . X encourages Garrison to keep digging and prosecute New Orleans based international businessman Clay Shaw for his alleged involvement . Upon interrogating Shaw , the businessman denies any knowledge of meeting Ferrie , O 'Keefe or Oswald , but he is soon charged with conspiring to murder the President . Some of Garrison 's staff begin to doubt his motives and disagree with his methods , so leave the investigation . Garrison 's marriage is strained when his wife Liz ( Sissy Spacek ) complains that he is spending more time on the case than with his own family . After a sinister phone call is made to their daughter , Liz accuses Garrison of being selfish and attacking Shaw only because of his homosexuality . In addition , the media launches attacks on television and in newspapers attacking Garrison 's character and criticizing the way his office is spending taxpayers ' money . Some key witnesses become scared and refuse to testify while others , such as Ferrie , are killed in suspicious circumstances . Before his death , Ferrie tells Garrison that he believes people are after him , and reveals there was a conspiracy around Kennedy 's death . The trial of Clay Shaw takes place in 1969 . Garrison presents the court with further evidence of multiple killers and dismissing the single bullet theory , and proposes a Dealey Plaza shots scenario involving three assassins who fired six total shots and framing Oswald for the murders of Kennedy and officer J. D. Tippit but the jury acquits Shaw after less than one hour of deliberation . The film reflects that members of that jury stated publicly that they believed there was a conspiracy behind the assassination , but not enough evidence to link Shaw to that conspiracy . Shaw died of lung cancer in 1974 , but in 1979 Richard Helms testified that Clay Shaw had been a part @-@ time contact of the Domestic Contacts Division of the CIA . The end credits claim that records related to the assassination will be released to the public in 2029 . = = Cast = = Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison . For the role , Stone sent copies of the script to Costner , Mel Gibson , and Harrison Ford . Initially , Costner turned Stone down . However , the actor 's agent , Michael Ovitz , was a big fan of the project and helped Stone convince the actor to take the role . Before accepting the role , Costner conducted extensive research on Garrison , including meeting the man and his enemies . Two months after finally signing on to play Garrison in January 1991 , his film Dances with Wolves won seven Academy Awards and so his presence greatly enhanced JFK 's bankability in the studio 's eyes . Kevin Bacon as Willie O 'Keefe , a composite character who testifies that Bertrand and Shaw are the same person and that he knew Ferrie , and had met Oswald . Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw / Clay Bertrand . A flamboyantly gay , chain @-@ smoking , New Orleans businessman whom Garrison investigates to find a link between him and President Kennedy 's assassination . Jones was originally considered for another role that was ultimately cut from the film and it was Stone who decided to cast him as Shaw . In preparation for the film , Jones interviewed Garrison on three different occasions and talked to others who had worked with Shaw and knew him . Joe Pesci as David Ferrie . Stone originally wanted James Woods to play Ferrie , but Woods wanted to play Garrison . Stone also approached Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich , who both turned down the role . Laurie Metcalf as New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Susie Cox Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald , a former U.S. Marine who defected to the Soviet Union and later returned . He was arrested on suspicion of killing Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit . According to Oldman , very little was written about Oswald in the script . Stone gave him several plane tickets , a list of contacts and told him to do his own research . Oldman met with Oswald 's wife , Marina , and her two daughters to prepare for the role . Michael Rooker as New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Bill Broussard Jay O. Sanders as Lou Ivon Sissy Spacek as Liz Garrison , Jim Garrison 's wife . Beata Poźniak as Marina Oswald Porter . Oswald 's wife . Poźniak studied 26 volumes of the Warren Report and spent time living with Marina Oswald . Since the script contained few lines for the Oswalds , Poźniak interviewed acquaintances of the Oswalds in order to improvise her scenes with Gary Oldman . Jack Lemmon as Jack Martin , an American private investigator living in New Orleans . He worked with Guy Banister at Banister 's private investigation office . He was the one who implicated Ferrie to Garrison about Kennedy 's assassination . Walter Matthau as Russell B. Long , an American politician who served in the U.S. Senate as a Democrat from Louisiana from 1948 until 1987 . He inspires Garrison in 1966 to re @-@ open the investigation of President Kennedy 's assassination . Donald Sutherland as X , a shadowy colonel in the U.S. Air Force , author , banker , and critic of U.S. foreign policy , especially the Central Intelligence Agency 's activities . He advises Garrison about the U.S. government 's involvement in President Kennedy 's assassination . The character is loosely based on L. Fletcher Prouty . Edward Asner as Guy Banister , a career member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a private investigator . He was an avid anti @-@ communist , member of the Minutemen , the John Birch Society , Louisiana Committee on Un @-@ American Activities , and publisher of the Louisiana Intelligence Digest . Brian Doyle @-@ Murray as Jack Ruby , an American nightclub operator from Dallas , Texas . He was convicted on March 14 , 1964 for Oswald 's murder on November 24 , 1963 , two days after Oswald was arrested for Kennedy 's assassination . John Candy as Dean Andrews Jr . , an eccentric New Orleans lawyer who was allegedly contacted by Shaw to represent Oswald in the assassination case . Sally Kirkland as Rose Cheramie , a Dallas prostitute who was allegedly beaten up by Jack Ruby 's bodyguards . She 's taken to a clinic where she pleads to the doctors that the Mafia is planning on killing President Kennedy . Wayne Knight as Numa Bertel Vincent D 'Onofrio as Bill Newman , an eyewitness Many actors were willing to waive their normal fees because of the nature of the project and to lend their support . Martin Sheen provided the opening narration . The real Jim Garrison , a severe critic of the Warren Commission , played Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren himself , during the scene in which he questions Jack Ruby in a Dallas jail . Alleged assassination witness Beverly Oliver , who claims to be the " Babushka Lady " seen in the Zapruder film , also appeared in a cameo role inside Ruby 's club . Sean Stone , Oliver Stone 's son , plays a secondary role as Garrison 's oldest son Jasper . Perry R. Russo , one of the sources for the fictional character " Willie O 'Keefe , " appeared in a cameo role as " angry bar patron . " Dutch investigative journalist Willem Oltmans , who worked as a reporter for Dutch TV broadcaster NOS in the 1960s , had established ties to Kennedy 's closest circle of advisers . After Kennedy 's assassination , Oltmans interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald 's mother , Marguerite . Further investigation led him to Oswald 's alleged CIA babysitter George de Mohrenschildt . According to Oltmans , de Mohrenschildt , who had ties to the CIA , was the assassination 's architect . In 1977 , de Mohrenschildt agreed to disclose information to Oltmans , but disappeared from their meeting place and was found dead in Florida a few weeks later . Intent on irony , Oltmans played de Mohrenschildt in the film . = = Production = = Zachary Sklar , a journalist and a professor of journalism at the Columbia School of Journalism , met Garrison in 1987 and helped him rewrite a manuscript that he was working on about Kennedy 's assassination . He changed it from a scholarly book in the third person to " a detective story – a whydunit " in the first person . Sklar edited the book and it was published in 1988 . While attending the Latin American Film Festival in Havana , Cuba , Stone met Sheridan Square Press publisher Ellen Ray on an elevator . She had published Jim Garrison 's book On the Trail of the Assassins . Ray had gone to New Orleans and worked with Garrison in 1967 . She gave Stone a copy of Garrison 's book and told him to read it . He did and quickly bought the film rights with $ 250 @,@ 000 of his own money to prevent talk going around the studios about projects he might be developing . Kennedy 's assassination had always had a profound effect on Stone : " The Kennedy murder was one of the signal events of the postwar generation , my generation . " Stone met Garrison and grilled him with a variety of questions for three hours . Garrison stood up to Stone 's questioning and then got up and left . His pride and dignity impressed the director . Stone 's impressions from their meeting were that Garrison " made many mistakes . He trusted a lot of weirdos and followed a lot of fake leads . But he went out on a limb , way out . And he kept going , even when he knew he was facing long odds . " Stone was not interested in making a film about Garrison 's life , but rather the story behind the conspiracy to kill Kennedy . He also bought the film rights to Jim Marrs ' book Crossfire : The Plot That Killed Kennedy . One of the filmmaker 's primary goals with JFK was to provide a rebuttal to the Warren Commission 's report that he believed was " a great myth . And in order to fight a myth , maybe you have to create another one , a counter @-@ myth . " Even though Marrs ' book collected many theories , Stone was hungry for more and hired Jane Rusconi , a recent Yale University graduate , to lead a team of researchers and assemble as much information about the assassination as possible while the director completed post @-@ production on Born on the Fourth of July . Stone read two dozen books on the assassination while Rusconi read between 100 and 200 books on the subject . By December 1989 , Stone began approaching studios to back his film . While in pre @-@ production on The Doors , he met with three executives at Warner Bros. who wanted him to make a film about Howard Hughes . However , Warren Beatty owned the rights and so Stone pitched JFK . Studio president and Chief Operating Officer Terry Semel liked the idea . He had a reputation for making political and controversial films , including All the President 's Men , The Parallax View and The Killing Fields . Stone made a handshake deal with Warner Bros. whereby the studio would get all the rights to the film and put up $ 20 million for the budget . The director did this so that the screenplay wouldn 't be widely read and bid on , and he also knew that the material was potentially dangerous and wanted only one studio to finance it . Finally , Stone liked Semel 's track record of producing political films . = = = Screenplay = = = When Stone set out to write the screenplay , he asked Sklar ( who also edited Marrs ' book ) to co @-@ write it with him and distill the Garrison and Marrs ' books and Rusconi 's research into a script that would resemble what he called " a great detective movie . " Stone told Sklar his vision of the film : I see the models as Z and Rashomon , I see the event in Dealey Plaza taking place in the first reel , and again in the eighth reel , and again later , and each time we 're going to see it differently and with more illumination . Although he did employ ideas from Rashomon , his principal model for JFK was Z : Somehow I had the impression that in Z you had the showing of the crime and then the re @-@ showing of the crime throughout the picture until it was seen another way . That was the idea of JFK – that was the essence of it : basically , that 's why I called it JFK . Not J dot F dot K dot . JFK . It was a code , like Z was a code , for he lives , American @-@ style . As it was written it became more fascinating : it evolved into four DNA threads . Stone broke the film 's structure down into four stories : Garrison investigating the New Orleans connection to the assassination ; the research that revealed what Stone calls , " Oswald legend : who he was and how to try to inculcate that " ; the recreation of the assassination at Dealey Plaza ; and the information that the character of " X " imparts on Garrison , which Stone saw as the " means by which we were able to move between New Orleans , local , into the wider story of Dealey Plaza . " Sklar worked on the Garrison side of the story while Stone added the Oswald story , the events at Dealey Plaza and the " Mr. X " character . Sklar spent a year researching and writing a 550 triple @-@ spaced page screenplay and then Stone rewrote it and condensed it closer to normal screenplay length . Stone and Sklar used composite characters , most notably the " Mr. X " character played by Donald Sutherland . This was a technique that would be criticized in the press . He was a mix of Richard Case Nagell and retired Air Force colonel Fletcher Prouty , another adviser for the film and who was a military liaison between the CIA and the Pentagon . Meeting Prouty was , for Stone , " one of the most extraordinary afternoons I 've ever spent . Pretty much like in the movie , he just started to talk . " According to Stone , I feel this was in the spirit of the truth because Garrison also met a deep throat type named Richard Case Nagell , who claimed to be a CIA agent and made Jim aware of a much larger scenario than the microcosm of New Orleans . The screenplay 's early drafts suggested a four and a half @-@ hour film with a potential budget of $ 40 million – double what Stone had agreed to with Warner Bros. The director knew film mogul Arnon Milchan and met with him to help finance the film . Milchan was eager to work on the project and launch his new company , Regency Enterprises , with a high profile film like JFK . Milchan made a deal with Warner Bros. to put up the money for the film . Stone managed to pare down his initial revision , a 190 @-@ page draft , to a 156 @-@ page shooting script . There were many advisers for the film , including Gerald Hemming , a former Marine who claimed involvement in various CIA activities , and Robert Groden , a self @-@ proclaimed photographic expert and longtime JFK assassination researcher and author . = = = Principal photography = = = The story revolves around Costner 's Jim Garrison , with a large cast of well @-@ known actors in supporting roles . Stone was inspired by the casting model of the documentary epic The Longest Day , which he had admired as a child : " It was realistic , but it had a lot of stars ... the supporting cast provides a map of the American psyche : familiar , comfortable faces that walk you through a winding path in the dark woods . " Cinematographer Robert Richardson was a week and a half into shooting City of Hope for John Sayles when he got word that Stone was thinking about making JFK . By the time principal photography wrapped on City of Hope , Richardson was ready to make Stone 's film . To prepare , Richardson read up on various JFK assassination books starting with On the Trail of the Assassins and Crossfire : The Plot That Killed Kennedy . The original idea was to film the opening sequence in 1 @.@ 33 : 1 aspect ratio in order to simulate the TV screens that were available at the time of the assassination , then transition to 1 @.@ 85 : 1 when Garrison began his investigation , and finally switch to 2 @.@ 35 : 1 for scenes occurring in 1968 and later . However , because of time constraints and logistics , Richardson was forced to abandon this approach . Stone wanted to recreate the Kennedy assassination in Dealey Plaza . His producers had to pay the Dallas City Council a substantial amount of money to hire police to reroute traffic and close streets for three weeks . He only had ten days to shoot all of the footage he needed and so he used seven cameras ( two 35 mm and five 16 mm ) and 14 film stocks . Getting permission to shoot in the Texas School Book Depository was more difficult . They had to pay $ 50 @,@ 000 to put someone in the window from which Oswald was supposed to have shot Kennedy . They were allowed to film in that location only between certain hours with only five people on the floor at one time : the camera crew , an actor and Stone . Co @-@ producer Clayton Townsend has said that the hardest part was getting the permission to restore the building to the way it looked back in 1963 . It took five months of negotiation . The production spent $ 4 million to restore Dealey Plaza to 1963 conditions . Stone utilized a variety of film stocks . Richardson said , " It depends whether you want to shoot in 35 or 16 or Super 8 . In many cases the lighting has to be different . " For certain shots in the film , Stone employed multiple camera crews shooting at once , using five cameras at the same time in different formats . Richardson said of Stone 's style of direction , " Oliver disdains convention , he tries to force you into things that are not classic . There 's this constant need to stretch . " This forced the cinematographer to use lighting in diverse positions and rely very little on classic lighting modes . The shoot lasted 79 days with filming finished five months before the release date . = = = Editing = = = JFK marked a fundamental change in the way that Stone constructed his films : a subjective lateral presentation of the plot , with the editing 's rhythm carrying the story . Stone brought in Hank Corwin , an editor of commercials , to help edit the film . Stone chose him because his " chaotic mind " was " totally alien to the film form . " Stone remembers that Corwin irritated the more traditional editors working on the film because his " concepts are very commercial sixty @-@ seconds @-@ get @-@ your @-@ attention @-@ fragment @-@ your @-@ mind @-@ make @-@ you @-@ rethink @-@ it . But he had not developed the long form yet . And so a lot of his cuts were very chaotic . " Stone employed extensive use of flashbacks within flashbacks for a specific effect . He said in an interview , I wanted to do the film on two or three levels – sound and picture would take us back , and we 'd go from one flashback to another , and then that flashback would go inside another flashback ... I wanted multiple layers because reading the Warren Commission Report is like drowning . Partially due to a setback that occurred during editing , that saw all the time codes disappear , JFK would be the last film that Stone edited on film stock before he switched to digital editing . Years after its release , Stone said of the film that it " was the beginning of a new era for me in terms of film making because it 's not just about a conspiracy to kill John Kennedy . It 's also about the way we look at our recent history ... It shifts from black and white to color , and then back again , and views people from offbeat angles . " = = = Music = = = Because of his enormous commitment to Steven Spielberg 's Hook , which opened the same month as JFK , composer John Williams did not have time to compose a conventional score for the entire film . Instead he composed and conducted six musical sequences in full for JFK before he saw the film in its entirety . Soon after recording this music , he traveled to New Orleans where Stone was still shooting the film and saw approximately an hour 's worth of edited footage and dailies . Williams remembers , " I thought his handling of Lee Harvey Oswald was particularly strong , and I understood some of the atmosphere of the film – the sordid elements , the underside of New Orleans . " Stone and his team then actually cut the film to fit Williams ' music after the composer had scored and recorded musical cues in addition to the six he had done prior to seeing the film . For the motorcade sequence , Williams described the score he composed as " strongly kinetic music , music of interlocking rhythmic disciplines . " The composer remembered the moment he learned of Kennedy 's assassination and it stuck with him for years . This was a significant factor in his deciding to work on the film . Williams said , " This is a very resonant subject for people of my generation , and that 's why I welcomed the opportunity to participate in this film . " = = Reception = = = = = Critical reaction = = = Based on 55 reviews collected from notable publications by popular review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an 84 % " fresh " approval rating , with the consensus , " As history , Oliver Stone 's JFK is dubious , but as filmmaking it 's electric , cramming a ton of information and excitement into its three @-@ hour runtime and making great use of its outstanding cast . " However , the film 's production and release was subject to intense scrutiny and criticism . A few weeks after shooting had begun , on May 14 , 1991 , Jon Margolis wrote in the Chicago Tribune that JFK was " an insult to the intelligence . " Five days later , the Washington Post ran a scathing article by national security correspondent George Lardner titled , " On the Set : Dallas in Wonderland " that used the first draft of the JFK screenplay to blast it for " the absurdities and palpable untruths in Garrison 's book and Stone 's rendition of it . " The article pointed out that Garrison lost his case against Clay Shaw and that he inflated his case by trying to use Shaw 's homosexual relationships to prove guilt by association . Stone responded to Lardner 's article by hiring a public relations firm that specialized in political issues . Other critical articles soon followed . Anthony Lewis in the New York Times stated that the film " tells us that our government cannot be trusted to give an honest account of a Presidential assassination . " Washington Post columnist George Will called Stone " a man of technical skill , scant education and negligible conscience . " TIME magazine ran its own critique of the film @-@ in @-@ progress on June 10 , 1991 and alleged that Stone was trying to suppress a rival JFK assassination film based on Don DeLillo 's 1988 novel Libra . Stone rebutted these claims in a letter to the magazine . Richard Corliss , TIME 's film critic , wrote later on ( Dec. 23 , 1991 ) : So , you want to know , who killed the President and connived in the cover @-@ up ? Everybody ! High officials in the CIA , the FBI , the Dallas constabulary , all three armed services , Big Business and the White House . Everybody done it — everybody but Lee Harvey Oswald . Yet on the movie itself : Whatever one 's suspicions about its use or abuse of the evidence , JFK is a knockout . Part history book , part comic book , the movie rushes toward judgment for three breathless hours , lassoing facts and factoids by the thousands , then bundling them together into an incendiary device that would frag any viewer 's complacency . Stone 's picture is , in both meanings of the word , sensational : it 's tip @-@ top tabloid journalism . In its bravura and breadth , JFK is seditiously enthralling ; in its craft , wondrously complex . The filmmaker ended up splitting his time between making his film , responding to criticism , and conducting a publicity campaign of his own that saw him " omnipresent , from CBS Evening News , to Oprah . " However , the Lardner Post piece stung the most because Lardner had stolen a copy of the script . Stone recalls , " He had the first draft , and I went through probably six or seven drafts . " Upon theatrical release , it polarized critics . The New York Times ran an article by Bernard Weinraub entitled , " Hollywood Wonders If Warner Brothers let JFK Go Too Far . " The article called for intervention by the studio , asking " At what point does a studio exercise its leverage and blunt the highly charged message of a film maker like Oliver Stone ? " The newspaper also ran a review of the film by Vincent Canby who wrote , " Mr. Stone 's hyperbolic style of film making is familiar : lots of short , often hysterical scenes tumbling one after another , backed by a soundtrack that is layered , strudel @-@ like , with noises , dialogue , music , more noises , more dialogue . " Pat Dowell , veteran film critic for The Washingtonian , had her 34 @-@ word capsule review for the January issue rejected by her editor John Limpert on the grounds that he didn 't want a positive review for a film he felt was " preposterous " associated with the magazine . Dowell resigned in protest . The Miami Herald said about the controversy in its review , " the focus on the trivialities of personality conveniently prevents us from having to confront the tough questions [ Stone 's ] film raises . " However , Roger Ebert praised the film in his review for the Chicago Sun @-@ Times , saying , The achievement of the film is not that it answers the mystery of the Kennedy assassination , because it does not , or even that it vindicates Garrison , who is seen here as a man often whistling in the dark . Its achievement is that it tries to marshal the anger which ever since 1963 has been gnawing away on some dark shelf of the national psyche . Rita Kempley in the Washington Post wrote , Quoting everyone from Shakespeare to Hitler to bolster their arguments , Stone and Sklar present a gripping alternative to the Warren Commission 's conclusion . A marvelously paranoid thriller featuring a closetful of spies , moles , pro @-@ commies and Cuban freedom @-@ fighters , the whole thing might have been thought up by Robert Ludlum . On Christmas Day , the Los Angeles Times ran a critical article entitled " Suppression of the Facts Grants Stone a Broad Brush . " New York Newsday followed suit the next day with two articles – " The Blurred Vision of JFK " and " The Many Theories of a Jolly Green Giant . " A few days later , the Chicago Sun @-@ Times followed suit with " Stone 's Film Trashes Facts , Dishonors J.F.K. " Jack Valenti , then president and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America , denounced Stone 's film in a seven @-@ page statement . He wrote , " In much the same way , young German boys and girls in 1941 were mesmerized by Leni Riefenstahl 's Triumph of the Will , in which Adolf Hitler was depicted as a newborn God . Both JFK and Triumph of the Will are equally a propaganda masterpiece and equally a hoax . Mr. Stone and Leni Riefenstahl have another genetic linkage : neither of them carried a disclaimer on their film that its contents were mostly pure fiction . " Stone recalls in an interview , " I can 't even remember all the threats , there were so many of them . " TIME magazine ranked it the fourth best film of 1991 , while including it in Top 10 Historically Misleading Films . Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun @-@ Times went on to name Stone 's film as the best film of the year and one of the top ten films of the decade , as well as one of The Great Movies . The Sydney Morning Herald named JFK as the best film of 1991 . Entertainment Weekly ranked it the 5th Most Controversial Movie Ever . Ebert 's colleague Richard Roeper was less complimentary : " One can admire Stone 's filmmaking skills and the performances here while denouncing the utter crapola presented as ' evidence ' of a conspiracy to murder . " Roeper applauded the film 's " dazzling array of filmmaking techniques and a stellar roster of actors " but criticized Stone 's narrative : " As a work of fantastical fiction , JFK is an interesting if overblown vision of a parallel universe . As a dramatic interpretation of events , it 's journalistically bankrupt nonsense . " Harry Connick Sr. , the New Orleans district attorney who defeated Garrison in 1973 , criticized Stone 's view of the assassination : " Stone was either unaware of the details and particulars of the Clay Shaw investigation and trial or , if he was aware , that didn 't get in his way of what he perceived to be the way the case should have been . " In his book Reclaiming History : The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy , a history of the assassination published 16 years after the film 's release , Vincent Bugliosi devoted an entire chapter to Garrison 's prosecution of Shaw and Stone 's subsequent film . Bugliosi lists thirty @-@ two separate " lies and fabrications " in Stone 's film and describes the film as " one continuous lie in which Stone couldn 't find any level of deception and invention beyond which he was unwilling to go . " David Wrone stated that " 80 percent of the film is in factual error " and rejected the premise of a conspiracy involving the CIA and the so @-@ called military @-@ industrial complex as " irrational . " Warren Commission investigator David Belin called the film " a big lie that would make Adolf Hitler proud " . = = = Box office = = = JFK was released in theaters on December 20 , 1991 . Box office started slow but picked up momentum and by the first week in January 1992 , it had grossed over $ 50 million worldwide . Stone started to get support for his film . Warner Brothers executives pointed out that because of the film 's long running time , it had fewer screenings . The studio undertook a $ 15 million marketing campaign promoting Stone 's film . On its first week of release , JFK tied with Beauty and the Beast for fifth place in the U.S. box office and its critics began to say it was a flop . However , JFK eventually earned over $ 200 million worldwide , and $ 70 million in the United States during its initial run . Garrison 's estate subsequently sued Warner Bros. for a share of the film 's profits , alleging a book @-@ keeping practice known as " Hollywood accounting . " The lawsuit contends that JFK made in excess of $ 150 million worldwide but the studio claimed that the film did not earn any money under its " net profits " accounting formula . The suit also claims that Garrison 's estate didn 't receive any of the net profits income . He should have been paid more than $ 1 million . = = = Awards and nominations = = = JFK was nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture , Best Actor in a Supporting Role ( Tommy Lee Jones ) , Best Director ( Oliver Stone ) , Best Original Score ( John Williams ) , Best Sound ( Michael Minkler , Gregg Landaker and Tod A. Maitland ) , Best Cinematography ( Robert Richardson ) , Best Film Editing , and Best Adapted Screenplay ( Stone and Zachary Sklar ) . It won two awards , for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing . Stone was nominated for an award for Outstanding Directing by the Directors Guild of America but didn 't win . He also won a Golden Globe for Best Director and in his acceptance speech , he said , " A terrible lie was told to us 28 years ago . I hope that this film can be the first step in righting that wrong . " Entertainment Weekly ranked JFK as one of the 25 " Powerful Political Thrillers " . = = = Cultural impact = = = In 1992 , the television show Seinfeld pastiched the " Magic Bullet Theory " featured in JFK in an episode ( " The Boyfriend " ) wherein Kramer and Newman believe that they had been spat at by New York Met Keith Hernandez , who later reveals that there had been a second spitter , Roger McDowell . Wayne Knight , who plays Newman , is also in JFK as a member of Garrison 's team . He would be one of the two men to model the shooting in court to prove the implausibility of the " magic bullet , " not unlike how Jerry disproves Newman and Kramer 's theory of the " magic loogie . " In each case , Knight played the second victim in the sequence , John Connally and Newman , respectively . = = Legislative impact = = The final report of the Assassination Records Review Board ( ARRB ) partially credited concern over the conclusions in JFK with the passage of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 , also known as the JFK Act . The ARRB stated that the film " popularized a version of President Kennedy 's assassination that featured U.S. government agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) , and the military as conspirators . " While describing the film as " largely fictional " , the ARRB acknowledged Stone 's point that official records were to be sealed from the public until 2029 , and his suggestion that " Americans could not trust official public conclusions when those conclusions had been made in secret . " By ARRB law , all existing assassination @-@ related documents will be made public by 2017 . = = Home video = = JFK has been released on VHS , LaserDisc , and several times on DVD . The film 's only version ever released on DVD and Blu @-@ ray in the United States is the 206 @-@ minute " Director 's Cut " . The theatrical cut has been released on DVD in only a few foreign territories , including the UK . In 2001 , the " Director 's Cut " was released as part of the Oliver Stone Collection box set with the film on one disc and supplemental material on the second . Stone contributed several extras to this edition , including an audio commentary , two multimedia essays , and 54 minutes ' worth of deleted / extended scenes with optional commentary by Stone . In 2003 , a two @-@ DVD " Special Edition " was released with all of the extras on the 2001 edition in addition to a 90 @-@ minute documentary entitled , Beyond JFK : The Question of Conspiracy . The film was released on Blu @-@ ray on November 11 , 2008 . The disc features many of the extras included on the previous DVD releases , including the Beyond JFK : The Question of Conspiracy documentary .
= Station to Station = Station to Station is the tenth studio album by English musician David Bowie , released by RCA Records in 1976 . Commonly regarded as one of his most significant works , Station to Station was the vehicle for his last distinct performance persona , the Thin White Duke . The album was recorded after he completed shooting Nicolas Roeg 's The Man Who Fell to Earth , and the cover artwork featured a still from the movie . During the sessions Bowie was heavily dependent on drugs , especially cocaine , and later claimed that he recalled almost nothing of the production . Musically , Station to Station was a transitional album for Bowie , developing the funk and soul music of his previous release , Young Americans , while presenting a new direction towards synthesisers and motorik rhythms that was influenced by German electronic bands such as Neu ! and Kraftwerk . This trend culminated in some of his most acclaimed work , the so @-@ called " Berlin Trilogy " , recorded with Brian Eno in 1977 – 79 . Bowie himself said that Station to Station was " a plea to come back to Europe for me " . The album 's lyrics reflected his preoccupations with Friedrich Nietzsche , Aleister Crowley , mythology and religion . Blending funk and krautrock , romantic balladry and occultism , Station to Station has been described as " simultaneously one of Bowie 's most accessible albums and his most impenetrable " . Preceded by the single " Golden Years " , it made the top five in both the UK and US charts . In 2003 , the album was ranked No. 323 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time . = = Background = = According to biographer David Buckley , the Los Angeles @-@ based David Bowie , fuelled by an " astronomic " cocaine habit and subsisting on a diet of peppers and milk , spent much of 1975 – 76 " in a state of psychic terror " . Stories — mostly from one interview , pieces of which found their way into Playboy and Rolling Stone — circulated of the singer living in a house full of ancient Egyptian artefacts , burning black candles , seeing bodies fall past his window , having his semen stolen by witches , receiving secret messages from The Rolling Stones , and living in morbid fear of fellow Aleister Crowley aficionado Jimmy Page . Bowie would later say of L.A. , " The fucking place should be wiped off the face of the earth " . It was on the set of his first major film , The Man Who Fell to Earth , that Bowie began writing a pseudo @-@ autobiography called The Return of the Thin White Duke . He was also composing music on the understanding that he was to provide the picture 's soundtrack , though this would not come to fruition . ( At Bowie 's recommendation , John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas would write and produce all the original music for the film instead . ) Director Nicolas Roeg warned the star that the part of Thomas Jerome Newton would likely remain with him for some time after production completed . With Roeg 's agreement , Bowie developed his own look for the film , and this carried through to his public image and onto two album covers over the next twelve months , as did Newton 's air of fragility and aloofness . The Thin White Duke became the mouthpiece for Station to Station and , often during the next six months , for Bowie himself . Impeccably dressed in white shirt , black trousers and waistcoat , the Duke was a hollow man who sang songs of romance with an agonised intensity , yet felt nothing — " ice masquerading as fire " . The persona has been described as " a mad aristocrat " , " an amoral zombie " , and " an emotionless Aryan superman " . For Bowie himself , the Duke was " a nasty character indeed " . = = Production = = Station to Station was recorded in late 1975 at Cherokee Studios , Los Angeles . In 1981 , NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray surmised that it was cut — " in 10 days of feverish activity " — when Bowie decided that there was no hope of his producing a soundtrack for The Man Who Fell to Earth . More recent scholarship contends that the album was recorded over a couple of months — with the sessions beginning in late September or early October 1975 and ending in late November — so that it was in the can before Bowie began his abortive sessions on the soundtrack . At various times to be titled The Return of the Thin White Duke , or Golden Years , Station to Station was co @-@ produced by Harry Maslin , Bowie 's associate for " Fame " and " Across the Universe " on Young Americans . Tony Visconti , who after a three @-@ year absence had recently returned to the Bowie fold mixing Diamond Dogs and co @-@ producing David Live and Young Americans , was not involved due to competing schedules . However , the recording did cement the band line @-@ up that would see Bowie through the rest of the decade , with bassist George Murray joining Young Americans drummer Dennis Davis and rhythm guitarist Carlos Alomar . The recording process developed with this team set the pattern for Bowie 's albums up to and including Scary Monsters ( And Super Creeps ) in 1980 : backing tracks laid down by Murray , Davis and Alomar ; saxophone , keyboard and lead guitar overdubs ( here by Bowie , Roy Bittan and Earl Slick , respectively ) ; lead vocals ; and finally various production tricks to complete the song . According to Bowie , " I got some quite extraordinary things out of Earl Slick . I think it captured his imagination to make noises on guitar , and textures , rather than playing the right notes . " Alomar recalled , " It was one of the most glorious albums that I 've ever done ... We experimented so much on it " . Harry Maslin added , " I loved those sessions because we were totally open and experimental in our approach " . Bowie himself remembered almost nothing of the album 's production , not even the studio , later admitting , " I know it was in LA because I 've read it was " . The singer was not alone in his use of cocaine during the sessions , Carlos Alomar commenting , " if there 's a line of coke which is going to keep you awake till 8 a.m. so that you can do your guitar part , you do the line of coke ... the coke use is driven by the inspiration . " Like Bowie , Earl Slick had somewhat vague memories of the recording : " That album 's a little fuzzy — for the obvious reasons ! We were in the studio and it was nuts — a lot of hours , a lot of late nights . " The sleeve front cover used a black @-@ and @-@ white still from The Man Who Fell to Earth , in which Bowie , as the character Thomas Jerome Newton , steps into the space capsule that will return him to his home planet . Bowie had insisted on the cropped black @-@ and @-@ white image as he felt that in the original coloured full @-@ size image the sky looked artificial ; when Rykodisc reissued Bowie 's catalogue in the early 1990s the colour version was used . The back cover showed Bowie sketching the Kabbalah Sephirot with chalk — something he had been doing on the set of the film . = = Style and themes = = Station to Station is often cited as a transitional album in Bowie 's career . Nicholas Pegg , author of The Complete David Bowie , called it a " precise halfway point on the journey from Young Americans to Low " , while for Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray , it " effectively divides the ' 70s for David Bowie . It ties off the era of Ziggy Stardust and plastic soul , and introduces the first taste of the new music that was to follow with Low . " In terms of Bowie 's own output , Station to Station 's Euro @-@ centric flavour had its musical antecedents in tracks like " Aladdin Sane 1913 @-@ 1938 @-@ 197 ? " and " Time " ( 1973 ) , while its funk / disco elements were a development of the soul / R & B sound of Young Americans ( 1975 ) . More recently Bowie had begun to soak up the influence of krautrock and electronic music by bands like Neu ! , Can , and Kraftwerk . Thematically the album revisited concepts dealt with in songs such as " The Supermen " from The Man Who Sold the World ( 1970 ) and " Quicksand " from Hunky Dory ( 1971 ) : Nietzsche 's ' Overman ' , the occultism of Aleister Crowley , Nazi fascination with Grail mythology , and the Kabbalah . Pegg considered the album 's theme to be a clash of " occultism and Christianity " . AllMusic 's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that , " at its heart , Station to Station is an avant @-@ garde art @-@ rock album , most explicitly on " TVC 15 " and the epic sprawl of the title track . " The musical style of " Golden Years " , the first track recorded for the album , built on the funk and soul of Young Americans but with a harsher , grinding edge . It has been described as carrying with it " an air of regret for missed opportunities and past pleasures " . Bowie said that it was written for — and rejected by — Elvis Presley , while Bowie 's wife at the time Angie claimed it was penned for her . Though a top ten single on both sides of the Atlantic , it was rarely performed live on the subsequent Station to Station tour . " Stay " was another riff @-@ driven funk piece , " recorded very much in our cocaine frenzy " , according to Alomar . Its lyrics have been variously interpreted as reflecting on " the uncertainty of sexual conquest " , and as an example of " the Duke 's spurious romanticism " . The Christian element of the album was most obvious in the hymn @-@ like " Word on a Wing " , though for some commentators religion , like love , was simply another way for the Duke to " test his numbness " . Bowie himself has claimed that in this song , at least , " the passion is genuine " . When performing it live in 1999 , the singer described it as coming from " the darkest days of my life ... I 'm sure that it was a call for help " . The closing ballad , " Wild Is the Wind " , was the album 's sole cover , and has been praised as one of the finest vocal performances of Bowie 's career . Bowie was inspired to record it after he met singer / pianist / songwriter Nina Simone ( whose version is on the eponymous 1966 album ) . The spectre of The Man Who Fell to Earth 's Thomas Jerome Newton sprawled in front of dozens of television monitors is said to have partly inspired the album 's most upbeat track , " TVC15 " . Supposedly also about Iggy Pop 's girlfriend being eaten by a TV set , it has been called " incongruously jolly " and " the most oblique tribute to The Yardbirds imaginable " . The title track has been described as heralding " a new era of experimentalism " for Bowie . " Station to Station " was in two parts : a slow , portentous piano @-@ driven march , introduced by the sound of an approaching train juxtaposed with Earl Slick 's agitated guitar feedback , followed by an up @-@ tempo rock / blues section . In 1999 Bowie told UNCUT magazine , " Since Station To Station the hybridization of R & B and electronics had been a goal of mine " . Despite the noise of a train in the opening moments , Bowie says that the title refers not so much to railway stations as to the Stations of the Cross , while the line " From Kether to Malkuth " relates to mystical places in the Kabbalah , mixing Christian and Jewish allusions . Fixation with the occult was further evident in such phrases as " white stains " , the name of a book of poetry by Aleister Crowley . The lyrics also gave notice of Bowie 's recent drug use ( " It 's not the side effects of the cocaine / I 'm thinking that it must be love " ) . With its krautrock influence , it was the album 's clearest foretaste of Bowie 's subsequent ' Berlin Trilogy ' . Speaking to Creem magazine in 1977 , Bowie proclaimed that Station to Station was " devoid of spirit ... Even the love songs are detached , but I think it 's fascinating . " = = Singles and unreleased tracks = = Every song on Station to Station eventually appeared on a single . " Golden Years " was released in November 1975 , two months before the album . Bowie allegedly got drunk to perform it on TV for the American show Soul Train , resulting in the film clip seen on music video programmes . It reached No. 8 in the UK and No. 10 in the US ( where it charted for sixteen weeks ) but , like " Rebel Rebel " ' s relationship to Diamond Dogs ( 1974 ) , was a somewhat unrepresentative teaser for the album to come . The title track was released as a promo 7 @-@ inch single in January 1976 . The single was exclusively released in France and featured a shortened version of the track , lasting just over three @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half minutes , on the a @-@ side as well as the album version of " TVC 15 " on the b @-@ side . The single did not chart in any countries . " TVC 15 " was released in edited form as the second single in May 1976 , reaching No. 33 in the UK and No. 64 stateside . " Stay " , also shortened and appearing the same month , was issued as a companion 45 to RCA 's Changesonebowie greatest hits collection , though it did not appear on the compilation ( Changesonebowie was itself packaged as a uniform edition to Station to Station , featuring a black @-@ and @-@ white cover and similar lettering ) . In November 1981 , as Bowie 's relationship with RCA was winding down , " Wild Is the Wind " was issued as a single to push the Changestwobowie compilation . Backed with " Word on a Wing " and accompanied by a video shot especially for the release , it made No. 24 in the UK and charted for ten weeks . Another song purportedly recorded during the album sessions at Cherokee Studios , a cover of Bruce Springsteen 's " It 's Hard to Be a Saint in the City " , went unreleased at the time but was issued in 1990 on the Sound + Vision box set . Harry Maslin and Carlos Alomar have claimed that they never recorded the song during the Cherokee sessions , while Tony Visconti believes that the song most likely consisted of overdubs to a track originally cut at Olympic and Island Studios during the Diamond Dogs sessions , with Aynsley Dunbar on drums , Herbie Flowers on bass and Mike Garson on keyboards . The song would later be re @-@ released on The Best of David Bowie 1974 / 1979 . = = Release and reception = = Station to Station was released in January 1976 . Billboard considered that Bowie had " found his musical niche " following songs like " Fame " and " Golden Years " but that " the 10 @-@ minute title cut drags " . NME called it " one of the most significant albums released in the last five years " and named it the second greatest album of the year . Both found the meaning of the lyrics difficult to fathom . In his consumer guide for The Village Voice , critic Robert Christgau gave the album an A rating , indicating " a great record both of whose sides offer enduring pleasure and surprise . You should own it " . Christgau wrote that Bowie " can merge Lou Reed , disco , and Huey Smith " and found the album a progression from his previous albums , stating " Miraculously , Bowie 's attraction to black music has matured ; even more miraculously , the new relationship seems to have left his hard @-@ and @-@ heavy side untouched " . Rolling Stone writer Teri Moris applauded the album 's ' rockier ' moments but discerned a move away from the genre , finding it " the thoughtfully professional effort of a style @-@ conscious artist whose ability to write and perform demanding rock & roll exists comfortably alongside his fascination for diverse forms ... while there 's little doubt about his skill , one wonders how long he 'll continue wrestling with rock at all " . Circus , noting that Bowie was " never one to maintain continuity in his work or in his life " , declared that Station to Station " offers cryptic , expressionistic glimpses that let us feel the contours and palpitations of the masquer 's soul but never fully reveal his face . " The review also found various allusions to earlier Bowie efforts , such as the " density " of The Man Who Sold the World , the " pop feel " of Hunky Dory , the " dissonance and angst " of Aladdin Sane , the " compelling percussion " of Young Americans , and the " youthful mysticism " of " Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud " , concluding that " it shows Bowie pulling out on the most challenging leg of his winding journey " . Station to Station was Bowie 's highest @-@ charting album in the US until 2013 's The Next Day , reaching No. 3 and remaining for 32 weeks . It was certified gold by the RIAA on 26 February 1976 . In the UK , it charted for seventeen weeks , peaking at No. 5 , the last time one of his studio albums placed lower in his home country than in America . = = Aftermath = = With the Station to Station sessions completed in December 1975 , Bowie started work on a soundtrack for The Man Who Fell to Earth with Paul Buckmaster as his collaborator . Bowie expected to be wholly responsible for the film 's music but found that " when I 'd finished five or six pieces , I was then told that if I would care to submit my music along with some other people 's ... and I just said " Shit , you 're not getting any of it " . I was so furious , I 'd put so much work into it . " Notwithstanding , Harry Maslin argued that Bowie was " burned out " and couldn 't complete the work in any case . The singer eventually collapsed , admitting later , " There were pieces of me laying all over the floor " . In the event , only one instrumental composed for the soundtrack saw the light of day , evolving into " Subterraneans " on his next studio album , Low . After abandoning the soundtrack album , Bowie went on tour in support of Station to Station , commencing 2 February 1976 and completing on 18 May 1976 . Kraftwerk 's " Radioactivity " was employed as an overture to the shows , accompanying footage from Luis Buñuel 's and Salvador Dalí 's surrealist film Un Chien Andalou . The staging featured Bowie , dressed in the Duke 's habitual black waistcoat and trousers , a pack of Gitanes placed ostentatiously in his pocket , moving stiffly among " curtains of white light " , an effect that spawned the nickname ' the White Light Tour ' . In 1989 Bowie reflected , " I wanted to go back to a kind of Expressionist German @-@ film look ... and the lighting of , say , Fritz Lang or Pabst . A black @-@ and @-@ white movies look , but with an intensity that was sort of aggressive . I think for me , personally , theatrically , that was the most successful tour I ’ ve ever done . " The Station to Station tour was the source of one of the artist 's best @-@ known bootlegs , culled from an FM radio broadcast of his 23 March 1976 concert at Nassau Coliseum . Bowie drew criticism during the tour for his alleged pro @-@ fascist views . In a 1974 interview he had declared , " Adolf Hitler was one of the first rock stars ... quite as good as Jagger ... He staged a country " , but managed to avoid condemnation . On the Station to Station tour , however , a series of incidents attracted publicity , starting in April 1976 with his detention by customs in Eastern Europe for possession of Nazi memorabilia . The same month he was quoted in Stockholm as saying that " Britain could benefit from a Fascist leader " . Bowie would blame his addictions and the persona of the Thin White Duke for his lapses in judgment . The controversy culminated on 2 May 1976 , shortly before the tour completed , in the so @-@ called ' Victoria Station incident ' in London , when Bowie arrived in an open @-@ top Mercedes convertible and apparently gave a Nazi salute to the crowd that was captured on film and published in NME . Bowie claimed that the photographer simply caught him in mid @-@ wave , a contention backed by a young Gary Numan who was among the throng that day : " Think about it . If a photographer takes a whole motor @-@ driven film of someone doing a wave , you will get a Nazi salute at the end of each arm @-@ sweep . All you need is some dickhead at a music paper or whatever to make an issue out it ... " The stigma remained , however , to the extent that the lines " To be insulted by these fascists / It 's so degrading " from Scary Monsters ' opening track " It 's No Game " , four years later , were interpreted as an attempt to bury the incident once and for all . = = Legacy = = Station to Station was a milestone in Bowie 's transition to his late 1970s ' Berlin Trilogy ' . Bowie himself has said of the album , " As far as the music goes , Low and its siblings were a direct follow @-@ on from the title track " , while Brian Eno opined that Low was " very much a continuation from Station to Station " . It has also been described as " enormously influential on post @-@ punk " . Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray wrote in 1981 , " If Low was Gary Numan 's Bowie album , then Station to Station was Magazine 's . " However , Stylus declared in 2004 that " just as few had anticipated Bowie ’ s approach , few copied it ... for the most part this is an orphaned , abandoned style " . More than twenty years after its release , Bowie considered both Station to Station and Low " great , damn good " albums , but due to his disconnected state during its recording , listened to Station to Station " as a piece of work by an entirely different person " . He elaborated : In 1999 , music biographer David Buckley described Station to Station as a " masterpiece of invention " that " some critics would argue , perhaps unfashionably , is his finest record " . The same year , Eno called it " one of the great records of all time " . In 2003 , the album was ranked No. 323 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time . A year later , The Observer ranked the album No. 80 on its list of the 100 greatest British albums . = = Track listing = = All songs written by David Bowie , except where noted . = = = CD releases = = = The album has been released several times on CD , the first being in 1985 by RCA , with the original black @-@ and @-@ white cover art . The album was released again in 1991 by Rykodisc , with two , live bonus tracks . A 1999 rerelease by EMI featured 24 @-@ bit digitally remastered sound and no bonus tracks . The 1991 and 1999 rereleases used colour cover art . EMI Japan replicated the original , black @-@ and @-@ white artwork on a 2007 release . The album was released by EMI in Special and Deluxe Editions in 2010 , both of which presented the album in a mini @-@ LP @-@ replica sleeve , within a larger box . = = = 2010 reissues = = = A deluxe edition was released in 2010 , including a Dolby 5 @.@ 1 mix of the album and the entire 1976 Nassau Coliseum show on two CDs . On 1 July 2010 , Bowie 's official website announced the contents of the reissues , which was then released on 20 September . = = = = Special edition and digital download = = = = The special edition features three CDs in a special CD sized packaging , including a 16 @-@ page booklet and three photocards . The digital download edition includes the same audio content and a bonus track . 2010 transfer of Station to Station from the original stereo analogue master ; CD in mini @-@ LP @-@ replica sleeve . Recorded live at the Nassau Coliseum , Uniondale , New York , U.S. on 23 March 1976 ; CDs in gatefold wallet . Recorded live at the Nassau Coliseum , Uniondale , New York , U.S. on 23 March 1976 . = = = = Deluxe edition = = = = The deluxe edition features five CDs , one DVD and three 12 " LPs in a sturdy box lined with studio @-@ style acoustic foam reminiscent of the sleeve photo background . It also includes a 24 @-@ page booklet , a poster and two folders of replica collectible material . CD 1 : Station to Station 2010 transfer CD 2 : Station to Station 1985 CD master CD 3 : Station to Station single edits five track EP " Golden Years " " TVC 15 " " Stay " " Word on a Wing " ( First time on CD ) " Station to Station " ( Previously unreleased version ) CD 4 & 5 : Live Nassau Coliseum ' 76 DVD Station to Station ( Original analogue master , 96 kHz / 24 bit LPCM stereo ) Station to Station ( New Harry Maslin mix , 96 kHz / 24 bit DTS 5 @.@ 1 surround sound mix ) Station to Station ( New Harry Maslin mix , 48 kHz / 24 bit Dolby Digital 5 @.@ 1 AC3 surround sound mix ) Station to Station ( New Harry Maslin mix , 48 kHz / 24 bit LPCM stereo ) LP 1 : Heavyweight 12 " of Station to Station from the original stereo analogue master in replica sleeve LP 2 & 3 : Heavyweight 12 " s of Live Nassau Coliseum ' 76 in gatefold sleeve 24 @-@ page booklet including text and rare photographs David Bowie on Stage 1976 replica collectibles folder ( for example , a backstage pass ) 1976 Fan Club Folder replica collectibles folder ( for example , two badges / pins ) Fold @-@ out Poster = = Personnel = = = = = Musicians = = = David Bowie – vocals , guitar , tenor and alto saxophone , Moog synthesiser , Mellotron Carlos Alomar – guitar Roy Bittan – piano Dennis Davis – drums George Murray – bass guitar Warren Peace – backing vocals Earl Slick – guitar On Live Nassau Coliseum ' 76 : David Bowie - vocals Stacey Heydon - lead guitar , backing vocals Carlos Alomar - rhythm guitar , backing vocals George Murray - bass , backing vocals Tony Kaye - keyboards Dennis Davis - drums , percussion = = = Production = = = David Bowie – producer Harry Maslin – producer Steve Shapiro – photography = = Charts = = = = = Certifications = = =
= Uttar Pradesh = Uttar Pradesh ( / ˈʊtər prəˈdɛʃ / , Hindi : उत ् तर प ् रदेश literally " Northern Province " ) , abbreviated as UP , is the most populous state in the Republic of India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world . It was created on 1 April 1937 as the United Provinces , and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950 . Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh . Ghaziabad , Kanpur , Gorakhpur , Allahabad , Raebareli , Moradabad , Bareilly , Aligarh , Sonbhadra , and Varanasi are known for their industrial importance in the state . On 9 November 2000 , a new state , Uttarakhand , was carved out from the Himalayan hill region of Uttar Pradesh . The state in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent has over 200 million inhabitants . The state is bordered by Rajasthan to the west , Haryana and Delhi to the northwest , Uttarakhand and Nepal to the north , Bihar to the east , Madhya Pradesh to the south and touches the states of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to the south east . It covers 243 @,@ 290 square kilometres ( 93 @,@ 933 sq mi ) , equal to 6 @.@ 88 % of the total area of India , and is the fourth largest Indian state by area . Hindi is the official and most widely spoken language in its 75 districts . Uttar Pradesh is the third largest Indian state by economy , with a GDP of ₹ 9 @,@ 763 billion ( US $ 150 billion ) . Agriculture and service industries are the largest parts of the state 's economy . The service sector comprises travel and tourism , hotel industry , real estate , insurance and financial consultancies . Uttar Pradesh was home to powerful empires of ancient and medieval India . The two major rivers of the state , the Ganges and Yamuna , join at Allahabad and then flow as the Ganges further east . The state has several historical , natural , and religious tourist destinations , such as , Agra , Varanasi , Piprahwa , Raebareli , Kaushambi , Kanpur , Ballia , Shravasti , Gorakhpur , Unnao , Chauri Chaura situated in Gorakhpur , Kushinagar , Lucknow , Jhansi , Allahabad , Budaun , Meerut , Mathura , Jaunpur and Muzaffarnagar . = = History = = = = = Prehistory = = = Modern human hunter @-@ gatherers have been in Uttar Pradesh since between around 85 and 73 thousand years ago . There have also been pre @-@ historical finds in Uttar Pradesh from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic dated to 21 – 31 thousand years old and Mesolithic / Microlithic hunter @-@ gatherer 's settlement , near Pratapgarh , from around 10550 – 9550 BC . Villages with domesticated cattle , sheep , and goats and evidence of agriculture began as early as 6000 BC , and gradually developed between c . 4000 and 1500 BC beginning with the Indus Valley Civilization and Harappa Culture to the Vedic period ; extending into the Iron Age . = = = Ancient and Classical period = = = The kingdom of Kosala , in the Mahajanapada era , was located within the regional boundaries of modern @-@ day Uttar Pradesh . According to Hindu legend , the divine king Rama of the Ramayana epic reigned in Ayodhya , the capital of Kosala . Krishna , another divine king of Hindu legend , who plays a key role in the Mahabharata epic and is revered as the eighth reincarnation ( Avatar ) of the Hindu god Vishnu , is said to have been born in the city of Mathura , in Uttar Pradesh . The aftermath of the Mahabharata yuddh is believed to have taken place in the area between the Upper Doab and Delhi , ( in what was Kuru Mahajanapada ) , during the reign of the Pandava king Yudhishthira . The kingdom of the Kurus corresponds to the Black and Red Ware and Painted Gray Ware culture and the beginning of the Iron Age in North @-@ west India , around 1000 BC . Most of the invaders of south India passed through the Gangetic plains of what is today Uttar Pradesh . Control over this region was of vital importance to the power and stability of all of India 's major empires , including the Maurya ( 320 – 200 BC ) , Kushan ( AD 100 – 250 ) , Gupta ( 350 – 600 ) , and Gurjara @-@ Pratihara ( 650 – 1036 ) empires . Following the Huns invasions that broke the Gupta empire , the Ganges @-@ Yamuna Doab saw the rise of Kannauj . During the reign of Harshavardhana ( 590 – 647 ) , the Kannauj empire reached its zenith . It spanned from Punjab in the north and Gujarat in the west to Bengal in the east and Odisha in the south . It included parts of central India , north of the Narmada River and it encompassed the entire Indo @-@ Gangetic plain . Many communities in various parts of India claim descent from the migrants of Kannauj . Soon after Harshavardhana 's death , his empire disintegrated into many kingdoms , which were invaded and ruled by the Gurjara @-@ Pratihara empire , which challenged Bengal 's Pala Empire for control of the region . Kannauj was several times invaded by the south Indian Rashtrakuta Dynasty from the 8th century to the 10th century . = = = Medieval and Early Modern period = = = In the 16th century , Babur , a Timurid descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan from Fergana Valley ( modern @-@ day Uzbekistan ) , swept across the Khyber Pass and founded the Mughal Empire , covering India , along with modern @-@ day Afghanistan , Pakistan and Bangladesh The Mughals were descended from Persianised Central Asian Turks ( with significant Mongol admixture ) . In the Mughal era , Uttar Pradesh became the heartland of the empire . Mughal emperors Babur and Humayun ruled from Delhi . In 1540 an Afghan , Sher Shah Suri , took over the reins of Uttar Pradesh after defeating the Mughal king Humanyun . Sher Shah and his son Islam Shah ruled Uttar Pradesh from their capital at Gwalior . After the death of Islam Shah Suri , his prime minister Hemu became the de facto ruler of Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , Madhya Pradesh , and the western parts of Bengal . He was bestowed the title of Hemchandra Vikramaditya ( title of Vikramāditya adopted from vedic times ) at his formal coronation took place at Purana Quila in Delhi on 7 October 1556 . Hemu died in the Second Battle of Panipat , and Uttar Pradesh came under Emperor Akbar 's rule . Akbar ruled from Agra and Fatehpur Sikri . In the 18th century , after the fall of Mughal authority , the power vacuum was filled by the Maratha Empire , in the mid 18th century , the Maratha army invaded the Uttar Pradesh region , which resulted in Rohillas losing control of Rohillkhand to the Maratha rulers Raghunath Rao and Malharao Holkar . The conflict between Rohillas and Marathas came to an end on 18 December 1788 with the arrest of Ghulam Qadir , the grandson of Najeeb @-@ ud @-@ Daula , who was defeated by the Maratha general Mahadaji Scindia . In 1803 , following the Second Anglo @-@ Maratha War , when the British East India Company defeated the Maratha Empire , much of the region came under British suzerainty . = = = Modern period = = = = = = = British India @-@ era = = = = Starting from Bengal in the second half of the 18th century , a series of battles for north Indian lands finally gave the British East India Company accession over the state 's territories . Ajmer and Jaipur kingdoms were also included in this northern territory , which was named the " North @-@ Western Provinces " ( of Agra ) . Although UP later became the fifth largest state of India , NWPA was one of the smallest states of the British Indian empire . Its capital shifted twice between Agra and Allahabad . Due to dissatisfaction with British rule , a serious rebellion erupted in various parts of North India ; Bengal regiment 's sepoy stationed at Meerut cantonment , Mangal Pandey , is widely credited as its starting point . It came to be known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . After the revolt failed , the British attempted to divide the most rebellious regions by reorganising the administrative boundaries of the region , splitting the Delhi region from ' NWFP of Agra ' and merging it with Punjab , while the Ajmer- Marwar region was merged with Rajputana and Oudh was incorporated into the state . The new state was called the ' North Western Provinces of Agra and Oudh ' , which in 1902 was renamed as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh . It was commonly referred to as the United Provinces or its acronym UP . In 1920 , the capital of the province was shifted from Allahabad to Lucknow . The high court continued to be at Allahabad , but a bench was established at Lucknow . Allahabad continues to be an important administrative base of today 's Uttar Pradesh and has several administrative headquarters . Uttar Pradesh continued to be central to Indian politics and was especially important in modern Indian history as a hotbed of the Indian independence movement . Uttar Pradesh hosted modern educational institutions such as the Benaras Hindu University , Aligarh Muslim University and the Darul Uloom Deoband . Nationally known figures such as Chandra Shekhar Azad were among the leaders of the movement in Uttar Pradesh , and Motilal Nehru , Jawaharlal Nehru , Madan Mohan Malaviya and Gobind Ballabh Pant were important national leaders of the Indian National Congress . The All India Kisan Sabha ( AIKS ) was formed at the Lucknow session of the Congress on 11 April 1936 , with the famous nationalist Swami Sahajanand Saraswati elected as its first President , in order to address the longstanding grievances of the peasantry and mobilise them against the zamindari landlords attacks on their occupancy rights , thus sparking the Farmers movements in India . During the Quit India Movement of 1942 , Ballia district overthrew the colonial authority and installed an independent administration under Chittu Pandey . Ballia became known as " Baghi Ballia " ( Rebel Ballia ) for this significant role in India 's independence movement . = = = = Post @-@ independence = = = = After India 's independence , the United Provinces were renamed " Uttar Pradesh " in 1950 . The state has provided seven of India 's prime ministers and is the source of the largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha . Despite its political influence , its poor record in economic development and administration , organised crime and corruption have kept it amongst India 's backward states . The state has been affected by repeated episodes of caste and communal violence . In December , 1992 the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya was demolished by radical activists , leading to widespread violence across India . In 1999 , northern districts of the state were separated to form the state of Uttarakhand . = = Geography = = Uttar Pradesh , with a total area of 243 @,@ 290 square kilometres ( 93 @,@ 935 sq mi ) , is India ’ s fourth largest state in terms of land area . It is situated on the northern spout of India and shares an international boundary with Nepal . The Himalayas border the state on the north , but the plains that cover most of the state are distinctly different from those high mountains . The larger Gangetic Plain region is in the north ; it includes the Ganges @-@ Yamuna Doab , the Ghaghra plains , the Ganges plains and the Terai . The smaller Vindhya Range and plateau region is in the south . It is characterised by hard rock strata and a varied topography of hills , plains , valleys and plateaus . The Bhabhar tract gives place to the terai area which is covered with tall elephant grass and thick forests interspersed with marshes and swamps . The sluggish rivers of the bhabhar deepen in this area , their course running through a tangled mass of thick undergrowth . The terai runs parallel to the bhabhar in a thin strip . The entire alluvial plain is divided into three sub @-@ regions . The first in the eastern tract consisting of 14 districts which are subject to periodical floods and droughts and have been classified as scarcity areas . These districts have the highest density of population which gives the lowest per capita land . The other two regions , the central and the western are comparatively better with a well @-@ developed irrigation system . They suffer from waterlogging and large @-@ scale user tracts . In addition , the area is fairly arid . The state has more than 32 large and small rivers ; of them , the Ganges , Yamuna , Saraswati , Sarayu , Betwa , and Ghaghara are larger and of religious importance in Hinduism . Cultivation is intensive . The valley areas have fertile and rich soil . There is intensive cultivation on terraced hill slopes , but irrigation facilities are deficient . The Siwalik Range which forms the southern foothills of the Himalayas , slopes down into a boulder bed called ' bhadhar ' . The transitional belt running along the entire length of the state is called the terai and bhabhar area . It has rich forests , cutting across it are innumerable streams which swell into raging torrents during the monsoon . = = = Climate = = = Uttar Pradesh has a humid subtropical climate and experiences four seasons . The winter in January and February is followed by summer between March and May and the monsoon season between June and September . Summers are extreme with temperatures fluctuating anywhere between 0 ° C and 50 ° C in parts of the state . The Gangetic plain varies from semiarid to sub @-@ humid . The mean annual rainfall ranges from 650 mm in the southwest corner of the state to 1000 mm in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state . Primarily a summer phenomenon , the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian monsoon is the major bearer of rain in most parts of state . It is the south @-@ west monsoon which brings most of the rain here , although rain due to the western disturbances and north @-@ east monsoon also contribute small quantities towards the overall precipitation of the state . The rain in U.P. can vary from an annual average of 170 cm in hilly areas to 84 cm in Western U.P. Given the concentration of most of this rainfall in the four months of the monsoon , excess rain can lead to floods and shortage to droughts . As such , these two phenomena , floods and droughts , commonly recur in the state . The climate of the Vindhya Range and plateau is subtropical with a mean annual rainfall between 1000 and 1200 mm , most of which comes during the monsoon . Typical summer months are from March to June , with maximum temperatures ranging from 30 to 38 ° C ( 86 to 100 ° F ) . There is low relative humidity of around 20 % and dust @-@ laden winds blow throughout the season . In summers , hot winds called loo blow all across Uttar Pradesh . = = Flora and fauna = = The state has an abundance of natural resources . In 2011 the recorded forest area in the state was 16 @,@ 583 km2 ( 6 @,@ 403 sq mi ) which is about 6 @.@ 88 % of the state 's geographical area . In spite of rapid deforestation and poaching of wildlife , a diverse flora and fauna continue to exist in the state . Several species of trees , large and small mammals , reptiles , and insects are found in the belt of temperate upper mountainous forests . Medicinal plants are found in the wild and are also grown in plantations . The Terai @-@ Duar savanna and grasslands support cattle . Moist deciduous trees grow in the upper Gangetic plain , especially along its riverbanks . This plain supports a wide variety of plants and animals . The Ganges and its tributaries are the habitat of large and small reptiles , amphibians , fresh @-@ water fish , and crabs . Scrubland trees such as the babool and animals such as the chinkara are found in the arid Vindhyas . Tropical dry deciduous forests are found in all parts of the plains . Since much sunlight reaches the ground , shrubs and grasses are also abundant . Large tracts of these forests have been cleared for cultivation . Tropical thorny forests , consisting of widely scattered thorny trees , mainly babool are mostly found in the southwestern parts of the state . These forests are confined to areas which have low annual rainfall ( 50 – 70 cm ) , a mean annual temperature of 25 @-@ 27 ° C and low humidity . Uttar Pradesh is known for its extensive avifauna . The most common birds which are found in the state are doves , peafowl , junglefowl , black partridges , house sparrows , songbirds , blue jays , parakeets , quails , bulbuls , comb ducks , kingfishers , woodpeckers , snipes , and parrots . Bird sanctuaries in the state include Bakhira Sanctuary , National Chambal Sanctuary , Chandra Prabha Sanctuary , Hastinapur Sanctuary , Kaimoor Sanctuary , and Okhla Sanctuary . Other animals in the state include reptiles such as lizards , cobras , kraits , and gharials . Among the wide variety of fishes , the most common ones are mahaseer and trout . Some animal species in Uttar Pradesh have gone extinct in recent years , while others , like the lion from the Gangetic Plain and the rhinoceros from the Terai region , have become endangered . Many species are vulnerable to poaching despite regulation by the government . = = Divisions , districts and cities = = Uttar Pradesh is divided into 75 districts under these 18 divisions : The following is a list of top six districts from state of Uttar Pradesh by rank in India . Each district is governed by a district collector or District Magistrate , who is an Indian Administrative Service officer appointed Government of Uttar Pradesh and reports to Divisional Commissioner of the division in which his district falls . Each district is divided into subdivisions , governed by a sub @-@ divisional magistrate , and again into Blocks . Blocks consists of panchayats ( village councils ) and town municipalities . These blocks consists of urban units viz. census towns and rural units called gram panchayat . Uttar Pradesh has more metropolitan cities than any other state in India . The absolute urban population of the state is 44 @.@ 4 million , which constitutes 11 @.@ 8 % of the total urban population of India , the second highest of any state . According to the 2011 census , there are 15 urban agglomerations with a population greater than 500 @,@ 000 . There are 14 municipal corporations , while Noida is specially administered by a statuary authority . In 2011 , state 's cabinet ministers headed by the then Chief Minister Mayawati announced the separation of Uttar Pradesh into four different states of Purvanchal , Bundelkhand , Avadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh with twenty eight , seven , twenty three and seventeen districts respectively , later the proposal was turned down when Mulayam Singh Yadav lead Samajwadi Party came to power in the 2012 election . = = Demographics = = Uttar Pradesh has a large population and a high population growth rate . From 1991 to 2001 its population increased by over 26 % . Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India , with 199 @,@ 581 @,@ 477 people on 1 March 2011 . The state contributes 16 @.@ 16 % of India 's population . The population density is 828 people per square kilometre , making it one of the most densely populated states in the country . The sex ratio in 2011 , at 908 women to 1000 men , was lower than the national figure of 933 . The state 's 2001 – 2011 decennial growth rate ( including Uttrakhand ) was 20 @.@ 09 % , higher than the national rate of 17 @.@ 64 % . Uttar Pradesh has a large number of people living below the poverty line . Estimates released by the Planning Commission for the year 2009 @-@ 10 revealed that Uttar Pradesh had 59 million people below the poverty line , the most for any state in India . As per 2011 census , Uttar Pradesh , the most populous state in India , is home to the maximum number of Hindu and Muslim population . The religion @-@ wise percentage of the population in 2011 was Hindus 79 @.@ 69 , Muslims 19 @.@ 25 , Sikhs 0 @.@ 30 , Jains 0 @.@ 11 , Buddhists 0 @.@ 10 , Christians 0 @.@ 18 and Others 0 @.@ 30 . The literacy rate of the state at the 2011 census was 70 % , which was below the national average of 74 % . The literacy rate for men is 79 % and for women 59 % . In 2001 the literacy rate in Uttar Pradesh stood at 56 @.@ 27 % overall , 67 % for men and 43 % for women . Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of Uttar Pradesh . Most people in Uttar Pradesh speak a dialect of Hindustani , which in its written forms is referred to as Urdu or Hindi depending on the script employed . People of Uttar Pradesh regard their language a very important part of their cultural identity . Both Hindi and Urdu are spoken by both Hindus and Muslims . A large number of other dialects exist . Five distinct dialect regions have been identified . The western part of the state , Rohilkhand and the upper Doab , is home to the speakers of Khari Boli ( The dialect used for standard Hindi and standard Urdu ) . The lower Doab , which is referred as Braj Bhumi , or the land of Braj , is home to the speakers of Braj Bhasha . Further south , the Bundelkhand region people speaks Bundelkhandi . In central Uttar Pradesh , people speak the Awadhi dialect and Bhojpuri is spoken in the east , Bhojpuri speakers have a similar culture to those living in the neighbouring state of Bihar . Indian states are defined on the languages they speak , however , a large state like UP contains many linguistic and ethnic groups and therefore lacks a cohesive , statewide identity . = = Government and politics = = Since Uttar Pradesh sends the largest number of legislators to the national Parliament , it is often considered to be one of the most important states with respect to Indian politics . The state contributes 80 seats to the Lok Sabha and 31 seats to the Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament . Uttar Pradesh has been called India 's under @-@ achiever , because it has provided India with eight prime ministers while remaining a poor state . The state 's legislative body is divided into two significant parts : Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad and Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha . The state is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy , a feature the state shares with other Indian states . The Governor is the head of state and is appointed by the President of India . The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor , and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister . In the 2012 election , the largest number of seats went to the Samajwadi Party with 224 seats . At the local level , the state has a large number of village councils ( panchayats ) , which are similar to those found in other Indian states . The administration in each district is headed by a District Magistrate who belongs to the Indian Administrative Service and is assisted by a number of officers belonging to state services . Judges and judicial officers are appointed non @-@ politically and under strict rules regarding tenure to help maintain constitutional independence from the government . This theoretically allows the judiciary to interpret the law based solely on the legislation enacted by Parliament without other influences on their decisions . The Superintendent of Police ( India ) , an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service and assisted by the officers of the Uttar Pradesh Police Service , is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues in each district . The Deputy Conservator of Forests , an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service , also serves the government . Sectoral development in the districts is looked after by the district head of each development department such as the Department of Public Works , Health , Education , Agriculture , Animal Husbandry , etc . The judiciary in the state consists of the Allahabad High Court in Allahabad , the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court , district courts namely the District court of Auraiya , the district court of Kanpur Dehat and district courts in each districts as Uttar Pradesh Judiciary , session courts in each district or Sessions Division , lower courts and judges at the taluka level . The President of India appoints the chief justice of the High Court of the Uttar Pradesh judiciary on the advice of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of India as well as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh . Other judges are appointed by the chief justice of the high court of the judiciary of Uttar Pradesh on the advice of the Chief Justice . Subordinate Judicial Service is another vital part of the judiciary of Uttar Pradesh . The subordinate judiciary or the district courts are categorised into two divisions viz . Uttar Pradesh civil judicial services and Uttar Pradesh higher judicial service . While the Uttar Pradesh civil judicial services comprises the Civil Judges ( Junior Division ) / Judicial Magistraes and civil judges ( Senior Division ) / Chief Judicial Magistrate , the Uttar Pradesh higher judicial service comprises civil and sessions judges . The Subordinate judicial service of the judiciary at Uttar Pradesh is controlled by the District Judge . The district court of Etawah and district court of Kanpur Dehat of Uttar Pradesh serves as the subordinate judicial service of the state . Justice ( retd . ) Sanjay MIshra was appointed as the new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh . = = Crime = = According to the National Crime Records Bureau , Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of crimes among any state in India , but due to its high population , the actual per capita crime rate is low . Because of this , the NCRB states that UP is the third safest state in the country to live in . The value of human development index in Uttar Pradesh has steadily increased over time . Uttar Pradesh has the second largest Civil police force with 107 @,@ 840 members , accounting for 9 @.@ 5 % of the total civil police in the country . = = = Terror attacks = = = Since 2006 , there have been a number of terrorist attacks , including explosions in a landmark holy place , a court and a temple . The 2006 Varanasi bombings were a series of bombings that occurred across the Hindu holy city of Varanasi on 7 March 2006 . At least 28 people were killed and as many as 101 others were injured . The blasts occurred simultaneously shortly after 18 : 00 IST . The first blast took place at 18 : 20 in the crowded Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple near the Banaras Hindu University . Other blasts followed at the Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station near the waiting area next to the travel office . Initially , another blast was reported inside the stationary Shivganga Express bound for Delhi . In the afternoon of 23 November 2007 , within a span of 25 minutes , six consecutive serial blasts occurred in the Lucknow , Varanasi , and Faizabad courts , in which 28 people were killed and several others injured . The blasts came a week after the Uttar Pradesh police and central security agencies busted Jaish @-@ e @-@ Mohammed terrorists who had planned to abduct Rahul Gandhi . The Indian Mujahidin has claimed responsibility of these blasts in an email sent to TV stations five minutes before the blast . The first blast occurred in the premises of the Varanasi civil court and collectorate between 13 : 05 and 13 : 07 . Two successive blasts occurred in the Faizabad district court around 13 : 12 and 13 : 15 , closely followed by one at Lucknow at 13 : 32 . Bombs were explicitly targeted at the lawyers who were working in the courts . On 7 December 2010 , another blast occurred at Sheetla Ghat , adjacent to the main Dashashwamedh Ghat , in which more than 38 people were killed and several others injured . The blast came a day after the anniversary of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition , in which a mosque was demolished at Ayodhya leading to nationwide religious riots that killed over 2 @,@ 000 people . = = Economy = = In terms of net state domestic product ( NSDP ) , Uttar Pradesh holds the third largest economy ( 2011 – 2012 ) in India , with an NSDP of ₹ 7 @,@ 080 billion ( US $ 110 billion ) . Agriculture is the leading occupation in Uttar Pradesh . Wheat is the state 's principal food crop and sugarcane is the main commercial crop . About 70 % of India 's sugar comes from Uttar Pradesh . State industries are localised in the Kanpur region , the fertile purvanchal lands and the Noida region . The Mughalsarai is home to a number of major locomotive plants . Major manufacturing products include engineering products , electronics , electrical equipment , cables , steel , leather , textiles , jewellery , frigates , automobiles , railway coaches , and wagons . More small @-@ scale industrial units are situated in Uttar Pradesh than in any other state , with 12 percent of over 2 @.@ 3 million units . With 359 manufacturing clusters cement is top sector of SMEs in UP . The Uttar Pradesh Financial Corporation ( UPFC ) was established in the year 1954 under the SFCs Act of 1951 mainly to develop small and medium scale industries in the state . UPFC provides financial assistance to new and existing units undergoing diversification , modernisation , expansion , or acquisition of fixed assets such as land , buildings , and machinery . The UPFC also provides working capital to existing units with a sound track record and to new units under a single window scheme . As of July 2012 , due to financial constraints and directions from the state government , lending activities have been suspended except for State Government Schemes . Nevertheless , unemployment , corruption and an inconsistent electricity supply remain among the major problems of the state . The state also has " marked income inequality " . In 2009 – 10 , the tertiary sector of the economy ( service industries ) was the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of the state , contributing 44 @.@ 8 % of the state domestic product compared to 44 % from the primary sector ( agriculture , forestry , and tourism ) and 11 @.@ 2 % from the secondary sector ( industrial and manufacturing ) . During the 11th five @-@ year plan ( 2007 – 2012 ) , the average gross state domestic product ( GSDP ) growth rate was 7 @.@ 28 % , lower than 15 @.@ 5 % , the average for all states of the country . The state ’ s per capita GSDP was ₹ 29 @,@ 417 ( US $ 440 ) , lower than the national per capita GSDP of ₹ 60 @,@ 972 ( US $ 910 ) . The state 's total financial debt stood at ₹ 2 @,@ 000 billion ( US $ 30 billion ) in 2011 . Labour efficiency is higher at an index of 26 than the national average of 25 . The economy also benefits from the state 's tourism industry . The state is attracting foreign direct investment which has mostly come in the software and electronics fields ; Noida and Lucknow are becoming a major hub for the information technology ( IT ) industry and houses the headquarters of most of the major corporate , media and financial institutions . Sonebhadra , a district in eastern Uttar Pradesh , has large @-@ scale industries . Its southern region is known as the " Energy Capital of India " . In May 2013 Uttar Pradesh had the largest number of mobile subscribers in the country , a total of 121 @.@ 60 million mobile phone connections out of 861 @.@ 66 million in India , according to the telecom regulator , Telecom Regulatory Authority of India TRAI . = = Transportation = = The world 's longest railway platform is at Gorakhpur Railway Station ( NER ) which is about 1 @.@ 34 km long . The state has the largest railway network in the country and the sixth highest railway density . As 0f 2011 , there were 8 @,@ 546 km ( 5 @,@ 310 mi ) of rail in the state . Allahabad is the headquarters of the North Central Railway and Gorakhpur is the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway . Other than Zonal Headquarters of Allahabad and Gorakhpur , Lucknow and Moradabad serve as divisional Headquarters of the Northern Railway Division . Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express , the second fastest shatabdi train , connects the Indian capital of New Delhi to Lucknow . This was the first train in India to get the new German LHB coaches . The railway stations of Lucknow NR , Kanpur Central , Varanasi Junction , Agra Cantt , Gorakhpur and Mathura Junction were included in the Indian Railways list of 50 world @-@ class railway stations . The state has a large , multimodal transportation system with the largest road network in the country . The state is well connected to its nine neighbouring states and almost all other parts of India through the national highways ( NH ) . It boasts 42 national highways , with a total length of 4 @,@ 942 km ( 9 @.@ 6 % of the total NH length in India ) . The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation was established in 1972 to provide economical , reliable , and comfortable transportation in the state with connecting services to adjoining states and boasts as being the only State Transport Corporation that runs in profit in the entire nation . All cities are connected to state highways , and all district headquarters are being connected with four lane roads which carry traffic between major centres within the state . One of them is Agra Lucknow Expressway , which is a 302 km ( 188 mi ) controlled @-@ access highway being constructed by Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority ( UPEIDA ) to reduce vehicular traffic in already congested roads . This expressway is country ’ s largest Greenfield Expressway which would cut the travel time between Lucknow and Agra from 6 hours to 3 @.@ 30 hours . Other district roads and village roads provide villages accessibility to meet their social needs as also the means to transport agriculture produce from village to nearby markets . Major district roads provide a secondary function of linking between main roads and rural roads . Uttar Pradesh has the highest road density in India , ( 1 @,@ 027 km per 1000 km2 ) and the largest surfaced urban @-@ road network in the country ( 50 @,@ 721 km ) . The state has excellent civil aviation infrastructure with Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow and Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi , providing international service. and four domestic airports located at Agra , Allahabad , Gorakhpur and Kanpur . The Lucknow Airport is the second busiest airport in North India after the Indira Gandhi International Airport , New Delhi . The state has also proposed creating the Taj International Airport at Kurikupa near Hirangaon , Tundla in Firozabad district . An international Airport is also proposed at Kushinagar . The Lucknow Metro is being constructed in the city of Lucknow as an alternative mode of transport . The capital city is witnessing a swift rise in the number of immigrants and this has called for the transformation of Public modes of transport . Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in February 2013 gave the final clearance for Lucknow Metro and the commencement of civil works started on 27 September 2014 . With the use of advance signalling based on CBTC , French Multinational Alstom is manufacturing the Metro Train in South India . The whole system has been designed with 100 seconds headway in mind . The first phase of construction is expected to be operational by December 2016 . Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation ( LMRC ) has been recently awarded for ‘ Best Metro for Excellence in Innovative Designs ’ in the fifth Annual Metro Rail Summit 2016 . = = Sports = = Popular sports in Uttar Pradesh are both traditional and modern sports of mainly European origin . Athletes from the state have included the field hockey player Dhyan Chand , Olympic shooter Nawab Mian , volleyball player Sanjiv Balian , and the wrestler Anuj . Traditional sports , now played mostly as a pastime , include wrestling , swimming , kabaddi , and track- or water @-@ sports played according to local traditional rules and without modern equipment . Some sports are designed to display martial skills such as using a sword or ' Pata ' ( stick ) . Due to lack of organised patronage and requisite facilities , these sports survive mostly as individuals ' hobbies or local competitive events . Among modern sports , field hockey is popular and Uttar Pradesh has produced some of the finest players in India , including Dhyan Chand and , more recently , Nitin Kumar and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay . Recently , cricket has become more popular than field hockey . Uttar Pradesh won its first Ranji Trophy tournament in February 2006 , beating Bengal in the final . It can also boast of routinely having 3 or 4 players on the national side . Green Park Stadium in Kanpur , the only internationally recognised cricket stadium in the state , has witnessed some of India 's most famous victories . Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association ( UPCA ) has headquarters in Kanpur . Faizabad Sports Complex is another sports venue in Uttar Pradesh which includes Faizabad International Sports Stadium . Greater Noida Cricket Stadium is another newly built international cricket stadium . Shobhit Sharma is the captain and founder of Sportybrat Cricket Club , Finland . The Buddh International Circuit hosted India ’ s inaugural F1 Grand Prix race on 30 October 2011 . The 5 @.@ 14 km long circuit was designed by German architect and racetrack designer Herman Tilke to compete with other world @-@ class race circuits . = = Education = = Uttar Pradesh has a long tradition of education , although historically it was primarily confined to the elite class and religious schools . Sanskrit @-@ based learning formed the major part of education from the Vedic to the Gupta periods . As cultures travelled through the region they brought their bodies of knowledge with them , adding Pali , Persian , and Arabic scholarship to the community . These formed the core of Hindu @-@ Buddhist @-@ Muslim education until the rise of British colonialism . The present schools @-@ to @-@ university system of education owes its inception and development in the state ( as in the rest of the country ) to foreign Christian missionaries and the British colonial administration . Schools in the state are either managed by the government or by private trusts . Hindi is used as a medium of instruction in most of the schools except those affiliated to the CBSE or the Council for ICSE boards . Under the 10 + 2 + 3 plan , after completing secondary school , students typically enroll for 2 years in a junior college , also known as pre @-@ university , or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with the Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate Education or a central board . Students choose from one of three streams , namely liberal arts , commerce , or science . Upon completing the required coursework , students may enroll in general or professional degree programs . Uttar Pradesh has more than 30 universities , including 5 central universities , 20 state universities , 8 deemed universities , 2 IITs , 1 IIM in Lucknow , 1 NIT in Allahabad and several polytechnics , engineering colleges and industrial training institutes . Prestigious institutes like the Aligarh Muslim University , Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences , Indian Institute of Technology ( Kanpur ) , Indian Institute of Technology ( BHU ) , the Indian Institute of Management ( Lucknow ) , Indian Institute of Information Technology ( Allahabad ) , Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology ( Allahabad ) , and the Harcourt Butler Technological Institute are known worldwide for their quality education and research in their respective fields . The presence of such institutions provides the students of the state with ample opportunities for higher education . Other universities in the state include Gautam Buddha University , Banaras Hindu University , Purvanchal University , Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University , University of Allahabad , Indian Veterinary Research Institute Bareilly , IMT Ghaziabad , Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University , M.J.P. Rohilkhand University , Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology , Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University , and King George 's Medical University . The Integral University , a state level institution , was established by the Uttar Pradesh Government to provide education in different technical , applied science , and other disciplines . The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies was founded as an autonomous organisation by the national ministry of culture . Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University is the only university established exclusively for the disabled in the world . A large number of Indian scholars are educated at different universities in Uttar Pradesh . Notable scholars who were born , worked or studied in the geographic area of the state include Harivansh Rai Bachchan , Motilal Nehru , Harish Chandra and Indira Gandhi . = = Tourism = = Uttar Pradesh ranks first in domestic tourist arrivals with more than 71 million , owing to its rich and varied topography , vibrant culture , festivals , monuments , ancient places of worship , and viharas . Millions gather at Allahabad to take part in the Magh Mela festival on the banks of the Ganges . This festival is organised on a larger scale every 12th year and is called the Kumbha Mela , where over 10 million Hindu pilgrims congregate in one of the largest gatherings of people in the world . The historically important towns of Sarnath and Kushinagar is near to gorakhpur and are located not far from Varanasi . Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon after his enlightenment at Sarnath and died at Kushinagar ; both are important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists . Also at Sarnath are the Pillars of Ashoka and the Lion Capital of Ashoka , both important archaeological artefacts with national significance . At a distance of 80 km from Varanasi , Ghazipur is famous not only for its Ghats on the Ganges but also for the tomb of Lord Cornwallis , the 18th century Governor of East India Company ruled Bengal Presidency . The tomb is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India . The state also has a bird sanctuary in Etah district called Patna Bird Sanctuary . Lucknow , the capital of the state , has several beautiful historical monuments . It has also preserved the damaged complex of the Oudh @-@ period British Resident 's quarters , which are being restored . Uttar Pradesh gives access to three World Heritage Sites : the Taj Mahal , Agra Fort , and the nearby Fatehpur Sikri . Varanasi is an ancient city famous for its ghats . To promote tourism , the Directorate of Tourism was established in the 1972 with a Director General who is an I.A.S. officer . In 1974 the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation was established to look after the commercial tourist activities . To boost the tourism in the state from within the country and other parts of the world , the Government of Uttar Pradesh established a ' Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc ' covering the cities of Agra , Lucknow and Varanasi . To promote this newly created ensemble , the government organised an ' Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart ' in 2015 , hosted by the city of Lucknow which was attended by 80 delegates from 27 countries of the world . = = Culture = = = = = Language and literature = = = Several texts and hymns of the Vedic literature were composed in Uttar Pradesh . The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to Sage Vyasa , and also known as Vyasa Purnima as it is the day which is believed to be his birthday and also the day he divided the Vedas . There is a long literary and folk Hindi language tradition in the state . In the 19th and 20th century , Hindi literature was modernised by authors such as Jaishankar Prasad , Maithili Sharan Gupt , Munshi Premchand , Suryakant Tripathi Nirala , Babu Gulabrai , Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayan ' Agyeya ' , Rahul Sankrityayan , Harivansh Rai Bachchan , Dharamvir Bharati , Subhadra Kumari Chauhan , Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi , Swami Sahajanand Saraswati , Dushyant Kumar , Hazari Prasad Dwivedi , Acharya Kuber Nath Rai , Bharatendu Harishchandra , Kamleshwar Prasad Saxena , Shivmangal Singh Suman , Mahadevi Varma , and Vibhuti Narain Rai . The state is sometimes called the ' Hindi heartland of India ' . Hindi became the language of state administration with the Uttar Pradesh Official Language Act of 1951 . A 1989 amendment to the act added Urdu as another native language of the state . Linguistically , the state spreads across the Central , East @-@ Central , and Eastern zones of the Indo @-@ Aryan languages , the major native languages of the state being Awadhi , Bhojpuri , Bundeli , Braj Bhasha , Kannauji and the vernacular form of Khariboli . = = = Music and dance = = = Uttar Pradesh has produced musicians , including Anup Jalota , Baba Sehgal , Girija Devi , Gopal Shankar Misra , Hari Prasad Chaurasia , Kishan Maharaj , Vikash Maharaj Naushad Ali , Ravi Shankar , Shubha Mudgal , Siddheshwari Devi , Talat Mehmood , and Ustad Bismillah Khan . The Ghazal singer Begum Akhtar was a native of Uttar Pradesh . The region 's folk heritage includes songs called rasiya ( especially popular in Braj ) , which celebrate the divine love of Radha and Krishna . Other forms of music are kajari , sohar , qawwali , rasiya , thumri , birha , chaiti , and sawani . Traditional dance and musical styles are taught at the Bhatkhande Music Institute University in Lucknow , named after the musician Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande . Kathak , a classical dance form , owes its origin to the state of Uttar Pradesh . The dance form is connected to classical Hindustani music where the rhythmic nimbleness of the feet is accompanied by the Tabla or Pakhawaj . Four of the six schools of this dance form , Lucknow gharana , Ajrara gharana , Farukhabad gharana and Benares gharana , are situated in Uttar Pradesh . = = = Fairs and festivals = = = Diwali ( celebrated between mid @-@ October and mid @-@ December ) and Rama Navami are popular festivals in Uttar Pradesh . Kumbh Mela , organised in the month of Maagha ( Feb @-@ March ) , is a major festival held every twelve years in rotation at Allahabad , Haridwar , Ujjain , on the river Ganges and Nasik on the Godavari river . Lath mar Holi is a local celebration of the Hindu festival of Holi . It takes place well before the actual Holi in the town of Barsana near Mathura . Taj Mahotsav , held annually at Agra , is a colourful display of the culture of the Braj area . Buddha Purnima , which marks the birth of Gautama Buddha , is a major Hindu and Buddhist festival , while Christmas is celebrated by the minority Christian population . Other festivals are Vijayadashami , Makar Sankranti , Vasant Panchami , Ayudha Puja , Ganga Mahotsava , Janmashtami , Sardhana Christian Fair , Maha Shivaratri , Mahavir Jayanti , Moharram , Bārah Wafāṭ , Eid , Bakreed , Chhath puja , Lucknow Mahotsav , Kabob and Hanuman Jayanti . = = = Cuisine = = = A typical day @-@ to @-@ day traditional vegetarian meal of Uttar Pradesh , like any other North Indian thali , consists of roti ( flatbread ) , chawal , dal , sabji , raita and papad . Many people still drink the traditional drink chaach ( traditional Butter milk ) with meals . On festive occasions , usually ' tava ' ( flat pan for roti ) is considered inauspicious , and instead fried foods are consumed . A typical festive thali consists of Puri , Kachauri , sabji , pulav , papad , raita , salad and desserts ( such as sewai or Kheer ) . Many communities have their own particular style of cuisines , such as the Jains , Kayasths and Muslims . There are also certain sub @-@ regional delicacies . Awadhi cuisine is world famous for dishes such as kebab , biryani , keema and nihari . Sweets occupy an important place in the Hindu diet and are eaten at social ceremonies . People make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products , including khurchan , peda , gulabjamun , petha , makkhan malai , and chamcham . The chaat in Lucknow and Banarasi Paan is known across India for its flavour and ingredients . Awadhi cuisine is from the city of Lucknow . The cuisine consists of both vegetarian and non @-@ vegetarian dishes . Awadh has been greatly influenced by Mughal cooking techniques , and the cuisine of Lucknow bears similarities to those of Central Asia , Kashmir , Punjab and Hyderabad ; and the city is known for Nawabi foods . The bawarchis and rakabdars of Awadh gave birth to the dum style of cooking or the art of cooking over a slow fire , which has become synonymous with Lucknow today . Their spread consisted of elaborate dishes like kebabs , kormas , biryani , kaliya , nahari @-@ kulchas , zarda , sheermal , roomali rotis , and warqi parathas . The richness of Awadh cuisine lies not only in the variety of cuisine but also in the ingredients used like mutton , paneer , and rich spices including cardamom and saffron . Mughlai cuisine is a style of cooking developed in the Indian subcontinent by the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire . It represents the cooking styles used in North India , especially Uttar Pradesh . The cuisine is strongly influenced by the cuisine of Central Asia , and has in turn strongly similarities to the regional cuisines of Kashmir and the Punjab region . The tastes of Mughlai cuisine vary from extremely mild to spicy , and is often associated with a distinctive aroma and the taste of ground and whole spices . = = = Dress = = = The people of Uttar Pradesh dress in a variety of traditional and Western styles . Traditional styles of dress include colourful draped garments – such as sari for women and dhoti or lungi for men – and tailored clothes such as salwar kameez for women and kurta @-@ pyjama for men . Men often sport head @-@ gear like topi or pagri . Sherwani is a more formal male dress and is frequently worn along with chooridar on festive occasions . European @-@ style trousers and shirts are also common among the men . = = Media = = A number of newspapers and periodicals are published in Hindi , English , and Urdu . The Pioneer was founded in Allahabad in 1865 by George Allen . Amar Ujala , Dainik Bhaskar , Dainik Jagran , and Hindustan Dainik have a wide circulation , with local editions published from several important cities . Major English language newspapers which are published and sold in large numbers are The Telegraph , The Times of India , Hindustan Times , The Hindu , The Statesman , The Indian Express , and Asian Age . Some prominent financial dailies like The Economic Times , Financial Express , Business Line , and Business Standard are widely circulated . Vernacular newspapers such as those in Hindi , Nepali , Gujarati , Odia , Urdu , and Punjabi are also read by a select readership . Doordarshan is the state @-@ owned television broadcaster . Multi system operators provide a mix of Hindi , English , Bengali , Nepali and international channels via cable . Hindi 24 @-@ hour television news channels are NDTV India , DD News , Zee News Uttar Pradesh , Jan TV , IBN @-@ 7 , and ABP News . All India Radio is a public radio station . There are 32 private FM stations available in major cities like Lucknow , Kanpur , Varanasi , Allahabad , Agra , and Noida . Cell phone providers include Vodafone , Airtel , BSNL , Reliance Communications , Telenor , Aircel , Tata Indicom , Idea Cellular , and Tata DoCoMo . Broadband internet is available in select towns and cities and is provided by the state @-@ run BSNL and by private companies . Dial @-@ up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers .
= Pon de Replay = " Pon de Replay " is the debut single recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna , from her debut studio album Music of the Sun ( 2005 ) . It was written and produced by Vada Nobles , Alisha Brooks , Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers . Her debut single , the song was released on May 24 , 2005 as the lead single from the album . Prior to signing a six album record deal with Def Jam Recordings , " Pon de Replay " was one of three songs which was recorded for her demo tape to be sent to record labels . It is a dance @-@ pop , dancehall and R & B song that features elements of pop and reggae . The lyrics revolve around Rihanna asking a DJ to turn the volume of her favorite songs up louder . The name means " play it again " in Bajan Creole , one of Barbados ' two official languages . " Pon de Replay " received mostly positive reviews from music critics , who praised the song 's composition and its choice as the singer 's debut single . The song was a commercial success , peaking at number one in New Zealand and on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart . It also reached number two on both the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart , whilst achieving top five positions in eight other countries including Austria , Belgium , Denmark , and Switzerland . It was certified two times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America denoting shipments of over 2 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 copies . The song 's accompanying music video was directed by Little X , and features Rihanna in a club with her friends , who ask the DJ to play their favorite song repeatedly . = = Background = = Prior to signing a record deal with Def Jam Recordings , Rihanna was discovered in her home country of Barbados by American record producer Evan Rogers , who made the necessary arrangements for her to fly to New York . There , she recorded a collection of demos for a demo tape to be sent to record labels . One of the demos recorded was that of " Pon de Replay " , which was written and produced by Carl Sturken , Evan Rogers and Vada Nobles in 2004 . The first to respond to the demo tape was Jay @-@ Z , who had recently been appointed as president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings , where Rihanna auditioned for him and music executive L.A. Reid , in his office . Looking back on the audition and meeting Jay @-@ Z , Rihanna explained during an interview how she felt before walking into the room , saying : " That 's when I really got nervous ... I was like : ' Oh God , he 's right there , I can 't look , I can 't look , I can 't look ! ' I remember being extremely quiet . I was very shy . I was cold the entire time . I had butterflies . I 'm sitting across from Jay @-@ Z. Like , Jay @-@ Zee . I was star @-@ struck . " During the audition , Rihanna performed Whitney Houston 's cover of " For the Love of You " , " Pon de Replay " and " The Last Time " , the latter two of which would go on to be included on her debut album , Music of the Sun . Initially , Jay @-@ Z was skeptical about signing Rihanna , because he felt " Pon de Replay " was too big for her , saying " when a song is that big , it 's hard [ for a new artist ] to come back from . I don 't sign songs , I sign artists " . " Pon de Replay " was released via iTunes on July 26 , 2005 , through Def Jam Recordings . = = Composition = = " Pon de Replay " is a dance @-@ pop , dancehall and R & B song that infuses a reggae style . According to the digital music sheet published at musicnotes.com , the song is written in the key of F @-@ sharp minor and is set in common time with a moderated dance groove , with a metronome of 100 beats per minute . Rihanna 's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of F ♯ 3 to the high note of C ♯ 5 . Lyrically , the song is about asking the DJ to play the protagonist 's favorite song , as well as the fulfillment of dancing in a club . Doug Rule of Metro Weekly commented on the lyric " Hey Mr. DJ , won 't you turn the music up ? " and that it follows in the footsteps of recent songs which also incorporated " Hey Mr. DJ " , including Madonna 's " Music " and Jennifer Lopez 's " Play " . In an interview with Kidzworld , Rihanna explained the lyrical content of the song , saying : " It 's just language that we speak in Barbados . It 's broken English . Pon is on , de means the , so it 's just basically telling the DJ to put my song on the replay . " Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic wrote about the song 's composition and musical influences , " [ Pon de Replay ] is driven by booming dancehall @-@ lite beats and a reggae vocal cadence ( and title spelling ) , it 's a simple dance @-@ pop song at its core , with standard English @-@ language singing as well as a can 't @-@ miss singalong hook . " Barry Walters of Rolling Stone also commented on the song 's composition and concurred with Birchmeier 's opinions of the song , writing that the song is " a poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping , syncopated beats recalling big @-@ band jazz " . = = Critical reception = = The song received generally positive reviews from music critics . Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine praised the song , and compared it to Beyoncé Knowles 's 2003 chart topper " Baby Boy " , because of how both songs feature " a dancehall @-@ pop mixture " . Rolling Stone called the song " sexy and savvy " . = = Chart performance = = In the United States , " Pon de Replay " debuted at # 97 on June 11 , 2005 , and ascended into the top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at # 9 in the issue dated July 16 , 2005 , and became the " Greatest Airplay Gainer " that week . In the issue dated July 30 , 2005 , the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 , being held off of the top spot by Mariah Carey 's " We Belong Together " , which spent a total of 14 non @-@ consecutive weeks at number one . " Pon de Replay " spent a total of 12 weeks inside the top ten of the Hot 100 and 23 weeks on the chart in total . The song also peaked at number one the US Billboard Dance Club Songs and Digital Songs charts , number two on the US Mainstream Top 40 chart , and 24 on the US Hot R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Songs chart . The song was also certified two times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 19 , 2012 , denoting shipments of over 2 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 copies . In New Zealand , the song debuted at number 37 on the New Zealand Singles Chart on August 15 , 2005 , and peaked at number one in its ninth week on the chart , after having been locked at number two for four weeks previous . The song spent a total of seven weeks inside the top five chart positions and 16 weeks on the chart in total . In Australia , " Pon de Replay " debuted at number 13 on the Australian Singles Chart on September 25 , 2005 , and peaked at number six in its ninth week on the chart . The song spent a total of 10 weeks in the top ten chart positions and twenty @-@ two weeks on the chart in total and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association , denoting shipments of over 70 @,@ 000 copies . Elsewhere , the song achieved moderate commercial success in Europe , peaking inside the top ten of eight different charts . In Switzerland , the song debuted at number eight on the Swiss Music Charts on September 11 , 2005 , and peaked at number three for three consecutive weeks . The song spent a total of 41 weeks on the chart . The song also debuted at number four on the Norwegian Singles Chart and peaked at number three in its fifth week ; the song spent a total of 15 weeks on the chart . " Pon de Replay " also peaked inside the top five in Denmark , Austria and Sweden , peaking at numbers four , five and five , respectively . " Pon de Replay " also peaked inside the top ten in Italy and Finland , peaking at numbers six and eight , respectively . However , the song was less successful in other territories , peaking at number 15 in The Netherlands and number 18 in France and Spain , respectively . In the United Kingdom , " Pon de Replay " debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on September 3 , 2005 , behind Oasis 's " The Importance of Being Idle " , which debuted at number one . The song stayed at the number two position for a further week , and stayed inside the top ten for four weeks . = = Music video = = The music video for " Pon de Replay " was directed by Little X. The video is set in a nightclub and begins with Rihanna and two of her friends arriving at a nightclub where the atmosphere appears lackluster ; due to the low volume of the music ( referencing the song 's lyrics ) , the people in the club seem bored and are not dancing . Subsequently , Rihanna vows to make the DJ turn up the music , thus stepping up onto a platform , wearing a silver belly top with baggy jeans , beginning to perform to the song , causing the DJ , played by DJ Cipha Sounds , to turn the music up . With this , the people previously bored now begin dancing to Rihanna 's track , including Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall , who also makes a cameo appearance . Scenes of people dancing in the club are shown , with intercut images being juxtaposed of Rihanna leaning against a wall with the word " Bar " in LED lights . She dons a light blue short dress , singing to the lyrics of the song . Rihanna can be seen belly dancing on the stage , with neon green laser lights broadcast above her . After Rihanna gets the crowd moving , she runs off of the platform onto a dance floor , where the crowd later join her . The video 's final scenes show the people in the club all gathered on the middle of the dance floor , performing various dance moves . These include a line of people featuring Rihanna , and male performers who make a human bicycle from their bodies . = = Track listing = = = = Charts = = = = Certifications = = = = Release history = =
= Alamogordo , New Mexico = Alamogordo / ˌæləməˈɡɔːrdoʊ / is the county seat and economic center of Otero County in south @-@ central New Mexico , United States . A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan desert , it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by White Sands National Monument . It is the city nearest to Holloman Air Force Base . The population was 30 @,@ 403 as of the 2010 census . Alamogordo is known for its connection with the Trinity test , the first explosion of an atomic bomb , and also for the Atari video game burial of 1983 . Humans have lived in the Alamogordo area for at least 11 @,@ 000 years . The present settlement , established in 1898 to support the construction of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , is an early example of a planned community . The city was incorporated in 1912 . Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934 . During the 1950 @-@ 60s , Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States ' space program . Alamogordo is a charter city with a council @-@ manager form of government . City government provides a large number of recreational and leisure facilities for its citizens , including a large park in the center of the city , many smaller parks scattered through the city , a golf course , Alameda Park Zoo , a network of walking paths , Alamogordo Public Library , and a senior citizens ' center . Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a nonprofit shared military / civilian facility that is also the hospital for Holloman . = = History = = Tularosa Basin has been inhabited for at least 11 @,@ 000 years . There are signs of previous inhabitants in the area such as the Clovis culture , the Folsom culture , the peoples of the Archaic period , and the Formative stage . The Mescalero Apache were already living in the Tularosa Basin when the Spanish came in 1534 , and Mescalero oral history says they have always lived there . The Spanish built a chapel at La Luz ( about 5 miles ( 8 @.@ 0 km ) from the future site of Alamogordo ) in 1719 , although La Luz was not settled until about 1860 . The city of Alamogordo was founded in June 1898 , when the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , headed by Charles Bishop Eddy , extended the railway to the town . Eddy influenced the design of the community , which included large wide thoroughfares and tree @-@ lined irrigation canals . Charles Eddy 's brother John Arthur Eddy named the new city Alamogordo ( " large / fat cottonwood " in Spanish ) after a grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered from the Pecos River area . When Alamogordo was laid out in 1898 , the east @-@ west streets were given numerical designations , while north @-@ south streets were named after states . The present @-@ day White Sands Boulevard was then called Pennsylvania Avenue . Several government buildings in Alamogordo were constructed by the Works Progress Administration , a government program created in 1935 in response to the Great Depression . These include the Otero County Administration Building at 1101 New York Avenue , a Pueblo style building originally constructed as the main U.S. Post Office in 1938 . The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . The main entrance portico features frescoes by Peter Hurd completed in 1942 . The Post Office moved out in 1961 , and the building was used by a succession of Federal agencies and was known as the Federal Building . The last Federal agency to occupy it was the United States Forest Service who used it as the headquarters of the Lincoln National Forest until October 2008 , when that agency moved to a newly constructed building . Ownership of the building was transferred to Otero County government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to the new Administration Building in February 2009 . Alamogordo briefly made international news in late 2001 when Christ Community Church held a public book burning of books in the Harry Potter series , and several other series , on December 30 . = = Geography = = As of 2010 , Alamogordo had a total area of 19 @.@ 3 square miles ( 50 @.@ 0 km2 ) , all of it land . The city is located at an elevation of 4 @,@ 336 feet ( 1 @,@ 322 m ) on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains and on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin . It is in the Rio Grande rift and in the northernmost part of the Chihuahuan Desert . Tectonic activity is low in the Tularosa Basin . Plants native to the area are typical of the southern New Mexico foothills and include creosote bush , mesquite , saltbush , cottonwood , desert willow , and many species of cactus and yucca . The Tularosa Basin is a closed basin , that is , no water flows out of it . Because of this and because of the geology of the region , water in the basin is hard : it has very high total dissolved solids concentrations , in excess of 3 @,@ 000 mg / L. The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility , a Bureau of Reclamation laboratory doing research and development on desalination of brackish water , is located in Alamogordo . The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Monument are formed in Lake Lucero . Water drains from the mountains carrying dissolved gypsum and collects in Lake Lucero . After the water dries , the winds pick up the gypsum crystals and distribute them over the basin . = = Demographics = = As of the census of 2000 , there were 35 @,@ 582 people , 13 @,@ 704 households , and 9 @,@ 728 families residing in the city . There were 15 @,@ 920 housing units . The racial makeup of the city was 75 @.@ 4 % White ; 5 @.@ 6 % African American , 1 @.@ 1 % Native American , 1 @.@ 5 % Asian , 0 @.@ 2 % Pacific Islander , 12 @.@ 1 % from some other race , and 4 @.@ 2 % from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32 @.@ 0 % of the population . There were 13 @,@ 704 households out of which 36 @.@ 3 % had children under the age of 18 living with them , 55 @.@ 6 % were married couples living together , 11 @.@ 7 % had a female householder with no husband present , and 29 @.@ 0 % were non @-@ families . 25 @.@ 2 % of all households were made up of individuals and 8 @.@ 8 % had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older . The average household size was 2 @.@ 57 and the average family size was 3 @.@ 07 . In the city the population was spread out with 28 @.@ 7 % under the age of 18 , 9 @.@ 2 % from 18 to 24 , 29 @.@ 7 % from 25 to 44 , 19 @.@ 9 % from 45 to 64 , and 12 @.@ 7 % who were 65 years of age or older . The median age was 34 years . For every 100 females there were 97 @.@ 6 males . For every 100 females age 18 and over , there were 94 @.@ 1 males . In 1999 the median income for a household in the city was $ 30 @,@ 928 , and the median income for a family was $ 35 @,@ 673 . Males had a median income of $ 28 @,@ 163 versus $ 18 @,@ 860 for females . The per capita income for the city was $ 14 @,@ 662 . About 13 @.@ 2 % of families and 16 @.@ 5 % of the population were below the poverty line , including 23 @.@ 9 % of those under age 18 and 11 @.@ 8 % of those age 65 or over . Alamogordo 's and Otero County 's July 1 , 2008 , population were estimated at 35 @,@ 757 and 62 @,@ 776 respectively by the United States Census Bureau 's Population Estimates Program . = = Economy = = Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County , with nearly half the Otero County population living within the city limits . Alamogordo today has very little manufacturing and has a primarily service and retail economy , driven by tourism , a large nearby military installation and a concentration of military retirees . In 2006 the per capita income in Otero County was $ 22 @,@ 377 versus per capita income in New Mexico of $ 29 @,@ 346 . = = = Economic history = = = Alamogordo was founded as a company town to support the building of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , a portion of the transcontinental railway that was being constructed in the late 19th century . Initially its main industry was timbering for railroad ties . The railroad founders were also eager to found a major town that would persist after the railroad was completed ; they formed the Alamogordo Improvement Company to develop the area , making Alamogordo an early example of a planned community . The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all the land , platted the streets , built the first houses and commercial buildings , donated land for a college , and placed a restrictive covenant on each deed prohibiting the manufacture , distribution , or sale of intoxicating liquor . Tourism became an important part of the local economy from the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934 . Construction began on the Alamogordo Army Air Field ( the present @-@ day Holloman Air Force Base ) in 1942 , and the Federal government has been a strong presence in Alamogordo ever since . Education has also been an important part of the local economy . In addition to the local school system , Alamogordo is home to the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired , founded in 1903 , and a branch of New Mexico State University founded in 1958 . The largest non @-@ government employer in the city is the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008 . = = = Military impact = = = Holloman Air Force Base , located approximately 3 miles ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) west of the city limits , is the largest employer of Alamogordo residents , and has a major effect on the local economy . According to some estimates , Holloman accounts for half of the Alamogordo economy . According to the 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office , as of January 2008 Holloman directly employs 6 @,@ 111 personnel with a gross payroll of $ 266 million . It indirectly creates another 2 @,@ 047 jobs with a payroll of $ 77 million . The estimated amount spent in the community , including payroll , construction projects , supplies , services , health care , and education , is $ 482 million . An estimated 6 @,@ 700 military retirees live in the area . Counting both USAF and German Air Force personnel there are 1 @,@ 383 active military and 1 @,@ 641 military dependents living on base and 2 @,@ 765 active military and 2 @,@ 942 military dependents living off base . Future Combat Systems is a wide @-@ ranging modernization project of the US Army . Much of the work will be done at Fort Bliss , with some at White Sands Missile Range and some at Holloman Air Force Base . Alamogordo is expected to get some economic benefit due to its proximity to these three bases . = = = Economic development = = = Otero County Economic Development Council is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984 . Its focus has generally been on job creation and recruiting and expanding businesses in Otero County , including helping them satisfy business regulations in New Mexico and lining up funding . Its role expanded in 2000 , when Alamogordo passed an Economic Development Gross Receipts Tax . OCEDC continues to work to attract businesses , but now it also helps develop the incentive packages that will be paid by the new tax , and a portion of the tax receipts go to fund OCEDC 's operating expenses . Formal economic development plans have been adopted by Alamogordo and by Otero County . OCEDC has recruited several new employers by using financial incentives . A 1 @-@ 800 @-@ Flowers call center opened in November 2001 and received $ 1 @.@ 25 million in city rent abatements , a 50 % reduction in property taxes from Otero County , and $ 940 @,@ 000 in plant training funds from the State of New Mexico . A Sunbaked Biscuits cookie factory opened in 2006 and received $ 800 @,@ 000 in job @-@ training incentives from the state . When the company went out of business in 2007 , Marietta Baking took over the cookie factory and received interest @-@ free loans , job @-@ training incentives , and partial forgiveness of indebtedness for job creation . A branch office of PreCheck Inc . , a company performing background checks of health @-@ care workers , opened in 2006 . PreCheck received $ 2 @.@ 4 million in high @-@ wage job creation tax credits , $ 1 @.@ 5 million in job @-@ training subsidies , $ 1 @.@ 5 million in capital outlay money for roads and infrastructure , a $ 625 @,@ 000 allocation from City of Alamogordo for upgrading sewer lines in the area , and 20 @.@ 8 aces of land from Heritage Group , a developer . The Otero County Film Office , an office of Otero County Economic Development Council , promotes film @-@ making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in the county and New Mexico 's film financial incentive programs and by recruiting extras for film productions . It sponsors the Desert Light Film Competition for middle and high school students to encourage learning about the film industry . The 2007 film Transformers spent $ 5 @.@ 5 million in New Mexico and $ 1 million in Alamogordo . = = Arts and culture = = There are two amateur theatrical groups in Alamogordo . Alamogordo Music Theatre produces two musical productions annually at the Flickinger Center for Performing Arts . The NMSU @-@ A Theatre on the Hill produces an annual spring performance for young audiences at the Rohovec Fine Arts Center on the New Mexico State University at Alamogordo campus , and an annual Fall performance for general audiences . = = = Annual cultural events = = = The Earth Day Fair is held annually on the last Saturday in April at Alameda Park Zoo . It features a butterfly release , a science fair , activities for children , and information booths from local health agencies and nonprofits . Otero County Fair is held annually in early August at the County Fairgrounds at the corner of White Sands Boulevard and Fairgrounds Road in Alamogordo . It features a rodeo , animal judging , food and game booths , and carnival rides . Nonprofit and government agencies set up information booths in the exhibit hall . The Cottonwood Arts and Crafts Festival is put on each Labor Day Weekend in Alameda Park by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce . It is primarily a showplace for vendors of handmade items , but also features music , entertainment , and food . White Sands Balloon Invitational is held annually in late September . Hot air balloons launch from the Riner @-@ Steinhoff Soccerplex on First Street or from White Sands National Monument and float over the Tularosa Basin . Oktoberfest is celebrated annually in late September , hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base . The public is invited , and shuttle buses run between Alamogordo and the base . = = = Visitor attractions = = = New Mexico Museum of Space History is a state museum with the International Space Hall of Fame . Flickinger Center for Performing Arts , located at 1110 New York Avenue , is a 590 @-@ seat theater created in 1988 from a re @-@ purposed movie theater . It hosts concerts and live theatrical performances by touring groups , and is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater . Alamogordo Museum of History ( formerly Tularosa Basin Historical Society Museum ) collects artifacts related to the history of Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin . It is a private museum , operated by the Tularosa Basin Historical Society . Among notable items in the collection is a 47 @-@ star US Flag ; New Mexico was the 47th state admitted to the Union , and US flags were made with 47 stars only for one month , until Arizona was admitted . The Museum shop has a large collection of local history books . The Historical Society also publishes its own series of monographs on local history , Pioneer . The Museum had planned to move from its location at 1301 N. White Sands Boulevard to a historic adobe building at the corner of White Sands Boulevard and Tenth Street by the end of 2008 , but as of July 2009 this plan has stalled due to lack of money to renovate the building . American Armed Forces Museum is a museum on U.S. Route 82 near Florida Avenue that opened in 2011 . It collects and displays all kinds of military memorabilia from all wars and military engagements . The Shroud Exhibit And Museum , located in White Sands Mall , showcases a full @-@ sized back @-@ lit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin , a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ . They also feature a working VP8 Image Analyzer , the only one in the world where one can walk in and interact with this old analog computer . This town was founded the same year ( 1898 ) that Secundo Pia took the first photograph of the Shroud which started the modern investigation into the Shroud . This is highlighted in the museum . In 1977 in Albuquerque , they held the conference that resulted in the 1978 study of the Shroud with more scientists from New Mexico than any other state . The displayed photograph was created from the 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project ( STURP ) . The displays include historical background materials , scientific information , kiosks with a variety of information , videos available for viewing and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud , among other interesting artifacts . The Alameda Park Zoo , the oldest zoo in the U.S. Southwest , is located in the city . Several Union @-@ Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park . = = Sports = = The Alamogordo Desert Dawgs are an amateur football team formed in 2008 . They are part of the New Mexico Football Alliance . The Desert Dawgs are organized as a limited liability company owned by Kenneth Mitchell , and have local sponsors underwriting expenses . The team has an agreement with Alamogordo Public Schools by which the Desert Dawgs practice and play home games at Alamogordo High School 's Tiger Stadium and the school district receives 20 % of the home gate . Tiger Stadium is nicknamed " The Dawg Pound " when the Desert Dawgs play there . Several of the team members are airmen from nearby Holloman Air Force Base . The White Sands PupFish were the first ever professional baseball team in Alamogordo . They play in the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs and started in the 2011 Season . The Lady of the Mountain Run is held in December at the Griggs Sportsplex . The race consists of a half marathon , 10K , 5K , or corporate cup relay , and raises money for the needs @-@ based Lady of the Mountain Scholarship Fund at NMSU @-@ Alamogordo . Fun run / walks are popular in Alamogordo , although most are one @-@ shot affairs put on as part of some larger event . One recurring event is Walk Out West , a 1 @.@ 5 @-@ mile ( 2 @.@ 4 km ) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo . It incorporates a health fair , live music , and fun events for kids . An offshoot of this is Dance Otero , an informal approach to ballroom dancing as a form of physical exercise that meets throughout the year . Both programs are run through Otero PATH , a local nonprofit that encourages preventive measures for good health . There are a number of annual sports events . The Tommy Padilla Memorial Basketball Tournament is an annual event held in March . It is an adult tournament that raises money for scholarships for Alamogordo High School students . The Gus Macker 3 @-@ on @-@ 3 Basketball Tournament is a national program that holds a tournament in Alamogordo each year in May . Prior to 2008 it was hosted by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce , and since then by the City of Alamogordo . The City receives 72 % of the entry fees and 5 % of the gross proceeds taken in by vendors . The event is held annually at Washington Park in conjunction with Saturday in the Park and Armed Forces Day . In 2009 more than 233 teams participated in the tournament . Several golf tournaments are held each year at Desert Lakes Golf Course , including the Robert W. Hamilton Charity Golf Classic . = = Parks and recreation = = Alamogordo has numerous small parks scattered through the city , and a few larger ones . Mentioned here are some of the more notable parks . Alameda Park is a city park lying on the west side of White Sands Boulevard between Tenth Street and Indian Wells Road . Most of the park is shaded by cottonwood trees . At the south end of the park is Alameda Park Zoo and at the north end is The Toy Train Depot , a railroad and toy train museum . Washington Park is a city park in the center of town , bounded by Washington and Oregon Avenues and running from First Street to Indian Wells Road . City Hall and several other city buildings are located in the park . At the north end of the park is Kids Kingdom , a children 's play area with a giant jungle gym . There are public athletic fields at the Jim R. Griggs Sports Complex , located at the corner of Florida Avenue and Fairgrounds Road , and the Travis C. Hooser Ballfield Complex ( also called Walker Field ) located at the corner of U.S. Route 70 and Walker Road . The Alamogordo Family Recreation Center , at 1100 Oregon Avenue , is a city @-@ owned facility offering a weight room , swimming pool ( open year round ) , and basketball gym . There are outdoor tennis courts north of the building . The Alamogordo Senior Center is a city facility for senior citizens that provides a social center and an exercise room and serves congregate meals and Meals on Wheels . Desert Lakes Golf Course is a city @-@ owned golf course located at the south end of town on Hamilton Road at Desert Lakes Road . It is an 18 @-@ hole course . The clubhouse houses a restaurant and a pro shop . There is a PGA golf pro on duty at the course . Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks . The Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54 , offers camping , hiking , and picnicking . The White Sands National Monument , a U.S. National Monument , is located about 15 miles ( 24 km ) southwest of Alamogordo along U.S. Route 70 . The area is in the mountain @-@ ringed Tularosa Basin valley area and comprises the southern part of a 275 @-@ square @-@ mile ( 710 km2 ) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals . The Lincoln National Forest , whose headquarters are in Alamogordo , is a mountainous area that starts about 10 miles ( 16 km ) northeast of Alamogordo and offers hiking , fishing , and camping . The Sidney Paul Gordon Shooting Range , located about 3 miles ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) north of town at 19 Rock Cliff Road in La Luz , is a supervised range with rifle , pistol , and archery ranges . Several competitions are held at the range each month . = = Government = = Alamogordo was incorporated in 1912 . It is a charter city ( also called a home rule city ) , and the charter is included as Part I of the Code of Ordinances . It has a Council @-@ manager government form of government ( called Commission / Manager in New Mexico ) . There are seven city commissioners , each elected from a district within the city , on staggered 4 @-@ year terms . The city manager is considered the chief executive officer of the city and is tasked to enforce and implement the City Council 's directives and policy . The mayor is a member of the City Council . As of 2015 , Susie Galea holds the position of mayor . Alamogordo 's fiscal year ends on June 30 each year ; thus Fiscal Year 2008 runs from July 1 , 2007 , through June 30 , 2008 . The FY 2008 budget projects income of $ 61 @,@ 454 @,@ 402 and expenditures of $ 73 @,@ 655 @,@ 777 . Sources of City government income and their percentages of the whole were : gross receipts tax ( 31 % ) , miscellaneous ( 23 % ) , grants ( 22 % ) , user fees ( 19 % ) , and property tax ( 5 % ) . = = Education = = New Mexico State University Alamogordo is a two @-@ year community college established in 1958 . It currently has approximately 1 @,@ 800 students . There are two high schools , three middle schools , and 11 elementary schools in the Alamogordo Public School District . Prior to 2008 there were two private schools in Alamogordo : Legacy Christian Academy and Father James B. Hay Catholic School . A third private school , Imago Dei Academy , opened in August 2008 and provides a classical Christian education . Kindergarten through eighth grade is taught with plans to gradually expand to the 12th grade . The German government operates the Deutsche Schule ( German School ) for children of German Air Force personnel stationed at the German tactical training center at Holloman Air Force Base . The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a state school located in Alamogordo . Alamogordo Public Library serves Alamogordo and Otero County . New Mexico State University Alamogordo 's library is also open to the public . = = Media = = The main newspaper in Alamogordo is Alamogordo Daily News ( ADN ) , owned by MediaNews Group . ADN is published six days a week ; on Monday , when it does not appear , subscribers receive the El Paso Times . ADN also publishes Hollogram , a free weekly newspaper distributed at the nearby Holloman Air Force Base and covering happenings on base . There are no alternative newspapers published in Alamogordo but The Ink , a free Las Cruces monthly newspaper devoted to the arts , is distributed in the city . The city government publishes City Profile , a monthly print newsletter that is mailed to all households in the city and is published electronically on the city web site , and Communiqué , a blog with city news . One television station , KVBA @-@ LP , broadcasts from Alamogordo . It has a religious format , and a weekly local news magazine broadcast Thursday through Saturday . Cable television service is provided by Baja Broadband . There are two commercial radio broadcast companies , WP Broadcasting and Burt Broadcasting ; each operates several stations in several formats . There are two " listener @-@ supported " radio stations that do not carry advertising but depend on sponsorships and donations . KLAG has a gospel music radio format and some live coverage of local events , including many remote broadcasts from civic events . KALH @-@ LP is a low @-@ power FM station that carries a variety radio format , network news on the hour , and local news on some hours . Neither station is an NPR affiliate . The local NPR outlet is KRWG @-@ FM in Las Cruces , which reaches Alamogordo through a local relay transmitter . Several major motion pictures were filmed in or near Alamogordo . The 2007 film Transformers was shot primarily at White Sands Missile Range , with additional filming at Holloman Air Force Base , both in the Alamogordo area . Its 2009 sequel Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen also prominently featured these two military bases . The 2009 film Year One was shot partly at White Sands National Monument , near Alamogordo . Alamogordo was one of the fourteen cities profiled in the 2005 documentary 14 Days in America . The Otero County Film Office maintains a list of films shot partly or wholly in Alamogordo and Otero County . In May 2013 , Alamogordo 's City Commission approved a deal for Canada @-@ based film production company Fuel Industries to excavate the Atari landfill site . Fuel Entertainment partnered with Xbox Entertainment Studios and Lightbox to make a documentary about the 1983 massive game burial of Atari games , said to be one of the gaming culture 's greatest urban legends . On April 26 , 2014 , video game archaeologists began sifting through years of trash from the old Alamogordo landfill . The first batch of E.T. games was discovered after about three hours of digging , and hundreds more were found in the mounds of trash and dirt scooped by a backhoe . In the deal between the City of Alamogordo and Fuel Entertainment regarding the excavation , Fuel Entertainment was to be given 250 games or 10 percent of what was found . = = Infrastructure and transportation = = The city is accessible through three U.S. Highways and scheduled commercial air service at Alamogordo @-@ White Sands Regional Airport . = = = Major highways = = = The major intercity surface routes from Alamogordo are U.S. Highways 54 , 70 , and 82 , all of which are four @-@ lane roads . The major north @-@ south street within the city is White Sands Boulevard . The Charlie T. Lee Memorial Relief Route , which is designated as U.S. Route 54 and 70 , is a bypass road constructed to the west of the city in 2001 to relieve congestion on White Sands Boulevard . U.S. Route 70 and U.S. Route 54 traverses through the north and south ends of the city . At the south end of the city , White Sands Boulevard is a major named street that merges into U.S. Route 54 / Charles T. Lee Memorial Relief Route , running south to El Paso , Texas . In the south part of the city , U.S. Route 70 splits from U.S. Route 54 in a southwestern direction towards Holloman Air Force Base , White Sands National Monument , White Sands Missile Range , and Las Cruces . At the north end of the city , White Sands Boulevard and the Charles T. Lee Memorial Relief Route become a merged U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 70 running north to Tularosa . U.S. Route 82 starts at the same point and runs east to Cloudcroft and the mountain communities of Otero County , and then to Artesia . Meanwhile , in Tularosa , U.S. 70 and U.S. 54 both split in which U.S. 70 heads east through the mountains , and towards Ruidoso and Roswell , while U.S. 54 heads north towards Carrizozo and keeps going north until it heads east again starting in Vaughn . = = = Other transportation = = = Alamogordo @-@ White Sands Regional Airport is the municipal airport located in the Alamogordo area . It is primarily used for general aviation . There is no longer scheduled commercial service from New Mexico Airlines , previously operated under a subsidy from the Essential Air Service program . Greyhound Lines offers intercity bus service to Alamogordo . There is daily shuttle van service between Alamogordo and El Paso International Airport . Z @-@ Trans is the mass transit system , providing paratransit and scheduled service within the city center and to White Sands Mall , Holloman Air Force Base and Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero . Z @-@ Trans is unusual in that it is privately owned ( by Zia Therapy Center , a non @-@ profit ) , although it does get some local and state subsidies . The Alamogordo city government is building a network of bike routes and walking routes . More information and maps are in the Alamogordo Comprehensive Plan . The New Mexico Rails @-@ to @-@ Trails Association operates a Rails to Trails project to convert old railroad beds to walking trails . Its trail system in Otero County , the Cloud Climbing Rail Trail , is planned to eventually surround Alamogordo . = = = Utilities = = = Electric power is supplied within the city by PNM Resources . PNM also provides electrical power in the Tularosa Basin , while Otero County Electric Cooperative , a member cooperative of Tri @-@ State Generation and Transmission Association and of Touchstone Energy , serves other areas of the county . Natural gas is supplied within the city by New Mexico Gas Company . Severn Trent operates both the water and sewage treatment facilities for the City of Alamogordo . Severn Trent maintains all water storage facilities , booster pump stations , city wells and treats the waste water to be re @-@ used by the city to water the parks , Desert Lakes Golf Course and is sold to construction companies for dust control . Rural houses have individual wells . Alamogordo has a dark sky ordinance to reduce the amount of light pollution in the night skies . The ordinance was passed in 1990 to promote the growth and scientific productivity of Apache Point Observatory . City streetlights are high @-@ pressure sodium vapor lamps . = = = Healthcare = = = Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a private not @-@ for @-@ profit 99 @-@ bed general hospital that serves the Alamogordo area . The hospital is a shared military / civilian facility that is also the hospital for nearby Holloman Air Force Base . The Otero County Community Health Council prepares a detailed health profile each year with many facts and figures about health in Otero County . Otero County is ranked in the middle of most health rankings within the state . New Mexico is near the bottom of most national rankings , for example it was 38th in the United Health Foundation 2007 report , but has been slowly improving ( it was 40th in 2005 ) . When health @-@ promoting features are considered , instead of the healthiness of the population , Alamogordo is ranked as one of the 50 healthiest places to live in the United States , among six in New Mexico . Civic boosters such as the Chamber of Commerce publicize this ranking . = = Notable people = = Among scientists , Edward Condon , a physicist and a past director of National Institute of Standards and Technology , was born in Alamogordo . Alan Hale , an astronomer and co @-@ discoverer of Comet Hale @-@ Bopp , grew up in Alamogordo and lives in nearby Cloudcroft . Among politicians , Edwin L. Mechem , a past governor and United States Senator from New Mexico , was born in Alamogordo , as was Cindy Chavez , a past member of the San Jose , California City Council . Edward Lee Howard , a former CIA case agent who allegedly gave classified material to the Russians and later defected to the Soviet Union , is an Alamogordo native . Marilyn D. Trotter , perennial New Mexico state fiddle champion and Alamogordo native , formerly performed with the Flying J Wranglers in Alto , New Mexico . In sports , professional soccer player Adam Frye , jockey Donna Barton Brothers , and former professional American football cornerback Conrad Hamilton were all born in Alamogordo . Alexis Duprey , crowned Miss New Mexico in 2013 and again in 2015 , is from Alamogordo . Mai Shanley , who became Miss USA 1984 , represented the city as Miss New Mexico USA .
= Johnny Broderick = Johnny Broderick ( January 16 , 1896 ( some sources say 1894 , 1895 , or 1897 ) – January 16 , 1966 ) was a New York City Police Department detective who became known in the 1920s and 1930s as one of the city 's toughest officers , patrolling the Broadway theater district and policing strikes as head of the NYPD 's Industrial Squad , sometimes personally beating gangsters and suspects . In his career as a detective between 1923 and 1947 , Broderick built a reputation for physical courage , for assaulting gangsters like Jack " Legs " Diamond and " Two @-@ Gun " Crowley , and for facing down armed gunmen in a prison break at The Tombs prison . Broderick was a " celebrity detective " whose exploits were a favorite of gossip columnists and the press . He and his sometime partner Johnny Cordes were probably the best known officers in the NYPD in the era between the two world wars . A character based on Broderick was the subject of the 1936 film Bullets or Ballots , with the Broderick character played by Edward G. Robinson . He was also portrayed in a comic book about police , and a film , TV series and Broadway musical based on his life were once contemplated . Broderick won eight medals for valor during his career , but he was dogged by accusations of excessive force . The Industrial Squad under his command was accused of brutality toward strikers and corruption , with Broderick himself accused of taking bribes , and he once beat a prisoner in his custody so badly that he was permanently crippled . He would sometimes beat up innocent people , and brutality complaints against him were futile . He was finally forced into retirement by Mayor William O 'Dwyer for associating with gangsters . = = Early life = = John Joseph Broderick was born on Manhattan 's East 25th Street , in the impoverished Gashouse District , the son of Margaret Kendall and Michael Broderick . At the age of 12 he left parochial school to drive a brick truck , and then a coal truck , to support his mother after the death of his father . He served in the U.S. Navy in World War I and worked as a bodyguard for Samuel Gompers , the labor leader . He joined the New York City Fire Department in April 1922 , but found that boring . Having taken both the Fire and Police Department examinations , in January of the following year he joined the New York City Police Department . In their 2001 book NYPD , James Lardner and Thomas A. Reppetto describe Broderick as a " Gashouse district tough guy " and " former labor slugger . " = = Career = = Broderick joined the NYPD on January 16 , 1923 , and he became a detective third grade on April 2 of that year , obtaining in less than four months a promotion that would usually take five years . The New York Herald Tribune called his swift appointment as detective " extraordinary luck or influence or both . " He continued to rise rapidly in rank . He was promoted to detective second grade in May 1925 and detective first grade in March 1926 . The Daily News reported years later that " no few of Detective Broderick 's contemporaries [ felt ] that he plainly had an angel somewhere in the city . " In 1934 it was reported that before joining the police department he was a chauffeur for a coal merchant who was close to chief inspector William J. Lahey , who was believed to be Broderick 's sponsor in the department . Broderick was put in charge of the Industrial Squad , a plainclothes unit was created in 1917 to monitor the labor movement , to keep it free from political radicals , Communists and racketeers , and to suppress violence during strikes . Broderick " had little patience with labor militants , " according to one history of the NYPD in that era , and he led the Industrial Squad in violent confrontations with the fur workers ' union , which was led by Communists , and railroad workers insurgents in 1926 and 1927 . Strikes in the city 's Garment District also turned violent , and in August 1925 Broderick 's nose was broken when he tried to disperse a crowd of striking garment workers . In November 1926 the Gangster Squad was absorbed by the Industrial Squad , with Broderick in command . While commander of the Industrial Squad , Broderick received acclaim for his role in quelling an attempted prison break at The Tombs , the Manhattan prison , on November 3 , 1926 . He faced down two armed convicts , one of them mobster Hyman Amberg , in the Tombs yard after they had already killed two prison officials . Police said that the convicts , who were already wounded , committed suicide as Broderick approached . He remained in charge of the Gangster and Industrial Squad until 1928 , when he received what The New York Times described as " lesser assignments . " After Fiorello LaGuardia became mayor in 1934 , Broderick and other police officers fell out of favor for connections with the Democratic Tammany Hall political machine . In 1934 , by then assigned to the Manhattan District Attorney 's office , he was reduced in rank to patrolman , his pay was cut by $ 1000 and he was transferred to Long Island City by police commissioner John F. O 'Ryan . Syndicated columnist Westbrook Pegler said at the time that Broderick " has been busted and sent out to walk a beat because he has enjoyed for some years the endorsement and assistance of some of the most pernicious Tammany politicians in the city . He was reinstated as detective third grade by O 'Ryan five months later after meeting with Broderick , saying that the original demotion was a result of " vague criticism regarding their political connections , " and that he was viewed by his current commander as a " model cop . " He was promoted to detective second grade in 1935 and detective first grade in 1939 . On the Broadway beat , Broderick swiftly gained a reputation for violence . His fists were once described as " huge lethal pistons that could beat a man senseless in half a heartbeat , " and to " broderick " became Broadway slang for being knocked out by a single punch . His knuckles were broken many times . Once he knocked out the gangster Francis " Two Gun " Crowley with a single punch , even though Crowley was pointing a gun at him . He was said to have demanded that hoodlums tip their hat to him , and once was said to have gone to the funeral of a member of the Hudson Dusters gang and spat in his eye . Broderick would wrap a lead pipe in a newspaper , which allowed him to beat gangsters while it looked like he was giving them a friendly swat with a rolled @-@ up newspaper . Broderick 's exploits were widely reported in the New York media , gaining him celebrity status . His tenth anniversary on the police department was commemorated by a dinner in his honor in January 1933 at the Della Robbia room of the Vanderbilt Hotel , attended by politicians and civic leaders including Tammany Hall district leader James J. Hines . Entertainment was provided , gratis , by Bill Robinson , Bert Lahr and Harry Richman . Hines was subsequently convicted of racketeering for protecting Harlem numbers rackets run by Dutch Schultz . Broderick 's exploits were a mainstay of the New York newspapers . He tossed hoodlums who had been bothering women through a plate @-@ glass window , one by one , and then arrested them for malicious destruction of property , for which they were sentenced to 30 days in jail . He also disarmed a man who was robbing a crowded restaurant at Columbus Circle with two guns and a knife . He once reputedly responded to a threat from gangster Legs Diamond by emptying a trash bin over his head , and forced him to crawl away . Other accounts of the confrontation hold that Broderick dumped Diamond in the trash bin head @-@ first , while others say that Broderick knocked out Diamond with a single blow , with one account claiming that Diamond was left unconscious for 20 minutes . Broderick 's reputation for toughness was such that Jack Dempsey , the heavyweight boxing champion , once said of Broderick that " He 's the only I wouldn 't want to meet in a fight outside the ring and its rules . " He would offer himself as an informal protection service for crime victims , especially young women , and personally beat up offenders . Broderick worked often with Johnny Cordes , a two @-@ time winner of the department 's medal of honor , and Barney Ruditsky , whose exploits inspired the 1959 TV series The Lawless Years . Broderick was often selected as a bodyguard for visiting celebrities . President Franklin D. Roosevelt requested that Broderick be his special bodyguard when he visited New York for the 1936 World Series , and he also was bodyguard for Queen Marie of Romania and King Albert of Belgium . = = Allegations of misconduct = = Throughout his career , beginning with his days in the Industrial Squad , Broderick was a subject of allegations of misconduct , and the Industrial Squad under his command was accused of violence toward strikers and corruption . He sometimes beat up people who were totally innocent , and lawsuits and complaints of brutality were futile because of his public image , honed by favorable media coverage , and connections . In a column on Broderick 's brief demotion to patrolman in 1934 , Westbrook Pegler said that the demotion would do him some good , that he " was excessively tough at times and there were occasions when , pining for action , he bounced round people who were in not particular need of bouncing around . " Pegler said that Broderick was selective in whom he would harass , that " there were many low characters in the city , notorious for their activity in the rackets , who were walking right past Detective Broderick on the street and in the lobby of [ Madison Square ] Garden , whom he did not find any occasion to bounce around . " Pegler said he found that " strange . " In July 1926 , Broderick and the Industrial Squad were accused by the American Civil Liberties Union of clubbing and beating striking Interborough Rapid Transit Company workers , injuring 20 . Broderick denied the charges , saying the police were acting in self @-@ defense . The squad was accused by the Teamsters Union of beating striking drivers , and it was accused of brutality against striking paper @-@ box makers in 1926 . The following year , Broderick 's squad was accused of attacking fur industry strikers . In 1928 , Broderick and officers from his squad were accused of beating two spectators at a Madison Square Garden bicycle race , sending them to the hospital with broken jaws and internal injuries . In this incident Broderick 's career was rescued by favorable press coverage . In 1927 , a furriers union official , Isidor Shapiro , told a special committee of the American Federation of Labor that his union paid the police $ 3800 a week in bribes for protection during a 1926 strike . Union officials claimed that non @-@ union workers were beaten while police officers " stood idly by . " Shapiro claimed that the " Industrial Squad chief " was paid $ 100 a week and that ten men in the squad were paid $ 50 a week . Broderick and the other officers were clearly after an inquiry by a judge . The charges were revived in 1939 , when a former Communist , Maurice L. Malkin , accused Broderick and other officers of corruption in testimony before the House Un @-@ American Activities Committee . Malkin testified that the furriers union , which was controlled by Communists in the 1920s , borrowed $ 1 @.@ 75 million from racketeer Arnold Rothstein to finance the 1926 strike , and that $ 110 @,@ 000 of that went to Broderick and other members of the Industrial Squad , including Barney Ruditsky . The amount that Broderick received was said to be $ 45 @,@ 000 and $ 50 @,@ 000 . No action was taken against Broderick or the other detectives . As a mayoral candidate in 1929 , Fiorello LaGuardia accused the Industrial Squad of extorting payoffs from labor and management , and that " instead of preserving order , this agency has done more to create disorder than anything else . " The squad was disbanded in 1933 . In 1937 , a justice of the New York State Supreme Court freed a prisoner who had been arrested for parole violation and beaten by Broderick , saying that " the police of the City of New York beat him so badly that he will be a cripple for life . I think this man has more than expiated his crime . " The prisoner sustained fractures to the knee and ribs , his jaw was dislocated , and he was not given medical attention while in police custody . Broderick 's superiors found no reason to discipline the detective . = = Retirement controversy = = In September 1946 , Broderick was assigned to the office of Mayor William O 'Dwyer in an unannounced confidential capacity , a move that many in city government found surprising . After a few months he was abruptly transferred to the Main Office Division , and in July 1947 , he retired from the police department . In 1949 , he sought to become a Democratic leader in the Broadway district on Manhattan 's west side . One of the two incumbent district leaders Broderick was challenging , Gerald V. Murphy , accused him of having been forced out of the department for associating with gangsters . The charge was confirmed by Manhattan 's District Attorney , Frank Hogan , who disclosed that Broderick was forced to retire by Mayor William O 'Dwyer after Hogan 's office learned that in November 1946 he had accompanied a gambler and ex @-@ convict , Ben Kaye , to Hot Springs , Arkansas , where he " associated with " mobster Owney Madden . Broderick denied the charge , conceding that he was on the same plane as Kaye but that it was a " coincidence . " He admitted that he knew Madden and " every gangster in New York . That was my job . " His bid to become a district leader failed in the September 1949 primary elections . In an editorial , the New York Herald Tribune pointed out that the circumstances of Broderick 's forced retirement only came to light because he was seeking a new career in politics , and that " voters may wonder how much they are really told about city government , when the Broderick incident demonstrates how discreetly a little embarrassment can be obliterated . " = = Personal life = = In 1931 Broderick was 5 feet 10 inches tall , weighed 170 pounds , and " dresses like Beau Brummel . " He neither smoked nor drank , worked out at a gymnasium every day , and kept in top physical condition . At the time of his demotion in 1934 he was described as having an affluent lifestyle . Though drawing a salary of $ 4 @,@ 000 a year , cut to $ 3 @,@ 000 as a result of the demotion , he drove a Cadillac , dressed expensively and owned a home in Jackson Heights , Queens . Broderick was a devoted prizefighting fan , rarely missing a fight at Madison Square Garden . During his days as a detective , Broderick enjoyed listening to his wife play the piano and was described by his New York Times obituary as fond of " monogrammed , cream @-@ colored silk underwear " and that off @-@ duty he was " the gentlest of men . " He was said to be upset by his portrayal by Robinson in Bullets or Ballots because Robinson was shown drinking and smoking . After his retirement he sold his life story to RKO Pictures for $ 75 @,@ 000 , to be made into a motion picture titled " Broadway 's One @-@ Man Riot Squad . " A 1948 report said that the screenplay was to be by Herman J. Mankiewicz , who knew Broderick from his days as a newspaper reporter . The film , which was to star Robert Ryan , was never made , and plans to have a television series or musical made about his life persisted through 1959 , but did not come to pass . He died of heart disease on his birthday at his farmhouse outside Middletown , New York , where he raised horses and dogs . He was survived by his wife , the former Marion McShea , his daughter , Marion Farinon , three sisters and nine grandchildren . He was buried in Pine Lawn Cemetery in Massapequa , Long Island . In 1933 it was reported that he had been married for 14 years at the time , and that he had two daughters , Margaret and Marion . = = Legacy = = The brutal methods used by Broderick and other officers were sanctioned by the police department during their era , and praised as " fearless . " Beginning in the 1960s , however , New York police sought to curb that kind of conduct . Training programs were established teaching officers to observe the civil rights of suspects and the public . By the 1980s , it was feared that the pendulum had shifted back toward brutality , as complaints of assaults by police climbed . Broderick was cited by The New York Times in 1985 as an exemplar of the old methods of policing . At the time of his death in 1966 , Walter Henning , an assistant chief inspector and a colleague of Broderick 's , called him a " man of his time , " and said that " under restrictions today , he 'd have a difficult time doing the things he did . " But during Prohibition , he said , " when these people [ gangsters ] went in and out of court it was like a revolving door , they had rather be locked up than to meet Johnny . " In his 2011 book American Police a History , 1845 – 1945 , Thomas A. Reppetto , a former Chicago detective commander and ex @-@ president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City , said that despite his fearsome reputation Broderick was actually beaten up on several occasions . Broderick 's image , he says , " rested to a great extent that Broadway show business figures relied upon him for informal protection , " as well as on " rave accounts " of his career by Ed Sullivan , Gene Fowler , Toots Shor and others . Reppetto observed that the " real strength " of Broderick and Cordes was that they " had what the gangster did not , the legal right to use deadly force and the practical power to slug hoods on sight . "
= Victoria Brown ( water polo ) = Victoria Jayne Brown ( born 27 July 1985 ) is an Australian water polo goalkeeper . Both of her parents represented their countries at the highest level in fencing . As a youngster , they believed Brown would compete in the Olympics in an equestrian event . She is currently a small business owner . She plays water polo for the Victorian Tigers of National Water Polo League . She has represented Australia as a member of the Australia women 's national water polo team on both the junior and senior level . She was a member of the Australian side that won a bronze medal at the 2005 FINA World League Super Finals and the 2010 FINA Women 's Water Polo World Cup . She was part of the Australian team that won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics . She has earned several honours including being named the 2010 Australian Water Polo Female Player of the Year . = = Personal = = The 183 cm ( 6 ft 0 in ) tall 76 kilograms ( 168 lb ) Brown , born on 27 July 1985 in Melbourne , Victoria , currently resides in Melbourne . One of her parents won a bronze medal for Australia at the Commonwealth Games . Her mother was the captain of Great Britain 's fencing team and her father was the captain of Australia 's fencing team . Her parents believed that she would win an Olympic gold medal in an equestrian event , as she competed in the sport until she was sixteen years old . At that age , she then switched sports to water polo . On 31 December 2010 , she broke her leg in a New Year 's Eve accident . During her recovery , she had to deal with a post @-@ surgery infection . She lived in the United States from 2006 to 2008 , with the goal of improving the quality of her water polo play so she could qualify for the Olympics . In late 2010 , she injured her arm and it took time to recover . Brown attended the University of Melbourne , where she earned a bachelor 's in property and construction . She currently works as a business owner and consultant . In 2011 , she co @-@ founded the firm Elite Mentors , which provides guidance to elite athletes . = = Water polo = = Brown is a goalkeeper . She took up the sport in high school , while in Year 7 , with the first team she competed for being the U17 Kawana Waters side . In 2010 , she had a water polo scholarship from the Victoria Institute of Sport . She has a water polo scholarship from the Australian Institute of Sport . When actively training , she will have ten to twelve training sessions , including gym work , a week . Her home training pool is the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre . Before every game she plays , she brushes her teeth . = = = Club team = = = Brown is a member of the Monash water polo club and currently plays her water polo for the Victorian Tigers in the National Water Polo League . In 2005 , she played for the Lauriston club in Armadale . She played for the Brisbane Barracudas in 2008 . The annual match between Breakers and Barracudas is considered is one the Courier Mail considers a grudge match . She participated in the 2008 edition with her team . She played for the Victorian Tigers in 2007 and 2009 . She was with the Tigers in 2010 , when Cronulla played in the finals tournament ; in the tournament , she was named in the league final 's All Star team . She was with the Tigers again for their 2011 campaign . She briefly played with the Tigers in 2012 before taking a break following their 18 February 2012 game against the Cronulla to attend the national team training camp . = = = Junior national team = = = Brown has represented Australia on the junior national level . In 2002 , her first year as a junior national team member , she competed with the national youth girls team that toured the United States in June and competed in an international series in Sydney in August . In 2004 , she was a member of the team that toured Europe in July and August , and was the only Victorian woman on the team . In January 2005 , she was on the junior side that competed in the VI FINA World Junior Championships in Perth . = = = Senior national team = = = Brown is a member of the Australia women 's national water polo team . She made her national debut in Montreal at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Australia 's 15 – 2 victory over Germany . In 2005 , she was a member of the team that competed in the international series with New Zealand held in Canberra in July , the FINA World League Finals in the United States in July , the XIFINA World Championships in Montreal in July , and the II FINA World League Super Finals in Russia in August . In 2005 , she was part of the side that won a bronze medal at the FINA World League Super Finals in Kirishi , Russia . In the 2007 FINA World League Asia @-@ Oceania qualifiers , in Australia 's 16 – 8 defeat of New Zealand , she made eight saves . She was named in the team that competed in the preliminary round at the 2008 FINA World League in Tianjin , China . In preparation for the Games , her coach Greg McFadden , instructed Brown and every player on the team to sit down for dinner and eat everything on their plate . She was the last player cut before the 2008 Summer Olympics squad was finalised , right before the team left for Beijing , China . She used this to motivate herself to become one of the best goalkeepers in Australia . In May 2010 , she was a member of the team that competed at the FINA World League Asia @-@ Oceania zone held in Osaka , Japan and Tianjin , China . She represented Australia at the 2010 FINA Women 's Water Polo World Cup in Christchurch , New Zealand . She was a member of the Australian team that competed at the Pan Pacific Championships in 2010 , the year she was named the Australian Stinger 's Player of the Year . She also secured her position as the team 's number one goalkeeper . In 2011 , Brown missed most of the national team season because of a broken leg and an injured arm . Nevertheless , in April 2011 , she attended a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport ( AIS ) where the coach was " selecting a team for the major championships over winter . " In February 2012 , she was named in the final training squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics , and thus attended a training camp starting on 20 February 2012 at the AIS . The team of seventeen players will be cut to thirteen before the team departs for the Olympic games , with the announcement being made on 13 June . She was part of the Stingers squad that competed in a five @-@ game test against Great Britain at the AIS in late February 2012 . This was the team 's first matches against Great Britain 's national team in six years . = = Recognition = = In June 2004 , Brown was named the Stonnington Leader Senior Sports Star of the Week . In 2006 and 2010 , she was named to the National Water Polo League All Star Team . In 2007 , she was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the World League Finals . In 2009 , she was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the Holiday Cup held in Los Angeles , California . In 2010 , she was named the Australian team Most Valuable Player . That year , Australian Water Polo named her the Female Player of the Year .
= Jaco Van Dormael = Jaco Van Dormael ( born 9 February 1957 ) is a Belgian film director , screenwriter and playwright . His complex and critically acclaimed films are especially noted for their respectful and sympathetic portrayal of people with mental and physical disabilities . Van Dormael spent his childhood travelling around Europe , before going on to study filmmaking at the INSAS in Brussels , where he wrote and directed his first short film , Maedeli la brèche ( 1981 ) , which received the Honorary Foreign Film Award at the Student Academy Awards . Van Dormael 's feature debut , Toto le héros ( 1991 ) , was an immediate hit and won the Caméra d 'Or at the Cannes Film Festival . Five years later Van Dormael was among the prizes again at Cannes with Le huitième jour ( 1996 ) , when his two leading actors , Daniel Auteuil and Pascal Duquenne , were jointly awarded the prize for Best Actor . His third feature film , Mr. Nobody ( 2009 ) , received further critical acclaim and many accolades , winning six Magritte Awards , including Best Film and Best Director . = = Early life = = Jaco Van Dormael was born in Ixelles . Belgium , on 9 February 1957 to a Belgian couple . Van Dormael was raised in Germany until age seven , when his family returned to Belgium . At his birth , he had nearly been strangled by the umbilical cord and received an insufficient supply of oxygen . It was feared that he may end up mentally impaired . This trauma accounts for the recurring themes in his films , which explore the worlds of people with mental and physical disabilities . He delighted in working with children and for a while pursued a career as a circus clown . He became a producer of children 's entertainment with the Theatre de Galafronie , Theatre Isocele and Theatre de la Guimbarde . After developing an interest in filmmaking , he enrolled at the INSAS in Brussels and later the Louis Lumière College in Paris . As a children 's entertainer , childhood and innocence would become strong themes throughout his work . = = Career = = = = = Early work = = = In the 1980s , Van Dormael produced a number of short films that aroused considerable critical interest . While he was a student at the INSAS , he wrote and directed the children 's story Maedeli la brèche . The short film was praised by critics and received the Honorary Foreign Film Award at the 1981 Student Academy Awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . The following year Van Dormael directed Stade 81 , a documentary short film about the Paralympic Games . He later directed the award @-@ winning short films Les voisins ( 1981 ) , L 'imitateur ( 1982 ) , Sortie de secours ( 1983 ) , and De boot ( 1985 ) . His most famous short of the period is È pericoloso sporgersi ( 1984 ) which won the Grand Prix in international competition at the Clermont @-@ Ferrand International Short Film Festival . = = = Mainstream breakthrough = = = Van Dormael made his feature @-@ length debut in 1991 with Toto le héros ( Toto the hero ) , a tale about a man who believes his life was " stolen " from him when he was switched at birth , told in a complex mosaic of flashbacks and dream sequences , sometimes with almost a stream of consciousness effect . Toto le héros was ten years in the making as Van Dormael rewrote the script at least eight times . In 1985 , two Belgian producers read a version of the script , and over the next five years they raised about $ 3 @.@ 5 million , a huge amount for a Belgian production , all in public money from Belgium , the European Community and state television in France and Germany . Van Dormael premiered Toto le héros at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival , where it won the Camera d 'Or . The film was released to the public later that year to critical acclaim and was a financial success . It won five Joseph Plateau Awards , the César Award for Best Foreign Film , four European Film Awards , the André Cavens Award , and received a BAFTA nomination . Pierre Van Dormael 's soundtrack for the film was also well @-@ regarded , and since their first collaboration in 1980 , he has composed the music to every film of his brother . Toto le héros propelled Van Dormael into the international spotlight as both a writer and director . In the wake of this success , Van Dormael participated in the 1995 critically acclaimed project Lumière et compagnie ( Lumière and Company ) . This work is actually an anthology of very short works ( on average 50 – 60 seconds ) contributed by international film directors in which each used the original Auguste and Louis Lumière 's motion picture camera to make his film . The Kiss is the 52 @-@ second film made by director Jaco Van Dormael featuring actor Pascal Duquenne . At the same time , Van Dormael was at work writing his next major work . He wanted to make a more linear film than Toto le héros , one which explored the world through the eyes of a man with Down syndrome . Van Dormael 's next film , Le huitieme jour ( The Eighth Day ) , accomplishes this with the chance meeting and friendship between Georges , played by Pascal Duquenne , and Harry , an unhappy divorced businessman portrayed by Daniel Auteuil . Van Dormael 's interest in people with mental and physical disabilities stems from an interest in their " talent for life , for loving life , that we often lack . " He sought to explore the concept of two worlds ( that of Georges and that of Harry ) existing simultaneously and yet separately . Le huitième jour premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival , where it was nominated for the Palme d 'Or . It did win the Best Actor award at the festival , which was given to both Pascal Duquenne and Daniel Auteuil . This was the first time in the festival 's history that two actors had shared the award . The film was acclaimed by film critics and received four Joseph Plateau Awards . It was also nominated for a César Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film . Le huitième jour grossed $ 33 @,@ 031 @,@ 984 worldwide on a budget of $ 5 million making it Van Dormael 's highest grossing film to that point . In 1998 , Van Dormael participated in the project Spotlights on a Massacre : 10 Films Against 100 Million Antipersonnel Land Mines , a collection of short films that works as an anti @-@ land mine campaign . The same year he was also a member of the jury at the 51st Cannes Film Festival . In 1999 , Toto le héros received the Best Belgian Screenplay 1984 – 1999 Award at the 13th Joseph Plateau Awards . = = = Mr. Nobody and after = = = Van Dormael began seeking to film Mr. Nobody in 2001 , an attempt that lasted six years before the director was able to make his English @-@ language feature debut in 2007 . This project differed from other Belgian productions in being filmed in English instead of in one of Belgium 's main languages . The director explained , " The story came to me in English . It 's a story set over very long distances and time frames . One of the strands of the plot is about a kid who must choose between living with his mother in Canada or his father in England . There are also some incredible English @-@ speaking actors I wanted to work with . " The production budget for Mr. Nobody was € 37 million , ranking it the most expensive Belgian film to date . The budget was approved before casting was done , based on the prominence of the director 's name and the strength of his script . The film utilizes nonlinear narrative and the many @-@ worlds interpretation to tell the life story of the last mortal on Earth , Nemo Nobody , portrayed by Jared Leto . Mr. Nobody had its world premiere at the 66th Venice International Film Festival on 12 September 2009 , where it won the Biografilm Award and the Golden Osella for Outstanding Technical Contribution . It has received high praise from film critics and was named by many one of the best films of that year . It received seven Magritte Award nominations , winning Best Film , Best Director , Best Screenplay , Best Cinematography , Best Original Score and Best Editing . It also won the André Cavens Award and the People 's Choice Award for Best European Film at the 23rd European Film Awards . Since its original release , Mr. Nobody has become a cult film , noted for its philosophy and soundtrack , personal characters and Christophe Beaucarne 's cinematography . In August 2014 , Van Dormael began filming his fourth feature film , Le Tout Nouveau Testament ( The Brand New Testament ) , with Catherine Deneuve , Yolande Moreau and Benoît Poelvoorde , a comedy in which God ( Poelvoorde ) is alive and lives in Brussels with his daughter . It premiered at the 68th Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2015 to critical acclaim . = = Themes = = Van Dormael 's films , while few , have strong common themes between them . They make distinctive use of naive voiceover and examine the world from an innocent perspective ( the young Thomas in Toto le héros , the mentally handicapped protagonist of Le huitième jour , and the unborn child of Mr. Nobody ) . These characters views are often colorful , imaginative , and somewhat removed from reality , with slight elements of surreal imagery used to illustrate their active imaginations . His films also typically end with a death , which is portrayed not as a tragedy , but as a happy moving on where the deceased looks down happily at the world below . Between Heaven and Earth ends with a birth , but it is similarly handled the passing of a character into a new world . This pattern is continued in Mr. Nobody , where two deaths open the film and a unique twist on death at the end of the film conveys a wistful sense of happiness . Van Dormael makes prominent use of nostalgic standards music , as well , featuring " Boum ! " by Charles Trenet in Toto le héros and " Mexico " by Luis Mariano in Le huitième jour as recurring themes . Mr. Nobody used " Mr. Sandman " as its recurring musical theme . All of Van Dormael 's films contain surreal elements . In his first two films , these moments were few , like dancing flowers in Toto le héros or Georges flying around the room in Le huitième jour . Mr. Nobody makes much more extensive use of surreal imagery throughout the film . Both Toto le héros and Le huitième jour prominently featured characters with Down Syndrome , and portrayed these characters lovingly , emphasizing their childlike characteristics . = = Filmography = = = = = Feature films = = = = = = Short films = = = Maedeli la brèche ( 1980 ) Stade 81 ( 1981 ) Les voisins ( 1981 ) L 'imitateur ( 1982 ) Sortie de secours ( 1983 ) È pericoloso sporgersi ( 1984 ) De boot ( 1985 ) The Kiss ( 1995 ) Eole ( 2010 )
= Adolf Anderssen = Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen ( July 6 , 1818 – March 13 , 1879 ) was a German chess master . He is considered to have been the world 's leading chess player for much of the 1850s and 1860s . He was quite soundly defeated by Paul Morphy who toured Europe in 1858 , but Morphy retired from chess soon after and Anderssen was again considered the leading player . After his defeat by Steinitz in 1866 , Anderssen became the most successful tournament player in Europe , winning over half the events he entered — including the Baden @-@ Baden 1870 chess tournament , one of the strongest tournaments of the era . He achieved most of these successes when he was over the age of 50 . Anderssen is famous even today for his brilliant sacrificial attacking play , particularly in the " Immortal Game " ( 1851 ) and the " Evergreen Game " ( 1852 ) . He was a very important figure in the development of chess problems , driving forward the transition from the " Old School " of problem composition to the elegance and complexity of modern compositions . He was also one of the most likeable of chess masters and became an " elder statesman " of the game , to whom others turned for advice or arbitration . = = Background and early life = = Anderssen was born in Breslau ( now called Wrocław ) , in the Prussian Province of Silesia , in 1818 . He lived there for most of his life , sharing a house with and supporting his widowed mother and his unmarried sister . Anderssen never married . He graduated from the public gymnasium ( high school ) in Breslau and then attended university , where he studied mathematics and philosophy . After graduating in 1847 at the age of 29 , he took a position at the Friedrichs @-@ Gymnasium as an instructor and later as Professor of Mathematics . Anderssen lived a quiet , stable , responsible , respectable middle @-@ class life . His career was teaching mathematics , while his hobby and passion was playing chess . When Anderssen was nine years old , his father taught him how to play chess . Anderssen said that as a boy , he learned the strategy of the game from a copy of William Lewis ' book Fifty Games between Labourdonnais and McDonnell ( 1835 ) . = = Chess career = = = = = First steps = = = Anderssen first came to the attention of the chess world when he published Aufgabe für Schachspieler ( " Task for chess players " ) , a collection of 60 chess problems , in 1842 . He continued to publish problems for many years , both in magazines and as a second collection in 1852 . These brought him to the attention of the " Berlin Pleiades " group , which included some of the strongest players of the time , and he played matches against some of them . Anderssen 's development as a player was relatively slow , largely because he could spare neither the time nor the money to play many matches against strong players . Nevertheless , by 1846 he was able to put up a good fight against another Pleiades member , Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa , who may have been the world 's strongest player at the time . In 1846 , he became the editor of the magazine Schachzeitung der Berliner Schachgesellschaft ( later called Deutsche Schachzeitung ) when its founder Ludwig Bledow , one of the " Berlin Pleiades " , died . Anderssen held this post until 1865 . = = = London 1851 = = = In 1848 Anderssen drew a match with the professional player Daniel Harrwitz . On the basis of this match and his general chess reputation , he was invited to represent German chess at the first international chess tournament , to be held in London in 1851 . Anderssen was reluctant to accept the invitation , as he was deterred by the travel costs . However the tournament 's principal organizer , Howard Staunton , offered to pay Anderssen 's travel expenses out of his own pocket if necessary , should Anderssen fail to win a tournament prize . Anderssen accepted this generous offer . Anderssen 's preparations for the 1851 London International Tournament produced a surge in his playing strength : he played over 100 games in early 1851 against strong opponents including Carl Mayet , Ernst Falkbeer , Max Lange and Jean Dufresne . The 1851 International Tournament was a knock @-@ out event in which pairs of competitors played short matches , and Anderssen won it by beating Lionel Kieseritzky , József Szén , Staunton , and Marmaduke Wyvill – by margins of at least two games in every case . His prize was two @-@ thirds of the total prize fund of £ 500 , i.e. about £ 335 ; that is equivalent to about £ 240 @,@ 000 ( $ 370 @,@ 200 ) in 2006 's money . When Anderssen and Szén found they were to play each other , they agreed that , if either won the tournament , the other would receive one @-@ third of the prize ; this does not appear to have been considered in any way unethical . Although most chess books regard Wilhelm Steinitz as the first true world champion , one of the organizers of the 1851 London International tournament had said the contest was for " the baton of the World ’ s Chess Champion " . In fact Anderssen was not described as " the world champion " , but the tournament established Anderssen as the world 's leading chess player , at the time it had same meaning . The London Chess Club , which had fallen out with Staunton and his colleagues , organized a tournament that was played a month later and included several players who had competed in the International Tournament . The result was the same – Anderssen won . = = = Morphy match , 1858 = = = Opportunities for tournament play remained rare , and Anderssen was reluctant to travel far because of the expense . In his one recorded tournament between 1851 and 1862 , a one @-@ game @-@ per @-@ round knock @-@ out tournament at Manchester in 1857 , he was eliminated in the second round . Then in late 1858 he was beaten 8 – 3 by the American champion Paul Morphy in a famous match held in Paris , France ( two wins , two draws , seven losses ) . Although Anderssen knew as well as anyone how to attack , Morphy understood much better when to attack and how to prepare an attack . Morphy had recently scored equally convincing wins in matches against other top @-@ class players : Johann Löwenthal , the Rev. John Owen and Daniel Harrwitz . However Morphy returned to the USA in 1859 and soon afterwards announced his retirement from serious chess . Hence Anderssen was once again the strongest active player . Anderssen played the curious opening move 1 @.@ a3 in three games of his match against Morphy , and broke even with it ( one loss , one draw , one win ) . This opening move , now referred to as " Anderssen 's Opening " , has never been popular in serious competition . = = = Other games 1851 – 62 = = = Shortly after the 1851 London International tournament , Anderssen played his two most famous games , both casual encounters which he won by combinations that involved several sacrifices . In the first , as Black , but moving first , against Lionel Kieseritzky in London just after the International tournament ( 1851 ) and now called the " Immortal Game " , he sacrificed a bishop , both rooks and finally his queen . In the second , played in Berlin in 1852 as white against Jean Dufresne and now called the " Evergreen Game " , the total sacrifice was more modest , but still exceeded a queen and a minor piece . After the match with Morphy , Anderssen played two matches against Ignác Kolisch , one of the leading players of the time , who later became a wealthy banker and patron of chess . Anderssen drew their match in 1860 and narrowly won in 1861 ( 5 / 9 ; won four , drew two , lost three ; Kolisch was ahead at the half @-@ way stage ) . = = = London 1862 = = = Anderssen won the London 1862 chess tournament , the first international round @-@ robin tournament ( in which each participant plays a game against each of the others ) with a score of twelve wins out of thirteen games . He lost only one game , to the Rev. John Owen and finished two points ahead of Louis Paulsen , who had the best playing record in the early 1860s . Morphy had retired from chess at this time , so Anderssen was again generally regarded as the world 's leading active player . Anderssen 's only known competitive chess between 1862 and 1866 was a drawn match ( three wins , three losses , and two draws ) in 1864 against Berthold Suhle , who was a strong player and respected chess writer . = = = Steinitz match , 1866 = = = In 1866 Anderssen lost a close match with 30 @-@ year @-@ old Wilhelm Steinitz ( six wins , eight losses , and no draws ; Steinitz won the last two games ) . Although Steinitz is now known for inventing the positional approach to chess and demonstrating its superiority , the 1866 match was played in the attack @-@ at @-@ all @-@ costs style of the 1850s and 1860s . This is generally seen as the point at which Steinitz succeeded Anderssen as the world 's leading active player . Although ideas of a contest for the world championship had been floating around since the 1840s , the 1866 Anderssen – Steinitz match was not defined as being for the world championship , and many were opposed to the claim of such a title while Morphy was retired from chess and still alive . Furthermore , Anderssen remained dominant both in top tournaments & in personal matches against Zukertort until 1871 . = = = 1866 – 79 = = = By this time tournaments were becoming more frequent , and the round @-@ robin format was adopted . At the same time , Anderssen , after losing the match to Morphy in 1858 and to Steinitz in 1866 , re @-@ dedicated himself to chess , particularly studying both endgames and positional play . The result was that Anderssen , in his early fifties , was playing the finest chess of his career . As a result , Anderssen compiled a very successful tournament record in the late stages of his career : five first places , two second places , two third places ; and a sixth place in the final year of his life , when his health was failing . One of his first places was ahead of Steinitz , Gustav Neumann , Joseph Henry Blackburne , Louis Paulsen and several other very strong players at the Baden @-@ Baden 1870 chess tournament . This is regarded as one of the top 20 strongest tournaments ever despite the proliferation of " super tournaments " since 1990 . One of Anderssen 's third places was at the strong Vienna 1873 tournament , when he was 55 . About half of Anderssen 's tournament successes came at championships of the different regional German Chess Federations ; but these were open to all nationalities , and most of them had a few " top ten " or even " top five " competitors . Anderssen usually beat Zukertort in matches but his dominance came to an end came 1871 . The Leipzig 1877 tournament , in which Anderssen came second behind Louis Paulsen , was organized to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Anderssen 's learning the chess moves . The initiative sprang from the Central German Chess Federation . It is the only tournament ever organized to commemorate a competitor . Still at Leipzig , Anderssen lost a match against tournament winner Louis Paulsen ( three wins , one draw , and five losses ) . Matches were Anderssen 's relative weakness ; his only match win in this period was in 1868 , against the 26 @-@ year @-@ old Johann Zukertort ( eight wins , one draw , and three losses ) . = = Assessment = = = = = Playing strength and style = = = Anderssen was very successful in European tournaments from 1851 to early 1878 , taking first prize in over half of the events in which he played . His only recorded tournament failures were a one @-@ game @-@ per @-@ round knock @-@ out event in 1857 and sixth place at Paris 1878 when his health was failing and he had only about a year to live . His match record was much weaker : out of the 12 that he played , he won only two , drew four and lost six . Arpad Elo , inventor of the Elo rating system , retroactively calculated ratings through history , and estimated that Anderssen was the first player with a rating over 2600 . Chessmetrics ranks Anderssen as one of the top five players for most of the period from 1851 to shortly before his death in 1879 . Steinitz rated Anderssen as one of the two greatest attacking players of his time : " We all may learn from Morphy and Anderssen how to conduct a king ’ s @-@ side attack , and perhaps I myself may not have learnt enough . " Although Anderssen is regarded as a member of the " heroic " attacking school , he was not in favor of mindless aggression , for example he said : " Move that one of your pieces , which is in the worst plight , unless you can satisfy yourself that you can derive immediate advantage by an attack " , a principle more recently labelled " Makogonov 's rule " . According to Fine , his approach to development was haphazard and he totally failed to understand why Morphy won . Anderssen 's home town was so proud of him that in 1865 Breslau University awarded him an honorary doctorate . = = = Influence on chess = = = The " heroic " attacking school of play to which Anderssen belonged was eclipsed by Steinitz ' positional approach – by 1894 it was generally acknowledged that the only way to beat Steinitz was to apply Steinitz ' principles . Anderssen has had a more enduring influence on chess problem composition . He started composing in the last years of the " Old School " , whose compositions were fairly similar to realistic over @-@ the @-@ board positions and featured spectacular " key " moves , multiple sacrifices and few variations . He was one of the most skilful composers of his time , and his work forms an early stage of the " Transition Period " , between the mid @-@ 1840s and the early 1860s , when many of the basic problem ideas were discovered , the requirement for game @-@ like positions was abandoned and the introduction of composing competitions ( the first of which was in 1854 ) forced judges to decide on what features were the most desirable in a problem . Outside the field of chess problems Anderssen was not a prolific author . However he edited the magazine Schachzeitung der Berliner Schachgesellschaft ( later called Deutsche Schachzeitung ) from 1846 to 1865 , and was co @-@ editor with Gustav Neumann of Neue Berliner Schachzeitung from 1864 to 1867 . = = = Personality = = = Steinitz wrote : " Anderssen was honest and honourable to the core . Without fear or favour he straightforwardly gave his opinion , and his sincere disinterestedness became so patent .... that his word alone was usually sufficient to quell disputes ... for he had often given his decision in favour of a rival ... " On the other hand , Reuben Fine , a 20th @-@ century player , wrote , " There is a curious contrast between his over @-@ the @-@ board brilliance and his uninspired safety @-@ first attitude in everyday affairs . " = = Death = = Anderssen died on March 13 , 1879 in his hometown . The Deutsche Schachzeitung noted his death in 1879 with a nineteen @-@ page obituary . Bombing raids during World War II damaged his grave in Breslau . After the war , the city became part of Poland and is now known under its Polish name Wrocław . In 1957 , the Polish Chess Federation decided to re @-@ bury Anderssen in a new grave at the Osobowicki Cemetery . = = Notable games = = Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritsky , 1851 , King 's Gambit : Accepted . Bishop 's Gambit Bryan Countergambit ( C33 ) , 1 – 0 The " Immortal Game " . Anderssen sacrifices his queen and both rooks in order to win Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne , Berlin 1852 , Italian Game : Evans Gambit . Pierce Defense ( C52 ) , 1 – 0 The " Evergreen Game " . Another short game full of sacrifices and ending with a nice two @-@ bishops checkmate Adolf Anderssen vs Paul Morphy , Match , Paris 1858 , Anderssen Opening . 1 – 0 Anderssen beats Morphy after opening 1 @.@ a3 Adolf Anderssen vs Johannes Zukertort , Barmen 1869 , Italian Game : Evans Gambit . Paulsen Variation ( C51 ) , 1 – 0 Black resigned before allowing Anderssen to finish the combination : 29 . Qxh7 + Kxh7 30 @.@ f6 + Kg8 31 . Bh7 + Kxh7 32 @.@ g8Q + Rxg8 33 . Rh3 # = = Tournament results = = Sources : = = Match results = = Sources :
= Cleveland Street scandal = The Cleveland Street scandal occurred in 1889 , when a homosexual male brothel in Cleveland Street , Fitzrovia , London , was discovered by police . The government was accused of covering up the scandal to protect the names of aristocratic and other prominent patrons . At the time , sexual acts between men were illegal in Britain , and the brothel 's clients faced possible prosecution and certain social ostracism if discovered . It was rumoured that Prince Albert Victor , the eldest son of the Prince of Wales and second @-@ in @-@ line to the British throne had visited , though this has never been substantiated . Sir Charles Russell QC was retained to watch the proceedings in the case on Albert Victor 's behalf . Unlike overseas and Welsh newspapers , the English press never named the Prince , but the allegation influenced the handling of the case by the authorities , and has coloured biographers ' perceptions of him since . The police acquired testimonies that Lord Arthur Somerset , an equerry to the Prince of Wales , was a patron . Both he and the brothel keeper , Charles Hammond , managed to flee abroad before a prosecution could be brought . The male prostitutes , who also worked as telegraph messenger boys for the Post Office , were given light sentences and no clients were prosecuted . After Henry James FitzRoy , Earl of Euston , was named in the press as a client , he successfully sued for libel . The scandal fuelled the attitude that male homosexuality was an aristocratic vice that corrupted lower @-@ class youths . Such perceptions were still prevalent in 1895 when the Marquess of Queensberry accused Oscar Wilde of being an active homosexual . = = Male brothel = = In July 1889 , Police Constable Luke Hanks was investigating a theft from the London Central Telegraph Office . During the investigation , a fifteen @-@ year @-@ old telegraph boy named Charles Thomas Swinscow was discovered to be in possession of fourteen shillings , equivalent to several weeks of his wages . At the time , messenger boys were not permitted to carry any personal cash in the course of their duties , to prevent their own money being mixed with that of the customers . Suspecting the boy 's involvement in the theft , Constable Hanks brought him in for questioning . After hesitating , Swinscow admitted that he earned the money working as a prostitute for a man named Charles Hammond , who operated a male brothel at 19 Cleveland Street . According to Swinscow , he was introduced to Hammond by a General Post Office clerk , eighteen @-@ year @-@ old Henry Newlove . In addition , he named two seventeen @-@ year @-@ old telegraph boys who also worked for Hammond : George Alma Wright and Charles Ernest Thickbroom . Constable Hanks obtained corroborating statements from Wright and Thickbroom and , armed with these , a confession from Newlove . Constable Hanks reported the matter to his superiors and the case was given to Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline . Inspector Abberline went to the brothel on 6 July with a warrant to arrest Hammond and Newlove for violation of Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 . The Act made all homosexual acts between men , as well as procurement or attempted procurement of such acts , punishable by up to two years ' imprisonment with or without hard labour . He found the house locked and Hammond gone , but Abberline was able to apprehend Newlove at his mother 's house in Camden Town . In the time between his statement to Hanks and his arrest , Newlove had gone to Cleveland Street and warned Hammond , who had consequently escaped to his brother 's house in Gravesend . = = Notable clients = = On the way to the police station , Newlove named Lord Arthur Somerset and Henry FitzRoy , Earl of Euston , as well as an army colonel by the name of Jervois , as visitors to Cleveland Street . Somerset was the head of the Prince of Wales 's stables . Although Somerset was interviewed by police , no immediate action was taken against him , and the authorities were slow to act on the allegations of Somerset 's involvement . A watch was placed on the now @-@ empty house and details of the case shuffled between government departments . On 19 August , an arrest warrant was issued in the name of George Veck , an acquaintance of Hammond 's who pretended to be a clergyman . Veck had actually worked at the Telegraph Office , but had been sacked for " improper conduct " with the messenger boys . A seventeen @-@ year @-@ old youth found in Veck 's London lodgings revealed to the police that Veck had gone to Portsmouth and was returning shortly by train . The police arrested Veck at London Waterloo railway station . In his pockets they discovered letters from Algernon Allies . Abberline sent Constable Hanks to interview Allies at his parents ' home in Sudbury , Suffolk . Allies admitted to receiving money from Somerset , having a sexual relationship with him , and working at Cleveland Street for Hammond . On 22 August , police interviewed Somerset for a second time , after which Somerset left for Bad Homburg , where the Prince of Wales was taking his summer holiday . On 11 September , Newlove and Veck were committed for trial . Their defence was handled by Somerset 's solicitor , Arthur Newton , with Willie Mathews appearing for Newlove , and Charles Gill for Veck . Somerset paid the legal fees . By this time , Somerset had moved on to Hanover , to inspect some horses for the Prince of Wales , and the press was referring to " noble lords " implicated in the trial . Newlove and Veck pleaded guilty to indecency on 18 September and the judge , Sir Thomas Chambers , a former Liberal Member of Parliament who had a reputation for leniency , sentenced them to four and nine months ' hard labour respectively . The boys were also given sentences that were considered at the time to be very lenient . Hammond escaped to France , but the French authorities expelled him after pressure from the British . Hammond moved on to Belgium from where he emigrated to the United States . Newton , acting for Somerset , paid for Hammond 's passage . On the advice of the Prime Minister , Lord Salisbury , no extradition proceedings were attempted , and the case against Hammond was quietly dropped . Somerset returned to Britain in late September to attend horse sales at Newmarket but suddenly left for Dieppe on 26 September , probably after being told by Newton that he was in danger of being arrested . He returned again on 30 September . A few days later , his grandmother , Emily Somerset , Dowager Duchess of Beaufort , died and he attended her funeral . The Hon. Hamilton Cuffe , Assistant Treasury Solicitor , and James Monro , Commissioner of Police , pressed for action to be taken against Somerset , but the Lord Chancellor , Lord Halsbury , blocked any prosecution . Rumours of Somerset 's involvement were circulating , and on 19 October Somerset fled back to France . Lord Salisbury was later accused of warning Somerset through Sir Dighton Probyn , who had met Lord Salisbury the evening before , that a warrant for his arrest was imminent . This was denied by Lord Salisbury and the Attorney General , Sir Richard Webster . The Prince of Wales wrote to Lord Salisbury , expressing satisfaction that Somerset had been allowed to leave the country and asking that if Somerset should " ever dare to show his face in England again " , he would remain unmolested by the authorities , but Lord Salisbury was also being pressured by the police to prosecute Somerset . On 12 November , a warrant for Somerset 's arrest was finally issued . By this time , Somerset was already safely abroad , and the warrant caught little public attention . After an unsuccessful search for employment in Turkey and Austria @-@ Hungary , Somerset lived the rest of his life in self @-@ imposed and comfortable exile in the south of France . Other names mentioned by the press were Lord Ronald Gower and Lord Errol . Also implicated was the prominent social figure Alexander Meyrick Broadley , who fled abroad for four years . The Paris Figaro even alleged that Broadley took General Georges Boulanger and Henri Rochefort to the house . The allegation against Boulanger was later challenged by his supporters . In December 1889 it was reported that both the Prince and Princess of Wales were being " daily assailed with anonymous letters of the most outrageous character " bearing upon the scandal . By January 1890 sixty suspects had been identified , twenty @-@ two of whom had fled the country . = = Public revelations = = Because the press barely covered the story , the affair would have faded quickly from public memory if not for journalist Ernest Parke . The editor of the obscure politically radical weekly The North London Press , Parke got wind of the affair when one of his reporters brought him the story of Newlove 's conviction . Parke began to question why the prostitutes had been given such light sentences relative to their offence ( the usual penalty for " gross indecency " was two years ) and how Hammond had been able to evade arrest . His curiosity aroused , Parke found out that the boys had named prominent aristocrats . He subsequently ran a story on 28 September hinting at their involvement but without detailing specific names . It was only on 16 November that he published a follow up story specifically naming Henry Fitzroy , Earl of Euston , in " an indescribably loathsome scandal in Cleveland Street " . He further alleged that Euston may have gone to Peru and that he had been allowed to escape to cover up the involvement of a more highly placed person , who was not named but was believed by some to be Prince Albert Victor , the son of the Prince of Wales . Euston was in fact still in England and immediately filed a case against Parke for libel . At the trial , Euston admitted that when walking along Piccadilly a tout had given him a card which read " Poses plastiques . C. Hammond , 19 Cleveland Street " . Euston testified that he went to the house believing Poses plastiques meant a display of female nudes . He paid a sovereign to get in but upon entering Euston said he was appalled to discover the " improper " nature of the place and immediately left . The defence witnesses contradicted each other , and could not describe Euston accurately . The final defence witness , John Saul , was a male prostitute who had earlier been involved in a homosexual scandal at Dublin Castle , and featured in a clandestinely published erotic novel The Sins of the Cities of the Plain which was cast as his autobiography . Delivering his testimony in a manner described as " brazen effrontery " , Saul admitted to earning his living by leading an " immoral life " and " practising criminality " , and detailed his alleged sexual encounters with Euston at the house . The defence did not call either Newlove or Veck as witnesses , and could not produce any evidence that Euston had left the country . On 16 January 1890 , the jury found Parke guilty and the judge sentenced him to twelve months in prison . One historian considers Euston was telling the truth and only visited Cleveland Street once because he was misled by the card . However , another has alleged Euston was a well @-@ known figure in the homosexual underworld , and was extorted so often by the notorious blackmailer Robert Cliburn , that Oscar Wilde had quipped Cliburn deserved the Victoria Cross for his tenacity . Saul stated that he told the police his story in August , which provoked the judge to rhetorically enquire why the authorities had not taken action . The judge , Sir Henry Hawkins , had a distinguished career , although after his death a former Solicitor General for England and Wales Sir Edward Clarke wrote : " Sir Henry Hawkins was the worst judge I ever knew or heard of . He had no notion whatever of what justice meant , or of the obligations of truth or fairness . " The prosecuting counsels , Charles Russell and Willie Mathews , went on to become Lord Chief Justice and Director of Public Prosecutions , respectively . The defence counsel , Frank Lockwood , later became Solicitor General , and he was assisted by H. H. Asquith , who became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twenty years later . While Parke 's conviction cleared Euston , another trial began on 16 December 1889 when Newlove 's and Somerset 's solicitor , Arthur Newton , was charged with obstruction of justice . It was alleged that he conspired to prevent Hammond and the boys from testifying by offering or giving them passage and money to go abroad . Newton was defended by Charles Russell , who had prosecuted Ernest Parke , and the prosecutor was Sir Richard Webster , the Attorney General . Newton pleaded guilty to one of the six charges against him , claiming that he had assisted Hammond to flee merely to protect his clients , who were not at that time charged with any offence or under arrest , from potential blackmail . The Attorney General accepted Newton 's pleas and did not present any evidence on the other five charges . On 20 May , the judge , Sir Lewis Cave , sentenced Newton to six weeks in prison , which was widely considered by members of the legal profession to be harsh . A petition signed by 250 London law firms was sent to the Home Secretary , Henry Matthews , protesting at Newton 's treatment . During Newton 's trial , a motion in Parliament sought to investigate Parke 's allegations of a cover @-@ up . Henry Labouchère , a Member of Parliament from the Radical wing of the Liberal Party , was staunchly against homosexuality and had campaigned successfully to add the " gross indecency " amendment ( known as the " Labouchère Amendment " ) to the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 . He was convinced that the conspiracy to cover up the scandal went further up the government than assumed . Labouchère made his suspicions known in Parliament on 28 February 1890 . He denied that " a gentleman of very high position " — presumably Prince Albert Victor — was in any way involved with the scandal , but accused the government of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice . He suggested that a triumvirate of the Prime Minister Lord Salisbury , the Lord Chancellor of England and the Attorney @-@ General colluded to hamper the investigation , allowing Somerset and Hammond to escape , delaying the trials and failing to prosecute the case with vigour . Labouchère 's accusations were rebutted by the Attorney General , Sir Richard Webster , who was also the prosecutor in the Newton case . Charles Russell , who had prosecuted Parke and was defending Newton , sat on the Liberal benches with Labouchère but refused to be drawn into the debate . After an often passionate debate over seven hours , during which Labouchère was expelled from Parliament after saying " I do not believe Lord Salisbury " and refusing to withdraw his remark , the motion was defeated by a wide margin , 206 – 66 . In a subsequent speech to the House of Lords , Salisbury bore witness against himself by suggesting his memory of his handling of the affair was defective . = = Aftermath = = Public interest in the scandal eventually faded . Nevertheless , newspaper coverage reinforced negative attitudes about male homosexuality as an aristocratic vice , presenting the telegraph boys as corrupted and exploited by members of the upper class . This attitude reached its climax a few years later when Oscar Wilde was tried for gross indecency as the result of his affair with Lord Alfred Douglas . Oscar Wilde alluded to the scandal in The Picture of Dorian Gray , first published in 1890 . Reviews of the novel were hostile ; in a clear reference to the Cleveland Street scandal , one reviewer called it suitable for " none but outlawed noblemen and perverted telegraph boys " . Wilde 's 1891 revision of the novel omitted certain key passages , which were considered too homoerotic . In 1895 , Wilde unsuccessfully sued Lord Alfred 's father , the Marquess of Queensberry , for libel . Sir Edward Carson , Lord Queensberry 's counsel , used quotes from the novel against Wilde and questioned him about his associations with young working men . After the failure of his suit , Wilde was charged with gross indecency , found guilty and subsequently sentenced to two years ' hard labour . He was prosecuted by Charles Gill , who had defended Veck in the Cleveland Street case . Prince Albert Victor died in 1892 , but society gossip about his sex life continued . Sixty years after the scandal the official biographer of King George V , Harold Nicolson , was told by Lord Goddard , who was a twelve @-@ year @-@ old schoolboy at the time of the scandal , that Prince Albert Victor " had been involved in a male brothel scene , and that a solicitor had to commit perjury to clear him . The solicitor was struck off the rolls for his offence , but was thereafter reinstated . " In fact , none of the lawyers involved in the case was convicted of perjury or struck off at the time , indeed most had very distinguished careers . However , Arthur Newton was struck off for 12 months for professional misconduct in 1910 after falsifying letters from another of his clients — the notorious murderer Harvey Crippen . In 1913 , he was struck off indefinitely and sentenced to three years ' imprisonment for obtaining money by false pretences . Newton may have invented and spread the rumours about Prince Albert Victor in an attempt to protect his clients from prosecution by forcing a cover @-@ up . State papers on the case in the Public Record Office , released to the public in the 1970s , provide no information on the prince 's involvement other than Newton 's threat to implicate him . Hamilton Cuffe wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions , Sir Augustus Stephenson , " I am told that Newton has boasted that if we go on a very distinguished person will be involved ( PAV ) . I don 't mean to say that I for one instant credit it — but in such circumstances as this one never knows what may be said , be concocted or be true . " Surviving private letters from Somerset to his friend Lord Esher , confirm that Somerset knew of the rumours but did not know if they were true . He writes , " I can quite understand the Prince of Wales being much annoyed at his son 's name being coupled with the thing ... we were both accused of going to this place but not together ... I wonder if it is really a fact or only an invention . " In his correspondence , Sir Dighton Probyn refers to " cruel and unjust rumours with regard to PAV " and " false reports dragging PAV 's name into the sad story " . When Prince Albert Victor 's name appeared in the American press , the New York Herald published an anonymous letter , almost certainly written by Charles Hall , saying " there is not , and never was , the slightest excuse for mentioning the name of Prince Albert Victor . " Biographers who believe the rumours suppose that Prince Albert Victor was bisexual , but this is strongly contested by others who refer to him as " ardently heterosexual " and his involvement in the rumours as " somewhat unfair " . = = House = = The site of the brothel at 19 Cleveland Street , Marylebone , and its historical context within the homosexual and other transgressive communities of London 's Fitzrovia and neighbouring Soho and Bloomsbury , has become the subject of academic study and general interest . In Parliament , Labouchère indignantly described 19 Cleveland Street as " in no obscure thoroughfare , but nearly opposite the Middlesex Hospital " . The house , which was located on the western side of Cleveland Street , no longer survives : it was demolished in the 1890s for an extension of the Hospital , which itself was bulldozed in 2005 . Two sketches of the house were published by The Illustrated Police News . It has occasionally been claimed that the house survives . This theory proposes that , following a renumbering of the street , No. 19 was deleted from the Land Survey to suppress its existence , and that the house is the current No. 18 on the eastern side of the street . Cleveland Street was indeed renumbered : the southernmost end was originally Norfolk Street . ( For example , the current number 22 Cleveland Street , was originally 10 Norfolk Street , and for a time was the home of Charles Dickens . ) However , the renumbering of Cleveland Street was ordered in 1867 , long before the scandal , by the Metropolitan Board of Works : " the odd numbers , commencing with 1 and ending with 175 , being assigned to the houses on the Western side ; that the even numbers , commencing with 2 and ending with 140 , to those on the Eastern side ; that such numbers do commence at the Southern end . " An Ordnance Survey of 1870 also shows No. 19 and its adjacent houses on the street 's western side . In an 1894 Ordnance Survey these properties have been subsumed by the new Middlesex Hospital wing .
= Soviet Strike = Soviet Strike is a helicopter @-@ based shooter game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation in 1996 and the Sega Saturn in 1997 . The game is a sequel to the Strike games which began on the Sega Mega Drive with Desert Strike : Return to the Gulf . Soviet Strike is the series ' first installment for a 32 @-@ bit console and was first conceived as 32 @-@ bit Strike . Early on , it was intended for the 3DO console , before development changed to the PlayStation . Soviet Strike is set after the disintegration of the Soviet Union , and takes place in a fictionalised Russia , Eastern Europe and around the Caspian Sea . The player pilots an Apache helicopter and battles with the forces of Shadowman , a renegade ex @-@ Communist figure . Like its predecessors , the game features shooting action mixed with strategic management of fuel and ammunition , but has more authentic 3D graphics , as well as a modified overhead - as opposed to isometric - perspective . The game also features a more realistic enemy artificial intelligence and environment . Critics received the game positively , praising the graphics and full motion video , while commentary on the gameplay and difficulty was more mixed . = = Gameplay = = Soviet Strike is a helicopter @-@ based shooter game . As in its predecessors , the player views the action from outside his craft , using one of two available viewpoints . These are similar to the isometric perspective of the previous games , but are improved " overhead " versions . This removes the predecessors ' problem of buildings occasionally obstructing the player 's view ; and unlike the previous games , the player can no longer collide the helicopter into structures , instead always flying over them . The first camera system fixates on the Apache , while the second " allows you [ the player ] to rotate the screen around the helicopter " . The Apache is armed with a machine gun , Hydra rockets and Hellfire missiles , which vary in power and payload . The Sega Saturn version includes two hidden power @-@ up weapons : doubled machine guns and Maverick missiles . The craft has finite ammunition , fuel , and armour , and the player must manage the payload by collecting limited supplies . The game has five large levels , each divided into several missions . Mission objectives include seeking and destroying enemy personnel and structures such as radars , training camps and ships ; rescuing prisoners @-@ of @-@ war and other persons ( including , in one mission , Boris Yeltsin ) , as well as recovering intercontinental ballistic missiles and capturing enemy commanders and agents . Soviet Strike employs a relatively realistic , fluid virtual battlefield and sophisticated artificial intelligence , which will put in motion set pieces even if the protagonist has not arrived to take part . The opposing intelligence can track the player using radar and reinforce positions accordingly . As such the player must sometimes pre @-@ emptively destroy radars . Enemy troops may also flee once they have lost a battle . Some missions require set piece solutions , including " starting an avalanche to crush a tank battalion and sealing a nuclear reactor core in a salt mine . " The game is " very tightly structured " , yet the player has the ability to roam the battlefield attacking enemies at will . = = Plot = = = = = Characters = = = The player is a helicopter pilot in STRIKE , a special covert operations force of the US military designed for preemptive action to prevent " wars that never happen . " STRIKE 's commander is General Earle , who has electronics expert Hack and agent Andrea Grey ( whose cover job is a news reporter ) working for him . The other protagonists are STRIKE asset Nick Arnold , guerrilla fighter Amad , and former Soviet Army pilot Ivan Uralia . The game 's antagonists are former KGB Chairman Uri " Shadowman " Vatsiznov , Ireki dictator Sadissa Savak , and disgraced Soviet scientist Dr Grymyenko Ukrainian . A series of voiceovers called STRIKE Files outline the origins of STRIKE . One such file has General Earle detailing the organization 's mandate to US President Bill Clinton after his inauguration in January 1993 . In the tape , Clinton is unaware that STRIKE prevented a civil war in Mexico in 1982 which could have turned the country into a secret Warsaw Pact member @-@ state . = = = Plot = = = The end of the Soviet Union leaves a power vacuum in Eastern Europe that former KGB Chairman Uri Vatsiznov , AKA the Shadowman , is willing to exploit for his own ends . In the first mission , which takes place in the Crimea , the player must rescue a captured spy named Nick Arnold to retrieve intelligence on the game 's antagonist . The second level is set in the Sea of Azov : the player must battle the elements of the Black Sea Fleet which is preparing to invade Europe . The mission also involves the rescue of guerrilla fighter Amad . STRIKE 's victory in the Black Sea leads them to the Caucasus , where Sadissa Savak , leader of the fictional state of Irek , begins aggressive overtures against local fighters . In the mission ( which is supposedly north of the main battle area where Desert Strike took place ) , the player and Amad join forces with a militia run by Amad 's relatives in stopping Ireki troops from capturing an ex @-@ Soviet chemical weapons plant . With STRIKE killing Savak ( and passed off as the victim of a car crash ) , the group goes to a heavily irradiated Transylvania to rescue Nick once more , this time from Dr Grymyenko Ukrainian , who wields an arsenal of ballistic missiles . The player is also tasked to kill the Shadowman 's lead armor commander , Vila , who operates a special red @-@ turreted T @-@ 80 , and aid in the destruction of an abandoned nuclear reactor the Shadowman is planning to use . The final mission takes place in Moscow , with Shadowman 's unleashing his minions in the KGB , the military and the Russian mafia in attempting a coup against President Boris Yeltsin 's government . The player must prevent a bombing on the Kremlin before seeking out and killing Shadowman . The game 's end sequence depicts Andrea delivering a televised news report blaming the destruction on an earthquake and consequent gas fires . = = Development = = Soviet Strike began development as a game for the 3DO under the working title of 32 @-@ bit Strike . Strike series creator Mike Posehn assisted in early programming and the design but otherwise did not wish to work as part of a large team , necessitated by the move to a more advanced console . The development team , who had already spent several months working on the 3DO version , decided to rework it instead as a PlayStation game when it was clear that the 3DO 's demise was inevitable ; an additional two years ' labor time was the result . The team re @-@ evaluated the basics of the 16 @-@ bit games and aimed to create more lifelike environments and enemy behaviour . The 3D engine - created by the Road Rash 3DO team - used satellite images of real topography , imposed on polygonal maps . It also modified the preceding isometric viewpoint - which caused buildings to obstruct the player 's view - to an overhead perspective with which the player could move and see over terrain and structures . Unlike some of its predecessors , Soviet Strike features only a helicopter - albeit with power @-@ ups in some levels - and the team also abandoned the unpopular on @-@ foot levels found in Urban Strike . The developers aimed to include more humour in the game , with other additions being voice @-@ overs and full motion video . The later Saturn version featured a number of changes : an optional easy difficulty setting ( providing the player with twice the fire @-@ power and slower fuel consumption ) , adjustable brightness on the heads @-@ up display ; two hidden powerful weapons ; hundreds of bug fixes from the PlayStation version ; extra sound effects added to helicopters ; improvements to the graphics of control and menu screens and compass ; stereo and mono versions ; cow sound effects ; and more improvised fuel added to level 4 . It was also compatible with the Saturn 's then @-@ recent analogue controllers . The game was followed by a further sequel , Nuclear Strike , released for the PlayStation in late 1997 . = = Reception = = Reviewers said the terrain graphics were " realistic " , " nearly photo @-@ realistic " , " photo @-@ realistic " and " Superb " . Others called them " gorgeous " . Reviewing the Saturn version , GameFan said the terrain " looks amazing " . Next Generation said : " the game makes a giant leap forward in terms of the environment " but called the explosions " average " , while those of the Saturn version impressed reviewers . GamePro said the " explosions are satisfying eye @-@ candy " . Jeff Gerstmann said the vehicles " look good " , while another reviewer called the structures " highly realistic " . Next Generation felt the structures and vehicles together with the terrain formed an " impressive " environment . The magazine felt the animation to be " average " ; Gerstmann called it " choppy " but overall felt the graphics an improvement over the game 's predecessors on older systems . GameFan 's Saturn review summarised the graphics as " first @-@ rate " , while Russian magazine Great Drakon also praised them . Critics called the full motion video " stylish " , and praised the acting . Gerstmann said the FMV had " some of the best CD @-@ ROM acting seen in a long time " and called it the game 's " only real plus " . Edge noted the new video but felt it was " over @-@ the @-@ top " and intrusive , while others disagreed . GamePro compared the FMV to Desert Storm if reported by MTV , saying its " hip new attitude " was " part of the charm " , while another critic said the sequences " spice up the proceedings a fair bit " . Great Drakon also praised the FMV . Reviewing the Saturn version , GameFan noted a poorer quality of FMV than the PlayStation version . Gerstmann felt the sound to be " dull " , while Next Generation called it " exemplary " . Others praised the quality of the gunfire sound effects , and noted humour in the enemy troops ' utterances . Gerstmann noted " a raw collection of messy operations " , while Edge praised the game 's " inventiveness " - saying it " makes Soviet Strike " - as well as the variety added by the games artificial intelligence . The magazine also felt that while the collecting of supplies added strategy to the action , the limited amount restricted the paths the player might take through the level . Another critic said the " real @-@ time , living battlefield enhances the urgency of the missions and the player 's involvement " and also noted " practically no load time . " GameFan complained of a high difficulty and a steep curve , long levels which return the player to the beginning should he die , infrequent opportunities to repair armour and the enemies ' tendency to attack the player from beyond his limited viewpoint , and was thankful for the Saturn version 's optional easier difficulty setting . Next Generation also criticised the player 's restricted view , calling it the game 's " worst problem " . One reviewer said revisiting levels to discover missed set pieces aided the game 's longevity ; Sega Saturn Magazine had " some reservations " about the game 's replay @-@ value , with only 5 missions , but said it was " very playable and enjoyable " , while another reviewer called it " a load of fun " . Gerstmann criticised the poor scrolling , erratic motion and imprecise control , Great Drakon praised the controls , while GameFan noted they had improved in the Saturn version . The reviewer also enjoyed this version 's new weaponry . Another reviewer pointed to some " minor flaws " , saying the HUD " smacks of 16 @-@ bit era graphics " ; The game impressed Great Drakon 's reviewer , who praised the attention to detail and the reviewer found the story convincing . IGN said : " Everything about this game is great . Excuse me for gushing , but when you come across a game that 's as fun to play as Soviet Strike , and great looking , you really sit up and take notice . " Gerstmann called the quality FMV " a small victory in a larger conflict " , saying the game had " too many little problems to recommend it " and that it " simply doesn 't play as well as the old 16 @-@ bit Strike games . " Sega Saturn Magazine called it a " worthy addition " to the series and also noted improvements to the Saturn version . GameFan said the game " is everything you could wish for from a 32bit Strike " and that " it plays brilliantly , and exercises both your trigger finger and grey matter . " The magazine later reflected that the Saturn version was somewhat better but nevertheless very similar to the PlayStation original . It recommended the game to Strike fans but felt it would be an " in at the deep end " introduction for newcomers to the series . Edge summarised : " this is a fairly well @-@ engineered continuation of the four @-@ year @-@ old Strike series " , which retains the gameplay of the original but updates the graphics to true 3D . GamePro felt the game might be too slow for fans of faster paced action games , but recommended it for players of previous instalments in the series . Allgame later felt : " The series peaked with the release of Soviet Strike . "
= Climate of south @-@ west England = The climate of south @-@ west England is classed as oceanic ( Cfb ) according to the Köppen climate classification . The oceanic climate is typified by cool winters with warmer summers and precipitation all year round , with more experienced in winter . Annual rainfall is about 1 @,@ 000 millimetres ( 39 in ) and up to 2 @,@ 000 millimetres ( 79 in ) on higher ground . Summer maxima averages range from 18 ° C ( 64 ° F ) to 22 ° C ( 72 ° F ) and winter minima averages range from 1 ° C ( 34 ° F ) to 4 ° C ( 39 ° F ) across the south @-@ west . It is the second windiest area of the United Kingdom , the majority of winds coming from the south @-@ west and north @-@ east . Government organisations predict the area will experience a rise in temperature and become the hottest region in the United Kingdom . Inland areas of low altitude experience the least amount of precipitation . They have the highest summer maxima temperatures , but winter minima are lower than those of the coast . Snowfalls are more frequent in comparison to the coast , but less so in comparison to higher ground . They experience the lowest wind speeds and the total sunshine hours are between those of the coast and the moors . This typical climate of inland areas is more noticeable the further north @-@ east into the region . In comparison to inland areas , the coast experiences high minimum temperatures , especially in winter , and slightly lower maximum temperatures during the summer . Rainfall is lowest at the coast and snowfall there is rarer than the rest of the region . Coastal areas are the windiest parts of the peninsula and they receive the most sunshine . The general coastal climate becomes more prevalent further south @-@ west into the region . The south @-@ west has areas of moorland inland such as Bodmin Moor , Dartmoor and Exmoor . Because of their high altitude they experience lower temperatures and more precipitation than the rest of the south west ( approximately twice as much rainfall as lowland areas ) . Both of these factors also result in the highest levels of snowfall and the lowest levels of sunshine . Exposed areas of the moors are windier than the lowlands and can be almost as windy as the coast . = = Definition = = Information in this article relates to the Met Office definition of south @-@ west England , which covers Cornwall , Devon , Somerset , North Somerset , Bath and North East Somerset , South Gloucestershire , the City of Bristol and the Isles of Scilly . This is a smaller area than the UK Government 's South West England region , which also covers Gloucestershire , Wiltshire and Dorset . The region is also sometimes loosely described as the West Country . = = Temperature = = The south @-@ west experiences a seasonal temperature variation , although it is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom . This is because the sea is in closer proximity to inland areas of the south @-@ west than inland areas of most of the United Kingdom and the sea has less seasonal temperature variance . The sea is coldest between February and March ; as a result Cornwall and Devon are coldest in February with daily minima ranging from 1 @.@ 5 ° C ( 34 @.@ 7 ° F ) in inland Devon to 5 ° C ( 41 ° F ) on the Isles of Scilly . The sea has less influence towards the north @-@ east of the region , causing January to be the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures from 1 ° C ( 34 ° F ) or 2 ° C ( 36 ° F ) . In the months of July and August ( the hottest part of the year ) daily maxima range from about 19 ° C ( 66 ° F ) on the coast of Cornwall to 21 ° C ( 70 ° F ) across inland areas of the north @-@ east ( Somerset and North Somerset ) . The sea surrounding the south @-@ west peninsula has the highest annual mean temperature of any sea in the United Kingdom , with a temperature close to 11 ° C ( 52 ° F ) — 12 ° C ( 54 ° F ) . Coastal areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly experience annual mean temperatures similar to that of the sea as the prevailing wind is from the sea . Towards the north @-@ east of the region , the annual mean temperature decreases and is closer to 10 ° C / 15 ° F The sea 's influence on annual temperature range is highest in west Cornwall , where the range is approximately 9 ° C / 14 ° F. In the north @-@ east of the region , the range is approximately 12 ° C / 22 ° F. Inland areas are affected by their altitude : the mean temperature decreases as altitude increases . Princetown on Dartmoor , with an altitude of 414 metres ( 1 @,@ 358 ft ) , has a mean temperature of 8 ° C ( 46 ° F ) . The sea 's influence in the south @-@ west usually prevents cold temperatures , however temperatures can plummet during periods of cold easterly air flow : all of which have been recorded in January . In 1987 the minimum temperature recorded at St Mawgan , Cornwall was − 9 ° C ( 16 ° F ) and − 7 @.@ 2 ° C ( 19 @.@ 0 ° F ) was noted on the Isles of Scilly . Inland areas have experienced even colder conditions with − 15 ° C ( 5 ° F ) at Exeter International Airport , Devon in 1958 and at Bastreet , Cornwall in 1979 . Further to the north @-@ east of the region , temperatures reached − 16 @.@ 1 ° C ( 3 @.@ 0 ° F ) in Yeovilton , Somerset in 1982 . Extremely high temperatures ( heat waves ) are rare in the south @-@ west . Their occurrence is caused by south @-@ easterly air flow that blows hot air from mainland Europe , combined with strong summer sunshine . The hottest recorded temperature in the south west is 35 @.@ 4 ° C ( 95 @.@ 7 ° F ) , on 3 August 1990 , at Saunton Sands , Devon . = = Sunshine = = Average annual sunshine totals rise above 1 @,@ 600 hours along the coast — higher totals are recorded on the region 's southern coast at the English Channel than on its northern coast along the Bristol Channel . 1 @,@ 400 – 1 @,@ 600 hours of annual sunshine are to be expected in inland areas of the south west . In June 1925 , the highest monthly sunshine totals were recorded : 381 @.@ 7 hours at Pendennis Point , Cornwall and 334 @.@ 8 hours at Long Ashton , Somerset . During the winter months , which are the dullest , less than 20 hours of monthly sunshine have occasionally been recorded . In December 1998 there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton . In general , June is the sunniest month , because the days are at their longest , and December is the dullest . The Azores high pressure system affects the south @-@ west of England as it extends north @-@ eastwards towards the British Isles . The Azores is more influential in summer . The high pressure reduces cloud cover through the process of subsidence . In spring and summer , the sea is cool compared to the air temperature , causing less convective cloud cover . The convective cloud forms more frequently inland , especially on higher ground such as Dartmoor , Exmoor and Bodmin Moor , thus reducing the amount of sunshine . Coastal areas of the south @-@ west have more hours of sunshine . = = Rainfall = = Most of the rainfall in the south @-@ west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection . Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions , which is when they are most active . In summer , a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms . The Isles of Scilly have annual rainfall totals of about 850 – 900 mm ( 33 – 35 in ) . Coastal areas of Cornwall and Devon typically receive 900 – 1 @,@ 000 mm ( 35 – 39 in ) of rainfall annually . The altitude increases the amount of rainfall . Highland areas are cooler , causing moist air to cool below the dew point as it rises over high ground forming clouds and then rain . Princetown is 23 kilometres ( 14 mi ) from Plymouth and 403 metres ( 1 @,@ 322 ft ) higher , and has double the rainfall . Areas that fall in the rain shadows ( lees ) of higher ground have lower levels of rainfall : 800 mm ( 31 in ) near Exeter ( east of Dartmoor ) and 700 mm ( 28 in ) in parts of central Somerset ( east of Exmoor ) . The Mendip Hills , to the north @-@ east of the region , receive over 1 @,@ 100 mm ( 43 in ) per year and the Bath @-@ Bristol area receives around 800 – 900 mm ( 31 – 35 in ) . The sea reaches its highest temperature in late summer / autumn and its lowest in late winter / spring . As a result , the highest rainfall can be expected in autumn and lowest in spring . The months with the most rainfall are in autumn and winter . Monthly rainfall can be variable . On the coast , most months have recorded less than 20 millimetres ( 0 @.@ 79 in ) and , some months , less than 10 millimetres ( 0 @.@ 39 in ) at some point . The wettest station of the region , Princetown , has recorded 7 millimetres ( 0 @.@ 28 in ) of rain during May . The number of days with at least 1 millimetre ( 0 @.@ 039 in ) of rainfall correlates to the pattern of quantity of rainfall . In late spring / summer , 9 – 10 days per month recorded rain in coastal areas , 7 – 9 days in the north @-@ east and 12 – 13 days at high altitude ( Princetown ) . In winter these values increase to 15 – 16 on the coast , 12 – 13 in the north @-@ east and over 18 days in high altitude . Very heavy rainfall- — spanning 5 – 15 hours — -is rare in the south @-@ west . Such incidences include the Lynmouth disaster of 15 August 1952 , caused by 228 millimetres ( 9 @.@ 0 in ) of rainfall falling locally on Exmoor over 12 hours . Also , on 8 June 1957 , 203 millimetres ( 8 @.@ 0 in ) fell at Camelford , Cornwall and in June 1917 , 243 millimetres ( 9 @.@ 6 in ) fell in 13 hours in Bruton , Somerset . The north @-@ Cornish village of Boscastle was flooded on 16 August 2004 ; a peak hourly rainfall of 80 millimetres ( 3 @.@ 1 in ) was recorded . Approximately 100 people had to be rescued by helicopter and 116 cars were swept out to sea . From December 2013 onwards the Somerset Levels suffered severe flooding as part of the wider winter storms of 2013 – 14 in the United Kingdom . The Levels are a low @-@ lying area around 10 to 12 feet ( 3 to 4 m ) above mean sea level ( O.D. ) which have been prone to flooding from fresh water and occasional salt water inundations . People have attempted to drain the area for hundreds of years . During December 2013 and January 2014 heavy rainfall led to extensive flooding with over 600 houses and 17 @,@ 000 acres ( 6 @,@ 900 ha ) of agricultural land , including North Moor , Curry and Hay Moors and Greylake , affected . The village of Thorney was abandoned and Muchelney cut off . = = Snowfall = = Snowfall normally occurs between November and April and short snowfalls can occur between October and May on higher ground . The snow usually only settles between the months of December and March . Snow rarely falls when temperatures are greater than 4 ° C ( 39 ° F ) and for snow to settle temperatures must normally be lower than 4 ° C ( 39 ° F ) . In the south @-@ west the number of days of snowfall increases with altitude : per approximately every 100 m ( 330 ft ) increase in altitude , the number of days of snow falling increases by five days . From 1979 to 2000 , on average there were fewer than 10 days per winter in which snow fell in the islands of the south @-@ west and the coastal areas of Devon and Cornwall , and slightly more than 10 days on average near to the Severn Estuary . Inland areas received between 8 – 15 days of snow falling ; more days of snow fall were noted particularly to the north @-@ east . Some upland areas received , on average , over 25 days per year of snow falling . Similarly to the ratio of days of snow falling to altitude , the number of days in which snow settles on the ground increases by five days per every 100 m ( 330 ft ) increase in altitude . In the south @-@ west , it is rare that snow settles on the ground . From 1979 to 2000 on average , lowland areas did not record any lying snow in one out of every three years . During this period , snow settled , on average , fewer than three days per year across the Isles of Scilly and on the coasts of Devon and Cornwall . Inland areas had an average of 5 – 10 days of snow lying per year and , as with the days of snow falling ; this was higher towards the north @-@ east of the region . More than 20 days of snow lying can be expected on the high grounds of Dartmoor and Exmoor . The south @-@ west , although the mildest region of the British Isles , has been affected by some of the most severe blizzards . Blizzards are a rare occurrence in the United Kingdom , but can occur when especially cold easterly winds from the continent meet an Atlantic depression , causing a prolonged snowstorm and high winds . This occurred in February 1978 , when 50 cm ( 20 in ) of snow accumulated in inland Devon and 90 cm ( 35 in ) on Dartmoor and Exmoor , causing by − 2 ° C ( 28 ° F ) winds at 25 knots ( 46 km / h ; 29 mph ) . In January 1982 , snow drifts were 1 m ( 3 ft 3 in ) deep around the Bristol area . Convective showers on 12 January 1987 left parts of Cornwall with deep snow : 35 cm ( 14 in ) at Falmouth , 39 cm ( 15 in ) Penzance and 23 cm ( 9 @.@ 1 in ) on the Isles of Scilly . = = Wind = = The south @-@ west is the second most exposed area of the United Kingdom ; second to western Scotland . The strong winds are caused by deep depressions across or close to the British Isles . Winds are stronger in the winter @-@ half year , as the depressions ' strength and frequency increase . The lightest mean wind speeds are in summer . The speed of peak gusts and mean wind speed follow a similar pattern throughout the year . Mean wind speeds are generally lower to the north @-@ east of the region and in inland areas . Yeovilton , lowland Somerset , has a mean wind speed that is two thirds that of St. Mawgan in coastal Cornwall . An increase in altitude in inland areas generally increases the mean wind speed ; similar wind speeds are recorded on the highest parts of Exmoor and Dartmoor as on the coast . The majority , and the strongest , of the winds are from the south @-@ west and north @-@ east as Atlantic depressions pass from west to east over the United Kingdom . When an Atlantic depression reaches the United Kingdom , winds usually blow from the south or south @-@ west , and they change to west or north @-@ west when the depression leaves . If a depression passes along the English Channel , strong winds can occur from the east or north @-@ east . Due to anticyclogenesis over Scandinavia , the majority of winds in Spring are from the north @-@ east . Coastal areas of the south @-@ west usually experience calm or very light winds that do not have a classifiable wind direction less than 6 % of the time ; this figure is 15 % in the north @-@ east and inland areas . Islands and exposed headlands have the highest number of days per year of gale @-@ force winds ( averaged out over ten consecutive minutes ) . A gale @-@ force wind is defined as being at least 34 knots ( 63 km / h ; 39 mph ) , which is 8 on the modern Beaufort scale . Gales are recorded approximately 24 days per year in the Isles of Scilly and coastal Cornwall . Further north @-@ east and further inland , the number of days decreases . Plymouth , coastal Devon , receives 16 days ; Yeovilton , Somerset , receives seven ; and Long Ashton , north @-@ west Somerset , receives four . Wind speeds can vary on local topography : wooded or urban areas sheltered by hills receive fewer days of gales and lower wind speeds . On 15 December 1979 , there were gusts of 91 knots ( 169 km / h ; 105 mph ) at Lizard Point , Cornwall 99 knots ( 183 km / h ; 114 mph ) at St Mary 's , Isles of Scilly and 103 knots ( 191 km / h ; 119 mph ) at Gwennap Head , Cornwall . Widespread winds from the Burns ' Day storm on 25 January 1990 overturned vehicles and damaged buildings . It caused the highest wind speed during the 1971 – 2001 period to be recorded in two stations : 84 knots ( 156 km / h ; 97 mph ) at Plymouth and 85 knots ( 157 km / h ; 98 mph ) at St Mawgan . 79 knots ( 146 km / h ; 91 mph ) was recorded on top of a building in Bristol as well as 74 knots ( 137 km / h ; 85 mph ) at Exeter International Airport and 68 knots ( 126 km / h ; 78 mph ) at Yeovilton . At Plymouth , the maximum hourly mean speed was 60 knots ( 110 km / h ; 69 mph ) and at Yeovilton , 45 knots ( 83 km / h ; 52 mph ) . The Bristol Channel floods on 30 January 1607 apparently caused " many thousand " deaths and may have destroyed several small harbours . The cause of it is disputed to be either a European windstorm or a tsunami . = = Future = = According to a study by the Met Office , within 40 years the average temperature is likely to increase by 2 ° C ( 4 ° F ) in the south @-@ west and the average warmest summer day will increase by 3 ° C ( 6 ° F ) to be 31 ° C ( 88 ° F ) . It predicts that the region will have one of the highest annual temperatures in the United Kingdom and there will be an estimated 53 millimetres ( 2 @.@ 1 in ) increase in winter precipitation . The rise in temperature could lead to outdoor citrus cultivation being possible . Sea level rises could cause spring tides to rise over many of the region 's harbour walls and an increase in sea level by about 40 centimetres ( 16 in ) at Newlyn . Following the announcement , the government of the United Kingdom called on the local authorities and other organisation to prepare for the consequences . All major government investments will have to consider the risks as a result of future climate change . A report from the Environment Agency said that , over the next 25 years , investment would need to double for the building and upkeep of flood defences in order to maintain the current levels of flood protection and counter the effects of climate change . Flooding from rivers and the sea currently puts 65 @,@ 369 properties at risk in Devon and Cornwall , 29 @,@ 577 of which are at " significant risk " . Current flood defence schemes protect some of these properties from flooding . Richard Cresswell , the regional director for the Environment Agency in the south west , said : " The latest UK climate change data shows that the risk of flooding and coastal erosion will continue to increase in future due to rising sea levels and more frequent and heavy storms . " £ 357 million on flood risk management in Cornwall , Devon , Dorset , Somerset , South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire has been spent since 2002 , which includes spending continuing into 2009 / 10 . Rising sea levels are likely to cause more flooding on the Somerset Levels . Since 1990 the drainage board has been charged with looking at the rhynes , cleaning them out and keeping them clear , with the Environment Agency overseeing the work . With rising sea levels the work required to maintain the current sea defences is likely to become more expensive and it has been proposed by Ian Liddell @-@ Grainger ( Bridgwater @-@ MP ) , that two inland seas are created . = = Climate charts = =
= HMS Ajax ( 1880 ) = HMS Ajax was the name ship of her class of ironclad battleships built for the Royal Navy during the 1870s . Completed in 1883 , she was immediately placed in reserve until 1885 when the ship was commissioned for the first time . Later that year , Ajax was assigned as a coast guard ship in Scotland and remained there for the next six years . She was reduced to reserve again in 1891 and was taken out of service a decade later . The ship was sold for scrap in 1904 and subsequently broken up . = = Design and description = = The Ajax class was designed as a shallow @-@ draught version of the preceding Inflexible that was also smaller and cheaper ; unfortunately the need , imposed by budgetary constraints , to produce a smaller ship produced a vessel with all of the shortcomings of Inflexible but with none of her virtues . The ships had a length between perpendiculars of 280 feet ( 85 @.@ 3 m ) and were 300 feet 9 inches ( 91 @.@ 7 m ) long overall , some 44 feet ( 13 @.@ 4 m ) shorter than Inflexible . They had a beam of 66 feet ( 20 @.@ 1 m ) , and a draught of 23 feet 6 inches ( 7 @.@ 2 m ) and displaced 8 @,@ 510 long tons ( 8 @,@ 650 t ) . Their crew consisted of 345 officers and ratings , over 3 @,@ 000 long tons ( 3 @,@ 048 t ) less than Inflexible . The Ajax @-@ class ships were bad seaboats and steered very erratically , especially at high speed . More deadwood was added to their sterns in 1886 in a partially successful attempt to rectify the problem . The Ajax class was powered by a pair of inverted , vertical , compound @-@ expansion steam engines . These were built by John Penn and Sons and each drove a single propeller using steam provided by 10 cylindrical boilers . The engines were designed to produce a total of 6 @,@ 000 indicated horsepower ( 4 @,@ 500 kW ) for a speed of 13 knots ( 24 km / h ; 15 mph ) . The ships carried a maximum of 970 long tons ( 986 t ) of coal , enough to steam 2 @,@ 100 nautical miles ( 3 @,@ 900 km ; 2 @,@ 400 mi ) at 9 knots ( 17 km / h ; 10 mph ) . They copied the main armament layout of Inflexible with their turrets arranged en echelon so that both turrets could directly ahead and to each side , although this was more theoretical than practical due to damage from muzzle blast . Each turret mounted a pair of rifled muzzle @-@ loading RML 12 @.@ 5 @-@ inch ( 318 mm ) guns . Their shells weighed 809 pounds ( 367 @.@ 0 kg ) while the gun itself weighed 38 long tons ( 39 t ) . The guns had a muzzle velocity of 1 @,@ 575 ft / s ( 480 m / s ) and were credited with the ability to penetrate a nominal 18 @.@ 4 inches ( 470 mm ) of wrought iron armour at the muzzle . To attack the unarmoured portion of their opponents , the Ajax class was fitted with a pair of rifled breech @-@ loading BL 6 @-@ inch ( 152 mm ) , 80 @-@ pounder guns . For defence against torpedo boats , they carried six quick @-@ firing QF 6 @-@ pdr ( 2 @.@ 2 in ( 57 mm ) ) Nordenfelt guns . The ships also mounted a pair of above @-@ water 14 @-@ inch ( 356 mm ) torpedo launchers and could carry a 60 @-@ foot ( 18 @.@ 3 m ) torpedo boat . The Ajax class copied Inflexible 's armour scheme of a heavily armoured citadel with unamoured ends and sides . But unlike their predecessor , they lacked enough buoyancy to remain afloat if their ends were flooded . The citadel was 104 feet ( 32 m ) and the armour was composed of wrought iron plates 10 inches ( 254 mm ) and 8 inches ( 203 mm ) thick , separated and backed by 10 inches of teak at the waterline , reducing above and below the waterline to an armoured thickness of 15 inches ( 381 @.@ 0 mm ) in a similar sandwich . The citadel was closed off by fore and aft transverse bulkheads that were 16 @.@ 5 inches ( 419 mm ) thick above water and 13 @.@ 5 inches ( 343 mm ) below . The armoured deck was 3 inches ( 76 mm ) thick from bow to stern . The turrets were protected by compound armour plates 16 to 14 inches ( 406 to 356 mm ) thick and 12 @-@ inch ( 305 mm ) plates defended the conning tower . = = Construction and career = = Ajax , the fourth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy , was named for the mythological hero . The ship was laid down on 21 March 1876 in No. 4 Slipway , Pembroke Dockyard , Wales , and was launched on 10 March 1880 by Mrs. George Parkin , wife of the dockyard 's Captain @-@ Superintendent . She was completed on 30 March 1883 at a cost of £ 548 @,@ 393 . Ajax was not commissioned until 30 April 1885 and was assigned to the Particular Service Squadron commanded by Admiral Geoffrey Hornby . That summer , the squadron evaluated the weapons and defences of a fortified harbour , Berehaven ( now Castletownbere ) , Ireland , against torpedo boats and other threats . In August 1885 , when tensions with Russia had subsided , she was posted as guard ship at Greenock . Ajax accidentally collided with the turret ship Devastation in 1887 off Portland . The latter had one compartment below water holed , but Ajax only received two holes in her bow . The ship participated in the annual manoeuvres in August 1889 and a shell exploded in one of her 12 @.@ 5 @-@ inch gun barrels on 2 September , wounding one man . The ship was reduced to reserve at Chatham Dockyard in 1891 . Her BL six @-@ inch , 80 @-@ pounder guns were replaced by QF six @-@ inch guns in 1897 . She was further reduced to Dockyard Reserve in November 1901 , and was sold to Castles for scrap in March 1904 and subsequently broken up at Charlton .
= Atlantic torpedo = Tetronarce nobiliana also known as the Atlantic torpedo is a species of electric ray in the family Torpedinidae . It is found in the Atlantic Ocean , from Nova Scotia to Brazil in the west and from Scotland to West Africa and off southern Africa in the east , occurring at depths of up to 800 m ( 2 @,@ 600 ft ) . Younger individuals generally inhabit shallower , sandy or muddy habitats , whereas adults are more pelagic in nature and frequent open water . Up to 1 @.@ 8 m ( 6 ft ) long and weighing 90 kg ( 200 lb ) , the Atlantic torpedo is the largest known electric ray . Like other members of its genus , it has an almost circular pectoral fin disk with a nearly straight leading margin , and a robust tail with a large triangular caudal fin . Distinctive characteristics include its uniform dark color , smooth @-@ rimmed spiracles ( paired respiratory openings behind the eyes ) , and two dorsal fins of unequal size . Solitary and nocturnal , the Atlantic torpedo is capable of generating up to 220 volts of electricity to subdue its prey or defend itself against predators . Its diet consists mainly of bony fishes , though it also feeds on small sharks and crustaceans . It is an aplacental viviparous species , wherein the developing embryos are nourished by yolk and later maternally provided histotroph ( " uterine milk " ) . Females give birth to up to 60 young following a gestation period of one year . The electric shock of this species can be quite severe and painful , though it is not fatal . Because of its electrogenic properties , the Atlantic torpedo was used in medicine by the Ancient Greeks and Romans and became the namesake of the naval weapon . Prior to the 19th century , its liver oil was used as lamp fuel , but it is no longer of any economic value . The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) has listed this species as Data Deficient ; it is caught unintentionally by commercial and recreational fishers , but the impact of these activities on its population is unknown . = = Taxonomy = = The first scientific description of the Atlantic torpedo was published in 1835 by French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte , in his principal work Iconografia della Fauna Italica . Sixteen specimens were designated as the syntypes . The assignment of the southern African " great torpedo " to this species is provisional . Another type of electric ray found in the Indian Ocean off Mozambique may also belong to T. nobiliana . The Atlantic torpedo is placed in the subgenus Tetronarce , which differs from the other Torpedo subgenus Torpedo in having generally plain coloration and smooth @-@ margined spiracles . Other common names include Atlantic electric ray , Atlantic New British torpedo , black torpedo , crampfish , electric ray , numbfish , or torpedo . This species is placed in the genus Tetronarce . = = Description = = The Atlantic torpedo has a nearly circular pectoral fin disc 1 @.@ 2 times as wide as it is long , with a thick and nearly straight front margin . The eyes are small and are followed by much larger spiracles , which do not have papillae on their inner rims . The nostrils are close to the mouth ; there is a flap of skin between them three times as wide as long , with a sinuous rear margin . The mouth is wide and arched , with prominent furrows at the corners . The teeth are pointed and increase in number with age , ranging from 38 rows in juveniles to 66 rows in adults ; the first several series of teeth are functional . The gill slits are small , with the first and fifth pairs shorter than the others . The pelvic fins are rounded and slightly overlapped by the disc at the front . The first dorsal fin is triangular with a rounded apex , originating in front of the pelvic fin insertions . The second dorsal fin is only one @-@ half to two @-@ thirds as large as the first ; the distance between the dorsal fins is less than the length of the first dorsal fin base . The stout tail comprises about one @-@ third of the total length , terminating in a caudal fin shaped like an equilateral triangle with slightly convex margins . The skin is soft and completely devoid of dermal denticles ( scales ) . The dorsal coloration is a plain dark brown to gray , sometimes with a few diffuse spots , and darkening at the fin margins . The underside is white , with dark fin margins . The largest of the electric rays , the Atlantic torpedo can measure 1 @.@ 8 m ( 6 ft ) long and weigh 90 kg ( 200 lb ) . However , a length of 0 @.@ 6 – 1 @.@ 5 m ( 2 @.@ 0 – 4 @.@ 9 ft ) and weight of 30 lb ( 14 kg ) is more typical . Females attain a larger size than males . = = Distribution and habitat = = The Atlantic torpedo is widely distributed in cool waters on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean . In the east , it is found from northern Scotland to the Gulf of Guinea , including the entire Mediterranean Sea ( but not the Black Sea ) , the Azores , and Madeira , as well as from Namibia to western South Africa . In the west , it occurs from southern Nova Scotia to Venezuela and Brazil . It is rare in the North Sea and the Mediterranean and south of North Carolina . Juvenile Atlantic torpedoes are primarily bottom @-@ dwelling and usually found at depths of 10 – 50 m ( 33 – 164 ft ) over sandy or muddy flats , or near coral reefs . As they mature , they become more pelagic in habits , and adults are often encountered swimming in the open ocean . This species has been recorded from the surface to a depth of 800 m ( 2 @,@ 600 ft ) ; in the Mediterranean , it is most common at depths of 200 – 500 m ( 660 – 1 @,@ 640 ft ) . It is said to make long migratory movements . = = Biology and ecology = = Like other members of its family , the Atlantic torpedo is capable of generating a powerful electric shock from a pair of kidney @-@ shaped electric organs in its disc , for both attack and defense . These organs comprise one @-@ sixth of the ray 's total weight and contain around half a million jelly @-@ filled " electric plates " arranged in an average of 1 @,@ 025 – 1 @,@ 083 vertical hexagonal columns ( visible beneath the skin ) . These columns essentially act as batteries connected in parallel , enabling a large Atlantic torpedo to produce up to a kilowatt of electricity at 170 – 220 volts , provided that it is well @-@ fed and rested . The discharges from the electric organ occur in a series , or train , of closely spaced pulses each lasting around 0 @.@ 03 seconds . Trains contain on average 12 pulses , but trains of over 100 pulses have been recorded . The ray regularly emits pulses even without an obvious external stimulus . Solitary in nature , the Atlantic torpedo is often seen resting on or half @-@ buried in the substrate during the day , becoming more active at night . Large and well @-@ defended from attack , it seldom falls prey to other animals . Known parasites of the Atlantic torpedo include the tapeworms Calyptrobothrium occidentale and C. minus , Grillotia microthrix , Monorygma sp . , and Phyllobothrium gracile , the monogeneans Amphibdella flabolineata and Amphibdelloides maccallumi , and the copepod Eudactylina rachelae . Some accounts suggest that this ray may be able to survive out of water for up to a day . = = = Feeding = = = The diet of the Atlantic torpedo consists mainly of bony fishes , including flatfishes , salmon , eels , and mullet , though it has also been known to take small catsharks and crustaceans . Captive rays have been observed lying still on the bottom and " pouncing " on fish that pass in front of them . At the moment of contact , the ray traps the prey against its body or the bottom by curling its pectoral fin disc around it , while delivering strong electric shocks . This strategy allows the sluggish ray to capture relatively fast @-@ moving fish . Once subdued , the prey is maneuvered to the mouth with rippling motions of the disc and swallowed whole , head @-@ first . The ray 's highly distensible jaws allow surprisingly large prey to be ingested : an intact salmon weighing 2 kg ( 4 lb ) has been found in the stomach of one individual , and another contained a summer flounder ( Paralichthys dentatus ) 37 cm ( 15 in ) long . This ray has been known to kill fish much larger than it can eat . = = = Life history = = = The Atlantic torpedo is aplacental viviparous : the developing embryos are sustained by yolk , which is later supplemented by protein and fat @-@ enriched histotroph ( " uterine milk " ) produced by the mother . Females have two functional ovaries and uteruses , and a possibly biennial reproductive cycle . After a year @-@ long gestation period , females bear up to 60 pups during the summer ; the litter size increases with the size of the female . When the embryo is 14 cm ( 5 @.@ 5 in ) long , it has a pair of deep notches at the front of the disc marking the origin of the pectoral fins , and the curtain of skin between the nostrils has not yet developed ; on the other hand , the eyes , spiracles , dorsal fins , and tail have reached adult proportions . Newborn rays measure 17 – 25 cm ( 6 @.@ 7 – 9 @.@ 8 in ) long , and still have the anterior notches in the disc . Males and females reach sexual maturity at lengths of 55 cm ( 22 in ) and 90 cm ( 35 in ) respectively . = = Human interactions = = Though seldom life @-@ threatening , the electric discharge of an Atlantic torpedo is quite severe and may be enough to knock a person unconscious . However , a greater danger to divers is the disorientation that follows the shock . The Atlantic torpedo is of no commercial value , as its meat is flabby and tasteless . It is caught incidentally by commercial and recreational fisheries in bottom trawls and on hook @-@ and @-@ line . When caught at sea , it is generally discarded or cut up for bait . The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) does not yet have enough data to assess the Atlantic torpedo beyond Data Deficient ; it could be negatively affected by fishing mortality , though specific data on catch rates and population trends are lacking , as well as by the degradation of coral reefs that are important to juveniles . Its slow reproductive rate would limit its capacity to recover from population depletion . Various electric fishes , including the Atlantic torpedo , were used in medicine during the classical era . In the 1st century , Roman physician Scribonius Largus wrote of the application of live " dark torpedo " to patients afflicted with gout or chronic headaches . In 1800 , the Atlantic torpedo became the namesake for the naval weapon when American inventor Robert Fulton began using the word " torpedo " to describe bombs that submarines could attach to ships ( although these early devices were more akin to modern @-@ day mines ) . Before the widespread introduction of kerosene in the 19th century , the liver oil of this species was regarded as of equal quality to sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus ) oil for use in lamps . Before the 1950s , its oil was also used in small quantities by fishermen in the United States as a treatment for muscle and stomach cramps , as well as to lubricate farm machinery . Along with several other species of electric rays , the Atlantic torpedo is used as a model organism in biomedical research because its electric organs are rich in acetylcholine receptor proteins . These proteins play an important role in mediating many neurological processes , such as those involved in the functioning of anesthesia .
= Afrasia djijidae = Afrasia djijidae is a fossil primate that lived in Myanmar approximately 37 million years ago , during the late middle Eocene . The only species in the genus Afrasia , it was a small primate , estimated to weigh around 100 grams ( 3 @.@ 5 oz ) . Despite the significant geographic distance between them , Afrasia is thought to be closely related to Afrotarsius , an enigmatic fossil found in Libya and Egypt that dates to 38 – 39 million years ago . If this relationship is correct , it suggests that early simians ( a related group or clade consisting of monkeys , apes , and humans ) dispersed from Asia to Africa during the middle Eocene and would add further support to the hypothesis that the first simians evolved in Asia , not Africa . Neither Afrasia nor Afrotarsius , which together form the family Afrotarsiidae , is considered ancestral to living simians , but they are part of a side branch or stem group known as eosimiiforms . Because they did not give rise to the stem simians that are known from the same deposits in Africa , early Asian simians are thought to have dispersed from Asia to Africa more than once prior to the late middle Eocene . Such dispersals from Asia to Africa also were seen around the same time in other mammalian groups , including hystricognathous rodents and anthracotheres . Afrasia is known from four isolated molar teeth found in the Pondaung Formation of Myanmar . These teeth are similar to those of Afrotarsius and Eosimiidae , and differ only in details of the chewing surface . For example , the back part of the third lower molar is relatively well @-@ developed . In the Pondaung Formation , Afrasia was part of a diverse primate community that also includes the eosimiid Bahinia and members of the families Amphipithecidae and Sivaladapidae . = = Etymology = = The name Afrasia derives from the continental names " Africa " and " Asia " , and refers to the occurrence of eosimiiform primates on both continents . The species , A. djijidae , was named in memory of a young girl from Mogaung village in central Myanmar . = = Evolutionary history = = Afrasia djijidae was first described in 2012 on the basis of isolated teeth from the 37 @-@ million @-@ year @-@ old Pondaung Formation , which is close to the village of Nyaungpinle in Myanmar . Prior to the discovery of A. djijidae , early Asian simians were typically classified in two families , Eosimiidae and Amphipithecidae . While eosimiids are generally considered the most basal simian clade ( a stem group of simians ) , the phylogenetic placement of amphipithecids is more disputed . Amphipithecids are usually considered to share affinities with either eosimiids or crown simians ( those simians that are part of the smallest clade that contains the living simians ) ; the latter view is favored . Eosimiids were first described from findings in China in 1994 and are still best known there ( two genera are now known , Eosimias and Phenacopithecus ) , but have also been recorded in Pakistan ( Phileosimias ) and Myanmar ( Bahinia ) . All species had a small body size and a mix of primitive ( ancestral ) and derived traits ( . The largest eosimiid , Bahinia , is from the Pondaung Formation , the same stratum as Afrasia , and the morphology of its molars bridges the gap between the more primitive molars of Eosimias and the more derived molars of the later Eocene African simians . Afrasia , on the other hand , is more comparable in size to the eosimiids from China . The upper molars of Afrasia are nearly identical in morphology and size to those of Afrotarsius , an animal known from 38- to 39 @-@ million @-@ year @-@ old deposits in Libya ( species Afrotarsius libycus ) and about 30 @-@ million @-@ year @-@ old deposits in Egypt ( A. chatrathi ) . Afrotarsius was originally described as a tarsier , but later suggested to be related to primitive simians . Because of their close similarities , Afrasia and Afrotarsius are together placed in the family Afrotarsiidae . A phylogenetic analysis placed Afrasia as a sister group to Afrotarsius , forming the family Afrotarsiidae . Afrotarsiidae was found to be most closely related to Eosimiidae , and unrelated to tarsiers . The clade formed by Afrotarsiidae and Eosimiidae was designated as the infraorder Eosimiiformes by Chaimanee et al. in 2012 . Eosimiiformes are the sister group of crown simians . However , the classification of Afrotarsius as a stem simian is not accepted by all researchers , and the phylogenetic claims and their implications rest on only the four molars of Afrasia initially discovered . = = = Biogeography = = = Several hypotheses compete to explain the geographic origins of simians . Of the two most popular views , one hypothesis states that simians originated in Asia , while the other favors Africa as their place of origin . Both their ancient origins and the sparse fossil record in Africa and Asia complicate the debate . Convergent evolution also makes it difficult for researchers to determine the relationships between fossils . Also , the earliest fossils , which do not match up with molecular clock estimates for simian origins , have been found in both Afro @-@ Arabia and Asia . At the time , both land masses would have been separated by the Tethys Sea . The oldest undisputed simians from Africa also date to the late middle Eocene . Afrotarsius was found in the Dur At @-@ Talah escarpment in Libya , which dates to 38 – 39 million years ago and also contains the parapithecid Biretia and the oligopithecid Talahpithecus . Although diverse , these primates were all very small in size , much like eosimiids . Simian classification for older fossils from Africa are more contested . Altiatlasius , the oldest suspected fossil primate known from the late Paleocene of Morocco , is too fragmentary to ascertain its true affinities . Algeripithecus was popularly considered an early middle Eocene simian ; however , less fragmentary remains uncovered between 2003 and 2009 suggest it was a type of azibiid , a group of strepsirrhine primates likely related to lemuriform primates ( lemurs and lorisoids ) . According to the team who discovered Afrasia , headed by Jean @-@ Jacques Jaeger , the similarities in tooth morphology , body size and age suggest a phylogenetic relationship with Afrotarsius despite the geographic separation . They suggested that afrotarsiid simians from Asia dispersed across the Tethys Sea to Africa around the middle Eocene , giving rise to Afrotarsius . A reverse migration — as suggested by the African origins hypothesis for simians — is not favored due to the close phylogenetic relationship between the older Asian eosimiids and Afrasia . However , to explain the origins of Proteopithecidae , Parapithecidae , and crown simians from the African fossil record , a higher simian clade also needed to disperse from Asia to Africa before the late middle Eocene since neither Afrasia nor Afrotarsius could have given rise to this group . Such dispersals from Asia to Africa were not uncommon , since hystricognathous rodents , anthracotheres , and possibly other mammalian fauna from Asia arrived around the same time . = = Anatomy = = Afrasia is known from four isolated teeth : a first upper molar ( M1 ) , with a length of 2 @.@ 13 mm and width of 3 @.@ 06 mm ; a second upper molar ( M2 ) , the holotype , of 2 @.@ 27 mm by 3 @.@ 35 mm ; a second lower molar ( m2 ) of 2 @.@ 09 mm by 1 @.@ 41 mm ; and a third lower molar ( m3 ) of 2 @.@ 05 mm by 1 @.@ 27 mm . Like other eosimiiforms , it was a small primate that weighed around 94 or 108 g ( 3 @.@ 3 or 3 @.@ 8 oz ) , which is estimated based on the measurements of its m2 and M1 , respectively . It is generally similar to other eosimiiforms in general and Afrotarsius in particular ; some distinguishing features are the well @-@ developed small cusps ( conules ) on the upper molars , the variable development of the lingual cingulum ( a shelf on the inner , or lingual , side of the tooth ) of the upper molars , and the unreduced talonid ( posterior portion ) on the m3 . Its teeth are smaller than those of the eosimiids Phenacopithecus , Bahinia , and Phileosimias . The M2 is similar to that of eosimiids and almost identical to that of Afrotarsius libycus . It shows well @-@ developed small accessory cusps ( the paraconule and metaconule ) that are connected to equally well @-@ developed crests . The conules are stronger than in Eosimias and Bahinia , but weaker than in Phileosimias . The stylar shelf , the outer area of the tooth , is broad , particularly at the metacone cusp . However , the shelf is better developed near the paracone cusp in Afrasia than in Afrotarsius , which makes the ectoflexus ( an invagination in the outer wall of the tooth ) more symmetrical in the former . The parastyle , a small cusp in the outer front corner of the tooth , is located more buccally ( towards the outer side of the tooth ) than in Afrotarsius and is larger . The stylar shelf is larger than that of Bahinia and Phileosimias , but smaller than that of Eosimias . The parastyle is also less developed than in Eosimias , but the protocone , the main cusp on the lingual side of the tooth , is more expansive . The lingual cingulum is incomplete ; it is stronger in Phenacopithecus . M1 is similar to M2 , but somewhat smaller . The ectoflexus is less apparent , the stylar shelf is narrower , there is no crest behind the metaconule , and the lingual cingulum is continuous . The condition of the parastyle more closely resembles that in Afrotarsius . In m2 , the trigonid ( the front portion of the tooth ) consists of three very distinct cusps : the paraconid at the front , and behind it the paired protoconid ( on the buccal side ) and metaconid ( on the lingual side ) . These three cusps are less discrete in Afrotarsius . The paraconid is distinct from the paracristid , the crest that connects it to the protoconid , and is located more lingually than in Afrotarsius . Between this cusp and the metaconid behind it , the central basin of the trigonid is open towards the lingual margin of the tooth . The protoconid has a V shape , with one arm reaching towards the metaconid and the other towards the paraconid . The back portion of the tooth , the talonid , is broader ; Eosimias has a narrower talonid . The main cusps , the buccal hypoconid and lingual entoconid , are opposite each other on the margins of the tooth ( the entoconid is further to the front in Phenacopithecus ) . A crest , the cristid obliqua , connects the front side of the hypoconid to the protoconid . It is nearly in line with the main axis of the tooth , contrasting with its more diagonal position in Eosimias and Phenacopithecus . A crest , the postcristid , descends from the hypoconid along the back margin of the tooth and almost reaches the entoconid , which is separated by a notch . It incorporates the third talonid cusp , the hypoconulid , which is indistinct in Afrasia . In Afrotarsius and eosimiids ( except the Pakistani Phileosimias ) , this crest reaches the entoconid . There is a cingulum , or shelf , on the buccal side of m2 . The last lower molar , m3 , is smaller and has a longer talonid , with a well @-@ developed hypoconulid lobe at the back , and generally resembles that of Phenacopithecus , but the trigonid is smaller . The paraconid is distinct . The hypoconulid lobe is longer than in Afrotarsius and the entoconid is located further to the front . Unlike on m2 , there is no notch between the hypoconulid and entoconid , though a shallow valley is present . = = Range and ecology = = Afrasia has only been found in the Eocene Pondaung Formation of central Myanmar , a rock unit which has been dated to about 37 million years ago using magnetostratigraphy and fission track dating . This places it at the end of the Bartonian stage , near the Middle – Late Eocene boundary . Although many tons of sediments in the area have been screened for fossils , Afrasia is still known only from four teeth , suggesting that it was a rare species . Since fossils were first discovered there in 1916 , a rich fossil fauna has been recovered in the Pondaung Formation . In addition to Afrasia , primates found there include the eosimiid Bahinia ; the amphipithecids Pondaungia , Ganlea , and Myanmarpithecus ; and the sivaladapids Paukkaungia and Kyitchaungia .
= Philitas of Cos = Philitas of Cos ( / fɪˈlaɪtəs / ; Greek : Φιλίτας , Philītas ; c . 340 – c . 285 BC ) , sometimes spelled Philetas ( / faɪˈliːtəs / ; Φιλήτας , Philētas ; see Bibliography below ) , was a scholar and poet during the early Hellenistic period of ancient Greece . A Greek associated with Alexandria , he flourished in the second half of the 4th century BC and was appointed tutor to the heir to the throne of Ptolemaic Egypt . He was thin and frail ; Athenaeus later caricatured him as an academic so consumed by his studies that he wasted away and died . Philitas was the first major Greek writer who was both a scholar and a poet . His reputation continued for centuries , based on both his pioneering study of words and his verse in elegiac meter . His vocabulary Disorderly Words described the meanings of rare literary words , including those used by Homer . His poetry , notably his elegiac poem Demeter , was highly respected by later ancient poets . However , almost all his work has since been lost . = = Life = = Little is known of Philitas ' life . Ancient sources refer to him as a Coan , a native or long @-@ time inhabitant of Cos , one of the Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea just off the coast of Asia . His student Theocritus wrote that Philetas ' father was Telephos ( Τήλεφος , Tḗlephos ) and his mother , assuming the manuscript is supplemented correctly , Euctione ( Εὐκτιόνη , Euktiónē ) . From a comment about Philitas in the Suda , a 10th @-@ century AD historical encyclopedia , it is estimated he was born c . 340 BC , and that he might have established a reputation in Cos by c . 309 / 8 BC . During the Wars of the Diadochi that followed the death of Alexander the Great and divided Alexander 's empire , Ptolemy had captured Cos from his rival successor , Antigonus , in 310 BC ; his son , Ptolemy II Philadelphus , was born there in 308 BC . It was a favorite retreat for men of letters weary of Alexandria . Philetas was appointed Philadelphus ' tutor , which suggests he moved to Alexandria c . 297 / 6 BC and moved back to Cos in the later 290s BC . He may also have tutored Arsinoe II , Philadelphus ' older sister and eventual wife . Later tutors of royal offspring in Ptolemaic Egypt generally headed the Library of Alexandria , but it is unknown whether Philitas held that position . Philitas also taught the poets Hermesianax and Theocritus and the grammarian Zenodotus , and after he returned to Cos he seems to have spent at least ten years leading a brotherhood of intellectuals and poets that included Aratus , Hermesianax , and Theocritus . Hermesianax wrote of " Philitas , singing of nimble Bittis " , and Ovid twice calls her " Battis " . It is commonly thought that Bittis or Battis was Philitas ' mistress , and that Hermesianax referred to love poetry ; another possibility is that her name connoted " chatterbox " , and that she was a humorous personification of Philitas ' passion for words . Philitas was thin and frail , and may have suffered and died from a wasting disease . He seems to have died in Cos sometime in the 280s BC . His pupil Hermesianax wrote that a statue of him was erected under a plane tree by the people of Cos , depicting him as " frail with all the glosses " . His contemporary Posidippus wrote that Philadelphus commissioned a bronze of Philitas in old age from the sculptor Hecataeus , which " included nothing from the physique of heroes . No , ... he cast the old man full of cares . " The 3rd century AD Roman author Aelian skeptically passed along a story that Philitas was so thin that he put lead weights in the soles of his shoes to avoid being blown away by a stiff wind . A 2nd century AD Greek author , Athenaeus of Naucratis , wrote that Philitas studied false arguments and erroneous word @-@ usage so intensely that he wasted away and starved to death , and that his epitaph read : St. George Stock analyzed the story as saying Philitas studied the Megarian school of philosophy , which cultivated and studied paradoxes such as the liar paradox : if someone says " I am lying " , is what he says true or false ? Stock wrote that Philitas worried so much over the liar paradox that he died of insomnia , and translated the epitaph as follows : A more literal translation suggests that the invented epitaph pokes fun at Philitas ' focus on using the right words : = = Works = = Philitas wrote a vocabulary explaining the meanings of rare literary words , words from local dialects , and technical terms ; it probably took the form of a lexicon . The vocabulary , called Disorderly Words ( Ἄτακτοι γλῶσσαι , Átaktoi glôssai ) , has been lost , with only a few fragments quoted by later authors . One example , quoted in Athenaeus , is that the word πέλλα ( pélla ) meant " wine cup " in the ancient Greek region of Boeotia ; this was evidently contrasted to the same word meaning " milk pail " in Homer 's Iliad . Hermeneia , another scholarly work , probably contained Philitas ' versions and critical interpretations of Homer and other authors . About thirty fragments of Philitas ' poetry are known , along with four definite titles : Demeter , Philitas ' most famous work , consisted of elegiac couplets , or couplets in the elegiac meter . Its few surviving fragments suggest that it narrated the grain goddess Demeter 's hunt for her daughter Persephone . The fragments describe Demeter 's arrival on Cos and warm welcome by its royal family of Meropids , or humans twice normal size , thus presenting the founding myth of a local cult of Demeter on Cos . Hermes was an epyllion , or brief mythological narrative , written in hexameter . It had the structure of a hymn , with a central narrative telling of Odysseus ' visit to the island of the king Aeolus , keeper of the winds , and of Odysseus ' secret affair with the king 's daughter Polymele . It is also possible that Hermes was a collection of such stories , with the patronage of Hermes himself as the common thread . Playthings ( Παίγνια , Paígnia ) had two shorter collections . These poems had the structure of epigrams and their themes may have included erotica . The only surviving poem contains two elegiac couplets and has a puzzle or riddle structure characteristic of some ancient Greek drinking @-@ party songs . Only one of the Epigrams has been fully reconstructed . Another possible poem is Telephus , which may have been a companion to Demeter . At most fifty verses of Philitas survive . Below is an example fragment of two verses , which was quoted in the Collection of Paradoxical Stories , whose putative author Antigonus ( often identified with Antigonus of Carystus , a near @-@ contemporary ) does not specify which work they came from ; indirect evidence suggests Demeter . These two verses show the confluence of Philitas ' interests in poetry and obscure words : According to Antigonus , the " cactus " ( κάκτος , káktos ) was a thorny plant from Sicily , and " When a deer steps on it and is pricked , its bones remain soundless and unusable for flutes . For that reason Philitas spoke of it . " Antigonus quotes one more passage , and the 5th century AD anthologist Stobaeus quotes eleven passages from Philitas ; the remaining fragments are derived from ancient commentators who quoted Philitas when discussing rare words or names used by other authors . = = Influence = = Philitas was the most important intellectual figure in the early years of Hellenistic civilization . He gained instant recognition in both poetry and literary scholarship , and , as far as is known , was the first person called " poet as well as scholar " ( ποιητὴς ἅμα καὶ κριτικός , poiētḕs [ h ] áma kaì kritikós ) . As tutor to Philadelphus he is assumed to have had great influence on the development of the Mouseion at Alexandria , a scholarly institution that included the famous Library of Alexandria . A statue was erected of him , possibly at a Mouseion at Cos , and his work was explicitly acknowledged as a classic by both Theocritus and Callimachus . His reputation for scholarship endured for at least a century . In Athens , the comic playwright Strato made jokes that assumed audiences knew about Philitas ' vocabulary , and the vocabulary was criticized more than a century later by the influential Homeric scholar Aristarchus of Samothrace in his Against Philitas ( Πρὸς Φιλίταν , Pròs Philítan ) . The geographer Strabo described him three centuries later as " simultaneously a poet and a critic " . Philitas was the first writer whose works represent the combination of qualities now regarded as Hellenistic : variety , scholarship , and use of Homeric sources in non @-@ epic works . He directly influenced the major Hellenistic poets Callimachus and Apollonius of Rhodes . His poetry was mentioned or briefly quoted by Callimachus and by other ancient authors , and his poetic reputation endured for at least three centuries , as Augustan poets identified his name with great elegiac writing . Propertius linked him to Callimachus with the following well @-@ known couplet : The 1st @-@ century AD rhetorician Quintilian ranked Philitas second only to Callimachus among the elegiac poets . Philitas ' influence has been found or suspected in a wide range of ancient writing ; Longus ' 2nd century AD novel Daphnis and Chloe contains a character likely named after him . Almost all that he wrote seems to have disappeared within two centuries , though , so it is unlikely that any writer later than the 2nd century BC read any but a few of his lines .
= Russian cruiser Pallada ( 1906 ) = Pallada ( Russian : Паллада ) was the last of the four Bayan @-@ class armored cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy in the first decade of the 20th century . She was assigned to the Baltic Fleet during World War I where she captured codebooks from the German cruiser Magdeburg that had run aground during the first month of the war . The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine in October 1914 and exploded ; none of the crew survived . Pallada was the first warship lost by the Russians during the war . = = Design and description = = Pallada was 449 @.@ 6 feet ( 137 @.@ 0 m ) long overall . She had a maximum beam of 57 @.@ 5 feet ( 17 @.@ 5 m ) , a draught of 26 feet ( 7 @.@ 9 m ) and displaced 7 @,@ 750 long tons ( 7 @,@ 870 t ) . The ship had a crew of 568 officers and men . Pallada was named in honour of the earlier Russian cruiser captured by the Japanese during the Russo @-@ Japanese War . Both ships were named for the Greek goddess , Pallas Athena . The ship had two vertical triple @-@ expansion steam engines with a designed total of 16 @,@ 500 indicated horsepower ( 12 @,@ 304 kW ) , but they developed 19 @,@ 320 indicated horsepower ( 14 @,@ 410 kW ) on sea trials and drove the ship to a maximum speed of 22 @.@ 55 knots ( 41 @.@ 76 km / h ; 25 @.@ 95 mph ) . Steam for the engines was provided by 26 Belleville boilers . She could carry a maximum of 1 @,@ 100 long tons ( 1 @,@ 118 t ) of coal , although her range is unknown . Pallada 's main armament consisted of two 8 @-@ inch ( 203 mm ) 45 @-@ calibre guns in single turrets fore and aft . Her eight 6 @-@ inch ( 152 mm ) gun were mounted in casemates on the sides of the ship 's hull . Anti @-@ torpedo boat defense was provided by 20 75 @-@ millimetre ( 3 @.@ 0 in ) 50 @-@ calibre guns ; eight of these were mounted in casemates on the side of the hull and in the superstructure . The remaining guns were located above the six @-@ inch gun casemates in pivot mounts with gun shields . Pallada also mounted four 47 @-@ millimetre ( 1 @.@ 9 in ) Hotchkiss guns . The ship also had two submerged 15 @-@ inch ( 381 mm ) torpedo tubes , one mounted on each broadside . The ship used Krupp armour throughout . Her waterline belt was 190 millimetres ( 7 @.@ 5 in ) thick over her machinery spaces . Fore and aft , it reduced to 90 millimetres ( 3 @.@ 5 in ) . The upper belt and the casemates were 60 millimetres ( 2 @.@ 4 in ) thick . The armour deck was 50 millimetres ( 2 in ) thick ; over the central battery it was a single plate , but elsewhere it consisted of a 30 @-@ millimetre ( 1 @.@ 2 in ) plate over two 10 @-@ millimetre ( 0 @.@ 39 in ) plates . The gun turrets were protected by 132 millimetres ( 5 @.@ 2 in ) of armour and the conning tower had walls 136 millimetres ( 5 @.@ 4 in ) thick . = = Service = = Pallada was built by the Admiralty Shipyard in Saint Petersburg . Construction began on 24 June 1905 , although she was not formally laid down until August , and the ship was launched on 10 November 1906 . Pallada was completed in February 1911 . She spent her entire career with the Baltic Fleet . On 26 August 1914 , during the first month of World War I , the German light cruiser Magdeburg ran aground near the island of Odensholm in the Gulf of Finland . Her escort , the destroyer V @-@ 26 , failed to pull her off and rescued part of the crew before Pallada and the protected cruiser Bogatyr appeared and opened fire . The Germans blew up the front part of the ship , but failed to demolish the rest of the ship . They failed to destroy their naval codebooks , which were discovered by the Russians . A copy was later given to the British where it proved enormously helpful in reading German wireless traffic . Together with the armoured cruiser Rurik , Pallada unsuccessfully searched for German ships between Bornholm and Danzig on the night of 27 August . Less than two months later , on 11 October , she was torpedoed by the German submarine U @-@ 26 and blew up with the loss of all hands , the first Russian warship sunk during the war . = = Wreck = = On 6 October 2012 the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported that the wreck of Pallada had been discovered by a diver group outside Hanko near the coast of Finland in 2000 , but the group had waited until 2012 before publishing their find . The ship is lying in three pieces , all upside @-@ down , at a depth of about 40 to 50 metres ( 130 to 160 ft ) . Although the wreck was severely damaged during the sinking and is now covered in silt , a number of details such as a large wooden emblem of the Russian double @-@ headed eagle are still intact . One of the eight @-@ inch turrets is resting on the seafloor next to the bow section . On 6 September 2013 , Helsingin Sanomat reported that the previously largely untouched wreck of Pallada had been looted .
= Edmund Ætheling = Edmund Ætheling ( / ˈɛdmənd ˈæθɪlɪŋ / ; c . 1015 – 17 – possibly 1046 , certainly by 1054 ) was a member of the royal House of Wessex as the son of Edmund Ironside , who briefly ruled as King of England between April and November 1016 . He fought the Danish Vikings under Cnut the Great , but following the Danish victory at the Battle of Assandun in October , it was agreed that Ironside would rule Wessex , while Cnut took Mercia and probably Northumbria . In November 1016 , Ironside died and Cnut became King of all England . Intent on keeping his succession secure , Cnut sent Ironside 's two infant sons , Edward and Edmund Ætheling , to his brother in Sweden , where they were to be murdered . Instead , the princes were spared and sent to safety to the Kingdom of Hungary , where they remained in the care of King Stephen I. After fleeing assassins hired by Cnut , the Æthelings arrived at the royal court of Kievan Rus ' in 1028 . The princes remained under the tutelage of Prince Yaroslav the Wise until adulthood . In 1046 , the Æthelings both traveled to Hungary and helped the exiled Andrew of Hungary in his quest for the throne . Edmund died shortly after marrying a Hungarian princess , before 1054 . = = Birth = = Edmund was born either in 1015 , 1016 or 1017 . Edmund 's mother was probably Ealdgyth , Edmund Ironside 's wife ; it is possible that she was only his stepmother , as the king 's death in November 1016 left space of only one year for two children to be born . Although there is a possibility that Edmund was older than his brother , later known as Edward the Exile , it is also possible that they were twins . At the time , it was customary for posthumous sons to bear their father 's name ; thus , Edmund could have been the younger , posthumous son . = = Life in exile = = With Edmund Ironside dead and Cnut marrying Emma of Normandy , both Edmund and Edward were deprived of their rights to succeed to the English throne . Nonetheless , both were titled " Ætheling " , an Old English word which designated royal princes who were eligible for kingship . As Edmund and Edward were the rightful heirs of England , Cnut decided to have them murdered . Considering it " a disgrace " for the Ætheling to be killed on English soil , Cnut sent them to his half @-@ brother , Olof Skötkonung , the reigning King of Sweden , where they were to be put to death . An old ally of the princes ' grandfather , Æthelred the Unready , Olof instead sent the Ætheling to the Hungarian royal court of King Stephen I , fearing they were unsafe in the north , where Cnut 's power was great . Although exiled , Edmund and Edward still instilled hope in the leaderless Anglo @-@ Saxons of Danish England . After his baptism in 985 , Stephen I had become the first Christian ruler of Hungary . By the time of Edmund and Edward 's arrival at his court , Stephen was married to Gisela of Bavaria and had led a peaceful reign . The Hungarian court was " a happy home " for the exiled English princes . However , in 1028 , Edmund and Edward were forced to flee Hungary after Cnut sent powerful assassins to carry out the task of murdering the two Æthelings . The princes found refuge at the court of Yaroslav the Wise , Grand Prince of Kiev . Edmund and Edward were recorded as being " somewhat grown , and had passed twelve years " when they arrived in Yaroslav 's capital , Gardorika , another name for Kiev . A mid thirteenth @-@ century letopis ( chronicle ) records nothing of Edmund and Edward 's stay at the Kievan court , although later Russian chronicles do mention their refuge . The Anglo @-@ Saxons were Roman Catholics and Edmund and Edward were reserved towards the Eastern Orthodox character of Kievan Christianity ; Yaroslav is likely to not have allowed the Æthelings to voice their dissatisfaction . The Æthelings ' presence at the Kievan court presented itself as " a very useful negotiating counter " for Yaroslav 's Western @-@ orientated foreign policy . After King Harthacnut 's death , the English considered bringing Edmund and Edward back to England , but nothing came of it , as the princes were still in Kiev in late 1042 . By 1043 , Edmund , now in his late twenties , was being left out of Yaroslav 's continental schemes , while Edward was elevated " to a position of sole responsibility where England 's crown or dynastic alliances were concerned . " This was possibly due to Edmund having an affair with a noble lady , which had caused quite a scandal . Andrew of Hungary , a Hungarian prince who had also been exiled , had established himself at Yaroslav 's court in the 1030s . In 1046 , during the Vata pagan uprising in Hungary , Andrew returned to his homeland with the intention of gaining the throne ; Edmund and Edward are likely to have fought for Andrew 's army and it is possible that they were present at his coronation . = = Marriage and death = = Ailred of Rievaulx , a near @-@ contemporary chronicler , recorded Edmund 's marriage to the daughter of a Hungarian king , but omitted to mention the name of the king and the name of the daughter . This could not have been a daughter of King Stephen , although a sister of King Samuel Aba , as well as any other princess of the huge Árpád dynasty is a possible candidate . It is possible that Edmund 's wife was named Hedwig . Edmund died shortly after the marriage , possibly during the military campaign of Andrew of Hungary in 1046 ; he was certainly dead by 1054 , when only Edward was recalled to England by the princes ' uncle , King Edward the Confessor . The king wanted to appoint his nephew as his heir , however Edward died soon after his arrival in London . With the death of Edward 's son , Edgar the Ætheling ( who had been proclaimed king in 1066 but was forced to swear allegiance to William the Conqueror and renounce his rights ) , around 1126 , the male line of the House of Wessex died out . Edmund was buried in Hungary , however the exact location of his grave is unknown . = = Ancestry = =
= Aubrey Gibson = Aubrey Hickes Lawson Gibson ( 4 May 1901 – 26 March 1973 ) was an Australian businessman , arts patron and art collector . Born and educated in Melbourne , Gibson became a successful businessman in the city , establishing his own company , A.H. Gibson Industries , which was listed on the stock exchange in the 1950s . He was also a director of other major manufacturers and distributors , including Volkswagen Australasia and Hoover Australia . Gibson is notable for his services to the arts . He maintained a substantial private art collection . He was a founding director of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust and of the National Trust of Australia , and deputy @-@ chairman of the National Gallery of Victoria . = = Personal = = Gibson was born on 4 May 1901 in Kew , Melbourne . The third child of Scottish business manager John Gibson and English born wife Ellen née Lawson , he was schooled at Melbourne Grammar and the University of Melbourne . He briefly studied art at the National Gallery of Victoria drawing school , but concluded that art was not his vocation . He said of that time that " with little resistance I allowed myself to be guided into commercial fields " . He married twice , with children from both marriages . His first wife was Marjorie Isabel Kimpton , whom he married in Melbourne on 3 February 1930 , and with whom he had a daughter and a son . They were later divorced , and on 19 September 1947 in Colombo he remarried to Gertrude Jean Balfour , with whom he also had a son . Gibson lived in Hopetoun Rd , Toorak , Victoria for much of his life , but toward the end of his career he maintained a residence in Arthur Circle , Forrest in Canberra . Gibson died on 26 March 1973 , survived by his second wife and a child of each of his marriages . = = Professional career = = Gibson pursued a successful business career . He worked as a salesman for Hoover products . In January 1933 he established his own company A.H. Gibson ( Electrical ) , which was a distributor of electrical appliances and parts . He also spent some time working in New York . His company became A.H. Gibson Industries Ltd , and was listed on the stock exchange from 1949 to 1959 , during which period he was chairman and managing director . Gibson also held other directorships , most notably of Volkswagen Australasia from 1961 to 1967 and Hoover Australia from 1964 to 1970 . An active member of Victoria 's wider business community in the 1940s , he was President of the Electricity and Radio Federation of Victoria ( 1947 – 1949 ) and President of the Institute of Sales and Business Management ( 1946 – 1949 ) . Gibson 's business interests were complemented by other activities , including farming land at Berwick , Victoria . Gibson was active in what is now the army reserve . He was made a lieutenant in the Melbourne University Rifles in 1922 , and by the time of World War II had risen to the rank of major in the reserves . Seconded to the Second Australian Imperial Force on 13 May 1940 , Gibson served in Australia and in the middle east ( 1940 – 1942 ) , where he performed adjutant and quartermaster @-@ general duties . He was made a lieutenant @-@ colonel in the Reserve of Officers on 13 May 1945 , and was made honorary colonel when placed on the retired list in 1951 . = = Collecting and commissioning works of art = = Although his career as an artist was fleeting , Gibson 's career as a patron and lover of art was lifelong . In the 1950s and 1960s Gibson made major contributions to the arts in Australia , both as a collector and a patron of arts organisations . He acquired the works of some of Australia 's most highly regarded artists , such as Russell Drysdale , Albert Tucker and John Brack . Other artists well represented in his collection included Noel Counihan , John Passmore , Clifton Pugh and Clive Stephen . As a collector , Gibson 's tastes were eclectic . At the same time as acquiring paintings by " the younger Australian painters " of his time , he was also collecting antique English silver . This led one writer to exclaim of his collection that " it must surely cover more ground than almost any other private one in this country " . Toward the end of his life the collection included over 560 items from artists of over 30 countries . His fascination with silver also led him to spend time during a visit to Europe in 1952 , learning from the British silversmith Robert Stone how silverware was made . This was an experience recounted in Gibson 's only book The Rosebowl , so named because of a commission Gibson sought of Stone . The Rosebowl was an account of a trip around the world taken by Gibson and his wife in 1951 . It described his visits to cultural institutions and contained ruminations on cultural collections policy . Reflecting on the damage caused by World War II to cultural artifacts , art and architecture , he advocated a wide distribution of works of art around the world , to afford them greater protection . He was to have an opportunity to pursue these views in later roles with the National Gallery of Victoria . The silver rosebowl was one of a range of works commissioned by Gibson . Others included three portraits of himself : one by Manx artist Bryan Kneale , one by Australian artist Noel Counihan , and a sketch by Archibald Prize @-@ winning artist Louis Kahan , this last being in the University of Melbourne 's Clem Christesen collection . = = Gibson and the arts in Australia = = Gibson actively supported many Australian arts organisations . He was director of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust at its foundation in 1954 , as well as being its Victorian chairman from 1955 to 1967 , and president from 1968 to 1971 . The Trust was instrumental in the foundation of major Australian arts institutions including Opera Australia , orchestras in Sydney and Melbourne , and the National Institute of Dramatic Arts . Gibson was variously trustee , treasurer and deputy chairman of the National Gallery of Victoria ( NGV ) in the period 1956 to 1964 . The NGV was Australia 's oldest public gallery , its acquisitions largely funded by the massive but dwindling Felton Bequest . Gibson was one of several new faces brought to the Gallery 's board at a critical time : the Victorian government had announced a decision to build a new National Gallery in Melbourne , and governance of the existing institution was undergoing significant upheaval . Gibson was reported to be " always a man of strong opinions " , bringing a robust and blunt character to some of the meetings of the Gallery 's trustees . The trustees were concerned that the substantial resources of the institution 's rich Felton Bequest were not being applied effectively to ensure the representation of contemporary schools of art in the Gallery 's collection . Seeking to directly support the NGV , Gibson financed the purchase of works by and for the Gallery , as well as making his personal collection available for exhibition . He provided a donation in 1962 allowing the NGV to purchase the Clement Meadmore sculpture Duolith III . Gibson purchased Tom Roberts ' major painting Coming South , for $ 20000 , presenting it to the NGV in 1967 . A selection from Gibson 's extensive personal collection was presented as an NGV exhibition in 1969 . Gibson played many other roles in the arts , through societies of artists , of collectors , and through boards of which he was a member as a result of his involvement with the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust . These included Deputy Chairman of the Melbourne Theatre Company from 1960 to 1968 . He was a foundation member of the National Trust of Australia ( Victoria ) in 1955 , and co @-@ founded the Society of Collectors of Fine Arts .
= Leningrad première of Shostakovich 's Symphony No. 7 = The Leningrad première of Shostakovich 's Symphony No. 7 occurred on 9 August 1942 during the Second World War , while the city of Leningrad ( now St. Petersburg ) was under siege by Nazi German forces . Dmitri Shostakovich had intended for the piece to be premièred by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra , but because of the siege that group was evacuated from the city , as was the composer himself . The world première of the symphony was held in Kuybyshev with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra . The Leningrad première was performed by the surviving musicians of the Leningrad Radio Orchestra , supplemented with military performers . Most of the musicians were starving , which made rehearsing difficult : musicians frequently collapsed during rehearsals , and three died . The orchestra was able to play the symphony all the way through only once before the concert . Despite the poor condition of the performers and many of the audience members , the concert was highly successful , prompting an hour @-@ long ovation . The concert was supported by a Soviet military offensive , code @-@ named Squall , intended to silence German forces during the performance . The symphony was broadcast to the German lines by loudspeaker as a form of psychological warfare . The Leningrad première was considered by music critics to be one of the most important artistic performances of the war because of its psychological and political effects . The conductor concluded that " in that moment , we triumphed over the soulless Nazi war machine " . Reunion concerts featuring surviving musicians were convened in 1964 and 1992 to commemorate the event . = = Background = = Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich ( 1906 – 75 ) completed his Symphony No. 7 on 27 December 1941 and dedicated it to his native Leningrad . At the time Leningrad was under a 900 @-@ day siege by Nazi German forces , which would kill about a third of the city 's pre @-@ war population . Shostakovich wanted the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra to première the symphony , but that group had been evacuated to Novosibirsk as part of the government @-@ led cultural exodus . Instead , the world première was held in Kuybyshev on 5 March 1942 , performed by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra under conductor Samuil Samosud . The Moscow première was given by a combination of the Bolshoi and the All @-@ Union Radio orchestras on 29 March in the Columned Hall of the House of Unions . The microfilmed score of the symphony was flown to Tehran in April to allow its promulgation to the West . It received its radio première in Western Europe on 22 June , in a performance broadcast by Henry Wood and the London Philharmonic Orchestra , and its concert première at a Promenade concert at London 's Royal Albert Hall on 29 June . The North American première was broadcast from New York City on 19 July 1942 by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini . = = Preparation = = The Leningrad Radio Orchestra under Karl Eliasberg was the only remaining symphonic ensemble in Leningrad after the Philharmonic was evacuated . The Radio Orchestra 's last performance had taken place on 14 December 1941 and its final broadcast on 1 January 1942 . A log note from the next scheduled rehearsal reads " Rehearsal did not take place . Srabian is dead . Petrov is sick . Borishev is dead . Orchestra not working " . On 2 April 1942 , Boris Zagorsky and Yasha Babushkin of the Leningrad city arts department announced preparations for the symphony 's performance . The hiatus in musical broadcasts was quickly ended by Andrei Zhdanov , a Soviet politician involved in the defence of Leningrad , to allow for rehearsals and provide a morale boost for the city . Performing the symphony " became a matter of civic , even military , pride " . According to an orchestra member , " the Leningrad authorities wanted to give the people some emotional stimulation so that they could feel cared for " . It was considered an important political act because of its potential value as propaganda . Of the original 40 @-@ member Leningrad Radio Orchestra , only 14 or 15 still lived in the city ; the others had either starved to death or left to fight the enemy . Shostakovich 's symphony required an expanded orchestra of 100 players , meaning the remaining personnel were grossly insufficient . Eliasberg , at the time being treated for " dystrophy " , went door to door to seek out those musicians who had not responded to the orchestra 's reassembly due to starvation or weakness . " My God , how thin many of them were , " one of the organizers remembered . " How those people livened up when we started to ferret them out of their dark apartments . We were moved to tears when they brought out their concert clothes , their violins and cellos and flutes , and rehearsals began under the icy canopy of the studio . " A plane carrying supplies from Kuybyshev airlifted the symphony 's 252 @-@ page conductor 's score into Leningrad . The first rehearsal in March 1942 was intended to be three hours long , but had to be stopped after 15 minutes because the 30 musicians present were too weak to play their instruments . They frequently collapsed during rehearsals , especially those playing brass instruments . Eliasberg himself had to be dragged to rehearsals on a sledge , and was eventually moved by Communist officials to an apartment nearby and given a bicycle for transport . His first attempts at conducting were like a " wounded bird with wings that are going to drop at any moment " . A report by Babushkin noted that " the first violin is dying , the drum died on his way to work , the French horn is at death 's door ... " . Orchestral players were given additional rations ( donated by civilian music enthusiasts ) in an effort to combat starvation , and hot bricks were used to radiate heat ; nevertheless , three performers died during rehearsals . Posters went up around the city requesting all musicians to report to the Radio Committee for incorporation into the orchestra . Performers were also recalled from the front or reassigned from Soviet military bands with the support of the Soviet commander of the Leningrad front , Leonid Govorov . In addition to the Seventh Symphony , the makeshift orchestra also rehearsed traditional symphonic works by Beethoven , Tchaikovsky and Rimsky @-@ Korsakov . A concert of Tchaikovsky excerpts was held on 5 April . Some players protested the decision to perform Shostakovich 's symphony , not wanting to expend their little strength on an " intricate and not very accessible " work . Eliasberg threatened to rescind the additional rations , quelling any dissent . During the rehearsals , Eliasberg was criticized for his harsh demeanour : musicians who missed rehearsals , were late , or did not perform to expectations lost their rations . One performer lost rations because he had attended his wife 's burial and was late for rehearsal . Although some sources suggest a team of copyists was employed , according to other sources musicians were made to copy out their individual parts by hand from the score . Rehearsals were held six days a week at the Pushkin Theatre , usually from 10 am to 1 pm . However , they were frequently interrupted by air @-@ raid sirens , and some musicians were required to undertake anti @-@ aircraft or firefighting duties . To enable them to attend rehearsals , performers were granted orchestral ID cards to show at checkpoints . Members of the military orchestra ( and some ordinary troops ) were dispatched to the rehearsals to supplement the performers . Rehearsals were moved to the Philharmonia Hall in June , and in late July were increased to 5 – 6 hours a day . Instruments were in poor condition and few repairmen were available ; one oboist was asked for a cat in exchange for a repair , as the starving repairman had already eaten several . The orchestra played the entire symphony all the way through only once before the première , at a dress rehearsal on 6 August . = = Performance = = The concert was given in the Grand Philharmonia Hall on 9 August 1942 . This was the day Hitler had previously designated to celebrate the fall of the city with a lavish banquet at Leningrad 's Astoria Hotel . The performance was preceded by a pre @-@ recorded radio address by Eliasberg , aired at 6 pm : Comrades – a great occurrence in the cultural history of our city is about to take place . In a few minutes , you will hear for the first time the Seventh Symphony of Dmitri Shostakovich , our outstanding fellow citizen . He wrote this great composition in the city during the days when the enemy was , insanely , trying to enter Leningrad . When the fascist swine were bombing and shelling all Europe , and Europe believed the days of Leningrad were over . But this performance is witness to our spirit , courage and readiness to fight . Listen , Comrades ! Lieutenant @-@ General Govorov ordered a bombardment of German artillery positions in advance of the concert in a special operation , code @-@ named " Squall " . Soviet intelligence personnel had located the German batteries and observation posts a few weeks before , in preparation for the attack . Three thousand high @-@ caliber shells were lobbed onto the enemy . The purpose of the operation was to prevent the Germans from targeting the concert hall and to ensure that it would be quiet enough to hear the music over speakers he ordered to be set up . He also encouraged Soviet soldiers to listen to the concert via radio . Musicologist Andrei Krukov later praised Govorov 's actions as providing the " incentive " for the concert , adding that his choice to allow soldiers to participate was " a quite exceptional decision " . Govorov himself later remarked to Eliasberg that " we played our instrument in the symphony , too , you know , " in reference to the artillery fire . The military contribution to the affair was not widely known until well after the war ended . There was a large audience for the concert , comprising party leaders , military personnel , and civilians . Leningrad citizens who could not fit into the hall gathered around open windows and loudspeakers . The musicians onstage were " dressed like cabbages " in multiple layers to prevent starvation @-@ induced shivering . Shortly before the concert started , the electric lights above the stage were turned on for the first time since rehearsals had commenced . As the hall fell silent , Eliasberg began conducting . The performance was of poor artistic quality , but was notable for the emotions raised in the audience and for its finale : when some musicians " faltered " due to exhaustion , the audience stood up " in a remarkable , spontaneous gesture ... willing them to keep going " . The performance received an hour @-@ long standing ovation , with Eliasberg being given a symbolic bouquet of Leningrad @-@ grown flowers by a young girl . Many in the audience were in tears due to the emotional impact of the concert , which was seen as a " musical biography of suffering Leningrad " . The musicians were invited to a banquet with Party officials to celebrate . Loudspeakers broadcast the performance throughout the city as well as to the German forces in a move of psychological warfare , a " tactical strike against German morale " . One German soldier recalled how his squadron " listened to the symphony of heroes " . Eliasberg later met with some of the Germans who camped outside Leningrad during the performance , who told him that it had made them believe they would never capture the city : " Who are we bombing ? We will never be able to take Leningrad because the people here are selfless " . = = Reception and legacy = = Shostakovich scholar Laurel Fay suggests that this concert was " an event of legendary import all by itself " . Journalist Michael Tumely calls it " a legendary moment in Soviet political and military history " . Critic U.S. Dhuga suggests that this performance " was popularly – and , of course , officially – recognized as the prelude to actual victory over the Germans " . The blockade was breached in early 1943 and ended in 1944 . Eliasberg concurred with Dhuga 's assessment , saying that " the whole city had found its humanity ... in that moment , we triumphed over the soulless Nazi war machine " . There was no official recognition of the significance of the concert : one musician noted that afterwards " there was no feedback , nothing until 1945 " . Shostakovich 's Symphony No. 7 enjoyed a measure of popularity throughout the Western world during the war , but from 1945 it largely stopped being performed outside the Soviet Union . It became a point of controversy in the 1980s after Solomon Volkov 's Testimony suggested it was a critique not of the Nazis , but of the Soviet government . The veracity of Volkov 's account , which he claims is rooted in interviews with Shostakovich , has been debated . Other issues of contention about the symphony include whether it was inspired by the attack on Leningrad ( as Soviet authorities and official accounts had asserted ) or planned earlier and repurposed for propaganda , as well as its artistic merit in reference to Shostakovich 's other works . The première made Eliasberg a " hero of the city " . Shortly after the concert , he married Nina Bronnikova , who had played the piano part . But once the siege ended and the Philharmonic returned to Leningrad , he fell from favour . The conductor of the Philharmonic , Yevgeny Mravinsky , had him fired in 1950 because he envied Eliasberg 's popular acclaim . Eliasberg was a " poor and largely forgotten " travelling conductor when he died in 1978 . However , at the fifty @-@ year anniversary of the première his remains were moved to the prestigious Volkovskoye or Alexander Nevsky Cemetery , the result of a campaign by orchestra archivist Galina Retrovskaya , conductor Yuri Temirkanov , and St. Petersburg mayor Anatoly Sobchak . Sarah Quigley fictionalized Eliasberg 's wartime career in her historical novel The Conductor . Surviving performers participated in reunion concerts in 1964 and 1992 , playing " from the same seats in the same hall " . Shostakovich attended the first reunion concert on 27 January 1964 . Twenty @-@ two musicians and Eliasberg performed the symphony , and instruments were placed on the other chairs to represent those participants who had died since the première . The 1992 performance featured the 14 remaining survivors . The 1942 concert was also commemorated in the 1997 film The War Symphonies : Shostakovich Against Stalin . There is a small museum dedicated to the event at School No. 235 in St. Petersburg , which includes a statue of Shostakovich and artifacts from the performance .
= 30 Minutes After Noon = " 30 Minutes After Noon " is the seventh episode of the 1960s Supermarionation television series Thunderbirds . Written by Alan Fennell and directed by David Elliott , it first aired in the United Kingdom on ATV Midlands on 11 November 1965 . In a plot incorporating visual allusions to 1960s spy thriller films , in particular the James Bond film franchise , " 30 Minutes After Noon " sees the Tracy family attempt to rescue a British secret agent embroiled in the latest scheme of the Erdman Gang , a powerful crime syndicate . Drawing inspiration from the 1965 spy thriller film The Ipcress File , a recent release at the time of shooting , Elliott decided to bring Fennell 's script to life with the use of " quirky visuals " . As such , Elliott and his camera operator , Alan Perry , experimented with original angles and techniques , electing to introduce one scene with a long tracking shot and filming the characters using a mixture of live @-@ action close @-@ up shots and forced perspective . The music , on the other hand , is recycled from earlier Thunderbirds episodes . Commentators such as media historian Nicholas J. Cull have praised Elliott and Perry 's cinematographic innovations for imitating the visual style of older espionage films . However , Stephen La Rivière , writer of Filmed in Supermarionation : A History of the Future , argues that the pastiche is not evident throughout : asserting that the switch in narrative focus from the Hudson Building fire to the infiltration of the Erdman Gang essentially divides the episode into loosely connected halves , La Rivière suggests that the visual style of the first owes more to conventional filming techniques . " 30 Minutes After Noon " was adapted for audio in the 1960s and serialised as a comic strip in the 1990s . = = Plot = = In Spoke City , Thomas Prescott accepts an apparently innocent hitch @-@ hiker into his car . The stranger 's true intentions are revealed when he attaches a metal bracelet to Prescott 's wrist , warning him that it contains a powerful explosive charge that is due to detonate in 30 minutes ; the key to unlock it will be found in his office at the Hudson Building . Speeding to his workplace with the police in pursuit , Prescott removes the bracelet and leaves it in a filing cabinet . The device explodes as he is returning to the ground floor in a lift : the top levels of the Hudson Building are incinerated , and Prescott is plunged to the bottom of the lift shaft , ten storeys underground . Although the fire is quickly brought under control , Prescott is completely cut off . News of the events in Spoke City soon arrives on Tracy Island . Jeff dispatches Scott in Thunderbird 1 , while Virgil and Alan take off in Thunderbird 2 equipped with newly commissioned fire @-@ fighting apparatus . Lowered into the shaft in a protective cage fitted with diacetylene sprinklers , Virgil and Alan clamp the stricken lift and return to ground level , whereupon Prescott is arrested . Police Commissioner Garfield notes that classified documentation regarding criminal organisations , including the Erdman Gang , has been destroyed in the fire . Prescott 's claims about the hitch @-@ hiker are validated when the charred remnants of the bracelet are discovered . An operation to expose the Erdman Gang leads to the recruitment of Southern , a British Secret Service agent , who is assigned to infiltrate the organisation and leak intelligence on its latest scheme . The gang leader contacts the undercover Southern and Erdman operatives Dempsey and Kenyon at Glen Carrick Castle in the Scottish Highlands , and briefs them on their mission . The trio are to drive to the Nuclear Plutonium Store , where isotopes for all Britain 's power stations are housed , and plant explosives to detonate at 12 : 30 p.m. ; this will cause a nuclear explosion of unprecedented scale and devastate half of England . To ensure compliance , the charges , which have already been armed , are contained in wrist bracelets identical to Prescott 's and are to be unlocked on retrieval of the key at the Plutonium Store . On their arrival , Southern , Dempsey and Kenyon use a ray gun to neutralise the store 's robot guards and bypass the security doors one after the other , ultimately arriving in the plutonium vault . Southern reveals his true identity and holds the others at gunpoint , commanding them to proceed to the Leader 's proposed rendezvous point and capture him . The tables are turned , however , when a robot traps Southern in a crushing grip . Dempsey and Kenyon unlock the bracelets and make a getaway , jamming the security doors and leaving Southern to die in the nuclear explosion . Southern 's emergency call is transferred from his superior , Sir William Frazer , to International Rescue . Landing outside the Plutonium Store in Thunderbirds 1 and 2 , Scott and Virgil use the Laser Cutter Vehicle to burn through the doors . Inside the vault , Virgil releases Southern from the robot . As the time nears 30 minutes past noon , Scott , in possession of the three bracelets , takes off in Thunderbird 1 ; he jettisons them over the sea , where they explode harmlessly . On Jeff 's orders , Lady Penelope and Parker intercept the Erdman Gang at their rendezvous and use FAB 1 's cannon to shoot down the leader , Dempsey and Kenyon before they can escape in a helijet . Southern recovers from his ordeal at the Creighton @-@ Ward Mansion . = = Production = = Initially unenthusiastic about his task of realising Alan Fennell 's script , director David Elliott developed his inspiration after seeing the 1965 spy thriller film The Ipcress File , starring Michael Caine . He remembers that the film " used all the old @-@ fashioned shots – looking through a lampshade , etc . On Monday morning , Paddy [ Seale , lighting camera operator ] came in and said , ' I saw a film this weekend , ' and I said , ' So did I. ' ' Was it The Ipcress File ? ' ' Yep . Right , that 's what I want to do . ' " In homage to The Ipcress File , Elliott decided to incorporate " quirky visuals " into his direction of the Thunderbirds episode . Elliott decided to open the Glen Carrick Castle sequence with a tracking shot covering all three walls of the puppet set , coordinating the necessary camera manoeuvres with camera operator Alan Perry . In a pioneering move for a Supermarionation production , forced perspective is used during this scene to present a live human hand and scale puppet characters within the same frame . While the hand , intended to belong to Southern , twiddles a pen in the foreground of the shot , the puppets of Kenyon and Dempsey are positioned across a table in the background . Although the puppets of Thunderbirds were sculpted in 1 ⁄ 3 human size , a visual illusion ensures that Kenyon and Dempsey appear to be accurately scaled in proportion to the hand . Incidental music for " 30 Minutes After Noon " was , for the most part , recycled from previous Anderson productions . The television belonging to Hudson Building janitor Sam Saltzman issues the " March of the Oysters " track from the Stingray episode " Secret of the Giant Oyster " . The Highland theme from " Loch Ness Monster " accompanies the scenes set in Glen Carrick Castle ; the castle model is itself a re @-@ use of Castle McGregor , which appeared in the same Stingray episode . Its last appearance in the Supermarionation productions was as Glen Garry Castle in the Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode " The Trap " . = = Reception = = " 30 Minutes After Noon " achieved viewing figures of 5 @.@ 2 million when it was repeated on BBC2 in 1992 . According to Nathalie Olah of The Independent , the nature of the episode 's plot demonstrates the " sense of drama " that made Thunderbirds popular : " Sure , most kids didn 't understand the workings of a plutonium bomb , but the fact that the show was capable of sustaining their attention , as well as that of their older siblings and parents , meant they had some idea by the end of said episode . " Thunderbirds co @-@ creator Sylvia Anderson praises scriptwriter Alan Fennell 's " vivid imagination " and his complex script , while also opining that " 30 Minutes After Noon " was " more a vehicle for live action than for the limited emotions of our puppet cast . " Media historian Nicholas J. Cull links the episode to one of Fennell 's other Thunderbirds scripts , " The Man from MI.5 " , in which the main guest character is a British Secret Service agent called Bondson . For Cull , " 30 Minutes After Noon " is one of several Thunderbirds episodes that incorporates visual homage to the James Bond films . In particular , he comments on Southern 's briefing scene , in which the characters of Southern , Sir William Frazer and an unnamed aide are substituted by hats on a stand : " Southern 's hat is a trilby , tossed onto the stand in best James Bond fashion . " Tom Fox , in a review for Starburst magazine , draws a similar conclusion with regard to the scene ; he picks out the robot guards and the " spooky " , " nefarious " and " palatial " hideout of the Scottish castle as the episode 's other highlights . He gives " 30 Minutes After Noon " a rating of four out of five stars . Commenting on David Elliott 's resolution to diversify the range of camera angles , Stephen La Rivière , author of Filmed in Supermarionation : A History of the Future , expresses disappointment that the first half of " 30 Minutes After Noon " presents standard camera work : he judges these scenes to be " filmed as normal " , and suggests that they compare negatively to the " quirky visuals " of the latter half . La Rivière also discusses the episode 's editing , noting that " 30 Minutes After Noon " is split into two distinct storylines ( with the exploits of Southern and the British Secret Service only coming after the devastation of the Hudson Building ) . He argues that , in this respect , the episode is similar to its antecedents , whose running time was unexpectedly doubled from 25 to 50 minutes and which therefore had to be extended with character @-@ based subplots , secondary rescues and other filler scenes . In a review published in NTBS News Flash , " 30 Minutes After Noon " is described as a " thrilling , well @-@ paced episode " , which " brings together a very sadistic bad guy scheme and some innocent , and some not @-@ so @-@ innocent victims in peril , all providing plenty of action for International Rescue . " The reviewer commends the pacing as being " especially good " , and also credits the " inventive camera work " , commenting , " I don 't think I 've seen more use of ' real hand acting ' in any other episode . " The concept of exploding bracelet bombs is connected to the premise of the Saw horror films , in which victims are seen to be trapped in dangerous situations and are threatened with death if they do not carry out tasks that are put before them . = = Adaptations = = An audio adaptation of " 30 Minutes After Noon " , narrated by David Graham in character as Parker , was released as a mini @-@ album in the 1960s . The episode was also serialised by Alan Fennell and Malcolm Stokes in issues 18 – 20 of Thunderbirds : The Comic in 1992 , and re @-@ released in the graphic collection Thunderbirds in Action later that year .
= Muramasa : The Demon Blade = Muramasa : The Demon Blade , known in Japan as Oboro Muramasa ( Japanese : 朧村正 , lit . " Hazy Muramasa " ) , is an action role @-@ playing game developed by Vanillaware for the Wii home console , and later the PlayStation Vita handheld console . The original game was published in 2009 by Marvelous Entertainment ( Japan ) , Ignition Entertainment ( North America ) , and Rising Star Games ( Europe ) . The Vita version was published in 2013 by Marvelous AQL in Japan and Aksys Games in Western territories . Using a 2D side @-@ scrolling perspective , the gameplay revolves around a beat em up fighting system , while incorporating RPG elements such as leveling and questing . Muramasa takes place during the Edo period on Japan 's main island of Honshu . Due to ruling shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi 's thirst for power , conflicts have arisen over ownership of the Demon Blades , samurai swords that force their wielders to kill others before bringing tragedy and madness upon them . The story revolves around two different protagonists related to this conflict — Momohime , a woman who is possessed by the spirit of vengeful rōnin Jinkuro Izuna ; and Kisuke , an amnesiac ninja on the run for a forgotten crime who is tied up with the tragedy that destroyed Momohime 's family . The Vita port includes four self @-@ contained stories based on Japanese folklore released under the banner title Genroku Legends ( 元禄怪奇譚 , Genroku Kaikitan ) . The concept work for Muramasa began during the middle of development on Odin Sphere . Along with improving on the action gameplay over Odin Sphere , a great deal of effort was put into making the game 's setting authentic to the period . When the game released in the West , it retained its Japanese voicetrack to preserve its atmosphere . It released to moderate sales and mixed to positive reviews : the graphics were universally praised , the gameplay divided opinion and the story received a mixed response . The Vita port , released in the West as Muramasa Rebirth , released to strong sales and similar reception to its original version . = = Gameplay = = Muramasa is a two @-@ dimensional ( 2D ) side @-@ scrolling action role @-@ playing game set on the main Japanese island of Honshu during the Edo period . Players take control of two characters with similar gameplay abilities . Navigation takes place through hand @-@ drawn 2D side @-@ scrolling environments reminiscent of Japanese artwork of the period , and can enter towns to talk with non @-@ playable characters ( NPCs ) and buy items such as health restoratives and accept quests . An additional cooking element allows the characters to cook meals using materials gathered during exploration : meals grant temporary character boosts , and fill a " fullness " meter that limits how much food a character can eat . Combat comes in the form of both avoidable random encounters and scripted fights where the camera is fixed within the fighting area : enemies and bosses are primarily drawn from Japanese folklore and mythology . Battles are triggered only when enemies are near , with the player character otherwise keeping their weapons sheathed . In combat , characters attack and guard using a single @-@ button prompt , while another button accesses items such as healing potions . Continuously attacking triggers combos . Different moves include sword slashes combined with directional buttons , which have different effects such as throwing an enemy into the air with an upward slash . Additional offensive items such as smoke bombs are acquired during the course of the game . At the end of each battle , experience points are awarded to the player character depending on how fast the battle was finished : leveling up increases a character 's health , stats , and the amount of damage inflicted upon enemies . Weapons are distinguished into two categories , Blade ( katana ) and Long Blade ( nōdachi ) : Blades are fast , while Long Blades are slower and deal higher damage . Three blades can be equipped at any one time : each blade has its own stats , determining the amount of damage that can be inflicted . When blocking or using a blade 's Secret Art special move , its Soul Power gauge depletes : if emptied , the sword breaks and its offensive abilities are drastically reduced . When sheathed , the Soul Power regenerates . Soul Power can be gathered in various locations to restore Soul Power and the character 's health . There are 108 blades that can be collected and forged in @-@ game : forging blades requires Soul Power and " spirit " , and each blade has a level cap determining when it can be forged . Weapon forging is governed by a weapon @-@ based skill tree . = = Synopsis = = = = = Setting and characters = = = Muramasa takes place on Honshu , the main island of the Japanese archipelago , with its overall style and setting drawing heavily upon Japanese folklore and mythology . It is set in the Genroku period , itself within the larger Edo period , during the reign of the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi . Tsunayoshi 's thirst for power has created conflict around ownership of the Demon Blades , samurai swords forged by the legendary swordsmith Muramasa Sengo that crave blood when drawn and bring madness and death to those foolish enough to draw them . Due to the chaos generated by this , the Demon Blades ' powers begin summoning demons from Yomi , along with causing ancient gods to stir from long slumber . The two lead characters are Momohime ( 百姫 ) , a princess of the Narukami clan from the locality of Mino ; and Kisuke ( 鬼助 ) , a runaway ninja with no memories but a burning desire for vengeance . For the course of the game , Momohime is inadvertently possessed by the spirit of Jinkuro Izuna ( 飯綱陣九朗 ) , an unscrupulous rōnin who was trying to possess the body of Momohime 's betrothed Yukinojo Yagyu ( 柳生雪之丞 ) , a high @-@ status samurai . Momohime and Kisuke are each accompanied and watched over by a kitsune in human form . They are Kongiku ( 紺菊 ) , who holds unacknowledged affection for Jinkuro , and Yuzuruha ( 弓弦葉 ) , who aids Kisuke in his quest against the Demon Blades ' corruption . A key character in Kisuke 's storyline is Torahime ( 虎姫 ) , Momohime 's sister . = = = Plot = = = Momohime 's Story Momohime 's story begins after she wakes up Kyo with memories of being killed by the dying Jinkuro when he was aiming for her betrothed , the samurai lord Yukinojo . Upon encountering the spirit of Jinkuro , he forcefully possesses her , but before the process of soul transference is finished , they are attacked . In the confusion , Momohime 's soul is kidnapped by the vengeful monk Rankai and Jinkuro is forced to follow Kongiku as Momohime 's body will die if her soul is harmed . With her soul safe , Jinkuro sets out to regain the Dark Resurrection Demon Blade so he can properly utilize his Soul Transference Technique and gain influence through a new host . Encountering Yukinojo , who is searching for Momohime , the two battle . Momohime forces Jinkuro to spare Yukinojo , even when she learns that Yukinojo 's intentions in marrying her were part of a scheme to ruin her family as punishment for defying the shogun . Jinkuro goes to Yukinojo 's compound to retrieve the Dark Resurrection , but the storehouse where it is said to be is absorbed into Yomi by demons . Descending into Yomi , Jinkuro 's soul is briefly captured by a demon , and it is only with Momohime 's help that he escapes and learns that the Dark Resurrection was never in the storehouse . With Momohime 's body beginning to fail due to the strain Soul Transference put on it , Jinkuro attempts to ascent to Heaven so he can become an immortal demon , but is stopped by Raijin and Fujin . While willing to accept his death and allow Momohime her remaining time in her body , Kongiku shows them another way to Heaven . There , Yukinojo appears and reveals that he had the Dark Resurrection all along . They are then attacked by Fudo @-@ Myoou , who is there to deliver divine justice upon Jinkuro . In the first ending , Jinkuro allows himself to be sent to Yomi while Momohime lives ; she decides to forgo her marriage to Yukinojo and become a Buddhist nun in the hope of saving Jinkuro 's soul through prayer . In the second ending , Momohime and Jinkuro are intercepted by Kisuke and Yuzuruha , resulting in Kongiku being robbed of her human form as punishment for her defiance . Though defeated , Kisuke delivers a fatal wound to Momohime , forcing Jinkuro to merge his soul with Momohime 's to save her : this act leaves her an amnesiac but grants her Jinkuro 's sword fighting abilities , which become legendary as she travels Japan in search of her missing memories . In the third ending , after the battle with Fudo @-@ Myoou Jinkuro is transported to the night he first attacked Yukinojo and Momohime with the power of the Oboro Muramasa Demon Blade , which can defy the passage of fate . He chooses not to attack them , then later possesses Yukinojo 's body and uses that position to ensure Momohime 's safety and her family 's security . Momohime herself lives to be one hundred years old and bears three children , while Kongiku remains close to Jinkuro in the guise of a servant . Kisuke 's Story Kisuke 's story begins with him suffering amnesia and on the run from his former ninja comrades . Returning to Edo to discover the truth in the company of Yuzuruha , he accidentally breaks an ancient seal keeping damned souls at bay . Defeating the monsters they manifest as , he learns from his mollified ninja companions and their employer Yukinojo that he was part of a mission to steal the Kuzuryu Demon Blade from Momohime 's Nakurami Clan and punish them for defying the shogun 's order to surrender it , which in turn was tied in with Yukinojo 's intentions in marrying Momohime . Yukinojo sends Kisuke against Torahime , Momohime 's sister and the shrine maiden in charge of keeping the Kuzuryu 's power in check . Pursuing her , Kisuke fights both Torahime and undead soldiers loyal to her family . In pursuit of her , he faces agents who are preserving the flow of magic energy to Mount Fuji , including a young Yamabushi . His battles awaken his memories : he was originally disguised as a servant in Torahime 's household as part of Yukinojo 's scheme to destroy her family , but fell in love with Torahime and attempted to betray his ninja comrades when stealing the Kuzuryu . Dying from his wounds , the spirit of Senju Oboroya , the creator of the Oboro Style that controls the Demon Blades , fused with Kisuke to save his life and pass on the Oboro Style to someone who would use it for good . The fusion triggered Kisuke 's amnesia , but left him with the ability to wield Demon Blades without succumbing to their evil . Rescuing Torahime from the spider demon Tsuchigumo , Kisuke learns that she died while fleeing from the shogun 's forces , and that her present life is a temporary gift from Amitābha . The two travel to Mount Fuji , where its native dragon god has gone berserk with rage after Japan 's ley line energy is diverted to Edo , forcing a route into Heaven . The true culprit is the dark deity imprisoned in the Kuzuryu , the mad god Inugami . Upon being confronted , the possessed Shogun Tsunayoshi fatally wounds Torahime , who dies in Kisuke 's arms : Kisuke then defeats Tsunayoshi and takes possession of the Kuzuryu . In the first ending , after the battle , Kisuke asks Amitābha to return the now @-@ enlightened Torahime to life , then commits suicide as an act of defiance when his demand is refused . Torahime asks for her and Kisuke to be reincarnated so she can help him attain enlightenment . In the second ending , Kisuke arrives to find Tsunayoshi killed by the Jinkuro @-@ possessed Momohime . Kisuke exorcises Jinkuro , and following Torahime 's final request becomes Momohime 's servant . The two then set out on a personal quest to locate all the Demon Blades causing conflict in Japan . In the third ending , after his battle , Kisuke is sent back in time to the day he first betrayed his employers through the Oboro Muramasa 's power . His warning allows Torahime to foil the plot against her family , then Kisiuke steals the Kuzuryu and sets off on a journey round the world to exhaust its power by striking down evil , promising to marry Torahime upon his return . Genroku Legends The Genroku Legends are split into four different stories directly inspired by Japanese folklore and set in the Muramasa universe . In " Fishy Tales of the Nekomata " , a domestic cat called Miike sees her family brought to ruin and all its members killed . Possessing the dying body of the family daughter Okoi and becoming a nekomata , she vows revenge against her family 's killers , assassins employed by their rival Netsuzo Wakamiya . Despite succeeding , her rage remains unseated and she extends her wrath to the entire household . In the end , her tails are cut off by Jinkuro when he is hired to exorcise her : before being robbed of her powers , she curses Jinkuro with illness , setting the events of Momohime 's story in motion . Now at peace , Miike spends time with an old priest and hosts moonlight dances with local cats . In the alternate ending , Miike becomes a ravenous demon whose rage is finally quelled by the old priest . In " A Cause to Daikon For " , a local farmer named Gonbe stirs up a revolt when the local Daimyo raises the taxes to the point that his village is on the brink of ruin . Aided by the spirit of his deceased wife Otae , Gonbe fights through the Daimyo 's minions before killing him . After the fight , it is revealed that he has been relating his story to Enma , the King of Hell and , due to his actions , is condemned to be tormented there . Due to her love for him , Otae willingly joins Gonbe despite being a pure soul . However , due to the punishment demons being overworked and Gonbe complaining to Enma , he is banished with his comrades and Otae back to the living world , where they get a chance to live in peace under a new and kinder Daimyo . In the alternate ending , the entire sequence is said to have been illusions holding Gonbe 's spirit captive around the ruins of the Daimyo 's castle . He , Otae and his comrades are freed by a traveling Yamabushi and ascend to heaven . In " A Spirited Seven Nights ' Haunting " , the Iga ninja Arashimaru infiltrates the house of the Okabe clan , where Arashimaru steals the sacred Spear of Bishamon and kills the leader of the Okabe clan . After learning that he was actually the leader 's son , Arashimaru flees in disgust . Taking shelter in a shrine , Arashimaru accidentally breaks a mirror sacred to the Goddess Inaraki , who becomes a Shirohebi ( white snake ) that curses him to die in seven days . Heading to exact revenge on the Iga leader after besting his master Shiranui in combat , Arashimaru learns that his mission was orchestrated by So Xian , a Ming @-@ era Chinese spy working to destabilize Japan 's ruling classes who was indirectly responsible for the taking the young Kisuke from his family . Arashimaru kills So Xian and escapes his lair with Shiranui 's aid , then goes peacefully to his death after asking the saddened Shirohebi to give his head and Spear of Bishamon to his brother Dengoro so he can restore the Okabe house . Arashimaru 's head is given proper burial at the Shirohebi 's insistence , and Arashimaru 's spirit is deified due to the grave becoming a prayer site for pilgrims . In the alternate ending , Arashimaru is possessed by So Xian 's spirit , who enslaves Shirohebi and takes on the name " Orochimaru " . In a desperate act of defiance , Shirohebi has Shiranui spirit away the Okabe clan 's last surviving heir during Orochimaru 's attack who , when grown , takes on the name " Jiraiya " to fight Orochimaru . In " Hell 's Where the Heart Is " , an Oni girl named Rajyaki is sent by her father Enma to seal the treasures of the Seven Gods of Fortune . On her journey , a womanizing ex @-@ monk called Seikichi accidentally proposes to her and she accepts him as her husband . In the end , Seikichi saves her after a grueling battle by feeding her the sacred peach of Fukurokuju . Due to this , she is banished from Yomi by her father . In one ending , the Seven Gods of Fortune persuade Rajyaki to return to her father , while Seikichi moves to live a proper life . In the end , Rajyaki returns in human form and formalizes their marriage , which continues after Seikichi dies and goes to Hell . In the alternate ending , Rajyaki and Seikichi run into each other again when she is being hunted by samurai . Seikichi saves her , pretending he killed her and using that to establish himself as a samurai . Rajyaki takes the guise of his human wife , and they have three daughters who bear their mother 's demonic horns . The Genroku Legends conclude with the narrator detailing the locations of the Seven Gods ' treasures scattered through the stories , and thanking the player for locating them and calming Enma so his demons could return to Hell . = = Development = = Muramasa was developed by Vanillaware , a studio created by former Atlus staff members to create successor projects to the 2D action @-@ adventure game Princess Crown . According to sound producer Hitoshi Sakimoto , the game 's director George Kamitani was laying out plans for Muramasa when Odin Sphere was in the middle of development . According to Kamitani , while Odin Sphere was an evolution of Princess Crown 's narrative , Muramasa provided the chance of evolving its gameplay . He even went so far as to dub it " Princess Crown III " . The draft proposal was completed by the end of 2006 . The positive sales of Odin Sphere gave Vanillaware the capital needed to begin full development on Muramasa . The team 's style of development was identical to their strategy for Odin Sphere , although they worked to change up some aspects to make it a unique experience . When developing the game , the team decided to create a vertical plain for players to explore , something which the team had needed to forego with Odin Sphere . In addition , bathing sequences cut from Odin Sphere were reworked and incorporated into Muramasa as hot spring scenes . The Wii was chosen as the game 's platform of release as its specs were fairly close to that of the PlayStation 2 , the console for which Odin Sphere was developed . This meant that the team could carry over their earlier experience rather than start from scratch learning about new hardware . Kamitani did create design proposals for versions on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 , but went undeveloped development due to development costs . Using the Wii 's motion controls was tested by the team , but due to the game 's old @-@ fashioned style there was little need to implement them . The biggest problem when developing for the Wii was the graphics , especially how to get the various pieces of artwork in the game 's scenery to interact and respond properly . They also wanted to keep loading times down to a minimum , which was made possible due to the Wii 's area pre @-@ loading abilities . Technical tinkering of this kind went on until the end of development . The team was highly dedicated to the success of the project , putting a large amount of work to make it as good as it could be for players . In creating the game 's atmosphere , which was based on Japan as it was in the Edo era combined with local folklore and mythology , the team wanted to create an air of realism within its fantasy world . In keeping with their wish for realism , Momohime and Kisuke were given distinct accents ( Momohime used a cultured dialect while Kisuke spoke with an Edogawa accent ) . Another realistic element was the game 's food , which was designed based on the types of delicacies that were popular in the 17th and 18th centuries . One of the folklore references was the 108 Demon Blades in the game , which was a direct reference to the 108 human vices in Japanese folklore . A number of monsters and deities from Japanese mythology made appearances in the game , and the art style was intended to give a " Japanese " feel without consciously copying artwork from the game 's period . The artwork was created at double its in @-@ game resolution , then reduced to fit within the hardware . Several potential playable characters and storylines , such as narratives following Jinkuro and Torahime , had to be cut from the game . Elements of the cut storylines were incorporated into Kisuke and Momohime 's stories . The game 's setting was a heavy departure from Vanillaware 's previous games , which had used Western @-@ inspired settings and stories . The game 's overall theme was " death " . = = = Music = = = The music was handled by a team from sound company Basiscape , composed of multiple composers who had worked on Odin Sphere . Sakimoto acted as sound producer , the sound director was Masaaki Kaneko , and the music was composed by Sakimoto , Yoshimi Kudo , Noriyuki Kamikura , Mitsuhiro Kaneda , Kimihiro Abe , Azusa Chiba and Masaharu Iwata . Sakimoto was working on music for Odin Sphere when the project was first proposed , and thought Kamitani was being overambitious working on a premise based in Japan when developing a game based on European mythology . During the initial planning stage , Sakimoto thought the game would be a " mock @-@ Japanese " project , with Japanese instruments inserted into techno music . Once he realized how sincere Kamitani was with the project , Sakimoto and the team needed to re @-@ identify with the roots of traditional Japanese music . For Sakimoto , his approach was to reconnect with how earlier Japanese people turned their wabi @-@ sabi philosophy and worldview into words and music : he carried over this approach into the project . Each of the composers had to go through similar experiences . = = Release = = Muramasa was first announced at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show ( TGS ) under the title Oboro Muramasa Yōtōden ( 朧村正妖刀伝 , lit . " The Hazy Legend of Muramasa 's Mystical Sword " ) , alongside its intended platform , setting and gameplay mechanics . After its announcement , information releases about the game virtually stopped , and an April 2008 report by Famitsu reported the game 's development was " struggling " , although no details were revealed . Muramasa was reintroduced at TGS 2008 under its current Japanese title , along with its planned release window in 2009 and details on its characters and story . The game released in Japan on April 9 , 2009 . It was later released as part of Nintendo Channel 's budget game line @-@ up in January 2010 , and re @-@ released on the Virtual Console for Wii U in July 2015 . It was announced for a release in North America under the title Muramasa : The Demon Blade in October 2008 for a release the following year . The game was originally being published by Xseed Games , but in April 2009 they announced that they were dropping the title from their schedule . Publishing rights were transferred to Ignition Entertainment . Ignition Entertainment later explained that it was in hot competition with Xseed and Atlus to acquire the American publishing rights , and after seeing Muramasa at TGS 2008 they were encouraged to apply for the rights . The change between publishers was an internal agreement between Xseed , their parent company Marvelous USA , and Ignition . The situation was amicably resolved as Xseed already had a large number of Wii titles lined up , and giving Muramasa to another publisher allowed multiple titles not to be overlooked when it came to Western publicity . The game released in North America on September 8 , 2009 . The game 's localization was done by external localization companies in close collaboration with Ignition Entertainment . Due to the game 's strong Japanese atmosphere , it was seen as a hard sell in the West , but during localization a lot of work went into preserving it rather than adjusting it for Western tastes . Due to this , the game was not dubbed into English , but instead retained its Japanese voice track while text was localized . An aspect Ignition worked hard with was to make sure the localization was of good quality by working closely with their chosen localization partners . This was due to backlash received by fans and critics over the " lackluster " localization of Lux @-@ Pain , which had been beyond their control during development . The game was published in Europe by Rising Star Games alongside other Marvelous products including Valhalla Knights : Eldar Saga and Arc Rise Fantasia . The English translation was carried over from the North American version , although the English language version underwent regional adjustment , and some minor faults were corrected . The game was also translated into French , Italian , German and Spanish , which made using the original translation more practical than creating a new one . Originally scheduled for November 2009 , it was first shifted into 2010 , then moved back into 2009 . The game released in Europe on November 6 of that year . Upon release in the United Kingdom , most retailers did not stock it : this was put down to a general attitude that it would not sell like prevalent franchises or games from mainstream genres . The game released in Australia on December 3 , 2009 . = = = Muramasa Rebirth = = = Muramasa Rebirth , released in Japan under its original title of Oboro Muramasa , is a port of Muramasa developed by Vanillaware for the PlayStation Vita . According to its development team , the Vita was chosen as the port 's platform over the more commercially successful Xbox 360 and PS3 due to the Vita 's OLED @-@ based screen , which they felt better portray the game 's palette . While content was cut from the original version , the team decided against going back and restoring it , instead creating new additional content . The controls were also adjusted to suit the new platform . Muramasa Rebirth was published in Japan by Marvelous AQL on March 28 , 2013 . The game 's Western release was handled by Aksys Games , which also created a new localization . Compared to the original version , which was described as a direct translation , Aksys Games ' version was more " flavorful " and more faithful to the original text . It released in North America on June 25 . It was released in Europe and Australia through PlayStation Network on October 16 . In addition to the main game , four self @-@ contained stories were released as downloadable content ( DLC ) under the title Genroku Legends ( 元禄怪奇譚 , Genroku Kaikitan ) , featuring new characters within the Muramasa universe . For the new characters , swords are replaced by other weapons such as clubs and shurikens , but they otherwise play in the same way as Momohime and Kisuke . New music was created for the title under Sakimoto 's supervision : the four episodes were scored by Kudo , Chiba , Kaneda and Iwata respectively . The Vanillaware @-@ developed DLC launched in both Japan and the West between November 2013 and November 2014 : the final DLC 's Japanese release was delayed by over two months behind the Western release . A special edition of Muramasa Rebirth exclusive to Japan contained all four DLC episodes alongside the original content . = = Reception = = The Demon Blade received critical acclaim , garnering a score of 81 / 100 on Metacritic based on 58 critic reviews . In its review , Famitsu praised the art style , and called the battle system " absorbing " . Their main complaints were the lack of variety between characters and the story having no proper climax . Destructoid 's Conrad Zimmerman called it " a very solid title " , saying that while flawed in its story delivery and instances of repetition , its visuals were " absolutely beautiful " and it proved fun to play . IGN 's Mark Bozon was highly positive about the graphics and sound , but thought the backtracking might put some people off and said the story " may go over people ’ s heads " . Game Revolution writer Nick Tan enjoyed the game greatly , but admitted that its lack of depth reduced the score he could give it as a reviewer . Joe Juba , writing for Game Informer , found The Demon Blade " stunning " despite some missteps in its pacing and depth . GameSpot 's Tom McShea praised the visuals , boss battles and collectable swords , but found few other activities outside combat , which itself lacked depth . GamePro 's Andy Burt called the visuals " gorgeous " and praised the combat and multiple storylines , but found its linearity and occations where combat got " bogged down " hampered the experience . GameTrailers praised its combat and visuals , calling it " one of the better action titles on the [ Wii ] " . Keza MacDonald , writing for Eurogamer , noted that " like many beautiful things , [ Muramasa : The Demon Blade ] is a little lacking in substance " , saying that its lack of depth undermined other aspects . Micheal Cunningham of RPGamer called it " a great game " to see and play despite its plain story . RPGFan 's Dennis Rubinshteyn shared several points in common with reviewers about the story and repetition , while again praising the graphics and sound design . Rebirth also had a positive reception , with Metacritic giving it a score of 78 / 100 based on 26 critic reviews . In its review , Famitsu praised it for being a good remake , although one reviewer was disappointed at the lack of new content . Chris Carter of Destructoid said that people who had already played the original version would not find much new content , while newcomers would likely be enchanted by it . Juba , reviewing Rebirth for Game Informer , said that the game was " exactly what developer Vanillaware intended it to be : a better @-@ looking version of the 2009 release " , while noting that this had no fixed the game 's original faults as noted by him . IGN 's Colin Moriarty called Rebirth a " faithful port " , praising the improved localization and generally enjoying playing despite backtracking hampering the experience . Adrian den Ouden of RPGamer also praised the localization and shared points of praise and criticism with the previous reviewer . Stephen Meyerink of RPGFan , who had not played the Wii original , called Rebirth " a gorgeous , action @-@ packed , fairly lengthy adventure that looks , sounds , and plays better than ever " . Chris Holzworth of Electronic Gaming Monthly was impressed by the visuals and indifferent about the story , and recommended playing it on a higher difficulty setting . = = = Sales = = = On its debut in Japan , The Demon Blade reached # 2 in game sales charts , coming in behind Sengoku Basara : Battle Heroes with 29 @,@ 000 units sold . Sales of the title were higher than anticipated , resulting in several stores in Japan being sold out within two weeks of its release . The game had sold 47 @,@ 000 units by November 2009 . In North America , NPD Group reported that the game had sold 35 @,@ 000 units during its first month of release . In a feature on notable video games in 2009 , GamesTM stated that The Demon Blade sold " extremely well " , besting established Western franchise releases such as Dead Space : Extraction . Ignition Entertainment , the game 's North American publisher , confirmed that the September sales for The Demon Blade had fallen within the NPD Group 's estimates , and had met their sales expectations . In a 2010 interview , publisher Marvelous Entertainment stated that , despite positive reception from both critics and players , Muramasa : The Demon Blade had suffered from low sales in Japan , North America and Europe . This was put down to it being a non @-@ traditional game and the falling relevance of the Wii hardware . In its first week of release , Rebirth debuted at # 5 , selling 45 @,@ 660 physical units . Within the first month following its release in Japan , the game topped 100 @,@ 000 shipments , with at least 67 @,@ 800 physical retail sales , and the remainder as digital copies distributed on the PlayStation Network . Muramasa Rebirth ranked as the seventh most downloaded digital Vita game on the Japanese PlayStation Network in 2013 . In both North America and Europe , the game ranked high on PSN download charts : it ranked as the fifth best @-@ selling Vita title in North America , while in Europe it debuted at # 5 before climbing to # 4 by December 2013 .
= U.S. Route 31 in Michigan = US Highway 31 ( US 31 ) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Alabama to the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan . In Michigan , it is a state trunkline highway that runs from the Indiana – Michigan state line at Bertrand Township north to its terminus at Interstate 75 ( I @-@ 75 ) south of Mackinaw City . Along its 356 @.@ 5 @-@ mile @-@ long ( 573 @.@ 7 km ) route , US 31 follows the Michigan section of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway as well as other freeways and divided highways northward to Ludington . North of there , the trunkline is a rural undivided highway through the Northern Michigan tourist destinations of Traverse City and Petoskey before terminating south of Mackinaw City . Along its route , US 31 has been dedicated in memory of a few different organizations , and sections of it carry the Lake Michigan Circle Tour ( LMCT ) moniker . Four bridges used by the highway have been recognized for their historic character as well . The first highways along the route of the modern US 31 corridor were the West Michigan Pike , an auto trail from 1913 , and later a pair of state trunklines ( the original M @-@ 11 and M @-@ 58 ) in 1919 . These state highways were redesignated US 31 on November 11 , 1926 , when the US Highway System was approved . Since then , the highway has been realigned in places . The highway crossed the Straits of Mackinac by ferry for about a decade in the 1920s and 1930s before the Mackinac Bridge was built , connecting to US 2 north of St. Ignace . Later , sections were converted into freeways starting in the 1950s . These segments opened through the subsequent decades with the last one opening in 2003 . Future plans by the Michigan Department of Transportation ( MDOT ) are to finish the St. Joseph Valley Parkway and bypass Grand Haven . = = Route description = = Between Lake Michigan Beach and the northern terminus south of Mackinaw City , most of US 31 forms a portion of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour ( LMCT ) except where the various business loops run between the main highway and Lake Michigan . Additionally , much of the highway from the Indiana – Michigan state line to Ludington is built to freeway standards . Two notable exceptions are a short segment along Napier Avenue between the St. Joseph Valley Parkway and I @-@ 94 near Benton Harbor , and between Holland and Ferrysburg . The remainder of US 31 is a two- or four @-@ lane highway with some sections in cities comprising five lanes . The entire length of the highway is listed on the National Highway System , a network of roads important to the US 's economy , defense , and mobility . = = = St. Joseph Valley Parkway and I @-@ 196 = = = US 31 and the St. Joseph Valley Parkway crosses into Michigan from Indiana southwest of Niles and parallels the St. Joseph River as the two run northward through southwest Michigan . The freeway passes through farmland before crossing US 12 at the first of a set of three interchanges located between Niles on the east and Buchanan on the west . US 31 crosses the river north of the interchange with Niles – Buchanan Road . North of the Walton Road interchange , the freeway turns northwesterly to recross the St. Joseph River near Lake Chapin south of Berrien Springs . The parkway curves around the west side of town before crossing the river for a third time . As US 31 continues northward parallel to the river , it enters the eastern fringes of the Benton Harbor – St. Joseph area . Traffic is forced to exit the freeway at the interchange with Napier Road although the freeway continues northward for less than 1 ⁄ 2 mile ( 0 @.@ 80 km ) . After separating from its freeway , US 31 turns west along Napier Avenue for about two miles ( 3 @.@ 2 km ) before meeting I @-@ 94 and merging with it . I @-@ 94 / US 31 runs concurrently on a northeasterly course through a partial interchange with Business Loop I @-@ 94 ( BL I @-@ 94 ) before meeting the southern end of I @-@ 196 in Benton Charter Township . At this trumpet interchange , I @-@ 196 / US 31 runs north from I @-@ 94 and passes to the west of the Point O 'Woods Golf & Country Club . It continues northward in rural Berrien County through farm fields . The trunkline turns northwesterly near the Lake Michigan Hills Golf Course and crosses the Paw Paw River . Past the river , the freeway turns northeasterly and runs roughly parallel to the Lake Michigan shoreline several miles inland . At the community of Lake Michigan Beach , I @-@ 196 / US 31 meets the northern terminus of M @-@ 63 at exit 7 , and the LMCT joins the freeway for the first time . North of this interchange , the freeway parallels a county road ( A @-@ 2 , the Blue Star Highway ) that is the former route of US 31 . Further north , I @-@ 196 / US 31 crosses into Van Buren County and assumes the Gerald R. Ford Freeway name . The inland side of the freeway is forested while the lakeward side is predominantly either forest or fields . As it approaches South Haven , the freeway passes near the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station and Van Buren State Park . North of the power plant and park , the freeway turns farther inland to bypass the city of South Haven . There is an interchange on the south side of town that provides access to BL I @-@ 196 and M @-@ 140 . The freeway crosses over M @-@ 43 without an interchange and then intersects the other end of the business loop about two miles ( 3 @.@ 2 km ) later . It crosses the Black River near the Van Buren – Allegan county line . In Allegan County , I @-@ 196 / US 31 passes a pair of golf courses and continues northward through farm fields . Near the community of Glenn , A @-@ 2 crosses over the freeway and runs parallel to it on the east . The two roads trade places again when I @-@ 196 / US 31 turns northeasterly on the south side of the twin cities of Saugatuck and Douglas . The freeway crosses over a section of Kalamazoo Lake , a wider section of the Kalamazoo River that flows between the two towns . A @-@ 2 crosses back to the eastern side of the freeway north of Saugatuck , and I @-@ 196 / US 31 continues north @-@ northeasterly toward Holland . On the south side of Holland , US 31 and I @-@ 196 separate as the Interstate turns northeasterly around the city to continue to Grand Rapids . US 31 follows the BL I @-@ 196 freeway northward into Holland around the north side of the West Michigan Regional Airport . The business loop has an interchange for A @-@ 2 ( Blue Star Highway ) and Washington Avenue before the freeway ends in the southern reaches of Holland . The trunkline then runs as a divided highway northward , bypassing downtown Holland to the east and intersecting M @-@ 40 . Northeast of downtown Holland , BL I @-@ 196 leaves US 31 and the LMCT at an interchange to follow an expressway along the route of Chicago Drive while US 31 turns northwesterly on its own expressway alignment . = = = West Michigan = = = Northwest of Holland , the highway runs as a four @-@ lane expressway and divided highway parallel , but inland from , the Lake Michigan shoreline . This section of US 31 runs through a mix of farm fields and forests as it runs to the community of Agnew . There , US 31 intersects the western end of M @-@ 45 ( Lake Michigan Drive ) before continuing into the southern end of Grand Haven . In that city , the highway follows a four @-@ lane boulevard with a grass median . On the northern edge of the city of Grand Haven , US 31 crosses the Grand River on a bascule bridge that opens about 450 – 500 times per year . North of the structure , US 31 transitions into a freeway at the interchange with the western end of M @-@ 104 in Ferrysburg . This freeway continues northward through the suburban edges of the Muskegon area and meets the western end of I @-@ 96 near the Muskegon County Airport in Norton Shores . At this interchange with I @-@ 96 , US 31 has its southernmost business loop as U.S. Route 31 Business runs westerly and northward into downtown Muskegon . The main freeway continues through the suburban eastern edge of the city through several interchanges , including one with M @-@ 46 ( Apple Avenue ) . Just south of the Muskegon River , the business loop merges back into the main freeway . US 31 crosses the river and turns northwesterly through forests . The freeway passes to the east of Michigan 's Adventure , an amusement park , and crosses the White River near the communities of Whitehall and Montague ; a business loop curves off to the west to connect the two communities with the freeway . In this area , US 31 runs through the southern portion of the Manistee National Forest as well . As the freeway continues northward , US 31 intersects the western end of M @-@ 20 in New Era in Oceana County . The landscape in this area is dominated by forest land as the trunkline crosses the Hart @-@ Montague Trail State Park , a linear state park that follows a bike trail in the area . North of the trail crossing , US 31 has a business spur for Hart that runs east into that town ; north of this interchange , the freeway crosses the Pentwater River near the community of Pentwater which also has its own business loop . North of Pentwater , US 31 crosses into Mason County and passes Bass Lake and the Ludington Pumped Storage Power Plant , which uses a reservoir next to the freeway to generate electricity . Just north of that reservoir , the freeway turns to the northeast and Ludington 's business spur runs off to the northwest . US 31 curves around the east side of Ludington , crossing the Pere Marquette River . Due east of downtown , the freeway ends and US 31 turns east to merge with US 10 . The concurrent highways follow a four @-@ lane roadway to Scottville . On the west side of that town , US 31 separates from US 10 , turning northward to bypass Scottville . = = = Northwest Michigan = = = US 31 runs due north through Northwest Michigan forest land bypassing Freesoil to the west . Northwest of that town , the highway crosses the Big Sable River before entering Manistee County . Across the county line , the trunkline runs northwesterly parallel to Manistee Lake as US 31 enters Manistee . The highway follows Cypress Street to a drawbridge over the Manistee River and then Cleveland Street on the northern side . As the trunkline rounds the northern shore of Manistee Lake , it passes the SS City of Milwaukee , a car ferry preserved as a museum . From there , the highway runs northeasterly , intersecting the western end of M @-@ 55 ( Caberfae Highway ) . Next to the Little River Casino , the highway intersects the southern end of M @-@ 22 ( Orchard Highway ) , and the LMCT separates from US 31 . The highway continues on a northeasterly course running inland along Chippewa Highway to the community of Bear Lake . US 31 rounds the east side of the community 's namesake body of water on Lake Street and exits town on Pleasanton Highway . The trunkline continues northward and northeasterly through Pleasanton and crosses into Benzie County . Over the county line , it follows Benzie Highway northward to an intersection with M @-@ 115 ( Cadillac Highway ) . The two merge and run north into Benzonia , following Michigan Avenue in town . Near the south shore of Crystal Lake , M @-@ 115 turns westward toward Frankfort and US 31 follows Michigan Avenue into Beulah , running around the eastern end of the lake . Near the eastern end of Platte Lake , US 31 turns to run easterly into Honor before crossing into Grand Traverse County . Across the county line , US 31 continues eastward , passing north of the community of Interlochen . At Interlochen Corners , it intersects M @-@ 137 . The highway then angles northeasterly north of Duck Lake and south of Silver Lake . A few miles farther east , US 31 meets M @-@ 37 at a location known as Chums Corners . The two highways join and run northward through the unincorporated community . It passes Wuerfel Park , the home stadium for the Traverse City Beach Bums , a minor @-@ league baseball team . From there , US 31 / M @-@ 37 runs downhill into Garfield Township . In this area , the highway passes through a cluster of retail stores and car dealerships near the Grand Traverse Mall . North of the intersection with 14th Street , the trunkline follows Division Street into Traverse City . From there it runs to the east of Grand Traverse Commons , the former Traverse City State Hospital , before US 31 / M @-@ 37 meets Grandview Parkway next to the West Arm of the Grand Traverse Bay . At that intersection , the trunkline meets the northern end of M @-@ 22 , which is running concurrently with M @-@ 72 along the parkway . As US 31 / M @-@ 37 turns east to run along the bay north of downtown , the highway merges with M @-@ 72 and picks up the LMCT again . Grandview Parkway runs between the Boardman River and the bay . Near the mouth of the river , US 31 / M @-@ 37 / M @-@ 72 turns to follow Front Street along the remainder of the bay 's shoreline . At Garfield Avenue , M @-@ 37 turns northward to run up the Old Mission Peninsula , and US 31 / M @-@ 72 continues across the base of the peninsula to the East Arm of the Grand Traverse Bay . The highway runs north of the Cherry Capital Airport near the east arm as it angles southeasterly to Traverse City State Park . East of the park , the trunkline exits suburban Traverse City and rounds the bay to run northward along its eastern shore . In the community of Acme , M @-@ 72 turns eastward while US 31 continues north past the Grand Traverse Resort . About nine miles ( 14 km ) north of Acme , US 31 crosses into Antrim County as it runs between Elk Lake and the Grand Traverse Bay . Between towns , the landscape is mostly agricultural lands with mixed patches of forest . A few miles north of the county line , the trunkline passes through Elk Rapids and crosses a channel connecting the Spencer Bay portion of Elk Lake to Lake Michigan . North of this crossing , US 31 continues northeasterly , running on an isthmus between Torch Lake and Grand Traverse Bay . The highway passes through Eastport at the northern end of Torch Lake and intersects the western end of M @-@ 88 . Further north , US 31 runs through Atwood and crosses into Charlevoix County . = = = North to the Straits Area = = = As US 31 curves around to the northeast and east in Charlevoix County , it follows a section of the Lake Michigan shoreline that is not considered to be part of any bay . The highway continues through Northern Michigan agricultural areas to the southeast of Charlevoix . Once it enters the city , the trunkline intersects the northern end of M @-@ 66 and follows a series of city streets to a drawbridge over the channel that connects Lake Charlevoix to Lake Michigan . South of the structure it is Bridge Street , and north of the bridge it is Michigan Avenue . The highway turns eastward to exit town on Petoskey Avenue and follow the Lake Michigan shoreline . Near the community of Bay Shore , US 31 crosses into Emmet County . The trunkline continues past the Bay Harbor development on Charlevoix Avenue into the city of Petoskey . Once in Petoskey , US 31 intersects the northern end of US 131 ( Spring Street ) and turns northward along Spring Street through downtown . The highway curves around to follow Mitchell Street to cross the Bear River and then follow Bay View Road . US 31 runs along the Little Traverse Bay through the eastern end of Petoskey and into Bay View . From there , it intersects the southern end of M @-@ 119 and passes through a pair of small towns , Conway and Oden , that border inland lakes like Round Lake and various bays of Crooked Lake . North of Oden , US 31 runs through Ponshewaing before entering the village of Alanson . There the highway intersects the western end of M @-@ 68 and runs parallel to the Crooked River , part of the Inland Waterway . North of town , US 31 runs through the town of Brutus before entering Pellston . The highway runs past the Pellston Regional Airport and continues due north to Levering . From there , US 31 turns northwesterly and then northeasterly on Mackinaw Highway to round Lake Paradise in the community of Carp Lake . North of the lake , US 31 follows a limited @-@ access highway into Cheboygan County . Less than 1 ⁄ 2 mile ( 0 @.@ 80 km ) east of the county line , US 31 connects to I @-@ 75 in a partial interchange . At this interchange , northbound traffic defaults onto northbound I @-@ 75 and US 31 terminates . = = History = = = = = Predecessor highways = = = The first major overland transportation corridors in the future state of Michigan were the Indian trails . Only one of these followed part of the path of US 31 ; the Mackinac Trail roughly paralleled the route of US 31 from Petoskey northward . In the age of the auto trail , the roads that later formed US 31 through Michigan were given a few different highway names . The West Michigan Lake Shore Highway Association was founded on January 10 , 1912 , and the group reorganized on May 30 , 1913 , as the West Michigan Pike Association . Their auto trail was marked by a series of concrete markers eight feet ( 2 @.@ 4 m ) tall along the 400 @-@ mile @-@ long ( 640 km ) roadway from the Indiana state line northward to Mackinaw City . The highway was also a part of the Western Mainline of the Dixie Highway in Michigan , another auto trail that was built starting in 1915 . In 1916 , the northern junction between the West Michigan Pike and the East Michigan Pike , which served as the connection for the two mainlines of the Dixie Highway in Michigan in Mackinaw City , was marked with a stone monument at the junction of Central Avenue and Huron Street . By the middle of 1921 , the trail used about 413 miles ( 665 km ) of roadways along its western branch parallel to Lake Michigan . Michigan led all other states in the Dixie Highway Association by 1922 at improvements to its sections of the roadway . The State Trunkline Highway System was created on May 13 , 1913 , by an act of the Michigan Legislature ; at the time , one of the system 's divisions corresponded to US 31 . Division 5 followed a course from Niles northward to Mackinaw City . In 1919 , the Michigan State Highway Department ( MSHD ) signposted the highway system for the first time , and the future US 31 corridor was assigned two numbers . From the state line north through Niles to St. Joseph , it carried the original M @-@ 58 designation and from there northward it was the original M @-@ 11 . = = = US Highway System era = = = The American Association of State Highway Officials ( AASHO ) approved the United States Numbered Highway System on November 11 , 1926 , and the MSHD designated US 31 in Michigan according to AASHO 's plan to run northward from the Indiana state line and along the Lake Michigan shoreline to Mackinaw City . A section in the Benton Harbor – St. Joseph area overlapped US 12 and the modern concurrency with US 10 was also in place . By the end of the next year , the highway was extended across the Straits of Mackinac on the state car ferries to connect to US 2 in the Upper Peninsula north of St. Ignace . In 1930 , Muskegon was bypassed ; the new highway east of downtown was numbered US 31A . By the end of 1936 , the last section of US 31 in the state was paved near Charlevoix , making the entire highway in Michigan a hard @-@ surfaced road . Early the next year , the route of US 2 was realigned to run into St. Ignace ; after the change , US 2 and US 31 ran concurrently . Later that year , a set of curves were straightened out south of Ludington and the routes of US 31 and a US 31A between Saugatuck and Holland were switched , and US 31 was realigned to bypass downtown Ludington . In 1938 , the southern end of US 31 was given a second designation when US 33 was extended into the state from Indiana to terminate in St. Joseph . Later that year , the US 31A in the Holland area was decommissioned . The next year , the US 31 concurrency was removed from US 2 in the Upper Peninsula and the former highway no longer crossed the Straits of Mackinac , terminating instead in Mackinaw City . By the early 1940 , the Muskegon Bypass was given the US 31 designation , and the route downtown was redesignated US 31A . During World War II , a bypass of downtown South Haven was built ; the former route of US 31 through the heart of the city was designated Bus . US 31 at that time . After the war , the route of US 31 north of Charlevoix was realigned to follow the shoreline ; this section opened by the middle of 1949 . The route of the highway between Holland and West Olive was changed to run on a more angular course northwesterly in 1950 . A few years later , a bypass to the south and east of Holland opened and the former route through down was redesignated as a business loop in 1954 . = = = Freeway era = = = On November 1 , 1957 , the Mackinac Bridge opened to traffic . For the opening of the bridge , the highways coming into Mackinaw City from the south were realigned to connect to it ; US 31 terminated at the southern approach to the Mackinac Bridge . In November 1960 , sections of I @-@ 75 's freeway opened from Indian River north to the southern Mackinac Bridge approaches , and US 31 was rerouted to follow segments of that freeway from the current northern terminus south of Mackinaw City northward . By the end of the decade , another freeway segment opened along the Muskegon Bypass as well . The next year , US 33 was extended northward along US 31 from St. Joseph for about 10 miles ( 16 km ) . In 1962 , a section of freeway along US 31 was opened between I @-@ 94 and the Berrien – Van Buren county line . This section was originally designated as part of I @-@ 96 / US 31 ; the former route near the lakeshore became just US 33 . The MSHD petitioned federal highway officials to switch the Interstate designations west of Grand Rapids , reversing the I @-@ 96 and I @-@ 196 numbers to their current configurations . After the designation switch was approved in 1963 , an additional 35 miles ( 56 km ) was opened from the northern end of the freeway near Benton Harbor to Holland as I @-@ 196 / US 31 . The freeway was also extended northward from Muskegon to the Muskegon – Oceana county line north of Montague in 1963 . When I @-@ 196 was completed between Holland and Grandville in 1974 , the BL I @-@ 196 designation was applied along US 31 and Bus . US 31 . The next year , the US 31 freeway was extended northward into Oceana County to New Era . In 1976 , this freeway was lengthened further to Hart . The section of I @-@ 196 / US 31 in all but Berrien County was dedicated as the " Gerald R. Ford Freeway " in July 1978 . Also that year , the US 31 freeway was extended to the southern side of Pentwater . At the end of the 1970s and into the early 1990s , US 31 gained additional freeway segments on both ends of the highway . The first section of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway was completed in 1979 and ran from the Indiana state line north to US 12 . The freeway was extended northward from Pentwater to the Oceana – Mason county line in 1980 . Construction of the Niles Bypass was finished in 1987 , bringing the parkway north to Walton Road northwest of Niles . Bus . US 31 was created along the former routing in Niles . The northern freeway was extended further into Mason County in two stages . In 1989 , it was expanded to the south side of Ludington . The next year , Ludington was bypassed , completing the freeway to its current northern end at US 10 east of town . One more bypass , this time a non @-@ freeway routing to the west of Scottville , opened in 1991 . The Berrien Springs Bypass was completed in late 1992 . Since then , MDOT built a 9 @.@ 5 @-@ mile ( 15 @.@ 3 km ) freeway segment north from Berrien Springs to Napier Avenue that was opened on August 27 , 2003 , at a cost of $ 97 million ( equivalent to $ 137 million in 2015 ) . The last change to the routing of US 31 occurred in August 2004 when the route of Bus . US 31 in Holland was turned back to local control ; BL I @-@ 196 was rerouted to follow US 31 around downtown instead of following the former business loop through it . Starting in 1996 , Traverse City @-@ area residents and tourists requested a freeway bypass the city . These residents decided to not build the highway . In 2001 , The idea was revived , but MDOT abandoned these plans in June of that year . = = Future = = = = = Completion of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway = = = The MSHD started studies for a freeway routing of US 31 from the state line northward to I @-@ 94 in 1967 . The first section northward to Niles was approved in 1972 , and the remainder of the route was approved in 1981 . Since then , MDOT re @-@ evaluated the St. Joseph Valley Parkway extension east of Benton Harbor , due to environmental , economic , and historical site issues . One of the environmental concerns that was studied relates to the habitat of an endangered species , the Mitchell 's Satyr butterfly , which has its habitat in the area of the proposed freeway . The 40 @-@ acre ( 16 ha ) habitat is home to the second @-@ largest population of the rare butterfly . The freeway between Niles and Benton Harbor was planned as a series of five segments when approved in 1981 . Since that approval , the butterfly was discovered in the Blue Creek Fen in the late 1980s , and it was listed as an endangered species in 1992 . This listing stalled MDOT 's planning and construction of the fifth freeway segment north of Berrien Springs . The United States Fish and Wildlife Service ( USFWS ) issued an opinion two years later that the project would jeopardize the species . MDOT was given permission to modify the previously approved freeway to cross the Blue Creek on longer bridges ; the USFWS also required that any construction be done from elevated platforms , among other restrictions . In the interim , MDOT proceeded with construction of the southern portion of the last freeway segment , completing it northward from Berrien Springs to the Napier Avenue interchange in August 2003 . A revised environmental impact study to account for the butterfly 's habitat in the northern area of the freeway was approved in 2004 . The study compared the original routing for this extension that involved connecting directly to I @-@ 196 at I @-@ 94 with an alternate route that involved an indirection connection via the BL I @-@ 94 interchange and an I @-@ 94 concurrency near Benton Harbor . The study recommended using a version of the alternate connection to avoid the Blue Creek Fen , both to save money and decrease impact to the Mitchell 's Satyr . At the time the freeway segment opened in 2003 , MDOT expected the remaining segment would not take much longer to complete , but since then , funding has not been available . MDOT did not include construction of the extension was not included for this reason in the department 's 2014 – 18 highway projects plan released in 2013 , although most of the design work and land acquisition has been completed . Until the missing freeway segment is built , US 31 follows a stretch of Napier Avenue , which was upgraded in conjunction with the St. Joseph Valley Parkway opening to that point , westward to I @-@ 94 . The US 31 / I @-@ 94 / BL I @-@ 94 interchange will be converted to a cloverleaf interchange and additional lanes will be added to I @-@ 94 as well . The St. Joseph Valley Parkway name has already been applied to this unbuilt section . MDOT 's 2017 – 21 plan draft released in July 2016 split the remaining work into three phases . The department has listed funding for only the first two of these three phases , and construction is anticipated to start in 2021 . = = = Bypassing Grand Haven = = = As of 2014 , travelers had to use either US 31 through Grand Haven or 68th Avenue through Eastmanville to cross the Grand River in Ottawa County . A new highway , part of a long @-@ range plan to build a US 31 bypass of Grand Haven , provides a river crossing almost equidistant between the two , greatly reducing drive times between areas north and south of the river . A drive from Nunica to Robinson is a 20 @-@ mile ( 32 km ) trip ; the new highway provides a route closer to seven miles ( 11 km ) in length . Called M @-@ 231 , this highway is a scaled @-@ down bypass of US 31 through Grand Haven , even though it will not physically connect to US 31 . By January 4 , 2013 , MDOT had completed work for this highway , including a bridge over North Cedar Drive , additional ramps at the I @-@ 96 and M @-@ 104 interchange , and reconstruction and widening of M @-@ 104 near I @-@ 96 . The department had also completed a reconfiguration of the intersection between M @-@ 104 and Cleveland Drive and widening the bridge that carries M @-@ 104 over I @-@ 96 . The expected date of completion for M @-@ 231 was set for sometime in 2016 pending funding availability . MDOT planned to build 1 @.@ 4 miles ( 2 @.@ 3 km ) of the new highway starting in 2013 , including the bridges over the Grand River and Little Robinson Creek . The 2005 SAFETEA @-@ LU transportation bill provided funding earmarked for the project by US Representative Pete Hoekstra from Holland as well as matching funds from the state 's Michigan Jobs Today program . The total cost of the project was expected to be near $ 150 million . On October 30 , 2015 , the highway opened to traffic . = = Memorial designations and tourist routes = = The sections of the route of US 31 in Michigan has been dedicated several times to various organizations . The route of US 33 in the state , which at the time was concurrent with US 31 , was dedicated as the Blue & Gray Trail in 1938 to honor veterans of the American Civil War . The Blue Star Memorial Highway designation was applied to the highway to honor those serving in the military . The designation was dedicated on October 10 , 1948 by the State Highway Commissioner Charles Ziegler . In 1917 , the Upper Peninsula Development Bureau created a tourist route that is a predecessor of the modern Great Lakes Circle Tours ( GLCT ) . The Great Lakes Automobile Route was a series of roads on both the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan . It included US 31 between Manistee and the Benton Harbor – St. Joseph area . The concept did not last a year ; the American entry into World War I and a lack of focus on a single route consigned the idea into obscurity . The idea of a tourist route around the Great Lakes was revived in 1986 as a pet project of Michigan First Lady Paula Blanchard . MDOT and its counterparts in Wisconsin , Minnesota and Ontario created the GLCT scheme which includes the LMCT that follows US 31 from Lake Michigan Beach northward to Manistee and from Traverse City north to the terminus near Mackinaw City excluding locations where business loops run closer to the lake at South Haven , Muskegon , Whitehall – Montague and Pentwater . A group of area residents has initiated an effort to have the former West Michigan Pike designated what is now called a Pure Michigan Byway . If successful , the designation would prioritize the area for historic preservation grants . A Preserve America grant funded a survey from June 2007 through September 2010 , the results of which were a set of reports through the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office on the historical nature of the West Michigan Pike . In 2011 , the group was in the process of securing resolutions from municipalities along the highway in support of the designation . According to officials working on the byway , it can take up to seven years to complete the process . As of December 22 , 2014 , MDOT had not yet received an application for the designation , which is now only supposed to run as far north as Ludington , although the initial proposals had the byway continuing to Mackinaw City . = = Historic bridges = = MDOT maintains a listing of the historic bridges in the state ; along US 31 , the department has listed four structures . In downtown Charlevoix , the US @-@ 31 – Island Lake Outlet Bridge carries the highway over a channel dredged between Lake Michigan and Round Lake that also connects to Lake Charlevoix . Built from 1947 through 1949 , it is the fifth bridge at the location . It is a double @-@ leaf bascule bridge . In Petoskey , the highway crosses Bear Creek on a concrete girder bridge built in 1930 . At 265 feet ( 81 m ) in length , it is the fourth longest such bridge in Michigan . In Manistee , the Manistee River is spanned by a double @-@ leaf bascule bridge built in 1933 . North of Hart in Pentwater Township , the 270 @-@ foot @-@ long ( 82 m ) US 31 – Pentwater River Bridge is a long @-@ span steel bridge that crosses the Pentwater River . It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 20 , 1999 . It carries Oceana Drive along a former routing of US 31 . = = Major intersections = =
= Meteorological history of Hurricane Jeanne = The meteorological history of Hurricane Jeanne lasted for about two weeks in September 2004 . Hurricane Jeanne was the eleventh tropical cyclone , tenth named storm , seventh hurricane , and sixth major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season . It formed from a tropical wave on September 13 near the Lesser Antilles , and encountered favorable enough conditions to reach tropical storm status . Jeanne strengthened further in the eastern Caribbean Sea , becoming a strong tropical storm and developing an eye before striking Puerto Rico on September 15 . Remaining well @-@ organized , it attained hurricane status before hitting the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic on September 16 . Hurricane Jeanne steadily weakened while crossing eastern Hispaniola , and on September 17 it briefly weakened to tropical depression status after reaching open waters . Its original circulation dissipated as a new one reformed closer to the main area of thunderstorms . Turning northward , Jeanne slowly reorganized and again reached hurricane status on September 20 . It executed a clockwise loop to the west , weakening due to upwelling upon reaching its path again . Jeanne encountered favorable conditions as it continued westward , and it reached major hurricane status before crossing the northern Bahamas on September 25 . The next day , it struck Martin County , Florida in nearly the same location as Hurricane Frances just weeks before . Jeanne weakened over land while turning the northwest , deteriorating to tropical depression status over Georgia on September 27 . It turned northeastward , becoming extratropical on September 28 before dissipating on September 29 after merging with a cold front . The hurricane produced heavy rainfall across its path , including in Haiti where precipitation caused devastating mudslides ; over 3 @,@ 000 deaths were reported in the country . Heavy rainfall also occurred during its landfalls on Puerto Rico and Florida , resulting in river flooding . In its strongest landfall , the hurricane produced strong winds across an area earlier affected by Hurricane Frances and , in some locations , by Hurricane Charley . Late in its duration , the combination of moisture from Jeanne and cool air resulted in a tornado outbreak that extended from Georgia through the Mid @-@ Atlantic states . = = Formation and first landfall = = The origins of Hurricane Jeanne were from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on September 7 . Containing a scattered area of moderate convection , the wave tracked westward at 12 – 17 mph ( 19 – 28 km / h ) , located to the south of a large ridge . The system initially showed no signs of development , with unfavorably dry air persisting across the region . On September 11 , convection became slightly better organized , and the next day broad cyclonic turning became evident . However , overall development was hindered by upper @-@ level wind shear from Hurricane Ivan in the Caribbean Sea , as well as from an upper @-@ level low to the north of the wave . Late on September 12 , while approaching the northern Lesser Antilles , convection increased and became better organized around an area of increased cyclonic turning . Environmental conditions became more favorable , allowing for the development of a low pressure area and for banding features to increase . Late on September 13 , with the formation of a broad low @-@ level circulation , it is estimated the system developed into Tropical Depression Eleven about 70 mi ( 110 km ) east @-@ southeast of Guadeloupe . Upon first becoming a tropical cyclone , the depression was located to the south of the subtropical ridge , resulting in a west @-@ northwest track which brought the center over Guadeloupe . The circulation was initially broad , and dry air temporarily entrained the northwest quadrant of the storm . However , environmental conditions were favorable enough for further development , with a deepening trough to its west providing beneficial flow . Banding features improved around the circulation , and the National Hurricane Center upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Jeanne on September 13 about 135 mi ( 220 km ) southeast of Saint Croix . While crossing the Lesser Antilles , the storm brought locally heavy rainfall , with a total of 12 inches ( 305 mm ) reported in Guadeloupe . Tropical Storm Jeanne quickly organized over the eastern Caribbean Sea , developing a tight inner core and well @-@ defined outflow as it tracked over warm water temperatures of about 84 ° F ( 29 ° C ) . Initially , the storm was forecast to attain hurricane status before crossing Puerto Rico . However , its organization deteriorated by early on September 15 , with radar imagery tracking a low @-@ level circulation moving away from the convection . The temporary weakening was due increased shear and dry air . At 1600 UTC on September 15 , Jeanne made landfall near Guayama , Puerto Rico with winds of 70 mph ( 115 km / h ) , and as it moved ashore it was in the process of developing an eye . Across the territory , the storm produced heavy rainfall , peaking at 23 @.@ 75 inches ( 605 mm ) on Vieques Island . Rainfall across the region resulted in moderate to severe river flooding , with several river stations in Puerto Rico reporting historical levels . Light winds , generally around tropical storm force , affected the region as well . = = Second landfall and reorganization = = Tropical Storm Jeanne remained over Puerto Rico for about eight hours , during which it maintained its eye feature and well @-@ defined inner core of convection . It intensified over the Mona Passage , and attained hurricane status as it struck the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic on September 16 . Continuing slowly west @-@ northwestward near the coast , Jeanne quickly weakened to tropical storm status , and by 24 hours after landfall its convection had deteriorated as the eye feature dissipated . Late on September 17 , it emerged into the Atlantic Ocean as a tropical depression , after having dropped torrential rainfall across Hispaniola . Catastrophic flooding and mudslides were experienced in Haiti , including in the coastal city of Gonaïves , and over 3 @,@ 000 deaths were reported in the country . On September 17 , while it was over Hispaniola , the National Hurricane Center issued a forecast that predicted Jeanne to make landfall near Savannah , Georgia in about five days . However , the forecast noted uncertainty in regards to the steering currents , which depended on the movement of the remnants of Hurricane Ivan and a ridge building behind it . After it left the nation as a tropical depression , the original center of circulation tracked westward away from the convection and dissipated . However , a new circulation developed closer to the convection , and Jeanne regained tropical storm status on September 18 . By then , the mid @-@ level circulation associated with Hurricane Ivan had combined with a trough to weaken the ridge located across the western Atlantic Ocean ; this caused Jeanne to track northward through the Turks and Caicos Islands . As it tracked northward , the storm failed to organize at first , due to the influence of an upper @-@ level low to its south . The circulation became broad and elongated , as well as removed from the deepest convection . However , after moving away from the low , the convection became better organized and more associated with the convection . After some initial slow organization continued , an area of deep convection developed over the center midday on September 20 . An eye developed within the convection , and late on September 20 Jeanne re @-@ attained hurricane status about 350 mi ( 570 km ) east @-@ northeast of the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas . While intensifying as a tropical storm , the National Hurricane Center faced difficulties in the future track of Jeanne , based on two major divergences between computer hurricane models . One scenario involved the storm accelerating east @-@ northeastward to the south of a trough , following the path of Hurricane Karl to its east . The other scenario involved Jeanne turning southeastward and looping westward due to a building ridge . By early on September 20 , the official forecast followed the first scenario , though later that day , officials changed the forecast to indicate the turn to the south . = = Peak intensity and final landfall = = Hurricane Jeanne steadily intensified as it turned eastward , developing a 52 mi ( 83 km ) wide eye . A motion to the southeast began on September 22 , and around the same time it reached winds of 100 mph ( 160 km / h ) , making it a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir @-@ Simpson scale . At the same time , the National Hurricane Center forecast to turn westward and later northwestward , with its projected five @-@ day track within 60 mi ( 100 km ) of Cape Fear , North Carolina . The westernmost outlier during one model run was the NOGAPS model , which predicted a continued westward motion across central Florida . The official forecast changed early on September 23 to bring Jeanne across northeastern Florida , though initially the cyclone was predicted to turn northeastward and hit South Carolina as a hurricane . By September 23 , Jeanne had begun a slow westward motion , with its previously well @-@ defined eye becoming ragged . It moved slowly over waters it traversed just four days prior , causing upwelling ; this is the process in which a stationary storm causes the water temperatures to decrease by bringing the cooler , deeper waters to the surface . As a result , Jeanne weakened to a minimal hurricane midday on September 23 , though it was forecast to re @-@ intensify and attain major hurricane status . By early on September 24 , the winds had decreased to 80 mph ( 130 km / h ) ; its convection weakened in intensity , and the eyewall eroded due to dry air entrainment . However , as Jeanne moved toward an area of warmer waters , deep convection redeveloped around the eye . Its favorable upper @-@ level environment allowed the outflow to become better defined , with a large eye and nearby dry air being the primary restraining factors for development . At 1200 UTC on September 25 , Jeanne attained major hurricane status , and two hours later it made landfall on Abaco Island . After it had been previously forecast to turn northwestward and track along the northeastern Florida coast , the forecast shifted 24 hours prior to moving ashore to a landfall point in the east @-@ central portion of the state ; the change was due to the persistence of the ridge to its north . The hurricane moved over Grand Bahama Island , and in the Bahamas it produced wind gusts of up to 130 mph ( 210 km / h ) . As it approached the Florida coastline it did not strengthen much further , due to an eyewall replacement cycle ; this is the process in which an outer eyewall forms , causing the original eye to shrink and dissipate due to lack of moisture . At 0400 UTC on September 26 , Jeanne made landfall with peak winds of 120 mph ( 195 km / h ) on the southern end of Hutchinson Island near Stuart , Florida , with an eye 50 mi ( 85 km ) in diameter . The hurricane moved ashore in almost the same location as Hurricane Frances , which made landfall 21 days prior . Upon moving inland in east @-@ central Florida , the hurricane produced a storm tide of up to 10 feet ( 3 m ) in St. Lucie County . In New Smyrna Beach , the storm tide washed away much of the beach to the east of the city seawall . Overall impact from the storm tide was less than expected , due to the storm hitting at low tide . Jeanne produced peak winds of 120 mph ( 195 km / h ) in a very small north of the center near Sebastian , though the National Hurricane Center noted the possibility of the strongest winds remaining over water . The National Weather Service office in Melbourne recorded sustained winds of 91 mph ( 147 km / h ) , which was the strongest official sustained wind reading ; stronger readings were not available due to widespread power outages along its track . Wind gusts peaked at 128 mph ( 206 km / h ) in Fort Pierce . In addition to the winds , the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall in the vicinity of its eyewall , peaking at 11 @.@ 97 inches ( 304 mm ) in Kenansville . The rainfall caused freshwater flooding , as well as increased levels along the St. Johns River . The hurricane also produced several eyewall mesovortices and tornadoes near where it moved ashore . = = Dissipation = = As Hurricane Jeanne moved inland , its inner eyewall dissipated , and its outer eyewall quickly became less distinct . It turned west @-@ northwestward over the state , curving around the western periphery of the ridge to its northeast . By 14 hours after landfall , Jeanne weakened to tropical storm status near the Tampa Bay area . In western Florida , offshore winds produced a tide of 4 @.@ 5 feet ( 1 @.@ 4 m ) below normal in Cedar Key ; however , after the storm passed the area , the onshore winds produced above normal tides . Despite initial forecasts that it would emerge into the Gulf of Mexico , the storm remained over land and continued to slowly weaken . Early on September 27 , dry air became entrained into the southern periphery of the circulation , which diminished the thunderstorms to the south . After turning northward , Jeanne entered southern Georgia and weakened into a tropical depression . As it moved northward , Jeanne continued to drop moderate to heavy rainfall , including over 7 inches ( 175 mm ) in southern Georgia . A cold front across the region caused the depression to accelerate northeastward , combining moisture from the Gulf of Mexico with cool and stable air over the Carolinas . This combination produced severe thunderstorms across the region , spawning six tornadoes in Georgia , eight in South Carolina , and eight in North Carolina . After crossing into Virginia , Jeanne transitioned into an extratropical cyclone by September 29 near Washington , D.C. In Wilmington , Delaware , the storm spawned an F2 tornado . Across the Mid @-@ Atlantic and New England , moisture from the storm produced light to heavy rainfall , with totals of over 7 inches ( 175 mm ) near Philadelphia and Nantucket . Subsequent to becoming extratropical , the remnants of Jeanne turned eastward , exited into the Atlantic Ocean , and merged with a cold front .
= Mirror symmetry ( string theory ) = In algebraic geometry and theoretical physics , mirror symmetry is a relationship between geometric objects called Calabi – Yau manifolds . The term refers to a situation where two Calabi – Yau manifolds look very different geometrically but are nevertheless equivalent when employed as extra dimensions of string theory . Mirror symmetry was originally discovered by physicists . Mathematicians became interested in this relationship around 1990 when Philip Candelas , Xenia de la Ossa , Paul Green , and Linda Parkes showed that it could be used as a tool in enumerative geometry , a branch of mathematics concerned with counting the number of solutions to geometric questions . Candelas and his collaborators showed that mirror symmetry could be used to count rational curves on a Calabi – Yau manifold , thus solving a longstanding problem . Although the original approach to mirror symmetry was based on physical ideas that were not understood in a mathematically precise way , some of its mathematical predictions have since been proven rigorously . Today mirror symmetry is a major research topic in pure mathematics , and mathematicians are working to develop a mathematical understanding of the relationship based on physicists ' intuition . Mirror symmetry is also a fundamental tool for doing calculations in string theory , and it has been used to understand aspects of quantum field theory , the formalism that physicists use to describe elementary particles . Major approaches to mirror symmetry include the homological mirror symmetry program of Maxim Kontsevich and the SYZ conjecture of Andrew Strominger , Shing @-@ Tung Yau , and Eric Zaslow . = = Overview = = = = = Strings and compactification = = = In physics , string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point @-@ like particles of particle physics are replaced by one @-@ dimensional objects called strings . These strings look like small segments or loops of ordinary string . String theory describes how strings propagate through space and interact with each other . On distance scales larger than the string scale , a string will look just like an ordinary particle , with its mass , charge , and other properties determined by the vibrational state of the string . Splitting and recombination of strings correspond to particle emission and absorption , giving rise to the interactions between particles . There are notable differences between the world described by string theory and the everyday world . In everyday life , there are three familiar dimensions of space ( up / down , left / right , and forward / backward ) , and there is one dimension of time ( later / earlier ) . Thus , in the language of modern physics , one says that spacetime is four @-@ dimensional . One of the peculiar features of string theory is that it requires extra dimensions of spacetime for its mathematical consistency . In superstring theory , the version of the theory that incorporates a theoretical idea called supersymmetry , there are six extra dimensions of spacetime in addition to the four that are familiar from everyday experience . One of the goals of current research in string theory is to develop models in which the strings represent particles observed in high energy physics experiments . For such a model to be consistent with observations , its spacetime must be four @-@ dimensional at the relevant distance scales , so one must look for ways to restrict the extra dimensions to smaller scales . In most realistic models of physics based on string theory , this is accomplished by a process called compactification , in which the extra dimensions are assumed to " close up " on themselves to form circles . In the limit where these curled up dimensions become very small , one obtains a theory in which spacetime has effectively a lower number of dimensions . A standard analogy for this is to consider a multidimensional object such as a garden hose . If the hose is viewed from a sufficient distance , it appears to have only one dimension , its length . However , as one approaches the hose , one discovers that it contains a second dimension , its circumference . Thus , an ant crawling on the surface of the hose would move in two dimensions . = = = Calabi – Yau manifolds = = = Compactification can be used to construct models in which spacetime is effectively four @-@ dimensional . However , not every way of compactifying the extra dimensions produces a model with the right properties to describe nature . In a viable model of particle physics , the compact extra dimensions must be shaped like a Calabi – Yau manifold . A Calabi – Yau manifold is a special space which is typically taken to be six @-@ dimensional in applications to string theory . It is named after mathematicians Eugenio Calabi and Shing @-@ Tung Yau . After Calabi – Yau manifolds had entered physics as a way to compactify extra dimensions , many physicists began studying these manifolds . In the late 1980s , Lance Dixon , Wolfgang Lerche , Cumrun Vafa , and Nick Warner noticed that given such a compactification of string theory , it is not possible to reconstruct uniquely a corresponding Calabi – Yau manifold . Instead , two different versions of string theory called type IIA string theory and type IIB can be compactified on completely different Calabi – Yau manifolds giving rise to the same physics . In this situation , the manifolds are called mirror manifolds , and the relationship between the two physical theories is called mirror symmetry . The mirror symmetry relationship is a particular example of what physicists call a duality . In general , the term duality refers to a situation where two seemingly different physical theories turn out to be equivalent in a nontrivial way . If one theory can be transformed so it looks just like another theory , the two are said to be dual under that transformation . Put differently , the two theories are mathematically different descriptions of the same phenomena . Such dualities play an important role in modern physics , especially in string theory . Regardless of whether Calabi – Yau compactifications of string theory provide a correct description of nature , the existence of the mirror duality between different string theories has significant mathematical consequences . The Calabi – Yau manifolds used in string theory are of interest in pure mathematics , and mirror symmetry allows mathematicians to solve problems in enumerative algebraic geometry , a branch of mathematics concerned with counting the numbers of solutions to geometric questions . A classical problem of enumerative geometry is to enumerate the rational curves on a Calabi – Yau manifold such as the one illustrated above . By applying mirror symmetry , mathematicians have translated this problem into an equivalent problem for the mirror Calabi – Yau , which turns out to be easier to solve . In physics , mirror symmetry is justified on physical grounds . However , mathematicians generally require rigorous proofs that do not require an appeal to physical intuition . From a mathematical point of view , the version of mirror symmetry described above is still only a conjecture , but there is another version of mirror symmetry in the context of topological string theory , a simplified version of string theory introduced by Edward Witten , which has been rigorously proven by mathematicians . In the context of topological string theory , mirror symmetry states that two theories called the A @-@ model and B @-@ model are equivalent in the sense that there is a duality relating them . Today mirror symmetry is an active area of research in mathematics , and mathematicians are working to develop a more complete mathematical understanding of mirror symmetry based on physicists ' intuition . = = History = = The idea of mirror symmetry can be traced back to the mid @-@ 1980s when it was noticed that a string propagating on a circle of radius <formula> is physically equivalent to a string propagating on a circle of radius <formula> in appropriate units . This phenomenon is now known as T @-@ duality and is understood to be closely related to mirror symmetry . In a paper from 1985 , Philip Candelas , Gary Horowitz , Andrew Strominger , and Edward Witten showed that by compactifying string theory on a Calabi – Yau manifold , one obtains a theory roughly similar to the standard model of particle physics that also consistently incorporates an idea called supersymmetry . Following this development , many physicists began studying Calabi – Yau compactifications , hoping to construct realistic models of particle physics based on string theory . Cumrun Vafa and others noticed that given such a physical model , it is not possible to reconstruct uniquely a corresponding Calabi – Yau manifold . Instead , there are two Calabi – Yau manifolds that give rise to the same physics . By studying the relationship between Calabi – Yau manifolds and certain conformal field theories called Gepner models , Brian Greene and Ronen Plesser found nontrivial examples of the mirror relationship . Further evidence for this relationship came from the work of Philip Candelas , Monika Lynker , and Rolf Schimmrigk , who surveyed a large number of Calabi – Yau manifolds by computer and found that they came in mirror pairs . Mathematicians became interested in mirror symmetry around 1990 when physicists Philip Candelas , Xenia de la Ossa , Paul Green , and Linda Parkes showed that mirror symmetry could be used to solve problems in enumerative geometry that had resisted solution for decades or more . These results were presented to mathematicians at a conference at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute ( MSRI ) in Berkeley , California in May 1991 . During this conference , it was noticed that one of the numbers Candelas had computed for the counting of rational curves disagreed with the number obtained by Norwegian mathematicians Geir Ellingsrud and Stein Arild Strømme using ostensibly more rigorous techniques . Many mathematicians at the conference assumed that Candelas 's work contained a mistake since it was not based on rigorous mathematical arguments . However , after examining their solution , Ellingsrud and Strømme discovered an error in their computer code and , upon fixing the code , they got an answer that agreed with the one obtained by Candelas and his collaborators . In 1990 , Edward Witten introduced topological string theory , a simplified version of string theory , and physicists showed that there is a version of mirror symmetry for topological string theory . This statement about topological string theory is usually taken as the definition of mirror symmetry in the mathematical literature . In an address at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 1994 , mathematician Maxim Kontsevich presented a new mathematical conjecture based on the physical idea of mirror symmetry in topological string theory . Known as homological mirror symmetry , this conjecture formalizes mirror symmetry as an equivalence of two mathematical structures : the derived category of coherent sheaves on a Calabi – Yau manifold and the Fukaya category of its mirror . Also around 1995 , Kontsevich analyzed the results of Candelas , which gave a general formula for the problem of counting rational curves on a quintic threefold , and he reformulated these results as a precise mathematical conjecture . In 1996 , Alexander Givental posted a paper that claimed to prove this conjecture of Kontsevich . Initially , many mathematicians found this paper hard to understand , so there were doubts about its correctness . Subsequently , Bong Lian , Kefeng Liu , and Shing @-@ Tung Yau published an independent proof in a series of papers . Despite controversy over who had published the first proof , these papers are now collectively seen as providing a mathematical proof of the results originally obtained by physicists using mirror symmetry . In 2000 , Kentaro Hori and Cumrun Vafa gave another physical proof of mirror symmetry based on T @-@ duality . Work on mirror symmetry continues today with major developments in the context of strings on surfaces with boundaries . In addition , mirror symmetry has been related to many active areas of mathematics research , such as the McKay correspondence , topological quantum field theory , and the theory of stability conditions . At the same time , basic questions continue to vex . For example , mathematicians still lack an understanding of how to construct examples of mirror Calabi – Yau pairs though there has been progress in understanding this issue . = = Applications = = = = = Enumerative geometry = = = Many of the important mathematical applications of mirror symmetry belong to the branch of mathematics called enumerative geometry . In enumerative geometry , one is interested in counting the number of solutions to geometric questions , typically using the techniques of algebraic geometry . One of the earliest problems of enumerative geometry was posed around the year 200 BCE by the ancient Greek mathematician Apollonius , who asked how many circles in the plane are tangent to three given circles . In general , the solution to the problem of Apollonius is that there are eight such circles . Enumerative problems in mathematics often concern a class of geometric objects called algebraic varieties which are defined by the vanishing of polynomials . For example , the Clebsch cubic ( see the illustration ) is defined using a certain polynomial of degree three in four variables . A celebrated result of nineteenth @-@ century mathematicians Arthur Cayley and George Salmon states that there are exactly 27 straight lines that lie entirely on such a surface . Generalizing this problem , one can ask how many lines can be drawn on a quintic Calabi – Yau manifold , such as the one illustrated above , which is defined by a polynomial of degree five . This problem was solved by the nineteenth @-@ century German mathematician Hermann Schubert , who found that there are exactly 2 @,@ 875 such lines . In 1986 , geometer Sheldon Katz proved that the number of curves , such as circles , that are defined by polynomials of degree two and lie entirely in the quintic is 609 @,@ 250 . By the year 1991 , most of the classical problems of enumerative geometry had been solved and interest in enumerative geometry had begun to diminish . According to mathematician Mark Gross , " As the old problems had been solved , people went back to check Schubert 's numbers with modern techniques , but that was getting pretty stale . " The field was reinvigorated in May 1991 when physicists Philip Candelas , Xenia de la Ossa , Paul Green , and Linda Parkes showed that mirror symmetry could be used to count the number of degree three curves on a quintic Calabi – Yau . Candelas and his collaborators found that these six @-@ dimensional Calabi – Yau manifolds can contain exactly 317 @,@ 206 @,@ 375 curves of degree three . In addition to counting degree @-@ three curves on a quintic three @-@ fold , Candelas and his collaborators obtained a number of more general results for counting rational curves which went far beyond the results obtained by mathematicians . Although the methods used in this work were based on physical intuition , mathematicians have gone on to prove rigorously some of the predictions of mirror symmetry . In particular , the enumerative predictions of mirror symmetry have now been rigorously proven . = = = Theoretical physics = = = In addition to its applications in enumerative geometry , mirror symmetry is a fundamental tool for doing calculations in string theory . In the A @-@ model of topological string theory , physically interesting quantities are expressed in terms of infinitely many numbers called Gromov – Witten invariants , which are extremely difficult to compute . In the B @-@ model , the calculations can be reduced to classical integrals and are much easier . By applying mirror symmetry , theorists can translate difficult calculations in the A @-@ model into equivalent but technically easier calculations in the B @-@ model . These calculations are then used to determine the probabilities of various physical processes in string theory . Mirror symmetry can be combined with other dualities to translate calculations in one theory into equivalent calculations in a different theory . By outsourcing calculations to different theories in this way , theorists can calculate quantities that are impossible to calculate without the use of dualities . Outside of string theory , mirror symmetry is used to understand aspects of quantum field theory , the formalism that physicists use to describe elementary particles . For example , gauge theories are a class of highly symmetric physical theories appearing in the standard model of particle physics and other parts of theoretical physics . Some gauge theories which are not part of the standard model , but which are nevertheless important for theoretical reasons , arise from strings propagating on a nearly singular background . For such theories , mirror symmetry is a useful computational tool . Indeed , mirror symmetry can be used to perform calculations in an important gauge theory in four spacetime dimensions that was studied by Nathan Seiberg and Edward Witten and is also familiar in mathematics in the context of Donaldson invariants . There is also a generalization of mirror symmetry called 3D mirror symmetry which relates pairs of quantum field theories in three spacetime dimensions . = = Approaches = = = = = Homological mirror symmetry = = = In string theory and related theories in physics , a brane is a physical object that generalizes the notion of a point particle to higher dimensions . For example , a point particle can be viewed as a brane of dimension zero , while a string can be viewed as a brane of dimension one . It is also possible to consider higher @-@ dimensional branes . The word brane comes from the word " membrane " which refers to a two @-@ dimensional brane . In string theory , a string may be open ( forming a segment with two endpoints ) or closed ( forming a closed loop ) . D @-@ branes are an important class of branes that arise when one considers open strings . As an open string propagates through spacetime , its endpoints are required to lie on a D @-@ brane . The letter " D " in D @-@ brane refers to a condition that it satisfies , the Dirichlet boundary condition . Mathematically , branes can be described using the notion of a category . This is a mathematical structure consisting of objects , and for any pair of objects , a set of morphisms between them . In most examples , the objects are mathematical structures ( such as sets , vector spaces , or topological spaces ) and the morphisms are functions between these structures . One can also consider categories where the objects are D @-@ branes and the morphisms between two branes <formula> and <formula> are states of open strings stretched between <formula> and <formula> . In the B @-@ model of topological string theory , the D @-@ branes are complex submanifolds of a Calabi – Yau together with additional data that arise physically from having charges at the endpoints of strings . Intuitively , one can think of a submanifold as a surface embedded inside the Calabi – Yau , although submanifolds can also exist in dimensions different from two . In mathematical language , the category having these branes as its objects is known as the derived category of coherent sheaves on the Calabi – Yau . In the A @-@ model , the D @-@ branes can again be viewed as submanifolds of a Calabi – Yau manifold . Roughly speaking , they are what mathematicians call special Lagrangian submanifolds . This means among other things that they have half the dimension of the space in which they sit , and they are length- , area- , or volume @-@ minimizing . The category having these branes as its objects is called the Fukaya category . The derived category of coherent sheaves is constructed using tools from complex geometry , a branch of mathematics that describes geometric curves in algebraic terms and solves geometric problems using algebraic equations . On the other hand , the Fukaya category is constructed using symplectic geometry , a branch of mathematics that arose from studies of classical physics . Symplectic geometry studies spaces equipped with a symplectic form , a mathematical tool that can be used to compute area in two @-@ dimensional examples . The homological mirror symmetry conjecture of Maxim Kontsevich states that the derived category of coherent sheaves on one Calabi – Yau manifold is equivalent in a certain sense to the Fukaya category of its mirror . This equivalence provides a precise mathematical formulation of mirror symmetry in topological string theory . In addition , it provides an unexpected bridge between two branches of geometry , namely complex and symplectic geometry . = = = Strominger @-@ Yau @-@ Zaslow conjecture = = = Another approach to understanding mirror symmetry was suggested by Andrew Strominger , Shing @-@ Tung Yau , and Eric Zaslow in 1996 . According to their conjecture , now known as the SYZ conjecture , mirror symmetry can be understood by dividing a Calabi – Yau manifold into simpler pieces and then transforming them to get the mirror Calabi – Yau . The simplest example of a Calabi – Yau manifold is a two @-@ dimensional torus or donut shape . Consider a circle on this surface that goes once through the hole of the donut . An example is the red circle in the figure . There are infinitely many circles like it on a torus ; in fact , the entire surface is a union of such circles . One can choose an auxiliary circle <formula> ( the pink circle in the figure ) such that each of the infinitely many circles decomposing the torus passes through a point of <formula> . This auxiliary circle is said to parametrize the circles of the decomposition , meaning there is a correspondence between them and points of <formula> . The circle <formula> is more than just a list , however , because it also determines how these circles are arranged on the torus . This auxiliary space plays an important role in the SYZ conjecture . The idea of dividing a torus into pieces parametrized by an auxiliary space can be generalized . Increasing the dimension from two to four real dimensions , the Calabi – Yau becomes a K3 surface . Just as the torus was decomposed into circles , a four @-@ dimensional K3 surface can be decomposed into two @-@ dimensional tori . In this case the space <formula> is an ordinary sphere . Each point on the sphere corresponds to one of the two @-@ dimensional tori , except for twenty @-@ four " bad " points corresponding to " pinched " or singular tori . The Calabi – Yau manifolds of primary interest in string theory have six dimensions . One can divide such a manifold into 3 @-@ tori ( three @-@ dimensional objects that generalize the notion of a torus ) parametrized by a 3 @-@ sphere <formula> ( a three @-@ dimensional generalization of a sphere ) . Each point of <formula> corresponds to a 3 @-@ torus , except for infinitely many " bad " points which form a grid @-@ like pattern of segments on the Calabi – Yau and correspond to singular tori . Once the Calabi – Yau manifold has been decomposed into simpler parts , mirror symmetry can be understood in an intuitive geometric way . As an example , consider the torus described above . Imagine that this torus represents the " spacetime " for a physical theory . The fundamental objects of this theory will be strings propagating through the spacetime according to the rules of quantum mechanics . One of the basic dualities of string theory is T @-@ duality , which states that a string propagating around a circle of radius <formula> is equivalent to a string propagating around a circle of radius <formula> in the sense that all observable quantities in one description are identified with quantities in the dual description . For example , a string has momentum as it propagates around a circle , and it can also wind around the circle one or more times . The number of times the string winds around a circle is called the winding number . If a string has momentum <formula> and winding number <formula> in one description , it will have momentum <formula> and winding number <formula> in the dual description . By applying T @-@ duality simultaneously to all of the circles that decompose the torus , the radii of these circles become inverted , and one is left with a new torus which is " fatter " or " skinnier " than the original . This torus is the mirror of the original Calabi – Yau . T @-@ duality can be extended from circles to the two @-@ dimensional tori appearing in the decomposition of a K3 surface or to the three @-@ dimensional tori appearing in the decomposition of a six @-@ dimensional Calabi – Yau manifold . In general , the SYZ conjecture states that mirror symmetry is equivalent to the simultaneous application of T @-@ duality to these tori . In each case , the space <formula> provides a kind of blueprint that describes how these tori are assembled into a Calabi – Yau manifold . = = = Popularizations = = = Yau , Shing @-@ Tung ; Nadis , Steve ( 2010 ) . The Shape of Inner Space : String Theory and the Geometry of the Universe 's Hidden Dimensions . Basic Books . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 465 @-@ 02023 @-@ 2 . Zaslow , Eric ( 2005 ) . " Physmatics " . arXiv : physics / 0506153 . Zaslow , Eric ( 2008 ) . " Mirror Symmetry " . In Gowers , Timothy . The Princeton Companion to Mathematics . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 691 @-@ 11880 @-@ 2 . = = = Textbooks = = = Aspinwall , Paul ; Bridgeland , Tom ; Craw , Alastair ; Douglas , Michael ; Gross , Mark ; Kapustin , Anton ; Moore , Gregory ; Segal , Graeme ; Szendröi , Balázs ; Wilson , P.M.H. , eds . ( 2009 ) . Dirichlet Branes and Mirror Symmetry . American Mathematical Society . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 8218 @-@ 3848 @-@ 8 . Cox , David ; Katz , Sheldon ( 1999 ) . Mirror symmetry and algebraic geometry . American Mathematical Society . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 8218 @-@ 2127 @-@ 5 . Hori , Kentaro ; Katz , Sheldon ; Klemm , Albrecht ; Pandharipande , Rahul ; Thomas , Richard ; Vafa , Cumrun ; Vakil , Ravi ; Zaslow , Eric , eds . ( 2003 ) . Mirror Symmetry ( PDF ) . American Mathematical Society . ISBN 0 @-@ 8218 @-@ 2955 @-@ 6 .
= The Concert in Central Park = The Concert in Central Park is the first live album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel , released in February 1982 on Warner Bros. Records . It was recorded in September 1981 at a free benefit concert in Central Park , New York City , where the pair performed in front of more than 500 @,@ 000 people . Proceeds went toward the redevelopment and maintenance of the run @-@ down green space in the middle of Manhattan . This concert and album marked the start of a short @-@ lived reunion for Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel . The concept of a benefit concert in Central Park had been proposed by Parks Commissioner Gordon Davis and promoter Ron Delsener . Television channel HBO agreed to carry the concert , and worked with Delsener to decide on Simon and Garfunkel as the appropriate act for this event . Besides hit songs from their years as a duo , their set @-@ list included material from their solo careers , and covers . The show consisted of 21 songs , though two were not used in the live album . Among the songs performed were the classics " The Sound of Silence " , " Mrs. Robinson " , and " The Boxer " ; the event concluded with a reprise of Simon 's song , " Late in the Evening " . Ongoing personal tensions between the duo led them to decide against a permanent reunion , despite the success of the concert and a subsequent world tour . The album and a film were released the year after the concert . Simon and Garfunkel 's performance was praised by music critics and the album was commercially successful ; it peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 album charts and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . The video recordings were initially broadcast on HBO , and were subsequently made available on VHS and DVD . = = Idea and arrangement = = = = = A concert for the park = = = New York City 's Central Park , an oasis that functions as the city 's " green lung " , was in a state of deterioration in the mid @-@ 1970s . Though Central Park had been designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962 , at the start of the 1980s , the city lacked the financial resources to spend an estimated US $ 3 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 to restore or even to maintain the park . The nonprofit Central Park Conservancy was founded in 1980 , and began a successful campaign to raise renovation funds . In the early 1980s , Parks Commissioner Gordon Davis , responsible for New York City 's green areas , and Ron Delsener , one of the city 's most influential concert promoters , developed the idea of helping Central Park financially with a free open @-@ air concert , under the legal guidance of Bob Donnelly . The city would use profits from merchandising , television , and video rights to renovate the park . Earlier park performances by Elton John and James Taylor showed that this concept could be a success . Davis authorized the project , and Delsener entered discussions with cable TV channel HBO to decide who would perform . They decided on Simon & Garfunkel , a group that had formed in New York City in the 1960s , and had been one of the most successful folk rock groups through the late 60s / early 70s . Simon & Garfunkel had broken up at the height of their popularity and shortly after the release of their fifth studio album , Bridge Over Troubled Water , which is deemed to be their artistic peak and which topped the 1970 Billboard charts for ten weeks . They had grown apart artistically and did not get along well with each other . In the following eleven years , both continued musical careers as solo artists , and worked together only sporadically on single projects . Garfunkel made brief guest appearances at Simon 's concerts , which were always successful . Delsener presented the plan to Paul Simon in the summer of 1981 . Simon was enthusiastic about the idea , but questioned whether it could be financially successful , especially given the poor audience attendance of his last project , the autobiographical movie One @-@ Trick Pony . Simon 's confidence had declined and he had sought treatment for depression . He questioned whether he and Art Garfunkel could work together , but contacted Garfunkel , who was vacationing in Switzerland . Garfunkel was excited about the idea , and immediately returned to the US . From the promoter 's viewpoint , Simon and Garfunkel were ideal choices . Not only were they likely to draw a large crowd to the concert , they also had roots in the city - both had grown up and gone to school in Forest Hills , Queens . Music critic Stephen Holden pointed out that , unlike artists who had left in pursuit of lifestyles offered by other locales , the two had always been a part of New York City . Both gained inspiration from the cityscape and the cultural variety of New York , and spoke of these influences in their songs . = = = Planning and rehearsals = = = Planning and rehearsals for the concert took about three weeks in a Manhattan theater . The rehearsals were characterized by past tensions that resurfaced between the performers under the intense time pressure . Paul Simon later said : " Well , the rehearsals were just miserable . Artie and I fought all the time . " An early concept was for each singer to give a solo performance , with Simon allotted the greater amount of time , and to conclude with the duo performing their joint works . This idea was rejected because , according to Garfunkel , " It didn 't seem right to either of us that Paul should be the opening act for Simon & Garfunkel , and for him to follow Simon & Garfunkel didn 't make show @-@ business sense " . The two decided to perform most of the show together , with room for each to showcase some solo material . Simon , who had resumed songwriting after a long hiatus , interrupted a series of studio recording sessions for the concert preparations . He used the live show as an opportunity to test one of his new songs in front of an audience . Garfunkel also planned to present a new song , " A Heart in New York " , from his soon @-@ to @-@ be released album Scissors Cut . The two differed on the presentation of the concert . Garfunkel wanted to recreate the duo 's mid @-@ 1960s live performances , using only their voices backed by Simon 's acoustic guitar . Simon felt that this was impossible , as an injury had rendered him incapable of playing guitar for the full length of a concert , and his newer material was typically arranged for larger ensembles that often included horns and amplified instruments such as electric piano and electric guitar . Garfunkel initially agreed to hire a second guitarist , but later rejected the idea . A group of eleven musicians was assembled for the concert , most of whom were experienced studio musicians and had played on albums involving Simon or Garfunkel . These included David Brown ( guitar ) , Pete Carr ( guitar ) , Anthony Jackson ( bass guitar ) , Rob Mounsey ( synthesizer ) , John Eckert ( trumpet ) , John Gatchell ( trumpet ) , Danny Cahn ( trumpet ) , Dave Tofani ( saxophone ) , Gerry Niewood ( saxophone ) , Grady Tate ( drums , percussion ) , and Richard Tee ( keyboard , piano ) . The musical arrangements for the concert were written by Paul Simon and David Matthews . Some songs differed significantly from their original versions ; for example , " Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard " featured more prominent Latin elements and included a salsa break , while the folk rock " Kodachrome " was set as a harder rock song and played together with the Chuck Berry classic " Maybellene " as a medley . The military rhythm of " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover " was replaced with a Latin arrangement that included brass . Garfunkel had difficulties in the rehearsals . Both men easily recalled their songs from the 1960s , but Garfunkel had to learn the harmonies and arrangements for Simon 's solo songs , as modified for the reunion concert . He was also uncomfortable that Simon had rewritten some of the lyrics for their old songs . Despite the need to adapt to Simon and his style , Garfunkel enjoyed some of the songs , and was glad to perform a duet version of Simon 's " American Tune " . The fact that the Central Park show would feature the two men performing together on stage was kept secret until an announcement was published in New York newspapers only a week before the concert . These news reports and the Michael Doret @-@ designed posters named the musicians individually and did not bill them as " Simon & Garfunkel " , but the event was nevertheless interpreted as a reunion . The two stated in interviews that further collaboration was not planned . = = The concert = = The concert took place on Saturday , September 19 , 1981 , on the Great Lawn , the central open space of Central Park . The first spectators , many carrying chairs or picnic blankets , arrived at daybreak to secure a good spot . The Parks Department originally expected about 300 @,@ 000 attendees . Although rain fell throughout the day and continued until the start of the concert , an estimated 500 @,@ 000 audience members made this the seventh @-@ largest concert attendance in the United States in history . The stage backdrop depicted an urban rooftop with water tank and air outlet , symbolic of New York 's skyline . At twilight , the backing band went onstage , followed by New York 's mayor , Ed Koch , who announced , " Ladies and gentlemen , Simon and Garfunkel ! " The duo entered through a side stage door , took center stage amid audience applause , looked at each other and shook hands , and began the concert with their 1968 hit " Mrs. Robinson " . After the second song , " Homeward Bound " , Simon delivered a short speech which began , " Well , it 's great to do a neighborhood concert . " He then thanked the police , the fire department , the park administration and finally Ed Koch . The audience booed at the mention of Koch , who had suggested permanent closure of the park , but they applauded as Simon continued and the irony in his reference became clear . Simon & Garfunkel played twenty @-@ one songs in total : ten by the duo , eight by Simon , one by Garfunkel , a cover of The Everly Brothers ' " Wake Up Little Susie " , and the medley version of " Maybellene " . Each performer sang three songs alone , including one new song apiece . Garfunkel sang the Simon & Garfunkel classic " Bridge Over Troubled Water " and " April Come She Will " , and " A Heart in New York " , a song written by Gallagher and Lyle that appeared on his album Scissors Cut , which had been released the previous month . Simon 's solo performances were the title song of his 1975 album Still Crazy After All These Years , the number @-@ one single " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover " , and the unreleased " The Late Great Johnny Ace " , which would appear on his 1983 album Hearts and Bones . " The Late Great Johnny Ace " was interrupted when an audience member ran to the stage and shouted at Simon : " I need to talk to you ! " The man was carried away by security , and Simon finished the song . The incident provoked associations to the song 's lyrics , in which Simon speaks as a first @-@ person narrator concerning the deaths of Johnny Ace , John F. Kennedy and John Lennon . Lennon 's murder by an obsessed fan had taken place less than a year previously , not far from the concert site . Despite this association , Simon said that he was not afraid of any on @-@ stage incidents . In May 1982 as a guest on Late Night with David Letterman , he explained that while it is not unusual for fans , for example , to jump onto the stage with flowers , this action was new to him , but also felt that the man simply appeared intoxicated . His greater concern was that the song 's premiere was ruined . Lyrics referring to the New York area produced audience applause , such as Garfunkel 's ode to his home city , " A Heart in New York " , which describes from a New Yorker 's point of view the first glimpse of the city when returning there by air : New York , lookin ' down on Central Park , where they say you should not wander after dark Applause broke out during " The Sound of Silence " , when the narrative voice refers to a large crowd of people in the dark : And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people maybe more After the 17th song , " The Boxer " , which contained an additional stanza not included in the album version , Simon & Garfunkel thanked the audience and left the stage , but returned to deliver an encore of three songs – " Old Friends / Bookends Theme " , " The 59th Street Bridge Song ( Feelin ' Groovy ) " and " The Sound of Silence " . Simon then said that their planned use of pyrotechnics had been disallowed , and told the crowd , " Let 's have our own fireworks ! " Many spectators sparked lighters . The duo then introduced the members of the backing band and gave a final encore , a reprise of " Late in the Evening " . = = = Set list = = = = = Release = = A recording of the concert was released five months later , on February 16 , 1982 . The audio tracks were put through album postproduction , but it was noted by Rolling Stone magazine that they were not completely polished , and preserved the roar and the fuzziness of live rock music heard through a loudspeaker . Two songs were removed from the album version : the interrupted " Late Great Johnny Ace " , and the encore reprise of " Late in the Evening " . The album was an international success . It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 chart , and was certified 2 × Multi @-@ Platinum with sales of over 2 million copies in USA . The album sold more than 1 @,@ 270 @,@ 000 copies in France , where it was certified Diamond . It was also successful in seven other countries , including France and New Zealand . Originally the album was released as a double LP and as a single Compact Cassette . In 1988 it was issued as a single CD . Various reissues in different formats have been released , including , alongside the DVD , a 2 @-@ CD @-@ release also containing the two missing songs from the original album . The Concert was recorded by Roy Halee on the Record Plant NY Black Truck with David Hewitt Director , assisted by Phil Gitomer , Steve Barash and , John Mathias . = = = Track listing = = = The song " The Late Great Johnny Ace " and the reprise of " Late in the Evening " were not included in the original release of the live album but are included on the DVD . = = = Video release = = = Film of the concert was produced for television broadcast and the home video market . It was produced by James Signorelli , and directed by Michael Lindsay @-@ Hogg , a specialist in music documentaries who had worked on The Beatles ' film Let It Be , and executive produced by Lorne Michaels , who had recently departed the NBC @-@ TV comedy / variety series Saturday Night Live . Simon himself financed the US $ 750 @,@ 000 cost of the staging and the video recording . It is unknown how much HBO paid for the television and video rights of the recording ; US $ 1 million according to some sources , over US $ 3 million according to others . The film includes the two songs that had not appeared on the album , and with an 87 @-@ minute duration , is 12 minutes longer than the album . HBO televised the film , Simon and Garfunkel : The Concert in Central Park , on February 21 , 1982 , five days after the album was released . The film was later released for sale in VHS , CED Videodisc , Laserdisc , and DVD formats . It sold more than 50 @,@ 000 copies in the US , where it earned Gold certification for a music longform video . = = Critical reception = = The concert and recordings were positively received by music critics . Stephen Holden praised the performance in The New York Times the day after the concert ; he subsequently praised the live album in Rolling Stone magazine . He wrote that Simon and Garfunkel were successful in reviving their sound , that the backing band was " one of the finest groups of musicians ever to play together at a New York rock concert " , and the rearrangements of Simon 's solo material were improvements over the originals . Despite the risks in performing so many acoustic ballads in an open @-@ air concert on a cool night , the songs " were beautifully articulated , in near @-@ perfect harmony . " An October 1981 review in Rolling Stone called the concert " one of the finest performances of [ 1981 ] " , one that " vividly recaptured another time , an era when well @-@ crafted , melodic pop bore meanings that stretched beyond the musical sphere and into the realms of culture and politics . " This reviewer noted that Garfunkel 's voice was noticeably restrained in high passages , though still harmonious , and that the evening 's only weak spot was the " Kodachrome " / " Maybellene " medley , because neither singer could raise the right level of emotion for the rock songs . A Billboard reviewer wrote in March 1982 , " This 19 song , two record set gloriously recaptures the past with sterling renditions of most of the duo 's classics as well as a few of Simon 's solo compositions filled out by Garfunkel 's harmony . " However , Robert Christgau of The Village Voice dismissed the album as " a corporate boondoggle — a classy way for Warner Bros. artist Simon to rerecord , rerelease , and resell the catalogue CBS is sitting on . " He felt Simon had been better off without Garfunkel since 1971 and quipped , " live doubles are live doubles , nostalgia is nostalgia , wimps are wimps , and who needs any of ' em ? " = = Aftermath = = The duo were disappointed with their performance , particularly Garfunkel , who felt that he sang poorly . Simon said that he did not immediately realize the magnitude of the event : " I didn 't get what had happened – how big it was – until I went home , turned on the television and saw it on all the news ... and later that night on the front pages of all the newspapers . Then I got it . " In May 1982 , Simon & Garfunkel went on a world tour with stops in Japan , Germany , Denmark , Sweden , Switzerland , the Netherlands , Ireland , France , Great Britain , New Zealand , the US and Canada . The European leg of their tour began on May 28 , 1982 , at the Stadion am Bieberer Berg in Offenbach am Main . This was their first performance in Germany , and had an attendance of around 40 @,@ 000 spectators . After the tour concluded , the duo went into the studio to work on what was to be a reunion album . However , after increasingly acrimonious disagreements , Garfunkel dropped out of the project , which became Simon 's 1983 solo album Hearts and Bones . Several years would pass before Simon & Garfunkel worked together again . Their next joint public appearance was in 1990 , when they performed for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . When Simon gave another free concert in Central Park on 15 August 1991 , he rejected Garfunkel 's offer to participate . However , they agreed to perform together in 1993 for 21 sold out concerts in New York , with half of the show being Paul Simon solo with a band and the other half Simon and Garfunkel . Later the same year , they did some charity concerts , including the Bridge School Benefit concerts and a benefit for United Way of Canada Children 's Charities at SkyDome in Toronto . Their next performance as a duo was in December 2003 , at New York 's Madison Square Garden . This concert was recorded , and released in December 2004 as the album Old Friends : Live on Stage . Simon & Garfunkel 's Concert in Central Park raised around $ 51 @,@ 000 for Central Park . Benefit concerts by other musicians followed , and helped to raise awareness of the park 's state . With donations from the general public and with the help of wealthy benefactors , the park was restored during the 1980s and gained recognition as a major tourist attraction . As of 2011 , donations still make up the majority of its budget . Today concerts and other benefits are regularly held on the Great Lawn . = = Chart performance and certification = = = = = Album = = =
= Yermolayev Yer @-@ 2 = The Yermolayev Yer @-@ 2 was a long @-@ range Soviet medium bomber used during World War II . It was developed from the Bartini Stal @-@ 7 prototype airliner before the war . It was used to bomb Berlin from airbases in Estonia after Operation Barbarossa in 1941 . Production was terminated in August 1941 to allow the factory to concentrate on building higher @-@ priority Ilyushin Il @-@ 2 ground @-@ attack aircraft , but was restarted at the end of 1943 with new , fuel @-@ efficient , Charomskiy ACh @-@ 30B aircraft Diesel engines . Although designed as a long @-@ range medium bomber it was flown on tactical ground @-@ attack missions during the Battle of Moscow with heavy losses . The survivors were flown , in ever dwindling numbers , until August 1943 when the last examples were transferred to schools . However , the resumption of production in 1943 allowed the aircraft to resume combat operations in April 1945 . The Yer @-@ 2 remained in service with Long @-@ Range Aviation until replaced by four @-@ engined bombers at the end of the 1940s . = = Development = = Roberto Bartini had designed and built the Stal @-@ 7 airliner whilst he was the chief designer at the ZOK NII GVF ( Russian : Zavod Opytno Konstrooktorskoye Naoochno @-@ Issledovatel 'skiy Institoot Grazhdanskovo Vozdooshnovo Flota — " Factory for Special Construction at the Scientific Test Institute for the Civil Air Fleet " ) . The performance of the Stal @-@ 7 was extremely good , particularly in respect to its payload ; at gross overload weight over 56 % of the total weight was payload . During flight trials with maximum all @-@ up weight the prototype crashed on takeoff in early 1938 , resulting in the arrest of Bartini and his imprisonment in a Siberian Gulag in February 1938 . The Stal @-@ 7 lay unrepaired until Vladimir Yermolaev was appointed as chief designer at OKB @-@ 240 after Bartini 's arrest , with the task of transforming the Stal @-@ 7 design into a long @-@ range bomber , a task made easier since Bartini had reserved space for a bomb bay in the fuselage . After repair the Stal @-@ 7 carried on with the flight @-@ test programme , including a record @-@ breaking nonstop flight on 28 August 1939 when it flew Moscow — Sverdlovsk — Sevastopol — Moscow ; a distance of 5 @,@ 086 km ( 3 @,@ 160 mi ) at an average speed of 405 km / h ( 252 mph ) . Preliminary design of the DB @-@ 240 ( Russian : dahl 'niy bombardirovschik — " long @-@ range bomber " ) , as the bomber version was designated , was completed by the beginning of 1939 and the construction of two prototypes began the following July . The DB @-@ 240 retained little apart from the general layout of the Stal @-@ 7 as the structure was almost completely redesigned . The pilot 's cockpit was offset to port to improve his downward view and the navigator / bomb aimer sat in the extensively glazed nose with a 7 @.@ 62 @-@ millimeter ( 0 @.@ 300 in ) ShKAS machine gun , the radio operator sat below and to starboard of the pilot and the dorsal gunner in a partially retractable turret with one 12 @.@ 7 @-@ millimeter ( 0 @.@ 50 in ) Berezin UBT machine gun . Another ShKAS was fitted in a ventral hatch . Up to 2 @,@ 000 kg ( 4 @,@ 409 lb ) of bombs could be carried in the bomb bay and two 500 @-@ kilogram ( 1 @,@ 102 lb ) bombs could be carried externally . Up to 4 @,@ 600 kg ( 10 @,@ 141 lb ) of fuel could be carried . The DB @-@ 240 had been designed to use the experimental Klimov M @-@ 106 V12 engines , but the less @-@ powerful Klimov M @-@ 105 engine had to be substituted because the M @-@ 106 was not available . The DB @-@ 240 prototype flew for the first time on 14 May 1940 and began its State acceptance tests on 27 September 1940 . The weaker engines prevented the DB @-@ 240 from reaching its designed performance . It could only attain 445 km / h ( 277 mph ) at 4 @,@ 250 m ( 13 @,@ 944 ft ) instead of the expected 500 km / h ( 311 mph ) at 6 @,@ 000 meters ( 19 @,@ 685 ft ) . Its defensive armament was deemed inadequate and other problems included an excessively long take @-@ off run and engine defects . However , these did not offset its virtues of a heavy bomb load and long @-@ range ( 4 @,@ 100 kilometers ( 2 @,@ 548 mi ) carrying 1 @,@ 000 kg ( 2 @,@ 205 lb ) of bombs ) . It was ordered into production at Factory No. 18 , in Voronezh , as the Yermolayev Yer @-@ 2 . Manufacture began in March 1941 , with approximately 50 aircraft delivered by 22 June 1941 . These aircraft were about 5 – 8 km / h ( 3 @.@ 1 – 5 @.@ 0 mph ) slower than the prototype and their normal weight increased 1 @,@ 220 kg ( 2 @,@ 690 lb ) to 12 @,@ 520 kg ( 27 @,@ 602 lb ) . Production was terminated in August after 128 had been completed to allow the factory to concentrate on the higher @-@ priority Ilyushin Il @-@ 2 ground @-@ attack aircraft . A Yer @-@ 2 was modified with experimental Mikulin AM @-@ 37 engines , a reinforced undercarriage , armored seats for the navigator and gunner , and 12 @.@ 7 mm UBT machine guns in place of its original ShKAS weapons . It first flew in July 1941 and was able to reach 505 km / h ( 314 mph ) at 6 @,@ 000 m ( 19 @,@ 685 ft ) , but the range was reduced to ( 3 @,@ 500 km ( 2 @,@ 175 mi ) carrying 1 @,@ 000 kg ( 2 @,@ 205 lb ) of bombs . One significant problem with this version was the excessive takeoff roll which hindered operations from grass airstrips . The engine was unreliable , however , and had cooling problems that the Mikulin OKB did not have the resources to resolve so it was cancelled in October when the factory was forced to evacuate from Moscow by the German advance . The Charomskiy M @-@ 40F Diesel engine was also evaluated in a Yer @-@ 2 in 1941 . This engine , like all Diesels , offered a greatly reduced fuel consumption compared to a standard gasoline @-@ powered engine , but at a great penalty in weight . These engines increased the gross takeoff weight to 13 @,@ 500 kg ( 29 @,@ 762 lb ) which required the undercarriage to be reinforced and the wing area increased to keep the same wing loading . The M @-@ 40F @-@ powered aircraft reached a maximum speed of 430 km / h ( 267 mph ) at 6 @,@ 050 m ( 19 @,@ 849 ft ) . However , the M @-@ 40 was not yet ready for service use and the project was cancelled . The aircraft / engine combination did have enough potential that development work continued using the closely related , but more mature , Charomskiy ACh @-@ 30B Diesel engine . The cockpit was modified to accommodate two pilots side @-@ by @-@ side and the wing and tailplane areas were increased . The 12 @.@ 7 mm UBT machine gun in the dorsal turret was replaced by a 20 @-@ millimeter ( 0 @.@ 79 in ) ShVAK cannon and the nose and ventral ShKAS machine guns were exchanged for 12 @.@ 7 mm UBT machine guns . Up to 5 @,@ 460 kg ( 12 @,@ 037 lb ) of fuel could be carried . The Yer @-@ 2 / ACh @-@ 30B was placed into production at Factory No. 39 in Irkutsk at the end of 1943 and the first production aircraft was submitted to its State acceptance trials the following month . Some excess aircraft were converted as Yer @-@ 2ON VIP transports . = = Operational history = = The Yer @-@ 2 was not in squadron service when Germany invaded on 22 June 1941 , but the 420th and 421st Long @-@ Range Bomber Regiments ( Russian : Dahl 'niy Bombardirovchnyy Aviapolk — DBAP ) were formed shortly afterwards . However neither regiment flew any operational missions until later in the summer . On the evening of 10 August Yer @-@ 2s of the 420th DBAP , accompanied by Petlyakov Pe @-@ 8s of the 432nd DBAP , attempted to bomb Berlin from Pushkino Airfield near Leningrad . The airfield was too short to accommodate a fully loaded Yer @-@ 2 , but three bombers did manage to take off regardless . Two managed to bomb Berlin , or its outskirts , but only one successfully returned ; the other was shot down by ' friendly ' Polikarpov I @-@ 16s when it reentered Soviet airspace and the third aircraft went missing . Three crews from the 420th DBAP bombed Königsberg during the nights of 28 – 29 August and 30 August – 1 September from Ramenskoye Airport , southeast of Moscow . On 1 October 1941 63 Yer @-@ 2s were in service , but only 34 were operational . The 420th DBAP had flown 154 sorties by the beginning of November ( 6 in August , 81 in September , 67 in October ) and had lost 30 of its 40 aircraft . Over half of these ( 19 ) were due to non @-@ combat losses . Losses were extremely high over the autumn and winter as they were inappropriately committed against German tactical frontline targets during the Battle of Moscow at low altitudes and only 12 were in service on 18 March 1942 . On 4 August 1942 the 747th DBAP had only ten Yer @-@ 2s on hand and it was briefly committed during the Battle of Stalingrad . The survivors were flown , in ever dwindling numbers , until August 1943 when the last few aircraft were transferred to schools by the 2nd Guards DBAP and the 747th DBAP . The Yer @-@ 2 was placed back into production at the end of 1943 , but none of the new bombers had been issued to combat units by 1 June 1944 . However 42 were in service on 1 January 1945 and 101 on 10 May 1945 after the war ended . The first combat mission undertaken by Yer @-@ 2s after they returned to production was a raid on Königsberg on 7 April 1945 by the 327th and 329th Bomber Aviation Regiments ( Russian : Bombardirovchnyy Aviatsionyy Polk ) . It remained in service with Long @-@ Range Aviation units until replaced by four @-@ engined bombers like the Tupolev Tu @-@ 4 in the late 1940s . = = Variants = = DB @-@ 240 Two prototypes of the Yer @-@ 2 series with two 1 @,@ 050 hp M @-@ 105 engines . Yer @-@ 2 Production version with two M @-@ 105 engines , 128 built . Yer @-@ 2 / AM @-@ 37 One aircraft re @-@ engined with two prototype 1 @,@ 380 hp Mikulin AM @-@ 37 engines , the fastest of all Yer @-@ 2s . Yer @-@ 2 / M @-@ 40F The first diesel @-@ powered Yer @-@ 2 , with modified wings . One converted with two 1 @,@ 500 hp Charomskiy M @-@ 40F diesel engines . Yer @-@ 2 / ACh @-@ 30B Production model of the diesel @-@ engined version . Performance was excellent despite the poor reliability and rough running of the Charomskiy ACh @-@ 30B diesel engines . Range increased 1 @,@ 500 km ( 930 mi ) from the version with M @-@ 105 engines . Yer @-@ 2ON ( Russian : Osobogo Naznachyeniya – Special Assignment ) Two aircraft from the Yer @-@ 2 / ACh @-@ 30B production line were modified with a 12 @-@ seat VIP cabin , military equipment removed and long @-@ range fuel tanks in the bomb @-@ bay . A third aircraft was converted from a Yer @-@ 2 ( 1941 production ) and used for shuttle flights between Irkutsk and Moscow . Yer @-@ 2N ( Russian : Nositel — Carrier ) One aircraft was modified as an engine testbed for captured Argus As 014 pulse jet engines . Yer @-@ 2 / MB @-@ 100 One production aircraft used as a testbed for the 2 @,@ 200 horsepower ( 1 @,@ 600 kW ) Dobrotvorskii MB @-@ 100 engine in 1945 . Yer @-@ 4 The final iteration of the Yer @-@ 2 series was a 1941 production aircraft re @-@ engined with ACh @-@ 30BF engines and redesignated as the Yer @-@ 4 . It had a slightly larger wingspan , increased takeoff weight and improved armament . The prototype was tested in December 1943 , but did not enter production . = = Operators = = Soviet Union VVS ( Russian : Voyenno @-@ Vozdooshnyye Seely — Soviet Air Forces ) ADD ( Russian : Aviahtsiya Dahl 'nevo Deystviya — Long Range Aviation ) 420th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment , later the 748th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment 421st Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment , later the 747th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment 747th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment 748th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment , later the 2nd Guards Long @-@ Range Aviation Regiment 327th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment 329th Long @-@ Range Bomber Aviation Regiment = = Specifications ( Yer @-@ 2 / ACh @-@ 30B ) = = Data from Gunston , Bill . Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 – 1995 , p . 503 General characteristics Crew : four Length : 16 @.@ 42 m ( 53 ft 10 ½ in ) Wingspan : 23 m ( 75 ft 5 ½ in ) Height : 4 @.@ 82 m ( 15 ft 10 in ) Wing area : 79 m2 ( 850 ft2 ) Empty weight : 10 @,@ 455 kg ( 23 @,@ 049 lb ) Gross weight : 18 @,@ 580 kg ( 40 @,@ 961 lb ) Powerplant : 2 × Charomskiy ACh @-@ 30B V12 diesel engines , 1 @,@ 118 kW ( 1 @,@ 500 hp ) each each Performance Maximum speed : 420 km / h ( 261 mph ) Range : 5 @,@ 500 km ( 3 @,@ 418 miles ) Service ceiling : 7 @,@ 200 m ( 23 @,@ 620 ft ) Armament 1 x 12 @.@ 7 mm UBT machine @-@ gun in nose flexible mount . 1 x 12 @.@ 7 mm UBT machine @-@ gun in ventral flexible mount . 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon in a TUM @-@ 5 dorsal turret . Up to 5 @,@ 000 kg ( 11 @,@ 023 lb ) of bombs in the internal bomb @-@ bay .
= 10th Combat Aviation Brigade ( United States ) = The Combat Aviation Brigade , 10th Mountain Division is a combat aviation brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Drum , New York . It is a subordinate unit of the 10th Mountain Division . Reactivated in 1988 , the 10th Mountain Division 's Combat Aviation Brigade supported the division as it undertook numerous operations and overseas contingencies in the 1990s , including Operation Restore Hope , Operation Uphold Democracy , and Task Force Eagle , as well as disaster relief following Hurricane Andrew . The brigade has since become involved in the War on Terrorism , seeing four deployments to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom and a deployment to Iraq to support Operation Iraqi Freedom . The brigade is currently on its fourth deployment to Afghanistan and is serving in Regional Command - East under Combined Joint Task Force 101 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . = = Organization = = The Combat Aviation Brigade , 10th Mountain Division comprises five principal battalions under the command of its Headquarters and Headquarters Company . The brigade commands 1st , 2nd , 3rd Battalions , 10th Aviation Regiment , and 6th Squadron , 6th Cavalry Regiment , which operate a number of aircraft including UH @-@ 60 Black Hawks , AH @-@ 64 Apaches , CH @-@ 47 Chinooks , and OH @-@ 58 Kiowas . In addition , the 277th Aviation Support Battalion provides supporting services to the combat battalions when they are deployed , making the brigade capable of operating independently of higher command headquarters , and capable of taking on additional battalions and other , smaller units when deployed , as necessary . = = History = = The brigade HHC was constituted on 1 April 1988 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company , Aviation Brigade , 10th Mountain Division , and activated at Fort Drum , New York . The brigade was activated at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome , NY as part of the 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) on 2 July 1988 . The brigade remained based at Griffiss until 1992 ( August ? ) . It appears that initially the brigade was made up of 3 @-@ 17 CAV , and the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 25th Aviation Regiment ( 2 @-@ 25 and 3 @-@ 25 AVN ) . The brigade has played a key role in all Division missions , including support for Hurricane Andrew relief in south Florida , in Somalia , Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti , SFOR and KFOR missions in Bosnia and Kosovo and most recently Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom . In each instance , the Brigade has demonstrated its capability to rapidly deploy and conduct aviation missions upon arrival . The 10th Combat Aviation Brigade has 12 CH @-@ 47s , 24 AH @-@ 64s , 30 OH @-@ 58s , and 50 UH @-@ 60s to assist the 10th Mountain Division to fight and win in any environment . In Somalia from 1993 ( ' Operation Restore Hope and Operation Continue Hope ' ) the 10th Mountain Division brought an aviation task force to support them in their UNOSOM II missions . Task Force Raven , built around 2nd Battalion , 25th Aviation Regiment , was a task organized aviation unit with a total of 52 attack , scout , lift , and medical evacuation aircraft . They flew over 6000 missions over the streets of Mogadishu . Twelve AH @-@ 1 Cobras made up the attack helicopter force . The lessons learned by this aviation task force are particularly useful for the rest of the conventional aviation units in the U.S. Army . Fortunately , LTC R. Lee Gore , commander of Task Force Raven ordered a detailed after action review upon the unit 's return . " During the Battle of Mogadishu on 3 – 4 October 1993 , UH @-@ 1V and MH @-@ 60s moved casualties from the airfield to the 46th Combat Support Hospital at the U.S. Embassy compound . The battalion returned home in December 1993 @-@ January 1994 , relieved by the 4th Battalion , 4th Aviation Regiment , from Fort Carson . ( Casper , 128 ) = = = Haiti 1994 = = = The division formed the nucleus of the Multinational Force Haiti and Joint Task Force 190 ( JTF 190 ) in Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy . More than 8 @,@ 600 of the division 's troops deployed during this operation . On 19 September 1994 , the 1st Brigade conducted the Army ’ s first air assault from an aircraft carrier . This force consisted of 54 helicopters and almost 2 @,@ 000 soldiers . They occupied the Port @-@ au @-@ Prince International Airport . This was the largest Army air operation conducted from a carrier since the Doolittle Raid in World War II . = = = Afghanistan Deployments = = = In 2003 and into 2004 , the brigade deployed for the first time to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom . As the only aviation brigade in the theater , the brigade provided air support for all U.S. Army units operating in the country . The brigade 's mission at that time focused on close air support , medevac missions , and other duties involving combat with Taliban and Al @-@ Qaeda forces in the country . The brigade returned to Fort Drum in 2004 . In winter 2006 the brigade was deployed again to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom as the only aviation brigade in the theater , stationed at Bagram Air Base , Afghanistan . Named " Task Force Falcon , " the brigade 's mission was to conduct aviation operations to destroy insurgents and anti @-@ coalition militia in an effort to help build the Afghan National Security Force 's capability and allow the Afghan government to increase its capabilities . In addition , the Task Force provided logistical and aviation support for ISAF forces throughout the country , conducted tactical maneuvers and performed security and attack operations when needed . Prior to the modular force structure reorganization , the 10th Aviation Brigade consisted of a Headquarters Company , 10th Aviation Brigade ; 3rd Squadron , 17th Cavalry Regiment , 1st Battalion , 10th Aviation Regiment ( United States ) ( formerly 2nd Battalion , 25th Aviation Regiment ) , 2nd Battalion ( Assault ) , 10th Aviation Regiment ( formerly 3rd Battalion , 25th Aviation Regiment ) ; 3rd Battalion , 10th Aviation ( General Support ) , and C Company ( Aviation Intermediate Maintenance ) , 10th Aviation Regiment . After the transformation , the reorganized brigade retained the 3 – 17th Cavalry and 1- and 2 – 10th Aviation . 3 – 10th Aviation and C @-@ 10th Aviation were inactivated . Also reactivated as part of the reorganized unit were 6th Squadron , 6th Cavalry Regiment and the 277th Aviation Support Battalion . During the transition elements of the 10th Aviation continued to be deployed as part of Task Forces part of Operation Iraqi Freedom , with units returning to Fort Drum for reorganization after their tours were complete . Elements of the 10th Aviation Brigade were deployed to Iraq in 2008 as part of continued operations in that country . = = Honors = = The brigade has been awarded two Meritorious Unit Commendation ( Army ) for Somalia , and service in ' Afghanistan 2003 – 2004 ' . As of 6 February 2009 , the Army 's official lineage and honors website says that Campaign Participation Credit for the war on terrorism has ' yet to be determined.'
= Naayak = Naayak ( English : Leader ) is a 2013 Indian Telugu @-@ language masala film written by Akula Siva and directed by V. V. Vinayak . The film was jointly produced by DVV Danayya and S. Radhakrishna under the banner Universal Media . The film features Ram Charan , Kajal Aggarwal and Amala Paul in the lead roles . S. Thaman composed the film 's soundtrack and background score . Chota K. Naidu undertook the cinematography and Gautham Raju was the film 's editor . The film features Ram Charan in dual roles : Cherry , a software engineer in Hyderabad , and Siddharth Naayak , an inspiring young leader in Kolkata fighting against an evil politician named Rawat . The film revolves around Cherry assisting Siddharth in the triumph of good over evil after their paths cross . Production began on 9 November 2011 , and principal photography began on 7 February 2012 . The film was extensively shot in Hyderabad and Kolkata , while a couple of the songs were shot in Dubai , Iceland , and Slovenia , making Naayak the first Indian film to be shot in Slovenia . Filming ended on 29 December 2012 . Released during the season of the Makar Sankranti festival on 9 January 2013 , on 1600 screens worldwide , the film received generally positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful . The film was dubbed into Tamil and Malayalam with the same title . The film was loosely remade into Bengali as Hero : The Superstar in 2014 . It was also dubbed in Hindi under the title Double Attack by Goldmines Telefilms in the same year . = = Plot = = Siddharth Naayak kills Central Minister Rawat 's brother , Taxi Seth , and his henchmen to save three men . Rawat orders a CBI Officer to catch the criminal so that he may be executed . In CgTrix , Hyderabad there works a software engineer , Cherry , who is a dead ringer for Siddharth . Cherry 's uncle Jilebi , the CEO of CgTrix , unexpectedly runs into trouble , angering the local Don , Babji . Cherry saves Jilebi from Babji by manipulation , but in the process becomes romantically interested in Babji 's sister , Madhu . After Cherry saves several children from a mafia don , Madhu reciprocates his love . This angers Babji and he goes to kill Cherry , but is shocked when he sees what he thinks is Cherry assassinating the DGP of West Bengal . The CBI Officer also misunderstands , believing that Cherry is responsible for the two murders , although Siddharth is the real murderer . With Jilebi , the CBI Officer goes to Kumbh Mela at Varanasi in pursuit of Cherry . As Rawat is offering holy rituals , the CBI Officer catches Cherry and holds him , however Siddharth rises from the Ganges and stabs Rawat with a trident , after which he fights with all of Rawat 's guards . As he is about to kill Rawat , the CBI Officer attacks him with a taser and arrests him , thereby exonerating Cherry . Cherry comes to know the story of his look – alike . Siddharth visits his sister 's house in Kolkata to pursue higher education . He shares a strong bond of love and affection with his sister , her husband , and his sister @-@ in @-@ law Nandini . Siddharth and Nandini are about to be married . Meanwhile , his brother @-@ in @-@ law , who is a doctor , attends a case of a minor who was injected with steroids by Rawat 's second Brother Badvel , and then forced into prostitution . When he complains to the police , he is unaware that the police officer is friends with Badvel , and is betrayed to Badvel , who kills him to keep him quiet . Siddharth is unable to bear this and kills Badvel , becoming a public sensation overnight . Shortly after , Siddharth seizes all of Rawat 's property and distributes it to the public . Rawat kills the Minister , and puts the blame on Siddharth , who he stabs and throws into the Ganges . Rawat becomes the Minister within a week , while Siddharth survives , planning to kill Rawat . Cherry , after reading about his story , decides to help him . He , along with Jilebi , goes to the CBI Jail where Siddharth is in custody . He introduces himself , and hatches a plan to get Siddharth exonerated . In court , since Siddharth admits that he committed the crime , the Judge orders that he be put to death . Cherry enters the court , stating that he is Siddharth Naayak and the one standing there is his fan . Siddharth tells exactly the same story , which causes some confusion . The Judge orders the CBI to find out the real identities of the two persons within ten days . During that time , Siddharth manages to bring Madhu and her family , including Babji and his paternal uncle , to Kolkata , uniting Cherry and Madhu . The next day , Rawat makes a call to Siddarth to come to his place to save the kidnapped school children . But Cherry eavesdrops on the conversation , and goes to Rawat 's place ahead of Siddharth , where he is severely attacked by Rawat . Siddharth reaches the place after watching a MMS sent by Rawat , saves Cherry and the two kill Rawat . The case is dismissed due to lack of evidence , and Siddharth is freed . In the end , both Siddharth and Cherry unite with their respective lovers . = = Cast = = Ram Charan as Charan ( Cherry ) / Siddharth Naayak . Kajal Aggarwal as Madhu . Amala Paul as Nandini . Pradeep Rawat as Rawat . Brahmanandam as Jilebi . Rahul Dev as Babji . Jaya Prakash Reddy as Babji 's paternal uncle . Ashish Vidyarthi as the CBI officer , who is appointed to find the culprit in the murder case of Rawat 's brother , Taxi Seth . Posani Krishna Murali as Shukla Bhai . Cameo Appearances Dev Gill as Badvel , Rawat 's younger brother . Surekha Vani as Siddharth 's sister . Rajiv Kanakala as Siddharth 's brother @-@ in @-@ law . M. S. Narayana as drunkard CBI officer . Raghu Babu as Babji 's henchman . Ajaz Khan as Taxi Seth , Rawat 's first brother . Vineet Kumar as Dassu , a mafia don in Hyderabad . Venu Madhav as Nandini 's friend . Tanikella Bharani as judge . Satyam Rajesh as Dassu 's henchman . Sudha as Cherry 's mother . Charmee Kaur in a special appearance in the item number Nellorae . = = Production = = = = = Development = = = At the end of April 2011 , V. V. Vinayak held story discussions for his next film , featuring Ram Charan as the protagonist and written by Akula Siva . By then , Vinayak was busy in giving final touches to his film Badrinath ( 2011 ) , and Ram Charan was participating in the shooting of Racha ( 2012 ) , directed by Sampath Nandi . After completing all of the promotional activities for Badrinath , Vinayak and Siva started working on the film 's script in early July 2011 . DVV Danayya was confirmed to produce the film under the banner Universal Media , and pre @-@ production on the film was expected to be launched in August , followed by filming starting in September 2011 . The film 's script was approved by Ram Charan 's father , and it was announced that actor Chiranjeevi would be part of the cast ; Kona Venkat was brought in to assist with the film 's screenplay . The project was confirmed in late October 2011 . The film was officially launched on 9 November 2011 , at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad . S. Thaman was announced as the music director , marking his first collaboration with both Vinayak and Charan ; Chota K. Naidu and Gautham Raju were announced as the film 's cinematographer and editor , respectively . The film 's title was announced as Naayak , with the caption " The Leader " , on 13 August 2012 . Weeks before the film 's release , a few Girijan students protested that the term " Naayak " referred to a certain tribal group , and they demanded a change of the title . While censoring the film , the Central Board of Film Certification looked into the group 's objection about the title . They found that there was no derogatory reference to either the name Naayak or the caste of tribes , either visually or in the audio part of the film , and cleared the use of the title . = = = Casting = = = Kajal Aggarwal was considered for one of the two female leads in the film in early October 2011 , later signing on to the film , which marked her second collaboration with Ram Charan after Magadheera ( 2009 ) . Ram Charan confirmed that he would be seen in a dual role in the film . Hansika Motwani was rumoured as the second female lead , however this was denied by Danayya , who added that she was never considered for that role , and Kajal was the only actress who had been signed up until that point . In late February 2012 , Amala Paul was selected as the second female lead , which she confirmed to Sify saying " Mynaa meets Magadheera " . It was reported that Shruti Haasan would perform an item number in the film , which she later denied . Chiranjeevi and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. were rumoured to make cameo appearance in the film . Charmee Kaur confirmed in late December 2012 that she would perform an item number along with Ram Charan . Posani Krishna Murali and Jaya Prakash Reddy were seen in comic roles . = = = Filming = = = Principal photography began on 7 February 2012 . By April 2012 , the film was shot at various locales in Hyderabad . A few action sequences were shot at night , for which Ram Charan trained for several days ; he performed several of the stunt sequences himself without using a body double . Filming was suspended for almost three weeks when Ram Charan was injured during filming Racha ( 2012 ) . Vinayak intended to complete shooting Ram Charan 's solo portions and then start the schedule with Kajal ; Ram Charan and Amala Paul would take part in the final part of the planned schedule . The next portion of the schedule started in Dubai , where a song , " Laila O Laila " , with Ram Charan and Kajal was shot . Ram Charan later said " It was a week before my wedding and I had just returned from my bachelor 's party . I landed directly in Dubai to shoot the song . I had to wear shades to hide the fatigue " and added " I was told that I wouldn 't need much rehearsals , but was zapped when I saw the choreographer take me through the routine . I was like ' can we please slow the beat or something ? ' I couldn 't settle for anything less than the best and went ahead and completed the song in seven days . " After its completion , some key scenes and songs were shot in Europe involving the three leads . Subsequent to the marriage ceremony , Ram Charan resumed his work on Naayak in late June 2012 , after shooting for a Tata DoCoMo commercial . The song " Subhalekha Raasukunna " was shot in Iceland on 22 August 2012 . It was originally planned to be shot using Ram Charan and Kajal , but it was filmed using Amala Paul instead , as Kajal had a scheduling conflict . After the completion of that song , two more songs were shot using Ram Charan and Kajal . After returning from Iceland , filming continued in the Old City in Hyderabad . On 7 October 2012 , scenes featuring Ram Charan and Amala Paul were shot at the Cineplanet Multiplex near Kompally . The next part of the schedule started in Kolkata from 12 October 2012 . Some action episodes involving Ram Charan , Dev Gill , and others , and a few continuity scenes were shot . An entire day was spent shooting a few action episodes with Ram Charan at Chhotelal Ghat near the Mullickghat flower market , since Vinayak insisted on perfection . This portion of the schedule ended on 22 October 2012 . The team returned to Hyderabad and filming continued in a set erected at Sarathi Studios . By mid November 2012 , a majority of the filming was complete , with final completion expected in December 2012 . The last portion of the schedule began on 4 December 2012 , during which the remaining climax action episodes scenes and a song were planned to be shot until 18 December 2012 . Amala Paul joined the filming of the climax on 7 December 2012 , after returning from the sets of Thalaivaa ( 2013 ) . The song " Nellorae " was shot using Ram Charan and Charmee at Ramoji Film City on 24 December 2012 , and after its completion , filming came to an end on 29 December 2012 . The filming phase lasted for approximately 9 months , and the film was the first Indian film to be shot in Slovenia . Ram Charan completed his part of dubbing in late December 2012 . = = Themes and influences = = The film features a protagonist in a dual role , revolving around their lifestyles and the circumstances when they meet . A reviewer from Sify felt that the film 's script was inspired from V. V. Vinayak 's previous works like Tagore ( 2003 ) , Lakshmi ( 2006 ) , Krishna ( 2008 ) and Adhurs ( 2009 ) , as well as from S. S. Rajamouli 's past works like Simhadri ( 2003 ) and Chhatrapati ( 2005 ) and S. Shankar 's Tamil film Sivaji ( 2007 ) . Akula Siva said that the dialogue in the film had a philosophical touch despite being humorous and added , " The hero is elevated on par with divinity in the introduction ; such glorification is imperative , if the hero doesn 't have that power and courage he cannot fight so many people " . = = Music = = S. Thaman composed the film 's soundtrack and background music , marking his first collaboration with both V. V. Vinayak and Ram Charan . In April 2012 , it was reported that Thaman was composing the film 's songs with a focus on romantic songs featuring the two female leads . The song " Subhalekha Rasukunna " , originally composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the soundtrack of the 1990 Telugu film Kondaveeti Donga , was remixed for this film in mid @-@ July 2012 without any alterations in the tune and lyrics written by Veturi Sundararama Murthy . The lyrics of the remaining five songs were penned by Chandrabose , Bhaskarabhatla , and Sahithi . All the songs were arranged by Thaman and were recorded at Studio N.Y.S.A. in Mumbai and Studio T.A.A.L. in Hyderabad . Aditya Music acquired the audio rights for an undisclosed high price . The audio teasers were unveiled in mid @-@ December 2014 , and the official track list featuring six songs was unveiled on 14 December 2012 . The film 's soundtrack was launched on 17 December 2012 , during a promotional event at Ramanaidu Studios . Pawan Kalyan attended the function as the chief guest along with the film 's principal cast & crew . Oneindia Entertainment placed " Nellorae " in fourth place on the list of top 10 item numbers of the year in 2013 . Telugu version Tamil version = = Release = = Naayak was planned to be released on 14 January , the eve of Sankranthi . Later the film 's release was rumoured to be delayed due to Danayya 's financial hardships , although he later confirmed the release date as 9 January 2013 , denying the previous reports as rumours . The film was awarded an ' A ' certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification on 4 January 2013 . Six cuts were suggested by the board to delete politically charged dialogue , and few other lines that included the names of the Andhra Pradesh Governors , A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan . The board also requested a few words being altered in the song " Nellorae " , and the display of a statutory warning on drinking and smoking wherever they occur in the film . The film was shown on 110 screens in Hyderabad , breaking the previous records set by Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu ( 2012 ) and Businessman ( 2012 ) , which were released in 105 and 103 theatres , respectively . Universal Media , in association with Praneeth Media , released the film on more than 100 screens in the United States , including 70 digital prints and sixteen 35 mm prints , which was a first for a Telugu film in an overseas market . The makers said that the film would be released in more than 1200 theatres in Andhra Pradesh . = = = Marketing = = = On the eve of Valentine 's Day , first look stills of the film were released to the media . A few stills featuring Ram Charan were unveiled on 18 August 2012 , which featured him sporting a new look . Two first look posters , confirming the film 's title and its spelling , were unveiled on 26 November 2012 . The film 's first teaser was unveiled on 14 December 2012 . Allu Arjun and S. S. Rajamouli unveiled the trailers at Shilpakala Vedika during the soundtrack launch . = = = Distribution = = = By early November 2012 , the film 's trade came to an end in all areas except Guntur . Bharath Pictures acquired the film 's Nellore distribution rights , while Shobu acquired the rights for the ceded ( Rayalaseema ) area . Shakti Films acquired the theatrical rights for the Krishna District , and Siri Media obtained the film 's Nizam region rights . V. Rao , Challa Shankar Rao and Tulasi Films acquired the screening rights in Vishakhapatnam , East Godavari district , and West Godavari district . Abhirami Movies acquired the film 's Tamil Nadu distribution rights . Errabus acquired the screening rights for the United Kingdom and Europe . Gayathri Films bought the Karnataka distribution rights for ₹ 41 million , the highest price offered for any Telugu film in Karnataka up to that time . Universal Media distributed the film in the United States . Producer Dil Raju acquired the film 's distribution rights in the Nizam region in mid @-@ December 2012 . = = = Home media = = = The satellite rights for the Hindi dubbed version were sold for a record price of ₹ 35 million ( US $ 520 @,@ 000 ) . Gemini TV paid an advance of ₹ 26 million for the satellite rights of the original version , and fully acquired them after the film 's release for an additional ₹ 75 million . The DVD and Blu @-@ ray were marketed by Sri Balaji Videos and were released on 3 April 2013 . = = Reception = = = = = Critical reception = = = The film received positive reviews from critics . Y. Sunita Chowdary of The Hindu wrote , " ... the writing is humorous , lively and consistent . What more , the film works mainly on its dialogues and a brisk screenplay and has all the potential to rake in moolah at the box office , " and added , " Vinayak , having read the pulse well , comes out with Naayak that is a throwback to many of his earlier films but with correct dose of humour added , to cover the flaws . By the time you sense something wrong , he cleverly comes up with another funny scene . This way the film progresses and winds up before it gets too heavy , and voila there are smiles everywhere " . Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran of Daily News and Analysis wrote , " We ’ ll say that even if the film is about the age @-@ old formula of the hero bashing the bad guys and coming up trumps , Naayak is an entertaining film that you won ’ t regret watching , " and rated the film 3 @.@ 5 out of 5 . AS Sashidhar of The Times of India termed the film a " pot boiling paisa vasool entertainer " and rated the film 3 @.@ 5 out of 5 . Oneindia Entertainment stated , " V. V. Vinayak may not have given a great screenplay , but he has had a high entertainment quotient with his narration . His mass appearance has doubled up Ram Charan 's performance . Naayak is a perfect Sankranthi entertainer , " and rated the film 3 out of 5 . Radhika Rajamani of Rediff.com wrote , " The first half of the film moves at a breezy pace while the interval brings in the twist . In the second half there 's mostly stomach @-@ churning violence which is pretty repulsive . Technically the film is top @-@ notch . V V Vinayak delivers a hardcore commercial entertainer for the festival . If you can watch Naayak without analysing it , you will find it fun , " and rated the film 3 out of 5 . IndiaGlitz summarised , " Vinayak proves to be a director who knows how to play gimmicks with a formula story in hand and a narration baptized in masala . Naayak is for all those who love to watch an entertainer filled with doses of heroism and comedy , and also good music , " and added that the film is " commercial to the hilt " . In contrast , a reviewer from Sify stated , " Director V V Vinayak , has chosen a routine story which has nothing new to offer . He chose a simple story and weaved an entertaining screenplay around it . Vinayak concentrated more on the presentation of the movie rather than the subject . The story and screenplay is predictable after the interesting interval bang " and called the film " Average " . Another reviewer from Sify rated the film 3 out of 5 and stated , " Nayak , a regular commercial potboiler , starts off as a regular mass movie and ends up the same way . Nayak team should have concentrated on the story more . A rehashed film that can be watched once " . B. V. S. Prakash of Deccan Chronicle wrote , " Even though Ram Charan impresses in the role of a brooding young IT employee who is determined to smash evil forces , the final outcome is more comic than serious . Vinayak tends to repackage scenes from his earlier movies . Akula Siva pens strong punch lines to enthral Ram Charan fans " . = = = Box Office = = = Naayak grossed ₹ 112 @.@ 5 million at the worldwide box office on its opening day , and ₹ 170 @.@ 4 million ( US $ 2 @.@ 5 million ) on its second day , taking its two @-@ day total to ₹ 282 @.@ 9 million . The film collected a total of ₹ 295 million in its first week . As of late April 2014 , the film stood in fifth place of the top 10 Telugu films with the highest first week gross . In its second week of release , the film 's gross suffered due to the competition from the release of Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu , slipping to the second spot in the charts . It witnessed more than a 50 % drop in its business , collecting approximately ₹ 80 million during the second weekend , and a total of ₹ 450 million in 10 days . By the end of its second week , the film had added approximately ₹ 55 million , for a 16 @-@ day total of ₹ 505 million net . The film grossed ₹ 600 million in its lifetime worldwide , and became the third most successful film of 2013 , after Attarintiki Daredi and Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu . Its distributor share of ₹ 465 million made it Ram Charan 's third film to cross the ₹ 400 million mark . It was fifth on the list of top 10 all @-@ time highest grossing movies at the Andhra Pradesh box office , as of November 2013 . It also ranked tenth on the list of top 20 hit Telugu movies of all time at the box office , as of May 2014 . = = = = India = = = = The film averaged 90 % occupancy in both single screens and multiplexes in India on its opening day , collecting ₹ 85 @.@ 5 million at the Andhra Pradesh box office and ₹ 27 million throughout the rest of India . With an average of 66 % across the globe , it collected ₹ 134 @.@ 9 million at the Andhra Pradesh box office , and ₹ 35 @.@ 5 million in the rest of India on its second day . In six days , it collected a total ₹ 234 @.@ 6 million net at Andhra Pradesh box office , and ₹ 25 million in the rest of India . The film completed a successful 50 day run in several centres across Andhra Pradesh on 27 February 2013 . The film collected a distributor share of ₹ 389 @.@ 5 million net at Andhra Pradesh box office in its lifetime , placing it sixth on the list of all @-@ time highest grossing Telugu films , as of November 2013 . = = = = Overseas = = = = The film collected ₹ 4 @.@ 5 million in overseas receipts on its opening day , which increased to ₹ 6 @.@ 5 million on its second day . However , the film 's trade was severely affected by Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu , dropping 70 % at the overseas box office , with a three @-@ day total of ₹ 9 @.@ 2 million , compared to Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu 3 day opening day total of ₹ 11 @.@ 3 million . The film collected ₹ 21 @.@ 1 million in six days at the overseas box office . The film did good business by the end of its second weekend at the USA box office , ranking third in the charts by collecting ₹ 25 @.@ 3 million , despite of the adverse effect of Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu which was in first place . Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola stood in second place , although its per screen average was lower than that of Naayak . The film suffered a big setback after the release of Race 2 and Viswaroopam , dropping to sixth place while collecting ₹ 26 @.@ 5 million in 23 days . = = = Awards and nominations = = =
= Ed Muransky = Edward William " Ed " Muransky ( born January 20 , 1960 ) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League ( NFL ) and Orlando Renegades of the United States Football League ( USFL ) . He was a member of the Super Bowl XVIII Champion Raiders . Prior to this he was an All @-@ American and Academic All @-@ American athlete who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines during the 1979 – 1981 seasons . After retiring from football he became a business partner and advisor to Edward J. DeBartolo Jr . , former San Francisco 49ers owner . As DeBartolo became more involved in the casino industry , he relied on Muransky as a confidant . Muransky testified under a grant of immunity as a government witness in the March 2000 trial of Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards , mainly about what DeBartolo had confided to Muransky . DeBartolo was the only extortion victim who claimed to have been extorted directly by Edwards , but Muransky could not provide direct testimony about private meetings between DeBartolo and Edwards . Muransky has continued to pursue business interests even after the controversies about DeBartolo have waned . = = Cardinal Mooney High School = = Born in Youngstown , Muransky played football for Cardinal Mooney High School where he was affectionately known as " Big Ed " by family and teammates . He was a three @-@ year varsity letterman and two @-@ year starter as an interior lineman at Cardinal Mooney . In 1976 , he won All @-@ Steel Valley , All @-@ NEO , and All @-@ State honors , and received the Mack Truck Award , given annually to the most outstanding high school lineman in the Youngstown area . = = University of Michigan = = Highly recruited by numerous " blue chip " schools , Muransky chose to play collegiate football at the University of Michigan . He lettered for three years at Michigan , where he wore # 72 , and earned All @-@ Big Ten honors in 1980 and 1981 . Muransky started 33 straight games at offensive tackle for the Wolverines from his sophomore through senior years , 1979 – 1981 . The 6 @-@ foot @-@ 7 @-@ inch ( 2 @.@ 01 m ) , 320 @-@ pound ( 150 kg ; 23 st ) lineman was a key member of the 1980 Wolverines , coach Bo Schembechler 's first bowl @-@ winning team . In fact , he started all twelve games at right tackle . This includes the 1981 Rose Bowl against the Washington Huskies football team won by Michigan 23 – 6 . The game was Schembechler 's first bowl victory , and the coach was carried off the field on Muransky 's shoulders . Muransky was named to the Associated Press , UPI , and The Sporting News All @-@ American teams in 1981 and also garnered " Academic All @-@ American " his senior year . He was part of a 1981 team that had five All @-@ American honorees ( Anthony Carter , Butch Woolfolk , Bubba Paris and Kurt Becker ) . = = = " Beef Bowl " Record Holder = = = Muransky also set the all @-@ time " Beef Bowl " record by consuming 8 pounds ( 3 @.@ 63 kg ) of prime rib at Lawry 's before the 1979 Rose Bowl . Muransky later recalled : " Bubba Paris and I were two happy freshmen eating together at the Lawry 's Beef Bowl event before the 1979 Rose Bowl Game . After we had enjoyed our fourth plate of prime rib , mashed potatoes , corn and Yorkshire pudding , Bubba asked what the record was , and they said 7 cuts . Bubba continued for 3 more cuts , and I continued for four , totally under the Bo Schembechler radar screen . When they delivered the 8th cut to me , the media started to gather around my table , Bo walked by and let me know what he was thinking without ever saying a word . Afterward , a Paris @-@ Muransky night out ended with some pizza . The next morning in practice , Bo made an example of Bubba and me . We never ran so much in our lives as we did that day . We were in every play of scrimmage and then we ran sprints . " When the Wolverines returned to Pasadena for the 1981 Rose Bowl , " Bo made it a point to come to the back of the plane and talk to me and Bubba Paris . He wanted to let us know that my record from a couple years earlier would not be in jeopardy because we were going to be sitting with him at the Lawry 's Beef Bowl . He said he was going to limit each of us to two cuts of prime rib . " Schembechler had his own take on the story : " I let ' em eat because they were freshmen . They weren 't gonna play anyway . " = = = Big Chill Cameo = = = Muransky is also remembered for a cameo appearance in the 1983 film The Big Chill : " I was in the theater watching it , not knowing what was going to happen . It was kind of interesting with all of ( the characters ) watching ( the 1980 Michigan @-@ Michigan State game ) . It was pretty cool . Watching [ quarterback ] John Wangler go back was pretty cool . For a split @-@ second as they 're going back , I 'm thinking to myself , ' Oh my God , I pray to God I 'm not holding or I missed a block for a sack or something on the big screen pass . ' But it was a good block , and it was a fun moment . Any time I hear ' The Big Chill , ' it 's good memories . " = = = Quitters = = = The Wolverines were the unanimous pre @-@ season Number 1 pick in 1981 but lost their opener to Wisconsin 21 – 14 . In the team meeting the next day , Schembechler walked into the room and wrote " Ed Muransky " and " Stan Edwards " on the chalkboard , and then barked out , " The rest of you are quitters . I want nothing more to do with you , " and left . According to the coach , Muransky and Edwards were the only two who played with intensity against Wisconsin , and Bo left it to them to motivate the rest of the team . Muransky issued a challenge to the offense on the night before the following week 's game : " I looked at everyone and said , ' If we continue to play as great individuals , we 'll continue to lose . If we start to play as a great team , we 'll start winning . " The next day , the Wolverines beat Notre Dame , 25 – 7 . = = Professional football career = = = = = Los Angeles Raiders = = = Muransky was selected in the fourth round ( 82nd pick ) by the Oakland Raiders in the 1982 NFL Draft , and he played in 24 games for the Raiders from 1982 – 1984 . The Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles to play the 1982 NFL season . Thus , although he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders , he played his NFL career with the Los Angeles Raiders . In his second season in the NFL , he won a Super Bowl ring with the Raiders ' 1983 Super Bowl Championship team . He played all 16 regular season games for Tom Flores ' Raiders that season . The team went 12 – 4 during the 1983 NFL season and produced eight Pro Bowlers . Muransky played for an offensive line that included Pro Bowlers Henry Lawrence and Todd Christensen . The team was led that season by quarterback Jim Plunkett and future Hall of Famer Marcus Allen , who rushed for nine touchdowns , caught two and threw three on a 4 – 7 passing performance . Muransky described the Super Bowl experience as a " whirlwind " with " two weeks of hype like you 've never seen . " He recalled : " It was a big deal because offensive linemen weren 't making what they make today . That year , I made $ 77 @,@ 000 , which was a pretty decent contract at the time . But if you won the Super Bowl , you won $ 64 @,@ 000 . So it wasn 't peanuts . I remember walking off the field after that , thinking to myself , ' I have a Super Bowl ring for the rest of my life . ' " Although Muransky was cut in for a Super Bowl gameshare , he was not on the official gameday roster . Although the Raiders only won one Super Bowl with Muransky , they had great success . In his rookie season , they were 8 – 1 in the strike @-@ shortened season . This was the best record in the American Football Conference and tied for the best in the League . The team , however , was upset by the 6 – 3 New York Jets in the second round of the 1982 @-@ 83 NFL Playoffs . The 1984 Raiders went 11 – -5 and also made the 1984 @-@ 85 NFL playoffs . The Raiders teams of Muransky 's years went 31 – 10 in the regular season and 4 – 2 in the playoffs under Flores . = = = USFL Orlando Renegades = = = After playing for the Raiders , Muransky signed with the Orlando Renegades of the USFL . He played and started 14 of the Renegades 18 games under Lee Corso . The team was not as successful as the Raiders and went 5 – 13 . When the league folded , he decided to retire and enter the business world . = = Business career = = After his football career ended , Muransky worked briefly as a sportscaster at WYTV in Youngstown . He later became CEO and chairman of his in @-@ laws ' insurance agency , Gallagher Pipino , Inc . He is married to the former Christine Pipino and has three children : Eddie , Deloran and Donielle . = = = Work with Eddie DeBartolo and the Edwards trial = = = In the late 1990s and early 2000s , Muransky became the most trusted advisor and business partner of Edward J. DeBartolo Jr . , heir to a real estate empire and former owner of the San Francisco 49ers . For a time , Muransky was the CEO of the DeBartolo Property Group , and the two partnered in numerous business ventures , including a chain of ice cream franchises known as " Ed and Eddie 's Homemade Ice Cream , " real estate ventures and pizza . DeBartolo ventured into the casino business against the wishes of his sister , Denise DeBartolo York and hired family contact , Muransky to head DeBartolo Entertainment . Eventually , Muransky who is said to have a keen business sense , became DeBartolo 's most trusted advisor , which caused a rift with Carmen Policy , 49ers president . In 1997 , Muransky became involved in DeBartolo 's efforts to open a riverboat gambling casino in Louisiana . The project required approval of the state gambling board and resulted in a highly publicized bribery scandal that ended with the conviction of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards on 17 counts , including racketeering , extortion , mail fraud , and wire fraud . In order to secure licensing of the casino , Edwards and associates allegedly solicited bribes from DeBartolo , including a briefcase filled with $ 400 @,@ 000 . Of the many who claimed that they were extortion victims , DeBartolo was the only one who claimed to have been extorted directly by Edwards . Muransky was able to describe his relationship with DeBartolo but could not provide testimony about private meetings between DeBartolo and Edwards . Muransky testified under a grant of immunity as a government witness in the March 2000 trial of Edwards . Among other things , Muransky testified to the following : he " had a violent reaction " when DeBartolo told him that Edwards demanded money during a meeting in Baton Rouge in 1997 ; he " went ballistic " when DeBartolo told him about the $ 400 @,@ 000 payment and the requests by the former governor that he be given one percent of the gross at the boat or 25 cents for every patron ; he told jurors he felt he needed to protect DeBartolo from Edwards because DeBartolo lacked the keen business acumen of his late father , Edward J. DeBartolo , Sr. ; he discussed DeBartolo 's exasperation at Edwards ' solicitation of cash . According to Muransky , DeBartolo complained about Edwards and his associates : " They don 't quit . " ; and when asked if there was anyone else in DeBartolo 's organization making $ 50 @,@ 000 per month ( an amount allegedly requested by Edwards ) , Muransky testified : " Maybe Steve Young , Jerry Rice , " referring to the star player on the 49ers . = = = Post @-@ trial business = = = DeBartolo had Muransky placed on the board of directors of the DeBartolo Corporation after reaching a plea agreement which left him ( DeBartolo ) a convicted felon and precluded him from serving on the corporate board . Eventually , after DeBartolo became involved in the corruption , he turned over control of the 49ers to his sister . DeBartolo and Muransky reportedly went through an acrimonious breakup in 2002 . Following the break with DeBartolo , Muransky moved with his family back to Youngstown . In 2007 , Muransky , as owner of Muransky Co. and Southwoods Surgical Center in Boardman , Ohio , filed for monetary damages and dissolution of a joint venture intended to open a full @-@ service , for @-@ profit hospital in southern Mahoning County . Muransky told The Vindicator : " I 'm very disappointed for this community . There was an absolute opportunity to grow the health system ... In a few years , we are going to find ourselves having to drive to Akron and Pittsburgh and Cleveland for health care because it is no longer available here . I 'm dumbfounded it has come to this . " Muransky said one of the reasons he came back to Youngstown was to use his skills to give back to the community . Ed also serves as Founder , Chairman and CEO of Chestnut Land Company , the holding company for Auntie Anne ’ s Soft Pretzel franchises operating throughout the United States . He successfully operates almost 70 stores under this franchise name , with locations in 15 states .
= H.A.T.E.U. = " H.A.T.E.U. " ( acronym for " Having A Typical Emotional Upset " ) is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album , Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel ( 2009 ) . It was written and produced by Carey , Tricky Stewart , and The @-@ Dream . It was released as the third single from the album on November 1 , 2009 , for radio airplay in the United States . It is a down @-@ tempo R & B love song about Carey wishing for the love and pain she feels from a break @-@ up to turn into hate so she can get over the relationship . The song garnered a positive response from music critics , with many ranking it amongst the best on the album . The song 's music video was directed by Brett Ratner in Malibu , and features Carey in a variety of swimsuits walking along the beach . She has performed the track live on Today and Late Show with David Letterman . " H.A.T.E.U. " reached number 72 on the US Hot R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Songs chart . = = Production = = " H.A.T.E.U. " was written and produced by Mariah Carey , Tricky Stewart , and The @-@ Dream for Carey 's twelfth studio album , Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel ( 2009 ) . It was one of the first songs to be written for the album . It was copyright 2009 by Rye Songs , which is administered by Songs of Universal ( BMI ) / WB Music Publishing ( ASCAP / Songs of Peer / March 9 Publishing ( ASCAP ) . It was recorded by Chris " Tex " O 'Ryan and Brian Garten The Boom Boom Room in Burbank and Honeywest Studios in New York City . They were assisted by Luis Navarro and Keith Gretlein . It was mixed by Jaycen @-@ Joshua Fowler ( for Penua Project / Innersound Management ) at Larrabee Studios in Universal City , and was assisted by Giancarlo Lino . On May 20 , 2009 , L.A. Reid hosted an event called the Island Def Jam Spring Collection , where he " unveiled his latest muses " . He premiered " H.A.T.E.U. " by Carey as well as music videos by Kanye West , The @-@ Dream , and Fabolous . A low @-@ quality snippet of the song leaked onto the internet the following day , three months before the album 's initial release date of August 25 . = = Composition = = A down @-@ tempo R & B love song , " H.A.T.E.U. " is an acronym for " Having A Typical Emotional Upset " . Lyrically , the song is about reaching the point following a break @-@ up where Carey no longer feels love or pain and it turns into hate . The refain consists of Carey repeating the lyrics " I can 't wait to hate you " . The singer employs her lower register in a " narcotized vocal haze " which places emphasis on the pain and struggling endured between two people who are no longer in a relationship together . In an interview for YouTube posted on December 24 , 2009 , Carey elaborated on the lyrical meaning , saying that it " really hits people in their hearts because it 's like ... everybody has experienced when you love somebody , and they let you go , but you can 't let them go . So ' I can 't wait to hate you ' is a strong statement " . Michaelangelo Matos of The A.V. Club compared the seagull chirp " vocal acrobatic " sung by Carey during the track 's climax to the whistle notes she sings on her 1991 single " Emotions " . = = Release and remixes = = The song was released as the album 's third single to contemporary hit / Top 40 , rhythmic contemporary , and urban contemporary radio stations in the United States on November 1 , 2009 . Carey revealed that she intended to re @-@ release Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel as a remix album in early 2010 , titled Angels Advocate , consisting of remixes of the standard songs with new featured artists , including Mary J. Blige , Snoop Dogg , Trey Songz , R. Kelly , T @-@ Pain , Gucci Mane , and OJ da Juiceman . OJ da Juiceman confirmed that he had recorded his verse for a remix of " H.A.T.E.U. " in November 2009 . In an interview for MTV News , he revealed his shock at being telephoned by Jermaine Dupri to record some vocals for the remix of " H.A.T.E.U " alongside Gucci Mane and Big Boi . Juiceman said that his verse took ten minutes to record . It contains a sample of " My Boo " by Ghost Town DJ 's . A writer for DJ Booth wrote that the remixes produced by Dupri sped up the slow tempo of the original version and added some percussion . He continued to write that while the remix is not superior to the original , but it is catchier and more likely to receive radio airplay . " Angels Cry " and " Up Out My Face " from Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel were released as remix singles , with Ne @-@ Yo featured on the former and Nicki Minaj on the latter . A release date of February 23 , 2010 was slated , and then pushed back to March 9 . It was then further pushed back to March 30 . However , it was confirmed in March 2010 that production of Angels Advocate had halted and the project had been shelved indefinitely . Island Def Jam stated that the singer was instead working on a new project and " new surprises " . Metro revealed that Carey was either recording a new studio album or possibly a Christmas album . Jason Nevins produced a remix called " H.A.T.E.U. " ( Jason Nevins " Loves U " Remix ) for the Just Dance 3 soundtrack released in June 2010 . = = Critical reception = = " H.A.T.E.U. " received positive reviews from critics . Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said that " H.A.T.E.U. " has an " ease " about it which is similar to previous single releases by Carey . Bill Lamb of About.com described the track as " sad " and placed it in his list of the album 's top four tracks . Rap @-@ Up also included " H.A.T.E.U. " in their top four tracks of the album . The Seattle Times writer Mesfin Fekadu described the song as " a beautiful heartbreak ballad " . Melinda Newman of HitFix commented that despite the name of the song , it is not a rant , and that it is a " bittersweet " ballad about love . Chris Ryan of MTV Buzzworthy thought that the track was " one of the prettiest and most effective " on the album . Michael Cragg of musicOMH felt that Carey achieved a balance of " simplicity with urgency " on the track . A writer for DJ Booth noted that Carey 's confidence on the lead single " Obsessed " bordered on aggression , and that the residual energy from the track carried over to other songs on the album , including " H.A.T.E.U. " and " Up Out My Face " , whereby she was " ready for war " . Kathy Iandoli of HipHopDX criticized Carey 's vocals , writing : " An attempted whistle @-@ tone at the close of ' H.A.T.E.U. ' doesn 't necessarily indicate that Carey ’ s pipes are rusting , but perhaps she 's succeeding more with less blustery vocals these days " . = = Music video = = The accompanying music video for " H.A.T.E.U. " was directed by Brett Ratner in Malibu . It was made available to download on iTunes on December 8 , 2009 . The video starts with Carey walking down some steps onto the beach wearing a black bathing suit and high heel shoes , which she takes off when she gets to the bottom and walks onto the sand . Carey is seen in different shots standing next to a cliff @-@ face as well as in the middle of the beach for the majority of the video . For the bridge , Carey is seen in multiple different shots as she walks along the shoreline , which changes as the last verse takes place , where her outfit changes from a black bathing suit to a different style white bathing suit whilst the sun sets in the background . As the video comes to an end , the scenery has changed to nighttime , and Carey is wearing another black bathing suit with a black jacket standing against a rock @-@ face . Carey then inscribes into the sand " H.A.T.E.U. " using her fingers , which she underlines as the video fades to black . The video is also inter @-@ cut throughout with shots of the scenery on the beach . Rap @-@ Up described the video as " picturesque " . Chris Ryan of MTV Buzzworthy wrote that it is a " slow @-@ mo , beachwear fashion show " . He continued , " Equally depressed by the end of a relationship and inspired by the scenery , Mimi spends a few minutes suggestively touching herself and staring into the middle distance . What becomes of the broken @-@ hearted ? " = = Live performances = = On October 2 , 2009 , Carey performed a four @-@ track set list on NBC 's Today . She began with her 1992 single " Make It Happen " , followed by " Obsessed " and " I Want to Know What Love Is " . She concluded with " H.A.T.E.U. " On November 13 , 2009 , Carey performed the track on the Late Show with David Letterman . = = Charts = = = = Radio release history = =
= H @-@ 33 ( Michigan county highway ) = H @-@ 33 is a county @-@ designated highway in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan between Gould City and McMillan that was previously M @-@ 135 , a former state trunkline highway . The roadway follows Manistique Lakes Road from Gould City at a junction with US Highway 2 ( US 2 ) near Lake Michigan north to M @-@ 28 near McMillan . The northern section of the highway is also called County Road 135 ( CR 135 ) in Luce County . From 1929 until 1960 , the road was part of the state highway system as M @-@ 135 . The northern end of the highway always contained a section that ran concurrently with M @-@ 98 , another state highway in the area . For a period in the 1950s , M @-@ 135 had a different northern terminus separate from M @-@ 98 's endpoint . A few years before both highways were removed from the highway system , M @-@ 135 was moved to use M @-@ 98 's terminus with M @-@ 28 . Since the 1970s , M @-@ 135 has been a part of the county @-@ designated highway system and assigned the number H @-@ 33 , a moniker it has borne since . = = Route description = = H @-@ 33 begins at an intersection with US 2 just west of Gould City . From there the route travels due north through woodlands on Manistique Lakes Road , passing by Mitten and South Manistique lakes . The road crosses Norton and Strom creeks near South Manistique Lake before entering the community of Curtis . In that town , H @-@ 33 intersects the eastern end of H @-@ 42 . North of Curtis , H @-@ 33 passes Manistique Lake as the road crosses the Mackinac – Luce county line . North of the line , H @-@ 33 has also been designated CR 135 by the Luce County Road Commission . Continuing north , the roadway enters the community of Helmer where it meets a junction with the eastern terminus of the eastern H @-@ 44 ( CR 98 , Ten Curves Road ) near North Manistique Lake . The roadway also crosses Locke Creek , which flows into that lake . After H @-@ 33 leaves Helmer , it continues northward to a junction with North Road Lake Road ( CR 438 ) and Sampsell Road ( CR 417 ) . Manistique Lakes Road turns to the east , replacing North Round Lake Road , and H @-@ 33 follows suit . The road continues to a junction with M @-@ 28 just south of McMillan near East Lake . There H @-@ 33 terminates near farms and several small business . = = History = = In 1929 , M @-@ 135 was designated , creating the concurrency along the last several miles of M @-@ 98 . In late 1949 or early 1950 , M @-@ 28 was realigned to take an angled route southeasterly out of McMillan . The east – west section of the previous M @-@ 28 routing was added to M @-@ 98 while the north – south segment was added to M @-@ 135 . By the middle of 1958 , M @-@ 135 was shifted to follow M @-@ 98 , removing the roadway section added to its routing previously ; this change made M @-@ 98 and M @-@ 135 concurrent north of Helmer all the way to M @-@ 28 once again . M @-@ 135 was removed from the state trunkline system in late 1960 or early 1961 , and the designation was decommissioned at that time . The M @-@ 135 designation has not been reused since . The routing was then assigned as County Road H @-@ 33 after October 5 , 1970 , The road has retained that designation ever since . = = Major intersections = =

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